Meet Kathryn
Executive Director
The executive director, along with our friendly and professional staff, strives to create positive, stimulating ways for residents to continue living life with meaning and purpose. We are a friendly family where we treat residents like real people with real life stories.
Our community is a great story that includes heartwarming chapters and incredibly unique characters all in a wonderful setting. Here is the executive director’s story:
How long have you worked in the retirement industry?
Off and on for 5 years.
What do you like best about your job?
I like the interactions with my residents.
What do you like to do in your free time and why?
Travel – there are so many new places to see.
If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
Mother Teresa because she epitomized what it means to be a kind, compassionate human being and she was so wise.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
“French Kiss” because it is funny and has a great ending. It’s about how one’s plans can go totally awry, but wonderful things can happen because of it.
What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
Mmmm… anything chocolate!
In what ways do your residents inspire you?
They have good senses of humor and they help me not to be afraid to age.
Do you have any memorable experiences with a particular resident you would like to share?
Helmuth is one of my current residents. He is 90, but is always excited to meet new people and learn new things. He donated a computer to the community and has offered classes to help the other residents learn to use it.
How do you honor your residents at your community?
We have an appreciation luncheon once a month.
Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
Ione is a resident in our health center. She moved into independent living but we realized quite quickly she wasn’t going to do well there. She has lived in chronic pain for years. She moved to the health center and has improved tremendously. Her daughter went out of town right after she moved and when she came back, she burst into tears when she saw how much better her mother was doing.
How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
Our décor says “homey” and everyone is very friendly.
Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork.
Keith is our maintenance director. Once in awhile, I see him interacting with a resident. He is so kind and attentive. He’s a great example of a professional who shows tremendous respect for our residents and other staff members as well.
At Lakewood Meridian, we understand that deciding where to live is a big decision that deserves careful thought. We invite you to visit us, stop by for lunch or be a guest at one of our special events or classes. We look forward to meeting you.