Meet JoAnn
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?
I have worked in the retirement industry for10 years, and have worked in the healthcare industry for over 20 years.
What do you like best about your job?
I enjoy the variety of interacting with both the residents and employees. I enjoy meeting new people in the market and community.
What do you like to do in your free time and why?
I mostly spend time with family and friends. I feel very blessed to come from a large family and have many friends.
If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would like to meet Joel Osteen; I believe he brings a lot of hope and inspiration to people.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
My favorite movie is The Notebook. The movie depicts what a spouse goes through when their partner has dementia, while telling a true love story.
What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
I like salmon just because it’s healthy and I like chocolate just because it’s not.
In what ways do your residents inspire you?
I am inspired by our residents’ ability to be persistent and have the perseverance to keep going.
Do you have any memorable experiences with a particular resident you would like to share?
Many years ago a gentleman in a nursing home told me he hadn’t seen his daughter in years. After making numerous phone calls to try to locate her, I was able to bring the two of them together. They re-established their relationship and she continued to visit often until he passed away.
How do you honor your residents at your community?
I honor the residents in our community by spending as much time with them as possible. They enjoy when I make rounds at their dinner table and we share stories and laugh.
Tell us about a resident with a remarkable life story?
I had a resident who helped coordinate and participate in JFK’s funeral through his position in the military.
Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
An assessment was completed on a patient in the hospital, whom we were told would need to stay in a wheelchair. The decision was made to admit the gentleman to our memory care unit. The staff walked him daily. After a few months he had progressed so well that we moved him out of Memory Care and into regular assisted living. The gentleman walked outside several times a day for exercise independently. He was a loner but greatly appreciated his new found independence and quality of life.
In what ways do your employees inspire you?
I am always inspired by employees who are so dedicated to our residents and their jobs.
How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
I believe open communication and allowing employees to give ideas and opinions help them feel part of the team/family.
Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork. In my few weeks I have been here I am very impressed with the teamwork of all the directors and all of the staff. As a new executive director walking into a new team, it was a true gift to have such a great team!!!