Where were you born?
LeMars, Iowa
What is your favorite food?
I like all kinds of food. I enjoy trying new things and items from different ethnic restaurants. If I had to pick one thing, it would probably be ice cream (I have a terrible sweet tooth).
How does being an occupational therapist help in your work as an elder care coordinator?
Occupational therapists (OT) can work in such a wide variety of settings, which has always been something I have enjoyed about my career. We are trained in both the physiological and psychosocial aspects of illness, which makes for a well-rounded healthcare professional. In healthcare, there is a lot of teamwork, which gives you a good perspective of what your patients need. I worked closely with case managers and nurses when planning for a patient's discharge home to make sure they had they had proper supports in place and home was a safe environment for them to discharge to. As an OT, I took a very holistic approach to assisting my patients with home safety awareness and the process of transitioning to different levels of care. Throughout my career, I have worked in a lot of management roles. This has giving me the experience needed to deliver Life Care Planning services. All these experiences have worked together to make my move into the role of an elder care coordinator feel like a natural fit.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want to have with you?
Can I have four 😊? I would want something to start a fire with so I could cook food. I would want a pot to cook food in and drink water out of. I would also want a knife and a sleeping bag. I'm not sure which one I would eliminate to get the list down to three.
What is your idea of a perfect summer evening?
An ideal summer evening would be early enough in the summer when it's not too hot and there aren't many bugs. I would enjoy playing outside with the kids and going for a walk or bike ride. After the kids are in bed, I would enjoy the peace of the outdoors under the stars, relaxing with a cold drink and a nice conversation with my husband.
Name one thing that few people know about you.
Even though I ended up in healthcare (and wanted to be in healthcare for as long as I can remember), my favorite subject in school was always math, so my undergraduate degree is in mathematics.
What’s the best book you’ve read lately?
I enjoy reading a good fiction book full of suspense to keep my attention. I have read a lot of Steena Holmes and Kerry Fischer lately. Can’t say I have a favorite book, though.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve been asked to do as an elder care coordinator?
Every day and every client situation is so different that it is difficult to come up with something unusual about any of them.
What do you like most about living in the Blair area?
I enjoy the small town feel of Blair but the fact that it is close to Omaha so I can have easy access to shopping, restaurants, and entertainment.
What is your favorite movie?
God’s Not Dead