Journey To Community Village
As is true for so many young people, Shannon started her collegiate classes heading in one direction – to become a veterinarian – and eventually settled into a degree as a social worker.
Her first employment after earning her degree was as a social worker in the mental health system. Shannon reflects back on the experience: “That was very taxing! I realized it takes a special kind of person to help this population. I met a lot of wonderful people and learned a lot, but found myself depressed because I couldn’t get rid of their depression or schizophrenia.”
After that tough realization, Shannon was tapped to be a social worker at a nursing home for the next five years or so. “Hardest social worker job I’ve ever had because of all the regulations. Plus there were so many dynamics between families and residents and employees. But during this time, I became aware of how much I really enjoyed the geriatric population. They say what they think, have so much experience to share with us, and a lot of great stories. What they need is someone to advocate for them as their world is changing all around them. I really enjoyed doing that for them!”
Shannon transitioned into hospice social work next and was, to no surprise, assigned nursing homes. She wrote grants, became an advocate, and found this to be the best social worker position she has had. “You’re coming into someone’s life who is nearing death and – especially elderly people – they know that it’s coming, so I was just helping them plan it out as best as they can control.”
Being a highly motivated person, Shannon decided she wanted to be in a position to make more change. Social workers do a lot of fixing and community resourcing. But there are so many barriers in connecting people with the resources they need. With motivation, Shannon returned to school to earn a Masters in Business so she can do more to institute change.
“Then somehow – and I guess it’s just the way God wanted things to go because it really wasn’t my plan – I ended up finding a job where I talked to people about end-of-life, life insurance, and financial planning. The downside was that though I loved helping them, I was making next to nothing living on commissions. The upside was that I met great people and learned marketing skills and a public speaking presence that has served me well ever since.”
For the next four years, Shannon managed marketing and admissions for Brittany Manor nursing home. She connected people with resources they needed and if she couldn’t provide the service, she would find what they needed elsewhere. At this same time, Shannon took a class and did home study to pass her Nursing Home Administrator’s License. This prepared her to transition into the Administrator in Training program until her Administrator retired. Shannon filled this role of Administrator for seven years until she came to Community Village in 2024.
“I loved the people I worked with and the residents, but the regulations were so strict that I was constantly battling to keep residents happy and with freedom living in their home and to still follow the strict regulations of the nursing home. I spent far too much time doing audits and reports than time with people, with residents. I learned a lot and grew professionally during these years of managing staff, families, navigating through the high-stress of COVID, and everyday problem resolution.” With what felt a little bit like a grand orchestration, as Shannon was becoming ready for something a little less stressful and less regulated, the word came to her that Robin was planning her retirement from Administrator at Community Village. Then Shannon got a phone call, then an interview, and a second interview!
Experiencing “Community” Village
Coming from a 150-bed facility to an 90-bed facility at Community Village seemed like it might be a big adjustment – maybe one she wouldn’t like! “But then I experienced walking into the building – and music was playing and residents were dancing and everyone was friendly. I felt an immediate warmth! It’s truly a community!”
“Yes, the building is a bit dated, it’s no 5-star facility like what I was used to – and it was hard leaving Brittany Manor, yet it felt so right for me to make the move. I can interact with all of my staff here – all shifts. I can get to know them and actually communicate with them. I still do plenty of reports, but reports are not the primary focus of my work here… people are the focus!
“The residents here make you feel like a movie star whenever you see them! They all knew my name before I had the chance to learn theirs. They’re cheery and quick to greet me each morning… and they are just a lot of fun!”
Moving Forward
When asked what her plans are for moving forward, Shannon focuses on those things that impact the two fundamental aspects of Community Village: residents and staff.
Policy & Procedures: “We’re actively reviewing and updating policy books, processes, and procedures so that we’re all on the same page and following the same procedures for the best care for residents. Former administrators Ken Streeter and Robin Rappley have been a fantastic resource in providing insight for all the moving pieces.”
Staffing & Retention: “I’ve discovered that the team here is really great about trying new things – which is a bit unusual. Change can be difficult, but I’ve been involving both staff and floor managers in conversations and in planning. So we’re collaborating to make our systems useful for everyone. There’s so much potential here with this staff. I’ve been asking ‘what do you want to know more about and what do you want to learn?’ If you want to know more, learn more, and be better? Let’s do it! We’ll invest in YOU. Because our team is excited and engaged, staff retention has improved dramatically.
The Community Village staff are fun people, too! As their work schedule permits, they join in the dancing or the costume competitions or the numerous other things going on. Everyone has fun… together!
Facility: “When I came, there were some facility repairs that needed to be done. One of my strengths is environmental plant, so I would make rounds looking for things that needed attention. Keith and I would have conversations on how to make it look better. We’ve done a lot of painting, replacing flooring, and even upgrading furniture. Though we don’t need 5-star fancy, we want a standard that we all would have within our own homes… and I think we’re doing a good job with that.”
It’s Positively Different At Community Village
Community Village is all about helping people, even people who cannot afford the help. “This has been reiterated to me numerous times and in various ways. The price difference between most assisted living homes and Community Village is vast and ridiculous, and yet there’s no difference in quality of care. I often remind people that ‘The paint color doesn’t give your mom a shower. We’ll make sure the shower is clean, safe, and in good condition, but it’s never going to be a marble shower with a fancy shower head. It’s the care that matters.’ I see the care firsthand when staff shows up – on their day off – because a particular resident is sick and they’re not sure they’ll live much longer. By their own choosing, our staff all attend the services for residents who have passed away. They truly care! It’s our responsibility to care for these residents and we have a great team of people who love doing so!”
