- ExitChrissy AkesExecutive DirectorI fell in love with my Great Aunt Hazel from the start. When she came to live with us one summer, we drove her down from Indiana to New Mexico. Aunt Hazel was a hoot using the CB to talk to truckers. When a waitress asked what state she was from, she quipped, “The State of Confusion.” That still brings a smile to my lips. Seniors have taught me to slow down and “smell the roses,” that life is a journey. The path is not always straight but God will get you where you need to be at the right time and place.
- ExitSidney SmathersWellness DirectorThe first senior I ever loved was Jean, one of my mom’s hairdressing clients. As our relationship developed and my understanding of her dementia grew, I quickly bonded with her. I will never forget the glow of happiness that spread across her face every time she came to get her hair done. I loved her deeply and knew at that point I wanted to change people’s lives. MorningStar’s values and my own run parallel. When you find a company that loves the same way you do I think it’s important to jump for that.
- ExitIsabel JafarDirector Community Relations“The first senior I ever loved was my grandfather, John. A renowned Erasmus Scholar from Buffalo, he devoted his life to faith, family and education. His experiences as a Naval Officer in China during WWII sparked his lifelong curiosity about the world and his passion for service, two things I admire. I spent summers in Maine at my grandparents’ second home on the beach. We walked our cove daily, searching for the “perfect stone.” Summers were the only time I saw my grandfather, an elegant man, always well-dressed, wearing tennis sneakers, always with high socks—and that’s how I gave him his nickname, “Sneaker.”
- ExitClaire RainwaterDirector Community RelationsAs an only child, I’ve always preferred the company of adults. While Mom traveled for work, I would spend a great deal of time with my grandparents. I was eight when Nana started having health issues; from that point it was my loving duty to care for her as she had cared for me. Instinctively, I knew what to do. When she passed, my new calling was Granddaddy. As his dementia progressed, taking care of him (eventually as a MorningStar resident) will forever be my greatest blessing and honor.
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