The People of Arete Living Pod

Get to know Director of Sales and Outreach at Avamere at Park Place- the wonderful Beatriz Ruvalcaba! 

In Honor of Nurses Week in May, three nurses across Arete Living shared their favorite moments, challenges, and more! Get insight into what it's like to be a nurse.This episode is hosted by Debbie Miller, Regional Nurse Consultant with Arete Living. She is joined by guests Linda Ward, RN, Director of Health Services with Ovation Heartwood Preserve and Tanys Ross, RN, Director of Health Services with Avamere at Moses Lake.

In honor of Women's History Month, Arete Living President Sarah Silva joins the podcast to share about her career journey – from caregiver to president, motherhood, and leadership in the senior living industry.Get to know Sarah in this exclusive interview hosted by decorated Culture and Diversity Strategist Zanele Mutepfa-Rhone.

In honor of Veterans Day, veteran Ginger Apprich joins the podcast to share her experience in the Navy. She shares what she's most proud of from her service and how we can best support our veterans. Ginger is the Community Relations Director for Ovation Heartwood Preserve in Omaha, Nebraska, managed by Arete Living. It was in the service that she discovered her passion for senior living.Meet Ginger by listening to this special episode of the podcast! 

Hispanic Heritage Month is honored September 15 through October 15. This is a time to recognize, learn, and celebrate contributions and impact made by the Hispanic and Latinx communities in our society and world. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Cristal Ruvalcaba, Director of Sales and Outreach with Avamere at Park Place, joined the People of Arete Living Pod to share about her culture, family, career journey, and more. 

One in 50 people have an undiagnosed aneurysm, according to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. In honor of Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month, Jessica Clemence, Director of Sales & Outreach with Avamere at Cascadia Village, joins the podcast to share her experience, along with her surgeon, Dr. Jeremy Fields with Kaiser Permanente. Discover what prompted Jessica to test for a brain aneurysm, and hear the warning signs and how lower your risk from Dr. Fields. For resources or to donate:BAFound.orgDonations via Venmo @BAFound

In honor of Assisted Living Week, Jeremy Gigstad with Avamere at Albany joins the podcast to share joyful moments and how he connects with seniors and their families. Discover why his first home visit was so memorable and how he went from a car salesman to helping seniors find their new home. 

Discover nursing opportunities in senior living! Avamere at Bethany and Concorde Career College offer preceptorships for students seeking nursing experience before graduating.  Avamere at Bethany's Executive Director, Jeffrey Mason, and Concorde Career College's Dean of Nursing, Jessica Sotiriou, MSN, RN, join the podcast to share about this partnership and what students gain from this experience.Find out more on the blog! https://avamereatbethany.com/experience-nursing-at-avamere-at-bethany

Sandy Carpenter joins the podcast in honor of Mother's Day to share her story of her daughters becoming a Carpenter. Discover her journey of foster care and adoption — the challenges and the happy moments. Guest Sandy Carpenter, Executive Director with Avamere Living at Berry Park in Oregon City, is joined with podcast co-host Shaelynn Miller, current foster mom, for a mom-to-mom chat. 

R U Kidding? No, we're not! But one of our residents with Avamere at Rio Rancho is. He legally changed his name to R U Kidding? (with a question mark at the end) on April Fool's Day 1983 along with his wife, Whooya Kidding? (also with a question mark).R U was a clown for a living and today spreads smiles, jokes, and poems through his senior living community. Get to know R U in this special episode of The People of Avamere Pod!

In honor of American Heart Month, Meredith Collett with the American Heart Association joins the podcast to share heart-healthy tips, signs of stroke, and how to advocate for heart health during the upcoming Heart and Stroke Walk. This month's theme is Reclaim Your Rhythm, focusing on healthy habits for your best chance at a longer, healthier life.  Get all these helpful tips and learn a bit about Meredith in this episode of The People of Avamere Pod. Donate or sign up to join host Thomas Cloutier's team in the Heart and Stroke Walk! https://bndfr.com/f9h6c Our podcast host and guest are not medical professionals. Consult your doctor before making any major lifestyle changes. 

Take a look into Alzheimer's disease from someone who has experienced the journey with their loved one and now helps others through theirs. Samantha Demchak, Director of Sales and Outreach with The Arbor at Avamere Court in Keizer, Oregon, joins the podcast to share her personal story. Get a raw look into the world of Alzheimer's, discover where she found support, and hear about her big family of 4 kids, 6 grandkids, and 11 animals. 

In honor of Native American Heritage Month in November, Wendde Kneram shares her experience in advocating for cultural sensitivity and communication for Alaskan Natives.  Wendde, occupational therapist (OTR/L) and Director of Rehab with Infinity Rehab, a senior therapy organization part of the Avamere Family of Companies, led this project in 2019 as part of the Leadership Academy, one of Infinity Rehab’s professional development programs. She invited Melissa Consteneata, Elder Youth Program Manager with the Alaskan Native Tribal Council, to lead three workshops at her building, which her, her staff, and in turn their patients, still benefit from today.Discover more about this important work and get to know a bit about Wendde in this special episode. 

Hear the myths and benefits of telehealth from expert Jaime Michel. Jamie is the Director of Rehab with Infinity Rehab at Devonshire Acres in Sterling, Colorado. In this special episode in honor of Telehealth Awareness Week, Jaime debunks a common telehealth myth and shares how it has been instrumental in her building. Get to know all about telehealth and Jaime, as we hear about her busy life as a mom of twin boys and a girl, her life motto, and more. 

Misty Gordon, registered nurse and Medication Aide Program Director in Oregon, is passionate about helping nursing students grow and thrive in their career. Find out why she believes happiness in your chosen career is so crucial and how Avamere prepares their team for success. Misty is the mom of seven in a blended family and believes family is not only who you're born with but who you choose to surround yourself with. Get to know Misty in this special episode! 

Teresa Stockton is a true adventurer! This Avamere Living at Berry Park resident in Oregon City has visited over 370 National Parks, rode Amtrak trains across the United States, scuba dived to a shipwreck, and so much more in her exciting life.Born blind, Teresa is a major advocate for making the world blind accessible, including her work in making the Santa Barbara channel island visitor's center blind accessible. Get to know more about her experience growing up blind, her singing career, and the regrettable phrase that brought her and her sweetheart together for 42 happy years of marriage. 

Starting out as a dishwasher at The Stafford 13 years ago, Kenny Dew now works as the Area Finance Manager for Avamere Living Community-Based Care. Hear about the two-question interview that got him hired, what item he checked off his bucket list, how many people he's brought to Team Avamere, and exciting changes in his life during the pandemic. 

This special episode during Pride Month features guests from Richmond Beach Rehab: Leo Palle, registered nurse and Resident Care Manager, and Scott Woolsey, licensed practical nurse and MDS Case Manager. Leo and Scott share their journey in being open about who they are. Hear their stories of coming out, overcoming trials, finding support, and get to know a little more about them, including hobbies and favorite food. 

In honor of Pride Month, Patrick Baltazar, Staffing Resource Program Administrator in Oregon for Avamere Living, shares his experiences being a gay man and his hopes for the future of the LGBTQIA+ community. Patrick came out after a year and a half working at Avamere Crestview of Portland because of the support he gained during his short time there. Patrick unfortunately lost relationships from his personal life but found the support he needed in his team.Patrick shared, "Truly because of the inclusivity that was obvious at the facility and within the team I was empowered."Even today those experiences remain with him as he seeks to be that support for those he interacts with. Get to know Patrick, his passion for service, what he's studying in school, his theme song, and so much more.

Get to know the Wondertwins, Sheilah Trail and Teena Tarabochia. Both with a background in hospitality, the two found a passion for HR and talent acquisition. Today Sheila is the HR Director for Avamere Living community-based care and Ovation and Teena Tarabochia serves as the HR Director for Avamere Living skilled nursing. Discover how they found their passion, their theme songs, and Teena's "boo crew." It's all here in this exclusive episode of the People of Avamere Pod!