Resident pro le

for memory care, the basement was set up like a museum to replicate the very early days in health care. She said the “pole barn” (one of the maintenance buildings) was full of donated antiques. She worked with other volunteers to wash and clean the furniture, and helped organize the Heritage House Museum and Ye Olde School on the Cedar Lake Campus. There is an old pump organ in the Heritage House that Cedar Community resident Juanita Ruh played, and she remembers seeing mice run away as she pumped.

After the Kaspers retired, they moved to Florida for 10 years until they came back to West Bend to live at Cedar Community’s independent living apartments. During the winters they lived in Lillian, Alabama for 10 years. Barbara and her husband were both active volunteers and got to know a lot of people at Cedar Community, helping with activities in the skilled nursing and assisted living. Roland drove the van to shuttle residents shopping and to appointments. They took many bus trips with tour groups to places in the United States. She couldn’t pick a favorite place, but decided she particularly liked the seasons in Tennessee as their average winter snowfall is only seven inches.

She enjoyed time with her family, doing crafts, and sewing, but as the family grew up, she enjoyed volunteering, and doing activities with and getting to know the residents. She looks forward to continuing to volunteer after the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Being with people brings her the most joy.

Gladys Sachse

Resident, Cedar Community Independent Living

Lighting the bridge

Independent living residents Dave and Jan Braby generously donated funds they inherited from a relative to light up Cedar Community’s covered bridge located at the Cedar Lake Campus. They felt it was a great way to honor that friendship.

Celebrating outstanding team members

Every quarter, Cedar Community recognizes team members who go above and beyond their everyday tasks for our residents, families, volunteers, and their fellow team members. Cedar Community is proud to announce our team members of the quarter award winners: Jessica Lucas, CNA, and Darcie Heberer, Life Enrichment Therapist

Jessica Lucas, certied nursing assistant, worked retail for a while and then as an in-home caregiver helping a client with cooking, cleaning, and eating, among other household tasks. “I really liked it and felt that I was making a dierence in someone’s life,” says Jessica. She didn’t start out thinking the healthcare eld was for her. In fact, she was on quite the opposite spectrum and attended Marquette University as a political science and English major. After two and a half years, she switched gears.

Today, Jessica works in Cedar Community’s skilled nursing care, working the Baylor shift, 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday. While it can be dicult to do things during the day, working nights is what she enjoys. “I like the pace of nights and I am a night owl anyway,” says Jessica. She also tries to pick up additional nights during the week. Jessica has worked at Cedar Community for ve and a half years. She is content in her role and doesn’t really feel the desire, just yet, to continue on for her licensed practical nurse or registered nursing degrees. “Working as a certied nursing assistant allows for more hands on and one-on-one time with each resident, and helping them live their best life,” says Jessica. She appreciates the interactions with residents and learning their life stories. Jessica also enjoys the relationships and closeness with her team members. “All of us who work with Jess appreciate her for more than just her work. It’s her calm demeanor and her honesty, along with being reliable, exible, and the positive eect she has on others,” says Pam Duschene, RN, nurse supervisor.

When Jessica is not at work, she likes to attend festivals, go thrifting, and watch old movies. Winning the Employee of the Quarter award for Jessica was quite humbling, who tends to be quite shy. Her team members think otherwise and said, “Jessica is one of the most caring CNAs I know. She is kind to all she comes in contact with, especially the residents.” “Jessica is always exible when having to move to another household. She makes the best of every situation.” “She always shares what is good in a challenging situation.” “Jessica is soft spoken with a huge heart and everyone loves working with her.”

To learn more about the rewarding opportunities available at Cedar Community, visit our careers page at cedarcommunity.org.

Darcie Heberer, Life Enrichment Therapist, wanted to be a veterinary tech after high school. While meeting with her high school guidance counselor and taking the aptitude test that helps students navigate a career path, she learned she was best suited for something in health care or therapy. She took that to heart and changed the course of her future plans, attending Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton for occupational therapy assistant.

She also wanted to stay close to her home in Lomira. She was very close to her family and didn’t want to go too far away. So, she moved to Appleton and came home often on the weekends. Part of her associate’s degree program was participating in two internships. Her rst experience was at an adult daycare center in Beaver Dam, and her second brought her to Cedar Community. While at Cedar Community she was able to experience both geriatric and pediatric populations, as Cedar Community had clinics specializing in pediatrics at that time. “I really enjoyed working with older adults assessing a rehab need, creating a therapy goal, and getting people better than when they rst came in,” says Darcie.

Upon graduation, she took a job at a retirement community in Milwaukee with a position that was half occupational therapy and half activities. She found she enjoyed the activity part more, and when a position opened up in 1992 at Cedar Community, she jumped at the opportunity. The job was full time in activities, now known as life enrichment. “When I came back, therapy was short staed so I also lled in where I could for a couple of years,” says Darcie.

At Cedar Community, Darcie is responsible, along with her life enrichment team, for creating activities based on resident and patient personal interests. A life enrichment team member meets with every new resident and rehab patient to assess and evaluate what they like to do and what keeps them active and interested. “We even work with families learning about resident and patient needs. We also maintain that active line of communication with residents who have lived at Cedar Community for several years to continue to keep them actively engaged and learn if there are new things they would like to try,” says Darcie.

Darcie enjoys the variety of activities and each day is never the same. She likes being able to think on her feet, coming up with creative new ways to engage residents while making their lives more comfortable and enjoyable. “It feels like family here. I was close to my grandparents growing up and losing them was hard. Now I have 30 grandpas and grandmas. My kids grew up at Cedar Community too, visiting with residents and volunteering their time, as well as my husband. One of my kids even worked here,” says Darcie.

“Darcie is extremely creative! She is always coming up with new and exciting programming ideas and is willing to pitch in and help whenever needed. The residents are always her top priority,” says Erin Faust, Resident Experience Director, Life Enrichment.

Darcie doesn’t see herself ever leaving. She feels valued for her ideas and encouraged from fellow team members, while oering enjoyable and engaging opportunities for residents.

Darcie’s team members who nominated her for the award share why they feel she is a great team member: “Darcie goes out of her way to help the residents and their families.” “She has done so much during COVID-19 with our Cedar Community channel for residents to stay engaged.” “Darcie helps wherever she can and is a true team player.”