In this month’s Culture of Joy, we are thrilled to shine a spotlight on Allison, whose compassionate heart and unwavering dedication have made a profound impact on the residents and team at North Pointe.
Allison’s journey into senior care was deeply personal—after experiencing the challenges of Alzheimer’s first-hand with her father, she felt called to help others navigating similar paths. Her ability to connect with residents, create meaningful activities and bring smiles to their faces is a true gift. Thank you, Allison, for all you do to bring joy and comfort to those around you!
Q&A with Allison
Q: Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your role at North Pointe?
A: I’m Allison and I’m the Activities Coordinator at North Pointe.
Q: How did you come to be on the team at North Pointe?
A: My dad was a resident of a Sonida sister community. He had Alzheimer’s and when he passed away, I wanted to learn more about Alzheimer’s and dementia. The journey with my dad was one of the hardest things I went through. I wanted to get into this line of work because I experienced it first-hand, and I knew I could help others.
Q: How did your experience with your dad shape your passion for this work?
A: At the time I didn’t understand the illness as much, but now I do, and I just feel like this is my journey of where I’m supposed to be at right now.
Q: That’s really wonderful to give back to residents and their families. Can you tell me more about what your job entails?
A: I love my job as Activities Coordinator. I help with the residents quality of life whether it’s with exercise or memory games. It’s a rewarding feeling.
Q: Do you organize activities for the residents?
A: Yes, I manage the activities calendar for our Magnolia Trails memory care residents. We do a lot of the exercises, devotions, different crafts and then we do crafts with the assisted living residents.
Q: What do you think is most important about the activities for Magnolia Trails residents?
A: Exercise is good for the mind and body. Keeping residents active and engaged is important for their spirit too.
Q: Are there any favorite activities or crowd-pleasers?
A: They love their crafts. I show an example and tell them, “You don’t have to make it like mine; make it yours.” Then we give them to family members, which they enjoy. We’re working on Valentine’s Day ornaments to hang on a white tree and they’re enjoying making those.
Q: I love seeing the photos of your crafts on Facebook!
A: We think it’s so important for family to see what their loved ones are up to on Facebook. If they’re at work or busy, they can check our Facebook to see that their loved one participated in an activity that day and feel comforted by that.
Q: From what I see on Facebook, North Pointe looks like a really special community.
A: We have a really great team here. We get along really well. We’re all silly and love to have fun. We communicate really well and care about the residents. I think we all just want to make the residents smile.
Q: What is most rewarding about your job?
A: Making the residents smile and laugh. It’s all about improving quality of life. At the end of the day when I know I made a difference, that’s what it’s all about.
Q: Tell me about yourself. What’s life like for Allison outside of the community?
A: I like to read a lot. I like romance novels or crime novels after working in law enforcement. I like to go to the movies with my boyfriend. We go out to eat a lot and try to enjoy time with family.
Q: Wow, it sounds like you have many areas of interest!
A: I do! I love to spend time with my family. We’ve always been pretty close, but since my dad’s passing we’ve gotten a lot closer. The community was really good to him, and that’s why I wanted to get into this line of work.
Q: And it sounds like you’re really good with your residents.
A: The families tell me they can see it on my face that I really love helping people. This is what I’m supposed to be doing. I know my dad would be proud of me.
Q: Oh, I’m sure he would be too. Thank you for sharing about your father.
A: You’re very welcome. I really like working for Sonida Living. They’ve been really good to me in the five years that I’ve been here.
Q: And I hope there will be many more years to come.
A: Yep! Many more memories to come.
Q: We can’t wait to see it! Thank you, Allison, for everything that you do.
A: Well, thank you! I really appreciate that.
Allison’s story is a shining example of the joy and purpose found in working at North Pointe. Her dedication to serving residents and creating meaningful experiences is evident in everything she does, from organizing engaging activities to fostering connections that bring comfort and happiness. Inspired by her own journey with her father, Allison’s passion for making a difference shines through in her compassionate approach to memory care. The bonds she has built within the Sonida Senior Living community highlight the profound impact of her work.
Become a Social Butterfly and Shimmer Through Your Senior Years
It’s never too late to transform into a social butterfly. Senior living communities are designed to promote health and happiness while allowing you to build new friendships in your later years.
Find a community
If you’re a senior or caregiver looking for independent living, assisted living or memory care services for you or your loved one, contact us to schedule a tour or request information about a community near you.
