When Emily Weber of Ann Arbor was 6 or 7, she told her dad she wanted to work in a nursing home when she grew up. Today a Resident Care Assistant (RCA) at Towsley Village Memory Care Center, Emily is living out her calling to provide care and compassion for older adults.
“Since I was a kid I felt drawn to older adults,” explains Emily. “I had a lot of fun spending time with my grandparents. They helped set my path in life.”
Emily got her start in Dining Services at The Cedars of Dexter four years ago, then moved to Glazier Commons Assisted Living. Emily has been an RCA at Towsley Village for 1 ½ years, primarily in the Winter Neighborhood. “It’s all about building a trusting relationship and showing understanding, patience, and empathy for what residents and their families are experiencing,” says Emily about her job.
Working with older adults living with dementia is personal for Emily, whose maternal grandmother died of the disease. Thanks to a competitive staff scholarship from the UMRC Foundation, she is now working on her graduate certificate in gerontology and dementia at Eastern Michigan University. “I am so thankful and appreciative of this opportunity that is provided by the UMRC Foundation,” shares Emily. “Programs like this allow people like me to continue their education and expand their expertise in specific areas of interest.”
November 1 is the next deadline for UMRC Foundation’s Staff Scholarship applications! To learn more, contact the UMRC Foundation at 734.433.1000 ext. 7502.