Dottie said she considered leaving after high school due to the challenge of getting emotionally attached to the residents who died. When she was offered a position in Central Supply and assisting with Physical Therapy, she decided to stay. She worked in PT for a while, then became full time in Central Supply and has been in that department ever since. She says she still gets attached to the residents, but is better able to cope. “I realized that to live, you have to die and sometimes it’s much better for residents to have someone that really cares about them in their final years.”
Over the years, Dottie has had a variety of other responsibilities, serving as the president of the RiverWoods Wellness Committee and organizing the annual health fair. She also started the campus-wide annual Easter Egg Hunt.
Dottie also assists with activities on campus as needed. She said, “I love spending time with the residents, so I enjoy the activities. I’m not very knowledgeable about crafting, so I read to them and play bingo and help where ever I am needed.”
When asked why she has stayed RiverWoods for so many years, she explained, “When I was in high school I was going to be a nurse, but I decided that I enjoyed what I was doing and didn’t want to leave RiverWoods. I’m a firm believer that you treat people the way you want to be treated. I love all the residents and I gear everything to meeting their needs. There isn’t one resident that you could name that I didn’t care about. This is like my home.”
Dottie Page is a shining example of being called to serve, and Albright Care Services is proud that she is part of our family. Albright invites you to continue your mission by joining us at one of our six locations. Visit www.AlbrightCare.org for information on senior living, day programs, giving or volunteering.
