“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” —Eighteenth-century poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Rose Atkins has always found von Goethe’s famous quote inspiring. The message—more recently attributed to film actor Bruce Lee—motivates Rose to go above and beyond in serving Sunset Village’s residents and their families. Her much-more-than-enough efforts have earned Rose the Sunset Village 2018 Nurse of the Year award.

Whenever her life gets challenging, Janet Sulewski takes a deep breath and tells herself, “It’s all good!” The pop-culture phrase reminds Janet of her overall good fortune and empowers her to move past any current problems.

Rachael Operacz’s official title at Sunset Village is Admissions Counselor. But for new and potential Sunset residents, her role is that of an educator, a sounding board, and a move-in coordinator.

“When people visit Sunset Village, we’re often their first stop as they begin to learn about living options,” explains Rachael. “Listening to their struggles and offering empathy tends to help lessen their anxiety.” 

Kallie Inman, the Life Enrichment Assistant at Sunset Village, was trying to find new ways to engage the seniors who lived at Sunset Village, when she started a Veterans Group. Turns out, about 17.75% of residents at Sunset Village are military veterans, and Kallie wanted to create a space for them to meet, engage with each other, host discussions, remember, and celebrate.

For Nicole Pruss, R, BSN, RAC-CT, and Emily Grohnke, RN, DON, serving seniors is a calling. Nicole, the Director of Nursing at Sunset House, and Emily, the Director of Nursing at Sunset Village, have a combined 40 years of experience in nursing, the majority of which has been spent serving seniors.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened."

-Anatole France

For many, pets are an integral part of life. They provide companionship, snuggles, reasons to exercise, and can even spark new human friendships. Most pet owners would never considering leaving their beloved pet, which is why the team here at Sunset Communities is often asked, “Can I bring my pet?” The answer? YES!

Sunset Communities is proud to be a pet-friendly community. Our mission reads, “Enriching individual life journeys.” With that guiding philosophy, we do everything we can to ensure that your pet remains part of your individual journey.

“I have always had dachshunds,” said Ann, a resident of Sunset Communities. She has two pets – Kara, the cat, and Garland, a black and tan long-haired miniature dachshund.

Janet Martin, Business Office Manager of Sunset Village, and Diana Hoffman, Executive Director of The Woodlands at Sunset House were each honored with an “Excellence in Caring” Award from LeadingAge Ohio.

This award recognizes personal committment to providing excellent care and going above and beyond to meet the needs of our residents.

The awards were presented in Columbus, Ohio at the annual LeadingAge Ohio Conference September 9th and 10th.

Congratulations Janet and Diana - We're proud of you!

Pax and Vern are spending a wonderful afternoon scouting for frogs at the Sunset Village pond. Pax's mom works for Sunset and he came with her to work this day. After a day of turtle scouting, making cupcakes and visiting with all the special people at Sunset Village, Pax is going to want to go to work with Mom everyday!

SRC Vice President of Operations, Judy Bishop is well known and respected throughout the Culture Change community. She has been active in the Eden Alternative for many years and models the term “Care Partner” in all aspects of her life. Judy is always among the first Eden Educators to embrace new opportunities for growth. Her journey began as a Certified Eden Associate in 2000 and continues as she grows in her role as a new Eden Mentor.

Eden Mentors are Certified Eden Associates who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to creating a life worth living for Elders and their care partners. As distinguished volunteers, they offer their talents and expertise to individuals and organizations seeking to make a difference for the people they serve. Eden Mentors also meet bi-annually to offer input and support for Eden Alternative developments and upcoming events.

We're proud of you Judy! Thank you for helping Sunset on this journey!