Five years ago, Jodi Howell applied for a dietary aide position at Park View Assisted Living, not knowing what to expect. Jill Pingel, Housing Director, offered Jodi a care attendant position instead. This opportunity laid the groundwork for Jodi’s current job as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). 

“When I came on board, it was very different from what I thought,” Jodi says. “I quickly realized how much of an honor and gift it was to give residents a smile.”

Jodi has an affinity for those she serves.

“I absolutely adore the residents,” she says. “ … I love sitting down and hearing their stories.”

She’s proud to work with others to provide the care the residents need.

“It’s a really big team effort,” she says. “From the employee standpoint, you become a family pretty quickly. It’s not just one person who can make a difference. We all make a difference.”

Jill agrees.

“We are very fortunate to have Jodi and so many wonderful staff that show great compassion and kindness to our residents,” Jill says. 

When a need for more CNAs arose, Jodi answered the call.

“About a year ago, I wanted to help them out,” she says. “We went through the COVID setting. We lost employees and had a lot of young staff who went back to school. There’s a great program called Cassia Connect. They paid for us to advance through the program.”

Jodi enjoys working at Park View Senior Health & Living and Lake Ridge Senior Health & Living, often picking up extra shifts.

“Jodi is an extremely dedicated employee who goes above and beyond to care for our residents,” Jill says. “She is loved by all of our residents and families. Jodi is always willing to help us out wherever and whenever she can.”

Though Jodi stays very busy, she says it doesn’t feel like work.

“Some people take jobs for money and financial means, but when you truly find a job you love, you never go back to work,” she says. “It never feels like I go to work. It always feels like I’m home.”