As Manager of Health Services, Alicia has been an invaluable member of the Emmaus family where she has worked as nurse for almost 26 years. Emmaus Homes has been serving people with developmental disabilities for nearly 125 years. Alicia’s ever constant smiles as well as her radiant bedside manners are as much a part of the history and culture of Emmaus.
Alicia is often the exemplary living incarnation of the Emmaus Homes Mission Statement and is truly an inspiration to many as she lives out the company’s four Core Values daily. Her extremely client centered approach, integrity, initiative, and highly collaborative nature goes far beyond the expectations of a caring nurse. In her 26 years of service, Alicia has built fantastic relationships within Emmaus as well as outside our organization (funders, doctor offices, hospitals, hospice care providers, etc.). On any given day, if you go to her for medical guidance in supporting a client(s), be prepared to hear heartwarming stories from her past experiences with him/her. You will get your medical advice of course, too.
However, after her stories fill you with a new perspective, be prepared to look at the person in a different light. Be prepared to approach serving that person and meeting their medical needs with a fervor, compassion and dedication that may not have been there before. She has overseen the health of and supported hundreds of clients throughout her years at Emmaus as well as, direct support staff’s lives too. She has taught them to see our client’s world as she does. She treats and cares for each client as if they are a member of her family. This is apparent; by not only seeing her with our clients, but by the countless hours she spends taking phone calls (24 hours a day) to assist teams with immediate needs. She also supports client service teams with training, addressing health needs, brainstorming, etc. to ensure that the services provided are the best quality possible. Alicia is always willing to drop whatever she is doing to help others and always does so with a smile. No one would ever know they were the 10th, or even 15th person to interrupt her on any given day.
The knowledge Alicia has surrounding people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their diagnoses, how they are affected by certain medications and of course aging, is irreplaceable. Alicia is a true team player and has great relationships with many doctor’s offices and hospitals who she has worked with over the past 26 years. She is well respected by not only them, but by other agencies in the field as well. There is not a day that goes by in which Emmaus is not truly appreciative of the years of service, sacrifices made, and the lifetime of love Alicia has given to each and everyone one of our clients.
Please help us in recognizing her eye-opening lifetime of achievements!