SKLD mothers and daughters working together

Mother’s Day is the perfect time to show appreciation for all the hard working moms among our staff. For some of the SKLD staff they don’t have to go too far to celebrate their mothers. Among the SKLD teams in Ohio and Michigan are several mother-daughter and mother-son pairs. 

Emma Walsh, Kayla McClain and Laura Kruse all work in the same facilities with their mothers Becky, Tammie and Pat, respectively, bringing joy together to their residents. 

Emma and Becky Walsh 

Emma Walsh has practically grown up at SKLD Whitehall. Emma started with SKLD formally last year in the kitchen as a dietary aide. Once she began college she moved to the office as the part time receptionist. Emma says, “My mom has worked here for my entire life, and I have always loved putting a smile on the residents’ faces.” 

There is a powerful family connection to her interest in the healthcare industry. She says, “It was so exciting getting hired into SKLD Whitehall because this was not only where my mom worked, but it was also my dream job because I wanted to be just like my mom.” 

It takes a special mother-daughter pair to work together. “My mom is my best friend. We don’t argue, we laugh a lot. I am her shoulder to lean on and she is my shoulder to cry on. We rely on each other. Not only was I hired into the place that my mom had made her home, but it turned out that we had the same exact hire date, just 20 years apart. It was completely unintentional but it’s a fact that I cherish deeply. I love eating lunch with her and goofing around with her around the residents to put smiles on their faces.”

Spreading smiles is one of the best parts of her job. Emma says, “I love spending time with the residents and seeing them smile. In such difficult times it's so nice to be able to make them happy. Being goofy with them is so much fun.” 

Emma’s mother, Becky Walsh, has been at the Whitehall building for 20 years. Becky started as a dietary aide, moved to housekeeping and has now settled on activities. Becky says, “I enjoy spending time with my residents. Being a part of their lives makes me happy.”

SKLD Whitehall has become home to the Mcclains. She says, “It has been my home for 20 years. It has also been like a home for my children in that time. I am thankful for the co-workers who have been my friends for many years.”

Becky appreciates working with her daughter. Becky says, “She is my best friend, my person to confide in and my right hand women. It is so amazing that her hire date is the same as mine, just 20 years apart. That fact is something we cherish, it's meaningful and was completely unintentional. I love seeing her smiling face in the building.”

She also shares her daughter’s passion to bring joy to skilled nursing residents. Becky says, “I love seeing my residents laugh and smile. Seeing them everyday and being a part of their lives is very important and meaningful to me. I love being creative with them, and playing with their creative abilities.”

Tammie and Kayla McClain 

Kayla McClain has been with SKLD Perrsyburg since March. She works in homestead taking care of the residents and making sure their needs are met. Kayla’s mother inspired her to get into the field. She says, “I started working as a nurse aide a while ago because my mom got me into it as a nurse.”

Kayla has found her place at SKLD Whitehall. She says, “I’ve worked at a few facilities, but never found one I liked until now. I love the management, the way they treat the residents and the environment here. It feels very family-oriented.” 

She looks forward each day to helping out in the memory care unit. “That’s my zone. It pulls me out of my reality and into theirs. The best part of my job is helping my residents and being able to give them some of the independence they are seeking.”

Working with her mother around makes the facility a more comfortable experience. Kayla says, “When I know she’s there I am more at ease. I love getting to say hello at work, and when I am not sure who to talk to about a certain incident, she helps with what I can do or to determine the next step. My mom and I are very close. She was the one in the hospital with me when I had twins, and I always go to her to talk.”

Tammie McClain, Kayla’s mother, is an MDS coordinator at SKLD Perrysburg since December of 2020. Tammie performs assessments on the residents, checking their level of function for ADL. She says, “I see what’s going on medically, socially and psychologically and provide an assessment for the state to ensure the highest quality of care given at SKLD.”

She continues, “I also help make care plans and work with the nursing staff to help support them by picking up shifts when needed. Once a month I am on call during a weekend.”

Tammie loves spending time with seniors. She says, “They share such interesting information about the past that you aren’t aware of, and their lives are so interesting. I really love any time spent with them, whether it’s doing crafts or painting with them.”

One way Tammie engages with the residents is through her love of monarch conservation. Tammie shares, “I’ve been raising butterflies for 20 years. I love monarch conservation and spend a couple sessions with the residents during the summer working on our butterfly garden. Most of the residents worked hard their whole life and have done so many incredible things. Now they deserve the best quality of life possible to enjoy.”

Kayla and Tammie are not always able to spend time together at work. Tammie says, “She is usually on the dementia unit on the other side of the building, and it’s busy down there. I walk down and check in to see how she is doing occasionally. I trust that she does excellent care and I know that because I worked at my previous job with her as well.”

Tammie’s favorite part of work is making a difference. “Being able to come to work and at the end of the day when I leave, I know I made something better for someone here. It doesn’t take a lot, but you can make the day better for any residents,” she says. 

Pat and Laura Kruse  

Pat Kruse will be celebrating her two year anniversary at SKLD Perrysburg in August. She is an RN, working on the floor, distributing medications and facilitating treatments. Pat says, “I love elderly people and you can learn a lot from them. They are funny and because I never really had grandparents I especially love being around them.”

Pat knew the regional manager and regional administrator who invited her to come check out SKLD. Pat says, “I enjoy working here. It’s a nice facility and team.”

Pat’s daughter Laura is also a nurse. Pat shares, “I like that we can talk to each other about what’s going on at work and consult each other. It’s nice working together and knowing the same people. We’ve worked together a long time, since she was 18 years old, and we’ve really worked as a team.”

One of the many benefits of working together as a mother-daughter pair is that Pat is able to help care for her grandchildren when the schedule works out. She says, “Laura has children and sometimes brings them to work and they come right home with me. It really works better to stay together.”

Pat enjoys being able to spend time with Laura at work. Pat shares, “Being able to see her more often, having lunch together and helping her are some of my favorite parts. When she is having an issue with something, she will ask for my help and it’s great to be able to quickly think through a situation together. Plus it’s interesting to see that side of my daughter as an adult.”