Member Spotlight
Kaleigh Sieck, executive director and communication relations director at Birkwood Village of Tama/Toledo, has been working in long-term care for 15 years. She finds joy in creating a happy environment for residents to call home.
How did you get started in the long-term care profession?
I started working in health care 15 years ago. My first job was a certified nursing assistant at Sunny Hill Care Center. I started as a 15-year-old girl, and now at 30 years old – I’m still in health care.
What do you like most about working in long-term care?
The most important reason I work in assisted living is to guide our tenants through the last part of their journey. The staff and I are part of their family, and they are mine. We strive to have the best facility for our elderly community and safe, happy and home-like environment to call home.
What would you tell others to encourage them to consider a career in long-term care?
You have endless career growth working in long-term care! Iowa Health Care Association has a path to get you to success!
What lessons have you learned working in long-term care that also help you outside of work?
I have learned to be grateful for life. Sometimes I think about the fact that I can remember my name, I don’t have chronic pain, I can feed myself and I can walk unassisted. I have also learned to be compassionate and tolerant and to accept other perspectives, even when they are different from my own. It’s about taking the time to listen to others and understand their point of view.
When you’re not at work, what do you enjoy doing?
I love spending time with my five and three-year-old sons! I also love to workout, shop and travel.
What is your favorite quote and why?
“Leadership is about the team – the culture they keep and embrace, it’s about empathy for your customers, clients, employees and the communities where you do business; it’s about doing the right thing for the right reasons, being confident enough to take risks and responsible enough to think of those who your decisions and risks may affect.” – Kat Cole
More about the Member Spotlight
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