Spotlight: Crossroads at Lakewood
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When a business comes highly recommended by someone you know and trust, it’s a good start to a lasting relationship. Early last year I was involved in arranging for the care of someone who could no longer stay in their home. Our neighbor Lela Rhodes told me about Crossroads Memory Care, right across Jewell Avenue from Southern Gables. She had a friend who was a resident there, and she was impressed by Crossroads’ commitment to the care and safety of their residents. She told me, “The staff is truly amazing!” I wanted to know more, so I arranged to meet Audrey Charness, the Executive Director of Crossroads at Lakewood. Since then, Crossroads has become a Southern Gables Selected Business Supporter. You might have seen them at our recent Neighborhood Night Out, and maybe stopped by their booth and played their “Memory Game.” What, you don’t remember? Kidding… I met with Audrey again a few days ago. Interview by Bruce McDonald.
Bruce: Thanks for meeting with me. We’ve heard such nice things about Crossroads at Lakewood, and I’m looking forward to learning more about your place here. Just to get us started, how long have you worked here, and what path brought you into this profession?
Audrey: I was a nursing student at UNC Greeley and in connection with preparing to be a nurse I became a Certified Nursing Assistant and started working in senior care facilities. I found that I liked the autonomy and close personal contact with patients that CNAs have. I loved it actually, and I found myself drawn toward care of older people – engaging them with physical health activities at their level was something I was good at. It’s so satisfying to see the joy in small accomplishments.
I enrolled at Naropa University and for my senior thesis I developed a “Chair Tai Chi” class. I started my own business teaching it, rotating around to 8 or 9 senior care facilities. A place in Lakewood, Lakewood Reserve, who liked my background and that I was dementia certified, spoke with me to become their Activities coordinator for memory care. This building, owned by Milestone’s Lakewood Memory Care in 2019 offered me the Activity Director’s position here and 5 months later Crossroads bought Milestone’s company. As things have evolved with the wonderful staff here, I became Executive Director in 2023.
Since you joined us in Southern Gables as a local Business Supporter I have to ask, do you live close by? Not too far. I grew up in Arvada and I still live there. It’s about a 30-minute commute. I used to think Lakewood was so far away but growing up it was always nice to come here for shopping or visiting friends. An uncle of mine lives in an Independent Living facility here. I like Lakewood, with the nice neighborhoods, the small locally- owned businesses and restaurants… and Magill’s! Love Magill’s!
Well, who doesn’t? Back to Crossroads, what is it that you feel is special about working here? It’s the idea of caring for people with dignity and respect. The senior living environment calls to me as something I can truly do and feel that it makes a difference in people’s lives. It brings feelings of family. There’s a satisfaction in helping someone be happy and cared for in the moment. Every day is a new day for many of them, and there’s an innocence to it. It’s not always easy. Some days you’re crying and some days you’re laughing. But it’s so rewarding.
Rewarding sounds good, but I expect the demands of the caregiving field must be mentally exhausting. What kinds of things do you like to do to relax? I love music, and singing. I play the violin and piano, and for more of a physical workout I play racquetball. Pickleball can be a workout too, and I like that. And hiking! We’ve got so many good hiking trails nearby, and that’s good for clearing my mind.
It’s been a real pleasure talking with you, and in closing I’ll just ask what thoughts about Crossroads you’d like to leave us with. It’s a difficult subject for most people to think about, and it’s important to know that even in advanced dementia, when coping at home becomes impossible, hope and joy are possible. It takes compassionate support and dedication by committed professional caregivers. That’s what we provide, and we’re proud of what we do. I would love for everyone in the community to come by and take a tour or at least know that we are here for them if ever needed.
We’re proud too, to have Crossroads at Lakewood as a Southern Gables Selected Business Supporter. Thank you for that, and for telling us about your important and rewarding work.
Information and contact: Crossroads at Lakewood.
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