We are proud to highlight Charlynne Gervais, QMRP-D, our Director of Social Services at Majestic Care of Fort Wayne. Char brings 35 years of experience in healthcare. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) and in the process of earning a National Activity Director Certification (NADC).
Char’s interest in long term care began early in life. At 16 years old, she began volunteering at another community where her grandmother was staying and eventually began working as an activity assistant. Even then, she was proactive when it came to serving residents:
“At that community, activities ended at 6:00pm. My grandmother never went to bed at 6:00 PM, ever. My grandmother stayed up and watched Johnny Carson and went to bed about 11:30 PM. So I decided to help, I brought card games, I went out and got different kinds of board games for the activity department.”
Char went on to earn two Bachelor Degrees, and a Masters Degree from University of Notre Dame. She further gained experience as a Social Service Designee (SSD) and she is now a Director of Social Services. But her love for activities continues! She still describes activities as her ‘first love’ that inspired her career.
We asked “Why choose social services?” Char is driven by challenge, problem solving and compassion for each resident. She feels a strong sense of purpose in a behavioral health setting.
“I love social services because it’s challenging, every day, and this building is challenging. To work in behavioral psychiatric long-term care is extremely challenging. You have got to think outside the box.”
She adds, ”And I just think the elderly are cute and adorable. I would much rather spend my time with my residents than doing some other things.”
Char deeply respects her residents and appreciates the chance to get to know their life stories.
She says, “You can learn an awful lot from a 90 year old lady who talks to you about sending her son off to Korea or her son off to Vietnam…You can learn a lot talking to someone who’s 100 years old, who married their high school sweetheart and then he went off to World War II. And you hoped every time the military didn’t pull down the street, that it wasn’t your husband they were coming to tell you was dead.To listen to those stories, the greatest generation, and it truly is, it’s the greatest generation.”
She is thankful for her supporters here at Majestic Care including Katie Campbell (Director of Social Services), Greg Fuller (Executive Director at Fort Wayne), and Donn Kump (CFOO).
“I truly enjoy working for Majestic Care. I really do. And I truly enjoy what I do.”
We’re incredibly grateful to have Char on the Majestic Care team!