About Us Activities Health Education Support Donate

Get the Newsletter Email:

Staff

 

Caroline Tysseland, BS, RN

Director, Johnson Adult Day Center

Caroline has been the director of the program for more than eight years. She loves working with an extraordinary staff and being their team leader. She enjoys a constantly-changing variety of tasks at the Center which makes her job fun and exciting. Caroline is particularly skilled at caring for seniors in just this sort of day setting, which requires flexibility and problem solving from moment to moment and day to day. “I like to model the highest standards of care for the staff, be available and supportive to them and make this a responsive work place. This is our standard for seniors in our care and this is the benchmark for our team as well.”

Caroline was educated in London, England, at Guys Hospital, where she received her nursing degree, and later attended Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she received a Bachelor’s of Science in education with a certification in special education.

Her work experience includes hospitals, nursing homes and adult day settings. Caroline has worked in pediatrics with sick and disabled children and has been an education specialist in a variety of settings. Her work with older adults includes Whispering Pines Hospice in Jackson, Mississippi; Hospice Care of Rhode Island, and Home Care Advance, a home care agency where she worked as a nursing supervisor. While caring for hospice patients and Alzheimer’s patients, she began to see the benefits of adult day services. Before taking the manager position at The Johnson Center, Caroline was the program director for Shady Grove Adult Day Center in Rockville, Maryland. “I truly love the great fun of adult day and the enormous opportunity it provides to improve the lives of participants and their caregivers,” says Tysseland.

 

 

Linda Abeyta, CNA

Hugs, smiles and thank yous are all Linda needs to understand that she is making a difference at The Johnson Center where “everyday is an experience.” Linda is a Certified Nurse Assistant who began working at the Center almost 16 years ago. Linda works in every room as a caregiver. Her hobbies are movies, dancing, ceramics and being with family.

 

 

 

 

Claudia Betts, BA

Claudia got her love for helping others from her grandparents. A degree in psychology, as well as certificates in Gerontology and as an Activity Director, helped design her career path and a 16-year history at Johnson Center. Claudia is the Activity Coordinator for Inner Circle 2 –known as the Ladies Group. Claudia loves to tell a wonderful story of a staff member/accompanist who brought the soloist for a wedding with her to the Center for a rehearsal. After 45 minutes of singing and playing wedding songs and a variety of religious music, two ladies in Inner Circle were heard to say, “I’m not sure how or when it happened, but somehow we’ve both ended
up in church!”

 

 

Amey Daboni, MA, CNA

Amey holds a Master’s degree in English and loves to help people. She decided to become a nursing assistant, then went on to receive a certificate in dementia care. Amey works in all areas at the Center and loves to tell this story: “One very busy late afternoon it seemed as though everyone was coming and going at the same time. My co-worker and I were busy running back and forth making sure everyone was safely in or out. One sweet lady waiting for her ride watched us racing about and said to me, ‘You work so hard, you are so sweet and loving, but I do not envy your job!’”

 

 

Mary Devine, BA

Mary is the administrative assistant and receptionist at the center. She is the first face to welcome you with warmth into the program. She responds to questions, answers the phone, prepares correspondences, handles the bills, and coordinates transportation services and vendors while monitoring the comings and goings of 14,000 participant visits annually, 200 day trips and 250 entertainers. Mary has worked with seniors for a number of years and loves all the new grandparents she gets to spend time with each day.

 

 

Rhonda Erwin

Rhonda has worked at the Center for 12 years as an activities assistant. As a child she lived with her grandparents in a small town where most of her friends were 70 years and older. To this day, she loves to be with seniors. Rhonda dotes on many of the participants at the Center, particularly one who told her that she was popular and the envy of all of Denver!

 

 

 

 

Tracy Fehr, RN

Tracy has at least two passions: working with seniors and enjoying the Colorado outdoors. When she is not tending to the medical needs of participants at the Center, you may find her on the ski slopes or on hiking and biking trail. Tracy says that caring for folks at the Center has been the most rewarding and fulfilling work she has ever done. No wonder she always has a smile on her face!  “Working at the Center I feel like I am surrounded by 60 grandparents who are loving, funny, interesting and each unique in their own way. I love them all!”

 

 

Maureen Flanigan, BS

Maureen has a degree in gerontology and several certificates supporting her work at the Center, where she has worked for 16 years. She is an Activity Director of the Friendship Circle Room, coordinates the volunteers at the Center and is a daytrip driver as well. Maureen remembers one challenging outing in which she helped a client change her panty hose in the bathroom of a charter bus! She believes this work to be “her calling” and feels spiritually blessed to do it. Maureen loves to S.C.U.B.A dive and snorkel and is an advocate for both peace and social justice issues.

 

 

Mark Grimm, LCSW

For nearly 30 years, Mark Grimm as been a leading health professional in Denver specializing in the needs of older adults, adult day services, nursing home and Alzheimer’s case management. He is co-founder and managing partner of Geriatric Resource Organization, a behavioral health company specializing in the care of older adults; is an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Social Work for University of Denver and is a special consultant to the Mental Health Corporation of Denver in the development of older adult programs. Mark is in private practice specializing in gero-psychiatry providing services to older adults, their caregivers and professionals in
the field.

 

 

Lynette Hanson, BA

For more than 15 years Lynette has been using her skills in psychology, education and music to share love and blessings with participants. “This validates self-esteem and success for one and all,” says Lynette, an Activity Coordinator for the Inner Circle One room at the Center. She uses sing-alongs, rhythm and dancing to create musical memories. Making up jokes, slogans and song parodies has been part of the fun inspired by a dear client, now passed away.

 

 

 

Allan Hencmann

Allan loves to sing and entertain and be with participants assisting in activities in Friendship or Inner Circle One.  He has worked in assisted living centers and is inspired with a genuine concern for the well-being of seniors who live with memory loss.  “I love their stories and experiences,” says Allen.  “It helps me keep my own life in perspective.”

 

 

 

 

Mike Jones, BS

Mike holds a special place at the Center. First of all, he is the only man among the Activity Coordinators, a welcome sight for many of the participants; and second, he leads the High Impact Days program and is the operations manager of the Center. He holds a certificate of Gerontology from The University of Denver. He enjoys hiking, golf, running, travel and computers. Mike says, “When you work here, you always get more back than you can give.”

 

 

 

Donna Leichtling, RN

Donna keeps the client's and employee's records up to date and fills in with nursing duties at the Center. She loves writing and has helped participants capture stories and poems about their lives. When it comes to caregiving, Donna shares a common goal with others on staff: she is determined to support and protect the “humanness” of each participant who walks through the doors.

 

 

 

 

Julie Lewis

Julie is the Activity Coordinator for Cozy Circle.  Although she is a certified Financial Manager, her first love was nursing.  She spent many years caregiving family members and was a volunteer at the Johnson Center for a year before joining the staff. She is currently earning a degree in physical therapy.  Patience and empathy are her great talents.  Julie says, “I love coming to work everyday. Every participant has something special to share and each day brings a smile.”

 

 

 

Mila Mayster, CNA

Mila graduated with a nursing degree in Moldova, Russia, and then came to Colorado to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. She has worked at The Johnson Center for four years and has cared for family and friends in many other situations in her life. Participants at the Center love to call her by many names, but everyone knows her for her love of people, cooking, and her skill in working with any situation, no matter how difficult.

 

 

 

Maria Nagle

Maria adds to the international color of the center with her German heritage, having moved to the U.S. in the 60’s. She has a degree in early childhood development and has experience in the areas of teaching, working with special ed. and special needs children and in home care for seniors. Maria is a skilled and caring member of our team and our clients love her energy and nurturing ways.

 

 

 

Bonnie Richards

Bonnie is the Memories In the Making art class coordinator. In her class she helps participants communicate and express themselves through art, watercolor and other media. She was trained at Arapahoe Community College as an activity director and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).  Bonnie enjoys photograph, reading, hiking and visiting art galleries.  As for working with the elderly, Bonnie says, “They fill my heart and my life.”

 

 

Carol Russell

Carol is the senior dietary aide for meal preparation at the Center and has been working diligently in the kitchen for the past 23 years. Carol admires the staff and enjoys the participants, particularly when Santa comes for a visit during the holidays!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cindie Shibata, B.S.

Cindie began working in adult day services in Englewood more than 28 years ago. A degree in recreation education has served her well at the Center, as has her love for sports and fitness activities. In the early years, she was part of the original team of passionate providers, then part of Swedish Hospital’s Gerontology Health Department, that later birthed The Johnson Center Program. Currently, she is the Activity Coordinator for Friendship Circle. Cindie serves with pleasure and pride. She gets a lot of satisfaction from helping seniors maintain their dignity and self-worth during a vulnerable time in their lives. Cindie believes participants feel at home at the Center. She likes how special friendships are formed, how clients help one another, and most of all, how much fun everyone has. Once Cindie was partnered with a man who loved to dance. In the middle of the dance, his trousers fell down. He hitched up his pants and continued to dance for joy!

 

 

Martha Smith, CNA

Martha assists in a variety of activities and rooms at the Center. She has always liked helping people and so decided to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. Martha says it’s always a fun challenge at the Center, watching how both staff and participants handle the many situations that come up. It’s also wonderful to see how the clients help one another.

 

 

 

 

Maureen Wells, MA

Maureen is the DayTrip Program Director and coordinates the ArtReach program for the Center. She holds a Master’s degree in psychiatric and community mental health nursing. She has been a family support group leader for the Alzheimer’s Association for more than 10 years. She developed an art appreciation program, which she offers to various facilities and groups in the community, and authored her own book, “Ageless Outings," a guide to local destinations with special information for those with disabilities.

 

 

Karen Wiberg

Karen is a program assistant at the Center with both an undergraduate and graduate degree. She also assists with daytrips several days a week. Working with elders in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other centers has been her avocation for many years. What Karen has to say about working at The Johnson Center is worth sharing: “It’s a beautiful thing to see participants brighten and thrive at the Center or on daytrips. Many come to the Center initially with reluctance and skepticism, but within a short time, they feel comfortable and it is clear that they are really happy to be here and that the Center and its programs have become a very positive force in their lives. They benefit so much from the social interaction, the physical exercise, the mental stimulation, and most of all, from the loving atmosphere and individual attention.