Starting a Family & Caring for Seniors
Matt and Whitney both grew up in small towns and had family close to the Alexandria area. In their 20s, they lived in the Twin Cities. “It was great. We were eager, young, flexible. When we started talking about raising kids, having a family, that’s the last place we wanted to be.”
He was working in finance for a long-term care company and becoming an administrator at a long-term nursing facility was the next logical step. “I found out how much I enjoy working with such a diverse group of people and serving a vulnerable population.”
He quickly realized that Alexandria is an especially good place for seniors. “The healthcare offerings that we have here for such a small community are exceptional.” He points to the healthcare providers and the array of home healthcare, assisted living, and skilled nursing options. “You just don’t see that anywhere else.”
“At the end of the day, it’s just caring for another person. Every day I walk through the hallways and something surprises me in a good way, makes me smile, makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. We have a lot of long-term care folks that live here. This is their home. Seeing the little things that our staff do to help make their day better. It just really goes above and beyond. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
Bethany is helping prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals through partnerships with the Alexandria Area High School and Alexandria Technical and Community College. “We have 15 students on rotation from Alexandria Tech, and our director of nursing started working here as an 18-year-old certified nursing assistant. She continued to push and grow into the role she has now. She said she’s never leaving.”
There’s No Place Like Alex
Matt and Whitney now have three daughters and are continually reminded that they’re where they need to be. “We’ve lived all over the Midwest and there isn’t anything like Alexandria. The infrastructure, utilities, support services, emergency response personnel, and offerings for kids and seniors. It’s just really a wonderful place to be, and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Honestly, we don’t ever want to leave.”
