JoAnn Paier
Healthcare Coordinator
JoAnn's personal and professional lives center around one word: home. "I believe that home is the best place to heal," she says; and she's seen this firsthand throughout twenty-five years of home healthcare work, in positions from staff nurse to educator to director. She has also overseen the care of two elderly members of her own family.
Her work philosophy is simple: "Nurses give of themselves in a caring manner while helping clients to attain their goals." To do this well, JoAnn imagines herself in the client's place. "Compassion, patience, and flexibility are a must; and it's important to see the whole individual--physical, psychological, social, and spiritual," she believes.
As Glenmeadow's healthcare coordinator, JoAnn supervises nursing, serves as a resource person about all kinds of health issues, staff support, and residents' long-term health and wellness planning.
JoAnn has spent most of her career working with seniors, starting as a nurse's aide in high school. Later, she earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Elms College.
She was raised in West Springfield, and still lives there--as does her extended family. They all volunteer extensively for community organizations such as youth sports programs, the Lions Club, and the St. Ann's Society. She has been married to another West Springfield native for twenty-nine years and is also close to her daughter, two sons, and grandson.
