While it can take many years for some people to determine what they want to do as their life’s work, some find their calling at a young age. Tracy Shissler, an LPN at Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, is one of the fortunate.
“I’ve always been drawn to the elderly,” she said. “I believe it’s because I lost my grandparents at a very young age – first in elementary school, and then again in high school.”
At age 16, Tracy started working in a nursing home as a nursing assistant. When she graduated from high school, she became a licensed practical nurse. She has been with Masonic Village for 23 years. Although she regularly faces the challenge of “trying to get everything done before the end of a shift,” she prefers this environment to others she has worked in because she feels she has more control.
For Tracy, the relationships she builds with residents are well worth the occasional stress and struggle. Receiving their gratitude and appreciation is always a highlight of her workday.
“I have one resident I call every day to wake her up, and she always says ‘I love to hear your voice. You’re my boost in the mornings!’” she said.
Her job also gives her insight into her own family.
“I was a late-in-life baby – my dad is turning 95 in October – so a lot of the people here are younger than my parents. Working here has helped me understand my parents better,” she said.
After working with the older population for so many years, Tracy finds her residents have become as much family to her as her biological relatives.
“It’s like I have 42 grandparents,” she said.
About the author: Megan Hess, a senior from Messiah College, is a public relations associate at Masonic Villages.
