Staff Spotlight: Katie Blanchard: Celebrating 25 Years

On June 1, 2000, Katie Blanchard was reporting to work for her first day as Programs Assistant at Youville House in Cambridge. A recent graduate from the University of Southern Maine, Katie had majored in Recreation Therapy and was interested in helping older adults continue to live their best lives. Little did she know that her new job would evolve into a 25-year career.

“I remember walking through the doors at Youville House for my interviews,” says Katie, “I was nervous as could be, but felt welcomed. It was mid-morning, and I interviewed with (former CEO) Joanne Parsons. I still remember the names of the residents who were sitting in the lobby. I remember everyone was very friendly and I had the instant feeling that this was the right place for me.” The Youville management agreed. After a second interview, Katie made the three-hour drive from Cambridge back to her hometown of Windham, Maine. Within half an hour of walking through her front door, she received the job offer. Katie has come a long way in 25 years. She has risen through multiple promotions to become Shared Director of Programs for Youville Assisted Living Residences. In this role, she oversees staff, volunteers, and interns, all while designing monthly program calendars for three communities – Youville House in Cambridge, Youville Place in Lexington, and The Courtyard at Youville Place.

From the Lake to the Big City

Katie grew up in Windham, Maine, on Lake Sebago, where she developed a close attachment to both sets of grandparents. “They each had different interests,” she remembers. “My grandfather was always walking and creating with his hands; my grandmother was an artist, a master storyteller and a nurse; my other grandfather was a Navy veteran who loved to reminisce about his time serving and being on the water; my other grandmother was active in the Sodality at her church and loved sewing.” “When I think about designing a calendar for our diverse communities, I use a lot of the same skills I developed when I was thinking of things for to do with my grandparents over the summer. Even in that small group of four people, they had a very wide range of interests and abilities.”

From Cambridge to Lexington

When Katie began her career in assisted living, Youville House and Youville Place were under separate management. She was among the first Youville House employees to begin splitting their time with Youville Place when the communities merged. Just as she has vivid memories of her first interviews in Cambridge, Katie remembers her first visits to Lexington in 2007 when the merger was underway. “I remember meeting with the Grey Nuns personally in their apartments,” she says. “It was important to earn their trust because Youville Place had been their livelihood. I wanted them to know I wasn’t here to change things. When they realized that I felt called to this work, they trusted me. I feel very lucky to be able to carry on that legacy and to have earned their trust.”

One of Katie’s favorite aspects of working at both Youvilles is finding the right balance of programs based on her time spent speaking with residents. “You have to have a wide variety of interests in order to engage with people in this job,” she says. “I really like being able to reach back into my own experiences with art, knitting, gardening, etc. I love getting to play docent during an art museum tour. I feel lucky to have a job where broadening your horizons translates to a better experience for the people I’m serving.”

According to CEO Susan Cwieka, “Katie’s dedication to Youville is apparent in everything she does. She makes a point of getting to know residents personally so she can better meet their social, emotional, and spiritual needs. She is always trying something new.” “The most interesting challenge for me is to come as close as I can to representing the amazing residents in our communities through the programs we schedule,” she says. “I find this very rewarding.”

This summer, Katie looks forward to continuing to get to know new residents and helping them make connections with one another through shared interests. If you have ideas for a program, discussion group, game club, or any other activity, Katie’s ears are open!