Committed to making a difference

Serving as the Community Life Director for Transitional Health Services of Kannapolis, Melanie Russell knows the importance of always showing up for her residents and co-workers. Her passion for the profession is what motivates her to come to work with a big smile each and every day.

Melanie always had a special place in her heart for the senior population. As a little girl, her grandmother was her hero, and Melanie would spend every moment she could with her. She was the inspiration for Melanie to pursue a career in long-term care. After seeing her grandmother not receiving the care she deserved for her diagnosis of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, Melanie decided she wanted to make a difference in the care for the elderly. She committed herself to positively changing the culture of care, which is what she has been doing all her life. 

An unreplaceable piece of the Transitional Health Services of Kannapolis team, Melanie is persistent in all her endeavors. She strives to truly get to know her residents and provide them the most engaging activities to every single one of them. She demonstrates her passion for what she does through the many fantastic activities and projects she undertakes. Knowing that she impacted her residents is what matters most for Melanie.

Melanie also serves on the Community Life Council, making decisions and giving recommendations for changes in policies and procedures. She always takes the extra step, researching and providing references when changes are necessary. Melanie is an excellent leader and team player, always striving to better herself and everyone around her.

Although Melanie had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful people while working at Consulate Health Care, she will never forget a lovely lady named Elizabeth. Melanie spent a lot of her time in Elizabeth’s hall, always taking time to stop by her room for small talk. Elizabeth had a tough time adjusting to the center; therefore, Melanie and her co-workers worked hard to make her feel welcomed and at home. One day, Melanie found out Elizabeth used to paint with her mother when she was younger, so the staff surprised her with multiple painting supplies. One of her first art pieces was gifted to Melanie. “It was a beautiful painting. I still have it and will forever,” she said. Melanie also remembers a fun collage Elizabeth made with pictures taken during her time at the center, which she asked to be displayed at her memorial once Elizabeth passed. “She was special, definitely someone I won’t ever forget.”

She learned numerous lessons during her time as an activities professional, but the most important is never to stop learning. “It doesn’t matter how many times you have done something, you can always learn from someone else. Being open to new ideas is essential to succeed,” she says. Melanie values the importance of mentorship, she sees it as an exchange of valuable knowledge. Throughout her 22 years working with activities, she learned a lot from her mentors and mentees and is immensely grateful for that.

The love for her residents and passion for her career is what Melanie is known for. She is constantly going above and beyond for her co-workers and residents. It is a pleasure to have someone as committed and high-spirited as Melanie in our Consulate family. We are immensely thankful for all the smiles she brings to our residents and staff each and every day.