Helping people has been Liliana Ames’ passion since she was a child growing up in the picturesque village of Maramonovka in Modava. “I always wanted to take care of people who needed help,” Liliana reflects and as a Certified Personal Trainer at Noble Horizons she fulfills this passion daily.
Liliana’s journey to Noble Horizons is as unlikely as it was fortuitous. Her village in Moldava was established 460 years ago and boasts beautiful, picturesque forests and lakes. She grew up on a family estate which included a vegetable garden, a small apple orchard, a vineyard, and animals – all of which provided healthy, organic food.
“My parents and my grandmother taught me how to take care of animals and how to grow vegetables and fruits. At school we had pioneer squads, similar to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in America, says Liliana. “Our responsibilities included helping the elderly, World War II veterans, and lonely sick people. We prepared firewood for them for the winter, worked in the garden, helped to grow vegetables, and in the fall helped to harvest. Since the ninth grade I volunteered at the village hospital, helping the CNA’s there.”
It’s no surprise she chose healthcare as a profession. In fact, Liliana became a physician while living in Moldova. “I have always dreamt of becoming a doctor since childhood. It is a very noble profession.” She attended the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu” in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, and worked as a General Practitioner in a Medical and Diagnostic Center in Chisinau for 15 years.
Liliana’s move to the United States began after meeting her future husband, Ira, who was introduced by a mutual friend. Ira lived in the US, and while he visited Moldova several times to see Liliana, they decided to get married and live together in the US.
After three years of living and working in the US under a green card, Liliana took the Naturalization Test, and became naturalized as a US citizen. While she was able to transfer her medical credentials, in order to practice as a physician in the US she had to pass additional exams and complete a 3–6-year residency. “For me, at that stage of my life, it would have been very difficult, especially the residency portion.”
Not giving up on her passion to help others, Liliana chose to become certified as a personal trainer so she could continue to aid those in need of assistance. She is also a certified ЕМТ with the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service. At Noble Horizons, Liliana works closely with the physical therapists to develop individual programs for each person who uses the fitness room which is open to all Noble residents and to those who are on the cottage wait list or have used Noble’s short term rehab.
“Depending on health conditions, I like to include 5 cornerstone types of exercises and of course make sure they do their exercises properly.”
The 5 cornerstones are:
- Strength exercises that strengthen muscles, help prevent loss of bone mass and alleviate the symptoms of chronic condition such as arthritis.
- Lifting weights or using resistance bands to build strength.
- Balance and coordination exercises that help reduce the risk of falls.
- Flexibility exercises that help stretch the muscles, increase range of movement and can help bodies stay nimble
- Cardiovascular exercise.
Liliana currently lives in Salisbury with her husband and mother. She is very proud of her son, Max, a graduate of George Washington University who works and lives in Reston, VA.
In her spare time, Liliana listens to classical music and loves to read books, especially Russian and foreign literature. She is fluent in Russian, Ukrainian, and Moldavan. She enjoys cooking Moldovan, Ukrainian, and Russian cuisine for her family and friends, and she has a vegetable garden and fruit trees at her home. “In the fall we do a lot of caning of vegetables, preserves, and jam. I love to have picnics at Lakeville Lake with shish kebabs.”
Liliana has such a useful and diverse skillset; why did she choose Noble Horizons? “For me it is very encouraging and very important to see how exercise has a positive effect on the daily life of Noble residents; to see their balance, flexibility, and strength improve. I love to see them smiling and believing in themselves when they get good results, and I rejoice with them.”
Liliana is very happy that she has the opportunity to share her knowledge and experience with members of the Noble community. “For me, Noble Horizons is one big family where everyone is loved, cared for, and respected. I am very proud to work at Noble and to be part of the family.” Noble Horizons is thrilled to have her.