Lori Jones has been a beloved member of the Noble Horizons community for over 35 years, brightening the lives of Noble residents with her irrepressible warmth and unflappable cheer. When she first began her career as a Certified Nursing Aide, she floated between Riga, Wagner, and Whitridge. She particularly enjoyed Whitridge, where memory care is offered, because of the rewards she finds in helping the residents with dementia. “It can be something as simple as holding their hand or just being patient with them. Everyone is always so busy and moving so fast in the mornings, but with the memory care patients, I would come in, sit down in a chair next to their bed, and let them know that they could take their time getting up. And they appreciated that,” reflects Lori.
Although Lori enjoyed her time working in Whitridge, she has spent the last six years in the Cobble, Noble’s independent living option offering a lifestyle similar to that of a fine hotel. Lori’s passion for people and drive to help are a perfect match for her role on the Cobble, ““Even when I’m out in public at a restaurant and I see an older person struggling with their food, I feel compelled to offer to cut up their food.”
Lori has always been drawn to older people, and loves hearing their stories, many of which involve wartime. “They don’t even realize what they have been through. It’s amazing. I also learn all about their families, accomplishments, places they’ve visited. We have so many residents in their mid to late nineties. It’s amazing what they have done.”
About 15 residents live on the Cobble with a variety of needs. She assists with medications, helps them get up in the morning if they need it, and ensures they have what they need to begin their day. During COVID she has been delivering meals to resident rooms which gives her a wonderful opportunity to spend time chatting and catching up with each resident. Once she finishes passing out the meals, it’s time to start picking them up-and visiting-again!
Her day continues by cleaning rooms and making sure each resident has the necessities – tissues, paper towels, etc. The residents have come to really rely on Lori during COVID and she has happily obliged. As one resident remarked, “Lori knows what we want before we even know! She is so good to us. She treats us the way we would hope our children would. I just cannot say enough good things.”
Lori’s been called a superhero not only because of all she does, but the way in which she does it. Whether providing technology support, making special requests of the kitchen, or arranging for wine at lunch twice a week, Lori’s positive spirit and wish to create a happy environment is deeply felt on the Cobble. Lori often jokes “I tell people all the time that I’m dinner and a show.” She loves being able to bring a smile to a face or laughter to lips while dropping off Cobble residents’ meals. “She goes beyond the call of duty,” observes a Cobble resident.
When a new resident moves in, Lori spends more time with them, helping them meet other residents, and keeping in mind who shares the newcomers’ interests so she can bring them together. Life on the Cobble comes with a beautifully appointed living room where she encourages residents to gather for reading, puzzles, games and just chatting.
From talking to residents daily, she can easily tell when they get a little depressed or in a funk and she does whatever she can to turn it around for them. Her positive attitude is simply infectious; she’s been told more than once, “You never get mad”.
While Lori is responsible for keeping the Cobble clean, she gladly shuts off the vacuum to take time to help or just chat. Over her 35 years at Noble, much may have changed but the same caring attitude has prevailed. The Cobble, she says, is her family.