"I had the privilege of working closely with Florence when she was part of our Activities team in Memory Care, and I can say without hesitation that her work consistently went far beyond the job description. She has a rare ability to truly see people living with dementia—not just their diagnosis, but their humanity, emotions, and need for meaningful connection.

One moment that has always stayed with me involved two sisters—one living in Assisted Living and the other in Memory Care. The sister in Assisted Living had begun avoiding visits because she felt lost and unable to connect. Florence gently stepped in and showed her a simple but powerful way to engage: playing with a balloon together. Within minutes, the sisters were laughing, holding hands, and reconnecting in a way that felt natural and joyful. The relief and happiness on the visiting sister’s face said everything. This is the kind of impact Florence creates—quiet, profound, and deeply human.

She was equally skilled working directly with residents, especially during moments of distress or confusion. I watched her instinctively turn challenging situations into meaningful engagement—inviting a memory care resident to help serve coffee when she was repeatedly asking for help, or adapting activities like playing basketball with two residents when they were in even more advanced stages of dementia. Her creativity, flexibility, and respect for each individual allowed residents to feel useful, calm, and seen.

Seeing Florence transition into her work as a Dementia Engagement Specialist feels like a natural and powerful next step. Her focus on accompanying family members, supporting professionals, and offering workshops—such as her insightful work on visual changes and dementia—reflects the same thoughtful, experience-based approach she brought to our community every day. Her understanding of how small adjustments (like ensuring an activity is within a resident’s visual field) can make a significant difference is invaluable. Any family or professional who works with Florence will benefit not only from her knowledge, but from her compassion, patience, and genuine respect for people living with dementia. She has always done this work from the heart—and now, she’s giving others the tools and confidence to do the same"