|
Staff
|
 |
|
Executive
Director
Provides oversight for all agency activities. |
|
Wanda
Himes, R.N., B.S.N.
has been in nursing since 1979 when she graduated from
Indiana University of Pennsylvania with her bachelor of
science in nursing.
Her nursing career has taken her from Philadelphia to
Syracuse, New York, to Charlottesville, Virginia, and now
Harrisonburg.
Wanda’s experience and background included medical
surgical nursing, oncological nursing, quality assurance and
over 10 years in homecare.
She also worked for several years as a Risk Manger at
a major regional hospital in Virginia and then legal nurse consultant for the local law firm of
Wharton, Aldhizer and Weaver. From
the time Wanda made her first homecare visit, she has
believed that it is most beneficial for people to preserve
and extend their quality of life in their own homes. Wanda enjoys directing
a home care agency that helps people stay safely in their own familiar
environment for as long as possible. |
|
 |
|
Clinical
Team Coordinator
Office manager. Supports the day to day operations
of the agency. Coordinates Medicare scheduling, data
entry and billing. Provides accounting support for both
Private and Medicare-Medicaid Services. |
|
Cindy
Combs
graduated from Fairfax High School, Fairfax, Virginia and then
attended James Madison University.
She started a career in banking at The National Bank
of Fairfax and over the next 30 years worked in various
aspects of banking.
After moving to Harrisonburg, she worked at Virginia
National Bank, Valley National Bank, First American Bank,
and most recently Rockingham Heritage Bank, taking various
finance classes along the way.
When Rockingham Heritage Bank merged with United Bank, she decided to
leave banking and joined First Choice as the Office Manager.
She enjoys working in the health care field while
still being able to use her financial background.
|
|
 |
|
Quality
Improvement Coordinator
Provides in-services and orientation to both
Certified and Private Service's staff. Provides
direction for our custom Alzheimer's/ Dementia Program,
performing in-home assessments client and family
education and assists with coordination of staffing.
Tracks and trends quality data for both Certified and
Private Services. |
|
Miriam
E. Martin, Ph.D., R.N is a graduate of the University of Colorado and the
University of Iowa.
Her lifelong career as a professor of nursing focused
on community and gerontological nursing.
Her research focused on cross-cultural health and
care of the aged.
In the 1980’s she wrote a book entitled Holistic
Assessment of the Healthy Aged.
Miriam has spent the last several years teaching and
encouraging people to practice health promoting behaviors so
they can achieve optimal health.
She is currently employed by First Choice Home Health
as Quality Improvement Coordinator.
|
|
 |
|
Visit/Support
Nurse
Provides in-home assessment and visits for Private
and Certified Services. Provides medication supervision.
|
|
Mamie
M. Mellinger, R.N.,
received her M.S.N. , Community Health Nursing, from
UVA.
She has been employed at Eastern Mennonite University
for 37 years teaching, nursing and as Director of Health
Services.
During this time she worked for First
Choice Home Health part time.
Most recently, since retirement, she has been working
with First Choice Home Health part time.
This position is ideal for her as she enjoys working
with the clients, the staff and engaging the community in
bringing optimal services to the families she visits.
She enjoys the flexibility and variety of experiences
this position offers.
|
|
 |
|
Private
Services Scheduler
Develops our weekly Private Service's schedules to
meet client requests. Supervises CNAs, aides and
companions. Provides office administrative support. |
|
Lisa
Combs
graduated from Harrisonburg High school in 1999. Following
high school, she attended Massanutten Technical Center and
graduated from their Licensed Practical Nursing program in
2007. Lisa came to work for First Choice Home Health
Services in September 2007 and enjoys home health care and
hopes to continue helping people live safely in their own,
comfortable environment.
|
|
|
|
Massage Therapist
|
|
Tai
Blakey, Massage Therapist, NCTMB, began
her journey into massage therapy in 2003 and attended The
Virginia School of Massage in Charlottesville, Virginia,
where she completed a 637 hour program. Upon completion of
massage school Tai became a Nationally Certified Massage
Therapist through The National Certification Board of
Therapeutic Massage Bodywork (NCBTMB) and holds a state
license through the Commonwealth of Virginia Board of
Nursing. She is an active member of the American Massage
Therapy Association (AMTA), The International Association of
Infant Massage-Sweden (IAIM) and Infant Massage USA Chapter.
Tai opened her business Refreshing Effects Massage Therapy
in 2008. Her vision it to reduce the effects of mental,
physical and emotion stressors through massage therapy. She
practices swedish, deep tissue, reflexology, Paraffin
treatment and castor oil packs, as well as various
other massage techniques.
|
|
|
Mary Glick earned her RN/BSN from Eastern Mennonite
University in 1989 and has worked for Rockingham Memorial
Hospital the past 23 years in orthopedics/medical surgical,
oncology, and most recently with in-home hospice services.
In her retirement she looks forward to work part time as the
Medicaid Services Coordinator, with a special love for
providing care for persons who desire to stay in their own
homes to receive assistance.
|
|
|
