The other day the Minneapolis Star Tribune did a story on the job of nursing assistants. Nursing assistants are on the frontline of care and to be great, they have to be absolutely fabulous in delivering customer service. They ensure dignity, helping people eat, bathe and dress; they listen (instead of simply hearing) what the people in their care say; they deliver authentic warmth that simply makes people feel good; they provide encouragement. Bottom line: Great nursing assistants make life better.Featured in the Star Tribune was Ecumen regional director Mary Cordts (pictured at left). Mary began her career as a nursing assistant in a nursing home in her hometown. She found her calling. And the world of aging services is changing because of it. She later got her degree in nursing. After that she earned her masters in business. And the learning didn’t end there … .This weekend in Chisago City, Minn., Mary will keynote the grand opening of the new Vitalize! Wellness Centre at the Ecumen community of Parmly LifePointes, where Mary also serves as executive director. [We’ll share more photos of Vitalize! here soon.] It’s part of a movment to expand the work of a senior community that was largely known for its nursing home, and turning it into a community-wide hub for vital aging. In fact, Parmly Senior Housing & Services changed its name to Parmly LifePointes (they’re officially launching that this weekend, too) because the community saw the former name as too limiting for what Parmly is becoming … a community-wide resource for successful aging at multiple points in life, not just at the end of life. Earlier we were talking about the role of nursing assistants. Forgot to mention that they can change the world. Take it from Mary.