Finding Her Calling: Britta’s Journey to Ecumen Lakeshore

By Corrine McCallum | October 9, 2024

Britta, a Life Enrichment team member at Ecumen Lakeshore, didn’t always know she would end up working in senior services. Her background is diverse, ranging from real estate and sales to appraising homes and working as a flight attendant. However, it was her personal experiences that eventually led her to discover her true calling.

After moving between various jobs, Britta found herself working in Minneapolis while driving back to Superior, WI every weekend to care for her aging parents. When her father was diagnosed with bone cancer and dementia, he had to move into a care center, and after two months, he passed away. Britta then took on the responsibility of caring for her mother, balancing her job and family duties.

During this time, Britta began praying for a career change, as her work in appraising homes didn’t feel meaningful to her. “It was repetitive, mind-numbing, but paid good money,” she said. Then, out of the blue, she received a call asking if she could provide home care services for a 92-year-old gentleman. Knowing she had experience from caring for her parents, Britta accepted the role, helping him transition into a senior living community. 

As her work with the gentleman slowed, Britta came across an Ecumen Lakeshore Facebook post about an open interview event. Almost 60 and not quite ready to retire, Britta decided it was something she should explore. She knew she wasn’t up for the challenge of returning to school to become a nurse, but she realized she could still make a meaningful impact by enriching the lives of those in senior living.

Now, as a Life Enrichment Assistant, Britta works closely with Ecumen’s memory care residents. “I love every one of them to my core. They have been the biggest blessing,” she shares. In her role, she brings joy, activities, and connection to the residents, a job that feels like second nature to her.

“This community feels like an open door where I can just be me,” Britta reflects. After years of searching, she knows that working with older adults was always her calling—it just took some time to find her way there. She believes there are many others like her who are searching for a fulfilling role in life but don’t know where to start.

“I am just grateful that Ecumen took a chance on a banker,” Britta says. “When you are giving, you get so much back. That’s the joy of this job.”

Today, Britta has found her place at Ecumen Lakeshore, where her heart for service shines through every day.

Ecumen is a Certified Age-Friendly Employer through The 2024 Age-Friendly Institute. The Age-Friendly Institute is the home of the global Certified Age-Friendly Employer (CAFE) program, established in 2006. As a division of Age Friendly Ventures, a public benefit corporation, the Institute offers workforce analytics to a rapidly expanding network of employers worldwide and promotes all aspects of age-friendly initiatives.


About Ecumen

Ecumen is a nonprofit provider, developer and operator of award-winning living spaces and innovative services for older adults. Mission-driven since its founding in 1862, Ecumen’s legacy of service reflects a commitment to honoring those it serves. Ecumen is based in Shoreview, Minn., and operates properties and services in multiple states, and provides new development, management and consulting services. Housing options include independent living, assisted living, memory care, short-term rehabilitation and long-term care communities. Its diverse in-home and community-based services include home care, hospice, physical and occupational therapy, adult day services and an online durable goods medical store. For more information, visit ecumen.org.


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