The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Lisa Sipler has been a major part of developing the soul of the Big Sandy Medical Center. Last week when I interviewed Darlene Cline I asked her who she was inspired by and she told me Lisa Sipler. We all need inspiration and Lisa Sipler can inspire anyone. I told Lisa, "You have a passion for your job. You love your job." She smiled and said, "I do love my job!"

Her joy is contagious because other employees who work at the medical center have mentioned it to me. She creates an atmosphere where she includes everybody and not just the residents. That is inspirational.

Lisa started working at the medical center in January 1997. She was 18 years old and her friend Nicole Allderdice worked there as a CNA. "We were roommates, and she encouraged me to get CNA. I was working at S and J's. So I came over, observed what CNAs do, and I thought I could do this. I got my CNA from Pam Gasvoda. Marlene Terry was the Activity Director. She retired about the end of the 90s, and then Carolyn Fulton took over. Marlene also loved her job. When Marlene called bingo, she made her stuff and I have kept it. I can't like get rid of it. Everybody laughs at me, but I have her cards." Lisa got up from the table and brought over this old box. "These are probably 35 years old. I don't have the heart to get rid of them. They're so faded, but they fit perfectly in my hand."

Health and Safety is the number one issue of any medical facility that serves people. But if you don't make life worth living, it's not worth it. That's Lisa's job. Her job is to make the residents happy. So when they wake up every single morning they are happy to be alive.

Getting back to how she got the job she said, "Harry Bold approached me and I went to Helena and took a week-long class, got a certification then took over." I asked her, "Over those 20 years at what point did it not become a job? Do you can you remember? What point was it no longer a job but a passion?"

Lisa said, "I don't know. Maybe around 10 years into it. Did it take me that long? Because I didn't have any idea what I was doing. And being that young. I took over when I was in my mid-20s. The one thing I always found hard was being able to relate to them, when I was younger, right? So they were talking about the history of Big Sandy and I always felt like I was not meshing with them. And now being older, I identify a little bit more. I've grown up."

We laughed when she said, "I get my best ideas in the shower." I belong to lots of activity director Facebook pages. I watch activity directors' stuff on tick tock and YouTube too. I read articles. My mind never stops. Even when I'm home, sitting in the chair, relaxing, watching TV. Something will come to my mind. And then it's like I run around. It's funny because I will text Ashley Jacobi, Director of Nursing, and she's on my crazy with me."

"The long-term care facilities have just changed. It used to be good to just play bingo a couple of times a week and maybe do some trivia and have coffee. Those things were acceptable and that was okay, then, that's what I remember. Now it's like the state requires you to keep people busy. Whether it's in a group, whether it's one on one, whether it's in their room, they need to access different things. Things have definitely changed. So I feel I've changed.

There is a lot of laughing going on at the medical center. I told Lisa you almost have a laughing machine. "I'm a big goofball. I don't act my age at all. And I have no problem making an idiot out of myself to make them laugh. And that's the thing too, I remember when I first started I didn't have the confidence I have now. I have no problem getting up in front of people now and talking.

On the Big Sandy Medical Center Facebook page, at the top of the page, is a link to an Amazon Wishlist. If you click on that it will take you right to the page where you can support the work of making people happy. Whenever she has a new idea she put it on that Wish List.