Meet Emily Sullivan,
Director of Nursing at Avila Home Care!
Emily Sullivan, RN, BSN, MEd, brings over 40 years of nursing experience to her role as Director of Nursing at Avila Home Care. Her extensive experience includes working in home care, hospice, doctors’ offices, hospitals and many other health care settings.
Emily learned at an early age to care about others from watching her parents, being actively involved in her church, and growing up with neighbors and friends who frequently cared for each other. Being raised in a culture of caring inspired Emily to become a nurse.
Graduating as a diploma nurse, she immediately started to work. While working, Emily completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, and her Master’s Degree in Professional Health Occupations. Emily worked with seniors in their homes as a home care and hospice nurse. “We can learn a lot from our seniors- they have so much to give us.”
Emily’s years of caring personally and professionally brought her to a point in her life where she loved being able to help others care for the special people in their lives. “There were the wonderful childhood years being raised with a sister and two brothers, and as adults we are still very close. My sister and I were the primary caregivers for our parents in their later years, and I realized the challenges of taking care of family members and doing so with love.”
Emily met Danny O’Brien, Avila’s Founder and CEO, through Grace Fellowship Church. Emily’s numerous trips with Grace to the countries of Kyrgyzstan and Indonesia to support families in need were special experiences that reinforced her love of caring for others. She was also a member of Grace’s lay counselling team.
“Several years ago, I was retired and thought my nursing background may be of help to get Avila Home Care started.” When the opportunity arose to work with Danny O’Brien to launch Avila Home Care and support seniors and their loved ones who were caring for them, Emily was delighted to come out of retirement and join the team. “The genuine honesty and integrity of Avila’s entire team, the wonderful families we serve and our faithful and just leader Danny, inspire me every day.”
As Director of Nursing at Avila Home Care, Emily helps define the team policies and procedures, provides supervision and oversight for Avila’s nursing team, and supports the Caregivers who care for Avila’s clients and their families. “As a parent of two wonderful sons and now a grandparent to the best grandsons ever, I know the weight of responsible caring.”
In her free time, Emily makes greeting cards and delights in new craft projects that come her way. She also relishes the outdoors and does lots of gardening every chance she gets. Emily’s favorite free time activity is playing and spending time with her grandchildren.
Read about our other wonderful staff and nurses at Avila Home Care!
Meet Joe Dickerson,
Client Care Coordinator at Avila Home Care!
Joe Dickerson brings over 8 years of Customer Service expertise and a passion for helping others to his role as Client Care Coordinator at Avila Home Care. Joe was inspired to work with seniors while caring for his own grandparents, and he vowed to support others who are faced with some of the same challenges…
How Yoga and Meditation Can Boost Elder Health and Wellness
Yoga and meditation has positive impacts on people of all ages, and some of these aspects are specifically beneficial for the elderly. Here, the home care and aging in place specialists at Avila Home Care explain how yoga and meditation can boost elder health and wellness. Improving Balance and Stability One of the biggest risks…
How to Prioritize Your Mental Health as a Senior
As a senior, prioritizing mental health is vital to staying healthy. Even simple tasks such as increasing the amount of time you spend outdoors, frequently talking with loved ones and increasing physical activity can help combat feelings of anxiety or depression. Here, the compassionate home care providers at Avila Home Care discuss ways seniors can…