Creston Specialty Care

06/01/2026

Meet Kerri!

Kerri has proudly served as the MDS Coordinator for three years, focusing on finding solutions and addressing the concerns of residents and their families with compassion. Kerri loves making a positive impact in the lives of residents. Her inspiration comes from her mother, who dedicated her life to caregiving.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with her boys and watching them compete in archery, as well as caring for her cats.

Kerri advises new nurses that all the hard work truly pays off. She encourages them not to give up because there will be rewarding days ahead, and to not let tough days bring them down. She hopes more people recognize that our team is committed to making Creston Specialty Care feel like home. 🌟

05/29/2026

Preventing complications starts with proactive care.

Our nurses focus on infection control, early intervention, and ongoing evaluation to reduce risks and support resident safety. This approach helps residents remain comfortable, stable, and supported in a familiar environment.

Learn how our nurses make a difference every day: CareInitiatives.org

05/27/2026

Care doesn’t just happen during big milestones. It lives in the hundreds of thoughtful moments our teams create every day.

www.CareInitiatives.org/Careers

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. At Care Initiatives, we pay tribute to their courage and commitment and are grateful for their service and the legacy they leave behind. 🇺🇸

05/22/2026

Nurses are leaders in compassion—and in care coordination.

At Care Initiatives, nurses manage medications and treatments, support skin integrity and wound prevention, and collaborate with therapy, dietary, and care teams to align services with each resident’s goals.

It’s skilled care designed to support daily comfort and long-term quality of life.
Learn more about all of our services at www.CareInitiatives.org

05/22/2026

🌟 Team Member Spotlight 🌟

We’re excited to recognize Maria P., a dedicated Certified Nurse Aide, Certified Medication Aide, and Mentor who is heading into her third year with us!

Maria’s favorite part of her role is building meaningful connections with residents—she loves talking with them, learning from their advice, and seeing the joy they bring when they connect with her each day. 💙

She describes our team as supportive, compassionate, and family-oriented, and that sense of community is what makes her work so rewarding.

Looking ahead, Maria is working toward advancing her career, with goals of becoming an RN (or LPN).

👩‍⚕️ Her biggest inspiration? Her sister, who motivates her to keep growing and following in her footsteps.

When Maria isn’t at work, she enjoys unwinding by spending time in her garden and greenhouse or going for a walk.

Her advice for anyone starting out in healthcare:
👉 “Don’t overpush yourself—give yourself time and celebrate all your accomplishments, even the small ones.”

Thank you, Maria, for the compassion and positivity you bring every day! 👏

05/22/2026

Congratulations, Alisha! We are so proud of you!

Congratulations to Alisha Houchin, honored at our Des Moines Leadership Summit as the 2025 Rehab Director of the Year!🏆💙

Alisha truly embodies what it means to lead with heart and excellence. From covering treatments across four facilities to prioritizing her staff’s needs, she embodies . Her dedication is reflected in her impressive results, including an 80% productivity average and a 90% documentation audit score, proving that high-level performance and compassionate care go hand in hand.

She is intentionally "Driven By Purpose," balancing every decision with a thoughtful focus on patient outcomes and unwavering team support. Her ability to elevate expectations while maintaining a positive environment makes her an invaluable asset to our leadership team.

Beyond the numbers, Alisha brings to life, creating a therapy gym filled with laughter and motivation. As one patient shared, her encouragement inspires everyone to strive for their best!

Please join us in celebrating Alisha Houchin for this well-deserved recognition and her incredible impact at Blue Stone Therapy!👏⚡

05/22/2026

🌟 Resident Spotlight: Don 🌟

We’re proud to shine the spotlight on Don, who has been part of our community for three years!

💬 Don shares that what he enjoys most is “everything they do for me,” a reminder of how meaningful compassionate care can be.
❤️ Family is very important to Don—he speaks fondly of his loved ones, including his wife of many years.
🇺🇸 One of Don’s proudest accomplishments is his incredible 32+ years of service with the United States Postal Service—a true testament to dedication and hard work!
📚 In his free time, Don enjoys a simple but meaningful hobby: reading, something he has always loved.

We are so grateful to have Don as part of our community—thank you for sharing your story and inspiring us all! 💙

05/20/2026

Great resident experiences don’t happen alone. They’re built by teams who show up, step in, and support one another.

www.CareInitiatives.org/Careers

05/20/2026

Happy Teacher Appreciation Day to our incredible nursing instructors! 💙🩺

Today we celebrate the mentors who go far beyond teaching—they inspire, guide, and prepare us to care for others with skill and compassion. Thank you for your patience during challenging moments, your encouragement when we doubted ourselves, and your commitment to shaping us into confident, capable nurses.

Your passion for teaching and dedication to our growth truly makes a difference, not just in our lives, but in the lives of every patient we will one day care for.

We are so grateful for all that you do—today and every day. 💐✨