Walking in Faith: Victorian Village Administrator Shares Her Lifelong Passion Working with Seniors
When other 16-year-olds were off participating in typical after-school activities, 16-year old Jamie Krieps spent her afternoons at her great-grandma’s house.
“She was in her 90s and from Poland,” Jamie explains. “Because she had dementia, she had reverted to only speaking Polish, and I didn’t understand one word she said.”
But that didn’t stop Jamie from serving her great-grandma; rather, it sparked a passion that led her to her current position as Healthcare Administrator at Victorian Village Health & Wellness Center.
Jamie’s close-knit family lived within blocks of each other in South Holland, Illinois, making intergenerational get-togethers a common occurrence. From a young age, Jamie’s heart was leading her toward a career in social service for older adults. During college, Jamie worked at a senior living community while also completing a social work internship with seniors.
“I was learning so much about healthcare and the tough decisions people have to make during a difficult time,” Jamie says. “I made me realize that I could be the person to help make that time a little easier for people.”
After over a decade working as a social worker with older adults, a supervisor encouraged her to take the Nursing Home Administrator exam.
“I didn’t know if I really knew enough, but I took the practice exam and only missed one question,” Jamie says. “I realized just how much I’d learned on the job.”
Making the move to administrator just made sense. “I wanted to make a difference and improve people’s lives,” she says. “I knew I could help the patients, and also families and staff. As a social worker, I was helping them get the right care, but as an administrator, I’m able to get more into their lives and be more helpful and more hands on.”
After 26 years working in long-term care, the Providence family was blessed when Jamie began working at Victorian Village Health & Wellness Center at the end of 2023, and she loves the Small House environment. “It’s set up for person-centered care, and I love the home-like environment,” she says. “It’s obvious the staff is the extension of the residents’ family.”
Working in healthcare may have its share of challenges, but Jamie knows how to balance her life. She and Jeff, her husband of 22 years, have two sons (one in high school and one in college), and she also has Murphy, her dog, who she takes a walk with every morning, leaving her phone behind.
“That walk helps calm me before I start each day,” she says. “That’s my peace of mind so I can just simmer down.”
Jamie’s faith is also key to the challenges she faces as she walks through life.
