“The governor said come on, so I did!” she said.
Nicki and her husband have lived in Clifton for three years, coming to central Texas from Las Vegas. A former coworker convinced her to make the move, and it was a perfect fit.
As a longtime nurse who had worked in many roles, including obstetrics for more than 25 years, Nicki knew her fellow nurses were struggling.
“I just wanted to be around my peers and wanted to be in the situation where I could talk to people and be involved,” she said.
She wanted to be in the trenches with them, so she got her license back at 81.
“[LSM] saw my age and didn’t have any preconceived ideas. They might have thought I wanted a room,” she joked. “It’s good. It’s been kind of my salvation to come here. This is a nice place to work. I really love it. I love the people – the people are really good.”
Working in a nursing home for the first time during a pandemic was an unusual experience for Nicki, especially when Sunset was operating under strict protocols.
“The first day when the residents were able to gather and a couple came in and played music, everyone was so excited and it made me cry,” she said. “It was a side of the place I hadn’t seen. It was a big deal to me.”
She’s really connected with the residents and had many moments where she’s been glad she was there since she has a perspective that a younger person may not understand. Now, even though the COVID storm has calmed, Nicki still shows up at work every day with a smile on her face.
“I worked on the floor for six months until I was passing pills using a walker,” she says with a laugh. Now, Nicki has taken on a different role working with medical records. “I love coming to work. And truthfully, I know there’s a time when I won’t be able to come, and I will cry when I have to leave.”