Caregiving Is Personal for Many Simpson Team Members

News Source: Simpson

During Care Workers Recognition Month, Simpson Shares How Personal Caregiving Shapes Care from Frontline to Executive Leadership

WEST GROVE, Pa., April 21, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — In recognition of Care Workers Recognition Month in April, Simpson, a family of communities in Pennsylvania, is sharing how the personal caregiving experiences of its team members, from frontline staff to executive leadership, influence the care they bring to their roles every day.

Image caption: Jennifer Ragonese, RN, offers education and support at the Jenner’s Pond and Simpson Meadows senior communities while caring for her mother, Catherine Ahearn.

Across the country, more than 60 million Americans serve as family caregivers, many while balancing full-time jobs. These experiences often form the foundation of careers in senior living and healthcare, where empathy and hands-on knowledge shape how care is delivered.

Across Simpson communities, which offer independent living, assisted living, memory support, short-term rehabilitation, and skilled nursing, caregiving extends beyond the workplace. Many team members support loved ones at home while also providing compassionate care to residents each day. These shared experiences bring a deeper level of understanding and connection to the care they provide.

These experiences reflect a broader shift in the care workforce. As demand for senior living and long-term care continues to grow, many professionals are entering the field with personal caregiving experience that they apply to their work.

For Jennifer Ragonese, RN, at the Simpson Resource Center, who offers education and support at the Jenner’s Pond and Simpson Meadows senior communities, caregiving has been a lifelong influence. She supported her mother, Cathy, through vascular dementia, navigating a rapid progression of the disease that led from home care to long-term care placement.

“Being able to relate to those you care for is a superpower,” Ragonese said. “I learned early on to meet people where they are, to create a safe and trusting space, and let them guide the way.”

That perspective now shapes how she connects not only with residents but also with their families, helping to build trust and foster open communication during some of life’s most difficult transitions.

At Simpson Meadows in Downingtown, Penn., Memory Care Director Yalonda Pinder brings a similarly personal lens to her work. She helps care for her 84-year-old grandmother with dementia while also supporting a cousin who lives in the community’s memory care neighborhood.

With more than two decades of caregiving experience, Pinder draws on both her professional and personal roles to guide families with empathy.

She often reminds families that their loved ones cannot control their behaviors. Drawing on her personal caregiving experience, she emphasizes the importance of patience.

This perspective also extends to the care for her grandmother. When her grandmother was getting up at night, Pinder reminded her mom that her grandmother, who was also a CNA, worked the night shift, and she’s still on that schedule. This insight helped the family better understand and adjust their approach.

Simpson President and CEO Dr. Carol McKinley emphasizes that caregiving is both deeply personal and widely shared. Through initiatives such as Care for the Caregiver, a joint program with Jenner’s Pond and the University of Delaware, Simpson continues to focus on the well-being of those who care for others.

“Caregiving often involves a mix of love, responsibility, and emotional strain, and we understand from a personal and professional level that many caregivers feel overwhelmed or isolated without support,” says McKinley. As a caregiver for her grandmother, father and now her mother, McKinley brings a personal perspective to her work.

Under her leadership, Simpson continues to invest in programs that provide caregivers with resources, guidance, and a sense of community, reinforcing that no one should navigate caregiving alone.

Care team members remind others to show their appreciation with a simple “Thank you,” to listen to them when they need to vent their feelings, and share what they are going through with a handwritten note or conversation that acknowledges their efforts, says Ragonese.

“Many on our team are caring for family members when we go home,” says Pinder. “We care deeply about those we care for. At Simpson Meadows, we are family-oriented and treat the residents like our family.”

As part of Care Workers Recognition Month, and year-round, Simpson recognizes the many individuals across all roles who make quality care possible.

“Caregiving is hard and important, but we still need to take time for ourselves. We often put our needs aside, but burnout is real. Taking care of our mental and physical health helps us keep showing up for the people we care about,” says Ragonese.

ABOUT SIMPSON

Since 1865, Simpson has met the changing needs and desires of Philadelphia area seniors from diverse backgrounds as a not-for-profit family of services consisting of two Continuing Care Retirement Communities, or CCRCs: Simpson Meadows and Jenner’s Pond; three affordable senior living communities: Simpson Gardens I, Simpson Gardens II, and Simpson Midtown, as well as Simpson HomeCare and Simpson Rehabilitation. The organization is dedicated to providing elders from diverse backgrounds with more amenities, better services, improved care, and a higher quality of life in beautiful, dignified, and spiritual settings. For more information, visit: https://www.simpsonsenior.org/

Press Page: https://www.simpsonsenior.org/about/press/

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