Get to Know Nikki!

July 30, 2020

Nikki is one of our fabulous, friendly instructors at our Red Mountain location. When she’s not helping members in person, you’ll often find her leading an incredible online class. See her in action in this helpful “chair exercises” video, here!

Name:
Nikki Turner

How long have you been at Oakwood?
7 months

What do you do here?
I am a teaching artist who teaches dance, exercise, and cognitive classes.

What is your favorite part about coming to OCC each day?
My favorite part is getting to know the members.

What is one thing you have learned from an experience with an Oakwood member?
Working at Oakwood has taught me to cherish each day, stay thankful, and don’t take life so seriously.

Name a method you use for successful communication with a person who has dementia…
One method of success for communicating with the members is my sense of humor and encouragement. I use humor to lighten the mood along with reminding them how great or capable they are as is. This helps them not to get so frustrated when themselves if they feel like they’ve made a mistake.

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Nikki?
Leave a comment below!

Welcome

We're a nonprofit organization based in Mesa, Arizona with three senior day club locations (and a fourth on the way) which serve older adults with Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, and various other physical or cognitive challenges. Life does not end with a diagnosis. Our members continue to learn new skills, enjoy new discoveries, make friends, laugh, and live a joy-filled life. Our team of dementia experts lead support groups, events, classes, and private sessions with caregivers and families, guiding them on the best methods to care for their loved ones while also caring for themselves.