Brainerd, Baxter (Change Location)

Meet Our Team

We believe every family in the area deserves tailor made in-home senior care with a compassionate touch. That's why we established Home Instead® of Baxter, MN.

Home Instead Caregiver helps senior woman unload groceries from vehicle

Proudly Serving Aging Adults & Their Families

Our Promise

As a locally owned business, our team offers friendly, responsive service right in your neighborhood. Families love our team because we:
  • Do what we say we’re going to do – each and every time
  • Solve care problems using compassionate, person-centered solutions
  • Engage in thoughtful relationships with the families we serve
  • Give back to our community
About Us
Meet Our Team
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Deb Cranny, Director of Finance

I’m the Director of Finance at Home Instead since we opened the doors in the Brainerd Lakes Area on January 24, 2005.

I opened the business not only to serve our seniors, but also because I have a passion to be able assist families in finding the right solutions for their loved ones. Being a daughter of aging parents myself, that I’m not able to help as much as I should, I understand the stress and emotions of all that. There’s nothing better than having a daughter tell us she has such peace of mind knowing are Care Professionals are with her parents when she can’t be. What I didn’t know when I began this business was how rewarding it was going to be to work with our Care Professionals. They are wonderful, compassionate, dedicated people that love to provide services for their clients. They work hard at their tasks, but they also develop very important relationships with their clients.

I’ve worked with seniors my entire career. The day I graduated from college I worked with a national nursing home organization in business/accounting. The most rewarding part was working in local communities and assisting the families as they moved their loved ones to their new home. Even though that was a difficult situation for them, I felt I could help them get through it.

I have two beautiful adult daughters, two son-in-laws, and 3 granddaughters and 1 grandson. We have so much fun when we are together and I cherish that time! I enjoy just about anything that happens in the summer – golfing, boating, campfires, going for walks or runs, or any adventure that involves the outdoors. In the winter, I just want to curl up indoors by the fireplace – and maybe add a beach vacation.

Michael Cranny, Director of Buisness Development

Michael Cranny, Director of Buisness Development

I started with Home Instead the fall of 2004 when Deb and I decided that after serving in the Senior Living industry in a more institutional role for many years – let’s create a service in that folks are asking for – I heard so many times in my role as an Executive with a Long Term Care Organization – that this place (nsg. home, asst. living, senior apts., etc.) is OK but I would rather be at HOME!!

That is what Home Instead is – helping people stay at home – wherever that may be!! My primary role at Home Instead is to meet with prospective clients and their families to discuss how we may help them continue to successfully age in their own home. This includes discussing our wide range of services and capabilities.

I enjoy Home Instead because of our mission to help people stay at HOME!! My experience serving seniors started in the late 70’s – so I have been in the vocation of helping others in need most of my career. My Master’s Degree is from the Center for Studies in Aging at the University of North Texas – it has been a rewarding career.

I little bit about me – I love to be with family, enjoy outdoor activities, like a good book on a cold winter day and enjoy cooking but not the cleaning up part:)

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Katelin Hohertz, LICSW Executive Director

Katelin started with Home Instead in 2018 as the Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator, then transitioned to the role of Client and CAREGiver Experience Director. Since, Katelin has moved into the Executive Director role. She comes to HISC with a masters in social work and as a licensed independent clinical social worker. She values ensuring quality care is provided to our client's and their families by supporting our passionate and enthusiastic Care Professionals as part of our Home Instead team.

Katelin enjoys working for Home Instead because of the passion and dedication the Home Instead team has to help enrich the lives of everyone we encounter. She enjoys connecting to the BLA community and other local businesses #lakesproud

She returned to the Brainerd Lakes Area in 2019 from the cities with her husband, Zach and have since welcomed baby girl, Baylor Rae, in October 2019. Katelin enjoys time on the lake with family and walks on the Paul Bunyan Trail.

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Angie Brickweg, COTA/L Client Care Coordinator

Angie started for Home Instead in 2020 with a degree as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. She has worked in several different settings with seniors including nursing homes, outpatient clinics and in-home therapy, and helping seniors to be able to stay in their homes has been the most rewarding. As a Client Care Coordinator, her main focus is the clients and their families. She is able to meet with potential clients and their families and discuss our services and how we can help with helping seniors stay safe in their homes. Once someone becomes a client, she continues to be involved in each client’s care to ensure that we are meeting all the client’s needs.

She has worked in the Brainerd medical community for the past 5 years and says that she has always been drawn to Home Instead, “They go the extra mile and give everything that personal touch and that was always very evident to me. They are committed to helping seniors in the community to be able to stay safely in their homes and I am so grateful to be a part of that.”

Angie recently moved to the Brainerd lakes area in 2019 with her husband, Randy and three children, Elsie, Nola and Eli. Her favorite places include being at the lake, sitting on her front porch swing,  being next to a campfire, or snuggled up in front of a fireplace with a good book or movie.

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Monica Schrader, CAREGiver Support

Monica started working for Home Instead in 2018 as a CAREGiver. The flexible schedule allowed her to be home with her three children, tend to her growing homestead, and work a full time job on the side. When that full time job on the side got to be just a bit much she chose to embrace the CAREGiver position with HomeInstead full time. In July 2021 Monica was given the opportunity for her current position of CAREGiver Support. Monica comes to us with much passion for both the client side but just as much for our CAREGivers. Monica facilitates the classroom training, the home visits, continuing education, fosters growth and ensures the Home Instead culture is the best it can be amongst our CAREGivers

Monica enjoys being home raising pigs and chickens, growing a garden, canning, and just learning to be self sufficient. The concept of Live and Learn is the motto she lives by. Not everyone can do great things, but you can do small things with great love.

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Michelle Majkrzak, Recruitment Coordinator

Michelle was hired in August 2019 as our Recruitment Coordinator. Michelle manages the sourcing, recruitment and hiring process and Empower computer training.

Michelle comes to us with many years of human resource experience in the health care industry and is excited to join the Home Instead team.

She has had a cabin in the area for over 20 years and recently relocated from the twin cities. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, traveling in and outside of the states.

Michelle loves the state of Minnesota and spends much of her free time with family and friends boating, snowmobiling, listening to live music and quiet activities gardening and reading.

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Jessica Senn, Service Coordinator

Jessica joined Home Instead as a CAREGiver in July of 2020. She then added the On Call roll assisting with evening and weekend phones before joining the administrative team full time in October, 2021 as our Service Coordinator. Jessica loves organizing and is wonderful at finding those perfect CAREGiver/Client matches. Jessica is passionate about quality care for the seniors we serve.

Jessica is originally from Wisconsin and moved to Minnesota 11 years ago. During her time in Minnesota she has worked at the Crow Wing County Jail and Lakewood Care Center.

Jessica currently lives in Motley, MN with her husband and two children, Emma and Austin. She stays busy with her children’s school activities and sports. When not working, Jessica and her family love traveling, going to sporting events, camping and playing board games.  

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Samantha Keehr, Office Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon!

Our Team

Your Home Instead team in Baxter, MN possesses a heartfelt desire to work with seniors in the community. It is our ultimate goal to forge extraordinary relationships between our clients and their Care Professionals.

When you are ready for help, our caring staff is on call to quickly answer your questions and accommodate your senior services needs.

Home Instead Caregiver wearing mask reading newspaper with senior man at home

Testimonial

Latest review from our community