Burnsville Home Care Team

​Mary Jo has been with the Burnsville Home Instead Senior Care office since December 2005. As a retired Army Veteran, Mary Jo is very organized and thorough.  Her friendly voice is usually the first thing that you will hear as you call our office. Her organizational skills have made her invaluable to our organization.  She is responsible for all invoicing, and other recordkeeping at our office.  Mary Jo is a great team player that consistently gives her best to make sure that our CAREGivers and our Clients have the BEST EXPERIENCE possible.

​Colleen brings to her job as Staffing Coordinator numerous life experiences relating to her own parents.  Recently, her father suffered health issues which led to three weeks in the hospital. Through that, Colleen got a firsthand look at what it takes to care for seniors. Long hours in the hospital confirmed for her the importance of one to one, hands on care: exactly what Home Instead Senior Care provides in the home.
While she is fortunate that her parents can currently care for themselves in their own home, she is all too aware of how quickly that can change, and the importance of providing an alternative to leaving the home. She also knows how essential it is to be able to provide workable solutions for those seeking unconventional forms of care for their loved ones.

Melissa started out a as a Home Instead Senior Care “CAREGiver” in February 2007 and has transitioned into the “Client Care Coordinator” position in October 2008.

Prior to Home Instead Melissa spent 9 years in Sales and Customer Service. Melissa lives with her husband and 3 kids in Apple Valley, MN. Family is a huge motivator for Melissa. “Family has always been the core of my life & continues to be.  Growing up I was taught to do the best job I can & to be the best person I can- that philosophy stands true today.  I strive for excellence & improvement, both personally and professionally.  I bring a caring, positive, team playing attitude.”

Melissa came to Home Instead 2 weeks after her Grandma passed, and fell in love with the culture of Home Instead Senior Care. “I sooo enjoy working with my clients & feel personally rewarded after my time spent with them.  Often I think I enjoy my visits with my clients more then they enjoy my assistance. I have life long relationships & I have adopted grandmas in the south of the river area.”

Today her job consists of doing Client and CAREGiver Introductions, Quality Assurance visits, and in general making sure that Clients that are entrusted into our care are getting the BEST experience possible in Home Care. We are blessed to have Melissa on our team.

​Janet started at Home Instead Senior Care as a “CAREGiver” in 2009 and moved into the “Client Care Coordinator” position in June 2012. Janet worked in customer service in the airline industry for 20 plus years but found her true passion after caring for her brother during his three year battle with cancer. During this time, she saw firsthand the difference compassion made, the importance of receiving the very best care and the joy associated with being able to maintain independence. Janet takes this experience and brings it to all of her interactions with seniors. “ I love my job—I love the close client relationships I make and helping seniors stay independent while ensuring all of their needs are met. I am blessed to work with so many wonderful people.”

​Barb has worked in the nursing home in New Prague for 30 years; the last 20 as Director of Nursing. Although she loved the job and the people, Barb retired in 2008. Not quite ready to give up working, she looked around for the perfect job. Working as the RN for Home Instead in Burnsville seems to be the fit.  “I get to visit with Clients, teach the CAREGiver Classes, answer questions and I get to work with a great group of people who really care about our clients.” We are grateful to have a Barb on our team.

​Susan has been with Home Instead Senior Care for five years. She continues to work as a CAREGiver in addition to being one of our On-Call Supervisors. Before working with Home Instead Senior Care Susan worked for the VA Medical Center for 32 ½ years before retiring. She has 3 daughters and 3 grandchildren, they all live in the south metro. Susan enjoys spending time with her family, reading, baking, and crocheting.

​Shari started with Home instead Senior Care in Burnsville in December of 2012 as CAREGiver.  She has a way about her that puts people at ease, and is able to work with even the most demanding clients. We are fortunate to have had Shari join our Administrative team. She brings a commitment to the team as well as attention to detail that make her an asset. Shari and her husband make their home in Lakeville, MN

​Jonathan started with Burnsville Home Instead Senior Care in February of 2014 as the Director of Human Resources.  He understands the importance of senior home care, watching this grandfather take care of his grandmother in their home and then watching his grandfather through a slow decline with ALS in a nursing home. “I understand how a personal touch can make all the difference in a person’s life when their needs are met with compassion and empathy.” Before working with Home Instead Senior Care Jonathan worked with the VA Medical Center and Department of Education. Jonathan’s Education includes a bachelor’s degree from Bethel University. He is an active member of his church where he serves as a leader of their youth group. He enjoys most outdoor sports activities, camping and kayaking.

Sue has been a CAREGiver with Home Instead Senior Care since 2013, but has cared for seniors since way back in High School. Prior to taking on the role of the On-Call Supervisor, Sue was a Top Notch CAREGiver in high demand with any Client that she was assigned to. She has worked as a CNA in her youth and took care of her own Grandma, and realized that she had a passion for caring for people, especially seniors. After doing home childcare for 30 years Sue came to Home Instead to follow her passion of caring for seniors, realizing that it’s the little things that make such a big difference in a Clients day. “It warms my heart to know that I can help them and make their day a little easier”

Nancy began work as a CAREGiver for Home Instead Senior Care in 2005. She had a natural GIFT connecting with her clients and helping them with whatever cares they needed.Nancy was a perfect fit for our newly created position as a CAREGiver Engagement Coordinator in 2015. She brings with her a plethora of experience serving people both professionally and personally.

Early on, she worked as a Dental Assistant.  During that time, she worked a winter with Dr. John White of Bethel, AK as a flying tundra dental assistant.  Together, they took a portable clinic in a small plane to tiny villages in the bush on the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers caring for young, Yupik children and adult emergencies. 

She attended University of Montana in Missoula.  Nancy moved to Minneapolis in 1989 & bought her first home in New Prague.  Nancy’s mother died of Lymphoma in 1993, which was her first glimpse of the incredible empathy of Hospice Nurses.  They wanted to know all about her Mom as a young wife and mother of 5 children.  In her work as a caregiver, Nancy has always remembered the utter tenderness and compassion they showed as they cared for her mother, and for their family.  She has 3 very good dogs, loves to landscape, bake, read and crochet.

Amy Jo has been working with Home Instead Senior Care for the last couple years. She continues to work  as a CAREGiver as well as being one of our On-Call Supervisors. She came to Home Instead Senior Care because she enjoys working with people, especially seniors. She finds this work very rewarding and it is wonderful that doing this type of work touches so many lives.  She also enjoys spending time with her family, her dog, traveling, being in the outdoors and baking. 

Annie started at Home Instead Senior Care in 2014 as a caregiver and fell in love with the work.  As a Client Care Coordinator she is able to connect with both seniors and caregivers. She enjoys working with seniors and feels like every day she makes a difference while working with the Home Instead team.

Annie’s career began in technology after graduating from St. Olaf College. After eight years, first as a Customer and Technical Support Representative and eventually a Software Configuration Management Engineer, she made the choice to stay home with her four kids.  Caring for her family and helping her father battle cancer taught her what it is to be a caregiver.  Annie lives in Farmington with her husband and four kids.