Janelle was born and raised in central Minnesota. She has over 20 years of experience working with older adults. Janelle holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Winona State University and a Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership from St. Catherine University. Janelle loves working with older adults and believes that everyone should have the opportunity to live their best life. She lives in New Hope with her husband Brain and their two children Alex and Amanda.

Susan

Susan has been a marketing and sales director in the west metro for 15 years. Previous experience has included designing environments for aging and product management for an international health care furniture company. She has been involved in numerous associations and projects to support successful aging here in the Twin Cities and throughout the United States. “I’ve been fortunate to be able to contribute to enriching the lives of seniors for over 20 years,” said Susan. “It’s rewarding to assist someone in finding the right community or resource and then to see them flourish in their new home.” Susan enjoys music, arts and cultural events, as well as outdoor activities and travel.

Catherine 

Cathy lives in Hutchinson, Minn. She is married with three grown daughters and five grandchildren, and has been in healthcare for over 16 years. Cathy started out as a Certified nursing assistant and worked her way up to become a Registered Nurse. Cathy holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Rasmussen College. She enjoys working with the elderly population, hearing their stories and learning of their journey of life. “Truly getting to know the people I serve helps me provide a high quality of care that is personalized to each individual,” says Cathy.

Gretchen

Gretchen Fulmer is originally from Wisconsin and yes — she is a Green Bay Packer Fan. Gretchen attended a small private college in Sheboygan, Wisconsin where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Business Administration. She moved to Minnesota six years ago and worked in the wedding and event industry until finding her passion with senior housing. She enjoys critical thinking, organizing and decorating. Gretchen always has time for a joke, an idea or suggestion and loves trying new things!

Megan

Megan Grunerud, state certified occupational therapist, is the Wellness Coordinator serving residents, families and staff at Cherrywood Pointe of Minnetonka. Megan’s expertise is in finding creative solutions to functional problems. “As we age, there can be many different conditions that we’re dealing with – low vision, mobility issues, cognitive changes – my role is to find ways to adapt a person’s environment to help them function at their highest ability,” she says.

As an occupational therapist and an Independent Certified Coach with Positive Approach® to Care, Megan is well-equipped to coach caregivers on physical approaches and communication strategies, to create more successful outcomes and relationships with people living with dementia.

Along with coaching staff on communication approaches and supporting family members, Megan also:
• Oversees the implementation of Ebenezer’s Dimensions Program® which involves cognitive assessments and tailoring approaches based on each resident’s needs.
• Collaborates with the Ebenezer nursing team on care planning.
• Collaborates with the Fairview Home Care team to implement recommendations that have been made for specific residents.
• Collaborates with the activities staff to design programming around residents’ abilities

Megan Grunerud has a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth. Prior to her time at Cherrywood Pointe, she worked with Fairview Home Care and Hospice, and practiced occupational therapy in hospital and clinic settings.