For six years, Gretchen Haas has brought heart, humor, and energy to her role as Community Life Director at Glen Meadows. With a background in sociology, social work, and therapeutic recreation, Gretchen has built her career around helping older adults stay engaged, connected, and supported. At Presbyterian Senior Living, that means creating experiences that care for the whole person while working in a community that values collaboration, growth, and purpose.
Gretchen’s path into senior living began in college, inspired by her grandfather’s experience in a skilled nursing facility. Seeing the compassion shown to both him and her grandmother left a lasting impression.
“The staff there really were attentive, compassionate, not only to him but to my grandmother as well,” Gretchen said. “I just really wanted to do that for other people.”
She went on to earn a degree in sociology and social work and, through an internship, discovered her love for recreation. Later, while working full time, she returned to school to earn a degree in therapeutic recreation and become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.
“That was a tough time, working and going to school full time,” she said. “It was a lot, but here I am and I love what I do.”
When Gretchen first joined PSL, she focused on community life programming. Since then, her role has expanded to include oversight of the fitness department and chaplaincy as well.
That growth reflects both her own development and PSL’s commitment to supporting residents in every dimension of wellness. Gretchen has long believed in caring for the mind, body, and soul, and she found that same philosophy reflected in PSL’s mission.
“My philosophy has always been, you’ve got to take care of the mind, body, and soul,” she said. “And that fits into the mission of promoting wholeness of body, mind, and spirit.”
For Gretchen, that alignment is one of the reasons PSL has felt different from other places she has worked.
Ask Gretchen what she hopes people remember most about her, and her answer is simple: “My joy, my humor.”
She wants residents to know she is someone they can come to with questions, concerns, or just for a laugh. “They feel comfortable knowing that I’m here and can help them,” she said. “I’m a safe space.”
That spirit shapes the work she and her team do every day. From bingo and trivia to concerts, outings, Bible studies, and fitness classes, Gretchen helps create opportunities that support residents socially, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
For her, community life is about more than activities. It is about helping people stay connected to purpose. “Everybody wants to have a purpose,” she said.
That might mean encouraging a resident’s love of music, helping someone reconnect with an old skill, or creating ways for residents to volunteer and give back. Gretchen’s work is centered on listening closely and helping residents continue to live meaningful lives.
Gretchen is quick to say one of the best parts of working at Glen Meadows is the people around her.
“We are more than a team, we are a family,” she said.
She describes a culture where people genuinely care about residents and willingly work across departments to make things happen. That collaboration helps create memorable experiences for residents and families and gives team members the support they need to do their work well.
“I’ve never heard, ‘That’s not my job’ here,” Gretchen said.
That attitude is one of the clearest ways PSL stands apart to her. “You can tell the staff really want to be here,” she said, “to collaborate with each other to help the residents live the life they want.”
Gretchen’s interest in memory care and dementia support also reflects PSL’s commitment to helping team members grow and develop their skills. As a Certified Dementia Practitioner, she continues to follow best practices and learn new strategies for supporting residents with cognitive challenges.
She describes dementia care as a toolbox, where one approach may work one day and another “tool” may be needed the next. That flexibility, curiosity, and commitment to learning are all part of what she brings to her role and part of what PSL supports in its team members.
She also pointed to one of PSL’s newer benefits that stood out to her personally: pet insurance.
“I was very excited for the pet insurance last year,” Gretchen said. “I thought that was a really unique benefit.”
That comment may seem small, but it reflects something meaningful. Along with mission-driven work and opportunities for growth, PSL continues to think about what matters to team members and how to support them in practical ways.
For Gretchen, this field is more than a job. It is work that requires passion, compassion, and heart.
“If you don’t have that, then it’s just a job,” she said. “Really, this is a career path and you’ve got to love what you do.”
That mindset shows up in the experiences she creates, the relationships she builds, and the way she helps residents feel known and supported. Through her humor, care, and commitment to whole-person wellness, Gretchen Haas helps make Glen Meadows a place where residents can continue to live with purpose.
Her story also reflects what many team members find at Presbyterian Senior Living: meaningful work, opportunities to grow, supportive colleagues, and the tools and benefits that help them make a difference every day.