Celebrating Our Social Service Designee - Tina Hochwalt
April 4, 2022
As we finish out Social Work Appreciation Month, we wanted to take a moment to shine our spotlight onto our amazing Social Service Designee, Tina Hochwalt! Tina, born and raised in Cincinnati, has a heart of gold and a bubbly personality that is loved by everyone she comes across.
After high school, Tina knew that she wanted to go into the medical field and explored being a Medical Assistant and X-Ray Technician before falling in love with Occupational Therapy. She grew up with a love of helping people and has an unmatched level of creativity when working through problems and barriers. With this motivation, Tina became a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant in 2003 and then dove in headfirst at Summit Behavioral working with mental health patients. After working at Summit, Tina became the first COTA that Cincinnati Children’s Psychiatric Hospital hired. Tina worked with children with different mental health needs up until she found a home in long-term care.
Tina’s history with Foundations Health Solutions started as a COTA at one of our sister facilities, Home at Taylor’s Pointe, in 2009. Tina worked there for about a year and then transferred to Hearthstone and has never left. She worked as a COTA until 2017, when she became the Therapy Program Manager.
Growing up watching her grandparents and other family members struggle with dementia ignited a desire to find a solution to another difficult problem that many families and healthcare workers struggle with. In 2018, while working as the Therapy Program Manager at Hearthstone, Tina began focusing on the need for further Dementia education and training in facilities. With this passion, Tina was able to help revamp Dementia Care units at Hearthstone, Taylor’s Pointe, Veranda Gardens and Terrace View Gardens, while also helping to educate and train staff on how to best care for and communicate with our residents with Dementia.
Through her studies and experience, Tina has found that adapting environments, providing fidget options and sensory stimulation has made a positive impact on the quality of life for our residents with this mental health need. At the end of 2019, the opportunity to try a new adventure presented itself to Tina. Hearthstone had a need for a Social Service Designee, and Tina jumped at the opportunity to use her love of helping people to join the administrative team in a different capacity.
In 2020, Tina was recommended for, interviewed, then appointed to Governor Dewine’s Alzheimers Disease & Related Dementias Task Force, which officially began in January 2021. Tina serves on the board that meets monthly to focus on bringing effective change to how we care for people with Dementia. In the community, the Task Force is focusing on bridging the gap for caretakers, families, day programs and emergency response personnel. In addition, the Task Force is working on state-wide policy improvements for long-term care, assisted living and hospital settings.
Tina brings all of these wonderful practices right here to Hearthstone on a daily basis. She helps to educate staff and is often a sounding board for family members who have experienced caregiver burden with this precious population.
Aside from her experience with Dementia, Tina loves advocating for her residents, daily. As challenging and chaotic as a Social Service position is, Tina loves dancing, singing and coffee hour with the residents who often come to visit her for a morning cup of coffee. We are so thankful that she is a part of the Hearthstone team!
The Home at Hearthstone is a 96 bed, skilled nursing facility located in Mt. Healthy, Ohio. We offer 24/7 skilled nursing care, physical therapy, a secured memory care unit for seniors living with Alzheimer's and Dementia, and much more to help you reach your maximum potential. Click the 'Contact Us' button below to schedule a tour to see if Hearthstone is the right fit for you or a loved one.
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