Atria’s Karen Devaney, National Director of Care Management, is honored in McKnight’s Senior Living 2022 Women of Distinction second annual class of Veteran VIPs. Karen has been a nurse for more than 15 years and joined Atria in 2015. Criteria for this award includes an exceptional commitment to the senior living and care industry and a demonstrated impact on the senior living.

Embracing learning

At her core, Karen lives out the philosophy that ‘we can’t accomplish anything on an island.’ She seeks out a multi-disciplinary approach that care goes beyond the care staff and involves every Atria community employees, even waitstaff, reception, driver and Engage Life employees. By empowering each Atria community department to be involved in residents’ overall well-being, a waitstaff member may notice when a resident’s appetite changes, or an Engage Life staff member may notice when a resident’s energy changes. With Karen at the leadership table, Atria’s care department helps create policies and processes promoting residents’ overall well-being.

Throughout her career, Karen has sought out learning opportunities in nursing and dementia. She holds professional certifications through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, National Institute for Dementia Education and NICE Infection Prevention Certification from Northeastern University. She is also American Nursing Credentialing Center Board Certified as a Gerontological Nurse.

What matters most: Atria’s residents and staff

In her role as National Care Director, Karen works to create and implement technology and care policies across the company. Her important voice ensures that any policies or processes are purposefully built with Atria’s caregivers and Resident Services Director in mind.

After all, Karen knows what matters most is supporting caregivers to deliver quality care and to focus their time on Atria’s residents. As a trained nurse, her clinical knowledge is an asset, but her ability to listen and to build trusting relationships sets her above. Her leadership philosophy is “Listen first. And above all, put our residents first.”

A career in care at Atria

Karen often tells her team, “The best thing in the world is when a family comes to you and says how they can’t believe how many new beginnings and new experiences their mom or dad has had since moving to Atria.”

From all of Atria’s employees, Karen, thank you for always putting Atria’s residents first and for always investing in your colleagues.

Interested in joining Karen and Atria’s award-winning care staff? Find open job positions near you.