Manor, Parkview Heights welcomes new administrator

No stranger to Imperial, Heather Salmon is excited to be back in the area as the new Imperial Manor and Parkview Heights Administrator. While she did not grow up here, she has connections to Imperial and graduated from CCS.
She had her first experience at Parkview Heights as a Personal Care Assistant in 2004. Though the staff and residents might not be the same as when she was a Personal Care Assistant, she is still glad to be back. Heather says that this was a personal goal of hers and that it “completes the circle.”
Previously, Heather worked as a CNA in McCook at Hillcrest Nursing Home and as director of an assisted living in York. Most recently, Heather served as the Administrator of Crest View Care Center in Chadron. She says that she loved her time in Chadron but was eager to return to Imperial.
Heather recalls seeing that the administrator position had been open a few times in the past. She felt that she should apply but never did until the most recent opening. She thought that she’d give it a shot so she applied, interviewed and was ultimately selected for the job. She was pleased to accept the position and anxious to get started.
Heather has a Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Management, which prepares people for management positions in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, nursing homes and other similar establishments.
She is also licensed through the state of Nebraska as a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator. This license is renewed every few years and requires its holder to take continuing education courses.
Heather says that the process of becoming a nursing home administrator can look different for everyone but with her degree and previous experience it was a natural next step and a straightforward transition.
As Administrator, she is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of both the Manor and the assisted living. Her job is mainly supervising and ensuring compliance with both state and federal regulations. These regulations are important in maintaining a certain level of care for the residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
As the Imperial Manor and Parkview Heights Administrator, Heather’s ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life of its residents. She says that if she “can make one person’s life better for even one day”, that’s a success. She recalls her previous experience and remembers that she always thought that we can do better for those in nursing homes and assisted living homes. This gave her the drive to transition towards leadership roles. She wants to see improvements in the everyday lives and care of facility residents.
Heather says that long-term, she would like to make positive changes that help ensure the stability of the facility. She has seen other nursing homes and assisted living homes in smaller communities struggle and sometimes even shut down. She believes that it is vitally important to keep them open. In her view, the older generations “paved the way” for the younger generations and it is essential to honor and respect them.
Heather is looking forward to taking on her new role as Imperial Manor and Parkview Heights Administrator with both compassion for the residents and sustainability of the facility as her goals.
She is glad to be back in Imperial. She enjoys the small-town, close-knit and is excited for her children to grow up here. She and her wife, Laura, have a 12-year-old son and twin daughters who are about to be 8 months old. Heather is excited to be back in a community where everyone looks out for one another. In her free time, she likes to golf, sew, quilt and spend time with her family.