Livia's Parent Corner: August 2023

Livia’s Parent Corner highlight the kids of Arete Living employees and residents. This section is named after Livia Thompson, Senior Life Enrichment Director with Avamere at Bethany, who initiated this idea.

Jennifer Gooldy, Life Enrichment Director, Avamere at Seaside

What brings me joy? As a mom I am so blessed to be able, when life is busy, to know that I get to see my son Damien not just at home but at work as well. I love that we can bring our teamwork from home to Avamere.

Damien grew up seeing me at work and realized he wanted to be part of the Avamere family too. He jumped in and has flourished in the job which makes me so proud of the young man he is. It motivates me as well. To have this in common just brings us closer together all the time.

Kellee Duffy, Life Enrichment Director, Avamere at Bethany

My wife Michelle and I met as co-workers in 2009 in Richland, Washington. We married in 2013 in our backyard with close friends and family, when same sex marriage finally became legal. We are very proud to be the eighth couple to receive our marriage license in Washington State.

We moved to Oregon in 2017 to help open an assisted living and memory care community. I originally started in the senior living communities as a cook. I have 30+ years' experience cooking in restaurants and senior communities (filling everyone with nourishment is one of my love languages). I decided to step from behind the scenes and work side by side with residents and their family members, to shower them with all the love, patience, kindness, and compassion. It was a very nice change that was much needed for our family.

Our 17-year-old son is active in baseball, and we all enjoy fishing and family time together. We also enjoy serving our community. During the year we collect blankets, warm clothing, non-perishable food, tarps, and anything else we think might help the hardship of our local homeless population and distribute these in the colder months. Our family is completed with a 19-year-old cat named Jack and our two dogs, Pitbull lab mixes 10-year-old father Hobbs and his 8-year-old daughter Daisy.

You could be featured in the next parent corner! Share your story and photos here.