This was the first Christmas at Vista Prairie at Brentwood for Rhianon Peterson, the community’s Director of Health Services, who joined the staff in late October. While she brings 20-years of nursing experience to the job, her holiday joy at Brentwood felt like something new.

“We have a Christmas gala here,” she describes. “I asked my husband and my daughter to come and help. And when we got home that night, my husband said what he loved best about the experience was seeing me smile. There’s no other job I’ve ever had that I can come to work and just smile, because I love these people.”

The family had recently moved to Rice Lake, WI from the Spooner area to be closer to where they grew up. Rhianon’s education roots also are in Rice Lake, obtaining her Registered Nurse certification at the local community college. That was in 2002.

After a variety of hospital and other nursing experiences, coming back to care for older adults had long been her goal. When the opportunity at Brentwood surfaced, she jumped at the chance.

“I’ve always loved Brentwood,” she says. “I used to come here as a hospice nurse. It was a place that I always said, if I ever had to put a loved-one somewhere, this is where it would be.”

While she’s happy she’s found her professional home at Brentwood, Rhianon is grateful for her years of experience in hospice and home care. “Being out in the field in those positions gave me confidence in my role here, that I can do this,” she said. Brentwood’s residents already have seen her skills in leading the nursing staff and carrying out health assessments.

The Brentwood community offers options for residents on all sides of the care spectrum, with 28 one and two-bedroom apartments for seniors who want options for personal care and supportive services along with their freedom of movement. We also offer 19 memory care suites that provide a long-term option for seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.