A student by day and nurse by night, the Moreland resident still finds time to enjoy what the City offers.
By Jennifer Proe
Who: James Rhodes
Where: Moreland neighborhood
Business: Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for the Woodlands of Shaker Heights, an assisted living and memory care facility at 16333 Chagrin Boulevard.
Professional Mission: I work part-time at the Woodlands on the overnight shift so that I can continue my coursework at Tri-C to achieve my Registered Nurse degree. I’m helping people who no longer have the independence to do things for themselves that we take for granted. In the future I would like to be involved with care planning and reimbursement for long-term nursing.
What I Love About My Work: My grandparents had a lot to do with my upbringing, and my grandmother now suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. It’s rewarding to be able to give back to a generation that gave so much to me. To be able to be part of someone’s care on a daily basis makes you feel like you’re doing something important. It’s not something that everybody can do.
Personal Background: I grew up in the Seven Hills-Parma area, and I worked at a sister facility to the Woodlands in Rocky River for one year before coming to Shaker in 2015. Last year, I bought a home in the Moreland neighborhood. There are actually quite a few Moreland residents who work here.
A number of my family members are in health care, so I had some interest because of that. My grandfather was both a doctor and a pilot, and growing up I thought I would either want to be a pilot or an air traffic controller. I became turned on to nursing after I had a bout of kidney stones when I was 18. I had a lot of respect for the people taking care of me at Parma Hospital. They were so knowledgeable and professional. I did get my pilot’s license at age 20, but I realized I was satisfied enough that I didn’t need to make my living doing that. Now that I am doing health care, I know I’m in the right place.
When I’m not working or going to school, I try to get out running. I like to run in the various Shaker neighborhoods and around the track at Shaker Heights High School. I also participate in a lot of 5K and 10K races in the area.
On Working and Living in Shaker Heights: Since moving to the Moreland neighborhood, I’ve had the best neighbors of my life. My next-door neighbor lent me his lawn mower when I first moved in. Some other neighbors invited me to join the Moreland On The Move Community Association, and I’ve gone to several meetings. I really like to be involved and give back to my community. We had a Moreland block party this summer and everybody was hanging out and having a good time. It’s a harmonious place to live.
I have memberships at the Shaker Historical Society and the Nature Center because I love that we have places like that here. One of the things that drew me to Shaker was reading about the Van Sweringens and about the history of racial integration here.
I like shopping at Heinen’s because with my card I can select to give money back to the schools. I’ve always believed that schools are what make a community. I also like shopping at the Rite-Aid on Chagrin Boulevard and at Shaker Hardware. They’re very helpful.
I really like the convenience of living in an inner-ring suburb. I’m an Indians fan, and it’s easy to get downtown to a game. It’s also easy to get to University Circle, which I love. If I get a chance to eat out, I like Zanzibar at Shaker Square, especially their chicken and biscuits. And Simply Delicious Pies has the best pies I’ve ever had.
Originally published in Shaker Life, Winter 2017
