Joanne Stiteler Senior Care Information

Joanne received her Bachelor in Social Services at PSU and her Masters in Clinical Social Work at Bryn Mawr College. As a native of the Philadelphia area, Joanne has provided social work and care management services to clients of all ages across the life span. For the last 20 years she has concentrated on working with seniors and their families. She has held positions of Geriatric Psychiatry Social Worker in hospitals and Alzheimer's Unit Manager, Social Work Director and Assistant Nursing Home Administrator in nursing homes. Striving to always bring her best to her work she has completed specialized training in dementia care, family therapy and cognitive therapy as well as nursing home administration. In Joanne's words "During my formative years our household consisted of my grandparents, parents and sibling and aunt and cousin. This instilled in me the importance of family as well as an abiding love and respect for my grandparents. Experiencing the wisdom and values of my grandparents' generation daily influenced my choice in life to seek a profession where I could help others and hear their stories. While working at the U of Pa. hospital with seniors as many were diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, my mother also received that terminal diagnosis. While helping families cope I also began the journey with my mother as her illness advanced and we gradually experienced her loss in stages. Watching the decline and end of life of the elders in my family, reinforced for me that along with the joy that family brings, comes the realization that our parents have made many sacrifices for us. Giving back by making the best decisions with and for them while taking into account their wishes as well as keeping them safe is of utmost importance. This fuels my drive and dedication on behalf of seniors." Caring for elderly parents can be extremely stressful. Often there is disagreement in families as well as confusion over the vast array of services being advertised in the community. Understanding which are the more appropriate choices to match the unique needs and personality of the senior needing care are among the services offered at JSSC. Return to top