Denise Gramelspacher is Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in Tawas City, Michigan. When she learned that her employer, MediLodge, was partnering with H-CAP’s on the Nursing Facility Workforce Stabilization program, she was “totally excited” about the opportunity to improve her working conditions.
The daily realities of CNA work had been taking their toll. “I’m on my feet for eight hours every day, so I go through shoes every six months,” she explains. “Before this program, I had to make impossible choices between basic needs - like choosing between new work shoes and paying my health insurance premium.”
Through the program’s retention benefits, Denise has found relief from these difficult decisions. The reimbursement for her health insurance premiums saves her $350 each month, allowing her to invest in essential work needs without compromising her healthcare coverage. “It is a life-saver to be able to get new shoes and not worry about choosing between that and medical coverage,” she shares.
Denise reflects, “I’m less stressed about day-to-day expenses now.” The impact has been so significant that she’s become an advocate for the program among her colleagues. “I want everyone who can join this program to do it. Things like this don’t come around often!”
For Denise, the program represents more than just financial assistance - it’s recognition of the essential role CNAs play in healthcare. Her story demonstrates how investing frontline healthcare workers creates ripple effects, improving not only their lives but strengthening their ability to provide quality care to those who depend on them.
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