Meet Trailblazer Connie Holm

Today we’d like to introduce you to Connie Holm.

Connie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
What if life were as scary now as it were at ten years old? When I (or any woman I knew) would have been ashamed to be seen jogging down the street or showing bare skin. At 11 years old, my dad passed of a massive heart attack, my mom and five kids moved to my grandpas home in Hildale Utah, a town commonly known as a polygamist community. My grandpa had 5 wives, it a loving environment yet a situation that would not be considered “normal.” I knew at age 15 that polygamy was not a lifestyle that I wanted to live and left at 19. My older siblings (my mom had 11 kids) took me in and loved me while I started Medical Assistant School and began a journey to find out who to be outside of the reserved culture. A job as a CNA at a rehabilitation unit in Utah working with the geriatric population and primarily the dementia patients proves to be a passion and something I will always love.

In 2014, I moved to Denver on a whim, following a love interest which ended in a precarious, toxic and both verbally and physically abusive situation. Fortunately, I had just months beforehand reconnected with an older sister who is a nurse here in Denver, she helped me in getting my emotions and mental health in check. Being stubborn, it took a trip or two to the ER with panic attacks and severe anxiety and depression to convince myself that I needed therapy.

I had started a job for a home health agency when I moved here that I thought would just be a good place to start while I decided what I really wanted to do. About a year into this job, my manager informed me of a home that the company was opening for elderly with memory impairment. I was elated and asked for a chance to work there, I was turned down the first several times I asked but with enough badgering, (my stubbornness working in my favor) he finally agreed to let me go to orientation. It was a total crapshoot, (or so I thought). I immediately butted heads with the manager and left the orientation with a phone call to my supervisor that I had no interest in working with that manager so I went back to the home care team and was looking at other job options when one day he called and informed me that the manager had quit and they needed someone with experience there. Fast forward a couple of years of caring for my beloved dementia patients and meeting some of the most incredible people and working with new friends who have become my “Colorado family” who helped me through my trauma mentioned above. The company has grown and expanded and with that and my hard work, passion and relentless desire to succeed, They have helped me procure certifications for Assisted Living Administration and Dementia Practitioner. And though I know life is full of ups and downs, I only see success on this road.

Among my friends, I am known as a lover of travel, health, fitness, nutrition, adventure and am drawn to good times and good energies.

At 26 years old, I have encountered plenty of low places where I have learned by experience that you can always start fresh, you can always try again, you can aim higher and do better no matter how low you feel. There is always hope and you always have a choice, regardless of what situation or circumstance you’ve encountered. You just have to start today and never give up.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As I am no stranger to trauma, the road has been anything but smooth. My first and greatest struggle was learning social skills. Now, I don’t feel I am an introvert at all, however, when I started community college just after leaving the polygamist community, it was physically painful for me to have a conversation with most people. I felt anxious, frustrated and afraid almost all of the time and like I just didn’t fit in anywhere, regardless of how friendly or welcoming anyone was to me. While I don’t wish pain or discomfort on anyone, I can’t express how grateful I am now for the experience to show me that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, all it takes is that first step of courage and a will to push through.

My ultimate goal in life is to inspire anyone in any situation, oppression or despair to just keep going, to never give up and have courage no matter the circumstance. You will get through it if you keep doing your best.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am lucky to have a career I am so passionate about. I attribute much of my success to the owners of Assured Assisted Living and my team there in seeing my potential and recognizing my hard work. At Assured, we have small, secured memory care facilities. We have a smaller ratio of residents per caregiver which gives us a chance to focus on individual care for each person and make sure that we care not only for their physical and medical needs but also their social care. We are able to interact and engage with them on a more individual basis. We make the meals in the home and engage our residents in things that give them purpose. It’s remarkable to see the increased quality of life that we are able to give compared to larger units.

Along with a passion for working with dementia patients, I have many other passions such as fitness, travel, -look at me out here tanning my legs and jogging down the street- playing piano and can do all sorts of fancy braids in your hair. I have considered pursuing those passions for monetary gain as well as things like hiking, biking, and adventure as we all know Colorado has so much to offer in those aspects!

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
Authors for my top favorite audiobooks:

The Biology of Belief

The Power of Vulnerability

The Values Factor

Contact Info:

• Website: assuredassistedliving.com
• Email: connie@assuredal.com
• Instagram: olivvve_juice
• Facebook: Assured Assisted Living

Image Credit:
Mahli Cooke

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