Earlier this month, Stephanie Chong was interviewed by Jerry Malitz of Chevy Chase News & Notes. She spoke on everything from how she got involved with the Village, to why the Village is so important, and more. Here are some excerpts from the interview.

Q. Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

A. I have been working with older adults since I was 18. I was a certified home health aide when I was in college pursuing my social work degree. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this would set the path for my career. Thirty years later, I have worked in all levels of senior living, and geriatric care management before coming to Northwest Neighbors Village.

Q. How did that prepare you for your role as Executive Director of (NNV).

A. Throughout my career, so many of my clients could have benefited from earlier preventative measures that would have delayed or precluded them from requiring a higher level of care. Relatively simple, low-cost interventions like regular grocery shopping, social engagement, and transportation could have helped them avoid a crisis. These crises often came at a significant financial cost and had a dramatic impact on their quality of life and that of their families. Working with Northwest Neighbors Village (NNV) offered an exciting opportunity for me to help older neighbors access preventive support.

Q. I know you have many members and membership levels but as integral as members are to NNV so are its legions of volunteers. How does it all mesh?

A. The secret lies in the neighbor-to-neighbor relationships. Every volunteer service is an opportunity to make a meaningful connection. Volunteers are the eyes and ears in our community. Because volunteers are trained to recognize and report concerns, we are often able to help our members get the help they need before a small concern becomes a big issue. Our volunteers also serve on working groups and help with administrative tasks that are vital to our ability to do all that we do.

Click here to read the full interview and learn more about how NNV has changed, what Stephanie’s looking forward to in the future for NNV, and read her answer to the question “What is something about you that people would be surprised to learn?” – hint, her response has something to do with aging well.

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