You might see her wearing a wig with a huge smile on her face. Or she might be down on her knees singing to a resident in a wheelchair! Or on the dance floor with a nonagenarian having the time of his life… truth of the matter is, you might not ever be able to predict where you might see Kitty Wheeler while she’s on duty at the Care One at King James Care Center on Route 36 in Middletown.
Union Beach Native
Kitty, proud to be able to announce she is a native of Union Beach and still a resident there, is the assistant director of activities at King James, As such, she helps plan activities, coordinates events, spends time with lonely residents, plays games, sings and dances. She also shops for residents, puts name labels in their clothes, and just about any other social services a resident needs.
Loves Her Job
She obviously loves her job. That’s because she loves the residents. And they love her.
“That’s the very best thing about this job,” the vivacious and energetic Kitty explains. “”We’re all family here, and these people I see every day are just the best.”
Kitty hasn’t always been a recreation director. She was a secretary for JC Penney Department Stores in New York at one time. Then she was in real estate. Then for 15 years she was a bartender at the Colony Inn in Union Beach. She was also an employee at Toys R Us for seven years. Even today, she holds down two jobs, the aide position at Care One and a waitress at Oveida on Maple Place in Keyport. That’s another job she loves and is loved.
When a friend told her King James was looking for someone to work in activities more than 15 years ago, Kitty decided to apply. She liked the place, she liked the people, it was close to home, and she got the job.
Meow
“The very first day, when I was introduced to someone as Kitty, I meowed at her,” Kitty recalls, laughing. “The next day when I went back, the resident meowed back at me. I was so excited. She remembered me and was happy to see me again.”
It is just that instant amusing or entertaining action, word, face, or quirky idea that sets Kitty above others as an aide. Residents don’t exactly know what to expect of her, but they know it will be fun, and is bound to make them laugh.
Kitty is great at singalongs. Both in a group or with a sole individual. It isn’t unusual to see her face to face with a resident with speech or verbal communication problems. Kitty begins singing, gyrating, enunciating loud and clearly, and clapping; almost instantly even the uncommunicative begin to clap hands, mouth words, and carry a tune. They remember it until the next day or next week when Kitty is once again in the day room or their own room with them and starts the same song again. They both end up in balls of laughter.
Cross Trained
After being certified in her own field, Kitty also took extra classes so she could work other positions at the care center on her days off or when needed. She is cross trained in the kitchen, laundry and reception desk,. She’s been honored for her excellence at her job and was named the state Outstanding Professional of the Year in 2016.
Married to her husband Charlie for 43 years, Kitty has a daughter, Bridget, who is in graduate school at Kean College studying to be a psychologist. That bartending job in Keyport she loves is three days a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, starting at 5 p.m. after her daytime job at Care One. “You have to come see me there, too,” she boasts, I’ve got the greatest boss in the world there as well.”
Blowing Bubbles
Care Center Administrator Jimmie King said he learned first hand how Kitty’s exuberance and enthusiasm for life are not just centered at King James. He recalls the day he was behind a car at a traffic light and watched the driver blowing bubbles out the window bringing laughs and thumbs up from other motorists. “It wasn’t until I passed her that I saw it was our Kitty,” King said. “She just wants to do things all the time to make other people happy. She does it with great skill at Care One and our residents love her.”
“My mom was here as a resident until she died,” Kitty explains, with a bit of sadness, “and my dad was also a resident here. But they could feel the amazing bond among the residents, the staff, and the administrator. It really is kind of a special kind of place. Yes, we really are family at King James,” the happy aide said with a broad smile.
