Kathleen Gillespie
CEO
Kathy Gillespie currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Inc. a private, charitable nonprofit 501c3. As a licensed nursing home administrator, Kathy has worked with elders all of her career in skilled nursing facilities, personal care homes, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and most recently in home and community-based services. Having a sincere passion for working with individuals living with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias, Ms. Gillespie spearheaded the creation of the first secured dementia unit in central Pennsylvania and served as a charter member of Dementia Specialty Council. A licensed Nursing Home Administrator, Ms. Gillespie is also certified in health care compliance and a Certified Dementia Practitioner.
A Certified Eden Associate, she has facilitated culture change in facilities in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In July 2018, the CCAAA, under the direction of Ms. Gillespie placed the first Elder Cottage Housing Option (Accessible Dwelling Unit) in Sabula, Pennsylvania and is currently developing a third unit that serves as a dwelling for seniors near their families while enabling each to have their own privacy. The ECHO option will shortly be serving the 6th family in the community.
A shared home was also created by the CCAAA that afforded an option for three elders to transition from institutional living into a shared home in the community. Mature Resources currently has 3 shared houses service 9 individuals who would otherwise be institutionalized. Providing options in the community for elders to receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place is a core mission of the CCAAA, and Mature Resources Foundation.
Recognizing the increasing numbers of individuals and families living with Alzheimer’s Disease, the early onset of cognitive impairment, elders providing support for adult children with disabilities and the increasing number of grandparents and great grandparents raising grandchildren children was the impetus for the development of the Village of Hope in order to provide community support for those specific demographics and to create options for supportive housing for individuals in need. Years of experience in long term care defines what benefits seniors and their families and what individuals want and need as they journey through aging.
