ATTENTIVE, FRIENDLY PROFESSIONALS
With a staff of attentive, friendly, professionals we are proud to offer each resident the highest quality of compassionate care, honoring individual needs for assistance in personal care and feeding and bathing. All while inspiring each resident to be as independent as possible. We strive to engage our residents in the social and physical activities they enjoy.
Each staff member has a personal relationship with each resident and we have found that our residents connect closely with our staff. Your family can trust in the nurturing, respectful care from people who know your loved one. Our staff is not only attentive to the needs of the individual, but family as well.
Family members are encouraged to join in the decision making for nursing care. When the time comes, we understand the challenges at the end of life. We talk openly and honestly with family members while providing palliative care with respect and support for all involved.
In addition to a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse on each shift, two additional licensed nursing assistants provide care during the day and evening shifts. The overnight shift has one additional licensed nursing assistant.
Heather Presch
Executive Director
Heather brings over 25 years of experience in long-term care, beginning her career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant and advancing through multiple roles before earning her Nursing Home Administrator license in 2011. She is known for her hands-on leadership and is committed to creating a compassionate, resident-centered environment at Mertens House. Heather lives in Springfield, Vermont with her husband, Bill, and has two adult children who live in the Boston area. In her free time she enjoys reading, outdoor activities, and spending time with family and friends.
Donna Bott
Interim Director of Nursing
Donna Bott, RN is joining Mertens House for a few months to allow us time to conduct a thorough search for a permanent Director of Nursing. Donna is an experienced and dedicated nursing professional from South Carolina. Donna has long term care experience, along with nurse educator and quality assurance nursing experience. She is looking forward to working with our team and maintaining our high standard of care.
Angela Sadlowski
Activity Director
Katie Taylor
Dietary Director
Katie is a lifelong Vermonter. She was raised in Reading where she still lives. She attended Woodstock High School where she got her first culinary experience under the guidance of Miss Wilson. Katie had the opportunity to to work at the Woodstock Inn and the Prince and the Pauper where she learned to bake. She put those experiences to the test at the Red Barn Café in Ascutney where she worked for many years before she started working in healthcare in 2013.
Sarah Ward
Social Worker
Sarah worked for thirty years in the field of child protection and youth justice as a social worker, educator and director. She oversaw the Vermont Child Welfare Training Partnership at the University of Vermont and the Department for Children and Families until her retirement in 2022. Over the past two years plus she has been caregiving for her mother, who lives with her and her husband and their two dogs.She is also the primary support and advocate for her father who lives in an assisted living program. Applying her social work skills to working with eldercare has been a natural transition for Sarah. She enjoys meeting with the residents of Mertens House, offering clinical support and guidance to residents and their families. Sarah also teaches yoga and meditation locally and enjoys swimming, walking her dogs and writing fiction.
Glynes Howe
Housekeeping Supervisor
Alfonzo “Poncho” Ramirez
Maintenance Director
Poncho was born in Las Vegas NV where he lived until he was 14, after which he moved to Windsor Vermont and attended Windsor High School. Poncho attended culinary school and has spent many of the past 16 years cooking in healthcare facilities as well as maintaining them.
When Poncho isn’t at Mertens House he enjoys spending time with his fiancée Katie (yes, the Mertens House Dietary Director!), gardening, riding four wheelers and spoiling their cats, Garfield and Cubby.
Maria Alissa Pratte
Receptionist
Maria was born and raised in Massachusetts and moved to Vermont 20 years ago. She has been working in healthcare since 2007 and became a licensed nursing assistant in 2009. In the many years she has been a caregiver, she has held a variety of roles. This has been a huge benefit at Mertens House where she not only manages the reception desk – she helps on the nursing floor as an LNA and puts in many hours as an Activity Assistant as well. When Maria isn’t helping the residents and staff at Mertens House she likes to spend time outside enjoying the warm Vermont days with her dog Luna.
Board of Directors
