50 Years and Counting — Ecumen Lakeshore Team Member Celebrates Milestone Anniversary
50 Years and Counting…
Ecumen Lakeshore team member celebrates milestone anniversary
By Lisa Hawks | October 9, 2026
SHOREVIEW, MN (October 9, 2026) — In 1975, when Cathy Firth started at Lakeshore as a dishwasher working alongside her mom, Gloria, in the kitchen, she knew she was in the right place.
“When I started there, making $2.12 an hour, the ladies working in the kitchen just wrapped me in their arms and I knew I’d found home right away,” Cathy said.
What she didn’t realize then is that it would be her work home for the next 50 years, because Ecumen Lakeshore is still home to Cathy. With no immediate plans to retire, she recently celebrated her 50 years with her colleagues, family, friends, as well as Lakeshore residents and tenants.
“In 50 years and counting, Cathy’s impact goes far beyond the years she’s put in,” said Cyrus Batheja, Ecumen president & CEO. “It’s really about the lives she’s touched and the relationships she’s built over the years, which is evident in the people who are here celebrating her today.”
Over the years, she’s taken on a number of roles, including becoming the first woman to serve as Lakeshore’s Environmental Services Manager. Now the receptionist, Cathy has seen incredible changes during her tenure and she’s shouldered tremendous responsibility, such as helping to move residents to Central High School (the highest point in Duluth) during the benzene spill in 1992. Through it all, she has found people — both her colleagues and the residents she serves — that she considers family.
And speaking of family, in addition to her mom who worked at Lakeshore in the 1970s, Cathy’s son and grandson also worked there – marking four generations of her family serving the Duluth community at Lakeshore.
Due to her years of service and dedication to the organization, Cathy is known as Lakeshore’s historian, but as Ecumen Lakeshore executive director, Blaine Gamst said, “Cathy doesn’t just remember Lakeshore’s history. She helped write the story.”
“Ecumen has been really good to me,” Cathy said. “And it really is home for me. This is my family.”
About Ecumen
Ecumen is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing innovative housing, health care and community-based services that support older adults and strengthen communities. Mission-driven since its founding in 1862, Ecumen’s legacy of service reflects a commitment to honoring those it serves. Ecumen is based in Shoreview, Minn., and provides housing options such as independent living, assisted living, memory care, short-term rehabilitation and long-term care. Its diverse in-home and community-based services include home care, hospice, physical and occupational therapy, and adult day services. For more information, visit www.ecumen.org.
Nurses Drive Better Senior Outcomes
Nurses Drive Better Senior Outcomes
By Ecumen | May 6, 2026
SHOREVIEW, MN (May 6, 2026) — When you or someone you love steps into a senior living community, you want more than care. You want reassurance. You want someone who notices the small changes, answers late-night questions, and treats every resident like an individual, not a patient.
In senior living communities, nurses don’t just deliver care. This is especially true in nonprofit communities where the commitment is guided by mission, compassion, and a focus on people over profit. Nurses build relationships, coordinate support, and help older adults live with dignity, purpose, and stability.
May offers a meaningful reminder of that impact. During National Nurses Week and Older Americans Month, communities across the country celebrate both the professionals who provide compassionate care and the older adults whose lives they support. Together, these observances highlight something powerful – when we invest in nurses, we also invest in healthier, more supported aging for everyone.
The Evidence Is Clear
Decades of research point to a simple truth – strong nursing presence leads to better health outcomes for seniors. The National Institutes of Health reports that:
- Top-performing senior communities provide about 20% more staff time per resident
- Higher registered nurse (RN) staffing links to lower infection rates and lower mortality
- Increased nurse staffing reduces emergency department visits and hospitalizations
Why Nursing Care Matters More Than Ever
More than 1.2 million people in the United States now live in assisted living communities, and many bring complex, ongoing health needs that require consistent clinical oversight.
Nurses act as the critical link between medical treatment and daily life. They assess subtle changes in health, manage medications, coordinate with physicians, and provide hands-on care to prevent minor concerns from escalating into serious complications. Nurses provide continuity, helping residents maintain stability while adapting care plans as needs evolve.
In today’s environment, where both demand for senior care and the complexity of care needs continue to rise, nursing care doesn’t just support outcomes. It shapes the entire aging experience and more time spent on what matters most. Things like sharing a meal, enjoying a conversation, or simply feeling at home.
For seniors and their families, this kind of care isn’t just better; it’s everything. And when you choose a community with strong nursing leadership, such as Ecumen, you’re not just choosing care, you’re choosing peace of mind, both now and in the years ahead.
Happy Nurses Week to all the nurses and caregivers across Ecumen communities, Home Care, and Hospice. The care you provide is essential to Ecumen’s mission and makes an undeniable difference in so many lives.
Are you a nurse interested in joining Ecumen? Find openings and apply online!
Looking for a senior living community, home care, or hospice? Find Ecumen locations and service area details on our website.
