Joe Sokierka lived a vibrant life. Full of energy and personality, you always knew when he was in the room. He spent his entire career in the eye‑care industry. Even in his nineties, Joe worked three to four days a week.
He often met friends for breakfast at the senior center and never missed bingo or a trip to the Legion. Joe often wore a sharply pressed suit. A season ticket holder with the Minnesota Vikings, he sported horn-rimmed glasses with purple lenses to transform into super fan Joe Viking on game day.
When a car accident caused a traumatic brain injury, everything changed. His daughter Karen found herself navigating a world of decisions she never expected to make.
What mattered most was keeping her dad close to home. Cedar Creek was opening nearby, and Karen met with the marketing director who suggested Joe tour the space independently.
In that moment, Joe — a man who never wanted to leave his house on the lake — relaxed completely. He chose his apartment himself. He walked in, looked around, and said, “This is it right here.”
Joe moved in a week later and became one of Cedar Creek’s original residents in 2021.
“The staff at Cedar Creek didn’t just provide the basic care,” said Karen. “They embraced my dad as if he was the only person in their care. They supported him through falls, confusion, crankiness, and memory loss with patience and presence.”
In 2024, Joe started having more falls and hospice was recommended to support pain management and other care measures.
“A short-term rehabilitation center following hospitalization was not a great place for Joe,” said Shannon Mooney, nurse practitioner, Lifespark Medical Group.
“Karen and I agreed it would be better to get him back to Cedar Creek and surroundings he was familiar with. We could coordinate the care he needed right there instead of creating more transition for him to navigate.”
Lifespark Hospice quickly sent equipment, communicated what to expect, and took a lead role in Joe’s care. Regular care conferences, emails and verbal check-ins ensured smooth coordination with the hospice team, Shannon, and Sara Carder, RN, BSN, Director of Health Services at Cedar Creek. The team looped Joe’s daughter in with regular updates as well.
Shannon added, “having an interdisciplinary team makes it much easier and more successful for me to care for the seniors I serve. It can be challenging for family members to coordinate care among different systems. At Lifespark, we can offer a full continuum of care.”
Joe passed away earlier this year at the age of 99. Hospice care kept him comfortable and in his familiar community for more than a year. In Joe’s final days, team members stayed after their shifts to visit while another picked up an extra shift to be there with him. A team member brought in a piano and they played music, sang, and talked to Joe even when he could no longer respond.
Joe’s daughter Karen shared, “the hospice program was exactly what we needed it to be. We never went outside of Lifespark for anything. My dad passed away in a place we trusted and felt connected to.”
Joe’s life was long, full, and deeply connected to the people around him. It was no different after his move to Cedar Creek. He made a big impact on the staff and residents with his vibrant personality, and his community feels the absence.
Lifespark’s COMPLETE Senior Living model is designed to cut down on the chaos residents may feel navigating senior living and the variety of services that come with aging. It’s also meant to help staff in the community better coordinate services for residents and communication among caregivers and health professionals.
To learn more about COMPLETE Senior Living, go to: https://lifespark.com/complete-senior-living/.
