Our People

With 400+ AW Health Care team members serving over 1500 patients in Missouri and Illinois, hiring the right people, training those people and recognizing achievements are all so important to our success.

Hiring the right people are many of the most important decisions we make. We hire and retain people who are passionate team players and have a deep-seated penchant towards patient care.

We train our employees on a regular basis and provide maximum opportunity for employees to reach their full potential. We share our knowledge of best practices with our employees at all levels to enhance the quality of our services.

…And we promote recognition of achievement across all departments at every opportunity and provide public recognition of a job well done. This is our AW Achievers Recognition Program.


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Susan Bursak – Business Manager & Co-Owner

Susan and her two partners started AW Health Care in 2002. Susan and her partners believe in doing whatever it takes to care for the whole person. Everyone deserves to “age well” and that has become their mission. Susan and her husband of 30 years moved to St. Louis from Belarus. Susan earned a Bachelor’s degree in art and computer science from St. Louis University. Susan currently manages the business operations for the company.

Karen Hardy

Karen Hardy, CPA and Controller

Karen manages all the activities of the AW Human Resources Department, including payroll and benefits administration. She comes to AW with a degree in Accounting from Benedictine College. She is a CPA and has over 20 years’ experience in human resource management.

 

 

 

 

Ilene Gould

Ilene Gould, PT

Ilene is a physical therapist with AW Health Care. When she was 12 years old, she decided to be a physical therapist after being so impressed with the home care physical therapy her grandmother received for a terminal illness. “This has been one of the best choices I have ever made,” says Ilene. Ilene is originally from Long Island, New York but moved to St. Louis to attend Washington University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in physical therapy. After graduation she moved to California where she practiced orthopedic sports medicine physical therapy for 5 years. Then she moved back to St. Louis practiced home care physical therapy. Now she works for AW Health Care and serves dementia patients working with them in homes and assisted living facilities.

Sue Li, Coordinator for Chinese Languages

Sue Li, Coordinator for Chinese Languages

Sue is the AW Health Care Coordinator for Chinese Languages. She has been with AW Health Care since 2003. Sue wears many hats in her position. She schedules care for all Chinese-speaking patients. She translates for nurses, makes home visits, supervises the caregivers, provides on-the-job training, and conducts performance evaluations. Sue makes sure that top quality, customized care is provided to each Chinese patient in his/her language with great sensitivity to Chinese customs and religious traditions. She works in area Chinese communities to introduce AW Health Care services and connects the people with much-needed home health and in-home resources. Sue was born in Ningbo, China and attended Ningbo University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chinese Language. In China, Sue was the Chief Auditor for the Bank of Communications. She moved to the United States in 2002 and came to Missouri where she married with her husband. She earned an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts from Jefferson Community College in Hillsboro, Missouri. In addition, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Missouri in St. Louis in 2009. Sue is fluent in Mandarin and English and can also understand Cantonese.

Lishana Bohn

Lishana Bohn – Administrative Assistant- Home Care

Lishana has been with AW since the fall of 2012. Lishana handles all aspects of new employee orientations. She also monitors and documents the mandatory annual training of all AW aides. She enters time sheets for the Consumer Directed Services program and for the Private Duty Department. Prior to joining AW, Lishana worked for St. Louis University’s Orthopedic Clinic and has over 17 years’ experience in the healthcare industry. Besides handling all her duties at AW, Lishana is currently taking classes at Maryville University to earn her Bachelor’s degree in psychology. “I love working at AW Health Care!” says Lishana with a smile.

Once you are discharged from home health therapy, you can receive outpatient therapy as a continuation of your home health program. You do not have to be “homebound” to receive services. Outpatient therapy is covered by Medicare part B and commercial insurance plans.  Common conditions treated under outpatient therapy services are:

 

  • Difficulty walking
  • Decreased balance
  • Pain management
  • Muscle weakness
  • Fall prevention
  • Arthritis pain
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Decreased cognition and problem solving
  • Back and knee Pain
  • Limited movement in arms and legs
  • Shoulder pain
  • Difficulty performing everyday tasks such as dressing, bathing, grooming, writing.

Diane Fanning

Diane Fanning – Marketing Director and Senior Care Consultant

Diane has been with AW Health Care since 2005. She has her Associates Degree in Physical Therapy and prior to starting with AW, she was a Director of Therapy Services with a rehab facility. Diane has over 20 years’ experience in working with seniors, which has always been her true passion. Diane establishes and coordinates services for many new clients to AW Health Care. She provides personal support and compassion to seniors and their families, modeling the mission of AW Health Care. Diane lives in Ballwin with her husband and two daughters. In her spare time, she loves to go running and hiking.

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Rebecca Boerner – Marketing Communications & Digital Media Consultant

Rebecca provides marketing support for the AW Senior Care Consultants. She develops and manages all the professional and consumer health care information for all AW Health Care publications and programs. She also manages the digital content for awhealthcare.com, email marketing and SEO. Rebecca has a Bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Indiana University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from St. Louis University. She also has a Certificate in Digital Media with specialization in Page Layout Graphics. She has over 25 years’ experience having managed a diverse array of marketing communications projects, primarily in the healthcare industry.

Stacy Caan

Stacy Caan – Senior Care Consultant

Stacy is the Senior Care Consultant in the Collinsville office. Stacy is a graduate of Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations and is named in the Sutton “Who’s Who in Elite Healthcare”. Stacy has had over 7 years’ experience in healthcare marketing. She has held previous positions in marketing, sales and admissions in area nursing homes, and helping seniors find the perfect housing to meet their needs and circumstances. Stacy meets with families and potential referral sources to educate them on AW Health Care services. She says, “I want to let AW patients know that here, they are part of a family…a family that knows how to keep seniors safe and independent in their homes.” Stacy is a strong patient advocate and works hard to help seniors improve their health and wellness through AW services.

Stacy Caan

Golda Cohen – Senior Care Consultant

Golda has been with AW Health Care since 2012. Golda works with families, social workers and physicians to connect seniors and other patients with needed in-home services. She goes the extra step to fully explain AW Health Care services including therapy, personal care assistance and chore services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, veterans, and private pay patients. She works with families to explore all payor sources to help people find ways to pay for services they need.

Golda says, “I hold people’s hands and help them navigate this type of healthcare. I want to make it as easy as possible for them.”Golda is a proud native-born Texan, but moved to Webster Groves at an early age with her family. She earned a Bachelor of Journalism degree with an emphasis in broadcasting from the University of Missouri. Golda has extensive experience in several industries including healthcare, database marketing and print advertising.

Ken McNeese

Ken McNeese – Senior Care Consultant

Ken, AW Senior Care Consultant joined AW Health Care in 2014. Ken has a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University and a Masters’ in Business Administration from National Louis University. He has 30 years’ experience in healthcare having been in pharmaceutical and hospital cardiovascular sales. Ken has been recognized for his outstanding sales achievements in this field. At AW, Ken develops business relationships with potential referral sources. His relaxed and easy style puts seniors and families immediately at ease, making it easier for them to wade through some of the more complex healthcare planning decisions.

 

 

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Mimi Schweikert, MSW – Medical Social Worker

Mimi, originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is fluent in both English and Spanish. Mimi works for AW Health Care as a Medical Social Worker participating on a multidisciplinary team to serve diverse cultures and traditions. She works with clients and their families by linking them to community resources and assisting them with their treatment plans. Mimi has a Masters’ degree in Clinical Social Work and over 20 years’ experience.

The AW Achievers Recognition Program helps build teamwork and camaraderie among staff, incents and rewar­ds individual work ethic and creates a culture of friendship and professional respect between individual staff members, departments and remote office personnel.

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Top Performer Individual Awards for On-The-Job Achievement

Above & Beyond

Team Excellence

Customer Service Excellence

 

Quarterly Departmental Professional Recognition

Professional skills and contributions are recognized during the year based on national, established professional recognition calendars.

  • Quarter 1 – Marketing and Social Work
  • Quarter 2 – Administrative Professionals, Occupational and Speech Therapy and Nursing
  • Quarter 3 – Systems/IT, Human Resource and Recruiting, Adult Day Services
  • Quarter 4 – Physical Therapy and Caregivers

 

Service Awards

Each quarter, AW Health Care recognizes the consistent service of dedicated employees at specific milestones. Here are those employees celebrating service anniversaries for QTR 1 2020! Congratulations!

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10year

5year

Achievers Tier 2 Awards

Tier 2 Awards are given for excellent, on-the-spot work performance. Tier 2 awards can be given out by managers or peers at management discretion.

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Our tried and true hiring practices, consistent training and regular recognition gets results.  Our staff displays, on a daily basis, the kind of reliability, camaraderie and interdependence which truly benefits our patients,…and is evidenced by a patient satisfaction rate of 98% consistently over the last 10 years.