Maria Ryan

Maria is a certified caregiver at Touchmark at The Ranch, known for her uplifting attitude. She is always consistent in wearing the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and encourages others to do the same. Maria can often be found putting on residents’ favorite music, dancing with them, and painting. Most memorably, she recently facilitated a no-touch Conga line and had everyone safely maneuvering around the Claremont neighborhood to some fun tunes. She enriches residents’ lives through small gestures and truly leaves her mark on all those with whom she comes in contact. When asked what actions she takes to keep herself, residents, and fellow colleagues safe, she says:

I stay home and spend more time with my family when I’m not at work. I’ve reduced the number of social events and gatherings and instead keep in touch with loved ones by using video calling. I listen to Sunday mass via the internet, set up my doctor appointments via zoom video when possible, and take advantage of delivery services available in our community to reduce unnecessary trips to the store.
My main motivation is to stay healthy and continue working to support my family. By taking all the necessary precautions, I protect them and the people around me against the pandemic.
Staying healthy keeps me working, and being an active and working individual helps the economy and our country. Taking preventive precautions in our daily lives helps us build strong, healthy, and safe communities.
When I first read the values of Touchmark, I felt right at home. I care, I’m a gentle touch, I’m compassionate, and I am a listener. All of these values and more go along with what I am ... a caregiver!

“We are all together in this. Be a team player, be the best that you can be, love what you can do. Keep up the good work.”

Mike Townsend

Mike is a dedicated employee on the Member Services team at the Touchmark at The Ranch Health & Fitness Club. He has been crucial to his team as well as residents by not only supporting the Club’s needs but also working in Resident Services since the pandemic began. He now spends half his time maintaining the pool and leading our Trekkers program, and the other half serving residents at the Grand Lodge front desk. He always has his mask on and is very diligent about following the proper guidelines when outside of work. When asked what actions he takes to keep himself, residents, and fellow colleagues safe, he says:

Always a strong hand-washer after years as a medic, I have been ever more so! I have drastically limited the patronage of dine-in restaurants and have opted for carryout instead. I made sure to get my seasonal flu shot early this year, and have maintained a good exercise program with COVID-19-oriented modifications.
As a front-line staff member at the front desk and Member Services desk, I have direct, face-to-face contact with dozens of residents and team members every day and always let that awareness guide my precautions and decisions.
I hope that I can serve as an encouraging reminder to everyone I encounter.
The Touchmark value that most resonates with me is, “I am an Ally.” I want to be a resource upon which others can rely and trust.

“Maintain a good attitude, and we can get through this together!”

Teri Terasaki

Teri has been truly resilient during this pandemic. Pre-COVID-19, she worked full time at the Health & Fitness Club. When the virus hit, she fully transitioned to Resident Services to facilitate resident screenings as well as the many Grand Lodge front desk duties (phones, dog walking, sanitizing areas, etc.). Residents absolutely love her spirit and strength and say she is a ray of sunshine. Teri always wears a mask and takes physical distancing very seriously in her personal life. When asked what actions she takes to keep herself, residents, and fellow colleagues safe, she says:

Being a fastidious germaphobe, collectively with my daughter, who also works on campus, we double-check each other’s PPE and sanitizing habits, both at work and when we come home after our shifts. Immediately, we sanitize every personal item of ours, from backpacks, lunch boxes, cell phones, name tags, to washing our eyewear, and fluff-drying all our clothing in the dryer prior to placing them into the hamper before showering. With face-shield implementation again due to the uptick in positive cases in our county and state, I sometimes forget I’m wearing it. Attempting to eat a cupcake the other day, I smashed the frosting over the bottom of the shield! At least I made the residents laugh when they saw me do this.
Keeping the residents and my teammates safe, as best as possible, is my motivation. I understand the importance of this because, a couple of years ago, I came down with a horrible illness after someone sneezed behind me. I felt the “spray,” and in a matter of days, I was slammed with pneumonia! Just shy of being 62 years old, I, too, cannot take the chance of contracting COVID. I do not wish becoming sick upon any resident or teammate.
Wearing a mask is natural as an Asian-American and a woman of faith. It is my hope that, by sharing my story of having pneumonia, and how simple it is to wear a mask, social distancing, and washing your hands correctly, people might change their minds and put others first.
I am a Friend. Paramount with my character, I value and find essential, laughter and shared memories, wearing a positive attitude, maintaining a sense of joy, and adding adventure and fun whilst building our community one relationship at a time with my presence. This is me to a “T.” Laughter is great medicine, so why not confront COVID-19 daily, head-on, with it!

Touchmark Strong Champions

Maria Ryan

“We are all together in this. Be a team player, be the best that you can be, love what you can do. Keep up the good work.”

Mike Townsend

“Maintain a good attitude, and we can get through this together!”

Teri Terasaki

“Love is selfless. The key is the giving of yourself. Sacrifice yourself for the sake of others.”