Center for Disability Services appoints new supervisor of Senior Day Program

Liza Rouse, RN, has been appointed Supervisor of Programs and Activities for Senior Day Services at Western Michigan University’s Center for Disability Services.

Effective Jan. 11, Rouse will transition into her new role and will be trained by supervisor, Kathy Dziepak, who will retire this spring after 15 years of service.

WMU's Senior Day Services is a day program designed to train university students to serve older adults with cognitive or functional impairments who need special assistance or supervision during the day. In addition, SDS provides caregivers a temporary break from caregiving with the peace of mind that their loved one is in a safe place. Participants receive increased socialization and cognitive stimulation through a variety of activities during day as well as nursing and personal care. SDS can help to educate and connect caregivers with other resources in the community.  By helping to support individuals and their caregivers, SDS hopes to help older adults age in their home while still maintaining quality of life.

Previously, Rouse was the director of Side By Side, an adult day program at Hope Network in Grand Rapids. Liza discovered her passion for working with older adults in 2002 working as a certified nurse aid in a long-term care facility. Rouse brings over eight years of nursing experience working with the elderly population. Her passion for the aging population is evidenced by the many years of experience working with hospice, long-term care and adult day programming.

Rouse received her LPN degree in 2007 and RN degree in 2010 from Kellogg Community College.