Cherokee Village Specialty Care Assisted Living has appointed Denise Puckett manager of its facility. Puckett, a longtime registered nurse, began her health care career 30 years ago at a long-term care home.

“Caring for the elderly and those with special medical needs has always been where my heart is,” she said.

A lifelong Cherokee County resident, Puckett started as a certified nursing assistant at Cherokee County Health & Rehab Center in 1991. Cherokee Village is part of the health care complex at CCHRC.
With the help of CCHRC scholarships, Puckett earned her licensed practical nurse and RN degrees while continuing to work.

After 19 years at the skilled nursing center, Puckett worked in home health and at a hospital, but “in 2018, I came back home to long-term care and my first love.”

“Nursing is what I’ve always wanted to do, even as a teenager, and I am grateful to have been able to fulfill my dream,” she said.

Puckett will continue her nursing duties as she takes on more administrative responsibilities during the global pandemic, which has put the elderly at great risk.

“We are doing our best to protect our residents,” she said. “Their safety and care are our top priorities. We screen employees and our residents, and we don’t allow vendors to come inside.”

Puckett said she and the staff are trying to keep life as normal as possible for their 31 residents.

“We’re trying to keep everyone as active as possible. We’ve been playing kickball in the hallways, but we are not having any large group activities, and we try to get outside when the weather permits,” she said.
Residents at the Village can FaceTime with family and friends and visit with them at a distance on the sun porches.