Advanced Healthcare Services, LLC

❤️ Thank you IL Presbyterian Home Communities for all you do!!

We would like to send a heartfelt thank you to Advanced Healthcare Services, LLC for honoring our Executive Director, Maryann Walker and our incredible team at IPH with the 2026 Biggest Heart Award.

This recognition means a great deal to us as our team strives to make a difference in our residents lives everyday.

We are so proud of our IPH family and grateful for Advanced Health Care for recognizing the dedication of our team to our residents.

Here's to recognizing compassion truly comes from the Heart. ❤️

Thanks Trustwell Living of Springfield and Alzheimer's Association for the fun car wash!!

⭐️ Andrea Woolard - CNA ⭐️

I have been with Advanced Healthcare since May 2007. I was hired as the first certified nursing assistant, my role at Advanced Healthcare is to not only help patient with their bathing and personal needs, but also to teach safety in the bathroom, which is a vital part of being able to stay in their home independently.

Before I joined Advanced Healthcare, I worked in nursing homes, and Springfield clinic, but home healthcare is what I was meant to do. I found my niche with Advanced Healthcare . They have become a huge part of my heart.

What has kept me with home health for so long is the up close and personable relationships that I have created through the years with my clients . It’s nice to be able to meet the families. I feel like they get genuine one-on-one care in their home.

What I enjoy the most about working with Advanced Healthcare is the staff and all of my wonderful coworkers. The management is very supportive and family oriented. The communication is outstanding!

What I find the most meaningful and fulfilling about my role is helping our patients build confidence again, watching them grow stronger and more independent. My care makes our clients feel so much better and that is rewarding to me that I have made someone’s day better.

I am known for my compassion, my patience, and my empathy towards our patients and their needs. I feel like my work has the greatest impact when I arrive at a patient’s home and they haven’t been in their own home for months, and to be able to help them get into the shower and feel human again is a wonderful feeling. I believe that if you feel better, you will do better.

I am a mother of four children, two boys and two girls. I also have two stepchildren . I have been married for 28 years, and my husband is a retired military vet. Advanced Healthcare has been through two deployments and two pregnancies, with me and they were wonderful and supportive during those trying times. When you love what you do for a living, you don’t feel like you work a day in your life!

When I’m not at work, I enjoy watching my kids at sports activities, vacationing, and playing volleyball. Ialso enjoy landscaping and gardening. It’s been my pleasure serving all these years with Advanced. They are truly a company that has great compassion and care for all of their clients . I'm looking forward to many more years!

So thankful to get to support this community with some back to school supplies with some deserving kiddos!

⭐️Julianna Kessler- Speech Therapist- 3 years⭐️

I have been with Advanced for over three years, and what has kept me here is the support and compassion that are shown not only to our patients but also to every member of the staff. It is a company where people genuinely care about one another, and that makes it a rewarding place to work.

One of the things I enjoy most about my role is having the opportunity to work with patients in the most natural setting, their homes. Being in their home environment allows me to focus on what is most important to each individual while ensuring their family is an active part of the care team.

I find the greatest fulfillment in helping patients with dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing. We often don't realize how much of our lives revolve around food until that ability is affected. It is incredibly rewarding to help patients safely regain the ability to enjoy the foods and drinks they love.

One professional milestone I am especially proud of is having the opportunity to mentor aspiring speech-language pathologists. I enjoy helping others grow, build confidence, and learn about the many facets of our profession. I feel my work has the greatest impact when I am collaborating with an interdisciplinary team to help patients achieve their goals and make meaningful progress together.

Outside of work, I enjoy singing and almost pursued vocal performance in college before deciding to become a speech-language pathologist!

⭐️Sheila Hamilton - PT ⭐️

Since first joining AHS as a PRN therapist in 2018 through Health Pro Heritage—and returning again in 2024—I’ve been drawn to the organization’s strong family-centered, Christian‑grounded atmosphere. The supportive culture, paired with exceptional office staff, allows me to focus on what I love most: providing meaningful, patient‑centered therapy without the constant administrative burden that often weighs down clinical work. I also appreciate the Matrix EMR system, which remains one of the most intuitive and user‑friendly platforms I’ve ever used.

What I enjoy most about working at Advanced is the people. From office staff and supervisors to fellow PTs, OTs, and field nurses, I’m surrounded by colleagues who are collaborative, compassionate, and genuinely committed to patient care.

The most fulfilling part of my role is the ability to make an immediate and tangible difference in a patient’s quality of life—often within the very first visit. Being able to work with patients in their own homes, where real‑life mobility challenges occur, allows me to create meaningful change that simply can’t be replicated in a hospital or SNF setting.

One of my proudest professional achievements is developing expertise in vestibular therapy, particularly for the most common forms of BPPV. It’s a niche area not widely practiced among therapists, and I enjoy both treating these cases and educating colleagues on how to screen for and address vestibular dysfunction. Performing an Epley maneuver and watching a patient go from miserable to significantly improved—sometimes in a single session—never stops being rewarding.

I find that my greatest impact often comes from the “small” adjustments that make a big difference: properly fitting a walker, adjusting height, or teaching safe mobility strategies that reduce fall risk and improve comfort. These seemingly simple interventions can transform a patient’s confidence and independence.

Outside of work, I’m an avid dancer. Swing—especially West Coast Swing—is my favorite, but I love just about every style: ballroom, Latin, waltz, country two‑step, line dancing, and even square dancing.

⭐️Mariah Ingram - RN - 3 years⭐️

For more than three years, I’ve been proud to be part of Advanced. It is a place where I can be both the nurse and the mom I want to be. What first drew me here, and what continues to keep me here, is the balance of compassionate care and genuine respect for family life. I never feel rushed with patients, and I’m encouraged to take the time needed to truly connect with the people I serve.

Building relationships with patients and their families is one of the most meaningful parts of my work. When we aren’t pressured to move quickly from home to home, we’re able to understand each person’s story, their needs, and the unique dynamics that shape their care. That deeper connection is what makes home health so special.

Advocacy is where I find the greatest fulfillment. Not everyone has someone to help them navigate the gaps in our healthcare system, and being able to step in—whether to support or champion a patient’s needs—always feels like a win. Helping families see their loved one return to their “normal” self is one of the most rewarding outcomes of this work. Recovery can be unpredictable, but having Advanced as a support system at home makes a tremendous difference.

One of my proudest achievements is earning my RN‑BSN. It took longer than I originally planned, especially while raising a family, but completing my degree during that season of life is something I hold with great pride. It strengthened not only my clinical knowledge but also my resilience and commitment to growth.
I’m often recognized for my strengths in nutrition teaching and patient advocacy—two areas where I feel I make a meaningful impact. Empowering patients with knowledge and standing beside them during vulnerable moments are central to how I practice nursing.

Outside of work, I stay active by playing volleyball year‑round with the same group of girls I’ve played with since my club volleyball days in high school. It’s a fun, energizing constant in my life and a reminder of the importance of community—both on and off the court.

⭐️Heather Hopper - QA/HR - 4 years⭐️

For a little over four years, I’ve been proud to be part of Advanced —a place where the people truly make the difference. The teamwork and genuine relationships across the company are what have kept me here. It feels less like a workplace and more like a family, and that sense of belonging is something I value deeply.

As an HR Assistant, one of my greatest joys is helping in all areas of the company, especially when it comes to welcoming new employees. Being one of the first friendly faces they meet and helping them feel comfortable from day one is incredibly meaningful to me. I love creating a warm, positive first impression that sets the tone for their experience at Advanced.

The most fulfilling part of my role is connecting with others and making someone’s day just a little easier. I take pride in being someone people can count on—whether they need help, reassurance, or simply a supportive presence. That reliability is a core part of who I am.

Professionally, I’m proud of taking on new responsibilities and learning different areas within the company. Since taking over pre‑claims, I rarely receive calls from Palmetto regarding my portion of the process, which has been a rewarding accomplishment and a reflection of my attention to detail and commitment to doing things well.

I’m often recognized for my strengths in dependability and stepping in where needed. I enjoy being someone others can turn to, and I take pride in jumping in to help whenever I see a need.

I feel my work has the greatest impact when I’m helping new employees feel confident and supported during their first week. Knowing I can play even a small role in helping clinicians feel connected to the AHS family is incredibly meaningful.

Outside of work, I’m a self‑proclaimed small‑town girl who loves keeping spaces clean, cozy, and welcoming. Cleaning, decorating, and creating a warm atmosphere—especially with a seasonal drink in hand—make me feel right at home.

⭐️Ali Baker - Registered Nurse - 4 years ⭐️

I have been with AHS for 4 years. I had worked in home health prior to this position, so when I was looking for a change, I came back to it because I enjoy the unique challenges and connections with patients and families that home health brings. I enjoy that every day is a bit different, I am not confined at a desk, and I can really focus on my patients. I feel that I can provide personalized and quality care.

Professionally I have grown while working at AHS by becoming wound care certified and continuing to seek out continuing education in this area. I think that working in home health makes an impact on not just the patients, but also their families/caregivers from the very first “Hello” through to discharge.

Being trusted to care for someone in their home is an honor. Seeing relief on faces, wounds heal, mobility improve, make it worth it. Hugs from patients are an added bonus.

Something unique about me is I was a travel nurse for 3 years and during that time I went to a circus school and learned the flying trapeze! I have also done ariel silks and belly dancing.

We’re so excited for our friends at Memorial Hospital and their newly graduated pet therapy teams! We know the comfort, joy, and healing these amazing therapy teams will bring to patients, and we can’t wait to see the positive impact they’ll make! 🐾