Village House’s new director shares her vision
Heather Corporon is the new executive director of Village House Adult Day Program in Bella Vista after taking over for Shannon Bryant in late August.
Bryant resigned to pursue other opportunities in the area after serving Village House for eight years.
Corporon comes from a lengthy medical background. She started her career at a hospital as a nursing assistant and then went to school and ended up working in surgery.
“I always wanted to do some type of management, more a one-on-one setting with individuals, so when this position came open, this was something I really wanted to try,” Corporon said. “I really like caregiving and the teaching aspect of it. I want to make sure that our families are taken care of.”
There is a huge need in Bella Vista for respite, and that is what Village House offers.
“Our caregivers work or have other obligations, and so it becomes too difficult for them to meet the needs of who they’re taking care of and taking care of themselves,” Corporon said. “Respite is where we take over for a specific time frame and meet those needs so the caregivers can meet their own needs.”
Corporon said that there are so many people who don’t realize they have this at their disposal from 8-4 Monday-Friday in Bella Vista.
“It’s amazing how much we can compensate for these individuals just in the time they are here,” Corporon said. “We can better not only the caregiver’s quality of life, but we’re bettering the client’s as well.”
One stigma that Corporon said she has tried to shake since she has taken over is that Village House doesn’t just take care of the elderly.
“We are a licensed facility to take care of adults 18 and over that have a medical need, physical need, mental need, handicap or special need that cannot stay home alone or isn’t comfortable staying home alone and needs some type of care,” Corporon said. “We are trying to make sure that the community knows that you don’t have to be elderly to come here.”
Corporon lives in Bella Vista with her husband Will and their five children, and they are active members of Gracepoint Church in Bentonville.
Village House Adult Day Program is located at 1801 Forest Hills Boulevard in Bella Vista. They can be reached by telephone at (479) 855-4449 or online at villagehousebellavista.com.