Christina Mahoney has found her calling.
Although she’s seated at the head of the table during this round of bingo, that calling doesn’t have much to do with the numbered balls in the bin.
“Arlene got a bingo! Whatcha got, Arlene?” Mahoney said with enthusiasm.
The bingo is just a perk.
“My calling is nursing. My passion is long-term care,” said Mahoney, a registered nurse and director of nursing at Good Samaritan Society – Bloomfield.
The California native moved to Nebraska with her family at the age of 18.
“My mom and I started going to school together for nursing,” she said.
They both found a home at Good Samaritan.
“There’s just something special about long-term care,” Mahoney said. “I just love it so much being with my residents, building that rapport with not only your resident but their family.”
Family ties
Mahoney’s younger brother, Anthony Arroyos, also found his footing with Good Samaritan. He joined as a certified nursing assistant – a certification he achieved he alongside his father, who later worked as a nurse at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls.
“A lot of people know me because they know my sister,” Arroyos said. “It was a really cool experience just to be able to have that family aspect in one building.”
That’s right – brother and sister, working under one roof.
“It was a lot of fun. If we worked the same shifts, we would carpool,” Mahoney said with a smile and a nod.
“It’s my older sister, so at the end of the day, I’m still probably a pest,” Arroyos added with a grin. “And I probably was even then. I still am now for sure.”
Their time working together in Bloomfield was truly a family affair, with their mother working as the director of nursing at the location.
“Mom is mom, right? You’re gonna call your mom ‘mom’ no matter what setting you’re in,” Arroyos said.
His sister disagrees.
“No, she was JoAnn when I worked. I was not her daughter. I was nurse Christina,” she said.
The unique dynamic did not go unnoticed.
“The fact that they all found their home at Good Sam is pretty amazing,” said Bloomfield administrator Madison Kinkaid. “When Good Sam has a whole family working for them, it says a lot.”
A path fueled by passion
During Arroyos’ time as director of social services in Bloomfield, his path shifted, thanks to a search for a sticky note.
“I grabbed this white pad, and at the top of that white pad said, Southeast Community College, Long-Term Care Administration. And right there, I knew God was telling me, this is your sign,” he recalled.
Arroyos is now participating in the Administrator in Training program at Good Samaritan Society – Albion – just 90 minutes down the road.
“The AIT experience has been great,” he said.
And that experience, along with Good Samaritan’s faith-driven mission, has reinforced this family’s devotion to caring for others.
“There’s so much to the administrator role that you don’t realize, even though on a daily basis I was working with an administrator,” Arroyos said.
Added Mahoney: “It’s what health care should be. It’s very person-centered. It’s taking care of those when they’re down, when they’re vulnerable.”
That care comes with an abundance of sibling support.
“I definitely know they found a lot of comfort in each other during tough times,” Kinkaid said.
And both siblings are proud of the growth they’ve seen in each other.
“Her strengths are all about relationship building. It’s moments like that where I’m very proud to call her my big sister and very proud to continue to watch her grow in her role,” Arroyos said.
“He knows when to make you laugh and when to be your support. And seeing him interact with our residents and putting a smile on their face. He’s such a great guy, so to see him succeed is just amazing,” added Mahoney.
It’s a passion that runs in the family.
“People know me as a little brother, but I’ll create my own path and people will know me for who I am,” Arroyos said. “But I have no problem with everyone knowing that that’s my sister. That’s my big sister.”
If you have questions about the AIT program or application process, email emily.jones@sanfordhealth.org.
Learn more
- Twins’ lives tied to Sanford Health, Good Samaritan
- Nebraska nurse a third-generation ‘Good Samaritan’
- Generations of same family serve Good Samaritan
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Posted In People & Culture, Sanford Stories, Senior Services
