Some people are lucky enough to know what they want to do with their life from a young age.

Amie Brooks, activities director at the Vicksburg Convalescent Home, intends to work there until she checks into her own room.

“When your job provides happiness, you win every day,” Brooks said.

Growing up, Brooks’ mother worked at the nursing home, and she would often visit the residents. Since she was 18, Brooks has worked at different nursing homes but 15 years ago came back to the one she grew up in. Now, Brooks works with her mother and her daughters Chelsea and Madison visit the residents when they can.

“It’s like having 89 grandparents,” Brooks said.

One of her responsibilities is to coordinate games like bingo and outings like dinners at Shoney’s or drives around town in classic cars. They’ve had parties for different events, attended Elvis concerts, they do exercises, have movie nights and have even been watching Carol Burnett on You Tube. She enjoys spending time with the residents

“In activities, we’re here to provide quality of life to residents in the nursing home on a day to day basis,” Brooks said. “I feel like we’re the smile committee.”

She feels like the community is blessed to have so many people willing to help whenever she comes calling. Brooks even set up an adopt a resident program where people in the community purchase secret Santa gifts for the residents.

“In my opinion, the heroes are the community,” Brooks said. “When I call and ask ‘Can you? Will you?’ They always say yes.”

Brooks said she admires Dr. Patch Adams, especially a quote by him stating, “You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you’ll win, no matter what the outcome.” In part because of that quote, she decided she would never work in a place where she wouldn’t put her own mother or stay in herself, and the convalescent home truly feels like home to her.

“They don’t live at my job. I work at their house,” Brooks said.

Brooks truly feels fulfilled by her work. She tries to give her residents a sense of independence by not doing too much for them because she doesn’t want them to become dependent, which in return makes them feel fulfilled as well.

“I want my people to come here and finish living, not come here to die,” Brooks said.

She had one resident she encountered while working in Jackson who had a difficult life, but he always smiled, and that helped shape her perspective. Brooks wanted to make sure to leave her problems at the door while she was at work and to be a positive motivator for the residents.

Resident Irene Reeves said God gave Brooks a double dose of talent because she is so good at being able to work and communicate with people.

“My daughter sent me this shirt that says ‘number one mom,’” Reeves said. “I would say [Brooks] is the number one mom to all of us.”

Brooks has spent some time learning about the medical diagnoses of her patients and accepts the challenge of understanding diseases and groups of symptoms like Alzheimer’s and dementia. She also gives a lot of credit to the nurses at the home for the work they do to treat the residents daily.

One of Brooks favorite ways to help residents is through music. She has seen a real change in residents when they hear certain songs and respond to them.

“She knows every song. She knows young and old and in between,” Carolyn Wells, vice president of the resident council, said. “She loves the Lord. She knows every resident. We love Amie.”

Cola Tisdale, resident volunteer and member of resident council, said she had been at the convalescent home for a little over a year and she said she couldn’t ask for anything better.

Last year Brooks was diagnosed with cancer. When she got out of surgery, residents made sure to give her cards and a lot of positivity throughout the recovery.

“I was able to go through some hard experiences in my life and be able to pull from the knowledge that they give me everyday,” Brooks said.

Brooks’ love for her job is noticed by the residents and also by her coworkers who see the work and love she puts into her job.

“She is absolutely wonderful,” Susan Griggs, marketing director said. “I’m proud to have her here, and she does do a lot of great things.”