Danbury of Cuyahoga Falls Manager Now Oversees North Canton Location

Kris Kuhlman has made the leap from managing the to managing the .

Yes, both at the same time.

Kuhlman shows a lot of ambition when she talks about taking on that extra responsibility and splitting her time between the two independent living facilities — and making the 50-minute drive from her home in the east side of Cleveland to the Danbury of North Canton.

“I love a challenge, and I love to be busy,” Kuhlman told North Canton Patch from inside her North Canton office this week. “I want to get to know this building and these residents, and I just wanted the challenge.”

Kuhlman, who already has overseen the Danbury of Cuyahoga Falls for one year, replaces Marge Johnson, who managed the North Canton location for 14 years before retiring.

Kuhlman's passion for caring for the elderly led her into this field, she said.

“I think the social worker in me comes out more in this job because I enjoy being there for them and helping them in this time in their life,” she said.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Dayton and master’s in business administration (with a concentration in health care) from the University of Phoenix.

What’s more? She also runs her own business, Kuhlman EduCare, out of Cleveland, but travels anywhere to educate health care workers. (If you’re interested in Kuhlman EduCare, you can find out more by calling 440-479-9757.)

Kuhlman said she’s interested in bringing some of the activities of the Danbury of Cuyahoga Falls to the North Canton location. One of those activities is a Saturday auction in which the residents bid on items — anything from snacks to toiletries — and pay with Monopoly money.

She encourages everyone to raise their paddles and bid on the items, even if it’s something they don’t think they need.

“I tell them to buy it for your family. Give it to them as a gift. Tell them you spent $3,000 on it.”

She said fun is a big part of staying at the Danbury, so she organizes trips for residents that include locations like casinos, museums and restaurants, among other places.

“And since this is their home, they give us ideas of what they want to do,” she said.

Another big hit is steak night, featuring a cocktail hour, Kuhlman said.

Facts about the Danbury of North Canton:

Number of apartments: 93, from efficiencies to two-bedrooms
Number of residents: between 100 and 110
Average age of resident: 80-84 
Age of building: 14 years (Danbury of Cuyahoga Falls was built three years after North Canton's)
Home care: Offered 24/7, and residents can pick and choose which is best for them
Rent includes: All utilities (but phone and Internet) and dinner
Food: The Danbury of North Canton’s restaurant is a proud point for the facility as it’s managed by Kurt Seebacher, a local chef who once owned his own restaurant. Residents have several options for each day’s meal.
Activities: Offered seven days a week and include bingo, crafts, games (cornhole’s coming soon) and field trips, among other things
Owners: Bill Lemmon and Bob DeHoff
Longest-serving employee: Betty Taylor, who's worked there for 13 years