JUNEAU — At 81-years-old, Edna Leamer has been a caregiver since the age of 14, when her mother died. As the oldest of five children, born in Billings Mont., she naturally took on the maternal role.

She began working as a nursing aide at age 16 and moved to Spokane, Wash. at 17, where she continued working in nursing despite getting married and beginning her role as a mother herself. She is still acting as a nurse at the Pioneer Home today and finds that her age can be a real advantage when it comes to relating to the residents and gaining their trust.