Heartwood's Founder

I, Jason Schmitz, founded Heartwood with the goal of providing individualized, patient-centered care for individuals living with dementia. I began my journey in the healthcare field as a caregiver at the young age of 18, following in the footsteps of my grandmother Sophie; as a child, my grandma would often tell me stories of her experiences working as a CNA – her passion for her work and love for the residents she cared for was always admirably evident, inspiring my passion for genuine, quality care at a young age. 

During my ten years working either as a CNA or Director of Nursing, I realized an unfortunate truth – that individuals with dementia were not receiving the care they deserve. This reality inspired me to pursue nursing in hopes of making a significant improvement in the standard of care.

Over 20 years later, I can humbly but confidently say that I have achieved my goal. From the beginning, Heartwood has been a family-owned business, with my wife and I on-site every day throughout our years of service. Additionally, all three of my children also work at our homes in various roles. As a family, we are proud of what Heartwood has become and are grateful for the relationships we have built with our residents, their families, and the community. We strive to preserve the values deeply embedded in Heartwood’s foundation, so you will feel at peace knowing your loved one is taken care of. Because at Heartwood, we know – there is nothing more important than family.