August 20, 2025
For Carla Abendroth, every day is a celebration.
“I treat life as one big party; I celebrate each day the best I can,” she said with a smile.
That simple, joyful mantra captures the essence of Carla’s spirit. As the Retirement Living Consultant at Immanuel’s Yankee Hill Village in Lincoln, Nebraska, Carla brings an infectious energy and deep compassion to her work. But behind her optimism lies a life shaped by strength, faith, and resilience.
While her joy and warmth are apparent, Carla’s life has not been without hardship. At just 3 years old, she was severely injured in a farm accident that left her hospitalized for over a month. The recovery shaped her identity early on.
“That experience really gave me such a strong spirit,” she reflected.
That strength has carried her through health challenges as an adult. Carla was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and went through treatment and recovery. Five years later, she broke her ankle. Recently, she was diagnosed with a degenerative arthritic shoulder. But even in the face of pain and physical limitation, Carla presses forward.
“I’m a very strong person, mentally and physically, through any challenges in life,” she said simply.
Her source of strength? “Faith is part of my daily life,” Carla shared. Her spiritual practice is a private, constant presence.
“Every night when I go to bed, I have a crucifix that was given to me. It’s under my pillow,” she said. “And every night I say, ‘Thank you, God, for this day,’ before I say my prayers.”
Each morning begins with devotionals from the book Jesus Calling. That grounding in gratitude and faith gives her a calm, steady center, even amid adversity.
Carla’s journey into retirement living and senior care began over 40 years ago. In college, she worked as a CNA at a nursing home in the area. Having lost all four of her grandparents by age 8, she was drawn to the wisdom and warmth of seniors.
“All of a sudden, I was like, ‘Wow, I like being around these seniors,’” she said.
What began as a job quickly turned into a lifelong calling. She transitioned from an activity assistant to a director and eventually into marketing, finding her niche in helping people navigate some of life’s most emotional decisions with dignity and grace.
Her deep connection to the field is personal. Carla cared for her own aging relatives for over two decades. Her parents even lived at Yankee Hill Village.
“Because of my years of experience, I think I’m very good at helping people through challenging situations,” she said. “I love helping people find their next home.”
Carla joined the community – then known as Clark Jeary – in 1994. Immanuel acquired the community in 2017 and updated the name to Yankee Hill Village. Carla stayed through the transition, and focused on what mattered most.
“All I cared about was ensuring the residents and their families were supported,” she said.
That steadfast devotion is a trademark of Carla’s life. It’s evident in how she describes her role: “I like to be the face of retirement living. When people come in to look at our community and inquire, I’m the face they’re sitting down with, visiting with, and getting to know. We start to build that relationship.”
Carla’s love for people shines in every interaction. The favorite part of her day is being with people.
“Whether they’re the residents who live here or prospective residents, stories resonate with people,” she said. “And that’s what I love – hearing and sharing their stories.”
Outside of work, Carla’s passions reflect her luminescent personality. She’s a gardener, an entertainer, a boater, and a traveler. She loves staying active – though she no longer teaches fitness classes, she spent 27 years as an instructor. She and her husband, David, have been married for 36 years. The couple shares their home with two beloved pets: Odie, a spirited Corgi-Poo, and Tosh, a part-Maine Coon, part-Tortie cat with lots of personality.
For all she’s been through, Carla remains relentlessly positive. She doesn’t dwell on challenges – instead, she focuses on how she can bring joy to others, especially the residents and families she serves.
“I love meeting people where they are,” she said. “I love to work with people who really are in difficult, stressful situations and help them through this.”
At Yankee Hill Village, that bright, unwavering optimism lights the way for countless others. And in Carla’s world, there’s always something to celebrate.
