Shining Lights Gala

Joan M. Birchenall has dedicated her career to nursing education, home health care, and service to others. A graduate of Cornell University-New York Hospital School of Nursing, she began her career as a public health and visiting nurse in New York before relocating to Trenton, New Jersey.

Joan went on to establish the first public education practical nursing program in Mercer County, where she not only developed the curriculum, but selected students, and taught and coordinated the program as well. Her expertise in the care of older adults later led medical textbook publisher J.B. Lippincott to approach her about writing in the field. Along with co-author Eileen Streight, Joan wrote Care of the Older Adult, first published in 1973 to help prepare healthcare professionals to provide care in the home. The textbook was translated into several languages, including Japanese and French, and received the Book of the Year Award from the American Nurses Association. Joan also co-authored additional texts in the field, further extending her impact on nursing education and the development of quality care for older adults.

Joan retired in 1991 following nearly 30 years with the New Jersey State Department of Education, where she served as Manager for the Bureau of Vocational Technical Education programs. Her commitment to service continued in retirement through volunteer work with organizations including the Loaves and Fishes Community Dinner and Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County.

Since 2022, Joan has served as an ICGMC volunteer through Incarnation-St. James Church, providing regular companionship and support to an older adult in the community. Her professional contributions to home health care, decades of leadership in education, and continued commitment to volunteer service reflect a lifelong dedication to helping others live with care and dignity.