Cutting hair, whether it’s silver, blue, blonde or brown, is more fun with her 70 grandparents, says Greeley salon operator

Shirley Tyson, right, visits with Sheala Anaya, left, about her hair. Sheala recently opened a salon in the Lodge, an assisted living home in west Greeley, and is a friend to the more than 70 residents. Photo by Dan England.

By Dan England

Sheala Anaya was talking to a guest in her salon when Shirley Tyson stopped in with a question. 

Her family was having a wedding in a few weeks, and she was wondering about her hair. Did Sheala have any suggestions? 

Anaya talked about color and possibly growing it out a bit on the sides. And with a big grin, Tyson, 87, prepared to leave to spend her day watching movies about the baseball player Jackie Robinson. 

“I think she’s a wonderful girl,” Tyson said. “She’s so friendly and nice to everyone.” 

Being nice isn’t just her job, Anaya said. That’s a choice. But it did probably get her a full-time salon inside The Lodge, an assisted living home in west Greeley. It’s an unusual setup, said Carisa Brown, executive director, especially because Anaya brings in outside clients as well as serves 70 or so residents, including those in memory care. Many places like the Lodge do have a salon now, but they typically aren’t allowed to run it as a pure business.

“I knew from her personality that the residents would love her,” Brown said. “It allows her salon to have enough business to support her. It works for both of us. She tells me every day that she loves being here.”

Anaya, 31, does a lot more than cut hair and give on-the-spot consultations. She sings Karaoke with them, eats lunch with them and will even go on field trips with them, like she did on a recent trip to Wal-Mart after many residents asked her to come along. 

“She isn’t just the salon operator,” Brown said. “She’s become so involved with the residents.” 

So much so that Brown hires her part-time to help out with other departments and tries to think of ways to get her more hours. But Brown is also so busy with appointments that she hired a part-time stylist to help with the load. 

Anaya doesn’t do it for the money. She simply loves old people, or seniors, if you prefer. When she told her grandmother about her new job, she nodded her head and told Anaya, “That is just SO you.” Anaya admits she thinks of them as cute, something not all residents may appreciate, but she also loves how they wave to her through her glass window and stop in for chats or simply watch out for her. 

“I don’t really know why I love them so much,” she said. “All I know is they are beyond appreciative, and everyone likes to feel appreciated.”

She’s worked as a hairstylist for more than a decade but never specialized in seniors. She’s had to learn a few new skills: She recently gave Tyson a foot massage, pedicure and nail trim. It was Tyson’s first. 

“One of these days,” Tyson said, sighing at the memory, “she will do that again.” 

She also had to learn to cut the hair of memory patients, but Anaya seems to have a magic touch with them too: There are clients who are supposedly mean with others, but Anaya doesn’t see it. They tend to sit still for her and even smile. 

“I just have to be patient and take my time,” Anaya said. 

She had a favorite client from the memory care side who would forget her before each monthly appointment. She told Anaya more than once, “I wish I remembered you.” 

The patient died a month ago. 

“That was TOUGH,” Anaya said. 

Yes, sometimes it’s too easy for Anaya to get attached. She said it feels as if she has 70 grandparents now. They always ask why she’s not there if she takes a day off, but they also worry about her if they see her too much.

“They ask me, ‘Don’t you EVER get a day off?”,” Anaya said and laughed. “They offer their couches in their rooms for me to take a nap on.”

She does get days off, at least once a week, but Anaya usually looks forward to coming back when she does. If you’re worried about her too, don’t be, as Anaya was looking forward to a trip in May to Vegas with her boyfriend. Plus she insists it’s a symbiotic relationship between her and the residents. 

“I come in super early just to be around them,” she said. 

At that, Tyson poked her head in again, even though it had just been an hour. This time, she didn’t have a question. 

“I just wanted to say hi,” Tyson said.