Sharing Traditions, Building Connections

Employee Spotlight: Hilda Mota Zoto, A.G. Rhodes Cobb

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month which is Sept. 15-Oct. 15, we’re shining our Employee Spotlight on Hilda Mota Zoto, a longtime member of the A.G. Rhodes Cobb team who enjoys sharing her Mexican heritage with the elders she serves.

Hilda first joined A.G. Rhodes more than a decade ago and has worked in several roles, including as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and in housekeeping. Today, she works in the laundry department, but regardless of her role, she says the most meaningful part of her work has always been the relationships she builds with elders.

“When I’m passing by and they know my name, and they smile and talk to you, I feel good,” Hilda said. “I feel like they are part of my family.”

Hilda came to Georgia from Mexico when she was 15 years old. From a young age she was interested in the nursing field and she earned her CNA certification because, simply put, “I like to help people.”

That calling became even more personal when Hilda stepped away from A.G. Rhodes to care for her father, who received hospice care in her home before he passed away three years ago. She says her years working with elders helped prepare her to care for him through the end of his life.

“Everything that I learned here at A.G. Rhodes helped me to give the best care to my dad and be there for his last breath,” she said.

After returning to A.G. Rhodes, Hilda found that her experience with her father gave her an even deeper understanding of elders and their families.

Last year, Hilda brought another important part of her life to A.G. Rhodes during Hispanic Heritage Month. Her two daughters, son and several friends visited the Cobb community to perform traditional Mexican dances and showcase clothing representing different regions of Mexico.

For Hilda, one of the best parts was seeing how the elders responded. She remembers one elder who typically preferred staying in her room coming out, smiling and enjoying the performance. The next day, elders were still talking about the colorful dresses and dancing.

“It makes me feel proud,” Hilda said of sharing her heritage. “Even if we are from Mexico, each state has something different. They talk different, they dance different. I wanted to show them that.”

“Hilda has a special way of connecting with our elders, and we love that she shares her traditions with our community,” said Jovonne Harvey, A.G. Rhodes Cobb Administrator. “Our elders enjoy learning from her, and her enthusiasm for bringing people together is a wonderful reflection of the relationships we foster at A.G. Rhodes.”

Those connections extend beyond special events. Hilda often speaks Spanish with elders, sometimes teaching them a new word or phrase. She enjoys when they greet her with “buenos días” or surprise her by remembering “¿Cómo estás?” the next time they see her.

Hilda says Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to share the music, language, food and traditions that are important to her while also teaching her children about their roots. Her children have become part of the A.G. Rhodes community themselves, participating in activities and volunteering during the summer.

“I want to teach my daughters and my son how important it is to help others,” Hilda said.

For Hilda, those experiences reinforce something she has learned during her years working with elders: connection doesn’t depend on everyone having the same background or even speaking the same language.

“When I started working here, I was so scared. I thought maybe the residents wouldn’t understand what I was saying,” she said. “But it’s not the language. It’s the connection that you get with them. When they get to know you, they trust you.”

It’s a lesson Hilda hopes others considering a career in long-term care will remember. The work requires responsibility and a commitment to meeting elders’ needs, but she says the relationships make it meaningful.

“You get connections with elders. It’s amazing,” Hilda said. “You love them like they’re your family.”

And the learning goes both ways.

“You learn a lot from them,” she said. “Treat others how you want to be treated, or how you want someone to treat your loved ones.”

CLICK HERE to watch a video from last year’s dance performance.

Sept. 24, 2026