Can I Speak to the Manager?

I have a master's degree in social work.

At the time I got my degree, there were not specialties in aging, which there certainly are now.

I began to work with a visiting nurse association and making home visits to older adults that were getting services because of a chronic illness or crisis that caused them to need a nurse and a physical therapist.

And with that, they often had access to a social worker.

And so I would make visits throughout the community and do that work with a team of people, creating that support system.

And I found time and time again, as Medicare is.

It covers the acute incident, but not long-term support.

I continue to find myself being asked by families, how do we keep you? My mom has started to open up.

She seems happy when you're coming.

She is now, you know, with your support and encouragement, going to the senior center, and we don't want to lose that.

And And I continued to have to say, I'm sorry, that's not available through the insurance, but here's a few resources.

So I felt a little bit frustrated as I would walk out the door knowing that likely I was going to see this person again, but it was going to be in a reactive way.

It was going to be after they'd had another fall or illness, a hospitalization.

And I began to think about what it would be like if I could be with them ahead of that and maybe even help prevent some of those incidences just by looking at their circumstances.

As a social worker, we really look at the whole person.

We're looking at not just the medical, which a lot of the visiting nurse focuses on because that's their job, but more looking at what brought them joy.

Who are they and how do we help them maintain their dignity while, you know, meeting needs that, you know, aging often challenges us with.

And so one day I just decided with a very, very supportive husband and two small children that I would start a company.

I was going to start an age and life care practice.

And I did.

It was not really well known at all.

It still, unfortunately, is sort of the best kept secret.

We're hoping to change that in my practice.

And it is not a covered service.

You know, we just talked about what Medicare and insurances typically cover.