Hidden Gems: Meet Carrie Velliquette of Helm Senior Care Management

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Velliquette

Hi Carrie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I began my career in health care over 18 years ago, but my passion for seniors began with my grandparents. I was fortunate enough to spend a wonderful amount of time with my grandparents not only from an early age, but into my adult life. I gained an understanding of the importance of being able to age gracefully and independently, reinforcing to me how crucial it is to treat each senior as an adult and as an active participant in their own care.

My paternal grandmother suffered from Alzheimer’s—and while at the time I did not fully understand the extent of her care and needs, it was truly the foundation for a future of helping and advocating for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Helm began with a vision of providing customized, hands-on life and care management for individuals and their caregivers. As an Executive Director in senior living for over 15 years, I have extensive experience helping others navigate every aspect of aging. It is my passion to treat seniors as individuals, and with this in mind to facilitate and support each person as they take the helm in their own care or allow me to take the helm on their behalf. Whether this means assisting an independent senior or supporting a caregiver as an advocate, my number one priority is treating each client with dignity, respect, and services individualized to their needs.

When I left the assisted living world, I knew I didn’t want to stop working with seniors and their families. When deciding my next career path, I realized there are so many people that could really benefit from a personal healthcare expert. Working in long term care an executive director is pulled in many directions and often can’t give 100% support to each resident. By launching Helm I am committed to each client and can cater all of my assistance to their specific needs as they change. I become an extended daughter or granddaughter type of role with extensive healthcare experience. I can be a support system emotionally and logistically to ensure stress can be kept at a minimum while navigating the healthcare and life needs throughout the senior years. I often work with seniors with children living out of town, those that did not have children or with loved ones in the sandwich generation, managing their careers and own kids. I am able to be their eyes and ears when helping their loved ones and provide excellent communication on how they are doing.
​​​

Graduate of The Ohio State University
Certified Dementia Practitioner® CDP®
Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer® with NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CERTIFIED DEMENTIA PRACTITIONERS
Extensive experience in private duty care, home health, senior living and hospice oversight
Experience working with Independent Seniors who wish to stay at home or are considering if senior living options are right for them
Experience in helping seniors’ transition when faced with a new aging obstacle
Extensive Assisted Living regulation and department of health knowledge
Extensive and Experienced Preferred Provider list

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I took a leap in starting Helm. I had left a career that I loved and knew really well. I ultimately did some research on senior care management and jumped all in pretty quickly. I knew if I didn’t try something new, I would never have the courage. It was extremely scary starting my own business from scratch with little to no knowledge of what or how this business would work. I had to learn everything from how to register a business, insure it, learn how to build a website, put together marketing material, research who to target for referrals and ultimately be a good senior care manager. It started with notes in Excel and Word to developing a full CRM platform to make the back end of the business easier. My connections and experience in senior living helped in gaining my first few clients, but it has also been a challenge educating others on what senior care management is and how it can help a family or senior. There are only a few of us that provide this type of service in Columbus and there are so many ways senior care management can help the senior industry as each generation grows older!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Helm is a small, built from experience, senior care management company. I specialize in personalizing each client’s healthcare/lifecare plan and oversight. While much of my oversight is in medical appointments and healthcare needs, I also prioritize socialization and allow seniors to continue enjoying what they love. This can be ensuring they have the food and day to day items at home to escorting them to fun events like jazz concerts. I get to know my client’s personalities and meet them where they need me most. I am most known in the industry for being an Executive Director, but also as someone that holds those I work with to high standards and setting expectations. This works well as a senior care manager as I am very communicative and provide excellent oversight when working with healthcare partners. (assisted livings, skilled nursing, home health, therapy services, hospice, medical providers) Having worked with 1000’s of families over the years I also understand the importance of communication to not only the senior but to their loved ones that I am helping.

I am most proud that my brand represents who I am as a person and my family history. I was born in a small town on Lake Erie and grew up on the lake. Both my dad and grandpa were in the Navy and water, boating and naval stories have been a part of my entire life. When developing Helm as a company I kept thinking of the ways senior care management truly helps seniors navigate the healthcare world and that I could help them take the helm in managing their needs. Just as each captain takes the lead of their crew and boat.

ABOUT HELM
Whether you’re coordinating care for yourself, a loved one, a resident or a friend, determining the appropriate services for life and health care involves many complex issues and decisions. The average senior, caregiver or health care professional does not have the time or often the resources to sort through all of the details regarding home care, health care, insurance, money management, legal matters, emergency care and cost options. If you are managing these issues from out of town, it can be even more difficult. If you work in senior living, you also understand the need to assist your residents while faced with time constraints that don’t allow your continued help.

Healthcare Management – Health care planning can take a lot of coordination. We understand what it takes to communicate and work effectively with multiple outside providers to ensure care is provided with attention to detail, dignity and respect. If you are managing a loved one’s care from out of town, we also recognize that it’s doubly difficult to coordinate the details from afar. Our goal is to ease the burden of coordination and help each client and caregiver feel in control. ​​Helm’s Life and Health Care Managers work independently and are not associated with any Independent, Assisted or Skilled senior living communities, medical practices or Medicare paid health care programs. This allows us to provide unbiased recommendations for the benefit of our clients. It is our primary goal to allow each senior to age gracefully with dignity and respect.
Helm helps seniors, caregivers and their advocates take control by helping navigate the difficult world of health care. The services that we can coordinate, manage, oversee or provide include:​

Shopping
In-Home Care
Bill Payment
Meal Options
Medication Review
Private Duty Caregivers
Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy Coordination
On-going & Consistent Communication
Realtor, Moving, Downsizing, Relocation Assistance
End of Life Care & Hospice Coordination
New Senior Living Transition Help
Pet Care Coordination
Set up, Accompany & Advocate at Medical Appointments
Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care Planning
Assist with Senior Living Care Planning & Advocacy

Virtual Care Navigation – At Helm, we recognize that senior care is evolving and believe that the way services are coordinated and communicated is of utmost importance. With that in mind, we have partnered with the iCarenetwork to provide transformative technology that compiles senior care information throughout the care journey. Virtual Care Navigation gives each client access to the care manager virtually through email, text and virtual meetings. This is a great service for those who would most benefit from a healthcare consultant, advocate and emotional support system without hands-on coordination needs.
Personalized Consulting
Referral List and Professional Advice on healthcare providers ie. homecare, therapy services, hospice, long term care placement
Family Meetings
Care Plan

Priority Access Client – Priority Clients have the ability to start services immediately when needed and ahead of others on the waitlist. Think of this as an insurance policy for accessing Helm Senior Care Management.

Travel by Helm – At Helm, we are here to help you take control of the logistics of traveling as a senior and coordinate all aspects that have become more difficult. Helm partners with licensed therapists to provide personalized assistance by escorting the senior, managing medical equipment, and reducing fall risk during travel. Each client receives travel and logistics planning, companionship and assistance during travel, healthcare equipment oversight and fall risk management. A personalized travel plan is provided and can include one-way or round-trip travel, overnight and multi-day trips as well as special event companionship. We offer travel solutions and experience.
Helm will develop and provide a plan that allows maximum independence while giving you the help to travel gracefully. The services that we can coordinate, manage, oversee or provide include:​

Research of Travel Options
Provide Logistic Solutions for Travel
Companionship & Assistance while Traveling by a licensed therapist
Fall Risk Management during Travel
Ongoing & Consistent Communication
Companionship during Special Events
Peace of Mind
​

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Find what you love and make it your own. It may not be easy and even really scary, but I knew I wanted to have freedom from the corporate world but continue doing what I love. Helping seniors. It’s really hard taking a leap, but putting your head down and working hard can get you to the most rewarding result. I had to trust in the process and myself to get through some really tough spots and understand the bigger picture. While starting your own business by yourself can be really lonely and unnerving I had a wonderful support system of family and friends that believed in what I was building.

Pricing:

• Free Consultations

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.helmseniorcare.com
• Instagram: helm.seniorcare.management
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helmseniorcaremanagement