Denise Walter, MSW
Geriatric Care ManagerI listen first. Every family is different, and there is no single right way to navigate aging.
started Linden Eldercare
I started Linden Eldercare after seeing firsthand how difficult it can be for a family to manage the care of an aging parent.
My grandmother needed more help toward the end of her life, and my mom took on much of the responsibility. She was very capable and devoted, but the work was exhausting. Appointments, personal care, transportation, and all the other details of keeping someone safe and well were all consuming. I remember that my mom sometimes had to relate to her own mother more like a care professional than a daughter.
I kept thinking about how much more relaxed they might have been together if someone else had handled some of those details. Time to tell stories, laugh, and enjoy being family. That is what I want to provide through Linden Eldercare.
Calm, organized, practical, nonjudgmental
I work with older adults wherever they call home, adjusting support as their needs change over time.
& approach
Background
I have a Master of Social Work degree from Salem State University, with a focus on Older Adults and End of Life. My background spans in-home care management, adult protective services, and nursing home social work.
Sometimes a family knows that something has changed but is not quite sure what they are seeing. I have worked with families who believed an older adult was managing independently, only to discover through a closer assessment that more support was needed. My job is not to make assumptions or tell families what they should do. It is to understand the situation, listen to everyone’s concerns, and help figure out what makes sense.
How I think about the work
My background in software engineering has also shaped how I approach my work. I have become very comfortable taking complicated problems, organizing all the moving pieces, and creating systems that make them easier to manage.
That way of thinking is useful when an older adult’s care involves several providers, services, appointments, and family members.
My approach
I work with older adults wherever they live, whether that is at home, in assisted living, or somewhere else. I can help families understand their options, assess their current situation, coordinate services, arrange appointments and transportation, and adjust the plan as needs change.
My approach is calm, organized, practical, and nonjudgmental. I listen first. Every family is different, and there is no single right way to navigate aging.
I am fortunate to have a close-knit family of my own. My parents live nearby, my in-laws spend part of the year with us, and I have two young children who bring a lot of joy to my life.
I know how valuable family time is, and I want the families I work with to have more of it.
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