Deidra Kindred, RN, BSN, LNC, CCM, BCPA, once spent her days working in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) of a Texas hospital, caring for critically ill patients. She knew medicine. She knew how hospitals worked.
What she didn’t expect was how disorienting and exhausting it would be to navigate healthcare as a daughter.
When her mother’s health began to decline, the roles reversed. Suddenly, Kindred wasn’t just a nurse. She was a caregiver trying to oversee care for her mother, who was battling multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, asthma, and dementia. Even with her deep clinical background, the experience was overwhelming. That personal journey became the turning point that reshaped Kindred’s career.
Becoming an advocate full time
In 2019, she made the decision to step away from bedside nursing and become a board-certified patient advocate. Kindred launched her own company, Your Healthcare Nurse Advocates, in Fort Worth, Texas, guiding older adults and their families through an increasingly complex healthcare landscape.
Her timing couldn’t have been better. The U.S. Census estimates that by the year 2030, over 20% of the population will be over the age of 65. This demographic shift is rapidly increasing demand for services tailored for aging adults and for nurses trained to support them beyond the bedside. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that senior care and service jobs will see above average growth of 21%.
As a member of the Aging Life Care Association (ALCA), Kindred helps clients regain a sense of control during vulnerable moments.
“My clients are usually seniors who are stressed about their health and don’t think they’re being listened to by their care team,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s an adult child with a demanding career or who lives out of state and just wants to know their parent is getting the best possible care.”
Because many of her clients live with chronic and complex conditions, Kindred conducts ongoing needs assessments to help families determine the right level of residential or in-home care. She attends medical appointments (either virtually or in-person), helps decipher dense medical paperwork, and participates in case conferences with physicians and care teams.
Entrepreneurship with a mission
A self-described “entrepreneur at heart,” Kindred says her work allows her to combine clinical expertise with compassion, strategy, and problem-solving, while making a meaningful difference in people’s lives when they need it most.
“I knew I wanted to make a difference in a manner that went beyond working in the hospital,” she said.
Today, Kindred employs two subcontractors and enjoys the fact that every day brings different rewards and challenges.
“Some days, I might do a home wellness visit or work with a family to draft an individualized care plan for their loved one,” she said.
Kindred also recently launched a remote patient advocacy program, to assist clients who might not be able to afford an hourly rate.
“Clients can choose from different options that meet their needs, whether that’s a one-hour virtual session or a full-service package that includes personalized case management, a medical review and advice, and more,” she said.
Building a business around advocacy
Rebecca Roskey-Brunner, BSN, RN, CEN, CMC, spent 20 years as an emergency room (ER) nurse before finding a new professional path. Burned out from the pace of the ER, she became intrigued by the role of aging life care specialists.
“I left the ER nine years ago to work for Complete Care Strategies (CCS) and fell in love with the work,” said Roskey-Brunner, who is president of the Mid-Atlantic chapter of the ALCA.
From emergency nursing to aging life care leadership
Three years ago, she purchased Complete Care Strategies and became CEO of the company based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Today, she employs 70 professionals, including nurses who work as aging life care specialists, along with social workers, occupational therapists, and speech therapists.
While some aging life care consultants like Kindred and Roskey-Brunner launch their own businesses, other nurses choose to work on a full or part-time basis for elder care agencies.
“All of my nurse care managers have at least 10 to 15 years of experience,” Roskey-Brunner said. “You can't come out of nursing school knowing this is what you're going to do. Nurses need a deep understanding of the medical system and the confidence to advocate for their clients.”
She admitted the transition from hospital employment to running a practice based on billable hours came with a learning curve.
“Our business is a fee-for-service model, because insurance doesn’t cover our services, except in some cases with long-term care insurance” Roskey-Brunner said. “But as a nurse, the work is incredibly fulfilling. It gives you room to think outside the box and be creative in ways that truly improve a client’s quality of life.”
Advocating for the whole person
A member of the ACLA, Roskey-Brunner and her colleagues operate under defined professional standards and a strict code of ethics. While the association itself doesn’t offer certification, those seeking advanced-level recognition must hold credentials through the National Academy of Certified Care Managers (NACCM), the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC), or the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
Success in aging life care consulting, she said, requires both confidence and a problem-solving mindset.
“You have to be an advocate for your clients and their families,” Roskey-Brunner said. “In many ways, we become professional family members. For some clients, especially those who don’t have children or immediate family, we may be the only person they can rely on.”
Although the majority of her work focuses on older adults, Roskey-Brunner’s agency also supports adults and children with special needs. Some clients seek only a brief consultation, while others maintain a relationship with her team for years.
Services can be as straightforward as calling insurance companies to resolve billing discrepancies, or as involved as arranging second medical opinions and securing appropriate durable medical equipment.
“We provide a concierge-type service,” she said. “We look at whether clients qualify for different entitlements, if they should be seeing other specialists. We focus on the whole person, what they want for their life and their quality of life, and then we advocate for that vision.”
