Brand new grandpa and dedicated owner of CarePatrol North Shore, Eric Klein, knows firsthand what it’s like to have to care for young children and aging parents at the same time. Having navigated care for his own aging parents and a mother in law with dementia, Eric turned to CarePatrol as an expert in senior care to pass it forward. In Chicago North Shore Moms’ interview, Eric shares his journey into senior care and his philosophy of ensuring every senior “Finishes Strong.” Offering personalized support, Eric helps families from the sandwich generation navigate the complexities of elder care, addressing challenges like high costs and caregiver shortages. With a compassionate approach and hands-on guidance, Eric and CarePatrol strive to empower sandwich generation families with informed decisions and optimal care solutions. This interview is for anyone who has begun to question care for their aging loved ones, and sheds light on senior care realities and the invaluable support available.
Hi Eric! Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here? Your family?
My name is Eric Klein and I live in the northern suburbs with my wife and three children, who also live in the Chicago area. I am thrilled to have recently become a grandfather!
You are a senior care specialist for CarePatrol North Shore. What exactly is a senior care specialist?
I am an expert at working with older adults and help seniors and their families navigate the senior living process by helping them find assisted living, memory care and in-home care options.
Our services are free to families and we focus on seniors that are struggling with their activities of daily living, dealing with cognitive issues like dementia and movement disorders such as MS, MD and Parkinson’s.
What is the process like for people who reach out to you for help with their aging loved one?
When a family reaches out we start the conversation with a Care Discovery that may include a review of the clinical and financial details and the struggles they are experiencing during their day.
But this usually happens when it’s an emergency, right?
We do work and respond in a crisis such as a call from the ER with a broken hip or a breakdown in a family’s ability to care from someone at home. But we also work on longer term care planning when a loved one has dementia and the family needs to know what the future holds for their long term care.
How do you deliver personalized care – How would you describe your personal approach or philosophy when it comes to providing care for seniors?
CarePatrol is not a list service that simply provides resources. We are very hands-on with our families and will meet with them in their homes or hospital rooms.We stay with them even after they place in a community. My personal approach is that I want every senior to “Finish Strong.”
Can you share a bit about your background and how you entered the field of senior care?
I spent many years as the owner of a production company as a photographer, director and producer. One of our specialities was healthcare, pharma and senior living. This knowledge base gave me insight into the senior care world, and also made me aware that it was difficult to gain insight into the various long term care options without an experienced expert helping you through the process.
What was the impetus behind your decision to become a senior care specialist?
I found myself at a time in my life when there was a lot going on: My wife has muscular dystrophy; I had two parents that needed care; and a mother in law with dementia. I became very aware that families needed help navigating the often complex and confusing process.
Can you highlight some of the most significant challenges that seniors and their families face today in terms of care and support?
Some of the significant challenges seniors face are the high cost of long term care, the shortage of quality caregivers, and the proliferation of online advice that often does not serve the family well. We help you work through these challenges to find the best care options.
How do you approach communication with both seniors and their families to create a supportive environment?
We treat every family that we work with as if they are our own. We love on them, care for them, sometimes cry with them, and we walk them through every step of the process to help assure the best outcomes.
For families navigating the complexities of senior care, what advice or guidance would you offer to help them make informed decisions?
I always advise families to make decisions while they still have options, not while they are in a crisis. This can often mean the difference between a very good quality of life in an assisted living community versus spending the rest of your life in an institutionalized nursing home.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about yourself or your business?
Aging and finding appropriate care in today’s healthcare environment can be overwhelming. There is no one size fits all solution for senior care. At CarePatrol, our job is to help you navigate these situations and find the solution best suited for your family. We understand what you are going through, and no one is better at helping seniors and their families deal with the realities of aging than CarePatrol. If you need free help finding care for a senior, your family may benefit from Eric’s senior living expertise, and access to assisted living, memory care and in-home care options. You can reach Eric Klein, CSA, BCPA, CPRS at 847.653.1213 • [email protected]