Distinctive Care: About Us

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	About Us Our geriatric care managers are professionals who specialize in meeting long term care needs with an extensive knowledge of costs, quality and availability of services in the community. We enable the older adult to maintain an independent lifestyle as long as possible and appropriate. Our geriatric care managers are nurses and specialists in assessing the individual to determine strengths and needs while respecting choices and decisions. Individualized care plans with personalized services are designed to meet the clients’ needs and wants. Our geriatric care managers have a passion for elder care and strive to provide dignity while helping the older adult and the family that cares for them to adjust and cope with the changes that occur during the aging process. Peace of mind and dignity are a result of our respectful and caring services.
Our Founder Sophia Heftler, RN, MSN, CMC, CALA, CDP® has specialized in working with the older adult population her entire nursing career. She began as a staff nurse in a local nursing home, progressed to a director of nursing services and finally to a Certified Assisted Living Administrator and executive director at assisted living communities. Her experience provides her with a unique perspective on the aging process and the diversified needs of older individuals. Sophia provides a thorough assessment of the aging individual's strengths and needs and develops a plan of care to maximize those strengths while addressing their requirements for assistance and care. On a personal level, her role as a family caregiver provides her with the knowledge and empathy to work with families who are dealing with the stress involved in assuming the responsibilities of being a caregiver.
	Christine Clark Christine Clark, RN, RCS, CDP® is our lead geriatric care manager and assists with the coordination of the Distinctive Care nursing team. She is a registered nurse and has been working primarily in cardiology for most of her 25 years in nursing. She brings an extensive background in congestive heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, Coumadin® therapy, and echocardiography. To quote her “I am thrilled to be a Geriatric Care Manager and have the opportunity to be part of the holistic, nurturing and distinguished care that Distinctive Care is known for.” She enjoys working with clients, families and caregivers to help strengthen their coping skills and give them the support they need.
Amy Shein Amy Shein, BS, RN, CDP® is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelors Degree in Food and Nutrition and with 15 years of nursing experience, has been able to fulfill her desire to work closely with patients. She began her career at Beth Israel Hospital in New Jersey in the Dietary Department. Her recent experience has been in Cardiology within a large Cardiology practice, where she was trained in cardiac stress testing and internal pacemakers/defibrillators and assisted with a Coumadin® clinic. She spent 5 years working in the ICU and cardiac step-down units and was a Study Coordinator in international clinical drug trails working with pharmaceutical companies. Her strong nursing and cardiology background benefits our clients at Distinctive Care and our team of professionals.
	Deborah Varisco Deborah Varisco, RN CDP® is a registered nurse who holds both a degree in nursing as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in education. She has fifteen years of nursing experience, primarily in the field of cardiology. Her training includes both hospital experience, working at Valley Hospital in the cardiac step down unit; and experience in a doctor’s office at a local cardiology practice for the last ten years. Both settings have provided her with experience in all aspects of patient care, from educating patients on medications and procedures, to researching the support services they may require. She has primarily worked with older adults and is happy to bring her experience to Distinctive Care to continue to help support our geriatric clients and their families.
Kimberly Joyce Kimberly Joyce, LPN has 15 years of experience in nursing. Although most of her experience is working with the geriatric population, she has also experienced working with medically fragile children and patients who suffered traumatic brain injuries. Her most experience was as a nurse manager of a sub acute and long term care unit. With a strong background in geriatric care including discharge planning, she assists patients in making a safe and comfortable transition to home from nursing facilities with Distinctive Care's newest program, Transition to Home.
	Nancy Kelly Nancy Kelly, RN, BSN, the newest member of the Distinctive Care geriatric care management team, is a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. With over twenty years of nursing experience in hospital, doctor’s office and community settings, she is well prepared to work with the physical and emotional needs of our clients at Distinctive Care. She has worked with children and adults of all ages in her career, and especially enjoys working with older adults to help foster a better quality of life by providing them with the best possible care and support to meet their needs and the needs of the loved ones that support them.
Debbie Innocenti Debbie Innocenti, BS, MA, CDP®, CSW is the Geriatric Counselor on the Distinctive Care team. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Drexel University and holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Debbie brings much experience to the job, having been an Admissions Director at a local long term care facility where she also enjoyed assisting the Recreation department with daily and special activities for seniors. She worked in a private housing community as a counselor for people with various psychiatric conditions and was an Outpatient Case Manager and Staff Therapist at a local Counseling Center where she helped ~60 clients with varying psychosocial needs. Also among her accomplishments was the start-up of a support group for woman ages 65 and older to help deal with various issues related to aging.
	Romeo, Therapy Dog Romeo is a professionally trained Pomeranian who has been working with Distinctive Care since his first birthday. He provides therapy and companionship to many of our clients and is a regular visitor to several local long-term care facilities
Credentialing Key: RN = Registered Nurse CMC = Care Manger, Certified CALA = Certified Assisted Living Administrator CDP ® = Certified Dementia Practitioner BSN = Bachelor of Science in Nursing RCS = Registered Cardiac Sonographer BS = Bachelor of Science MA = Master of Arts LPN = Licensed Practical Nurse

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