About Us
Mission & Values
Our mission is to provide the best geriatric care management service in the Twin Cities.
Our values are:
Respect for clients' dignity. We firmly believe our clients should participate in their caregiving decisions to the best of their ability.
Expertise. We strive to provide the community with a reliable, trusted, and authoritative voice on aging-related issues. With over 100 years of combined experience, our Care Managers are Registered Nurses and Licensed Social Workers who have obtained certification in geriatric care management (CMC) and are members of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM). We regularly appear at public conferences, offer "in-service" sessions for professionals in the community, conduct formal or informal workshops for families, and publish a monthly newsletter, "The Pathfinder Post".
Comprehensive. Our assessments review functional status, psychosocial/emotional status, health, legal and financial status, cognitive ability, nutritional status, and environmental issues. We provide a broad spectrum of services, from medical advocacy to arranging for financial and legal planning, from coordinating home health services to providing oversight of care. While our process is standardized, we evaluate each client's unique needs through an individual assessment and create a plan of action tailored to meet those needs promptly and thoroughly.
Willing to go the extra mile. Because we do almost anything a caring family member would do, many of our clients think of us as their "Rent a Daughter™." We put our hearts into our work, while maintaining a high standard of professionalism and customer service. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with direct access to a care manager in crisis or emergency situations.
Our History
Pathfinder Care Management/"Rent a Daughter™" formed on January 1, 2005, as a result of the merger between Pathfinder Senior Care Consulting and Estates in Transition/Rent a Daughter™.
Pathfinder Senior Care Consulting was founded by Kathleen Dempsey in 2002. Ms. Dempsey has served seniors and their families in private homes and skilled nursing facilities for over 10 years. As a certified gerontological nurse she was instrumental in the design and management of memory loss units for the Ebenezer Society and Walker Methodist, Inc.
Estates in Transition/Rent a Daughter™ was founded in 1982 by Shelley Joseph-Kordell to provide financial and care management services for older adults. Ms. Joseph-Kordell set the benchmark for the profession in the Twin Cities and made professional advocacy for the elderly her passion in life. Today, the staff carries on her legacy of helping seniors find dignity and comfort a legacy that forms the basis of our commitment to each of our clients. For more about Shelley Joseph-Kordell, please click here.
Meet the Staff
Kathleen Dempsey, Founder/CEO
Kathleen Dempsey, RN, BC, has served seniors and their families both in private homes and skilled nursing facilities for over 10 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Nursing from the College of Saint Catherine, Saint Paul, and went on to receive her certification as a gerontological nurse from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Prior to founding Pathfinder Care Management, Ms. Dempsey served seniors in long term care and was instrumental in the design and management of memory loss units for the Ebenezer Society and Walker Methodist, Inc. Ms. Dempsey also served seniors in their homes through work as a home health and hospice nurse with Fairview Health Systems. Ms. Dempsey founded Pathfinder Care Management in 2002 out of a desire to provide one-on-one advocacy, support and resource recommendations to seniors and their caregivers. Recognized as an expert in her field, Ms Dempsey has had the privilege of speaking both locally and nationally on a variety of issues impacting seniors and their families. Ms. Dempsey is a board member of the Minnesota Gerontological Society and a member of the National Association of Geriatric Care Managers.
Julie Barnes, Care Manager
Julie Barnes, LSW, CMC, brings over 20 years of Social Work experience to Pathfinder Care Management. After graduating from Michigan State University, Julie worked in a variety of areas ranging from infants with disabilities to seniors in a nursing home. Julie was Director of Social Services for a Long Term Care Facility, and has been a Medical Social Worker in Home Health Care. Julie is a Licensed Social Worker, a past board member for Social Workers in Marketing, and a member of both the Minneapolis and St. Paul Senior Workers Association.
Linda Morshare, Care Manager
Linda Morshare, BA, RN, MA brings a passion for serving seniors and over 25 years of nursing experience to Pathfinder Care Management, including working in hospitals, homecare and outpatient settings. As Director of Nursing at Methodist Hospital, she developed the Institute for Eating Disorders as well as the inpatient Rehabilitation Unit. Additionally, she directed the creation of the outpatient Wound Care Center for Fairview Southdale Hospital for treatment of chronic non-healing wounds. Linda's work as a consultant took her to the departments of Home Health Care, Nursing, Surgery and primary care clinics at hospitals nationwide to enhance operations and contain costs. Working extensively with Lou Gehrig 's disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and Multiple Sclerosis has given Linda unique insights into coping with chronic and progressive illnesses. Linda holds a Masters in Health and Human Services and is a member of the Minneapolis Area Senior Workers Association.
Marlene Panek, Operations Manager
Marlene Panek has been serving seniors and their adult children for the past nine years working in assisted, memory care focused and independent senior housing communities throughout the Twin Cities. She is a board member of the Minneapolis Area Senior Workers Association, and a member of Social Workers In Marketing, and the MN Association of Guardianship & Conservatorship. She is certified through the Assisted Living Federation of America and holds a degree in Marketing, Sales and Management.
Kris Drew, Business Development
Kris Drew, RN, MS brings over 25 years of work experience, with a special interest in health care trends and challenges, including program development to assist our seniors. Her avenue for pursuing this goal incorporates diverse experience, such as consultative sales and medical device marketing, including five years as an International Marketing Manager. In 2003, she decided to concentrate on healthcare challenges closer to home, specifically in the area of home health care, serving as a Manager of Home Infusion Services and more recently as Geriatric Care Manager and senior services Educator. She graduated from Loyola University in Chicago with a BSN and holds a Master's of Science in Public Health Nursing from the University of Illinois. A lifelong learner, she currently is enrolled in the part time MBA program at the University of St Thomas. She is a member of the St. Paul Area Senior Workers Association and is on the joint Minneapolis /St. Paul Public Policy Committee.
Margaret Wallace, Community Relations Margaret Wallace, LSW, brings 20 years of experience working in the senior care industry. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Stout, she worked with seniors for 10 years as a Social Worker and Director of Social Services for Good Samaritan Society and Friendship Village of Bloomington. For nearly 10 years, Margaret worked as Communications Coordinator and Editor of the Network News for Care Options Network. She assisted with the development of the professional organization, Social Workers in Marketing (SWIM) and held several board positions, including President. Margaret is also a member of the Minnesota Nursing Home Social Worker's Association and both the Minneapolis and St. Paul Senior Workers Associations
