How a care coordinator helped restore hope for Heather
Heather's story
“She made it more about ‘we’ — what can we do to make this work for you? And made me feel like we were a team.”
Heather Wilson said she considers her UnitedHealthcare care coordinator Jennifer Baumgardner to be more than a resource, but also a friend. Jennifer has been providing support for Heather for close to 10 years.
“She’s always said ‘you can’t leave me,’ so I can’t leave her,” Jennifer said, with a smile.
Navigating obstacles
Heather has spinal muscular atrophy and is paralyzed from the neck down. While she has full sensation in her body, her movement is very limited.
“Mosquitos are my worst enemy. Nothing like having an itch you can’t scratch,” Heather said.
With her limited mobility, she uses a specialized power chair that she controls using her thumbs. A smartphone enables her to manage many tasks, including controlling the thermostat or turning the lights on. A hobby breeder of sphynx cats and an animal lover, Heather’s home is full of cats and dogs — her “critters” that bring her joy.
Through her health plan, Heather has access to care support that can help her live more independently, something she considers essential.
“A lot of people see a wheelchair as a hindrance, or something that gets in the way, but for me, it’s freedom,” Heather said. “It’s independence to me. It’s the ability to go and do and live my life.”
A solution for support
As a member of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee, Heather is eligible to participate in a long-term services and support program (LTSS). These services make it possible for individuals to receive additional support in their own home instead of a care facility.
As a care coordinator for individuals who utilize LTSS, Jennifer helps ensure Heather’s health needs are being addressed and assists with navigating access to specialty care.
“I was assigned to her county, and I showed up on her doorstep with my little computer and my little lanyard and said ‘Hi, I’m your new care coordinator.’ And then we talked about what we were doing and what my role was with helping her, provide services to those people who are on Medicaid who want to receive services in their home rather than be in the nursing facility,” Jennifer said.
“Having the ability in my job to navigate them to people that can provide specialty services … being able to facilitate helps people to live much healthier and be able to stay at home with their families, and their pets.”
Making an impact
“Before Jennifer, I was losing hope. Every step I took, I had to jump through many hoops before I could just get the basic, most simple things,” Heather said. “She’s very positive and uplifting. She’s seen me go through some really dark times.”
Heather said in addition to the supportive services she’s able to receive thanks to Jennifer, she’s also helped her feel cared for over the past 10 years.
“When I was going through a particularly dark time in my life, she gifted me with a bracelet that was hers,” Heather said. “I wear it on days where I’m struggling. It says, ‘You are a diamond, dear. They cannot break you.’”
Jennifer said all she’s ever wanted is to help people – and helping someone like Heather is completely rewarding.
“To get to work with her and see how she overcomes so many obstacles, I mean, she’s an inspiration for me,” she said. “Hearing her say such positive things and that I’ve made a difference in her life, that’s everything to me.”
Share
