Interviews with purpose-driven leaders who are dedicated to helping others and making a positive impact in the world.
June 14, 2022
Katherine Wells | Serenity Engage
Katherine Wells is the Founder & CEO of Serenity Engage headquartered in Denver, CO. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and learn more at serenityengage.com.
TELL US, WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO?
My name is Katherine Wells and I am the CEO and founder of Serenity Engage, the go-to platform for streamlining communication, care coordination, and education across senior care. In addition to my role at Serenity Engage, I’m also the Chief Inspiration Maverick at Mavericks of Senior Living, a place to bridge the silos and shine a spotlight on the extraordinary happenings that few ever see across the senior living ecosystem.
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
My experience in the senior care industry began at a time when I was balancing my professional career and personal life, which included raising a family and caring for my aging parents. My mother and father became my inspiration to solve a massive problem in the senior care space. Through the challenges I faced in being the person responsible for taking care of them, I realized there was a desperate need for streamlining communication and collaboration between senior care teams and families. I was on a mission to find a solution that would improve the situation by increasing efficiency for providers while giving patients and their families a voice. Thus Serenity Engage was born.
Katherine Wells is the Founder & CEO of Serenity Engage headquartered in Denver, CO. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and learn more at serenityengage.com.
WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR? WHY IS THIS WORK IMPORTANT TO YOU?
In the US, more than 50 million people manage care for an aging adult, navigating an outdated senior care system. Without change, reduced quality of life, high costs, and physical/emotional impact will continue to rise. It’s up to us to change the system.
Serenity Engage’s purpose is to connect the entire senior care ecosystem to improve the lives of older adults and those who love and care for them. Serenity Engage is more than technology; it helps bridge the gaps that cause financial, physical, and emotional distress. We aim to serve as a catalyst to strengthen relationships between care teams and with families, to give staff and providers more time in their day, and to offer families greater peace of mind regarding their loved ones.
WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU MAKING?
Seventy percent of those 65 and older will require paid care services. That equates to 50 million people this year alone. This means more than 50 million adult children will get involved in the next steps for their mom or dad as they begin the senior care journey.
This is not a people problem. Providers and care staff are often truly heroic in their care. It is a system problem. The system is antiquated, complex, and siloed. It is fraught with inefficiencies, wasting precious resources in a global caregiver crisis. We want to fix the system so the extraordinary people working in the system can do what they do best – love and care for our older adults. We’ve seen that using Serenity Engage saves up to 10 hours per week for staff members, equating to a minimum of $53,000 per year in cost savings. And in an industry that is dealing with an unprecedented caregiver shortage, this is significant.
We are making an impact across senior care. From hearing firsthand how much families appreciate the real-time updates on their loved ones to the top-line revenue growth and bottom-line time savings, Serenity Engage is changing the status quo in senior care.
WHAT (OR WHO) INSPIRES YOU TO DO THIS WORK?
My mom. Definitely. She has been both a personal and professional inspiration to me. She was an award-winning “super-volunteer” at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs for 25 years. She would never have told you that because her style was to be a quiet, yet constant force for positively impacting people’s lives. I didn’t realize the impact she had on me until the tables were turned and I was providing care for her in her last years.
WHAT’S YOUR VISION, YOUR BIG DREAM FOR THE IMPACT YOU WANT TO MAKE?
Aging affects all demographics and walks of life, yet many find themselves afraid, confused, and alone when mom falls and suddenly can’t live alone anymore, or dad starts to get lost on his drive home. I want to inspire older adults and family caregivers to take charge of their aging journey and empower them to assemble the team they need when they need them.
Our vision for Serenity Engage is to be the go-to platform for everyone involved in the senior care ecosystem. With consistent, collaborative continuity of communication, our streamlined HIPAA-compliant platform brings an experience of simplicity, connection, and harmony to all. With our fully-integrated information and resources, we aim to strengthen the quality of care, increase provider productivity, improve seniors’ quality of life, and offer families greater peace of mind regarding their loved ones.
WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING?
As I’ve said many times previously, starting a company is not easy. There is no such thing as an overnight success, and it takes time, energy, and effort to get your idea off the ground. But with the challenges come incredible rewards. I have no regrets about starting Serenity and am looking forward to what the future holds.
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CAUSE AND/OR THE WORK YOU’RE DOING?
Every day I see the struggles people go through to figure out what’s best for their parents. One of the biggest challenges is simply knowing what’s happening with their parent’s care. Another is a lack of simplified resources to support them along the senior care journey. There is a better solution and Serenity Engage is here to help.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE QUOTE OR WORDS OF INSPIRATION TO SHARE?
For all my entrepreneurs out there, just get started! Many think that they have to move mountains in order to start a company, but all it takes is one conversation to truly get the ball rolling. Talk to your industry peers to get some new perspectives. You’ll soon understand if your idea is a good one, and get the inspiration you need to take that next step.
HOW CAN OTHERS SUPPORT YOU OR YOUR CAUSE?
Talk to your loved ones about aging. It’s a tough conversation to have, but the sooner you can make a plan with mom or dad, the easier it will be when it comes time to make decisions – for all of you.
At Orapin, we believe those who are working for the greater good should be known, supported, and celebrated. We give purpose-driven organizations the resources and support they need to increase awareness and elevate their reputation so they can maximize their impact. If would like to be featured in INSPIRED IMPACT™, reach out to hello@orapinmarketing.com.