Meet Ade: Gerontology, Crisis, and Mental Health Specialist

At Wellthy, our Care Coordinators are often the first voice on the other end of the line when families are navigating their most urgent, overwhelming moments. With backgrounds in mental health, social work, crisis intervention, and more, our Care Team meets each family where they are, with empathy, resourcefulness, and calm amidst crisis. Whether helping someone avoid eviction, find stable transportation, coordinate a safe discharge from rehab, or simply take the first step in asking for help, they’re a lifeline to families when they need it most.

This month, we’re proud to spotlight Ade, a Care Coordinator whose passion for supporting others began in middle school and grew into a career focused on older adults, mental health, and crisis care. Her experience as a victim advocate, her  passion for gerontology, and her deep empathy for caregivers shape the thoughtful, proactive support she brings to every interaction.

In the conversation below, she shares how her caregiving journey began, what inspires her most, and the real impact of showing up for families when it matters most.

What is your personal caregiving story and what drew you to Wellthy?

When I was in middle school, I started volunteering in nursing homes—I would go and hand out cookies and spend time with the residents, often around holidays like Christmas or Easter. That’s when I really started becoming interested in working with older adults.

As I went through high school and was trying to decide what I wanted to study in college, I stumbled across gerontology and began pursuing that path. Another huge part of why I wanted to work with older adults was seeing my grandparents age. At the time, I wasn’t caring for them myself because I was still so young, but watching my parents and my aunts and uncles care for them was a big inspiration. I’ve always loved working with older adults, learning from them, and hearing their stories.

In college, I worked in nursing homes throughout my internships, and I was always interested in care coordination and care management. After I graduated, I was looking for a job in that space and came across Wellthy. I immediately connected with the mission and the focus on caregiving—it aligned so well with my passion. And everyone at Wellthy seemed so genuinely passionate about what they were doing, which definitely drew me in.

How long have you worked at Wellthy and what is your role here? What do you specialize in?

I have worked here for about three years and my three specialties would be working with older adults, mental health, and crisis. Out of college, I was a counselor advocate for a year for victim services, and that’s where I got a lot of my background in mental health and crisis intervention. When I started at Wellthy, I was a Care Advisor on the mental health team. I did that for a little over a year. Then they were looking for a Care Coordinator on the crisis team, and since I had that crisis background from working with victim advocates and doing crisis counseling, that’s how I got introduced to the crisis team as a Care Coordinator.

How have you been able to use your background to enhance your work at Wellthy?

I think even on regular care projects, it can definitely come in handy. When families come to us, they’re often super overwhelmed with everything that’s going on. Sometimes they unfortunately reach a breaking point before they decide to reach out, and then they remember they have this benefit. They finally get encouraged to reach out, either because they remembered it or because someone from HR reminded them.

Specifically with the team I’m on, we deal with members facing eviction, or situations like natural disasters, so they’re definitely in crisis. It just takes extra sensitivity when it comes to those projects because they’re going through a lot at the time they reach out to us.

How do we help families who lack resources in their area?

There are definitely some of the more obvious ways we can help people, like finding rental assistance or food banks to help them just make it through the week. But there are also times where we really have to dive deeper and look at smaller financial barriers they’re facing that we can help with.

That could be things like school supplies for their kids or transportation options. A lot of people, if their car gets repossessed or they just don’t have a way to get to work, end up facing really high Uber charges, which can get super expensive. We try to find better transportation options. So even if it’s not one of the more obvious needs, we like to dig deep to see how we can help in small ways that add up to really making a difference.

Do you have a favorite project or type of task you enjoy working on?

I think some of the biggest ones, which are also the most challenging but the most rewarding in the end, are when someone is being discharged from a care facility or hospital. A lot of those systems might help arrange a safe discharge from a rehab facility, for example, but many wait until the last minute.

That’s when a lot of families come to us to get things figured out, so they can have peace of mind for a few days. When we’re able to find the resources to get someone home safely, or into a safe home, or help with home modifications like handrails to make things safer, that’s a big win. It means a lot when families tell us they couldn’t have done it without us.

How does someone know when it is time to work with a care coordinator?

I think sometimes people reach that breaking point. There are some who reach out proactively, but really, any point in your caregiving journey is the right time to reach out. If you realize you have access to Wellthy, even if it’s just to explore what your options might be in the future, you should reach out.

Usually people reach out when they’re unsure of their financial options, for example, if they’re looking into facilities or long-term care. But you can reach out at any time just to get an idea of what’s available. Even if it’s something small we can help with, proactively looking into it can definitely alleviate a lot of stress down the line.

Do you have any tips or advice for family caregivers?

I think just talking to someone, whether it’s your Care Coordinator or anyone else in your care circle, about what’s been going on can help. Talking things through helps you think ahead for certain situations.

I also tell families this all the time if you’re thinking about a care option down the road, whether it’s assisted living, an adult day center, or in-home support, it’s never too soon to start looking at what’s available. That way, if you need that information, you already have it. If you don’t use it, that’s fine, but if you do need it, it’s there and ready.

What is the most common mistake you see caregivers make?

Definitely, not being proactive and reaching out for support before reaching a breaking point. I think when you’re caring for someone you love, you want to be the one to handle everything. Some people feel shame in asking for help, and others are just so overwhelmed. By the time they reach out to us, they’re often at a point where they feel they don’t even have time for a call. But once they do reach out, they realize how much we can take off their plate. People want to do it themselves because they care so much, but it can become so overwhelming that it’s hard to take that next step. That’s why reaching out early is so important.

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