FAQs

Windhorse Elder Care offers direct care support for activities of daily living such as companionship, personal care (assistance with toilet and bathing), and transportation to appointments, errands, companionship outings. Direct care shifts might also include meal preparation, medication reminding, light housekeeping, laundry, and other household support.

We also provide case management for coordinating medical care and appointments, collaboration with family, friends, and community members, as well as researching and connecting clients to helpful resources in the area.

A unique aspect of Windhorse Elder Care is our ability to provide individual, couple, and family counseling services. We have a number of staff members who are highly-trained, compassionate psychotherapists, ready to serve our clients and families!

Our primary area of service is Boulder County, and we are able to serve clients who live further south, east, or up into the mountain areas on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, we will support clients wherever they are living. Our clients reside in homes, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care facilities, and we have also supported clients as they go through hospitalizations and rehab/inpatient care.

We run background checks on all potential hires for the safety and wellbeing of our clients and their families. We hire employees who have experience in caring for elders with Alzheimer's and other dementias, and we train our staff extensively and ongoingly. Many of our staff members have advanced degrees in gerontology, psychology and nursing.

We require all new staff to participate in an initial orientation to the Windhorse philosophy and our practice of Basic Attendance, training in how to perform Personal Care tasks with dignity and presence, and training in Working with Dementia. Throughout the year we offer a variety of additional trainings that go deeper in the areas of Alzheimer's and other dementias, grief and loss, end-of-life issues, Project Visibility for working with LGBTQ+ elders, racial diversity training, and more.

Yes, during the initial assessment when we meet the client and family we bring the Client Care Agreement to review.

Yes.

If interested in our services, please call the office at 303-786-9313 and we will begin by doing what we call an "initial intake."  If you'd like to move forward in exploring building a team for your loved one, we will schedule a free in-home assessment which usually takes about 45 minutes or an hour.  We bring written materials with more details about our services and the paperwork needed to officially become a client to this meeting. This is an informal meeting; a time to get to know one other and ask questions.

“Windhorse” refers to a mythic horse, famous throughout central Asia, who rides in the sky and is the symbol of a person’s energy and discipline to uplift himself. Windhorse is literally an energy in the body and mind, which can be aroused in the service of healing an illness or overcoming depression. — from Windhorse Project founder Dr. Edward Podvoll’s book Recovering Sanity (Shambhala Publications, 2003, p. 224.)

Absolutely. We offer a free, bi-monthly support group facilitated by Kathy Emery, MA, LPC and Lou Stenger, M.A., M.S. Families are encouraged to join with us in supporting one another on this journey of caring for our loved ones. The group can offer you the opportunity to meet other caregivers and share your wisdom and challenges.

Our Unique Approach

• We offer a unique approach to elder care. Our staff clinicians are comprised of extensively trained home health care providers with graduate degrees in psychology and related fields.

• The practice of “Basic Attendance” in many ways is as old as the human experience itself…one individual caring for another in a time of need; caring with body, mind and spirit…wholly present.

• Our clinicians take on a relationship with clients as a practice in awareness to use ordinary day-to-day activities as an opportunity to deepen the relationship and their capacity for compassion in every situation.

   Team Approach

• There are a number of providers in the community doing outstanding, yet similar work for seniors. Where we stand apart is in the specialized training of our staff. Our employees are trained in pastoral care, psychotherapy, counseling, as well as geriatric studies and elder care. We specialize in providing therapeutic supports to elders experiencing psychological difficulties.

• While we specialize in elders, we are not limited to doing work with elders. We will provide personal care for younger individuals who have non-psych issues using our unique, circle of care approach.