Evening Duskheart, Executive Assistant, Blue Moon Senior Counseling

I operate as the Executive Assistant at Blue Moon Senior Counseling, leading the administrative side of the company and working directly with the co-founders to manage our main office and oversee our satellite branch. Blue Moon was founded to provide therapy services to the senior population, who often struggle to find a provider since they’re on Medicare, and Medicare providers can be few and far between. Since 2011, we’ve expanded from in-person sessions at small facilities to an almost national footprint. We’re now in nearly every state in the US and primarily provide teletherapy. Most clients find it appealing to connect with a counselor from anywhere, so we typically hold sessions over the phone or video, while still working within their Medicare coverage no matter what state they’re in.

The biggest difference is that our focus is entirely on seniors. Unlike companies that cast a wider net across populations, we’ve honed in on this one group, and our counselors specialize in gerontology or have equivalent experience. We’ve also structured everything, from intake forms to how we handle proceedings, with seniors in mind, so there aren’t a lot of logins and passwords to learn. We avoid forcing clients to interact with portals and other things that are often a barrier, whether they’re in rural areas without reliable internet or simply less comfortable with technology. Nearly everything with us can be done entirely over the phone, with our administrative staff picking up the slack to make sure it’s easy for them to get the care they need.

It’s been a huge improvement, especially for the seniors in really rural areas, far from the cities where it would otherwise be easier to access care. When someone is out in the countryside and there’s no provider nearby, telehealth finally gives them a resource they can reach. It’s improved their quality of care since they can now get help they couldn’t before, and it’s expanded our reach; there are simply more people we’re able to serve.

It’s significant. I’ve personally taken calls from clients who are so appreciative of the care they’ve received, describing it as a dramatic improvement, especially for those in isolated regions, or those in more populated areas who still feel alone because friends and family are no longer around. Many of our seniors have watched people close to them pass, so having a resource that feels dedicated to them means a great deal. It’s incredible how much it can mean just to find someone who’s trying to take care of you, especially as a population that often feels unseen and unheard

Yes, and it’s been astounding for me personally. This isn’t my first job, but it’s the one where I’ve stayed longest, and no other role I’ve held has given me this. It was a pleasant surprise early on, and over the years I’ve had it happen many more times. Every time, it’s the sweetest thing to hear how big a difference their therapists are making. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.

When it comes to the reasons people reach out, a lot of it is expected: anxiety, depression, grief, and loss. But beyond the technological hurdles, one overlooked challenge is that many seniors simply don’t understand how their insurance works. When people first sign on to Medicare, they often have limited understanding of how it operates, since it works a little differently from the rest of the insurance industry, and Medicare Advantage plans add another layer of complexity on top of that. A lot of people come to us without the faintest idea how their coverage works, which I think gets overlooked when people ask why it’s so hard for Medicare recipients to find care. It’s not just about finding a provider who accepts it, it’s understanding the system to begin with. Handling all of that is a task, but it’s rewarding. We’ll all be seniors someday, so if we’re not building resources like this now, I’d like to think one will be there when I need it.

There’s often an assumption that working with seniors is harder because they’re less independent. A lot of companies target younger clients because they can rely on online portals without needing regular manual updates, since younger people are more accustomed to the technology. Our seniors aren’t as familiar with that, but I don’t think that makes everything harder for them. Mostly, they just need to be communicated with, since most people don’t give them the time of day. You explain how the process works and what they need to do, and they can handle it most of the time. I rarely run into real difficulty helping someone move forward. It just takes one extra step, a basic human conversation, which can make it seem far more complicated than it actually is, but it doesn’t add much time to our day.

I have two in mind. One was a client I’d personally helped sign up years earlier; she’d called asking about our services, and I worked with her directly. I hadn’t heard from her since, until she called back almost a year later, inquiring about signing up again. She remembered me by name and said I was the one who’d made her feel comfortable getting started, and how glad she was that she did. I was almost in tears by the end of the call, it was so sweet of her to remember me and say all of that. The therapeutic process has such a huge impact on people, and when someone feels cared for after feeling ignored, hearing that kind of feedback is genuinely life-changing. The other was a client who’d called just a few days earlier. He mentioned how much it had meant to him to work with a counselor over time, and what a big deal it was to finally find care. I’d already resolved the issue he called about, but he wanted to stay on the line to make sure I knew how much it mattered to him, which was very kind. I’m glad I took that extra time; it makes a real difference for how I approach my work.