Our Mission:
Our mission is to connect family caregivers of older adults to resources and respite that will empower them to be the best caregivers they can be.
Our History:
Caregiver Connections, formerly known as Eagle Valley Senior Life, was initiated in 2011 by a group of caregivers and other invested individuals in response to the need for services and programs for older adults who require full-time care and their caregivers. The Senior Spot was the first and remains the only adult day program in Eagle County.
Staff
Executive Director, Wendy Miller, M.Ed.
Wendy has been involved with Caregiver Connections in one way or another since 2013. She has served on the Board and also as the Executive Director. Her mother, who is turning 100, has lived with Wendy for the past seven years. Managing her mother's care has provided Wendy with a lot of experience and compassion for family caregivers. She has a background in counseling, higher education and teaching fitness to older adults.
Edna Fesler, Program Director
Eddi relocated to Eagle from Edina, Minnesota in 2016 to be near her daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons. She was a caregiver for her husband Rick for eleven years until he passed away from Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) in November of 2021. For 35 years she worked alongside her husband in their specialized incentive travel business, arranging and fulfilling trips to world class sporting events including Olympic Games, Masters Golf Tournament, Kentucky Derby, etc. Eddi now spends her free time attending art workshops and pursuing her love of painting.
Melinda Gladitsch, Director of Development
Melinda retired from a career with leading advertising agencies in 2018. She lost her mother to Alzheimer’s in 2017 and decided to use her new found free time to give back by volunteering with the Alzheimer’s Association and chairing the local Walk to End Alzheimer’s. During that journey she became familiar with the work of Caregiver Connections, was inspired by the people in the organization and is thrilled to be putting her marketing and development skills to work for such a worthy cause. When not working, she loves hiking in the mountains, knitting, reading, painting and spending time with family, especially new grandson, Tuckerman.
Board Members
Brad Esty, President
Brad has been on the Caregiver Connections board as President since 2021. Brad began his involvement as an Activity Buddy volunteer in 2020 and was recruited to join the board shortly after.
Brad holds an MBA degree with a concentration in marketing. He was the co-owner and founder of Stanley’s Estate Agents in Antigua in 2009, serving as the CEO until 2020 when he began passing along the overseeing of daily operations and ownership of the firm to partners. Prior to moving to Antigua, he served 18+ years as President/Founder of several major, award-winning international marketing firms.
Brad and his wife Julie both enjoy sailing, skiing, scuba diving, golf, hiking/camping, and spending time with their two sons, Tucker and Tanner (ages 19 and 18).
Robert Mann, Treasurer
Robert has been on the board as Treasure for over six years. Robert became aware of Caregiver Connections when caring for his mother-in-law who lived with him for17 years. After seeing all they offered people in his situation, he immediately decided to get involved.
Robert is a long-time local since 1991 and has had his own CPA practice in Eagle since 2009 after leaving East West Partners to go out on his own. His undergrad and MBA are from University of Miami and his CPA is from University of Denver. He loves helping businesses navigate the complexity of the US Tax Code and working with business owners through the start up phase and guiding them through the most common mistakes business owners can make.
For fun, he referees middle school and high school football as well as being president of the University of Miami Band of the Hour Alumni Association.
Celynn McClarrinon, Secretary
Celynn McClarrinon joined the board in 2019 and serves as the Secretary. She got involved with the Board because of her passion for their mission. Growing up in the Vail Valley she has watched the older adult community grow. During her time as a Social Worker for Home Health, she relied on resources to help caregivers with their loved ones. She understands and is compassionate about helping the pioneers of the valley stay in their community.
Celynn's educational background includes a Masters in Social Work from Portland State University in Portland, OR and a B.A in Communications from St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame IN.
When not seeing clients, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter. She is a Colorado native and loves being outside whether she is biking, hiking, or enjoying the patio.
Monica McCarroll
Monica has worked adjacent to Caregiver Connections for many years in her role as a physical therapist serving primarily older adults in our community. She appreciated the support Caregiver Connections offered her clients and decided to get more involved by joining the board in 2022.
Monica has worked as a physical therapist in Eagle County for over 20 years, primarily working with clients in their homes. She has worked for HomeCare and Hospice for 11 of the past 14 years. Given her background, she has a particular interest in our Medical Supply Closet service which allows people to borrow durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers. This is an acute need in our community and she likes to contribute her expertise in this area.
When not working, Monica enjoys hiking, mountain biking, staring at the mountains and clouds, and identifying the birds at her feeder.
Stephanie Giangiulio
Stephanie has been on the board with Caregiver Connections for the last year. Her expertise in adapting and providing meaningful, individualized programming for older adults brings a desire to contribute to this organization.
Stephanie has a Bachelor's Degree in Therapeutic Recreation and is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and worked as the Life Enrichment and Volunteer Service Director for Castle Peak Senior Care when it first opened for about 3 years. She has a deep passion for helping activity departments to thrive. She serves as a mentor, coach, and success partner to her current clients as the Director of Therapeutic Recreation at Maria's Place.
Stephanie is from Michigan and now lives in the mountains of Colorado. When she is not working Stephanie is on a search for her next adventure with her husband, son, daughter (on the way) and two dogs!