Sheila Manahan, Care Coordinator, VNSNY CHOICE, MLTC Care Management

“I try to make every CHOICE member feel like they’re the only person assigned to me.”

As a Care Coordinator with the VNSNY CHOICE Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plan, Sheila helps coordinate services for plan members and assists them in navigating the complicated channels of the healthcare system, which can be a particular challenge for the elderly. Whether she’s helping a client obtain a wheelchair, securing the services of a live-in home health aide and a visiting doctor for a homebound 101-year-old, or traveling to Jamaica with a group of doctors and nurses to provide free medical care to residents living in rural communities—as she did earlier this year—Sheila, who recently celebrated her 25th anniversary at VNSNY, provides peace of mind as well as tangible results. “When people call, they’re expecting a big, impersonal organization,” she says. “Even though we do have a lot of members, I try to make every one of them feel like they are the only person assigned to me.” She does this, she explains, by being patient, showing empathy, and by being a good listener. “Sometimes I’ll have an upset member or caregiver on the phone, and I’ve learned to just listen. I understand that they are frustrated. Maybe they’re used to being brushed off, or they may be seniors who are exhausted because they are caregivers themselves, or they are scared and confused. Almost always, by the end of the conversation, they thank me for listening to them. It’s often as simple as the human need to be heard.”