Meet Our Charlotte Health Advocates
Cindy Hostetler, MSN, RN, BCPA
My love for older adults was fostered early by my relationship with my grandfather. He managed a Hardware store and during the summer, I spent my days with him playing in the store and riding along as he made deliveries in the lumber truck. I was only 12 when he died, and my memories of that experience are of seeing him in the unfamiliar setting of a hospital and the absence of him in the places we had spent so much special time together. I realized later that there was an overall lack of knowledge and planning for the changes and decline in his health status. It was my grandfather, and that experience that inspired me to become a nurse
I began my practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse and worked my way through Associates, Bachelors and Masters Degrees. Through my career, I have worked in various areas of healthcare delivery. I’ve learned the intricate and complex processes of a healthcare model that rush doctors and nurses in the delivery of care which is primarily focused on an illness or accident. This model leaves little time for communication, understanding needs or developing a relationship with individuals seeking care.
I would like to change that and work directly with adults and elders to understand their unique situations. My goal is to be at their side to aid in the navigation of the care process in the home through whatever setting their life may take them. As healthcare needs change, due to illness or a chronic condition, I can share my knowledge and help fill some of the “gaps” that exist in our healthcare system today.
Along with my advocacy work at Care Weavers, I volunteer with Hospice and Palliative Care of the Charlotte Region and treasure the time that I spend with older friends and family here in my community.
Elizabeth Pruett, BSN, RN, BCPA, Sacred Passage Doula
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and have worked in the healthcare field for over thirty years. Throughout my career, I have focused on working with teams to improve outcomes and provide a high quality of care for patients in the acute care setting. I provided bedside care to people of all ages and worked with innovative companies and technologies that enhance patient safety and improve delivery of care. A primary focus of my healthcare career has been on breaking down decision points for both care givers and patients so that there is clear understanding of options and their outcomes.
I have worked alongside physicians and nurses who typically want the best for their patients but cannot always spend the time or may not have the expertise to assist them in navigating the maze of care both inside and outside the walls of a hospital or doctor’s office. I have experienced the value of a knowledgeable professional at ones side to advocate and oversee the journey from home through various healthcare and living settings.
Supporting my father and mother through their last years reminded me what a great privilege it is to care for and about others particularly at end of life. I have a deep passion for expanding our communities knowledge of end of life literacy and have recently completed a Sacred Passage Doula Certification with the Conscious Dying Institute.
Along with my elder advocacy work at Care Weavers, I enjoy volunteering with Hospice and Palliative Care Charlotte Region while also encouraging the variety of plants and other living creatures that grace my Charlotte yard.
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