New wellness coordinator shares her expertise to support members

By Meghann Finn Sepulveda

Linda Esparza, RN, BSN, has been a community health nurse in the Northwest Valley, providing continuing care and education to patients in a variety of settings for more than 18 years. In her new role as the wellness coordinator for Sun Health at Home, she is thrilled to get acquainted with all the program’s members and looks forward to establishing long-term relationships.

A wealth of knowledge

Linda became a registered nurse in 1995, and recently received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Grand Canyon University. She spent her early career years in community-based and home health nursing until she joined the Sun Health Care Transitions team in 2013.

“I cared for patients who were recently discharged home from the hospital,” Linda says.
“It was my job to help them have a successful recovery and avoid re-hospitalization.”

In her role, she visited patients’ homes, assessed their health needs, determined if other services were required and coordinated care.

“I provided education about medications, helped patients understand how to self-manage their health conditions, and connected patients with resources, such as meal delivery and transportation,” Linda explains. “I also followed-up with phone calls on a regular basis.”

A passion for helping others

Linda has always felt strongly that patients, especially older adults, should receive adequate support at home.

“The hospital and physician can only do so much,” she says. “I try to have a more long-term impact on the overall health of my patients.”

In her new role as wellness coordinator for Sun Health at Home, Linda is eager to be more involved in each member’s pursuit of healthy aging.

“In this position, I have an opportunity to offer that personal touch to support each person and their goals,” she says.

A steady resource

All Sun Health at Home members are partnered with a highly knowledgeable and experienced wellness coordinator who becomes the point of contact for wellness, health and long-term care needs to help maintain independence in the home.

“Life comes unexpectedly,” Linda says. “This program allows people to plan ahead and be prepared, especially those who don’t have children nearby or simply want to avoid being a burden on family and friends.”

Sun Health at Home members also have access to Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing classes such as tai chi, nutrition, yoga, balance and strength training, brain fitness and more.

“We have these wonderful classes, as well as monthly activities, for our members,” Linda says. “It is an opportunity for them to get involved and remain active.”

As a wellness coordinator, Linda has access to a wide range of resources and can help members with navigating the health system as their health needs change. She can also help with coordinating medically necessary transportation, arranging caregiver or meal delivery services during a recovery period and connecting members to needed community resources.

She encourages members to be open, honest and share important health changes or events.

“We really want members to engage and feel comfortable with us,” Linda adds.

 A plan that provides peace of mind

Aging in place is important to so many, especially those who are growing older. The Sun Health at Home program provides members with access to high-quality health and non-medical services with a lifetime guarantee of care, all while protecting hard-earned assets.

“The program allows members to be prepared at every stage of life,” Linda states.

As she settles into her new role, Linda looks forward to learning more about every member and attending more community events. She’s also planning to be more proactive in maintaining the health of each member, such as providing education about ways to stay protected during flu season.

“I see this job as a magnified role of my previous position,” Linda says. “I just now have the opportunity to do even more over an extended amount of time.”