Kie Copenhaver is one of three co-founders of Aging Well Partners (AWP). Kie’s superpowers are her sense of humor and casual conversation style, her ability to sense what is under the surface of what people are saying and her overflowing love and commitment to her family and friends. Kie has been a local and state-wide speaker on topics including health information management, privacy and security, patient advocacy and choosing the right placement specialist to meet your needs. She has taught at the associate and bachelor program level at San Diego Mesa Community College and lives for the “ah-ha” moments she sees on the faces of those she is teaching or engaging with.

Kie has spent over 30 years working with the aging population and has committed her life's work to ensuring that older adults get the services they need and the respect and advocacy they deserve. After earning her master's degree in Gerontology from the University of Montana, she began her career in healthcare. She has worked in numerous healthcare settings and done everything from janitorial to direct patient care and consulting to co-owning and operating a senior placement agency. Throughout her career, Kie has earned many healthcare-related credentials, demonstrating her mastery and commitment to the aging population. Kie is a Registered Health Information Administrator, a Certified Senior Advisor, a Senior Home Safety Specialist and a licensed Residential Care Facility for the Elderly Administrator in the state of California. She is currently a CA licensed Health Insurance agent, specializing in Medicare. While times have changed, years have passed, and technology has taken the place of an in-person conversation and handshake, Kie lives by the "one size fits one" approach, first listening to understand then taking action to achieve each client's goals.

HOW IT STARTED FOR ME…

I was lucky enough to know both sets of grandparents; my love of spending time with and assisting the aging adult population comes from the days I got to spend with my grandma Audra. I loved my gram dearly and wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. I was one of the last people to see her before she passed – I had made a spur of the moment decision to ditch class and spend the afternoon with her. I grabbed some soup and sandwiches from our favorite restaurant, and we ate, talked, and laughed. She was so happy I was there (she was in skilled nursing for a broken hip), and I was equally delighted – her spirits seemed to have lifted, she had that sparkle in her eyes and she seemed full of energy. It was 24 hours later that I found out she had passed away and I spent many days in disbelief…. I had just seen her. Life is precious. Life is short. Make the most of what you have. Plan well to live well and then enjoy!

EXPERTISE

Kie has spent the past 25+ years in the healthcare field, working in a multitude of clinic and hospital settings. She earned her bachelor and master’s degree from the University of Montana in Missoula, MT. Out of college, Kie took a position with an in-home care and home health, working in the Home and Community Based Services department where she assisted senior clients with obtaining the services they required to age in place. From there, Kie went on to manage small to medium sized physician clinics in Montana and Washington. In 2011, Kie completed her Health Informatics and Health Information Management curriculum through University of Washington and became a Registered Health Information Administrator. This credential allowed her to consult with healthcare organizations on best practices in the realm of patient privacy, security, and confidentiality. Kie co-owned and operated a senior placement agency with AWP co-founder, Julie Derry. For the past five years, Kie and Julie have been serving the San Diego County aging adult population with expertise, experience, and compassion. Kie is a Senior Home Safety Specialist and a licensed Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) administrator.

DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, KIE WENT TO WORK ON BECOMING A CA STATE LICENSED HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE AGENT. AFTER NUMEROUS YEARS WORKING WITH THE AGING POPULATION, KIE GREW FRUSTRATED WITH HEARING HOW HER CLIENTS HAD BEEN STEERED TOWARDS A MEDICARE POLICY THAT DID NOT MEET THEIR HEALTHCARE NEEDS. HEALTHCARE INSURANCE SHOULD MEET A CLIENT’S MEDICAL NEEDS AS WELL AS THEIR BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS YET ALL TOO OFTEN, KIE HAS SEEN JUST THE OPPOSITE IN THE CLIENTS SHE SERVES. SHE CURRENTLY OWNS AND OPERATES BODHI INSURANCE, SPECIALIZING IN MEDICARE AND MAKING SURE HER CLIENTS ARE UP TO DATE ON CHANGES TO MEDICARE POLICIES, PROVIDERS AND COVERAGE OPTIONS.