Care management for the elderly has its rewards. Kathleen Murray Meyer, RN, CRRN, CCM, has the flexibility to set her own hours and be in control of her work life. She also cultivates long-term relationships with her clients and their families as a private care provider.

Meyer started Senior Solutions Inc. about 18 months ago after a career in nursing that took her from case management to marketing and several hospitals across the state.

"I tried to start a business in the early 1990s in case management for insurance companies, then managed care came in," she said. "However, I knew that things were on the fringes of breaking loose in geriatric care, so this was the right time to start my business."

Meyer incorporated and obtained liability insurance, then began seeking clients. As she built her business, she set goals. "I aimed for working 14 billable hours a week, which I knew was really more like working 25 to 30 hours a week, including marketing and paperwork," she said. "It took me a year to get there, but now I have enough work that I could do more or hire someone else to help. I'm not sure I want to do that."

Meyer publishes a newsletter for her clients periodically. She also maintains a Web site at www.gasenior solutions.com.

She has no employees: "If I did, I'd have to keep up with the labor laws and associated legal issues or hire someone to do it for me."

Meyers spends her days in a variety of work, from helping clients with paying bills to being a resource for family members who are caring for elderly parents. She visits clients in assisted-living facilities and she works in private homes.

Generally, her services are paid for by family members or by the client. Occasionally, a family member's employer offers a set number of hours of geriatric care as part of an Employee Assistance Program, and that benefit may cover Meyer's services.

It takes a special type of person to own a business, especially in health care. "You need to love the nursing part, but you also need the business fortitude and the marketing experience," she said. "You must have the business sense, and you have to balance your work life."

Meyer said that earning $50,000 per year is about average. In addition to building long-term relationships with clients and having flexible work hours, there are other benefits to owning a business. Senior Solutions funds Meyer's health insurance, reimburses her for work-related mileage and pays for conference fees and continuing education.

"My job is very rewarding," she said. "I've met the greatest people. I like having long-term relationships with my clients and their families."