Episode 14:7 Paula Hertel & Nancy Schier Anzelmo on Founding Connected Horse

Paula Hertel and Nancy Schier Anzelmo had a dream to support individuals with mild cognitive decline and their care partners through the magic of horses. Learn how their passion for horses and senior living collided in 2015 with Connected Horse, how research from Stanford and UC Davis shows a reduction in depression, improved sleep and increased feelings of hope and connection, and their plans to expand the ground-breaking programs nationwide.

About Paula

Paula Hertel, MSW, is a co-founder and President of Connected Horse, and she has spent the last 25 years focused on improving service delivery systems for elders in need of care and services through consulting projects and executive management positions. She has broad experience in senior housing and assisted living operations, staff training, regulatory compliance, new program development and family and community needs. She is the founder of Senior Living Consult and co-founder of The ElderHub and provides consulting services to organizations and individuals in need of operational and strategic direction regarding elder care services and program development. Prior to her current ventures, she was Executive Operations Officer for Emeryoak, LLC and Chief Operating Officer of AgeSong Senior Communities, operators of assisted living and dementia care communities, where she oversaw operations, marketing and new building development. Previously, she served as Vice President of Operations and Marketing for Elder Care Alliance, a nonprofit faith-based organization, where she participated in all phases of feasibility, development, and operations for its assisted-living, dementia care, and multilevel long-term care communities in California.

About Nancy

Nancy Schier Anzelmo, MSG, is a co-founder and Educational Director of Connected Horse and is a widely known, highly regarded gerontologist and Alzheimer’s/dementia care specialist, consultant, speaker and trainer. As principal and founder of Alzheimer’s Care Associates LLC, she strives to enable her clients to achieve excellence in dementia care. Whether the environment is assisted living, adult day programs, skilled nursing or home care, Nancy is dedicated to promoting “person-centered” care that offers those with dementia opportunities to grow socially and spiritually and to enjoy enriched an satisfying lives. Nancy’s career spans nearly 20 years and includes hands-on understanding of senior care marketing, operations, budgeting, program development, planning and evaluation gained as staff in a variety of long-term care setting. She is a faculty member in the Gerontology Department of California State University Sacramento and the Program Forum Professional Training Program Coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association of California.

Key Takeaways

• Connected Horse takes a “research-first” approach to validate outcomes, partnering with Stanford’s Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) and the Red Barn Leadership Program and UC Davis School Center for Equine Health and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
• Outcomes from the 4-week Connected Horse program include reduced depression and agitation, improved sleep, increased complex engagement, increased language ability and relationship satisfaction at home or in senior living or adult day care programs.
• Studies show a horse can match your heartbeat four feet away and is quick to pick up on human emotions.
• The Home Sensory Engagement Kit showcases Connected Horse in a virtual setting, capturing the horse’s natural responses in a variety of settings. The box comes with a handful of hay and pieces of leather along with stories and photographs of horses to create a multisensory approach.