Hello there! I'm Kari Johnson, a Board Certified Patient Advocate with over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, primarily working with adults and the geriatric population. My healthcare journey started as a Certified Nursing Assistant/Medication Aide during high school and college. After obtaining a BS in Social Work and Psychology, I moved to the UK. I practiced as a hospital-to-home Social Worker for three years, dealing with complex cases, including the most severe matters a family can face. Upon returning to the US, I worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist while completing prerequisites for my Masters in Occupational Therapy. I practiced as an Occupational Therapist for over 14 years, providing evaluation and therapy for clients with traumatic brain injuries, neurological conditions including dementia and Parkinson's, accident-related injuries and multi-system trauma, and complex medical conditions including cancer, double lung transplants/multiorgan transplants, and active as well as long COVID. The settings I have worked in include the acute care hospital and ICU, neuro rehab units, outpatient and aquatic therapy, adult day center, memory care, and assisted living/long-term care. Throughout my career, I have frequently dealt with client and family assessments, discharge planning, client, family, and professional education, end-of-life care, case management, and crisis intervention and stabilization.

In addition to my work experience, I was a caregiver for my father, Burt, for 16 years following a hemorrhagic stroke and mixed dementia. He also had a history of alcohol abuse and went through 2 cat’s 9 lives. Many adventures in caregiving were had, but he loved my sister and me fiercely and was loved by strangers who knew him in less than 5 minutes. My approach begins with empathy. Reaching out for assistance is not easy whether you are a client, patient, or family. Sometimes, we feel like failures, and my first goal is to help you understand you are not. Occasionally, there is shame when a loved one has a diagnosis that may cause them not to act their best. I lived the majority of my life seeing the loving person in my father despite the struggles he so often had. I don't want others to feel any shame. Life is life, and we do the best we can. I’ve seen many sides of healthcare and been to hell and back as a caregiver. However, I’ve helped those whose situations were far worse than mine. I feel blessed to have had my life experiences, and I am now adding another element to it by building my private practice advocacy services. Few things could shock me, and no problem would make me judge you or deter me from doing my best to support you and your loved ones. If I can’t help you, I will find someone who can help. I am organized, honest, and compassionate, and I am working towards being perfect. If I can nail that down, I'll sell a whole new service!

In our intro call, we will discuss your current situation and needs. Past and current medical history will be a part of the discussion, as well as information about my background and experience. If I feel a different option or advocate could better serve you I will say so and do my best to facilitate getting you what you need. This is not a full assessment. A full assessment is a paid service and can take up to 4 hours so that, in the end, I know everything I need to assist you and you feel confident I am the advocate for you.

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