About Us
What is Continuing Care at Home?
Continuing Care at Home (CCaH), also referred to as a Continuing Care Retirement Community without Walls, is a model that was developed over 30 years ago by Friends Life Care in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to help individuals age in place. CCaH programs allow for individuals to remain at home and receive similar benefits to that of a Continuing Care Retirement Community including financial protection like a “Type A” community or life care contract. CCaH programs focus on keeping people at home and independent for as long as possible through the central service of care coordination or wellness coordination. Care Coordinators are professionals that build a relationship with members of a program to provide advocacy and support along with coordinating any services that may be needed as one ages.
CCaH programs have a one-time entrance fee and then an ongoing monthly fee which covers the benefits of the program and the future cost of long-term care services including home care, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. Non-refundable fees are often tax deductible as a prepaid medical expense (please consult your tax professional). Long-term care services do not have a waiting or elimination period and last a lifetime. CCaH programs offer a variety of different plans that can stand alone or be paired with an existing long-term care insurance policy.
In Maryland, CCaH programs are regulated by the Department of Aging.
Our History
The Wesley was originally formed in 1867 by Dr. George C.M. Roberts and 24 female church members to be an extension of the mission and ministry of the United Methodist Church. Their goal was to serve seniors of the greater Baltimore region by providing quality long term care programs and facilities that preserve dignity, improve quality of life, promote spiritual growth, and strengthen relationships.
The Wesley Inc. owned a Continuing Care Retirement Community campus on Rogers Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. This building was sold in 2008, but the Wesley Inc. has remained dedicated to its mission.
Over the past 14 years, The Wesley Inc. has been serving seniors by funding private and county grants that support aging in place technologies and initiatives.
In 2020, The Board of Directors decided to pursue development of The Wesley at Home to bring the CCaH model to Maryland and help seniors age in place. The Wesley at Home is planning to begin welcoming members in the Summer of 2022.
Our Mission
is to bring a continuum of coordinated wellness and long-term care services to older adults in Maryland in their own communities and homes.
Our Values
are driven by the mission of The Wesley Inc. which has been serving older adults in the Baltimore Metro area since 1867.
- Respect
- Autonomy
- Individuality
- Engagement
- Choice
- Diversity
Our Vision
is to empower older adults to age in their chosen setting safely while receiving coordinated social, residential, and preventive health benefits and services. We strive to lead in providing high-quality service options and personalized assistance with navigating services to help Members maintain independence and meet their health and wellness goals
Meet Our Team
Amanda Young, PhD, MS, CMC,
Executive Director
Amanda Young serves as the Executive Director of The Wesley at Home. She is an experienced gerontologist and specializes in launching and operating Continuing Care at Home (CCaH) programs. She has extensive nonprofit experience and has earned her PhD in Leadership and Gerontology at Concordia University Chicago. Her dissertation was a qualitative analysis of the wellness coordination model in CCaH programs. She previously served as Executive Director of BeWell@Home, the CCaH program of the Lutheran Homes of South Carolina. During that time, she was also able to serve as Senior Director of Independent Living of Franke at Seaside, one of Lutheran Homes of SC Life Plan Communities. Prior to that experience, she was the Wellness Coordinator for Pathstones by Phoebe a CCaH program of Phoebe Ministries in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Young is a national leader in the continuing care at home field. She helps to collect data and move forward research to increase awareness and demonstrate the positive impact of these programs. She also presents at several local, state, and national conferences on the model. She is a Certified Case Manager (National Academy of Certified Case Managers). Early in her career, she provided case management to older adults at an Area Agency on Aging in Pennsylvania. In 2023, Dr. Young received the McKnight’s Senior Living Women of Distinction Rising Star award.
Amanda enjoys educating individuals about the benefits of CCaH programs and seeing how valuable this program and its services can be for aging adults. She loves building relationships with clients and being able to make a difference in their lives.
Amanda is a native of Pennsylvania, but was living in Charleston, SC prior to relocating here in Baltimore with her husband, son, three rescue dogs, and cat. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and listening to her favorite stand-up comedians’ podcasts.
Heather Lamont,
Director of Membership & Outreach
Heather is a Forest Hill resident with over 20 years in marketing & sales; with 16 years dedicated to the senior living industry. Her expertise spans across various senior care settings, including Blue Sky Sales, Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC), Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Home Care.
Throughout her career, Heather has been a driving force in elevating sales, marketing and brand strategies, resulting in substantial revenue growth. We are delighted to welcome Heather back to the senior living community, where she will play a pivotal role in enhancing our Wesley at Home Program.
Tracey Franz, LMSW
Care Coordinator
Tracey Franz, LMSW serves as Care Coordinator of The Wesley at Home. She is an accomplished and versatile Social Work Professional with extensive experience assisting diverse populations in hospice, oncology, aging, welfare, and mental health. She also has experience in individual and group therapy, crisis management and interdisciplinary team collaboration
Her bachelor’s degree in Social Work is from Notre Dame University and her master’s degree in Social work is from the University of Maryland. She has worked at the University of Maryland Medical Center and Season’s Hospice and Palliative Care. She is a lover of dogs (she has a mastiff) and rehabbing old houses
Tracey has been part of the Ferretto Eldercare Consulting team for over 9 years and is cross trained to serve The Wesley at Home members. Ferretto Eldercare Consulting has been serving the Baltimore Metro area since 2008 through various interdisciplinary case managers with a combined 400+ years of experience in the field of aging.
Rachel Brodsky, MA, CMC
Care Coordinator
Rachel Brodsky has over 25 years of experience in case management, with a background in mental health and community work. She has specialized in working with older adults in the past 5+ years after realizing that this is her passion. In her free time, Rachel can often be found walking around her neighborhood, sitting outside shmoozing with her neighbors, or reading a good book.
Board of Directors
Bradley D. Paulis, ASA, MAAA
Board Chair
Bradley Paulis is an actuarial consultant and partner at Continuing Care Actuaries Inc. He has 40+ years of actuarial experience with Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Home Care programs. He is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and volunteers on the long-term care reform and public programs sub-committees. He has been involved in education and projects spanning from preliminary model designs for insurance and long-term care entities to analysis of financial impacts for insurance and healthcare programs and products in real time within changing markets. to He is the current President of the Wesley Inc. Board.
Mary Faith Ferretto
LCSW-C, C-ASWCM
Mary Faith Ferretto is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Advanced Social Work Case Manager. She is the President and Founder of Ferretto Elder Care Consulting Inc. Her team has been serving older and disabled adults the Baltimore Metro Area since 2008, coordinating all aspects of care from community to institutional services. She has extensive experience in group and individual counseling, geriatric assessment, caregiver support, discharge planning, and community and facility service navigation. She designed and implemented the elder and adult assessments care management program for Keswick at Home.
Jason A. Frank, Esq.
Secretary
Jason Frank is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA Emeritus), retired from private practice, and former legal counsel for the Baltimore County Department of Aging. He has 40+ years of experience as an attorney in Maryland. He has been a part of passing significant legislation to benefit old adults within the State. He has been involved with National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) for over 20 years. He is a published author of the text, Elder Law in Maryland, and is an adjunct professor teaching a variety of interdisciplinary elder law courses. He is a long-term advocate for older adults. Jason has served on the following boards: LifeBridge Planning Committee, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center, Myerberg Senior Center, and many other legal, cultural, and aging endeavors.
Gordon Fronk, Esq.
Gordon Fronk is a founding principal at the Law Firm Hollis, Cronan, and Fronk, PA and serves as legal counsel to The Wesley Inc. He has been a practicing attorney in Maryland for over 50 years specializing in small business development, financial and estate planning, mature business restructuring, as well as various aspects of business management including organization, capitalization, structuring, taxation, personnel relationships, contracts, and land acquisition. He is an army veteran. He is the former President of the Wesley Inc. Board and has been a past Director for The Wesley. Mr. Fronk is actively involved in church, alumni association, and municipal matters in the local community.Ashley Lacis, CPA
Treasurer
Ashley Lacis has over 20 years of experience in the senior living industry with a focus on continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). After graduating from University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and a minor in Economics, she began her career as an actuarial consultant for CCRCs and continuing care at home programs. Eight years later, Ashley decided to change career paths and joined the healthcare team at the public accounting firm CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA). During her six years as a consultant at CLA, Ashley worked on audits for CCRCs along with providing strategic financial planning services and other consulting engagements for numerous senior living organizations. While employed at CLA, Ashley continued her education obtaining an accounting certificate, CPA license, and a Master’s degree from UMBC in Management of Aging Services. After a short time serving as Division Chief of Continuing Care for the Maryland Department of Aging, she joined Asbury Communities, who owns and operates 9 CCRCs as well as other related business lines. Over the past seven years at Asbury and in her current role as Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, Ashley oversees financial projections and evaluations, development of forecasted and budgeted financial statements, as well as many other analytical projects.
Mickey Miller, AIA
Michael (Mickey) Miller is an architect with extensive experience in design, budget development, and project management. He is University of Maryland’s Capital Projects Manager. He has experience in designing and renovating long term care living facilities for older adults and has been on the Wesley Board and involved in program develop with the Wesley for over 15 years. He has been a board member on community revitalization projects and religious service endeavors for the Methodist Church.
Jennifer Rynbrandt, MA, CMC
Jennifer Rynbrandt is an Aging Life Care Manager and holds a master’s degree in Health Care Administration. She has experience in geriatric program direction and interdisciplinary team leadership. Her clients include older adults, adults suffering from mental health issues, degenerative cognitive deficits, progressive physical diseases, and/or age-related disease. She performs all aspects of care management including comprehensive assessments, care planning, crisis intervention, advocacy, placement, and education to support adult clients, their families, spouses, partners, and friends. She is currently spearheading Ferretto Elder Care’s Smart Plan program which serves younger older adults. She is a member of the Aging Life Care Association and The National Academy of Certified Care Managers. She volunteers with various artistic and health initiatives in the community. She has been a gallery-represented studio artist since 2004, and featured in multiple North American shows by jurors from notable institutions such as The Corcoran and National Geographic, among others.
Elizabeth Weglein, MS
Elizabeth Weglein is CEO of Elizabeth Cooney Personnel Agency and Elizabeth Cooney Care Network which provides in-home long-term care services and is the oldest full-service nurse referral agency in the country. She is an expert in the home health care and allied health field, developing, implementing and overseeing Private, State and Federally funded medical programs for over 27 years. She is active in local and national organizations that support individuals and families with resources to assist with health related and daily living needs and has created and helped pass policy that improves Marylander’s health care options. She is also the current President of United Seniors of Maryland. Her past-held board positions include, The Coordinating Center, Maryland National Capital Home Care Association, and Maryland Caregiver’s Support Coordinating Council among many others.
Debra Wertheimer, MD
Debra Wertheimer is a physician and the prior Medical Director for Veteran Administration’s Hospice Care Program. She has held faculty and/or staff positions for over 40 years in various medical schools and hospitals in Baltimore City and County. She previously worked in a variety of clinical leadership positions such as, Associate Director of clinical services and as a pain and palliative care consultant with Levindale’s Geriatric Center. She is the former Director for University of Maryland Hospital’s Waxter Center Home Care and Geriatric Assessment Program. She also currently serves on the board of Edenwald and General German Aged People’s Home of Baltimore, Inc.