Written by: Emma Maleski B.S. Public Health; University of South Carolina

During my time at USC, I studied how healthcare professionals struggle to deliver quality care due to administrative pressures, lack of resources, and an overemphasis on financial efficiency over care efficacy. I’ve also experienced the lack of attentiveness from my own providers, like many, when the doctor can’t offer me more than 15 minutes of their time. It is clear to me that the system isn’t built to address the whole person, just the immediate medical need.

A Broken System

Throughout my education in Public Health, I learned that health is influenced by a range of factors spanning physical, emotional, environmental, and social needs. However, when I entered the healthcare field, I was struck by how traditional systems tend to focus narrowly on the clinical aspects of care, often ignoring the broader needs of the whole person. This is especially evident in senior care, where issues like social isolation, mental health, and the impact of the built environment are rarely prioritized.

One of the major issues in the U.S. healthcare system is the commercialization of medicine, which places profit over patient well-being. This profit-driven model has led to an emphasis on treatment rather than prevention and a focus on quantity (more appointments, more procedures) over quality (holistic care that improves long-term outcomes). Ironically, despite spending more on healthcare than any other country, the U.S. has some of the worst health outcomes of high income nations. This is particularly true for seniors, who often find themselves shuffled between different specialists and providers with little coordination, leading to fragmented care.

Another critical problem is the overwhelming burden placed on families. With long-term care costs rising, many families struggle to balance the care their loved ones need. As a result, seniors often fall through the cracks, receiving suboptimal care or being pushed into institutional settings that fail to consider their individual needs. For health professionals, it can feel as if the focus has shifted away from patient-centered care to meeting financial quotas or administrative goals.

In the face of these challenges, more healthcare professionals are finding themselves disconnected from the original reason they entered the field: to truly help people. This sense of frustration and burnout is increasingly common, especially for those working in senior care settings, where the resources are often stretched thin and the needs are immense. In contrast to these systemic flaws, Cove Concierge offers a solution that places the person at the center of care, recognizing that each senior has unique needs that go beyond the clinical.

A Fresh Perspective on Senior Care

Cove Concierge is built around the belief that senior care should be flexible, compassionate, and tailored to each individual. Cove’s services go beyond typical caregiving by focusing on the whole person, addressing not just physical needs, but emotional and social ones as well. Their mission is personal for the founder, Donna Pellegrino, and it reflects a compassionate approach that aims to preserve seniors’ autonomy and identity while supporting them and their families.

The main thing that impresses me about Cove Concierge is how they go above and
beyond for their clients, treating them how they would want their own loved ones to be treated,
an attitude that is lacking in the traditional senior care industry. Values of compassion and
patience allow them to provide intentional support with everyday challenges such as technology
utilization, tailoring living accommodations, and relieving and supporting caregivers. Donna’s
can-do mentality enables her business to offer the idealistic level of care and support that I would
want for my own family.

At Cove Concierge, it is understood that every senior and family is unique. A patient-centered approach enables the curation of solutions for a range of needs, including care management, recreation activities, and risk mitigation. Cove’s ultimate goal is to provide seniors with a happy, healthier life and peace of mind for their families, knowing that their loved one’s care is being tailored to their needs and preferences. They strive to empower families to focus on what truly matters by reducing the stress of navigating overwhelming caregiving decisions by providing professional support that is empathetic and easily accessible.

Cove Concierge is not just a service, it’s a movement toward a better, more compassionate way of caring for our seniors. Their focus on personalized, holistic care not only meets the medical needs of aging individuals but also prioritizes their emotional well-being and quality of life. As I continue my journey in healthcare, I’m excited to see more organizations, like Cove, leading the charge for change, and I believe that their model represents the future of senior care.