Aging is a time of growth, reflection, and new possibilities. As priorities shift and life evolves, having the right information and support can make all the difference.
Noozhawk’s Senior Life: Living Well and Aging Wisely highlights the resources, insights, and local experts who help older adults stay informed, engaged, and confident in this stage of life. Through conversations with community leaders and professionals, Noozhawk’s purpose is to share practical guidance and inspiring perspectives on aging well.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Sarah Vintze, Account Manager of Hearing Services of Santa Barbara, to learn how this local home care organization supports seniors in our community.
Question: Year the business was established
Answer: It was established in 1983.
Q: What inspired you to start your business, and how does it cater to the needs of the 55+ community?
A: We are heavily involved in Medicare because there are so many additional layers in this market. Some lead people to enroll in the wrong plan and they get stuck. Others leave open doors for people to pay when they shouldn’t. Our team fixes both of those problems.
Q: What unique products or services do you offer that help seniors live well and age wisely?
A: Insurance is insurance. It isn’t a secret that doctors and procedures get denied or that treatments get delayed. Our job is to significantly reduce and eliminate those issues.
Our advisors place clients in plans that look out for them with longevity in mind and our client advocate team deals with anything that goes wrong.
The insurance company’s fault? We take care of it. Medicare’s fault? We take care of it. The doctors fault? We call the doctor and sort it out.
Q: How does your business support seniors in staying active, healthy, or engaged in their community?
A: We are excited to announce that we have made a gym membership available to clients with free versions and low cost options to elect specific gyms.
We often participate in many community fundraising events to support local non-profits such as the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara. We always encourage any of the community to join in support or attend.
Q: Can you share a success story or testimonial from a senior who benefited from your services?
A: We are very proud of the reputation we have built. Our team works very hard to maintain the commitment we provide to our clients. Success stories for us are less about saving cost and more about correcting insurance or access to care issues.
We have had many cases that we have been able to help clients get access to specific treatments, doctors, or crucial plans that were otherwise denied. Unfortunately due to the sensitivity of the field we work in, we would not be able to divulge more.
Q: What trends are you seeing in the senior market, and how is your company adapting to meet those needs?
A: Well in terms of Medicare, it feels like a lot of volatility to many people when in reality there is a lot of stability that comes with it. Many people are being cancelled, losing doctors, seeing benefits drop out of their plan, cost drive up or even the removal of the agents access to their account.
A lot of this is due to regulators correcting gaps in coverage and other issues in the Rx side of the Medicare marketplace. There have been some growing pains but the good news is that they have all lead to more secure prescription drug plans.
Q: What advice do you have for seniors looking to improve their quality of life or achieve their goals?
A: Stay healthy, keep an active lifestyle and enjoy every day as a gift on its own. The reason we are so focused on service is so people don’t have to let something like insurance negatively impact a single day and we can all enjoy every day to the fullest extent.
Q: How does your business prioritize accessibility, affordability, or personalization for older adults?
A: For the community, we have built and hosted educational programs around prescription coverage. All of our educational material, webinars, seminars, and any other guidance we give is not held behind a wall forcing people to be our clients.
We have built systems that take care of issues agents can no longer be involved with for our clients, but all of our guidance is and will continue to be open to allow individuals to educate themselves.
Q: Are there specific programs, events, or offers you’d like our readers to know about?
A: Keep an eye out for our participation at local community events. We participate in many fundraisers every year to support local non-profits. A few you may have seen us at before were the Santa Barbara Kite Festival, Santa Barbara Triathlon, Lemon festival, and many more.
You wont typically see us at these events talking about Medicare or insurance, our team shows up to serve tasty treats for donations to local non-profits as one way for all of us to give back as a team.
Q: How can readers learn more about your business or get started with your services?
A: Call anytime! (805) 683-3636, email: info@stevensandassociates.com, or simply visit our website: www.stevensinsurance.com.
Additional Business Specific Questions
Healthcare & Wellness
Q: How does your business support seniors in maintaining their physical and mental health?
A: We provide gym membership programs to our clients and assist them in getting access to the right doctors to help with anything they need.
Q: What advice do you have for older adults looking to incorporate wellness practices into their daily lives?
A: One day or day one. Building a habit is always the best way. start with a membership with a local company or even just an online yoga or workout video (often those can be free!). Just make today day one. Start now and commit to a time or a day of the week that you always follow that routine then stick to it the best you can.
Q: Are there any new healthcare innovations or services you’re excited to share with the senior community?
A: Our Rx educational programs will continue to grow in simplicity and access for everyone in the community and our client portal will continue to expand into more and more benefits for our clients for the coming years!
Q: How do you make your healthcare or wellness services accessible to seniors with mobility or transportation challenges?
A: Firstly we don’t charge anything for our services to make sure our teams assistance is not out of reach of anyone. How to physically advocate, we have visited people at their homes or served individuals over the phone. We do our best to accommodate any situation to make our services available to anyone.