Resources
Meet Our Geriatric Care Management Team
Established in 1998 by Barbara Applegate and Jeane Thorne (retired), A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. was founded with the mission of offering specialized support and guidance to families in providing compassionate care to their aging loved ones. In 2009, P.E.A.C.E. with A.G.E. was added to our services, which includes top-notch home care services tailored to meet our clients’ individual requirements, all while maintaining a team approach and highest standards of care. We proudly serve the Greater Phoenix area.
Barbara Applegate
Barbara Applegate, MSW, ACSW, is an experienced geriatric care manager social worker and the founder of A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. With over 35 years of experience in geriatrics, healthcare, and mental health, Barbara is a vital member of the geriatric care management team. From the inception of A.G.E. Consultants, Inc., she has employed a unique model of geriatric team care management that blends nursing and social work skills to provide comprehensive oversight of eldercare issues. Under her leadership, the team works closely with families to advise them on elder life issues and care needs, ensuring that both the client and their loved ones fully understand and plan for their eldercare needs.
Barbara holds a Master of Social Work and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Gerontology from Arizona State University. She has served as a past board member of the National Council on Aging and is currently an active member of the National Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Management. Co-author of Parent Care: A Survival Guide for Adult Children of Aging Parents, Barbara continues to lead the A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. team with dedication and expertise.
Marilyn Heinrichs
Marilyn Heinrichs, RN, BSN, CDE has been a crucial member of A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. since 2014, serving as a diabetes nurse consultant and geriatric care manager/RN. Graduating with honors from the University of Nebraska College of Nursing, Marilyn holds RN licenses in both Arizona and California, as well as a National Certification in Diabetes Education since 1998. Her clinical experience extends over 35 years, encompassing acute care, neuro/ortho rehab, community and home health nursing, case management, integrated care, nursing leadership, administration, diabetes education, and chronic disease management.
Marilyn is a passionate advocate for clients and their families, prioritizing direct work with patients, families, and communities. Her passion for community health, wellness, disease prevention, health promotion, and chronic disease management was sparked while working in acute care, where she witnessed numerous patients suffering from end-stage diabetes complications and cardiovascular disease.
Determined to find a better way, Marilyn began her professional journey as a community health nurse at the county and state levels. There, she created and implemented programs to promote wellness, early disease detection and intervention, preventative care programs, transitional care, and diabetes education initiatives. By implementing care coordination, case management, health education, problem-solving, goal setting, and empowerment processes, Marilyn has benefitted the elderly and those with chronic diseases.
Marilyn and Barbara Applegate met professionally over 28 years ago when they both worked together in an innovative community-based health program. They discovered that they shared a common vision of advocacy and empowerment in supporting the elderly in their least restrictive environment.
Patricia Smith
Patricia Smith, RN, BSN is a dedicated nurse consultant on call for A.G.E Consultants, Inc. Patty graduated from North Iowa Area Community College in 1986, where she earned her nursing degree. Afterward, she relocated to Arizona to pursue higher education at Arizona State University, obtaining her BSN in 1990. Over the course of her career, Patty has worked in a variety of nursing positions with adults and children, and in psychiatric settings.
Patty says, “I find personal and professional satisfaction using my 30 years of nursing experience as a nurse consultant at A.G.E providing nursing services and care for the senior community. I believe that assisting and advocating for seniors is necessary and fulfilling to support a population of people who truly are the Greatest Generation.”
With 30 years of nursing experience under her belt, Patty finds great personal and professional fulfillment in her role as a nurse consultant at A.G.E., providing nursing services and care for the senior community. She firmly believes in the importance of assisting and advocating for seniors, acknowledging them as the incredibly resilient “Greatest Generation.”
Patty grew up in Iowa and was influenced to pursue a career in nursing by her grandparents. Her grandfather was a small-town doctor, and her grandmother was a nurse. Patty has been married for over 26 years to her high school sweetheart, and they have three adult children. She enjoys hiking, hot yoga, cooking, traveling, reading, and walking her dog. She has spent many years involved with the National Charity League (2005-2013) and Boys Team Charity (2009-2015), volunteering at St. Mary’s Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul, Foundation for Blind Children, and many other Phoenix area charities.
Dr. Gina Mercer
Dr. Gina Touch Mercer is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialization in geriatrics since 1996. She joined A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. as a geriatric consultant in August 2017, focusing on conducting geriatric assessments and organizing family and caregiver meetings to improve the quality of life for our clients.
Dr. Mercer holds an MS degree in family studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Houston. She trained at the Baylor Department of Family Medicine and Arizona State University Counseling & Consultation Center before completing a fellowship in geropsychology at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston.
Prior to moving to Arizona in 2003, Dr. Mercer served as the Director of Mental Health in Aging at the Behavioral Medicine Institute in St. Louis, MO. She also worked in Louisville, KY, focusing on ensuring geriatric health and psychiatric well-being, and in Nashua, NH, integrating physical and behavioral health across the lifespan.
Currently, Dr. Mercer is the Behavioral and Social Sciences Theme Director at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. She previously spent over 10 years as core faculty at the Arizona Professional School of Psychology before transitioning into graduate medical education. Dr. Mercer values A.G.E. Consultant Inc.’s comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to geriatric care, aiming to educate healthcare professionals and caregivers to provide dignity and compassionate care for our elders.
Greg Novak
Greg Novak supports the administrative staff with his skills and knowledge in computers, marketing, customer service, and mechanics. He has both an MS in electrical engineering and an MBA from ASU. Prior to eldercare, for 35 years, he was a technical and product marketer and computer engineer at Honeywell, Motorola, and Adtron.
Greg’s business and technical background help in creating solutions to problems and assisting the staff with a variety of concerns. Greg enjoys working with the elderly, has been a valued volunteer for over 25 years, and continues to provide care for A.G.E clients as he has done for over eight years.
Barbara Applegate
Barbara Applegate, MSW, ACSW, is an experienced geriatric care manager social worker and the founder of A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. With over 35 years of experience in geriatrics, healthcare, and mental health, Barbara is a vital member of the geriatric care management team. From the inception of A.G.E. Consultants, Inc., she has employed a unique model of geriatric team care management that blends nursing and social work skills to provide comprehensive oversight of eldercare issues. Under her leadership, the team works closely with families to advise them on elder life issues and care needs, ensuring that both the client and their loved ones fully understand and plan for their eldercare needs.
Barbara holds a Master of Social Work and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Gerontology from Arizona State University. She has served as a past board member of the National Council on Aging and is currently an active member of the National Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Management. Co-author of Parent Care: A Survival Guide for Adult Children of Aging Parents, Barbara continues to lead the A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. team with dedication and expertise.
Marilyn Heinrichs
Marilyn Heinrichs, RN, BSN, CDE has been a crucial member of A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. since 2014, serving as a diabetes nurse consultant and geriatric care manager/RN. Graduating with honors from the University of Nebraska College of Nursing, Marilyn holds RN licenses in both Arizona and California, as well as a National Certification in Diabetes Education since 1998. Her clinical experience extends over 35 years, encompassing acute care, neuro/ortho rehab, community and home health nursing, case management, integrated care, nursing leadership, administration, diabetes education, and chronic disease management.
Marilyn is a passionate advocate for clients and their families, prioritizing direct work with patients, families, and communities. Her passion for community health, wellness, disease prevention, health promotion, and chronic disease management was sparked while working in acute care, where she witnessed numerous patients suffering from end-stage diabetes complications and cardiovascular disease.
Determined to find a better way, Marilyn began her professional journey as a community health nurse at the county and state levels. There, she created and implemented programs to promote wellness, early disease detection and intervention, preventative care programs, transitional care, and diabetes education initiatives. By implementing care coordination, case management, health education, problem-solving, goal setting, and empowerment processes, Marilyn has benefitted the elderly and those with chronic diseases.
Marilyn and Barbara Applegate met professionally over 28 years ago when they both worked together in an innovative community-based health program. They discovered that they shared a common vision of advocacy and empowerment in supporting the elderly in their least restrictive environment.
Patricia Smith
Patricia Smith, RN, BSN is a dedicated nurse consultant on call for A.G.E Consultants, Inc. Patty graduated from North Iowa Area Community College in 1986, where she earned her nursing degree. Afterward, she relocated to Arizona to pursue higher education at Arizona State University, obtaining her BSN in 1990. Over the course of her career, Patty has worked in a variety of nursing positions with adults and children, and in psychiatric settings.
Patty says, “I find personal and professional satisfaction using my 30 years of nursing experience as a nurse consultant at A.G.E providing nursing services and care for the senior community. I believe that assisting and advocating for seniors is necessary and fulfilling to support a population of people who truly are the Greatest Generation.”
With 30 years of nursing experience under her belt, Patty finds great personal and professional fulfillment in her role as a nurse consultant at A.G.E., providing nursing services and care for the senior community. She firmly believes in the importance of assisting and advocating for seniors, acknowledging them as the incredibly resilient “Greatest Generation.”
Patty grew up in Iowa and was influenced to pursue a career in nursing by her grandparents. Her grandfather was a small-town doctor, and her grandmother was a nurse. Patty has been married for over 26 years to her high school sweetheart, and they have three adult children. She enjoys hiking, hot yoga, cooking, traveling, reading, and walking her dog. She has spent many years involved with the National Charity League (2005-2013) and Boys Team Charity (2009-2015), volunteering at St. Mary’s Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul, Foundation for Blind Children, and many other Phoenix area charities.
Dr. Gina Mercer
Dr. Gina Touch Mercer is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialization in geriatrics since 1996. She joined A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. as a geriatric consultant in August 2017, focusing on conducting geriatric assessments and organizing family and caregiver meetings to improve the quality of life for our clients.
Dr. Mercer holds an MS degree in family studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Houston. She trained at the Baylor Department of Family Medicine and Arizona State University Counseling & Consultation Center before completing a fellowship in geropsychology at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston.
Prior to moving to Arizona in 2003, Dr. Mercer served as the Director of Mental Health in Aging at the Behavioral Medicine Institute in St. Louis, MO. She also worked in Louisville, KY, focusing on ensuring geriatric health and psychiatric well-being, and in Nashua, NH, integrating physical and behavioral health across the lifespan.
Currently, Dr. Mercer is the Behavioral and Social Sciences Theme Director at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. She previously spent over 10 years as core faculty at the Arizona Professional School of Psychology before transitioning into graduate medical education. Dr. Mercer values A.G.E. Consultant Inc.’s comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to geriatric care, aiming to educate healthcare professionals and caregivers to provide dignity and compassionate care for our elders.
Greg Novak
Greg Novak supports the administrative staff with his skills and knowledge in computers, marketing, customer service, and mechanics. He has both an MS in electrical engineering and an MBA from ASU. Prior to eldercare, for 35 years, he was a technical and product marketer and computer engineer at Honeywell, Motorola, and Adtron.
Greg’s business and technical background help in creating solutions to problems and assisting the staff with a variety of concerns. Greg enjoys working with the elderly, has been a valued volunteer for over 25 years, and continues to provide care for A.G.E clients as he has done for over eight years.
IN LOVING MEMORY: Al Paciotti, 1947 – 2019
We will always keep Al in our hearts. Al was the Administrator for A.G.E. Consultants, Inc. since 2009. We appreciate all that he offered A.G.E. Consultants, Inc., employees, and clients alike. We miss you.