Meet Kerri Gideon of East Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerri Gideon.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up on Long Island and moved to Arizona back in 97 to go to ASU. I was a criminal justice major and then was recruited to Enterprise right after college where I spent 20 years in the auto industry before leaving just before Covid. I joined the All About You team because I was on the other side of the equation a few years back when my uncle started to show signs of dementia and my mom and I didn’t know where to turn for help. He was a veteran with limited income and his health was declining rapidly. He started falling, getting very confused, and was clearly unsafe being on his own in an apartment. I used AAY’s services which was a ray of light in a dark time for us. My mom was his primary caregiver and she was exhausted trying to be there for him while taking care of my dad too. We were able to find him a great place that he could afford and we were able to rest knowing he was safe again and had the care he needed. After going through it with family, I realized that I wanted to be a part of the solution to help families that were in similar situations like me.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There are definitely struggles when it comes to helping seniors. We hear some terrible stories and deal with some tough cases which can be emotionally draining at times. BUT, there are also the great stories with happy endings so it’s key to focus on that! It’s all worth it when you can help someone who was isolated and lonely, or struggling healthwise get the care they need and deserve and then watch them start to thrive again.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I spent 20 years working for Enterprise in their retail car sales division. I love working with people and have always excelled in customer service which I bring to All About You too. I’m proud to be a part of an organization that genuinely cares about seniors and has made it a mission to educate our community about resources/options available that can help seniors age successfully and enjoy their golden years instead of struggling through them.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was always the kid who got along with everyone. I was the one in the center of the class telling stories or jokes. I’ve always had a big heart…sometimes too big maybe. My family was very close and that has always been important to me. I have always been a connector of people and often bridged the gap between different groups of friends.