New owners named at Alternative Senior Care in Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA – Alternative Senior Care in Alexandria has new owners – Paula Bromenshenkel and Lainie Berg.

The facility began in 2005 with a staff of three. Cindy Karasch, COTA, recognized a need in the community to keep seniors in their homes safer and longer, with the intention of improving their quality of life.

“Sometimes someone may need just a little assistance to keep them in their own home,” Karasch said.

Today, Alternative Senior Care has four nurses and more than 83 caregivers, helping five counties in central Minnesota.

Karasch’s labor of love has flourished to help more than 1,950 seniors, veterans and vulnerable adults in the area. The mothers of both Cindy and Mike Karasch were both clients and able to age in place and partnered with Hospice to make staying home a reality.

“We live what we do has been a reality and mission for Alternative Senior Care,” Mike Karasch said. “We only hire those we would want taking care of our own parents.”

Alternative Senior Care has always focused on training, innovation, and individual growth of their staff. For the past several years, Cindy and Mike Karasch have trained, mentored, and prepared Bromenshenkel and Berg to manage Alternative Senior Care.

They said it was a good fit, considering Bromenshenkel had a social service background and client care experience and Berg had managed and led others as a business manager and ministry coordinator.

Both women had the desire and aptitude for running the company. Cindy Karasch’s desire to keep Alternative Senior Care locally family owned and operated to maintain its integrity and values are what resonated in her heart when choosing her daughter, Bromenshenkel and operations manager Berg, both of Sauk Centre.

This year the Karasches felt it was time to transition ownership of the company to Bromenshenkel and Berg. Cindy Karasch is still a big part of Alternative Senior Care, as the founder and consultant, but will be in the office minimally each week as she balances her family, hobbies and serving at her church. Mike Karasch is retiring and like Bromenshenkel, is spending more time with family, church activities and fishing.

The new owners said they’re thrilled to have this opportunity to serve clients, staff and community in a new capacity.

“We have learned from the best and will continue the wonderful, personalized service that Cindy had started in 2005. We are coming up on our 17th year of helping seniors and are so grateful for the opportunity to make each client have a higher quality of life and keep their independence, said Berg, chair of operations and CFO. “We appreciate our services so much!”

“I am so happy to be working in the community helping to keep people in their homes safely. We want to continue to provide personalized care for our clients,” said Bromenshenkel, client care manager/ CEO.

Alternative Senior Care is a private duty home care company that serves central Minnesota in five counties. Its offices are in Sauk Centre and Alexandria. For a complete list of services or a free no obligation assessment call 320-352-3350 or visit the website at www.alternativeseniorcare.net and on FaceBook.