About Dr. Cheryl
Cheryl Mathieu, Ph.D., M.S.W. ("Dr. Cheryl") is an inspiring leader and nationally recognized expert on elder care and advocacy. She has blended her extensive educational background with her years of in-the-trenches social work experience to build a geriatric care management business, create AgingPro.com, the nation’s most comprehensive eldercare resource, and author a series of books and videos entitled “The Essential Caregiver’s Toolbox.” Through authenticity, humor, and compassion, Dr. Cheryl has a way of immediately becoming a valuable part of the family, business, or multi-disciplinary team - creating innovative and practical approaches to the diverse challenges in the field of aging and eldercare.
Dr. Cheryl formalized her specialized training in gerontology and aging, and began her career in social work care management. She received her Master in Social Work from CSULB. She was chosen for the prestigious Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium (GSWEC). She earned her M.S.W. from CSULB, and Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). She was presented the Lillian Robles Award for Leadership and Action in Social Change from CSULB, and was nominated a “Visionary Women and Compassionate Caregiver” by the Alzheimer’s Association.
After specialized education and work in the aging field, Dr. Cheryl recognized the need for solutions to the maze of senior services. Clearly, older people and caregivers needed advocates, information and support. She went to work creating AgingPro.com, bringing everything eldercare to one place, with free and easy access, including education, experts, community support and a national directory of senior services. AgingPro.com empowers and offers peace of mind to family caregivers, professionals in aging and those planning their own aging.
Dr. Cheryl won the (O) Oprah Magazine / White House WomenRule! Leadership Training contest - awarded for her vision of AgingPro.com in order to change the world of Eldercare. She is a Qualified Dementia Care Specialist and Dementia Care Provider by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. She has also earned the designation of Care Manager, Certified (CMC) issued by the National Academy of Certified Care Managers. For years she has been involved in local aging networks and a valued advisor for such organizations as the California Caregiver Coalition, Long Beach Elder Abuse Prevention committee, Long Beach Senior Optimization Committee, California State University Long Beach (CSULB) Community Partners network. She serves as co-chair of Agencies and Programs on Aging (APA) and on the board of Insight University, and regularly guest lectures at CSULB and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
Dr. Cheryl has worked in many aspects of the aging field and in varied social work practice areas: private geriatric care management, geriatric psychiatric in-patient care, hospital discharge planning, hospice, and individual and group counseling. She is a lecturer in the social work department at California State University Long Beach. She is a mother, author, speaker, minister, writer and elder advocate.
AgingPro Care Management is a geriatric care management and eldercare coaching company based in Long Beach, CA. Its purpose is to improve the quality of life for seniors and their loved ones by providing leading edge information, education, and resources that enhance the experience and process of aging.
Since 1984, Dr. Cheryl Mathieu has been devoted to community service, elder advocacy, creating a meaningful life for herself and others, and assisting others in creating what they want. Dr. Cheryl’s passion for serving the elderly began many years ago, while assisting both of her grandmothers with their goals to remain independent and to preserve their quality of life. She learned first-hand the physical challenges of aging, the drive to maintain independence, the difficulty of navigating the “systems,” the vulnerability of seniors, the healing of relationships that is possible, and all the difference a loving hand can make to seniors and their families.
Dr. Cheryl’s determination and passion for excellence began early in her life. Between the ages of 13 and 18, she played competitive racquetball at a national juniors level and on the women’s professional tour. At age 15 she was voted one of the nation’s Most Improved Players by National Racquetball magazine. She finished second in the nation for the 18 and under category when she was 17 years old. As catcher for a state champion softball team, she went on to receive a softball scholarship to college.
The combination of academics and service experience make Dr. Cheryl a specialist in issues related to aging and the life cycle.
Dr. Cheryl has worked in the following direct social work practice areas:
• Private geriatric care management
• Geriatric psychiatric in-patient care management
• Hospital discharge planning
• Hospice care management
• Individual and group counseling
• Volunteer training
• Speaking
• Coaching
• Teaching
HONORS
• Winner of Oprah (O) Magazine – White House Project Leadership Training contest
• Gold Bergman Fellowship for the Study of Aging, University of California, Los Angeles
• Research Mentorship Award, University of California, Los Angeles
• Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium: GSWEC is the nation's first integrated regional
network to improve social work education and field training in older adult services and care
• Graduate Dean’s List of University Scholars and Artists, CSULB
University’s recognition of its most outstanding graduate students, limited to the top 1% of class
• Elected to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges
• Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society
• Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society
• Phi Alpha National Honor Society for Social Work
• Graduated Magna Cum Laude, CSULB
• Psi Chi National Honor Society for Psychology
ACADEMIC / PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
• Member: Dementia Care Professional of America (DCPA)
• Member: Aging Professionals Association (APA)
• Member: National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA)
• Member: American Public Health Association
• Member: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)
• Certified: National Academy of Certified Care Managers: Care Manager Certified (CMC)
