Winter Park | Father Ronald Oser is enjoying his retirement. He lives at Emmaus, the Diocese of Orlando’s senior housing located at San Pedro Spiritual Development Center in Winter Park. He celebrates daily Mass, serves at retreats, and offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He also visits parishes that need him. He helps as much or as little as he wishes, and IndeQuest makes it possible.

The Diocese of Orlando contracted with IndeQuest, a nurse case management service, for its diocesan senior priests six years ago. Each participating priest has a nurse care manager to assist in navigating the healthcare system, accompany them to appointments, and even organize their medications to ensure they are taking them properly.

Deacon Joe Gassman is the Secretary for Leadership and Parish Life which assists in overseeing the care of 74 incardinated senior priests in the diocese who are 65 or older. “I think one of the things that I’ve learned over time is that a lot of our senior priests don’t necessarily have someone. Once they leave the community, they’re gone,” he explained.

He said they are often reluctant to seek help and especially concerned over privacy issues. Outside of notifying Bishop John Noonan if one of them is in the hospital, he said the rest is “between them and their nurse.”

“A lot of them want to work (past retirement). They want to still be part of a community. And if the diocese can provide a benefit to keep them healthy, they can continue serving. And as they retire, they get to serve the way they want to,” Deacon Gassman said. “In reality, they get to be the priests that they were formed to be because they’re not bogged down with all the parish administration. So, we can keep them healthy, happy and serving.”

Father Oser agrees. Ordained a priest in June of 1992, he served St. Paul in Leesburg, St. Theresa in Titusville, St. Mary of the Lakes in Eustis, St. Peter in Deland, Our Lady of the Springs in Ocala, and Prince of Peace in Ormond Beach. He retired in 2018 and began using IndeQuest the following year.

He had a pacemaker, a total knee replacement complicated by too much sedation, leaving him in a coma for four days. That left him with a weakened heart and kidney. “The combination of those changed my life,” he recounted. Learning of his situation, the Diocese Office of Senior Priests staff approached him to see if he was interested in a nurse care manager to help him handle his appointments with many doctors.

He also sees doctors for his feet, veins and leg arteries, and two cardiologists. He jokes one is his “electrician” dealing with the electrical function of the heart, and the other is his “plumber” dealing with circulation. “And every one of those have medications you have to take,” he said.

“I wouldn’t think to question a lot of things that need to be questioned, and I probably wouldn’t get as good a care from the doctors as I’m getting,” said Father Oser of a life without IndeQuest. He explained the nurse care manager brings up things related to his condition he did not consider relevant, but due to her experience and knowledge, she knows what ask. He said it makes a difference to have an advocate. Soon he will have her help him set up his medication, a process that takes him two hours.

Another senior priest who served the diocese since his ordination in 1984, was surprised to find he needed the care provided by IndeQuest nurses. After receiving treatment for cancer, his condition became complicated by secondary infections, accelerating his Alzheimer’s disease. His sister, Diane, lives in North Carolina – making coordinating necessary care difficult.   

“Lindsey Markoff, his case manager nurse from IndeQuest, was in constant touch with me and with him,” Diane recalled. Markoff helped him move into Emmaus, and when he needed more supervised care, she assisted in navigating the healthcare system and finding a good Memory Care Facility for him.

“Lindsey is assigned to him for the rest of his life,” explained Diane. “She’s my eyes and ears in addition to the nursing staff at the facility. Lindsey’s really on top of everything. She has even helped us secure some help if he needs it, like private care duty nurses to come in for any reason. She’s coordinated a lot of things for us.” Diane went on to note this kind of assistance to senior priests is not typical. Most dioceses in the United States do not have a plan in place to care for their retiring priests. She said, “They’re kind of on their own once they retire.”

Diane continued, “He served in so many facets. He had been a chaplain to the police department, to the sheriff’s office, the fire department.  I mean, he’s had a very interesting life, and he knew so many people. “He even served at the local parish when visiting her on vacation. She said she is grateful he is being treated with the dignity and honor he deserves.

And this was the hope of Dr. Rosemary Laird, a geriatrician who assists as a council for the senior priests. “I got very concerned that we had retirees and senior priests who didn’t have anyone on their side as an advocate to help make sure they were getting the right kind of quality care they deserve. Many of the priests don’t have a family structure. Most of us would lean on family or neighbors to help us, I knew of the value of nurse care managers and thought it was the right fit,” she said. Pointing out that when one ages alone many symptoms go unnoticed. In addition, healthcare is more digitally oriented now. Appointments and documents are confirmed and submitted digitally, and many seniors find that a difficult task to accomplish. Having used IndeQuest for 10 years, she also appreciates the relationships that are built.

Nurse Markoff said that is one of the greatest advantages. “I do think that’s a very, very important piece of the picture—of really building the rapport with the client and the family so that they feel like they can connect with you and they can reach out to you, that you’re accessible, that you communicate well with them to keep them in the loop,” she said. A nurse for 24 years, she said the nature of this partnership is different.

“We get to stay with the clients beginning to end, so to speak, on their healthcare journey. I used to work in the hospital, or I used to just do home health. You would pop in for a period of time, you see your patient, and then you wrap up the case and you’re out. So, you never know what happens. This is more of a long-term type of situation where we can follow them through their health journey and help them with any obstacles, and hope for a wonderful outcome and just continue to keep them on a maintenance type of service, more like a continuum of care,” she said. “And we’re not only there for medical support, but it does become emotional support as well because there is a lot of ups and downs in health care, depending upon the situation.”

She noted this has been her favorite nursing job and plans to remain until her own retirement, which is a long way off.

Nicole Crouser is another IndeQuest nurse who shares Markoff’s passion. “Our goal for the priests is to provide an individualized care plan for each of them, depending on their level of need, trying to promote their greatest level of independence and highest level of wellness and safety. Everybody’s care plan is tailored to exactly what they need.” She said the nurses also “have those hard conversations and make sure they know what their choices are and what decisions should be made prior to having a crisis situation.”

To date, 52 eligible priests 65 and older are enrolled and three are awaiting assessment. The program is fully funded by Our Catholic Appeal and private donations.

Click here to learn get in touch with the Senior Priest Office.

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, January 8, 2026