Shalane Farrell, Certified Senior Advisor at Concierge Care Advisors
I have worked with many clients in the senior living industry, and some just warm my heart and stay in my mind. I was readying for a vacation to Mexico for the holidays when I received a phone call from a senior woman. She explained to me that her husband was 93 years old, had Dementia, and was at a skilled nursing facility due to a fall resulting in a broken hip. She knew that he couldn’t move back home and realized after talking to the social worker that he would need a relatively high level of care, particularly as he recovered. I had a long conversation with her and discussed how Adult Family Homes function, what to expect, and all the details. As with many who have never explored senior care, she was inexperienced about the entire process, and said she was so glad that she had a plan going into the holidays. I informed her that I would be leaving to see my own family for the holidays, and that would get in touch with her at the beginning of the New Year.
Fast forward to January. I went and met with my senior spouse, her husband, and their daughter, who happens to be an RN. Often families are in conflict prior to a move; it’s a big deal, after all. This family was delightful and worked in tandem, understanding the realities of the situation, and keen to make it a good experience. We have scheduled the tours this week. With the husband’s Dementia he doesn’t know he will be moving and not going home. I could tell the wife was sad, and felt a lot of guilt in having him move. I saw the tears welling in her eyes. I assured her she was making the best decision and she can be his “wife” now, not the caregiver. She agreed with me and gave me a huge hug before I left. I have no doubt that she will be very impressed with the homes we will tour. She called me that night and left me a voicemail saying, “I just wanted to thank you again for helping me with this situation” and that she felt “a weight has been taken off my shoulders”. It’s clients like this that leave you with a smile on your face as you go to bed at the end of your day, knowing you made a positive impact on someone’s life! If you or someone you know is struggling with starting the journey of finding the next level or care or living, contact us today and let us relieve some of the stress.
