Helping Families Navigate the World of Senior Living
Many families don’t know the benefit of working with a care management service like Providence Solutions. But once they experience the personalized, one-on-one attention, they wonder how they ever lived without it. Read on to learn how Providence Solutions has improved the lives of real families and their older loved ones:
“It’s a relief to speak with her.”
Like many adult children, Susan faces the challenge of balancing a busy professional career with her desire to be a supportive daughter and caregiver to her father, Walter – all while living 200 miles away.
Walter lives at the Manteno Veterans’ Home, while Susan resides in a different state. “I try to get out there as often as I can, but I also travel a lot for work,” Susan explains. “I know the VA provides very good care, but I also want someone to check in on my father between visits, having that extra pair of eyes assuring me that everything is okay for the moment.”
But she didn’t want just any caretaker. Knowing that her father was in the early stages of dementia, Susan had done her research. “My father and I had many frank discussions about his care over the years as he aged, but one can never prepare for absolutely every possibility,” she says. “It was important to find someone who is a healthcare professional, with some knowledge and experience about how things are going to progress and what will happen next.”
When an acquaintance suggested she call Providence Solutions, Susan knew it was the right fit for her family’s needs. “I tell people it’s like Terri literally fell from the sky, like Mary Poppins,” she says. “It was perfect.”
She connected with Providence Solutions Vice President Terri Maxeiner, who besides being an experienced geriatric care manager is also a certified dementia practitioner. Terri makes regular trips to the Veteran’s Home to check in on and visit with Walter, and communicates frequently with Susan about her father’s care.
“If I’m struggling with how to make a good decision, I know I can call her at any time and bounce ideas around with her,” Susan says. “Some days I can feel pretty emotional and Terri helps to balance me out. It’s a relief to speak with her, I appreciate that she validates my experience.”
Recently Walter was hospitalized, and as is unfortunately common, his mental status worsened while he was being treated. Terri played a key role in coordinating with the hospital doctors, nurses, and social workers to facilitate Walter’s discharge, and kept Susan abreast of his condition. “Having Terri on the ground to navigate that while I couldn’t be present was a blessing,” Susan says. “She understands the health care system intimately, and she’s able to speak the language of the other professionals. That’s priceless.”
What’s most important to Susan, however, is the personal relationship that Terri has developed with her and her father. “She’s very tender, she shows our situation a lot of mercy. Plus the fact that she loves dogs is an extra bonus!” Susan remarks. Susan has three lively dogs in her household, one of which her father is particularly fond of. “Terri knows that bringing a comfort pet to visit my dad will readily place a smile on his face.”
“It’s difficult to find someone with the level of professionalism and experience that Terri offers, plus being a kind person, all wrapped up in one. She’s one in a million.”
Here to Help
If you and your family need help navigating the sometimes-confusing and often-overwhelming world of aging, contact Providence Solutions for a free consultation. More information can be found at www.ProvidenceLifeSolutions.com or by calling (708) 342-8090.
