“It was pretty evident that my father-in-law wasn’t taking care of himself,” recalled Susan Ward. “We didn’t know what doctors he was going to or not, and what they were saying.”

After spending a week caring for her father-in-law, Susan quickly realized how bad the situation had become. “I started to call different agencies to see what could be done,” she said.

Susan’s frantic phone calls eventually led her to Vikki Dargenio and her medical case management company, A Nurse in the Family. “Vikki really came right at the nick of time,” Susan said. “When we hired Vikki, she knew immediately what needed to be done, and she was able to talk to the doctors and get the right care for Frank.”

Vikki started accompanying Frank to all his doctor’s appointments, helping to eliminate any confusion and ensure that he always had an advocate present. “When I take a patient on, I really become part of their family,” Vikki explained. “I am the quarterback of the healthcare team and my goals are to keep people at home and make sure they get the medical care they need.”

After caring for four of her own family members, Vikki realized that every patient needs an advocate, especially senior patients who are often referred to multiple specialists with limited explanations. “Dr. John Sabatini actually recommended that I start this business after seeing what I had done for my family. He told me that it was amazing and that there was really a need for this,” Vikki recalled.

As a registered nurse with a background in long-term care, Vikki is uniquely positioned to help ailing seniors receive better medical care and remain in their homes longer. Since the initial recommendation that started her business, she has had several medical professionals acknowledge the importance of her services.

“It is very helpful that you come to these appointments. And on top of that, I can tell you really care,” Dr. Daniel LeBovic, a hematologist, told Vikki during one of her many visits to his office with a patient.

For Frank and his family, Vikki’s care and compassion changed everything. The family no longer had to worry about whether Frank was receiving the best possible medical treatment or if he was correctly following the doctor’s orders. By managing all of Frank’s medical appointments and helping the in-home companion caregivers better serve his needs, Vikki made it possible for Frank to continue living at home until he passed away in May of 2012.

“Frank remained in his home, and Vikki was with him until the very end,” Susan remembered. “She was very competent and always knew what needed to be done. She was there whenever we needed her, and she was so good to him.”

With the help of a care manager, Howie and Billie Palmer made a seamless move from their assisted living community in upstate New York to their daughter’s
house in Maryland.

Betsy and her husband invited her parents to come and live with them in their home in Maryland. To her surprise, her father not only accepted their offer but also was ready to move the following day.

“When I asked when he wanted to move, he said tomorrow, and I knew I needed to go back and make arrangements immediately,” Betsy recalled. With no experience with elder care and no idea where to start, she quickly became overwhelmed planning for her parents’ impending move.

When one of her acquaintances recommended that she contact Jill Rosner from Rosner Healthcare Navigation for help, Betsy quickly made the call. “Jill came over and met with my parents, and she clearly knew her way around the medical field,” Betsy said. “She recommended the home care agency we are still using, made suggestions on doctors, and helped troubleshoot any problems we had along the way.”

Since the Palmers have settled into their daughter’s home, Jill has continued to help the family work through various challenges. She visits monthly to perform an assessment and review their care plans.

In addition to her monthly visits, Jill is always available for emergency consultations. “She is there whenever anything comes up,” Betsy explained. “She also always stops by whenever I am out of town to make sure everything is going well. That really provides peace of mind for me.”

As the primary caregiver for her parents, Betsy is extremely grateful to have the assistance and expertise of Rosner Healthcare Navigation at her disposal. She concluded, “Jill’s always there if I need her; all I have to do is pick up the phone.”

John and Anne Eakin are no exception. “We have lived here, in this residence, since 1978, and we just love the community and are happy to be here,” John said.

The Eakin's are still able to enjoy their summer retreat in Camden, Maine thanks to a supportive team led by a Geriatric Care Manager

Of course, as the years have passed the Eakins have needed a little more help to remain at home. After Anne got sick while traveling, John turned to Care Options, a geriatric care management firm offering many services for aging adults and disabled individuals. Those services include a senior care visitor program, a private duty home care agency, a nurse practitioner house call program, relocation services and a specialized activity program for individuals with dementia. From an initial assessment to ongoing care monitoring, Care Options has managed both John and Anne’s changing healthcare needs for almost four years.

John, a native Washingtonian, always knew he wanted to remain in the area. After he married Anne, they moved to their family home in McLean, Va., where they raised their three daughters.

As a young man, John attended Strayer Junior College but longed to get started in his career. He joined the family business early in his life and took over the company when his father became ill. The company, called Eakin Properties, is a commercial real estate and management firm that was founded by John’s grandfather.

John is immensely proud of his family’s business legacy and has only recently passed the torch on to the next generation. “I’m still involved in the business a bit,” he said. “It would run without me, but if they need me, I just want them to know that I am there.”

It is the security of knowing that someone is always there for them that has allowed the Eakins to continue living in their family home and enjoying an active lifestyle. Not too long ago, that lifestyle appeared to be in jeopardy following Anne’s health crisis.

Anne was making her way back home from the couple’s summer retreat in Camden, Maine, when she suddenly became very ill. She needed acute medical care and had to remain in the hospital in Boston, Mass., for several months.

After visiting his wife in Boston, John, who has chronic health issues of his own, knew he would need help managing her condition once she returned home. He called Care Options, and they arranged a home visit to assess the family’s needs. The assessment included an evaluation of legal, financial, medical, spiritual and social needs. This holistic approach led to the creation of a road map to guide care to meet the couple’s needs that can be updated as necessary.

Diana Gilbert, a geriatric care manager with Care Options, explained how the company helped Anne and her family make the transition from the hospital to home. “Anne had so many doctors in Boston, but now she needed duplications of all of them down here,” she said. “I began pulling in resources, coordinating the care that she required and setting up appointments.”

Diana also started going to all of Anne’s appointments. “It was important for me to discuss her care with the doctors, so I could understand what was needed to continue with her care and recovery,” she said. John recalled feeling an immense sense of relief when Diana was present. “She’s always there when we need her,” he said. “Things have worked out very well since my wife and Diana got together.”

After working with Care Options and her new medical team for several months, Anne’s health status stabilized and she was able to return to Maine for her annual visit the following spring. While Anne was enjoying the summer in Maine, her care management services were placed on hold until she returned. During that time, John had a health scare of his own. “He called me from a hospital bed in Fairfax,” Diana recalled. “He had a severe diabetic wound on his foot.”

Care Options and Diana stepped in and helped John navigate his recovery, which included several hospitalizations and a stay in a skilled nursing facility. After about five months, the wound healed. Care Options and Diana have continued to work with John to make sure that he keeps his health conditions under control by managing his medications, attending medical appointments and coordinating all home services.

As the couple’s needs increased, Care Options arranged to have a caregiver in the home and a senior care visitor to help with transportation to appointments and other activities. Josephine Aikens has been helping the couple with daily tasks since 2009. Josephine now provides assistance with everything from grocery shopping to medication reminders. “She just oversees everything; she’s a wonderful help,” John said.

With the help of Care Options and the professionals they have enlisted, the Eakins remain both happy and safe in their long-time home. They have also been able to continue working, participating in activities, and traveling back and forth to their summer home in Maine.

As a seasoned real estate expert, John knows a good location when he sees it, and he spotted his perfect place in McLean more than 30 years ago. Today, both John and Anne are proud to still be able to call that prime location home.

At first, Linda* just seemed a little forgetful, according to James*, her husband of 43 years. Then, her employer started noticing some problems and suggested she take a yearlong sabbatical. During that time, Linda’s memory deteriorated and her increasing confusion eventually led to a car accident. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the family knew they needed to act.

“After many diagnoses and mis-diagnoses, she was finally diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s,” James said.

As Linda’s diagnosis was complicated by vision problems, her medical issues and the resulting treatments were becoming increasingly difficult for James to manage.  When a bad medication reaction led to a psychotic episode, he had no choice but to admit her to a psychiatric ward.

“When she leaves [the ward], she has lots of doctors and lots of medicine,” said James. “I’m dealing with four different doctors and not one of them talks to the others, and I was getting really frustrated.”

James shared his frustration with a hospital administrator, who suggested he enlist the help of a geriatric care manager. She referred him to Golden Pond ElderCare Strategies. After meeting with Megan Descutner, MS, RN, about how she could help him and his wife, James was hopeful.

He immediately knew he had made the right decision when the family friend who stayed with Linda during the day was unable to come one morning. James called Megan and asked for help. “She knew who to call, and we had someone that same day who came in and stayed with my wife,” he recalled.

When James decided it was time to get Linda off some of her medications, Megan found Copper Ridge, a facility that offered Linda specialized Alzheimer’s care. After six weeks, Linda was feeling better and only taking three medications. During that time, Golden Pond helped James find Great Falls Assisted Living, where Linda has since continued to receive the appropriate medical care.

“Through all this, Megan was there. Whenever Linda had a medical change, I’d call her,” explained James. “For someone like me, with little or no experience with anything like this, she was a lifeline.”

Through the difficult decisions and challenging transitions, James is relieved that both him and his wife now have a sense of stability. “When it comes to medical issues, you always hear, ‘Get a second opinion,’” he said.  “Well, the care manager is the person who helps you ask the right questions for the first and second opinions. They are the voice of reason.”

*Names have been changed.

A whirlwind schedule packed with activities, such as traveling to nearby historical attractions or a professional sporting event. Working out in a fully-equipped health center or participating in a video game tournament. Some days, not getting to bed until well after midnight.

This isn’t college – it’s today’s retirement community.

Despite this new paradigm in retirement living, the decision to move into a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) is still one of the biggest challenges older Americans face, often with a great deal of reluctance. Obviously, it can be difficult to let go of a home where they have raised families and accumulated a lifetime’s worth of possessions, and equally difficult to face the fact that they may someday need assistance with the daily tasks of living. Unless the decision is essentially made by circumstance, such as a health crisis or death of a spouse, some still tend to believe that CCRCs are for “other people.”

But that’s changing. Many — in particular Boomers — now cite a desire to plan ahead, or simply the need to downsize and escape the maintenance associated with a house or yard.

Once that decision is made, selecting the right community can be equally challenging. “The idea of searching for and selecting the right community may deter people who could otherwise benefit from one,” says Cathy Ritter, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Asbury Communities, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that manages a system of communities across the U.S. “But today’s communities are a far cry from the stereotypical ‘rest home,’ and the majority of residents are not holed up in their apartments watching ‘Matlock’ reruns. They offer a vibrant lifestyle, encourage social interactions, and have a real, positive energy. There’s a sense of belonging, and of being among family.”

There are many factors that can help alleviate some of the stress of moving. Ritter offers ten tips that will assist in providing a seamless transition to a new community.

1. Create a wish list: First, compile a list of all of the qualities a “dream community” would have such as housing options, location, activities, transportation, and the availability of care — the things that would make you feel comfortable and happy. Prioritize them to help narrow the consideration set and make the search easier.

2. Research: After identifying several communities that meet your potential requirements, conduct some thorough research. Look beyond the community’s website. Talk to current or former residents. Understand costs, deposit and refund structures, and the community’s financial outlook. Review all important documents such as the contract and the financial report with your lawyer, accountant or financial advisor. And finally, verify that the community will be able to provide adequate care should your physical needs increase in the future.

3. Total immersion: After conducting some initial research into prospective communities, go experience them —and taking a campus tour should be just the beginning, according to Ritter. “Going for a meal or two, sitting down with residents and staff members, or participating in an activity will give you a realistic idea of day-to-day life. Many communities now offer truly multidimensional wellness programs that go beyond a pool or walking path. You’ll find opportunities to get involved at all levels.”

4. Keep family in the loop: When moving through the selection process, keep close family members involved. They can provide a strong support system and it will show both the family and the staff that their input is valued.

5. Hire a pro: Hiring professionals to help with the move from the family house to the new space can be extremely beneficial. “Most likely, you won’t be able to take all of your possessions along,” says Ritter, “but there is a growing industry of individuals and companies who specialize in relocating to retirement communities. A professional can help you decide what to keep, leave behind, give away or sell.”

6. Create a space: As you settle into your new space at the community, it may help to arrange furniture and decorations in a manner that is similar to how things were set up at home. This will help remove some of the discomfort that comes with being in a new place.

7. Get to know the staff: These are the people who live with and care for the residents on a daily basis, so an honest and open relationship is extremely beneficial. The more they know about you from the beginning, the better they will be able to take care of your needs.

8. Keep a routine: Trying (whenever possible) to keep the same routine established at home will help you stay connected to familiar people and places.

9. Get involved: Once the resident settles into the new housing, the fun can begin. “Look for ways to get   involved,” says Ritter. “That’s a great way to meet other residents, and to start feeling like you’re part of a community. Very likely, you will find there are others who share your interests.”

10. Remain positive: Throughout the entire process, a positive attitude is essential. “Life at a community will be what you make of it, so keeping positive thoughts and an open mind goes a long way,” notes Ritter. “Amenities and housing options aside, what’s most important is that it IS a community. There’s always someone available if you want to enjoy some fun or simply need a lift. You can be alone if you prefer, but you never have to feel alone.”

Transitioning from home to a community is a major life change, but keeping these tips in mind can help reduce the stress of a move and ensure that adults can enjoy this exciting new time in their lives to the fullest. They’ll wish they had moved ten years ago.

With the help of Elder Clean Pros, Jack and Fran Lish, along with their loved ones, learned Jack had a serious medical concern. The couple now receives home care assistance through its partner company, Advanced Home Support.

When it comes to deciding where to spend their future years, an increasing number of seniors are choosing to remain in the comforts of their homes.  It can be difficult, however, for their family members or care managers to keep a close eye on the household.  Fran and Jack Lish are among this growing niche, preferring to remain in their Gaithersburg, Md. apartment.  Fortunately, with the unique services provided by their son’s companies Elder Clean Pros and Advanced Home Support, they and their loved ones rest assured knowing that their safety will always be a top priority.

A Brooklyn native, Jack graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in economic geography.  Just a short time later, World War II broke out.

“I was a patriotic American and went to inquire about becoming a Navy Officer,” he said.  “I served a little over 3 ½ years, two of those were spent in French Morocco on the Atlantic.”

With this experience and having received his M.A. in statistics, he was eventually recruited to teach advanced communications and cryptology.  While this may seem complex and challenging to others, Jack would say with a smile that his career was a walk in the park compared to pursuing Fran.

Born in New Jersey, Fran attended the University of Georgia, leaving after her first year to work as a secretary in the government when the war started.  She had actually met Jack when she was on the verge of graduating high school as he was working for the government and renting a room with her aunt.

“He was coming home from work when I was outside on the porch babysitting.  He saw me and thought he was at the wrong house,” Fran said with a laugh.

While they enjoyed a courtship before she left for Georgia, she was not ready to get married.  Jack, however, never gave up and was delighted when she finally said ‘yes.’  They were married in 1945 and later welcomed Sam, their only child.

Over the years, they maintained busy lifestyles as Fran transitioned from being a homemaker to reentering the working world helping Jack who had become an attorney running a practice out of their home.  Aside from his career, he has also been involved in a great deal of community work, including serving as international president of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs.

Like many of their peers, the Lishes eventually found their apartment was becoming difficult to maintain.  As a result, they enlisted the services of Elder Clean Pros, Sam’s unique company that ensures the cleanliness and safety of a home but also provides oversight and observation of the individual.

Nearly 20 years ago, Sam Lish started the home healthcare company Advanced Home Support, one of the few private duty agencies providing skilled nursing along with personal care throughout the Washington, D.C. Metro area.  The organization’s thoroughly screened and trained professional caregivers offer assistance with activities of daily living, transportation, homemaking, and medication management, among many other services.

Within the past five years, however, Sam and his wife, Jody, noticed a trend of seniors needing help but not necessarily skilled nursing or personal care.  They noted how basic housekeeping services are not what the senior needs or what their loved ones had in mind.  Instead, they want the knowledge a nurse comes with and that additional help around the house.

Therefore, they started Elder Clean Pros, through which individuals can either receive a monthly or twice-monthly full home deep clean.  Additionally, the elder clean specialists offer a weekly safety check along with linen changes, room wipe downs and vacuuming and tidying.  Most importantly, since many of the specialists are Certified Nursing Assistants, they provide, as Sam and Jody often refer to it, ‘undercover care.’

“So many seniors will not tell their family what is really going on.  If we notice something needing immediate attention that nobody knows about, like a bruise or injury, we can at least let the family or care manager know what we’ve seen,” said Jody. “We bring attention to those issues before they become a crisis.”

As a result, children and family members rest assured knowing there is another set of attentive eyes on their loved ones.  For this among other reasons, care managers such as the Director of Aging Network Services in Bethesda, Md., Barbara Kane, LCSW-C, understand the importance and need for this type of service.  “It fills a niche for seniors who are not ready or who are resistant to home health care. Seniors are more likely to want housekeeping help, but these housekeepers have an eye on things,” she said.

And Jack Lish is just one of many clients who have proven why this undercover care is so essential.  During a visit, the cleaning specialist noticed Jack’s leg was swollen and reported back to Sam who took his father to the doctor.  They learned Jack had a blood clot, and he was immediately sent to the emergency room.

According to Jody, many individuals, like her in-laws, have started out using Elder Clean Pros, finding it provides an easy transition for seeking the services of Advanced Home Support.

As the cleaning specialists visit twice-monthly, Jack now has a caregiver that comes every weekday and will even make him himself available on weekends and holidays if needed.

“Our caregiver is such a caring and nice person; we feel lucky to have him,” said Fran.  “These services have certainly helped me a great deal and we’re very satisfied.  We feel well taken care of and completely covered.”

“I kept making strikes that day,” he said with a laugh. “I went over and showed her and her friend how to score for two strikes in a row.”

Eventually they were put on the same summer league team while Kay became Hal’s personal cheering section as he umpired for baseball games.

And ever since, it has been an uphill ride for the Elys with three children and five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

For the couple, retirement could not have come sooner. While he worked as an accountant and she a retirement plan specialist, they looked forward to the extra time they could spend on their favorite activities.

The Elys knew, however, that they would need some help along the way. As they evaluated the different housing options in the SourceBook, they noticed an ad for Senior Supportive Services, Inc.

“It sounded too good to be true,” said Hal. “But we found they really could offer us all the assistance we needed.”

For the past three years, Michael Mastroieni and Jeanette Mastroieni-Cave have helped the couple with their retirement funds, long-term care insurance and income taxes while enabling them to navigate the Medicare system. They were also able to offer expertise on various surrounding retirement communities when the Elys were planning to move.

“They had a lot of experience with different communities and made several suggestions to us,” said Hal. “They’re terrific, very much people-oriented and efficient in what they do.”

With their worries behind them, the Elys are busier than ever. Enjoying the scenic views of their new home, Tel Hai Retirement Community, they are devoting their time to their favorite pastimes: music and baseball. The couple sings in the choir and Kay, who plays the French horn, has started a band within their community. Hal, who helped start the Norristown Community Chorale, works with staff to put on various musical programs while singing for chapel services and at baseball games.

And of course they make sure to spend time with Michael and Jeanette, two individuals they cannot thank enough for helping them find a home and solve their financial questions.

“They are much more like personal friends than associates or advisors,” said Hal. “Or I should say very helpful friends.”

Please use the following list of attendees to help continue your networking efforts:

• Andrea Davison Access Nursing Services Inc (410) 321-5560 X16 adavison@accessnursing.net Lutherville
• Ann Murray adcieo (443) 253-5359 ann.murray@adcieo.com Baltimore
• Karen Osborne Advocacy Partners (610) 731-4307 kosborne@trustadvocacypartners.com Nottingham
• Jason Thomas American Medical Equipment (443) 204-4048 Catonsville
• Kimberly Landon Assisted Living Centers Inc (410) 381-6889 kimberly@easytobeorganized.com Pikesville
• Donna DePazzo Atrium Village (410) 363-0330 ddepazzo@seniorlifestyle.com Owings Mills
• Kathy Tyler Atrium Village (410) 363-0330 ktyler@seniorlifestyle.com Owings Mills
• Kristen Myers Brightview Mays Chapel Ridge (410) 628-2100 kmyers@bvsl.com Timonium
• Denise Bollinger Brightview Senior Living (410) 246-7489 dbollinger@bvsl.com Baltimore
• Elizabeth M Belli College Manor (410) 252-0440 ebm@collegemanor.com Lutherville Timonium
• Andrew Weinberg EldersChoice of Maryland (443) 762-4676 andrew@elders-choice.com Owings Mills
• Mary Faith Ferretto Ferretto Eldercare Consulting Inc (410) 661-6720 ferrettocare@comcast.net Baltimore
• Barbara Snyder Guide To Retirement Living (410) 581-6873 barbara@proaging.com Owings Mills
• Steve Gurney Guide to Retirement Living SourceBook (703) 992-1118 sgurney@gwpi.net Vienna
• Joeseph DePetris Home Instead Baltimore County (410) 337-8910 hisc131@comcast.net Towson
• Kelci Wise Homecall (410) 644-0105 kelci.wise@lhcgroup.com Halethorpe
• Mary Helen Dennis InfoDoc (410) 375-7903 mhdennis@infodocinc.com
• Brian Fitzek Johns Hopkins University (410) 516-5317 bfitzek@jhu.edu Baltimore
• Carol Anne Martin Kaiser Permanente (301) 321-5147 carol.a.martin@kp.org Rockville
• Pamela Fowlkes Kirkwood House (410) 464-0106 pamela.fowlkes@aimco.com Northwood
• Cynthia Hawkins Lighthouse Assisted Living (410) 918-0400 chawkins@lighthouseseniorliving.com Baltimore
• Carolyn Shearer Lighthouse Senior Living at Ellicott City (410) 465-2288 cshearer@lighthouseseniorliving.com Ellicott City
• Noelle Gepp Wilson Lighthouse Senior Living at Ellicott City (410) 465-2288 ngeppwilson@lighthouseseniorliving.com Ellicott City
• Cynthia Hawkins Lighthouse Senior Living at Hopkins Creek (410) 918-0400 chawkins@lighthouseseniorliving.com Essex
• Linda Bourdelaise Livewell International (410) 672-5451 linda.bourdelaise@livewellintl.com Gambrills
• Ellen Rabinowitz Manhattan Park Apartments (410) 466-5307 sc.mp316@comcast.net Baltimore
• Ellen Falk Meals On Wheels (443) 573-0926 falk@momcm.org Baltimore
• Michael Patterson mindRAMP & Associates (301) 802-7908 mcpatterson47@gmail.com
• Carol Frey Clark Mutual Of Omaha (410) 931-4639 carol.clark@mutualofomaha.com Baltimore
• Tom Swiney Regional Pest Management (800) 365-7827 tjswiney@hotmail.com
• Charna Kinneberg Senior Transitions Inc (410) 515-1199 mdseniortransitions@gmail.com Abingdon
• Christina Green Springhouse (410) 486-5500 cgreen@hcr-manorcare.com Pikesville
• Linda Reardon Springwell Senior Living (410) 664-4006 linda@springwellseniorliving.com Baltimore
• Phil Golden Springwell Senior Living (410) 664-4006 linda@springwellseniorliving.com Baltimore
• Shelly Lewis Springwell Senior Living (410) 664-4006 shelly@springwellseniorliving.com Baltimore
• Audrey Besmanoff Tudor Heights (410) 318-8000 abesmanoff@seniorlifestyle.com Baltimore
• Maria Gray-Bowie Village Oaks Apartments (410) 747-1440 Catonsville
• Cindy Zonies Weinberg Properties (410) 363-8655 dirsc@comcast.net Owings Mills
• Linda Burstyn Weinberg Properties (410) 581-7878 lburstyn@comcast.net Garrison
• Anna Novodvorskaya Weinberg Village (410) 363-8673 sc.wv4@comcast.net Owings Mills
• Laurice Booker Westminster House Apartments (410) 837-0180 lbooker@westminsterhouseapts.org Baltimore
• Sue Millard Yerman, Witman, Gaines, Conklin Realty (410) 583-0400 smillard@ywgcrealty.com Baltimore
• Tina Thompson Yerman, Witman, Gaines, Conklin Realty (410) 583-0400 tthompson@ywgcrealty.com Lutherville Timonium

It was in 1967 that Tony Coruzzi joined his brothers Pete and John in America to assist with Pizza John’s, located in Essex. John came to America from Italy in 1950 and founded the Italian restaurant in 1966, becoming a well-respected figure in the community. Three months later, Pete followed their brother’s footsteps, and was eventually joined by Tony. As a trio, they continued to build the success of the restaurant.

Nowadays, Tony still visits Pizza John’s for his favorite meal of ravioli with his Ivory House Aide, Kim Gresham. What makes moments like these so remarkable is that Tony has Multiple Sclerosis (MS). For the past three years, Ivory House Health Services, consisting of a team of nurses, Geriatric Care Managers and Certified Nursing Assistants, has provided him with total chronic care management in addition to nursing home care. Helping families make their loved ones’ wishes a reality is a specialty of the organization, and Tony is certainly very well loved by his brothers and his lady friend, Pat.

As evident in the case of Tony and his loved ones, Ivory House staff regards the focus on wellness and on the support of family relationships as pivotal. Ivory House’s Model of Care Management has evolved from years of applied specialized nursing and hands-on service to the geriatric population. It is holistic and centers on total involvement in the needs of a client and his/her loved ones. The care model consists of an initial in-depth assessment of all aspects of life, including medical records and treatment history, physical abilities, cognitive status, environmental conditions, social needs, relevant legal documents, and is followed by discussions with the family. Ivory House serves as the intermediary/advocate for Tony and other clients with physicians and key parties.

From the beginning, Ivory House engaged Tony as an active participant in his care management. Nurses came aboard during a health crisis and the first goal was to stabilize the disease medically. Early on, their success was attributable to the very slow pace at which progressions were undertaken — six months to help Tony move from the hospital to sub-acute rehabilitation to home. With the exception of two occurrences, Tony has been able to remain in the comforts of his home.

In addition to the physical changes that have complicated Tony’s daily life, he also has to deal with memory challenges. Yet, he delightedly receives friends and family, and, of course, all the caregivers and nurses that provide him with 24/7 nursing home care in all of its dimensions. One of these individuals is Ivory House Medical Director Dr. Thomas Lansdale, a respected internal medicine physician and educator who makes home visits to Tony as needed.

*Sandy Cooney — A Dutiful Daughter in Spite of it All*
Another situation that exemplifies Ivory House’s care model through wholly evaluating the needs of the involved loved ones and providing instruction is that of Sandy Cooney* and her family. Sandy’s parents, Sue and Bill, were married for 53 years, but were not especially close with their son and daughter. When a gas leak threatened the couple’s lives, however, it was time for their children to take charge with the help of Protective Services.

With one spouse having cardiac issues and dementia and the other diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the couple was forced to separate due to house relocation from assisted living to hospice. In the midst of all the turmoil, Sandy’s brother was killed tragically in an automobile accident, leaving her to intervene and provide care despite the difficult relationships with both parents.

Even with the support of her loving husband, Sandy felt very alone and overwhelmed. Fortunately, she soon had the guidance of Ivory House nurses, who at every step provided her with options, understanding, teaching and resiliency. Eventually Bill moved in with Sandy and her husband and although the challenging times continued with feisty bouts, the stresses of role reversal and loss of control, Sandy found she was at peace when he passed. With the support and encouragement of Ivory House, she was comforted knowing she had done her best.

It is with the guidance, assessment, expertise and overall family-oriented practices of Ivory House that the clients in these stories have found the individualized help they needed. Whether it is Tony’s enjoying ravioli surrounded by his brothers and friends, or Sandy’s finding peace after troubling times, these individuals and their loved ones are all thankful to the team that has played a large role in their lives.

_*Indicates name has been changed._

Emma Alford's family turned to Rosemary Allender, founder and owner of Family Eldercare Management, who offered her aid and assistance and provided Emma and her sister with helpful information regarding their mother's care.

Emma Alford moved her mother Annie Davis, also affectionately known as Ms. Daisy, from Mt. Vernon NY to care for her. For Emma, it was the best option after her father had passed away, especially with all of her siblings living outside of New York.

It was only nine months after Emma moved her mom into her home that Ms. Daisy wanted to live on her own and be as independent as possible. She then moved into an apartment building for senior citizens conveniently located just around the corner from her daughter.

In order to further enable her mother to continue living independently, Emma had also found a day care center that Ms. Daisy could attend 3-4 days a week. Emma remained her mother’s sole caregiver as she continued to frequently visit and check on her.

As time went on, however, Ms. Daisy’s health began to change and living on her own became a major challenge when she ultimately had a stroke. Emma proceeded to call her sister, a Geriatric Nursing Assistant, who moved her family to Maryland to assist in the care of Ms. Daisy. Her health continued to decline and Ms. Daisy was also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

At what was an extremely difficult time, the family turned to Rosemary Allender, founder and owner of Family Eldercare Management, who offered her aid and assistance and provided Emma and her sister with helpful information regarding their mother’s care.

Over the course of the next few years, Rosemary provided her expertise as a care manager on invaluable resources, such as how the family could get additional health care assistance through though the Special Low Income Medicare Beneficiary Program. She also informed them of local support groups where they could find additional support and insight.

In August 2008, at age 88, Ms. Daisy’s Alzheimer’s progressed to the late/end stage. With the continued guidance of Rosemary, they were able to provide in-home Palliative/Hospice Care throughout the following year, when Ms. Daisy closed her eyes and peacefully transitioned.