Navigating Senior Care: Spotlight on our Top Six Influencers in 2024, Resources and Support

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Navigate the emotional journey of senior care with practical advice, expert resources, and compassionate support for families and caregivers.

Personal Experience Caring for an Elder Parent

Caring for an aging loved one is a deeply personal and emotional journey, one I have walked myself. Recently, my family faced the heart-wrenching decision to move my 93-year-old mother into an assisted living facility. Her physical needs had outgrown what my family, particularly my sister and her husband, could manage. Mom also has some cognitive impairment and what came out of her mouth in response to a desire to make sure she took her medication or ate a healthy meal was not always nice. She fought safety protocols, sometimes refused to get out of bed, and consistently refused to eat or to drink enough to stay hydrated. She was lonely; all her family members and friends had passed on years before her and she missed that companionship yet refused to meet new people.

The process of making the decision to place her in a facility was overwhelming, but resources like Caring.com and Patriot Angels proved invaluable. As the daughter of a veteran of the Berlin Airlift and Korean War, I found Patriot Angels especially helpful in navigating benefits available to my mother as the widow of an eligible veteran. My professional background of several years working in geropsychology, (providing psychological services in an assisted living facility, a nursing home, and a geriatric hospital unit), had also given me a heads up about the emotional and logistical difficulties of finding the needed level of care for an older adult loved one. And of course, the G-word –GUILT- about not being able to do it without professional help.

This experience, both personal and professional, has deepened my appreciation for the individuals/influencers and resources who make it their mission to support families and caregivers. Below, I’ve compiled a list of influencers and experts who share practical advice and relatable experiences, as well as nationally recognized services that can guide families through the complexities of senior care. I hope that they can be helpful to the Mamapedia community.

Influencers and Experts in Senior Care

These individuals are dedicated to providing education, support, and encouragement to families navigating senior care. Their expertise and personal insights make them invaluable resources.

  1. Teepa Snow

Expertise: Dementia care and education

  1. Joan Lunden

Expertise: Senior caregiving advocacy, author of Why Did I Come Into This Room?

  1. Lori La Bey

Expertise: Founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks, dementia caregiving advocate

  1. Elizabeth Miller

Expertise: Family caregiving support, founder of Happy Healthy Caregiver

  1. DailyCaring

Expertise: Practical caregiving tips and advice

  1. Carol Bradley Bursack

Expertise: Author of Minding Our Elders, caregiver advocate

Nationally Based Senior Care Resources

  1. Caring.com
  • Purpose: Comprehensive directory of senior living options, financial planning, and caregiving advice – all free
  • Website: www.caring.com
  1. A Place for Mom
  • Purpose: Help finding the right senior living arrangement for an elder all at no charge; support
  • Website: aplaceformom.com
  1. Patriot Angels
  • Purpose: Assists veterans and their families in accessing benefits for senior care from the Veterans Administration; facilitates access to benefits.
  • Website: www.patriotangels.com
  1. AARP Caregiving Resources
  • Purpose: Guides for caregiving, including financial planning and local resources.
  • Website: www.aarp.org/caregiving
  1. National Institute on Aging (NIA)
  • Purpose: Provides information on aging-related health and caregiving.
  • Website: www.nia.nih.gov
  1. Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA)
  • Purpose: National center offering support and advocacy for family caregivers.
  • Website: www.caregiver.org
  1. Veterans Affairs (VA)
  1. Alzheimer’s Association
  • Purpose: Offers information and support for families affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia.
  • Website: www.alz.org
  1. Meals on Wheels America
  1. National Resource Directory
  • Purpose: Database for veterans and their families to access support services.
  • Website: www.nrd.gov

Conclusion

Caring for an aging loved one is both profound and challenging, often filled with difficult decisions and emotional upheaval. Having personally recently navigated this process and having supported others professionally, I understand how critical it is to have reliable guidance and compassionate resources at your fingertips. The influencers and experts mentioned here offer information, practical advice and emotional support to help you feel less alone in your caregiving journey. Meanwhile, the national resources listed provide essential tools to address both immediate and long-term senior care needs.

If you are starting this journey, remember that you are not alone. Seek out the resources available, connect with experts who can guide you, and lean on the support of your community, including the Mamapedia community. Caring for an aging loved one can be a deeply rewarding experience, but you also have to be able to care for yourself. That’s why “caring” sometimes means letting someone else help you. You can surrender some of the hard part of caregiving to professionals and savor the visits and making memories for yourself.

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