At Aging Well ElderCare Specialists LLC, we understand the pressures you are under as a family caregiver. This blog is designed to support you in the incredibly important work that you do.
As the the Buffalo-Niagara region experts in family caregiving, we have resources, tips and information that can make your life much easier.
If you would like help, give us a call at: (716) 204-1063.
If you are the person most likely to step in if your loved one is unable to get to the bills—a hospitalization, dementia—you need to get oriented. And organized! It’s easy to lose track of paperwork, especially someone else’s. Professionals recommend gathering important documents in a file or binder for safekeeping. Put that in a locked and fireproof location. Consider a small home safe. Or a safe deposit box at the bank.
If your loved one is discharged from the hospital to a skilled nursing facility (SNF), their care will be in the hands of a team of specialists. It’s a good idea to understand the players’ roles so you know whom to call upon for what.
April 10 is Siblings Day! How are things going with your siblings? Does everyone in your family participate in the care of your loved one? Is there agreement on the problems? The solutions? If not, you aren’t alone with this issue. But you could probably use a family meeting or two to get everyone rowing in the same direction.
The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. However, there are many other conditions that also bring on memory problems. It is important to accurately identify the cause, even if there’s no cure, because this will shape the best strategy for addressing difficult symptoms.
If your spouse is younger than 65 and has received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, you may feel in a world all your own. You probably don’t know anyone else in this situation and may sense a social stigma. It can be scary. Lonely. And feel just not fair!
Depression is common in older adults. It’s long been known that brisk exercise can help reduce depression. But it turns out that exercise doesn’t have to be vigorous to make a difference. Even mild exercise can be effective.
Did you know “false teeth” need to be brushed daily, just like “real teeth” do? Learn how you can help your loved one avoid infections, maintain good nutrition, and extend the life of their dentures.
No one likes to dwell on the possibility of disaster. But we all need to prepare for one, just in case. Help your relatives gear up for safety. Whether you live across town or across the nation, the action items are the same.
Food is so profoundly linked to health and love, it can be distressing to realize that someone you care for is missing meals or otherwise eating poorly. There are many services available to help, each with their own special procedures. Learn about the questions you’ll want to ask.
If your loved one has balance problems, the culprit may be in the medicine. Many common medicines have side effects that can impair balance and lead to a fall. Over 40% of persons age 65 and older take five medications or more. This increases the chance that at least one of the drugs has side effects of dizziness, blurry vision, drowsiness, or muscle weakness.
I can't thank Michelle enough for her hard work and dedication in helping my mom and I during this Medicaid process. She was very professional and always available to answer any questions regardless of the day or time.
Michelle has provided my family with a wealth of needed information and services since 2016. In a professional but very caring manner, Aging Well Care Management has provided help with referrals, paperwork, moving and a deep knowledge of her craft. I, too, live far from New York and appreciate the work she has done with my cousin and aunt. I have great confidence in her abilities.
Michelle Spencer’s assessment of my sister’s needs and knowledge of aging well options were instrumental in helping us find a safe, supportive and caring assisted living location.She helped us navigate the placement process quickly and has been there for follow-up actions. This is especially reassuring to us because we do not live nearby.
I have been very happy working with Michelle from Aging Well Care Management and feel fortunate to have found someone who is kind, trustworthy, caring, and accommodating. This is important because I live 500 miles from my 90 year old mother, who also appreciates her weekly visits. I certainly recommend Michelle and Aging Well Care Management.
I have recently signed on as an Aging Well Care Management client. I am working with Michelle on my mother's behalf on the first task and thus far I am satisfied. I will be able to provide updated feedback after this task is complete.Thank you Michelle.
Great experience with Michelle. She was very informative and shared lots of good information. It take a load off my mind to know that I have Aging Well Care to turn to when I need assistance with the care of my sister in law who has Alzheimer’s. I would recommend them highly.
Michelle has been wonderful as a long-distance liaison for me as I have helped my parents transition in/out of rehab and assisted living facilities over the past year. Knowing I can count on her from afar to help when needed with scheduling appointments, following up with facilities, and transportation has been a relief and much weight off my shoulders. She is experienced and can help you navigate/advocate. Even if you live locally she can provide welcome relief and support when caring for others. I highly recommend Aging Well Care Management.
Michelle is wonderful. She is very knowledgeable and helpful. Told us everything we needed to know and help us get my grandmother a place to stay quickly.
I have known Michelle Spencer for two years she has been a well liked and available social worker to many people in Village Park residential apartments I employed Michelle last year and this year to assist me with editing our handbook also minutes of our residential Council Michelle has also also given me advice on medical billing I have found Michelle to be professional very knowledge flexible as she can be in her busy schedule she answers my text quickly and projects her schedule so that I can easily arrange my date I enjoy working with Michelle because she is professional easy in her conversations and willing to teach I would certainly recommend Michelle to any person or organization that needs casework or professional guidance
Working for Aging Well Care Management, LLC has been an absolute pleasure. Michelle goes above and beyond for her client’s & their families. She expects nothing less than the best from her staff. I look forward to watching this company grow & being a part of it all.
Michelle has been fantastic. Offering words of encouragement and giving useful suggestions. Our family member can be more than challenging and she has been very good at helping us through difficult times.
Thank you for your care, concern and assistance with my disabled relative. Your experience and support were much appreciated as we navigated through the variety of challenges that came up. He enjoyed your visits.
Recently our family went through a life changing event with my aging father. After unexpected time in the hospital, it was clear that dad needed full time care outside of his home. Faced with the daunting task of finding the right place for dad we retained Michelle Spencer to help us through the process. She was a huge help navigating medicaid, facility selection and all the issues we were facing for the first time. I would highly recommend Michelle to anyone that is dealing with similar decisions.