Resources
Check out our local Dallas Fort Worth, TX senior living resources. Contact us to set up your consultation!
John Alagood, CPRS, CSA®, CDP, Local Senior Advisor
Certified Placement and Referral Specialist
Certified Senior Advisor®
Certified Dementia Practitioner
Senior Living Resources in Dallas Fort Worth, TX
Listen to our latest Boomers Today podcast and read through answers to common senior placement questions.
Boomers Today is our weekly podcast that helps educate families on resources available to the aging boomer population. Frank Samson, founder and CEO of Senior Care Authority®, interviews a different expert on aspects of what families face as the Boomers and their parents are aging. Subjects range from caregiver challenges, to legal matters, to financial considerations, to health and wellness topics and self-care.
Organizing Life's Daily Demands
May 18, 2023 Latest EpisodePeter Gordon is the president of New York Financial Organizers, Inc. (NYFO). After learning to navigate the tricky waters of Medicare, Medicaid, community trusts and estate planning for his own parents, Peter began NYFO in 2015 with the goal of helping others gain peace of mind and security with their families, or their own, financial affairs. Peter works closely with his clients other trusted advisors, often acting as POA, Executor or Trustee.
Working Daughters Power the Economy
May 18, 2023 Latest EpisodeLiz O’Donnell is the founder of Working Daughter, which supports women balancing eldercare, career, and more. An award-winning writer, her book, Working Daughter: A Guide to Caring for Your Aging Parents While Earning A Living, was named one of the Best Books of the Year by Library Journal. In 2020, she launched National Working Daughters Day. She also created a list of the Best Places to Work for Working Daughters and published the top companies in 2022. She has written on the topic for many outlets including The Atlantic and Harvard Business Review. She has been featured in The Wall Street Journal , Oprah Magazine and Health.
Awakening from Alzheimer’s
May 18, 2023 Latest EpisodePeggy Sarlin wrote Awakening From Alzheimer's, the first book to investigate alternative remedies for Alzheimer's, which she just updated for the third edition. Peggy's three video series on dementia have garnered over five million views and helped to spread the word about safe, natural options for cognitive health. She lives in New York where she is a health coach and singer-songwriter.
Do’s and Don’ts When Visiting People Living with Dementia
May 18, 2023 Latest EpisodeMarcy Baskin, owner of the Senior Care Authority franchise in San Francisco North Bay, is an advocate for families offering them strategies to calm the very difficult communication issues inherent with cognitive decline and to simplify their decision-making process. Her own experience of caring for her mother who had Alzheimer’s Disease as well as her father with multiple physical ailments and cognitive disorders launched her into a later in life education and career change. Marcy studied Healthcare Navigation at Sonoma State University and holds certifications as a Certified Senior Advisor, Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer. As a support group facilitator for the Alzheimer’s Association, she is grateful for the opportunity to use her education, facilitation skills, personal experience, and knowledge of available resources to assist people with ongoing family caregiver challenges, particular strategies of how to communicate lovingly and with patience, even when it feels like the “end of the rope”.
Understanding MedicAlert and Personal Emergency Response Systems
May 6, 2023 Latest EpisodeKaren Cassel is the President and CEO of MedicAlert, a nonprofit organization founded in 1956, with a mission of saving and protecting lives by sharing its members’ vital health information with first responders and medical providers in an emergency. Karen brings over a decade of experience in senior care and caregiving to her role at MedicAlert and is using that expertise to further improve health outcomes by selectively introducing technology to a tried, true and trusted service.
Balancing Caregiving, Your Career and Your Life
April 21, 2023 Latest EpisodeAfter being a primary caregiver for her mother for over six years, author Lynn Abaté Johnson understands the typhoon of emotions and responsibilities that come with caring for a loved one. Like most caregivers, Lynn juggled caregiving duties with a full-time career. In her daily life, she’s a business consultant and global community builder. Her book, “Out of Love: A Daughter’s Journey With Her Mom To The End,” provides care for family caregivers by giving them the emotional and logistical support they need, even when they are working in high-pressure.
Impact of Pet Ownership on the Lives of Older Adults
April 7, 2023 Latest EpisodeJessica Bibbo is a Ph.D. and is a Research Scientist in the Center for Research and Education at Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, where she works on research and evaluation studies to better serve older adults and their caregivers. Dr. Bibbo’s research focuses on aging, caregiving and human-animal interaction. Their work investigates the impact of pet ownership and the human-animal bond on the lives of older adults and their families.
Be The CEO of Your Own Aging Life
April 07, 2023 Latest EpisodeMax Lambright is an 8 time CEO, who, until 3 weeks ago, was too old to hire and too young to retire. Now focused on coaching and mentoring current service C-suite executives as well as the next generation of small and medium business leaders, Max has partnered with 4 other ex-C suite entrepreneurs to form The Executive’s Chair, a virtual community where leaders come to grow. Over the past 50 years in business, and 35+ years in executive leadership positions, Max has led, turned-around, and grown companies in such diverse industries as custom electrical components, food processing, steel fabrication, and commercial cleaning equipment.
How To Find the Right Place for Your Loved One
April 7, 2023 Latest EpisodeLaura Davis has 22 years of experience working with seniors and their families in assisted living, including independent communities, skilled nursing, memory care, rehabilitation, Hospice, and In-home care solutions. She is experienced with helping people through both planned and unplanned life changing events, and approaches every situation with patience and understanding.
Reflections of an Adult Child
March 31, 2023 Latest EpisodeBruce Nathanson, MBA, CDP, has over 20 years of experience working with seniors in the healthcare and senior housing industries. He assists seniors and their families with finding the best assisted living or memory care communities based on their needs, is an advocate of Senior Care Authority’s EASE program, and works directly with professionals in his field to develop referral partner relationships. Bruce lives and works in New York, and supports families across the US.
Age-Related Memory Loss versus Dementia/Alzheimer’s
March 24, 2022 Latest EpisodeGary Small, MD, is Chair of Psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Center. Dr. Small is a co-inventor of the first PET scanning method that provides images in living people of the physical evidence of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to testing compounds that may benefit cognitive abilities and possibly delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease symptoms, Dr. Small has studied and developed lifestyle and memory training programs for improving cognition and healthy aging. Dr. Small has authored over 500 scientific works and received numerous awards and honors, including the American Psychiatric Association’s Weinberg Award for Excellence in Geriatric Psychiatry. Scientific American magazine named him one of the world’s top 50 innovators in science and technology. He is the author of 12 popular books, including The New York Times bestseller, The Memory Bible.
“I did not feel alone anymore with this enormous decision.”
- Sylvia P. / Crossroads, TX“Thank you for your skillful negotiation. You helped make the perfect community for mom work financially.”
- Joel H / Irving, TX“Your services were terrific and our parents are very happy with their new community!”
- Lisa K. / Plano, TX"Bonita is a 10! Smart, organized, caring, resourceful, energetic, all the things you want and need when searching for the best solutions to those you care about. I would highly recommend Bonita to anyone who would like help caring for someone they love. I've been blessed to have her in my corner!"
- Jeff Taber“Thank you for your skillful negotiation. You helped make the perfect community for mom work financially.”
- Joel H / Irving, TX“Your services were terrific and our parents are very happy with their new community!”
- Lisa K. / Plano, TXFrequently Asked Questions
Below you'll find answers to the questions we get asked the most about Eldercare support. If you don't see the answer to your question below, please don't hesitate to ask us anything. We promise to give you an honest answer.
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How do I know if it is time for my Mom or Dad to move into Assisted Living?
Safety is the number one factor for most families. Although most people would prefer to stay in their own home, there are significant reasons why that is sometimes not possible. In addition to safety concerns, social engagement, communal meals, scheduled activities and 24/7 supervision are some other good reasons to consider Assisted Living.
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I know Mom needs to move but she says she is staying put. What should I do? She cannot afford full time care at home.
Often, it is a process and a series of conversations. Imagine yourself in Mom’s position and don’t try to force anything. A Senior Advisor can help you map out the strategy and even help you talk with Mom.
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How much does assisted living or memory care cost?
It varies from state-to-state, even county-to- county in the same state. Costs are usually based on a fee for rent and additional fees for care, based on how much assistance is needed.
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Does Medicare or Medicaid pay for assisted living?
The rule of thumb, at this writing, is that Medicare only pays for post-acute skilled nursing care, for a maximum of 100 days if certain requirements are met. Medicaid is a state-administered program. Some states have “waivers” that allow people to spend down their money and then stay in an assisted living facility when Medicaid goes into effect. Your Advisor will be versed in the regulations in your state.
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My Dad was a veteran of WWII. He passed away three years ago. Mom now needs care. Are there benefits available to help her pay for this care?
If Dad was enlisted during a period of war (see VA website) chances are that Mom is eligible to receive his benefits. Talk to your Advisor for general guidelines and then contact your local VA office for more information.
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My Dad was just diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Does that mean he needs to live in Memory Care? He still drives!
The short answer is not necessarily. There are many factors to consider and every care situation is different. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) can mean a variety of things. It is not necessarily a precursor to Alzheimer’s or other dementias. That said, dementia does not happen overnight and early stages are, in fact, a reason someone may have MCI.
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If I have Power of Attorney for a relative who is refusing care, can I force her to move?
Most likely not. A power of attorney does not give you the right to force someone to move. Usually this requires a Guardianship or Conservatorship. An elder law attorney would be your best source of advice. We can give you referrals to excellent attorneys specializing in laws relating to eldercare.
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I live in New York City. Mom lives in California. She is showing signs of forgetfulness and has no relatives on the west coast. How do I manage her care?
Hiring a local Senior Advisor or Patient Advocate is your best bet to having “boots on the ground” when your loved one lives far away. Interview several and find someone with whom you feel comfortable. We can help!
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My mother is applying for Medicaid. She owns her own home but has no other assets. Her social security of $800/month is her only income. Will she be approved?
Most likely yes but as we stated above, programs vary from state to state. Home ownership is not typically considered when determining eligibility. If she is going to have to sell her home to pay for care, your best option is to consult with a Medicaid planning or elder law attorney. Again, we can refer you to someone competent and compassionate.