I recently had the pleasure to speak at San Clemente Villas by the Sea.  I’ve spoken at many senior communities across four states now, so I was excited to speak in what was essentially my backyard.  I like to share my experiences at each community; many of your are considering senior living communities, and exposure to different places is useful for everyone.

San Clemente Villas by the Sea is a community located in San Clemente, California.  San Clemente is a beach town between Los Angeles and San Diego, and is the last town south before you have 30 miles of beautiful beach views en route to San Diego.

The first thing that struck me when I walked in was the positive energy I got from the community.  So often you walk into a senior living community, and it has a hotel feel. Even though residents are engaged, the front desk often seems like “check-in”, and you really have to get into the community to get a flavor for its personality.  The management offices are separated from the residents and it just feels, well, separate.

With The Villas, it was different.  Owner Aileen Brazeau has done a great job there.  It seems more like a party–music, chatter, people laughing in the sitting areas and a staff that was completely engaged in the residents.  This was a big differentiator for me.  Whereas many communities have staff know their residents and interact with them, the staff at The Villas knew the residents.  They were engaged, joking around and everyone was smiling.  I rarely get such a positive vibe, so I was really looking forward to the tour.

San Clemente Villas by the Sea offers independent living, assisted living and dementia care, all laid out in Hawaian themes.  I spoke to a few residents; they were happy about living there and felt it was a good social outlet for them with good care.  The community itself had modern decor and the rooms were no different.  Since The Villas is located on a hill, many of the rooms have a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean.

In terms of amenities, they had it all and took the extra step to provide residents some comforts of home.  For example, rather than just a fitness class, they had a pretty nice gym (coming from a gym nut like myself).  Instead of just an activity room for bingo, they had a professional bingo board where the numbers light up.  Instead of just a restaurant with hours for snacks, they had a coffee shop area with snacks. They also had a pool and a jacuzzi, which lent itself to several activity classes not normally senior in senior living communities.

All in all, I was very impressed with the community and the vibe. The owners clearly hire people that were not just qualified, but enjoyed interacting with the residents.  Often that makes the difference between just good care and a good experience!

To learn more about San Clemente Villas by the Sea, visit their website.

In aging seniors, healthy brain function is about more than just memory and coordination; everyday tasks, relationships, hobbies and quality of life are all affected.  It stands to reason that the more aware and capable you are of cognitive reasoning and performing independent living activities the higher your self confidence and emotional health.

The nation’s largest study on brain fitness was performed in 2002 by the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) and their results showed that a large percentage of participants over the age of 65 improved memory, reasoning and information-processing speed when they participated in training for five days per week.  In addition, the study showed a 47% lower risk of dementia in participants who worked crossword puzzles four days a week than those who only worked the puzzles once a week.  These results play into the notion of “Use it or Lose it” when it comes to cognitive aging.

Furthermore, an Australian study consisting of 30 peer-reviewed papers in controlled trials found that, as people experienced these lifestyle benefits they were also able to live longer and therefore reduce health care expenses.

Along with these studies, it is widely known that many seniors regularly engage in crossword puzzles, Sudoku and similar brain training games to slow dementia and aging.  Many software companies have tapped into this need by creating games and exercises that aid in sustaining mental acuity.  It has been reported that the brain fitness software market grew from $225 Million in 2007 to $265 Million in 2008.  Here are the top three systems that claim to reduce dementia rates in seniors.

Posit Science

Posit Science claims that their products will help the user “think faster, focus better, and remember more.”  Their software programs are designed for either a PC or a Mac. Each priced at $395.00

1. Brain Fitness Program: Six programs that allow you to “Remember more & Feel Sharper” by practicing matching items, distinguishing objects, memory recall and story telling.
2. InSight: Five programs designed for “Better Focus & Learn More” focusing on visual precision.
3. DriveSharp: Two programs that deal with divided attention and increased processing times so that you will “Drive Carefully & React Faster”

Dakim BrainFitness

Dakim offers two brain training concepts for seniors.

1. A complete self-contained console that only needs a high-speed internet connection but does not require a keyboard, mouse or software program installation.  It is marketed to both the individual senior and the senior living provider.  After the initial purchase of $2,299 for the touch-screen console, more than 150 games are available for a $19.95 per month subscription.
2. 2. New brain fitness software to be released this April for $349.99, which includes a one-year subscription.

CogniFit

CogniFit is a web-based system that does not require you to install software or purchase a console.  Instead you access the programs through their website.  Both programs described below are priced based on the following subscription terms: $19.95 per month, $99.50 for 6 months, or $170 annually.

1. CogniFit Personal Coach:  This program addresses overall cognitive skills and claims to improve memory and focus, and increase processing time.
2. CogniFit Senior Driver: Similar to other driving programs, this system is designed to improve reaction time, handle multiple driving tasks and focus on potential road threat recognition.

About the Author: Ryan Malone is the founder and managing editor of Inside Elder Care and the author of the By Families, For Families Guide to Assisted Living.  He can be reach on Twitter at @RyanMalone.

What a great week we’ve had over at Leaders in Elder Care!

For those of you who don’t know what it is, Leaders in Elder Care is a podcast-based interview series that seeks to share the great things individuals are doing to change the face of elder care.  These are the entrepreneurs, politicians, advocates and caregivers who put it long days to make things better for seniors.   Through Leaders in Elder Care, we give them a chance to brag a little bit about what they are doing.

Each podcast is about 20 minutes and enables our Leaders to share their vision, method, results and futures with you via an intimate, no-frills conversation.

Below is a summary of some of the great interviews we’ve had in the last week.

I would love to hear what you think.  Be sure to leave a comment below and share your thoughts!

The Financier – Senior Lines of Credit

Elias Papasavvas came to the United States with nothing.  His parents were robbed at gunpoint.  As his parents aged, he saw the immense pressure families are put under when they need access to money for elder care and residential care.  That pressure often forces people to liquidate assets at times when their value is the lowest.  He combined his finance experience with a clear market need to create Elderlife Financial and invented the “senior line of credit.”

Read more about Elias and listen to the podcast.

The Dreamer – Ageless Dreamer

What if you could give an elder friend or family member the dream they always wish they had?  A ride on a Harley?  A college diploma?  A sailboat ride?  Laurie Widmark and Ageless Dreamer (a non-profit) have done just that.  Laurie and her team diligently review each Dream request and work hard to put smiles on faces that say “dream fufilled.”  When I first heard Laurie’s story, I said to myself “This is what it is all about!” It was such an amazing interview and Ageless Dreamer is such an amazing idea.

Read more about Ageless Dreamer and listen to the podcast.

Dementia Care – Sollievo

Ellen Dunnigan saw a critical gap missing in the market for dementia-focused home care.  And boy did she fill it.  Sollievo means “relief” in Italian and the mission of Sollievo is to provide just this.  Sollievo is one of many alternative care models sprouting up around the country.  Ellen’s view of a 360-degree care philosophy designed specifically around those who have or are impacted by dementia is really unique.

Read more about Sollievo and listen to the podcast.

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As I did when I visited Belmont Village Cardiff, I try and share my tour experiences when possible as there are some very dedicated people out there building and operating great communities.

I had a unique opportunity a few weeks ago to spend some time with the executive director of Atria Senior Living’s community in Irvine, California.  Atria Woodbridge is a relatively new community built in 2001.  The executive director, Ladd Roberts, has only been there a few years, but you can tell in the way he speaks about the property that he has an enormous amount of pride in what he does.  That’s one of the main things I look for in an assisted living community, so it was refreshing to get the vibe from the beginning of our discussion.

Convenient Location

Atria Woodbridge is set between two major freeways in Orange County – the 5 and the 405 (yes, Californians actually do say “the” in front of highway numbers).  This makes the community easily accessible from Los Angeles, San Diego and the Inland Empire (an area east of Orange County).  It’s also only about 8-10 miles from John Wayne Airport, which I would argue is one of the easiest airports in the country to fly through.

Atria Woodbridge is tucked between two upscale strip malls, making shopping, dining and small conveniences only a few steps away.  They’ve done a good job lining the community with trees to present a clean separation between the shopping center and the community.  Outside the entrance sits a very inviting social area with outdoor furniture.  I spend many evenings at home on the patio, and this subtle touch brought some nice memories and made a good impression.

A Grand Entry

Walking in, the first thing I noticed was the cathedral ceiling.  The ceiling had exposed beams much like you would see at a ski lodge and serve a great purpose in opening up the entrance and “presenting” the community to new visitors.  Under the rotunda a few steps down the hall sits a grand piano.  It is the focal point of the room and the divider between the residences to the right and the activities and dining room to the left.

Real Librarians?

Most all assisted living communities have a library or community room of some sort.  A few things struck me as unique at this community.  First, a second piano was placed just to the left of the entrance. Ladd Roberts told me this particular piano belonged to one of the residents.  I smiled because I can imagine the sense of homeliness that resident must feel knowing their “baby” is here with them.  It was certainly a nice touch by Ladd to make this a centerpiece of the room.

Second, a two-sided fireplace separated the room, which added a great deal of privacy and enabled it to be used for multiple things.  In fact, it was well before lunch and several groups of residents were gathered in their own groups having a nice time.  (Note: if you’ve read my book, you’ll know that I recommend visiting communities outside of dining hours to measure the social level of the residents and staff)

Finally, Ladd told me the library is staffed with retired librarian residents.  I thought this was a clever way of providing a sense of purpose to these ladies who no doubt have a great deal of pride in their former careers.

Confident Quality

In my book, I share tips on how to measure the quality of a community by interviewing general and executive staff.  I do this because many communities don’t make quality assurance and audits a focal point of their prospective resident tours, so the burden is on the customer to perform that level of due diligence.

Surprisingly, Ladd brought this up proactively during the tour and told me a little about how Atria performs internal audits.  After probing a little as to the depth of the audit, Ladd chuckled and told me that his 700 item internal audit was so detailed that he didn’t have to prepare much for the state health inspection.

To be fair, I didn’t dig into their audit paperwork and processes, but it’s been my experience that those who confidently share their quality plans and audit processes are the ones who deliver a quality product.

The Zen Master

As one might expect, Ladd was saving the best for last.  The activity area of the building wraps around a courtyard.  Ladd calls it the Zen Garden.  Why?  It was authentically decorated in a Japanese theme with waterfalls, fish and plans all over.  It was very quiet with the exception of running water from the waterfall.

Ladd says this is his place to come think, and you could tell that it was a warm and happy place for many residents.  For those residents that want a complete change of scenery, the Zen Garden will transport them to a different time and place.

Got plane?  Wanna race?

Earlier in the tour, we were walking through the activity room and there were several model planes hanging from the roof.  Ladd told me these were built by one of the residents.  He shared with me a story about how they had model airplane races in the dining room one day.  He boasted he had it on video and I convinced him to let me share it.

But before I show the video, I’ll end by saying that I was impressed with Atria Woodridge.  I was also really impressed with Ladd Roberts and his team.  I could tell he cared a great deal about his impact on the residents, and it was obvious he ran a high quality community.

Nice to meet you Ladd, and thanks for the tour!

Here’s the video:

The Caregiver in MidLife
Where Theirs Needs End and Yours Begin
By Ellen Besso
(Self-Published; 101 pages with exercises; $14.99 e-book)

It’s no secret that I am not among the norm as someone who is the primary caregiver for his family.  In fact, 73% of caregivers are women, the average age of which is 46 years.

Many books on caregiving have been released over the years.  On the surface, Ellen Besso’s book, “The Caregiver in MidLife” may appear like that of a traditional caregiver book.  In fact there are some things in common: personal stories, self-cleansing and strong bonds between the writer and reader that “we’re in it together.”

By that is where the similarities end.  You see, Ellen Besso is a life coach.  And the words “victim” and “cannot” are not words commonly used by coaches – especially life coaches.  It’s here where Besso’s book creates separation and a credibility that cannot be denied.

Besso takes a unique angle in discussing the expectations, emotions and transformations Baby Boomer women face in their role as a family caregiver.  Besso argues that women are hardwired to be caregviers and details fascinating conflicts between the demands of caregiving and life realities such as hormonal changes, motherly instincts and the pressures to “finally do something” with one’s life.

“The Caregiver in MidLife” teaches you how to regain the life you put on hold, and how do it in a way that is comfortable, empowering and respected by the loved one to which you provide care.

Chapter 4 addressed a topic I’ve not thought of formally, but one that is real.  The chapter focuses on role changes as women move through life.   Besso argues that as women grow, they separate from their parents and learn to better create boundaries between the role of mother/father and daughter.  As a caregiver, the role of daughter and caregiver can sometimes be in conflict.

Besso also shares a very interesting theory that some sibling caregiver rivalries may be a subconscious way of trying to be the “favorite” in the eyes of the parent.  While that is likely not the case in our family, I can see where lingering feelings from childhood could manifest in this fashion.

Besso’s coaching skill comes through more subtly at the beginning of the book.  But it takes a far stronger and more inspiring tone as the book progresses.  I found myself excited in a Tony Robbins sort of way to take control of my situation, draw boundaries and regain control of the parts of my life that had been neglected.

But one area that left me yearning and somewhat confused was in Chapter 7.  In this chapter, Besso describes her experience moving her mother to an assisted living community.  Whereas Besso assumed total control of her circumstances earlier in the book, her almost fight-free acceptance of her mother’s care being under someone else’s control seemed to contradict the books premise.  I was expecting an equal if not more determine tone from Besso as it is such a transformative transition for any family.

“The Caregiver in MidLife” also includes a book of exercises addressing time management, personal feeling and attitudes and support networks (to name a few).  Kudos to Besso for including these exercises!  I am huge fan of them because they personalize lessons learned in the book and enable the reader to move from hypothetical to practical at their own pace.  There is a reflective power of workbooks enabled when you can review your thoughts and progress from time to time.

Overall, I was very happy to read the book and thought Besso did a good job of mixing the encouragement of a coach with the reality that we face as caregivers.  At 101 pages, it is a quick read that will leave you feeling upbeat and better prepared to address your own life.

“The Caregiver in MidLife” is available at www.ellenbesso.com.

This morning I went to the gym, just like I’ve done 3-4 times a week for years.  I really try to push myself at the end of each workout.  My motivation comes from my desire to be healthy, active and have the longevity to spend many, many years with my wife and daughter.

But did you know your brain is a muscle?  What if I told you your brain could even have its own personal trainer?

It’s true, and it’s called Dakim BrainFitness.

A Brief History of Dakim

In the late 1990s, Dakim CEO and founder Dan Michel became very frustrated with the cognitive stimulation tools available to his father who suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease.  Taking matters into his own hands, he built a collection of rudimentary games to exercise his father’s brain. Over time, Dan’s creations become more complex and challenging.

When it became clear Dan’s analog tools had reached their potential, he realized it was time to go digital.  Dakim was born and Dan was driven with the thoughts of his father’s progress to create a memory training system that could be used over the long-term to create the type of improvement many scientific studies had promised.

Dakim’s Promise

A number of studies exist (read them at Dakim’s website) that correlate consistent mental stimulation with a decrease in Alzheimer’s and dementia.   One such study in the New England Journal of Medicine(1) found that seniors who consistently particpated in highly mentally stimulating leisure activities had a 63% reduced risk of dementia.

The Dakim BrainFitness system provides a mechanism through which seniors can regular exercise their brains in a way that is fun, non-repetitive and interactive such that they look forward to playing every day.

How it Works

Dakim BrainFitness is a purpose-built computer with a touch screen.  Headphones are optional depending on your location.  Dakim BrainFitness combines medically-proven brain exercises with a user interface that is so incredibly simple.  Combining audio, visual and eye-hand coordination, the games are played at a pace that is both fun and challenging.

Dakim BrainFitness trains across six cognitive domains and game takes about 20 minutes to complete.  As players improve on one domain or the other, the system increases the difficulty, enabling users to both play at their own pace yet still be challenges.  Dakim recommends the games be played 20 minutes per day, 3-5 times per week.

When you get it right, you get nothing but encouragement.  And when you get it wrong, you get nothing but encouragement.  Incorrect answers were communicated in a way that inspired me to continue, rather than frustrated me to quit.  And the content of the game was set in the era most relevant to the players – two examples of the little details that make the difference between a good idea and a effective, well-thought product.

Software updates and new game content is update via the Internet automatically — typically at night when nobody is playing.  Dakim Brain Fitness is maintenance free and require no computer skills to operate, clearing a huge usability hurdle for many seniors.

Pricing and How to Buy

Dakim BrainFitness comes in two models – a model designed for elder care communities and a home model.  Dakim shared with me only the pricing for the home model which was $2,499.  Dakim also charges a monthly $50 fee for software maintenace and the downloading of new games and lessons.   Dakim offers a 30-day moneyback guarantee – a testament to their confidence in their product.

My Throughts on Dakim BrainFitness

During Brookdale’s Brain Symposium, I spent nearly a day next to Dan Michel and his head of sales, Rick Sill.  On a perosnal and professional level, these are good guys who have the right intentions for elder care — a personal experience and the drive to help others benefit from a good idea.  From a product perspective, I was very impressed with the Dakim BrainFitness system.   It was easy to use, fun to play and based on sound science.  I thought the pricing for the device was quite reasonable – it was about the same as the cost of the Mac I am writing on now and my monthly gym membership.

Surely that is a small price to pay for a 63% reduced risk of dementia?

I recommend you take a look at Dakim BrainFitness.  Spend some time on their live product demonstration.  Their website is packed full of good materials and plenty of videos for those of you who hate reading page after page of web copy.

Sources:

1. Verghese J, Lipton RB, Katz MJ, Hall CB, Derby CA, Kuslansky G, Ambrose A, Siliwinski M, Buschke H.  The New England Journal of Medicine, 348: 2508-2516.

Friday night, I was invited by the folks at Belmont Village to the open house of their new community in Cardiff by the Sea, California.  For those of you who don’t know, Cardiff is about 30 minutes north of San Diego and is, well, by the sea.  Cardiff holds a sweet spot in my heart, because it happens to the area where I grew up and where my mom had her stroke.  I drove by that spot hundreds of times over the years.

Many of you already know that I am fascinating by the shift that is occurring in assisted living.  The average assisted living resident is well over 80 years old, and providers must satisfy this demographic to be successful today.  But these communities will be around for many years to come, so providers must also plan for a dramatic shift in the lifestyle requirements of incoming boomers who need care.

So how do you build for today and plan for tomorrow?

I think the folks at Belmont really nailed it when they built the Cardiff community.  Thanks to a private tour from one of their executives (thanks, Doug!), I was able to spend some quality time at the community and share what I found.

Great Location

Belmont’s Cardiff community is located across the street from an estuary and about 3 miles from the beach.   The field behind the estuary is home to weekend hot air balloon rides and has been for many years.  If you’re up before 10am, you’ll be stunned by the beauty of 10+ balloons either taking off or floating in the skyline.
As you can see from the picture at the top of the post, the community entrance is quite elegant and has a country club or resort feel to it.

Levels of Care

This community is home to independent living, assisted living and Alzheimer’s/dementia care through their Circle of Friends program. The building is four stories with each level of care occupying a different wing of the building.  Various amenities and social areas connect the different wings.

One differentiator that impressed me was their providing 24-hour nursing care.  This is not a requirement for assisted living communities in California and provides an extra peace of mind that many families will find helpful.  Medication is dispensed from LVNs – again something not required.  But since many seniors take a variety of medications, it’s a nice touch to invest in LVNs for this service.

Accommodations

The independent living apartments are offered in a variety of sizes from studios to two bedroom apartments.  The design and décor was both current and highly functional, reminding of a new housing development.  The independent living wing was built in a horseshoe shape with a large full and chairs in the middle. You could tell the balconies overlooking the pool would be prime real estate and a social center for the community.

The assisted living apartments shared the same décor and were a little smaller as one would expect.  They Belmont takes an “aging in place” approach enabling independent living residents to stay in their apartments should they later require assisted living.  Well thought!

Amenities

Many assisted living communities provide somewhat similar amenities – some do a better job than others and some have very unique ways of offering them.  Below are the amenities I thought were unique about this community.

• Wireless Internet. The community had several Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the community, a sign they are building for today and planning for tomorrow.
• Bar Bistro. What better fit for wireless Internet than an in-house coffee shop? Offering coffee drinks, pastries and small snacks, I could tell the Bar Bistro would give a positive and social vibe to residents.
• Life Enhancement Room. This was the community gym. Not only was the room itself large, but it was filled with cardio equipment, therapy equipment and an aerobics mirror. The room was staffed by a trainer with physical therapy experience and a masseuse. The goal of this room is to rehabilitate and integrate exercise into the residents’ lives. As someone who is always at the gym, this is a great perk. And the stories of residents who had made real progress was very inspiring.
• Club Room. For you guys out there, this is the MAN ROOM. Complete with plasma, bar, a wine locker and a bumper pool table, I wish I had this room in my house. At my mom’s community, there was always a conflict between those residents that wanted to watch the USC football game and the ones that wanted to hear the volunteer piano player. The Club Room solves this problem… and then some.
• Theater. The theater was a near replica of a traditional movie theater. With a big screen and enough real theater seating for around 30 people, I could imagine the room turning movie night into an exciting event. The Belmont folks even had an authentic popcorn machine.
• Center for Learning. The Center for Learning offered a combination of computer room/game room. The computers were outfitted with large text keyboards – something I never even thought of, but what a great touch. Teaching my mom the computer was always a challenge, and they took the extra steps to make it easy.

Wrapping it All Up

I think you can tell from the article that I was very impressed with the community.  Newer communities often have the flexibility of new construction, but they lose the warmth of a more mature building.  With the Cardiff community,  I think they did a good job of keeping both.

Here’s a problem that many of us face — obtaining wellness updates about your loved one without troubling the staff or being intrusive to your loved.  And the problem is compounded if you are the primary caregiver and have friends and family living out of the area.

How do you minimize the phone calls, get more usable detail from wellness updates and enable the staff members to focus on providing quality care for your loved one?  How do you gain the peace of mind in learning your loved one’s condition without sounding like a nag?

Visit Connect for Healthcare.

According to the Connect for Healthcare website:

Connect for Healthcare is an inexpensive, easy-to-use, subscription-based web service that uses modern technologies – the Internet, e-mail and text messaging – to create and maintain a new and vital link between families and their loved ones in long-term care. It enables care providers to easily give regular, proactive, specific wellness updates to family members and loved ones no matter where they might be in the world. The family benefits by staying better informed and feeling more connected, their loved ones in long-term care benefit because the better informed and more engaged the family is, the better care they can receive, and the provider benefits by having a simple, one-step method of giving families what they really want.

Founder Neil Moore was kind enough to provide a detailed tour of the service and answer many of my questions.  I came away from our discussion very impressed with the ease of use and powerful ability to provide what we are all looking for: peace of mind.

Incentives for Communities

Neil has addressed one of the major weaknesses in these types of services – he pays the communities to enter the wellness updates into the system.  By delivering an easy-to-use system and giving a percentage of the fee to the communities, he solves two problems.  First, he ensures that the communities are incentivized to participate in the program.  Second, he creates a pretty decent revenue stream for those communities who have a modest number of subscribers.  These are revenues that can be used to fund better activities, renovations, additional staff and all those “nice to have” things that fell by the wayside due to budgets.

Whether you are reading this as a family member or community staff member, you should take a look at Connect for Healthcare.  They’ve done some good stuff!

For John Brady, elder care was always something that happened to someone else.  Now, with his parents in their 90′s and his wife’s father afflicted with Alzheimer’s, he is starting to appreciate what his friends and co-workers have been going through.

Realizing there weren’t many options out there for his fellow Boomers, John started Top Elder Cares as a vehicle to help Baby Boomers deal with the sometimes overwhelming challenges of caring for their aging parents and relatives.

One of the key resources on the site is a database of facilities by state and city so that it’s easier to find assisted living, CCRCs, home health care resources, and nursing homes in a given locality. The Directory is particularly useful when a person responsible for an elder is located in a different city or state than the elder.

Eldercare Advice is a section of the Web site that provides helpful links and practical articles written by various experts on common themes connected to eldercare.  When I went to the site, some of these themes included: how to talk with an elder about important decisions, how to prepare for and deal with eldercare responsibilities, respite care, etc.

The site’s Forum provides an avenue for caregivers to ask questions and share their experiences with others. Recent posts had to do with dealing with pressure sores, whether Medicare will pay for respite care (usually not), and the practice of “slow” medicine.

John’s doing some good things over there, so give Top Elder Cares a spin, and have a great weekend!

I had breakfast last week with Pete Todd, founder of Loving Back.  Based in Orange County, California like me, Loving Back was launched to help you care for your aging parents.  Inspired by seeing friends and loved ones overwhelmed by the stress and challenges of providing care, Loving Back is dedicated to connecting you online to other caregivers, rated providers and helpful resources.

When I asked Pete to describe the inspiration for Loving Back, he said “Often times, providing care for a loved one is a lonely place, which is why our community connects ‘people to people’ through moderated discussion forums, and provides you the opportunity to post on-line questions for community answer.”

Loving Back also seeks to connect people to providers and people to resources such as articles and educational materials.  All providers are put through background checks and rated by the community.  If you are struggling with the stress of caring for a loved one, you are not alone.   Loving Back is there to help you by connecting to others going through the same thing, and to providers and resources to help you make better decisions.

Aside from an interested breakfast conversation with Pete, I was really intrigued with the way Loving Back is approaching the market.  In the world of elder care and assisted living, so many of us are connected by personal stories and kindness.  Loving Back’s “connector” approach enables us to help each other.

Enjoy your visit to Loving Back.  They’re good people.