Costly medical bills, the potential need for nursing home care, the possibility of dying, and the need to provide security for a surviving spouse are a few important reasons to get financial affairs in order.
Just as people usually get to a point where they need a health care representative to make decisions when they can’t, it’s wise to appoint someone to make financial decisions should that time come.
Planning ahead ensures that family members will be provided for in the manner of your choosing.
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Paying for care
The majority of older adults will need help in the last few years of their life. Very few are completely independent through to the very end. The average time of assistance is four to five years. At first the tasks involve things such as cooking, driving, housekeeping, and finances. Over time, more-intimate assistance will be required, such as bathing and dressing. Perhaps even incontinence care.
Families shoulder much of this responsibility. But there are also services available to help, such as in-home caregivers, assisted living, memory care, and nursing homes. The challenge is how to pay for them.
Most of the services will have to be paid for privately (out of pocket) rather than being paid for by Medicare, the federal government’s health insurance program. Medicare is only for medically necessary services provided by medically trained professionals. Hour for hour, most of the care needs of aging adults do not require a medically certified individual, and thus must be paid for privately.
Funding for nonmedical supportive services may come from personal savings, equity on the house, or long-term care insurance. Qualifying veterans may be eligible for Aid and Attendance benefits. Sometimes local grants may be available that enable families to be paid to provide care, or for nonprofits to provide care at low or no cost.
Medicare
Medicare is a federal government program that covers doctors, labs, prescriptions, and hospital stays. It will cover home healthcare, with visits by a nurse or physical therapist to homebound patients with a short-term need, perhaps following a surgery such as a hip replacement. Home health is for people who are likely to recover or at least regain functioning. Hospice is a service for the terminally ill. It provides weekly visits from a nurse to manage pain and other symptoms, as well as someone to give the patient a bath two or three times a week.
Medicare will also cover limited stays in a skilled nursing facility, again usually after a hospitalization (a stroke, for instance, or a bypass operation).
If your loved one has original Medicare, there is usually a deductible each year and copayments, although supplemental insurance (sometimes called “Medigap”) can be purchased to cover them. Some people elect to enroll in Medicare Advantage programs that simplify billing. Instead of a supplemental insurance and a full choice of providers, they pay just one premium and agree to go only to the doctors and other medical service practitioners who are part of the plan’s network.
A nonmedical caregiver in the home, or the cost of assisted living or memory care, is not a covered benefit.
Medicaid This is a program for low-income individuals that is funded jointly by the federal government and the state. Each state has particular rules about what is and isn’t covered. Generally, you can think of Medicaid as the supplemental insurance provided by the government. But some states let Medicaid subsidize the types of care not usually covered by Medicare. They include caregivers in the home or nonmedical care provided in a group setting, such as assisted living or memory care. Talk with an Aging Life Care Manager to learn more about options in the state where your loved one lives.
Only people with very little cash can qualify. It might be tempting to get rid of assets to qualify for Medicaid, but it’s not that simple. The government will go back and check the past thirty to sixty months to look for large transfers, such as ownership of the house or checks written to family members. This could disqualify your relative from the Medicaid program.
A house can be kept so that a spouse does not have to become impoverished and evicted from the home. But as soon as both the patient and the spouse pass away or move to nursing homes, the government require that the house be sold to repay the taxpayers for the expenses incurred by Medicaid.
The laws are extremely complicated and vary by state. There are attorneys who specialize in what’s called a “Medicaid spend down.” If you think Medicaid is a program you will need to rely upon, start talking with an attorney immediately. This requires substantial long-term planning and a deep understanding of what the estate will ultimately owe the government.
Community programs Some nonprofits or local government agencies offer assisted living or memory care services. More likely, however, are ones that offer small slices of eldercare support. For instance:
Meals on Wheels. A single meal delivered each day to homebound individuals
Congregate dining. Subsidized lunches offered at senior centers for nutrition and social support
Transportation programs. Volunteer drivers or “paratransit” minivans that offer door-to-door rides to doctor visits or grocery shopping
Adult day centers. Structured daytime activities are provided for people with dementia so their family caregivers can get some time off
There may be eligibility requirements for these services, or a sliding-fee scale.
Veteran benefits If the person you care for served in the armed forces during combat years, they may be eligible for services provided by Veterans Affairs (VA). They can range from doctor visits and hospital care, to nursing homes and memory care. Qualifying veterans can receive monthly stipends to help pay for home care if they meet the requirements for the Aid and Attendance program.
Long-term care insurance
According to AARP, half of the people over age sixty-five will need to pay for supportive care for a period of two years or less. Some will need more.
Understanding that these services are not covered by Medicare, insurance companies have developed policies for “long-term care” (LTC). Your loved one would need to have purchased it themselves (unless it was a benefit of their employer) and to have kept up with monthly premiums. (More recently, these policies are sold as a hybrid of LTC insurance and life insurance.)
There are very strict rules about activating the policy. If you think your relative is going to need help soon, read the fine print.
What type of care is covered? In-home caregivers? Assisted living? Memory care? Nursing homes?
Is there a “benefit trigger”? Often you will need a letter from a doctor confirming that assistance is needed, and specifically what types of assistance: Meals, bathing, walking, using the toilet. If your loved one has Alzheimer’s and can no longer live alone safely, the doctor needs to conduct a test and use the results to describe the degree of cognitive impairment.
Is there an “elimination period”? You may need to pay for the first few months out of pocket. This is why you want to check on the policy early. Perhaps your relative needs help only one day a week (or you need the respite!). Get started early so you are paying when the need is low and will have completed the elimination period by the time the need is greater (and more expensive).
What is the cap on the benefit? Sometimes this is expressed in terms of how many dollars the policy will cover before it expires. Sometimes it’s expressed in the number of years of service it will cover. You want to get started early enough to get maximum benefit. At the same time, if the person you care for has a long-term disease (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s), you don’t want to start so early that they outlive the term of the insurance and you have no coverage during the most intensive need for support.
If your loved one has LTC insurance or a hybrid policy, check with the broker to learn more about the particular benefits, trigger, cap, and elimination period.
Reverse mortgage In many families, the home is the greatest asset. But your loved one may not want to sell and move to finance care. There is a funding mechanism called a “reverse mortgage” that allows the person you care for to extract cash from their house yet remain living in it for the rest of their lives.
The concept is that a qualified lender will advance funds to your relative based on the value of the house. This may be a monthly check or a lump sum. Your relative will owe interest on the money drawn down. Upon leaving the house (by death or by moving to a facility), the loan must be repaid. Typically, this involves selling the house.
This is a very complicated arrangement and definitely requires careful consideration. Questions to clarify include the following:
What are the origination fees? As with any mortgage, there is a percentage charged just to set up the loan. Compared to a regular mortgage, the fees for a reverse mortgage are quite steep. Be sure to shop around. You may be forced to borrow this extra amount (and then pay interest on it).
How are taxes and insurance handled? Does the mortgage holder cover this or will you be forced to borrow the money and pay interest on it?
How will maintenance on the house be handled? Who decides what gets done? Who pays?
What about a surviving spouse? Do they have to leave once the primary borrower dies or moves out, for instance, to a nursing home?
What about the heirs? The loan will have to be paid back when the primary borrower dies or moves out of the house. That may mean the house has to be sold. Is there a desire to keep it in the family? If so, how will the loan be repaid?
Because there are so many complex details to consider, it’s best to consult a reverse mortgage counselor who has been approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Their services are free or low cost. Call 1-800-569-4287 to find out more.
During the course of an illness or hospitalization, it may become difficult to get to the bank, file taxes, go to the assessor’s office, or balance the checkbook. (This is doubly so for people who have dementia and permanently lose the ability to make coherent decisions.)
To protect their customers, most financial institutions will not discuss finances with anyone who is not listed on the account. This can become a significant problem if the customer becomes homebound or bedridden. Or if they have dementia.
Because accidents can happen at any age, it’s actually wise for everyone to consider selecting an official decision maker, sometimes called an “agent” or an “attorney-in-fact.”
Choose an agent wisely
Giving someone power of attorney means that individual has the right to make financial decisions in your place. For this reason, the agent must be chosen with care. Most people choose a trustworthy friend or relative. For people in their sixties and seventies, it makes sense to choose younger individuals, because peers or a spouse may have their own health or memory issues that make it unwise to take on this responsibility.
There are also professionals who can be paid to serve as an agent. This is helpful for people who have no children. Or when there is no one else appropriate to take on the responsibility.
Forms
Once the choice is made and the individual agrees to be the agent, all you have to do is fill out a durable power of attorney (DPOA) form. You can download one from the Internet. The form needs to be signed by you, and in most cases, notarized. Be sure to check what the form says is required.
Give the completed form to the agent to keep on hand. Also give copies to the bank, financial planner, and other institutions the agent may need to work with. (For instance, if your agent can make decisions regarding the sale of real estate or the paying of real estate taxes, it would be prudent to send a copy of the form to the land records office.)
Consider the counsel of an estate-planning attorney. While you can fill out a DPOA form yourself, an attorney can give feedback about the choice of an agent. Also, they can advise you regarding limitations that may be set on the individual’s ability to work with bank accounts only, or taxes, or real estate, or stocks. In addition, there are different circumstances outlined for when the agent can step in. An attorney can provide advice about all the options.
Giving someone power of attorney does not mean you lose control of your finances. You can continue to make all decisions and carry out all your transactions as usual. But if something happens and you do become incapacitated, the agent may act in your stead.
A DPOA form may be revoked at any time. Download a “notice of revocation,” complete the form, and have your signature notarized. (You may also need witnesses to attest to your mental state.) Then send the notice to each of the financial institutions you sent the earlier DPOA forms to. You also need to send the revocation to the individual originally serving as your agent.
Why the word “durable” is important. This is one of those odd legalese confusions that underscores the wisdom of working with an attorney.
There is such a thing as “power of attorney”—no “durable” in front of it—that grants an individual the right to manage your affairs, unless you become incapacitated (for example, go into a coma or get dementia). At that point, they lose their authority. Because you are choosing this person to help you when you can’t make decisions for yourself—including if you get Alzheimer’s or go into a coma—you want to select the form that is “durable.”
NOTE: The DPOA document is good only during your lifetime. Upon your death, the agent loses all authority. You need to complete a will or trust to provide for decision-making powers after your passing.
The need to protect your partner is a key reason to get your financial papers in order. You will want to be sure that he or she is not left high and dry, especially if you are living with someone without being married. Inheritance laws do not acknowledge unmarried couples; thus, you must specifically stipulate your wishes regarding your house or other assets. This is particularly true for same-sex partners because surviving family members may not be aware of the partnership or may be unwilling to respect the union.
Everyone over age 18 should have a document that designates whom they want their assets to go to in the case of their death. Generally called a “will”, such papers also can describe who are to be the guardians of minor children in your custody. If you do not have a will, state law will divide your property according to its own formulas. It will even appoint a guardian for your children if their other parent is not able to care for them.
To be legal, a will must meet these requirements:
You must be mentally capable at the time that you create it.
The document must state specifically that it is your will.
You must sign and date the will in the presence of as many as three witnesses.
The witnesses must sign the will. They are not required to read the document. Their signatures simply affirm that they know it is you signing the will and that you were of sound mind when you created it. The people you choose to be witnesses should not be people who will be receiving assets from your estate.
It is advisable that you choose someone to be your estate’s executor—the person who will manage the distribution of your assets. Give a copy of your will to this individual and keep a copy at home and perhaps one in a safe deposit box.
After death, a person’s estate usually goes into probate, which can involve inheritance taxes and other expenses. It will also take time to distribute all the person’s assets. To spare survivors this ordeal as well as save on taxes, some people choose to make a revocable living trust. This document is similar to a will in that you can determine who receives what after you die. However, it is quite different than a will because you remove your name from your property while you are still alive and put all your assets into the trust.
The laws governing living trusts are very complicated; composing a living trust that truly meets your needs requires the skills of a lawyer. Not surprisingly, living trusts can be expensive. (Beware that there are many online living-trust scams that offer low-cost kits or paperwork. A trust really does need the personalization only an attorney can provide.) One advantage of a living trust is that you spend the money and devote the time to setting it up before you die or are incapacitated, thus sparing your survivors these expenditures. If your estate is not very large, however, a living may not be worth the expense.
To help you learn more about financial decisions and estate planning, Nolo Press, an organization dedicated to “putting the law in plain English,” also has an online encyclopedia with free articles explaining wills, trusts and estates.
Recently our family had to make some tough decisions about my Mom’s care. She has advanced Alzheimer’s and needed to move from the facility she has been living in, but to where? We spoke with Marsha Rains and she helped us a great deal. She has much professional as well as personal experience working with elderly people and their families. She listened not only to “ the facts” that we needed to express, but also to our feelings; in fact she encouraged us to express how we were feeling and what we really wanted for Mom at this point. After she listened and understood the situation AND our feelings she was very informative and she objectively offered us good suggestions in a kind and understanding way. She helped us make - with confidence- what we believe is the best decision for Mom at this time. I am very satisfied and grateful for Marsha’s help and will not hesitate to call again if we need further help in the future.
Marsha was extremely helpful in addressing our questions and concerns. At the end of our discussion, we definitely had a plan of action. She was frank, yet tactful and sensitive at saying what needed to be said. We recommend her to any families dealing with care taking of elderly ones.
Marsha is the calm in the storm. My stepmom fell and broke her back. I was spending 10 hours a day at the hospital, trying to work full time, and take care of my diabetic dad. I was completely lost and overwhelmed with all of the decisions that needed to be made, and didn’t know where to start, or who to trust. The guidance and explanations Marsha gave me were invaluable. I can’t thank her enough for her wealth of information and explaining what the options were and what to realistically expect.
Marsha Raines; Founder & CEO of Aging Well (Rochester, NY) is the woman that you need to consult with, if you have ANY questions regarding the broken, complicated, frustrating (understatement) & absolutely soul bending/breaking experience of having to care for your elder sister/brother/mother/father/aunt/uncle etc......in Rochester, NY (& likely nationally).Marsha's a "no bones, no hassle, get the job done," down-to-earth, honest, straightforward kind of business woman and she saved MY butt when it came to a serious communication breakdown between the ONLY facility that had occupancy availability for my elderly Mother.She works within an integrity level that is rare, by today's standards of what is professional.I cannot rave enough.....about her. If you are in need of someone with 35 years of experience in this radically changed & continually changing environment of healthcare for the elderly, I cannot think of anyone more qualified than Marsha Raines. I am very grateful to have made her acquaintance.
While searching for a reputable organization to perform a PRI for my 95 year old Dad I reached out to Aging Well Rochester.Marsha Raines returned my call immediately (I left messages with others and waited a few days) she put me in touch with her nurse Jodi Limner who scheduled a no non sense quick appointment at a very reasonable cost (others had a higher price plus travel charges).I would highly recommend Aging Well Rochester with your elder care!!
We were overwhelmed with choices and had more questions than answers when faced with moving a family member into assisted living. Marsha helped tremendously to prioritize our actions and narrow our choices. She answered all of our questions and put us at ease. I highly recommend her.
Marsha was so helpful during the time when my elderly father was ill. Every time I reached out via email or voice mail, she returned my messages almost immediately, within the same day, even when it was after working hours. She helped my family cut through the conflicting information that I was getting from various sources regarding elder care in the Rochester, NY area. I feel that we were able to save time and focus on the important things after meeting with her. So grateful.
My conversation with Ms. Raines was extremely useful. My life presented an opportunity to learn very quickly about assisted living options in the Rochester area. After a detailed conversation, she was able to recommend three sites which fit our needs. Without her help, we'd still be looking at sites and not be able to focus our efforts on the details of actually moving.
I continue to be so grateful for the care and expertise that we received from Marsha, Sue, Ester and the rest of the team at Aging Well Rochester for our Mom. It was such a relief to know that we could count on them to provide kind, warm support to all of us. The other thing that was so important was their knowledge and understanding of the different options available to us and the best ways to work with other professionals in the field of elder care. We can’t thank them enough!
Marsha was a HUGE support in helping our family find quality care for my Mom who has Dementia. She took the time to answer our questions and concerns with respect and compassion. I am glad that we got to meet with her. She’s put a lot of my family’s concerns at ease and is always there if we need her. I wish more people acted with kindness such as this in the medical field - the world would be a better place!
Thank the good Lord that my wife researched and was able to find Aging Well Rochester and Marsha Raines when my daughter suffered a serious stroke. We had moved to Florida three years earlier and it was not possible to visit her and help with the needed healthcare management.Marsha and Jodi were there to guide us through the process to insure that she could be placed in a facility that could properly provide the care she needed. Given the healthcare crisis in this country, this was not an easy process.They were there each step in securing the best possible care and provided relief from the guilt we felt being so far away from Rochester. The compassion and professionalism of Marsha and Jodi were second to none. We are so very grateful for the service they provided throughout.
I reached out to Marsha @ Aging Well Rochester at a critical point when my dad was hospitalized and needed advice and assistance with coordinating next steps. Within 48 hours, I had had an in depth initial consult with Marsha, agreed to retain her services, and she made calls and was able for me to put in motion a tour and his eventual placement at a wonderful and caring Hospice facility.After my dad's passing, Jennifer worked with my mom over the next few months as she adjusted to all the changes. She was kind and compassionate and very knowledgeable on the process my mom was going through.I would recommend Aging Well Rochester for straight forward advice and counsel to anyone who is feeling "lost" in the confusion and maze of options with aging loved ones.
Marsha Raines provides much-needed assistance navigating a complex system during high-stress times. She is excellent at what she does. She asks important questions, listens, is efficient and very dependable.
Our family worked with Marsha Raines of Aging Well Rochester at a crucial moment when our mother was experiencing a decline in her physical capacities after living on her own for most of her adult life. Marsha was our guiding light throughout the process: explaining, with compassion, the various options for Mom; guiding us through the application process for both rehab and long-term care; and ultimately, settling Mom in at her wonderful new home where she is safe, comfortable and happy. I wholeheartedly recommend Aging Well Rochester!
Was connect with Marsha from Aging Well Rochester while searching for assistance with understanding the system and what is needed for elder parent. Marsha provided me with information, guidance, and took the time to explain differences between assisted living, independent living, and what questions to ask while interviewing for a new home for my mother. Valuable information. Marsha continues to follow up to assist if needed. Very pleased and so glad found Aging Well at a crazy time.
Coming to grips with a parent's decline and figuring out how to meet their needs can be a terribly stressful ordeal. Marsha and her team made it vastly less so. Marsha's calm demeaner, wisdom and professionalism were invaluable during the 8 months during which my father's needs were rapidly changing. She has a wealth of knowledge about resources available in the community and was able to bring them to bear quickly. I will be eternally grateful for the emotional support she provided during the entire journey.
At a time when you don't know what you don't know, Marcia knows! She asks the right questions, narrows the choices, and provides direction. She definitely helped us feel more confident as we moved forward, and she was thoughtful enough to follow up to be sure we were making progress. Highly recommend.
Marsha's experience and knowledge are invaluable to our family during this difficult time! We can now take the necessary steps for our parents' care with confidence. Extremely helpful!
Marsha and staff were exceptional in their guidance though the difficult and unfamiliar journey of finding quality care for our aging parents. For over three years, they were able to anticipate needs, advocate for our parents, and provide support for them through various crises. We are so thankful for their expertise and compassion through all the changes. We highly recommend Aging Well Rochester to anyone seeking help with aging loved ones.
I just want to thank Aging Well Rochester for their assistance to complete an urgent PRI for my stepmother and also one for my father in case we needed it. The nurse went above & beyond to do that for us as we fortunately found a bed quickly for my stepmother. All went well & she is now receiving wonderful care at St. John's Home. Thank you Marsha and your staff - you made a difficult situation much easier.
Marsha Raines was incredible--responsive, caring and very knowledgeable. She helped me navigate options and provided excellent counsel. I highly recommend Aging Well to you if you are facing a difficult and emotional situation with a loved one who needs ongoing medical/rehabilitation placement and services. Marsha exceeded my expectations. Christine L.
Our initial consultation with Marsha Raines was very informative as it provided our family with a starting point concerning a long term care plan for our aging father. Her knowledge, experience and compassion allowed her to assess where each of us were in dealing with the emotional stress of the situation and provide recommendations to get us moving in the right direct with a long term care plan. Marsha helped us narrow our focus to ask the right questions regarding our next steps in care for our father. Thank you Marsha!
We were exceptionally fortunate to have Marsha Raines of Aging Well Rochester assist us in placing my wife in an appropriate facility. She guided me through all the paperwork, answered every question I had and resolved every impediment that we found in the process!Thanks so much Marsha!
We received great service from Marsha. Highly recommend. Navigating rehab and long-term care can be daunting. Marsha breaks down the ins and outs and helps bring the family to consensus on the best next steps.
Our family reached out to Aging Well Rochester for an understanding of the options and to seek clarity as to next steps for our elderly father regarding his future care. Marsha provided our family with the assistance, guidance and resources necessary to make a decision that was best for our father. Marsha's response to e-mails and phone calls was always in a timely manner and we truly appreciated all of her knowledge and expertise and would not hesitate to recommend Aging Well Rochester!!
Marsha understands the world of aging and the decisions that need to be made. She has both the education and experience to navigate a complex system to secure the best care as well as the expertise to guide throughout the process. My wife and I are grateful for her depth of knowledge, experience, skill, and compassion. We plan to use her as a resource for years to come!
Marsha Raines and her team have been a gift to my family. I'm on the West Coast, and her local knowledge has been extremely valuable in locating care options and knowing what to look for. Her direct style does not shy away from talking about tough issues, and in fact, makes it easier to devise a care plan. Marsha is a gem.
I truly appreciate the advice Marsha has to share. She has a great way of putting things into perspective and knows her stuff! Thank you for the advice, help, and input while trying to figure out the next steps with my parents.
I hired Marsha Raines to help me find the best Nursing Home for my husband. She was professional, quick to answer any questions I had, told me all I needed to do, and quick find him the right place. She was extremely helpful and compassionate with this difficult undertaking . I highly recommend anyone searching for a home for their loved one call Marsha before doing anything else!
Marsha level of expertise in this field has been tremendous. She explained the changes that occurred in the nursing homes industry. She took the time to research nursing homes for me and this afforded me time to focus on my mother's medical needs. I found Marsha to be resourceful and committed to helping me through this difficult time. I would highly recommend her service to you.
We moved our mom to a memory care residence, and in just a few short weeks we realized that it was not the right place for her. Distraught that we had made a horrible mistake, we needed help. I contacted Marsha and she met with our family to help sort things out. She took our concerns seriously, consulted with other industry professionals to assess our mom, and found us a better place for her. Just two weeks later we were able to move mom to a wonderful residence that cares for her properly and gives us all peace of mind. We are so grateful for Marsha and her ability to navigate the challenging world of eldercare on our behalf.
My husband, Bradley, needed to be moved to an adult home due to my inability to continue caring for his needs. I had no idea where to turn until Marsha Raines name was given to me. It is very difficult to navigate this process while you are under stress and her kindness and actions got the process started making it much less painful. I highly recommend her for her insurance knowledge which was extremely helpful to me.Mary Ellen Hindson, Rochester, NY
Marsha Raines assisted our family through the most trying time of our lives with Mom. She was extremely knowledgeable about placement, finances local care available and placement. She was personally involved in contacting the care facility to assist in mom getting placement.Her recommendation of the Presbyterian Home was spot on. All grants recommended came through and we were able to continue her care until she passed away.Thank you Aging Well. I would recommend her services highly.
My parents needed more assistance than I could give working full-time in another state in 2015. They were facing medical issues and needed to move out of their beloved home of 60 years. Since then, Marsha and her team have been instrumental in supporting my parents, and me, through good times and bad. They arranged movers, set up and attended doctor appointments, arranged for aides and companions to assist my parents in living safely and independently, and checked in on them to be sure they were comfortable and happy. Marsha has been an incredible resource to me, providing information and advice when needed in a direct yet sincere manner. I feel relieved to know that Marsha is there to help when I can’t be, keeping me informed, and checking in when needed. She is an incredible resource and advocate for the elderly and their families.
I contacted Marsha two weeks ago. I quickly learned that a PRI, exam to determine the level of care was needed to go into a nursing home. I was given 10 local agencies that could do it. I chose "Aging Well". Marsha was so personable on the phone, getting all the fact. She was able to arrange the exam in 5 days. The nurse showed up on time and my aunt chatted away. Two days later I got an urgent call from my aunt begging me to find her a new place immediately, she had a horrible weekend and wanted out. So, I called Marsha back that same day and asked her to take our case on and help get my aunt placed ASAP. She was pleased to help. She sent me the 3 applications to the facilities my aunt wanted by the end of the day. She kept in close contact with me the next couple of days with words of encouragement while I scrambled to get the information. I submitted the first one. Marsha personally went into the facility and spoke to the intact person giving her more details of my aunt. 5 days later, I moved my aunt into the facility she wanted. Here is a photo of her reaction. Marsha is focused, very knowledgeable, explains the process well, upbeat and is very encouraging. I would work with her again in a heart beat. She is the best.
I have been working with Marsha since 2008 planning for the aging process and various transitions for my parents.She has always been incredibly helpful, knowledgable and available. Over the years she has grown the organization, but still maintains that level of support. Her manner is caring and supportive yet direct, a quality that I have found very comforting and helpful during stressful transitions. I can't recommend highly enough.
Aging well Rochester did an AMAZING job of helping my family deal with my experience and Hospitalization with Covid 19. Marsha worked with my children and family and the hospital staff to make sure that I would receive the care needed upon my return home. I can't thank them enough for making this experience as easy as it could be.
Living more than 500 miles away from Rochester, visiting my mother as often as we would like was a challenge. Luckily I found Marsha Raines and her colleagues at Aging Well Rochester. Their visits to my mom were so frequent and warm that the staff at the nursing home thought they were family! Actually that's how we think of them. In addition to the care and support for my mother, the feedback and advice Marsha and her colleagues provided us was always timely and helpful. I consider the day I found Marsha to be one of my luckiest. I can't imagine the last few years without Aging Well Rochester! Thank you for enriching my mother's life and ours.