We designed the SOAR program to give seniors and their family caregivers the type of in-home support services we didn’t have, all the we struggled to learn over years of trial and error. As family, we want to honor our parents’ wishes when they want to stay in their homes. For me, my parents supported me my whole life, and even as I was raising kids, managing a career, marriage, home, community, I was still happy to help out wherever I could. But there’s no “What To Expect When You’re Expecting Mom and Dad Want To Age In Place!” There are so many unknowns in elder care and the system is difficult to navigate. We all want the best for our parents and can only hope we’re making the right decisions. Caregiver support groups and articles for senior caregivers often talk about “self care”... Take a break. Have a spa day. Go on a vacation… and a bunch of other unrealistic things. There were many times I considered the day a success if I was able to shower and not cry! Luckily, I had my professional experience, and a really good friend. Our “self care” consisted of text messages when we needed support and sneaking away to lunch at Applebee’s twice a year. We’d spend the afternoon comparing caregiving stories. Life is not truly lived until you share a 2 for $22 meal deal while discussing the best fitting brand of disposable briefs and how to get in-home toenail care! Over time we’ve developed a good understanding of the products, services, and professionals that are out there in the world of in-home elder care services to help people age in place. We both believe we have a set of “special skills” that can help others on this journey. To us, the “S” in SOAR means we Support the client’s wish to age in place, AND we Support the family’s effort to make that happen. That might mean a daughter calls us at 7pm on a Saturday because the week has gotten to her and she needs to vent about her family’s “issues” (which is EVERY family by the way, including ours!) It might be a text asking about ready-made meal delivery, or how to get a transport wheelchair, or where to get more of the pink cream for mom’s bottom. We listen. We counsel. We research. We make suggestions. We offer resources. If needed, we order things, or drop them off. We laugh when we can. Sometimes we cry. We never judge. Most of all, we’re here for you. It’s like having an extra sister who lives locally, knows all about senior care, in-home services, and dementia, and is available when needed. Maybe you can’t understand higher purpose until you’ve watched a daughter in tears because she knows she’s no longer in it alone. My favorite things to say are, “You’re doing a good job.” and, “We got you, we’re here for whatever you need.” Walking our loved ones through this journey is hard, but we can do hard things. It’s just harder to do them alone. No matter what, everyone is doing the best they can with what they know. You can do hard things. You’re doing a good job. We got you.

In many ways, Nest In Place was created from the needs of one of our very first “unofficial” clients… my mom. When my dad was living with dementia, my mom was his 24 hour caregiver. The only time she got a break was when I came and stayed with him. While the hours I was in-home were helpful, I truly believe it was all the other support I was able to provide that allowed him to live at home. I was there to answer her questions, research equipment and services, find resources, order, pick up or drop off supplies or medications, navigate changes, basically I was her 24/7 problem solver. That’s how our S.O.A.R. plan was created, to provide seniors and their families more than a break, to truly provide a solution. Yesterday I met with a new client and as we discussed our in-home care programs, she was convinced she does NOT need a comprehensive program, however… -I noticed her walker caps were worn and scraping her hardwood floors, she needed skis. -She mentioned she needed help following up with a case manager from the hospital and setting up an appointment with her family doctor. -The TV had stopped working. -She didn’t want something to make the toilet seat higher, just softer. -She was out of yogurt, her staple for daily lunch. -She was stressed because her credit card bill needed to be mailed immediately. -She needed shower gel. -A nurse was supposed to come today but never called to say what time. -And she had a really big craving for KFC with mashed potatoes and coleslaw. All of those things were taken care of within hours, WITHOUT putting it on her family. When I dropped off her KFC last evening, she said, “What would I have done without you?” We hear that a lot! The S.O.A.R. plan is everything you never knew you always needed. I’ve “helped people” working in elder care for many years, but nothing has fulfilled me like a S.O.A.R. plan in action. It’s helping each person in the specific ways they truly need help, proactively preventing problems for the future, and the little extras that make our clients feel cared about on day one. Every time we bridge the gap between “I don’t need that” and “What would I have done without you?” I know we are truly making a difference. Also, I now know 12 different ways a toilet seat can be padded in case you need an expert in that! 😊