Resources
Helpful things.
Plain answers to the questions families ask me, whether or not they ever hire me. If something here saves you a phone call, it did its job.
How to Know When a Parent Needs Help
Most families don't get one clear moment that tells them it's time. What to actually look at on your next visit, and how to tell the difference between getting older and getting into trouble.
When an Aging Parent Says No to Help
You can see that your mom or dad needs help. They've told you they're fine. Why that happens, what to say instead, when to wait, and when waiting isn't the answer.
Companion Care vs. Home Health: What's the Difference?
These two terms get used interchangeably, and they shouldn't be. One is medical care ordered by a doctor. The other is help with daily life. Knowing which you need, and who pays for it, saves families a great deal of confusion.
Senior Services in Pocatello and Bannock County: Who to Call for What
A plain directory of the programs available to older adults in Pocatello, Chubbuck and the surrounding counties, organized by what you need rather than by which agency runs it.
Eating Well When You're Older
Most nutrition advice for older adults assumes the problem is not knowing what to eat. Usually it isn't. What actually changes after 75, and what helps.
When Food Stops Tasting Good: Appetite Loss After 75
You opened the refrigerator and found the same containers you left last month. What's usually behind appetite loss in an older adult, what to have checked first, and what actually helps.
Long-Distance Caregiving: A Practical System
You live in Boise, or Salt Lake, or Seattle. Your parent lives here. Worrying from a distance isn't a plan. This is how to build one that actually holds.
Caregiver Burnout: The Signs You'll Miss in Yourself
You'd notice this in a friend immediately. In yourself it's nearly invisible, because the whole job is pointing your attention at someone else.
How Much Does Companion Care Cost in Idaho? Real Numbers.
Nobody in Pocatello publishes their prices, so families call around and guess. Here are the real numbers: what agencies charge, what I charge, what changes the price, and what a month of help actually adds up to.