Amie’s journey in long-term care started a little over 25 years ago in the small-but-mighty hallways of Missoula Aging Services. As a soon-to-be social work graduate, she interned as a Long Term Care Ombudsman.
*Ombudsman: om-buds-man:A long-term care Ombudsman is an advocate for the residents who reside in senior care settings like nursing homes, assisted living, and adult care homes. They are responsible for investigating and helping to resolve complaints on behalf of the residents.
Amie has always loved older adults, but the Ombudsman experience was the impetus that sparked a fire of advocacy for older adults.
After moving to Portland, OR she swapped the halls of Aging Services for the hallways of skilled nursing facilities. Her advocacy background was put to immediate use educating families, residents, and staff about resident rights, discharge options, durable medical equipment, home care, Medicare, Medicaid, and death care.
After several years of working in skilled nursing facilities, Amie decided to venture out on her own to work directly with families searching for senior housing options in the Portland, OR metro area. As a referral specialist, she was able to help people find the best possible housing solution based on their care needs, budget, health concerns, and location preferences.
Amie is very proud of the online resource she formerly co-founded with her husband, TheSeniorList.com. The Senior List is a fantastic website to visit if you are looking for senior discounts, senior-friendly cell phones, medical alert systems, or hearing aid reviews.
In addition to her professional experience, Amie had the honor of being a family caregiver for her grandmother Bulah. She was legally blind, hard of hearing, and had difficulty with her mobility due to a degenerative condition in her spine. Amie was responsible for her medications, transportation, social life, and managing her care in several senior housing settings. Gratefully, Amie was able to pour her knowledge and experience into advocating for her grandmother’s needs.
A few years after Bulah passed, Amie provided support for her remaining grandmother Lou by overseeing her care from another state. Her grandmother utilized in-home care, lived in two different assisted living communities, and was on hospice briefly before she passed away. Amie understands the challenges of coordinating care from a distance while trying to ensure a loved one’s needs are being met.
Most recently, Amie’s father-in-law entered memory care and her family is navigating this new reality. Having a loved one diagnosed with dementia is challenging and emotionally draining for family members. One of the hardest decisions for her family was deciding WHEN the right time for his placement was. There is never a perfect time; in Frank’s case, it came down to a room being available.
Amie knows personally and professionally how difficult it is to manage, support, and care for a loved one while working, raising children, and trying to take care of your own needs. Her insights, knowledge, and actionable tips will help in your caregiving journey.
If there is one thing I can impart from my senior housing referral days, you must plan ahead. Most of the families I worked with were in CRISIS mode. Their loved ones needed senior living and they needed it fast. Plan ahead, even if you don’t think you or your loved one will ever need it. Find out what options are around you, how much they cost, and if they feel like home. Doing this homework proactively will save you a world of heartache. – Amie
