Introduction • November 23, 2021

Introduction to my BLOG

Hello! My blog focuses on providing resource information for individuals and families who are preparing for or who are currently experiencing the stress of family transitions. Read on and you will see you are not alone!

So… your children are transitioning into an independent life and/or you are realizing your parents are transitioning into a more dependent life.  Each comes with a specific set of challenges and some of us are right in the middle of both!

Life is an interesting circle of changes and transitions. Perhaps you are entering the time when your children begin moving out of your homes to purchase their first house. Likewise, as our parents get older and needing to evaluate where they are, the time arrives to explore the many options available to them and you. We are in a unique position of being privy to both, and finding the balance between them.

It can be very overwhelming and difficult.

Our personal struggles begin to blend with our responsibility to those around us. More and more, we find ourselves discussing with our friends our new aches and pains, our struggles with less energy, and the ever popular forgetting everything. The extra contribution of supporting our children and parents in their adjustments to life’s circumstances can seem daunting. But is there a way for us to be prepared?

We need to get a handle on this! All of this responsibility is challenging and we need answers – quick.

You probably find yourself asking friends, family, google, where do I find help?

How do I help my children leave their family home and become independent?

How do my adult children get qualified for a mortgage without a work history?

Who can I trust to work in my child’s best interest and take the time to help them understand how the process of buying a home works?

Who will take the time to educate and prepare them for the responsibilities that come with home ownership?

How do we help them with down payments, monetary gifts etc. to help them qualify to buy a house?

What do we do with all their stuff?

Do we get rid of all the lovely and sweet gifts we have treasured all these years; all the pottery, artwork, cuteness, that at the time was our world and is now clutter?

Are their ways to preserve all that stuff without throwing it out?

How can my parents afford the astronomical prices of assisted living, private pay nursing, medical bills, medical equipment, and all the things we need as we age?

This can quickly become overwhelming! But what can we do about it?

The resources are out there.

But how do you pay for them? What if you don’t have time to be on the phone for hours, to drive elderly parents to doctor’s appointments, to visit every house your child wants to look at while still working full time? Is there a simpler way?

I created this blog because many of my friends are going through similar experiences with their newly adult children and their aging parents. Navigating the system can be overwhelming and very frustrating and I want to help.

This is the purpose of Family Resource Page with Tracy Heller

My goal is to use my background as a social worker, individual, couples,  and family therapist, researcher, and my knowledge as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist to create a place where you can go to find answers, learn something new, explore resources, ask questions, and find shared experiences with many others in the same position as you.

For more information on my background and experience, click the link below.

https://hellersells.com/2021/11/23/my-background

Photo by Kampus Production from Pexels

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Living • November 23, 2021

SRES Blog post on Caremongering Groups

When I was young and lived in Toledo, Ohio, my mom started a program at our church that serviced the elderly called “Building Linkages among Urban Elderly”. The program connected elderly people with each other to help them with support, companionship, communication of needs etc. At the time, it was phone based. It served a need and was very successful. When I came across this article about Caremongering Groups in Canada, I thought it would be a helpful addition to my blog. Forming social media groups can be applied in many ways.   The article discusses  pandemic related groups, which would be helpful at this time but also I hope this idea inspires you to connect and help seniors who may be lonely and in need. Let this inspire you in your community to make a difference and start a Caremongering Group for our Seniors.

Caremongering Groups

If you’re looking for ways to serve your community and build stronger local connections, consider launching a caremongering site on Facebook. Caremongering is a grassroots phenomenon that has swept across Canada to respond to community needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Facebook sites give people a way to find and assist neighbors in need. Locals post requests for help – grocery shopping, protective masks, medicine pick-ups, and so forth – and volunteers step in to fulfill those needs. Some Caremongering site examples: Kelowna (https://bit.ly/2RyJyZf) Oakville (https://bit.ly/2Vn91py)

SRES Elyse Apr 30, 2020

This article originally appeared on the National Association of REALTORS® website. As a REALTOR® with the Seniors Real Estate Specialist® Designation, I find their blog full of helpful information and you can see more here.  

A short bio and link to About Me page.

Senior Living • November 23, 2021

Senior Services in Greater Cincinnati

Start with yourself and your location and how you notice that many people need the resources to get support when they are aging.

 

List of services and links to websites.

Clermont Senior Services

2085 James E. Sauls Sr. Dr,
Batavia, OH 45103,
United States

Main Number         513-724-1255

Intake Line-             513-536-4033

Transportation-      513-536-4115

Call to set up a case manager evaluation

 Clermont Senior Services provide:

  • Transportation to Doctor appointments
  • Personal Care 1-3 times per week for 1 hour (includes help with bathing) You can ask for skilled services.
  • Homemaking services 2 hours every other week
  • Home delivered meals- 5 frozen 1 time a week that you can heat in oven or microwave
  • Adult day services 1-3 times per week for 6 hours
  • Respite for errands or breaks 4 hours per week

 Cost:

  • Sliding scale based on monthly income
  • Suggested amounts-
  • $4 per round trip of transportation
  • $7.50 an hour for personal care

Clermont Senior Services Adult Day Care

Adult Day Care Services are housed at the Lois Brown Dale Welcome Center, located next to the agency’s administrative offices.

 The center provides a safe, comfortable, and

nurturing environment for older adults with physical and cognitive impairments.

The majority of the adults who attend the center each day have Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia-related disorders.

Others have physical limitations from the effects of a stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or other chronic disabilities. LBD Welcome Center staff provides activities for the participants that are mentally and physically engaging and fun.

The LBD Welcome Center supports the responsibility of family caregivers, offering relief from the stress of providing care around the clock seven days per week. Without the LBD Welcome Center, many caregivers would be overwhelmed and faced with the difficult choice of placing their loved ones in a nursing home.

 Transportation to the center, as well as caregiver support, are also available.

Click here for more information

I have not verified any of the information contained in those documents that were prepared by other people.

 

Introduction • November 23, 2021

Experience

My Background

As many of you know, I graduated from Xavier University with a Bachelors of Science in Social work and Ohio State University with a Masters Degree in Psychiatric Social Work.

My resume includes work at Bethesda Oak Hospital, Millcreek Psychiatric Center for Children, and Children’s Hospital at (CCDD) Cincinnati Center for Developmental Disorders. I established a private practice at Bethesda Counseling Services, Bridgepoint Psychological Services and finally at Westwood Psychological Services working with individuals, couples, and families as a psychotherapist.

Following my work in counseling and social work, I pursued my real estate license and have been a licensed Realtor since 2007 and earned the Seniors Real Estate Specialist Designation from the National Association of Realtors in 2017.

I have developed my Blog to provide useful information and resources for those going through life transitions from First Time Homebuyers to Seniors.

My goal is to use my background as a social worker, individual, couples,  and family therapist, researcher, and my knowledge as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist to create a place where you can go to find answers, learn something new, explore resources, ask questions, and find shared experiences with many others in the same position as you.