“My father is living alone and he needs supervision 24 hours a day but we do not want him to move.”

“I need to move out of my family’s home but I am not sure I can afford alternative living arrangements.”

“I would like to move into assisted living but I have to take my dog with me.”

“I had to move to Orlando for my daughter’s health issues and my mother needs to transfer to a local nursing home connected to a Jewish community.”

“My husband has dementia and I need time to run errands without him.”

“My mother has declined in independent living and I am overwhelmed.”

“I have long-term care insurance and want to know how I can use my policy in independent living in places near my physicians.”

What do all these people have in common? They called the Help Desk at the Jewish Pavilion and spoke with a senior resource specialist. With an extensive background in social work and case management as well as personal experience with her own relatives, she assisted each person in sorting through their situation, began to problem solve their various issues, and made recommendations with follow-up to resolve their difficulties.

The gentleman who required 24-hour care due to an acute medical condition received Medicare home-health services and began improving. He was able to remain in his home. After calls to assisted living communities, the man with his dog moved into a community which accommodated dogs of that size. After recommendations of various communities, the woman who wanted to move out of her family’s home found a comfortable community. The couple with long-term care insurance received assistance in locating communities to meet their needs and is now investigating the cost of relocating. The woman who was overwhelmed felt relieved after unburdening herself, and her mother has improved enough to remain in independent living. The woman who wants to move her mother to a local nursing home will tour the homes served by the Jewish Pavilion. The woman whose husband has dementia and needs a break is looking into recommendations of adult day-care programs and information about assisted living communities with secure memory units for the future.

The senior resource specialist has years of experience in this community and “holds your hand” through the process including following up after recommendations are made. They say “aging is not for sissies” and you need a helping hand to navigate life’s changes.

Please call Emily Newman at the Jewish Pavilion, 407-678-9363, with any questions, concerns, crises, or need for advice and unburden yourself. The

Jewish Pavilion is a non-profit that caters to our elderly of all faiths in long-term care. Visit http://www.jewishpavilion.org.