Changing homes — at any stage in life — is difficult. However, when it’s time to find your loved one a new home, navigating the sea of senior living choices can be overwhelming. As part of our member-company services, Continuum EAP offers support and resources to make the transition easier. From problem-solving and self-care counseling for the caregiver to assisting in identifying appropriate housing options, we do our best to meet people where they are and get them where they want to be.
Helping us assist our clients along this senior-living home search is Beth Friesen of Oasis Senior Advisors. Beth shared with us why she is dedicated to helping families find the” right place” for their loved ones.
Can you share a little about your work history?
I’ve been a registered nurse for 25 years and for the majority of that time I worked with industrial injuries. I also did some work in intensive care, as well as maternal/fetal medicine.
How did you become involved in your current position as an Oasis Senior Advisor?
About 11 years ago, we began to notice changes with my mom. Subtle and transient at first, soon there was no mistaking what was going on — Alzheimer’s. Mom passed away in 2014, but during those years I developed a passion for caregiver education, support and elder care issues in general. However, I never saw a way to bring this into my nursing career until I was presented with the opportunity to become a business owner with Oasis Senior Advisors.
Oasis Senior Advisors is the perfect merger between my passion for elder care and my nursing career. I am able to help families as they navigate the issues associated with aging parents. They may need in-home care, assisted living, memory support, or even skilled nursing or hospice. I am able to connect them with any or all of those resources and save them a great deal of stress and time. The very best part is that I am able to do that at absolutely NO CHARGE to the senior or their family.
What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
Without a doubt it is the look of relief on the faces of my clients and their families when they realize that together we can work through these challenges and find the resources to best meet their needs. It is so gratifying to be the person I wish my family had when we were traveling this road with mom.
What are some strategies you can share with families struggling to find their loved one the right living solution?
Don’t go it alone when there is a completely free service that you can access. As an RN, I can assess both their current and projected medical status and then help you select the community resources or senior living community that will best meet their needs; both now and in the future. We consider all aspects from hobbies and interests to financial considerations and geographical location. If at all possible, we never want them to have to move again, so finding the right place is everything.
If you could benefit from elder care support, contact your EAP to learn more about the resources available to you.
