Amanda's story... My partner and I live in Vermont, and both of us have aging parents who live in Washington State. Dierdra and I try to get out to the west coast as much as possible, but we run our own
business and it can be quite difficult to leave. My mother was the first one to start ailing, and I
know that I panicked when I got a call from the hospital telling me she was admitted for a stroke.
Dierdra stayed in Vermont to take care of our business, while I flew out
to attempt to care for
my
mom as best as I could.
My mom's stroke did a lot of damage. She was paralyzed on her left side, had slurred speech,
and definitive memory issues. The life she knew, of playing tennis and gardening, was now filled
with doctors appointments, physical therapy and relearning old skills. I was devastated to see her
that way, and was feeling guilty about having to leave her among all these strangers and
medical professionals. I knew I had to get back to Vermont, but I also felt pulled to stay with my
mom.
Then a family friend told me to call Sound Options. She had heard about them through the
grapevine, and recommended I give them a call. I was a bit wary at first, as I didn't really know
what a professional care manager was, but I called anyway.
After talking with Sound Options, I felt nothing but relief. Emily
listened to our story and told me that a professional care manager could be the eyes and ears not
only for my mother, but for me as well. A professional care manager would be able to find a
quality in-home caregiver for my mom and monitor the caregiver to make sure it was a good fit.
Sound Options would also be able to coordinate with all of the doctors and therapists who were
involved in my mom's care.
Emily then connected me with a private care manager. I don't know what we would have
done without her! I was able to go back to Vermont with less stress on my mind. They not only
found a wonderful caregiver for my mom, but they are a great support for her when she gets
confused about therapy and/or issues that come up at doctor visits. Sound Options is there for
her, when I cannot be, and they keep me updated on my mother on a regular basis.
Dierdra's parents began having problems a few months ago, and luckily we knew right away who
to call for help. Now both mine and Dierdra's parents have great professional care managers
from Sound Options. Thanks, Sound Options, you are a genuine lifesaver!
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