Our Services

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The needs of the elderly are varied, and can be complex. Although many live independently well into old age, others require more attention and assistance. AgeQuest offers a combination of expertise in issues of aging and a caring approach. We provide consultation services to family members and other caregivers. Our focus is on understanding key concerns and needs, asking questions to clarify our understanding, evaluating options, and making recommendations that can serve as a starting point.  The older person can be involved at the discretion of the family. The goal is giving caregivers the information and tools they need to help. A consultation can be done just once, or on an ongoing basis as needs change.

Give us a call at 603-334-6565 or email us at nancy@agequest.com. We’d be honored to help your family navigate the sometimes choppy waters of elder care.

Making plans for the future can be tricky business

Whether you are trying to plan for your own future or help a loved one in a crunch, I can provide timely, accurate information that will help you make the decisions that are right for you and your family.  I have designed the services I offer to be flexible so that they can meet a wide variety of needs and preferences.

Our work always starts with a phone call to make sure that I am the best resource for you.  The call should take about 20-30 minutes.  Prior to our call, I will send you a brief list of questions I am likely to ask so that we can both make the best use of the time we have.

By the end of our call, you’ll have a sense of which one of my service options is right for you.  I’ll send you an email that summarizes our call and my suggestions along with guidance for moving on to the next step.

That’s all there is to it.

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Proactive Planning

In the past few years, a greater number of individuals and couples have come to me for future planning.  There are many motivations, including wanting to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, not be a burden to their families and wanting to craft a credible plan of their own to counter the many suggestions they are getting from well-meaning family members and friends.

Our work always starts with an assessment of where you are now – your health, your living situation and plans you’ve already made.   We’ll also explore your resources (insurance, money and family/friends) to guide discussions about affordability of care.

Ideally the visit takes place in your home so that we can do a “walk through” together and identify opportunities to improve safety and smooth functioning.  We’ll review the health and contact information you provide just prior to this visit and make a plan to promote safe, healthy and happy living.

We will make a plan to meet (in-person or on zoom) at least quarterly.  If you land in the hospital or ER for any reason, you will let me know so that we can meet to size up what’s happening and adjust the plan if needed.

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Consultation

Sometimes, a conversation or strategy session is all you need.  I often do this with individuals or family members who are managing day-to-day routines well, but want an opportunity to talk things over to make sure they’re on the right track.  Sometimes we do brainstorming to identify approaches to solve a thorny problem.

I meet with consulting clients on an hourly basis as needed.  When they want to schedule a meeting, they request a date on my calendar and we make it happen – by phone, by zoom or in person.  I follow up with an email summarizing our discussion and providing contact information for resources we may have discussed.

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Transition Support

This is one of the more common requests – especially in these days of a very stressed healthcare system.  I work with families who are trying to plan a move – either temporary or permanent.  Together we size up care needs and develop a list of the best potential providers.  I may or may not do an in-person assessment of the client, depending upon the circumstances.

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Caregiver Coaching

Family caregiving is not for the faint of heart.  Although there are many rewards in caring for a loved one, the demands can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially in the face of change.

Our work starts with an assessment of where your loved one is now – with a focus on health, personal care and independent living skills and cognitive abilities.  We will also review your living situation – your care/support team, plans you’ve already made and availability of resources (insurance, money and family/friends) to provide help.

Ideally the visit takes place in your home so that I have a sense of what life there is like when we do our follow up coaching calls.  We set up a proposed schedule of calls based upon your preference, with opportunities for shorter calls and emails and provision of educational material and resources that may help.

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Professional Advisors

As I work with clients, I often collaborate with their professional advisors – lawyers, financial planners, bank trust officers and accountants. With over four decades of experience in aging services, I’ve helped clients through many challenging situations.  I have developed effective working relationships with local providers and have a good understanding of how our health and long term care systems work – both in normal times and under today’s pressures of a pandemic and caregiver shortage.

When working with professional advisors, I am often joining them to explore special needs, including the challenges of unevenly aging couples, concerns about decision making capacity and differing opinions among family members for the right course of action.  In some cases, we are also working with clients who are planners –who want to be more proactive about their own aging strategies.

My contribution usually involves estimating care needs and costs, identifying providers and managing care over time.  It can also involve helping clients with implementation and adjustment of the plan as needs change.

If your team could benefit from some education in these areas, or if you have a specific client you are concerned about, we can schedule a meeting to explore ways we might work together.

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