Episcopal SeniorLife Communities Featured in RBJ article “Health care system needs strategy for when family is unable to help aging loved one”

Lisa Marcello, President/CEO and Jeff Sweeney, Vice President of Community Programs at Episcopal SeniorLife Communities recently commented in an article in the RBJ on helping families navigate the health care system. To learn more, see below.

The organization developed its neighborhood program, an effort to create community with programs for people in its own housing and independent older residents who live nearby. ESLC has nine programs in Monroe and Livingston counties where older adults can gather for health and wellness events, attend presentations on senior programs and services, and get peer support.

ESLC is part of the Monroe County Aging Alliance and sees itself as a convener rather than an agency that wants to do all things for all people.

“We want to be able to help people find the services and the care that they need that might already exist that maybe they don’t know about,” said Jeff Sweeney, vice president of community services for ESLC.

Lisa Marcello, president and CEO of ESLC, said the organization sees itself as educating seniors and their families about how to make care decisions before there’s a need to take action.

“If that discussion starts with the family earlier,” Marcello said, everyone involved is better equipped when loved ones have to step in.  “They’ve already been introduced to an organization that will support them through those transitions.”

To read the full article, from RBJ click here.