Page 86 - 914INC - Q1 - 2013

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Q&A with Family Advocate
Barbara Newman Mannix
Navigating the waters of elder care can be challenging on so many levels. When problems escalate and tough decisions must be made, it’s reassuring to know there are local experts available for practical and sensitive advice. Family Advocate Barbara Newman Mannix, founder and CEO of A Dignified Life, LLC (www.adignifiedlife. com), works diligently for families, alleviating their burdens with a range of medical, legal, and social services. Based in White Plains, Mannix’s company serves clients around the country in a unique way. Here, she explains how she provides solace through difficult circumstances.
When did you launch your company?
I incorporated in 2008, but started working on developing actual services in 2007. I researched the main providers in each service category, and instilled confidence in myself
in order to to help my clients. The mission of A Dignified Life is based on the experience I acquired while advocating and navigating my husband’s terminal illness in 2006.
Westchester boasts many services for baby boomers and their families. Is that the norm?
Westchester is a multigenerational haven. Because of the county’s socio-economic make-up and the demand for world-class amenities, highly developed varied services exist in the home care, living residences, medical, and social services communities. This is not the norm. We are lucky to have such a concentrated array of help.
Describe your staff and requirements needed to work with you.
My staff consists of baby boomers. In order to work for A Dignified Life, each person
must first have had his or her own personal caregiving experience. Educational credentials are wonderful, however, it’s not until you’ve sat in an ER at 3AM that you realize it is
often the caregiver/advocate who makes or breaks the loved one’s care experience and outcome. Our staff has passion, heart, and most importantly, true empathy. They have experienced many of the same difficult issues that our clients are going through.
You’ve said that solutions, like family problems, come in all shapes and sizes.
You are correct. There is no “one size fits
all.” Having said that, our unified mission
is “the best possible outcome.” By that I mean, maybe the best possible outcome
is a dignified and peaceful death, or prolonging someone’s life by a few months with the utmost dignity, or resolving family consternation to unify the family so that mom and dad can move to a safer environment with a clear path. It is definitely “the best possible outcome,” and then accomplishing the tasks essential to realizing that goal.
Do clients have both long term and short term needs?
Yes, some need 365-day critical case management. Others come to A Dignified Life for “ju st” that family meeting to start the conversation and get all the family members on the same page. Still others want us
to research a viable plan that the family executes once there is a consensus.
Give us one example of a client you’ve served. Recently, a family came to A Dignified Life for help with a member who had severe pulmonary disease, due to a lifetime of cigarette smoking. While the client was still hospitalized, we renovated her apartment, clearing away 40 years of nicotine from the walls, floors and furniture. We equipped
the apartment with appropriate supplies
and hired 24/7 car egivers. We developed
a care plan with monitoring mechanisms, including visiting nurse, physical therapy and medical support. This enabled the woman
to remain at home for the duration of her
life. Importantly, we upheld protocol of the Advanced Directives so it reflected the client’s wishes. Since both local and long-distance caregivers were required, we communicated on a regular basis, revising the protocol
as the client’s health declined. lUt imately, hospice became a part of the team effort.
How do you prefer to meet with families for the first time?
My consultations are $625 for a four-hour
session that breaks down to a 1-2-1 split of time. The initial hour is usually by phone, the next two hours are in person, usually at the client’s home, and the last hour is by phone, as well. It is in the final hour that we define and finalize the tasks to attain the family’s goals.
Is it easy for a third party advocate to relieve emotional gridlock?
I wouldn’t say easy—I would say different. Although we absorb and internalize each client’s emotional needs as if he or she was our own parent, that’s not the case. So, we are able to present and discuss more sensitive subject matter than a family member. We often introduce the elephant in the room. I remember being asked
to help five adult children discuss their parents’ financial status, as the children had failed to discern if their parents were in financial distress. The dad was immediately forthcoming with me, providing much- needed information, and I didn’t judge. That is a good foundation for diffusing an emotional task.
What other services do you provide?
A Dignified Life specializes in finding appropriate legal, financial, and insurance professionals. We show how to divest
life treasures with dignity, sell homes and cars, plan funerals, help with post-burial paperwork, and manage finances. The list goes on.
Is it possible to gain closure on your strategies?
We strive for closure. That is the company’s ultimate goal. Hopefully, closure equals
the best possible outcome with little or no second guessing or regrets. Even in death, there is a possible win-win.
84
Q1 2013