Support team for elder care needs

By Mark Goldstein

If you were at the chamber Business-Building Lunch in April, you heard me tell how Cathy Crossman and her staff at Transition Options not only helped us find the assisted living facility that best suited my parents, but negotiated with them to save us $1,500 up front and another $800 every month.

Andrejs Pidjass
Fotolia.com

Transition Options has helped not only Rhawnie and I, but also my parents, during their transition into assisted living. I must admit, we were woefully unprepared for the challenges of the past few months. As most of you already know, my mother has Alzheimer’s disease and my father is in very poor health. Cathy and her team have been there for us every step of the way.

When my parents moved, my mother had difficulty adjusting because of the disease. Transition Options gave additional personalized care, and they continue to provide much-needed services, allowing Rhawnie and me to focus more on chamber needs. It’s said that the biggest concern for caregivers ends up being the quality of their mental health. In our case, we are at complete peace knowing we have our “back-up plan” in place with Transition Options.

The bottom line: If you, or anyone you know, are having to care for the ever-increasing needs of your parents and have not already created a “back-up plan,” I strongly and enthusiastically recommend that you contact Cathy Crossman at Transition Options. She will custom-tailor a plan that will meet every care-giving need. You can contact her at 407-629-5233.

If someone has gone “above and beyond” to provide you with outstanding service, please let us know.

One way to mitigate the health insurance coverage crisis

The census bureau says 15.4 percent of people living in the U.S. lack health insurance.

One of the primary obstacles self-employed people and small business owners face in getting health insurance is the high cost. Chamber President Mark Goldstein announced at our December 1 luncheon that our members can now get supplemental health insurance at group rates through Transamerica and Aflac.

We’ll have an informational meeting December 11, 9 a.m., at Belhaven College -- 2301 Maitland Center Parkway, Bldg. 200 Suite 165 -- in Maitland. Representatives from both companies will present program benefit options and answer your questions.

To attend this meeting, please make a reservation by by calling the chamber office at (407) 814-1124. Or send an e-mail from the chamber Web site.

If you are not currently a chamber member, now might be a great time to join. You can find membership information on the Web site. Chamber representatives will be at the December 11 meeting if you wish to join at that time.