Woman’s business helps people navigate nursing home decision

Sometimes, we end up doing work that we never thought we would do. It happened to a Schenectady woman, and she hopes what she’s doing will now help others when they make one very tough decision.

Carol D’Elisiis lost her best friend this year. It all began when her mom, her best friend, began suffering the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

"She needed 24/7 care," said D’Elisiis. "We noticed the decline. She had dementia, she’d drive around, she’d get lost."

She and her siblings tried caring for her themselves and they paid for aides. None of it worked, and they had to put her in a nursing home.

"I always promised her I would never put her in a nursing home, but then there comes a time where it’s like who are you hurting," said D’Elisiis. While she was in the nursing home, they visited her and advocated fiercely for her.

Then COVID hit, and they couldn’t visit.

Without that face-to-face contact and the ability to touch and comfort her, D’Elisiis says her mom deteriorated and in April 2021, she died.

After her mom passed away, D’Elisiis decided to do something she hopes her mom would be proud of. That’s help others find a nursing home with the right fit.

She also wants to help them maneuver through the complicated maze of emotions about having to put their loved ones in a nursing home.

Learn about her business to help guide families through the difficult decisions, by watching the video of Elaine Houston’s story.

MORE INFORMATION: AFFSC: Advising Family for Senior Care, LLC