November 16, 2023 by Dean Bellefeuille

Ensuring financial security during your post-retirement years is crucial for a peaceful life. Government-backed programs like Social Security and Medicare offer some respite, but putting all your eggs in one basket is rarely a wise choice. Crafting a multi-layered financial shield can provide you with the necessary freedom and assurance to enjoy life after retirement without constant worry. In this article, we’ll discuss eight key strategies that will help you secure your financial future beyond the basic safety nets. (more…)


 July 22, 2020 by Dean Bellefeuille

Those diagnosed with COPD have needed to remain especially vigilant since the COVID-19 pandemic started, because they are likely at both a greater risk for contracting the virus and for developing more severe complications. A recently available study published by the European Respiratory Journal reported that people with COPD were more likely to be admitted into the ICU, require ventilator care, and succumb to the virus compared to those without the disease. (more…)


 November 19, 2019 by Dean Bellefeuille

Family care providers recognize that navigating the journey of choosing appropriate care resources for a senior can seem like trying to traverse the ocean in a rowboat – blindfolded, and blindsided by the buffeting surf and winds. The likelihood of making it safely to your destination are fairly slim without the recommended tools, and an expert to assist you in the best way to utilize them.

That is where a geriatric care manager (also known as an aging life care professional) can step in and save the day. Geriatric care managers are specialists in the various intricacies of aging, available resources, resolution of issues pertaining to family dynamics, and much more.

Available for short-term consultations up through and including full-time help and support, there are a few key instances when a geriatric care manager is especially beneficial:

  • Distance separates both you and your loved one. Living in Michigan while your aging parents are in New York, even with today’s technology, makes it challenging to make certain they’re completely cared for and safe. A geriatric care manager can provide supervision of care, frequent visitations, and assistance with decision-making.
  • A difficult behavioral issue is at play. When a senior is challenged by dementia or any other diagnosis that creates behavioral concerns, a geriatric care manager can be an integral part of the older adult’s care team, providing information on appropriate specialists and helping to find a remedy to troubling behaviors, which can include aggression, wandering, or sundowning.
  • The senior won’t open up about health concerns. Older adults commonly want to keep their adult children from worrying, and as a result, withhold crucial health information – but are frequently open to talking with a professional geriatric care manager about their worries.
  • There are living condition concerns. For instance, if a loved one resides in an assisted living community that will not permit you to hire a personal caregiver when additional assistance becomes necessary, a geriatric care manager can provide extensive information about both the community itself and your state’s relevant laws, and will help mediate a resolution.
  • You’re just at a loss. Determining the very best care solution for aging parents could be complicated, and it’s not unusual for members of the family to feel uncertain about what the best solution will be. A geriatric care manager can provide you with what your choices are, and what the advantages and disadvantages might be for each option.

If you are interested in locating a care manager to help improve care for a senior loved one, contact At Home Independent Living at (315) 579-HOME (4663) to learn more about our Camillus home care and the surrounding communities we serve.


 August 23, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille

Urinary incontinence can be an embarrassing issue for those who are impacted by it. The preconception behind the disorder frequently leads to patients having either a lack of facts or trusting in some common misbeliefs about incontinence. The Bridgeport home health experts from At Home Independent Living provide some commonly held incontinence myths and the truth behind each: (more…)


 March 8, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille

Dorothy had it right when she said, “There’s no place like home,” and 90 percent of seniors agree, according to AARP. The vast majority of older adults prefer to age in place in their own homes as opposed to moving to a nursing home or assisted living facility. But as increased care is needed, how can senior independence be maintained at home? (more…)


 May 11, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille

Alzheimer’s disease has become somewhat of an epidemic in recent years, and it’s gotten harder and harder to tell fact from fiction when it comes to symptoms, treatments, and risk factors.

The Alzheimer’s care specialists from At Home Independent Living in Syracuse, NY are here to help. We’ve confronted some of the most common myths and revealed the truths behind them:

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