So, what exactly is a "Golden Age Manager"?
Hi,
My name is Michelle, and I am the owner of Golden Age Management.
I fell in love with health, aging, and wellness after a volunteer experience through student council during my high school years. I was matched with an older woman who resided at a long-term care (LTC) facility and was responsible for assisting her to complete her Christmas shopping at the local mall.
During our lunch break, she shared a piece of her life's story with me: She had everything she wanted as a young woman, a house, a family and her dream job as a nurse. But that all changed when she was T-boned by a drunk driver on her way to work. She laughed as she recalled the shock of her coworkers when she arrived for her night shift on a gurney. She lived in a coma for months, and spent the better half of a year trying to recover. Her family could not provide for her, and so her husband left with both their small children. She experienced a stroke many years later, which left her partially paralyzed. She said, despite the tragedy, she was grateful because one of those fateful hospital visits led her to the love of her life, and second husband. Her face lit up in admiration when talking about him.
She shared how they spent approximately five years together, before he died of the cancer he had been battling since before they met. With her limited support and declining health, she eventually moved into the subsidized LTC home that she was living in at the time we met.
Her story shook me to my core and changed the trajectory of my life.
I reflected on the positivity and resilience that beamed from her when she spoke in spite of the turmoil she faced. After meeting during that event, we stayed in touch by chatting over the phone and planning visits. She has unfortunately passed on now, but her legacy lives on.
This experience sparked a fascination in me - I grew so intrigued by people and what makes them who they are. I studied Social Service Work - Gerontology at Sheridan College, Active Aging through CanFit Pro, First Aid, CPR, Gentle Persuasive Approach, Dementiability, and Non-Violent Crisis Training through workplace advancements, Health and Aging through McMaster, Yoga Teacher Training through Be Yoga & Wellness and am now sharing my knowledge and experience with my community through Golden Age Management.
So, what exactly is a "Golden Age Manager?"
Over the decades in Canada, longevity has increased as the death rate for all causes of death has decreased (Government of Canada, 2018). With the overall population living longer and the Baby Boomer population aging into later adulthood, there is a growing need in services for older adults.
I coined the term Golden Age Manager to encompass the vast services our staff provide to our clients to promote a sense of peace, harmony and stability despite the changes of growing older. Similar to a "Senior Concierge", "Senior Move Manager" or "Geriatric Consultant" a Golden Age Manager works together with the client to attain their unique goals, whether it's maintaining their mental and physical health through counselling, companionship, guided exercise, and daily activity support, or navigating the complex systems (health, legal, finance, real estate, etc.) associated with major life changes such as a disease diagnosis or death or a spouse.
A Golden Age Manager is like a personal administrator that excels in communication and organization. They use a person-centered approach to keep client needs, interests and abilities at the heart of their planning and coordinating. Golden Age Managers envision a world where older adults and aging are celebrated and honoured. They advocate, not only for the rights of their clients, but for older adults and their care partners as a whole.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post and learn more about our origin and values.
If you'd like to learn more about our services and working with a Golden Age Manager, please click the button below.
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