About Lynette

Lynette cared for my Mother for the last seven months of her life. Honestly, I wish we had found Lynette earlier – primarily because of the joy, friendship, loyalty, love and care that she offered my Mom, and the experience, wisdom, support and guidance that she provided me. Lynette is an incredible advocate for those she cares for. She is fiercely loyal, caring, considerate, conscientious, capable and dependable. She draws on her years of strong caregiving experience to make life better for those she supports and their families. She communicates well, asking questions and carefully listening to responses. She intuitively knows how to keep family members in the loop. And finally, she solves problems – large and small - with the objective of making life better for everyone. Lynette made my Mom’s life better and more comfortable. She immediately established strong and positive rapport with my Mom, who was struggling with vascular dementia. Through conversations and observation, she quickly understood my Mom’s pride, her desire to maintain independence and agency, her interests and preferences, and her desire to be heard and seen for who she was and all that she had accomplished in her lifetime. Lynette understood and stayed true to those principles, while providing support, a sense of calm, friendship, care and love. She won a special place in my Mom’s heart. A few examples of Lynette’s ability to engage with my Mom: - Dressing: Each day, Lynette would lay out clothing options for my Mom – always including her favorites, allowing my Mom to choose what she would wear. - Meds: When my Mom refused her meds, Lynette started to bring her own, engaging in a game (“I’ll take mine if you take yours”). One at a time. It worked (nearly) every time. - Engagement: Lynette kept my Mom engaged with things that were important to her: reading family history books aloud; going on treasure hunts to find my Mom’s prized possessions; walking in her gardens; visiting graveyards and family graves; decorating for holidays (and carving pumpkins); doing laundry and perfectly folding (and/or refolding) linens; preparing meals; washing dishes; etc. Sometimes, they would just sit quietly, holding hands. Lynette supported me. Lynette onboarded quickly and became a trusted caregiver and advisor - and a member of our family. She established herself as a key member of my Mom’s care team; other members of the team recognized her leadership and would call her for advice, sometimes asking her to join them when things were challenging. In her informal leadership role, she helped strengthen and simplify our processes, including communication of important information from one caregiving shift to another – and modifying processes as my Mom’s needs evolved. She intuitively knew how and when to keep me in the loop. Lynette was never shy about suggesting alternate approaches when she saw opportunities to improve my Mom’s care and wellbeing (i.e., menus, schedules for meals and meds, simplifying social calendars, etc.). She would simply say, “I think your Mom would benefit from X, Y, Z” or “Have you thought about X, Y, Z?” She provided rationale based on her extensive experience. I always welcomed her advice. My Mom spent the last two months of her life in an assisted care facility. Our private care team continued their regular shifts with my Mom, 24/7, ensuring familiar faces and strong advocacy around the clock. Lynette was a critical partner for me in this transition. She continued to advocate for my mom, interacting with the facility care staff, to ensure that my Mom had the best care and that she was comfortable. While there, Lynette supported my Mom in becoming more social – joining lunch with different residents, attending social activities, making friends. She joined me in advocating for my Mom’s wellbeing (sleep and dining schedules, schedules for meds, frequent bathing, Mediterranean diet, etc.). (The Executive Director of the facility said that the care staff loved Lynette because they recognized the care and advocacy she provided for my Mom - and also the friendship and inclusion that she offered other residents. They praised her contributions.) During my Mom’s final weeks, Lynette demonstrated her flexibility and loyalty. She extended her hours, supported other care team members as required, and worked with Hospice and facility staff to ensure my Mom’s comfort and wellbeing through coordination and timeliness of meds and transitions. The night that My Mom passed, Lynette (and two other members of our private care team) were with us throughout the night – from late in the evening to very early the next morning, when Hospice arrived for her final blessing. Throughout, Lynette provided a wealth of experience, comfort and love to my Mom and to us. I can honestly say that I could not have managed my Mom’s care without Lynette’s support and guidance. She was respected and appreciated by everyone – my Mom, members of our care team, Hospice and me – for her years of caregiving experience, her loyalty, dependability and the extraordinary level of care and empathy that she offered. My Mom was proud to say that she and Lynette found each other – “like long-lost friends.“ Lynette truly made a difference in her life – and in mine, too. Nancy