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 who take the time to send me personal testimonies and notes of appreciation for help with their dementia concerns.  Mrs. Debbie Walker Kent,OH
"Karen's holistic approachmade all the difference when I faced moving my mother out of her home and into an assisted living facility." "There is a real quality component in her approach and in the results for my mother as well as for me personally." "Our partnership helped me feel less anxious; I no longer felt all alone and my confidence increased." "I truly feel working with Karen Rice on my pre-planning and placement decisions helped me make the right choice for my mother the first time." "Believe me, if you have never done this before, work with Karen Rice -- you will be so glad that you did. She is a wonderful partner to have at such an emotional time like this. Karen taught me so much about what to expect down the road from my mother's disease, about services, what to expect from services, the realities of assisted living residents and residences plus nursing home options. Quality of life and quality dementia care are key components which Karen makes very clear." "I taught Karen about my mother's medical issues plus described her personality, lifestyle preferences and so forth. In turn, she used these unique details to identify key components of services and environments which would offer a close fit to what my mother was used to. She helped me to understand how a close fit eases the transition; something I was terribly concerned about." "I also toured assisted living facilities with Karen. I had never done this sort of thing before! Touring together helped in many ways. Karen really helped me to better understand how the service fit into my scenerio. And, having Karen along after she'd helped me with developing questions specific to our needs, well, it was just a great comfort. Karen helped me take my first steps inside assisted living facilities. Her presence helped me to get really in touch with my service options and to also get all of my questions to staff asked. If I forgot a question, she would remind me. Karen also made sure I was clear on each answer I received before we left the facility." "Working with an impartial party this knowledgable on Alzheimer's, assisted living, nursing homes plus other long-term care service options and about placement really allowed me to make informed choices in best interest and to select the perfect setting for my mother the first time. There is a deep satisfaction all the way around from Karen's partnership approach - the quality is inherent." Anonymous "Years ago, Karen Rice steered me in the right direction when capturing what was really going on with my "relative" was needed. What a great learning experience for me to work closely with a geriatric neurologist and geriatric specialists who really know about dementia care." "When the time came for placement, Karen worked with me again to help me better understand the long-term care system. The place our family chose best met our criteria for daily involvement and it was one that accepted dementia residents." "As our daily visits continued, the entire family started to question if dementia care was being provided. Karen had cautioned me that facilities not specialized in dementia care often proved to have huge gaps in this type of care, but since I was promised that they did care for persons with dementia, I planned to hold them to their word." "Our visits and questions just brought more mixed messages which led me to hire Karen again. I wanted Karen to go in and evaluate what was really going on and explain it so I could understand." "Karen quickly determined that staff did not have the tools required to deliver dementia care. She met with all of us to explain the importance of the Social History plus validation communication techniques and types of activities. We all took part in completing the forms she provided us with, practiced some validation communication techniques and brainstormed on types of activities our relative was most interested in and could still do." "Negotiation with the facility Director won clearance for the information to be given to the staff and Karen's subsequent visits were opportunities staff welcomed to learn more about dementia care techniques. Karen even gets invited to the socials!" "Today, ownership changes and on-going staff turnover often push us back to square one at this facility, but now we don't need Karen as much to speak for us. Working with her has empowered our family about dementia, state laws and all sorts of conflict issues so that we now are able to deal more effectively with the challenges. We actually minister to the new folks and we do find this rewarding. From the beginning it's been our decision to be very involved with our "relative" as she copes with her disease. We really are totally committed and Karen Rice helped us to build a caregiving situation which enhanced our efforts and the efforts of others at the facility." "Look, you are going to find challenges with long-term care no matter what - there really is a lot of conflict and stress. To make it work for you, you must be committed to the cause, educate yourself and just stick with it. Working with Karen has helped all of us to do our best and she can do the same for your situation. She is very knowledgable and straight forward - she tells it like it is so you can understand then she puts the ball in your court. She stays close, however, just in case you need a helping hand." "I think it's the best money anyone can spend who is responsibile for the welfare of someone with dementia." for persons with dementia are life and death matters - particularly placement decisions" Karen L. Rice, LNHA,Gerontologist, Mediator  
Ann Arbor, MI. Emeritus Associate Research Scientist The Institute of Gerontology Ann Arbor, MI. Emeritus Associate Professor of Education School of Education The University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI. "I have known Karen Rice since the early 90's and have also worked with her on a variety of projects since then. I have watched closely over her efforts to form Alzheimer's & Family Care Management. Her business services are holistic and culturally sensitive endeavors that promise to enhance service access, service delivery, quality of care and quality of life for persons with dementia as well as the family and the caregivers. She's done a fine job and now offers the public an impressive array of private health and legal services for dementia plus she addresses the broad concerns on dementia care through her internet column, "Ask Karen" found on Carepathways.com. I am very pleased and quite proud to support Karen. Her knowledge, skill, innovation, compassion and integrity are second to none and arrive at a time of growing need." Nancy Mace, Author "Long term care is a mess. Mediation is needed by these families and caregivers; it's long overdue. You have my support." 
Mary Guerriero Austrom , Ph.D. Professor Indiana University School of Medicine Director of Education Core Indiana Alzheimer’s Disease Center Indianapolis, Indianna "I have been working and lecturing in the field of Alzheimer disease for over 20 years and my clinical and research interests include the grief and stress experienced by family caregivers of Alzheimer disease patients as well as issues related to healthy adjustment to late life transitions. I am also interested in professional caregivers, especially in long term care facilities. I met Karen Rice during this period. We have known each other since 1992 when we met at the annual meetings of the American Sociological Association and the Gerontological Society of America. I participated at the roundtable discussions on Alzheimer's Disease and Caregiver Stress and Alzheimer's Disease Research. I was also on the symposium Karen organized for Systed'95 in Geneva Switzerland." "I joined both Executive Committees Karen developed for the ASA and GSA research groups and together we worked to make each unique and strong in membership. Since then, we have stayed in close communication on several projects; most recently is her column "Ask Karen" on the internet site Carepathways.com. It has been fun and interesting to be involved as she applies her training into her work experiences and her private practice, Alzheimer's & Family Care Management, because I too learn more about caregiver stress issues from what she sees out there." "Karen's professional services enhance current services available to those dealing with Alzheimer's disease. I feel these services are very much needed as we watch the number of Alzheimer's cases increase and the many families experiencing conflict with caregiving. Offering both healthcare and legal consulting and private family services on dementia care issues is innovative and so like Karen to undertake. I am pleased to support Karen in this endeavor extending outreach personally and by internet to those persons in such need of support on Alzheimer's and related dementias." | Return Home | A Unique Approach | Ohio Satelitte | Testimonials | Profile | Ask Karen | |
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