Phone: 574-607-8120
Shelley Pillado 
Cognitive decline in aging parents isn’t always easy to recognize, especially when Mom or Dad still seems perfectly capable of managing everyday life. Sometimes, the signs are hiding in the routines we’ve grown so accustomed to seeing. I met with a local physician recently who, surprisingly-not-surprisingly, I played softball against in high school. I went … Read more
I was standing there, trying to take a selfie. You know the kind. Adjust the angle. Fix the hair. Try not to look like you’ve been awake since 4:00 a.m. And somewhere in the middle of all that, it hit me. I was actually enjoying this. Not the selfie. The moment. And the funny thing … Read more
Recently, I had a conversation with an OT friend recently that stuck with me. We’ve both been noticing something happening more and more often. Caring for aging parents at home is becoming a reality for more families, whether it’s because of finances, changing care needs, or simply trying to make everything work. Families are moving … Read more
(Even When They Start Off Hard) Visiting an aging parent can be emotional, especially when you aren’t sure which version of Mom or Dad you’ll find when you walk through the door. Have you ever walked in to visit your mom or dad and the first thing they say is: “What am I still doing … Read more
Talking to Aging Parents: How to Start Difficult Conversations Talking to aging parents about what comes next isn’t always easy. Sometimes the first conversation doesn’t go anything like you hoped it would. Have you ever been in the middle of something and thought, “Well…this isn’t going well.” That was me a few weeks ago. I … Read more
Making a life change is rarely as simple as deciding you want something different. Sometimes the hardest part is realizing that what you’re doing is still good—it’s just no longer the work you’re supposed to be doing. In September of 2024, a friend handed me a book: 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan … Read more
Some mornings feel thick. Heavy. Humid. Like the air itself has opinions about your plans. I’ve had more of those mornings lately. The kind where your eyes are open, but your brain hasn’t realized it yet, and everything feels just a little harder than it should. Care partner overwhelm can feel a lot like that, … Read more
For the daughter, son, spouse, or family care partner who is trying to make the right decision while wondering if any decision is actually right. Let me tell you something. I am with you. If you’re caring for an aging parent, I know how heavy this season can feel because I feel it every single … Read more
There are three gifts I want to talk about today. And yes, I’m calling them gifts on purpose. When we talk about dementia communication, we tend to focus on the words, memories, and abilities that are being lost. But I want to talk about something different: what remains. Dr. Daniel Amen often reminds us that … Read more
I did not do well in speech class. I earned a solid C. Not a “hidden potential” C. Just a very honest C. Public speaking made my brain evacuate and my mouth dry up. If you’d told me then that speaking — especially about care partner education — would become one of my favorite parts … Read more
Here at HolistiCare Homes,
You FEEL it.
You will feel it the first time you enter and realize no one is rushing past mom to get a task done.
The television is turned on by request, not as a means of entertainment, so that care partners can complete busy work or little to no work.
Nobody is waiting endlessly for help while overwhelmed staff scramble from crisis to crisis.
Instead, you see calm.
Connection.
Conversation.
Laughter coming from the kitchen.
Care partners who KNOW Mom’s routines, preferences, fears, stories, and personality.
And something inside them finally loosens.
Because after months, sometimes years, of stress, second-guessing, exhaustion, and wondering if you’re making the right decision…
You can finally breathe again.
With only seven residents and two dedicated care partners, mom gets the kind of attention that larger settings simply cannot consistently provide.
Because there is actually TIME to notice the little things.
The “something feels off today” moments that matter.
Here, mom is not treated like a task list.
She is treated like a human being whose comfort, dignity, safety, and emotional well-being matter deeply.
This is the kind of place where families stop feeling constantly on edge.
Visits feel warmer.
Meals are more personal.
Relationships are nurtured.
And trust is rebuilt.
Here you finally stop feeling like you have to carry everything alone.
Because at HolistiCare Homes, we are not simply providing care.
We are showing you that mom is safe again.
