Phone: 574-607-8120
Shelley Pillado 
Some weeks, it’s not procrastination. It’s just… life. Sometimes Life Has Other Plans This week, life got in the way. As a result, I spent more time in the car yesterday than doing anything on my to-do list. And instead of shrinking, that list seemed to grow at an impressive, slightly rude rate. You know … Read more
The Thought Most Daughters Never Say Out Loud When I admitted I’d probably start snooping, it wasn’t because I was proud of it. It was because, if I’m being completely honest, I understand how families get there when an aging parent won’t tell you anything and you’re left trying to understand what’s really happening. I … Read more
The Reality of Care Coordination After Hospitalization The fracture took seconds. The aftermath consumed the whole family. Care coordination after hospitalization became the unexpected challenge no one prepares families for. Most people think the hard part is the fracture. It isn’t. The hard part is what happens after. The phone calls, missing information, and referrals … Read more
Daughters caring for aging parents are rarely ever prepared for this. Not really. They prepare for the paperwork. The travel. The logistics. The medication lists. The packing. The phone calls. But they are rarely prepared for the emotional weight of becoming the nervous system for an entire family. It Was Never Just About the Move … Read more
For the past few months, I’ve been building a lot of things at once, and I reached a point where I started feeling stuck and overwhelmed in a way I couldn’t immediately explain. Not the dramatic kind where everything falls apart. The quieter kind. The kind where you’re still showing up, still functioning, still getting … Read more
I had a plan.A good one, too.Color-coded. Time-blocked. Very official. Then I woke up. The Morning That Had Other Plans Today was Carol Thursday. The house was not ready. At all. The kind of not ready that makes you inhale sharply and reconsider every decision that led you here. I jumped out of bed and … Read more
There is a simple truth we don’t say often enough in dementia care. Dementia behaviors are communication, not defiance. We, the sapphire brains, can choose.Amber and ruby brains cannot. And yet, far too often, we expect them to. A Story We Need to Pay Attention To I’ve been working closely with a family whose mother … Read more
(The small moments most families ignore—and why preparation matters long before panic sets in) Mom was being stubborn again. At least, that’s what I call it when she absolutely will not see the big picture and cannot understand why she can’t drive anymore. One day she’s perfectly logical about it and hands me the keys. … Read more
Before we get into this story, here’s something I didn’t fully appreciate until recently. Some of the most valuable occupational therapy learning doesn’t happen inside a clinic at all. It happens in the messy, unpredictable, beautifully human environments where people actually live their lives. How This Opportunity Came About For the first time in my … Read more
(and what that moment reveals about stress and choice) Terminal L. Gate 28A. The sign states my flight has been pushed back an hour. Sigh. Oh, but wait. What do I see on the board? Another flight to South Bend, an hour earlier than mine. Perfect. We landed a little early anyway. I huff it … Read more
Instead, they see calm.
Connection.
Conversation.
Laughter coming from the kitchen.
Care partners who KNOW their loved one’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 they’re making the right decision…
They can finally breathe again.
With only seven residents and two dedicated care partners, your loved one receives the kind of attention that larger settings simply cannot consistently provide.
Not because we say the right things.
Because there is actually TIME to notice the little things.
The subtle changes.
The quiet emotions.
The “something feels off today” moments that matter.
Here, your loved one is not treated like a task list.
They are 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.
Where visits feel warmer.
Where meals feel more personal.
Where relationships grow.
Where trust is rebuilt.
And where families finally stop feeling like they have to carry everything alone.
Because at HolistiCare Homes, we are not simply providing care.
We are helping families feel safe again.
