Phone: 574-607-8120
Shelley Pillado 
She called me Mom again today. “Mom, what should we do next? What do we still need to do?” Her voice floated across the kitchen table, soft and earnest, like someone trying to find their footing in a room that suddenly feels bigger than they remember. And even though this isn’t the first time, it … Read more
Until It’s Too Late. And by the time they realize what to ask, the damage is already done. Most families don’t make bad decisions.They make uninformed decisions — under pressure. Not because they didn’t care.Not because they ignored warning signs.But because no one ever told them there were rules to learn in the first place. … Read more
Planning an open house and climbing a mountain feel oddly similar to me. Sweaty palms.Second-guessing every decision.Feeling exhausted before you even start. Party planning is not my gift. The weeks leading up to our assisted living open house felt like I needed hiking poles, trail mix — and maybe a Sherpa. June 22, 2022 arrived … Read more
It’s Just Making Everything Heavier. Guilt has a way of sneaking into care partnerships and making everything feel heavier than it already is. And honestly? It doesn’t deserve the power we give it. As I was writing this, the song War by Edwin Starr popped into my head. Suddenly, my brain rewrote it: 🎵 Guilt! … Read more
Here’s Why I’d Do It Again. By the Fourth of July, we welcomed our second resident. Her name was Marla. Marla wasn’t a stranger to me. She had once been my patient in a long-term care facility. She broke her hip, went to rehab, but something wasn’t right. The bone wasn’t healing. Further testing showed … Read more
(And Why “Support” Has to Mean More Than Just Listening) A close friend reached out to me recently and asked a simple question: “Do you know of any support groups?” She didn’t ask dramatically.She didn’t fall apart on the phone.She asked the way doers ask. You know the type. The people who don’t let the … Read more
We learn during seasons of change. This is what I learned. I Cried Today. The text came out of nowhere. The words are heavy.Weighted down with exhaustion and guilt. I knew it was coming eventually.But I didn’t expect it to be at 7:35 p.m. on a Sunday night, while I was stretched out in the … Read more
(And Why Preparation Changes Everything) A true story about becoming prepared and grounded with guidance. Mary looks me in the eye as she takes a long, slow breath in. “To be honest, I am so overwhelmed. I’m struggling and I know I am going to have to go through this again in another 15 years … Read more
And Walked Away From “Cookie-Cutter Care” For Good A true story about soup, presence, and building the kind of home I would live in This is our story. This is how we got here today. And if you’re trying to figure out what to do for your mom or dad, you’ll understand why we built … Read more
What a Renovation Taught Us About Seeing What Still Matters Some things announce themselves before you even see them. You could smell the sawdust before stepping inside. The air was thick with it. Sawdust and sweat. The honest kind of work that settles into your clothes and doesn’t wash out easily. Rafa’s hands were blistered … Read more
