When I called Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts, I was extremely overwhelmed and stressed about how to care for my mother in her home. Before I called, I truly felt like the only options were to put my mom in a nursing home or spend thousands a month on Assisted Living Facilities. I could not afford for her to be in Assisted Living and, more importantly, she was desperate to stay in her home. My mom was having trouble with her memory, cooking for herself and taking care of her finances but when I finally called ASNCM I realized a nursing home, or an expensive Assisted Living Facility were not her only options.

When I spoke to Sam from the Information and Referral department, I honestly felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. She was the first person to honestly listen to me talk about my struggles and frustration with my mom. Most importantly, the Sam did not just empathize with my situation, she also had the solutions.

Through the whole process of the initial assessment, I discovered so many programs that would help my mom. I found out that I could be paid to become the full-time caretaker for my mom, or, have a fully trained professional provide the services. I was also told that my mother might qualify for MassHealth services and could also get meals delivered to her door. After speaking with a case manager, I genuinely felt like every problem I saw with taking care of my mom was solved by one program or another.

It has been a year since my initial call to ASNCM and my mom has been thriving at home. My mom gets seven meals delivered a week to her home and a homemaker comes weekly to help with housework, laundry, and grocery shopping. Without having to worry, help and care for my mom full time, I have been able to connect with her again and regain our mother, daughter relationship. I wish I had found ASNCM sooner, so if you or your family member needs services, please call in.”