Jeanine Greaves was always a caregiver. “My dad was a traveling salesman,” said Jennifer O’Brien. “So, my mom had to take care of the four kids and the house by herself all week until Dad came home on the weekends. As we got older, my mom started her own consulting business as a dietician for four different nursing homes in the area. So, for 25 years she helped care for hundreds of seniors. As Mom aged and started to decline, I became her caregiver. You don’t realize what an all-consuming job being a caregiver is until you have to do it yourself.”

Jeanine’s husband, Jerry, had dementia for several years, and passed in 2019, leaving Jeanine to live alone during Covid. “Mom had a stroke in January 2021,” said Jennifer. “After she got out of rehab, I cared for her in her home for 2 years. I was cooking, cleaning, and doing med management, all while running my own business. What suffered was Mom’s socialization. We were isolated because of Covid, and she would spend time in front of the TV while I was busy with the daily caretaking grind. There’s a big learning curve when you’re responsible for someone’s medical care. When I realized I couldn’t provide everything my mom needed anymore, I knew it was time to move her to a Memory Care community. I wanted a smaller, non-profit community, and Pomperaug Woods fit the bill. I had sole care-giving responsibility for two years, so handing over care control to someone else was hard for me. But the staff is very experienced and responsive, and I have complete confidence in them. They listen to my requests, come back with a plan/procedures and an explanation for their care choices, and that makes me feel like we are partners who all want the best for my mom. They are great at explaining the journey of dementia, recognizing milestones, and supporting the family as well as the resident. I also have to commend the support I’ve received through the Pomperaug Woods Caregiver Support Group. That group has been invaluable to me, and we have shared so much. I consider everyone there to be a true friend.”