At Who’s Watching Mom? Inc., we believe that all adults can achieve a smooth transition through the aging process by refining decisions regarding quality of life, caregiving, financial administration and legacy.

Virtually every adult has known a family fractured (or even torn apart) by the stresses of caregiving or dealing with a loved one’s estate, particularly when blindsided by unexpected incapacity or death. Often, by default, one family member takes on the bulk of the caregiving duties.

We know this from our work with hundreds of clients and their caregivers. We know that those who have comprehensive advance written plans experience a more seamless transition and greater family harmony.

“Both during my mother’s long struggle with dementia and after her passing, I worked with Gretchen Messenger on making sense of my mom’s long term care insurance and making sure this insurance served the purpose my mother had intended.  Gretchen was very empathetic to the situation, extremely responsive and really helped me navigate through a difficult process and system at a time when focusing on those details seemed beyond my comprehension.  I am so grateful to have had the good fortune to have worked with Gretchen.”  – Janine L.

“Gretchen was invaluable as an advocate for my folks more than 20 years after placing their long term care policies.  We put off the move to a long term care facility too long due to my dad’s desire to stay with my mother in their home despite her rapid decline with Alzheimers. Without Gretchen’s help in initiating the claim process, the move to the long term care facility would have been much harder.  Gretchen is always working on our behalf researching claims and payments.  20 plus years of service to my parents! Thank you Gretchen!”  – Mike L.

“Twenty years ago, in 2005, my husband and I both purchased long term care policies from Gretchen Messenger. We had no way of knowing what the future would bring. But we knew that our own parents had benefited greatly from their long term care policies.

 Gretchen was a helpful advisor that day in 2005. Over the ensuing twenty years, we had various questions about the policy and about the premiums. Gretchen hadn’t forgotten about us, and was always readily available to help.

And now the time has come for my husband to need long term care. I was at a loss for how to process a claim. Gretchen shepherded me through the process, re-read our policy after these many years, and found very good news for us. She called John Hancock on several occasions on our behalf to clarify benefits.

And today we are reaping the satisfaction of having my husband’s care covered financially. None of us buys insurance, hoping we will ever have to use it. We don’t buy homeowners insurance hoping our house will burn down so we can make a claim. And we don’t buy long term care insurance hoping we will need it. But it is very likely that we all will, and now our family’s time has come.

 My sense is that Gretchen is not only an talented and experienced professional,  but is also a caring person by nature… one who is willing to help above and  beyond. We are grateful and relieved that we have Gretchen on our side!”

Happy Elderly Woman gardening in front of her home

QUALITY OF LIFE

All good planning starts by identifying and articulating your goals. What does quality of life mean to you? What does your perfect day look like? What would you like to continue doing indefinitely? What things would you like to never do again? Who are the most important people in your life? We uncover these important factors and use them as the foundation for building your Game Plan for Aging™ or Game Plan for Caregiving™

Caregiver hugging a woman in wheel chair from behind

CAREGIVING

Who are your potential caregivers? What duties will they be responsible for? Are they aware of these responsibilities? Are they prepared to take on these roles at a moment’s notice? Is it important for you to compensate your caregivers for their time, talent and sacrifices? We uncover these important factors and use them as the foundation for building your Game Plan for Aging™ or Game Plan for Caregiving™

Elderly couple in their living room looking at financials and retirement house plans

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION

Have I planned financially for my older years? Will these plans allow me to achieve my goals and desired quality of life? Who will handle my financial affairs when I am no longer able to do so? How will we know when that time has come? How can we make this a smooth transition? We uncover these important factors and use them as the foundation for building your Game Plan for Aging™ or Game Plan for Caregiving™

close up of multigenerational family together

LEGACY

Articulating what “values” you desire to preserve during your life and to pass on as a legacy, is a priority in designing your Game Plan for Aging™. Will this mean protecting assets for loved ones after your death? What about passing on religious beliefs? Investment strategies? Preserving family traditions? Providing for lifetime learning or education? Promoting fellowship among love ones and important people in your life? Establishing stewardship? We uncover these important factors and use them as the foundation for building your Game Plan for Aging™ or Game Plan for Caregiving™

Who’s Watching Mom? Inc. founders, elder law attorney, David W. Wick and long-term care specialist, Gretchen Messenger, have a deep passion for helping aging clients live life with dignity and independence by insuring them a voice in decisions.

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