Jackie S.

“I was a wreck. My husband was dying in a nursing home with Lewy Body Dementia. My stress level was acute; visiting my husband every day while I worried and worried about how I’d handle my life when he was gone. I had just exhausted our savings, paying out of pocket for 8 months of assisted living, and now Medicaid was taking over the last months of my husband’s life.

What would I do? How would I go on? Would I have to sell my beloved home of over 45 years? And my car… what its lease was costing was it too much for me to handle? Too many questions and not having my husband to confer with – a man who always took care of me and found a way to solve every problem – was no longer able to help me at all.

Then I received a flyer from the assisted living facility telling me there would be a seminar for people who were going through exactly what I was going through. It dealt with financial problems spouses and children were experiencing while their loved ones were being institutionalized. The subject matter couldn’t have been more of a perfect fit for me.

I got to the seminar late, my desperation was palpable. At one point I burst into tears and thought I was beyond help. But here were two gentlemen having a fascinating conversation with a small gathering of equally desperate spouses and children of the facility residents. We were all in the ‘same boat’ and were looking to these two men who were making me feel more comfortable with each passing minute….making us feel that they were there to help….in many ways…..that our problems were solvable…..and that they’d be there for us and help take some of the burden off of us.

Michael Mastroieni and Jon Miller… strangers to me that day, would grow to become good friends and the problem solvers my husband used to be. We had meetings, not just with me, but they wanted my adult children to be a part of the whole plan for me and regularly sought their feedback. They’ve helped me immensely and I don’t know what I’d have done without them.

The day I walked into that seminar and met with Michael and Jon, I was blessed. They’ve lifted the terrible burdens from my shoulders and have taken my hand and led me to a positive way of life; financially and emotionally, and I am so grateful to them and for them. I walked out of that seminar with hope, that maybe now my future wouldn’t be as bleak as I’d imagined when I first walked into that room.”