It is hard to say that after over 30 years in field of elder care I have reinvented myself and my company, but I have. My own personal experience as a caregiver to my mother who came to live with me and my husband in 2004 and my personal experience as a wife and caregiver to a disabled spouse at the same time has greatly improved my administrative prospective. I lost my Mom in August of 2007and my huband in October of 2010.

I learned that Eldercare must reach out to the spouse and to the family when providing care to their client. If not for the tremendous efforts of family members our clients would most often not be able to remain at home. My own personal Eldercare Systems caregivers provided 8-hours of care in my 36-hour day. I relied on them and I appreciated them. I also learned how difficult a transition it is to welcome a stranger into the intimacy and routine of our daily family life.

As a spouse and daughter I also learned how exhausting it was for me to be the "good wife" or the "good daughter" when they were temporarily placed in the hospital or rehab. Balancing my many responsibilities between home and work were always a challenge; but when daily trips to the hospital or rehab were added to that already difficult mission, I became truly worn-out. This further strengthened my passion for helping families keep their family member at home and out of nursing homes.

Both my mother and my husband had full-time care with Eldercare Systems, and at the end, at-home hospice care was added. I am ever-so grateful for having been there for my mom and my husband, Tom. I thank my Eldercare caregivers, my hospice nurses and my family for helping me provide such wonderful care to both of them and the reassurance that I did the very best I could.

Now, as I approach my own retirement I continue to mentor families and especially spouses on the challenges they face. I want to be a shoulder to lean on, a source of comfort and a resource in the caregiving struggle.

Ellie Schmittinger, President & Founder

Eldercare Systems, Inc. 2245 Dillard St. Tucker, GA 20084