About Your Elder Ally

I know what it's like to be responsible for an aging parent.

Your Elder Ally grew out of my own experience caring for and coordinating care for my aging parents. Over the years, I have hired and managed caregivers, coordinated appointments and medications, researched resources, handled changing needs, solved unexpected problems, and made difficult decisions when no obvious right answer existed.

I quickly learned that caring for an aging parent is rarely about solving one problem. Usually, many things are happening at the same time, and one change can affect everything else. That experience is at the heart of Your Elder Ally.

Why I Created Your Elder Ally

I created Your Elder Ally to help families caring for an aging parent when they cannot be there every day.

Living somewhere else makes an already difficult job even harder.

You may hear that everything is fine, but wonder if it really is.

You may get different information from your parent, caregivers, neighbors, doctors, or other family members.

Or you may simply have the feeling that something has changed and not know what to do about it.

Sometimes what you need most is someone local who can take a careful look at the situation, listen to your concerns, and help you make sense of what is happening.

That is the role I want Your Elder Ally to play.

The Experience I Bring

My background may be a little unusual, but it has prepared me well for this work.

I’ve spent my career making complicated situations easier to understand. My experience in technology, research, education, and project management taught me to organize information, solve problems, and help people find practical next steps. I bring that same approach to families caring for an aging parent.

My education includes a bachelor's degree in physics, a master's degree in educational and instructional technology, and a PhD in curriculum and instruction.

My professional experience has included work in technology, research, education, project management, program development, and entrepreneurship.

But some of the most important things I bring to this work come from years of working directly with people from many different walks of life, understanding the problems they face, and helping them find practical solutions.

I am comfortable stepping into complicated situations, sorting through the moving parts, asking the right questions, and helping people make decisions that lead to better outcomes.

That same approach is at the heart of Your Elder Ally.

For more about Anna’s professional background, visit her LinkedIn profile: [www.linkedin.com/in/lewis88]

How I Approach This Work

I do not believe families need someone who walks in and immediately starts telling them everything that is wrong.

I believe they need someone who listens first.

My approach is to look carefully at what is happening, recognize what is already working, identify areas that may need attention, and help the family decide what makes sense to do next.

Your parent is a person, not a list of problems to solve.

Their preferences, dignity, independence, safety, relationships, and quality of life all matter.

And you know your parent and your family better than I ever will.

My job is to give you another set of experienced eyes, useful information, practical recommendations, and a clearer way forward.

A Local Ally for Families Who Live Far Away

Your Elder Ally currently serves families whose aging parents live in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and communities throughout Pinellas County, Florida.

If you live elsewhere and are worried about how your parent is doing, we can start with a simple conversation about what is happening and what you are trying to figure out.

You do not have to know exactly what kind of help you need before you call.

Schedule a Conversation