Trusted Care Manager Aided Out-of-State Daughter for Nearly 13 Years

I engaged Alissa in late 2008 to help with my elderly parents in Denver as I am an only child who at the time was working in Portland, OR. After talking with her for the first time, it was apparent she had the experience and skills we required as a family separated by distance. I was impressed with Alissa’s experience in the elder care field and her broad knowledge of care facilities in the Denver area.

From the time my dad fell at home in early 2009 until my mother’s death from dementia in a skilled nursing facility in late 2021, Alissa was always there to make sure my parents received the best care, and to communicate with me, effectively and often. I am grateful for her dedication and skills as I am not certain how I would have managed otherwise. My parents deeply trusted her, and knew she was always acting in their best interest.

I can recommend Alissa to any family wholeheartedly and without reservation.

Confidence in Alissa Made Out-of-Country Travel Possible

Faced with an insurmountable hurdle in the midst of an emergency, we called Alissa for help. She responded immediately and was willing and able to oversee my mother’s immediate care as we relocated her to a respite facility as we had to leave the country over the holidays. Without Alissa ensuring my mother’s safety and well-being, I could never have had the peace of mind to leave my mother alone in order to care for my elderly mother-in-law in another country. She is professional, experienced, available, and excellent at problem solving and communicating essential information to family members. I highly recommend Alissa if you have a family member in Colorado and cannot be here to manage their care.

Time To Rely on Professional With Years of Knowledge

Alissa really knows her stuff. The first meetings or two I questioned the value of using a service like this. I’d worked in nursing homes in the past and thought I knew a lot. As soon as we got into the details, I realized how over my head I was. Alissa had all the answers and great suggestions as well. Moving my dad from independent living to rehab, and then to full care was pretty much seamless thanks to Compass Elder Care Specialists, Inc. I’d absolutely recommend.

Successfully Moving Dad With Alissa’s Expertise

I live in California, and getting my father set up in assisted living in Colorado was a difficult and emotional task. But even though I’m long-distance, Alissa took so much worry off my shoulders, and was an invaluable help to both me and my dad. She accompanied him to appointments, helped him get the healthcare he needed, knew all the questions to ask providers, was on top of every detail, and communicated daily with me to make the transitions successful. She’s an expert at navigating the local and state healthcare channels that are foreign to me.

She has a wealth of knowledge and experience specific to elder care and issues. She is very proactive, detailed, thoughtful, caring and dedicated, a set of attributes that made me—the long-distance daughter—so reassured. I knew my dad was in very good hands, with someone who cares and is smart and very skilled. That kind of peace of mind is priceless. Elder care is clearly a calling for Alissa, and I recommend her highly.

Advice From Family Who Has Been There

Our recommendation: We could not have done this without Alissa. We truly valued her well-informed proactive approach as well as her ability to make the best of ever-changing challenges. She communicated well with others and always kept us informed. We can’t imagine anyone who would have been a better advocate and friend for our sister. What a blessing to have Alissa! She has truly been an angel among us!

Top Professional Offering Invaluable Support

We had to move my parents to assisted living in a crisis situation. My sibling and I both live out of state. We didn’t have Alissa on board at the time of the crisis. It was an extremely stressful time made worse because we didn’t know anything about navigating the process and the system.

When Alissa did come into the picture she had quite a tricky job with my family. She had to do some damage control because of some of our decisions. She had to  maneuver in a hostile family situation.

Alissa is an expert in the world of elder care. She knows the ins and outs of all the resources available. She knows the world of insurance. She knows the legal side of elder care. She is skillful at listening. She gives advice in a gentle but certain manner. She handled it all with professionalism and grace.

At what is an inevitably difficult time of life, Alissa provides knowledge, guidance and support.

Alissa Far Surpassed Expectations

When my father-in-law was hospitalized, we hired Alissa to help us navigate the hospital, rehab and nursing home stays. She has a staggering breadth and depth of knowledge about medical, facility, insurance and related issues. She worked closely with doctors, nurses and facility directors on our behalf, and advised and guided us at every step. I can’t begin to express how thankful my wife and I are to have had Alissa because, even if we lived in Denver (we live out of state), we could not have managed this process without having nervous breakdowns. Alissa made it all so easy, and she was also a frequent visitor and friend to my father-in-law. She exceeded our wildest expectations for what an elder care specialist could do to help us in such a difficult time. Thank you, thank you, thank you Alissa.

Invaluable Service for Struggling Sister and Family

My sister—a long-term resident of Denver, where she lived alone—was gradually losing her memory and cognitive abilities. Fearful of losing her independence, she hid the severity of her condition. When it become apparent that she needed immediate help, we had responsibilities far away on the East Coast. Fortunately, a web search turned up Alissa Schramm, who specializes in helping out-of-town families take care of loved ones with dementia in Denver.

Before Alissa intervened, my sister lived in a constant state of anxiety and loneliness, not able to drive safely, keep track of her bills or organize shopping to keep food in the house. She was fearful of financial fraud and personal assault. On several occasions she got lost, and she frequently phoned the police for protection.

With Alissa’s help, my sister settled into a warm and secure environment, regained weight and even made a close new friend. Nor did she lose touch with her friends because Alissa arranged for them to visit at her new home. Alissa follows up to make sure all my sister’s needs are met. For her, it is a lifetime commitment, and she is available 24/7 to come to the rescue in emergency situations.

As just one example of Alissa’s dedication, she devoted one Christmas day to driving my sister to the airport and guiding her to her plane seat to help her make one final visit to her family Christmas gathering.

Alissa’s services are not limited to caring for a dementia patient. She provides a great variety of support services for out-of town families. In our case, she was of immense help in securing my sister’s house and belongings, finding important documents, arranging for the donation of her car and working with a real estate agent to prepare her house for sale. It would have been nearly impossible for me to handle this without Alissa’s help.

Moving Family Member Not Always Viable Option

Thank you for your support. We do appreciate you. We have given up traveling, and if you were not in Denver, we would have to move my sister-in-law to be near us. The logistics alone would be overwhelming, and I believe that the consequences would be very detrimental to her.

Extraordinary Advocate for Senior With Out-of-State Family

Alissa Schramm is extraordinary. She will serve as the primary contact to be called in an emergency anytime of the day or night. She will sit in on patient conferences with a critical eye and exhibit no hesitation in speaking up in the interest of the patient. This is particularly important for relatives living far away. The caregiving process is complicated. One thing I learned along the way is elder care facilities’ protocol is not always in the interest of the patient. They need an advocate on the spot. Alissa knows the hospitals, specialists outside facilities, even lawyers if legal forms have been neglected.

In my brother’s case, she ferried him to appointments and communicated vital information to medical providers. Equipped with his medical history, she always trailed him to the hospital to ensure he was not admitted for a minor problem. Her presence not only avoided duplication of tests but decreased my brother’s anxiety and confusion.

You can count on her popping in to check supplies, room condition and, if need be, running out to buy clothing or even furniture. Taping instructions on electronics and reminders on the door were just a few of the many thoughtful touches.

Compass is the way to go. Everything will be done with competence, good grace, humor and true caring. Alissa was my brother’s advocate through and through, a blessing for us both.

Gratitude for Alissa’s Care of Dad From Far-Away Daughter

I don’t know what I would have done without Alissa as I live 900 miles away in Minnesota. Alissa met with my dad and did an assessment, determining dementia was present and he should not be alone. Moving him to Minnesota was not an option. Alissa was able to find a memory care facility and was there to watch over his care and make sure he had what he needed. She took care of every detail and was a warm, friendly face that my dad recognized. I cannot say enough good things about everything Alissa did for my dad. I would recommend her without hesitation.

Tops in Integrity and Communication

We greatly appreciated the compassionate service that Alissa provided my uncle. I especially appreciated her integrity and the thoroughness of her communication, always keeping me in the loop about what was going on.

Direction for All Circumstances

How do you convince your 90-year-old widowed mother, who has lived independently for many years, that she should no longer drive a car?

How do you advise her to move from a large house to a smaller apartment at an independent/assisted living facility?

When she breaks her hip, how do you find appropriate rehabilitation therapy to help her walk again? What do you do when a facility refuses dementia patients?

How do you deal with the myriad of medical and care arrangements as dementia progresses? How do you learn to relate to a loved one whose personality and reality are transformed by dementia?

These are but a few of the many difficult situations in which Alissa Schramm has assisted our family over the last several years. We feel blessed with Alissa’s professional and caring counseling, as we have dealt with the many, many issues of a loved one whose life transitioned from complete independence to total reliance in just a very short time.

The decisions you make are not always easy. You never have all of the information. You second guess yourself by asking, “Is this really the right thing to do?” Sometimes, you have to make immediate decisions. Most families do not have the familiarity with senior care to make well-informed decisions. Alissa has always been there to listen, evaluate and advise us through the many mazes of retirement and assisted living, hospital and rehabilitation centers, medical services and Medicare, senior transportation services, memory care facilities and all of the regulations, documentation and attention necessary to providing for loved ones who can no longer manage their own affairs.

Alissa has been by our side through many emergencies and calamities. We have relied on her guidance and assistance more times that I can remember. As a result, the crises have been navigated and our mother is now attended by a caring staff at a memory care facility. We know there will be new concerns and events in the future, but we can at least enjoy the good moments we have with our mother. Our family has the peace of mind that we have made sound decisions because we have relied on Alissa for her compassionate care and superior abilities as a geriatric care manager.

Outstanding Advocate

My sister began working with Alissa in December 2011 while being released from a hospital after mental health issues. She is now independent, extremely high functioning and delightful to be with. After many years, I have my sister back!

I attribute her remarkable recovery to the excellent ongoing care she received from Alissa. Alissa was an outstanding advocate for my sister when it came to doctor’s visits, correct medication, arranging transportation and as a companion. I am forever grateful to Alissa for saving my sister’s life.

Front-Line Point of Contact for Canadian Family

My mother Shirley was case managed by Alissa from July 2013, when she was moved to Denver, to July 2016 when she passed away at the age of 89. Alissa called me as my plane landed in Seattle to tell me she had passed away after I had sat by her bedside for five days caring for her.

I engaged Alissa from day one to be the front line – the consistent face and point of contact with me, my son and my mom’s memory care assisted living residence. She never let us down. She was always professional. She made many suggestions concerning mom’s care and followed through with them.

My wife and I live in Canada. We visited every three months. I participated in quarterly case management meetings by phone. Alissa was always present on these calls, adding to the deliberations as she saw first hand, during her weekly visits, the issues that were contributing to or detracting from mom’s quality of care.

Every family needs a Care Manager to be the line of defense and the advocate for their loved one. I found ours in Compass Elder Care Specialists and Alissa Schramm.

Personal Attention

Alissa entered our lives when my husband’s parents needed professional care in Denver. Because we live in Oregon, the logistics of gathering information and responding quickly to changes in Mom and Dad’s needs were frustrating and often frightening. From the very beginning, Alissa worked to keep Mom and Dad in facilities that gave them as much time together as possible yet met their different medical and emotional challenges.

When emergencies arose, we could count on Alissa to contact us immediately and frequently through the crisis, even though it meant she spent nights at their side in the emergency room or hospital. One very important thing: Alissa listened carefully to my husband’s desires for the medical care of his parents, and she communicated that clearly to professionals on our behalf.

Alissa’s very personal attention to Mom and Dad’s needs were communicated through gentle emails, indicating that Mom could use some soft, cozy garments or a special kind of slippers. When Dad died, Alissa guided us on the best way to communicate this to Mom—advice we would have been lost without. For more than nine years, Alissa has done loving things that a daughter-in-law would have done, like taking Mom to the botanical gardens for her birthday because she loves flowers so much.

We have peace knowing that Alissa loves Mom and gives her the smiles and hugs that we can’t be there to do. I don’t know what we would do without her.

Great Communicator

For someone living out of state with responsibility for an impaired relative, I have found my most valuable resource is a local presence who will deal with the full range of issues that arise in these situations. Alissa is the complete professional care manager. As a single point of contact, she manages everything including medical care, living accommodations, personal needs, transportation and emergencies.

A great communicator, Alissa always keeps me informed with detailed reports, explains all of the available options and provides sound recommendations. Apart from just not being close enough to personally deal with routine needs, dementia patients present a new set of problems that for the inexperienced don’t have ready solutions. Alissa has that experience and will light the way for you. You never know what is going to come up next, but I have the peace of mind that Alissa will take care of it.

Calming Influence As Mom’s Alzheimer’s Progressed

Alissa was a lifesaver to my mom! I live outside of Colorado and I knew that mom was in good hands with Alissa even though I was hundreds of miles away. Alissa’s care and compassion helped soothe mom as her Alzheimer’s progressed. She was a comfort to mom during a difficult time and her knowledge of elder care issues helped us so much. She was also a wonderful advocate for mom during court proceedings. Our judge even commented on the importance of her testimony.

When it came to mom, I wanted the best help and care possible. I found it with Alissa at Compass Elder Care Specialists. Alissa gave mom the time and attention she needed and she gave me peace of mind.

Competent and Compassionate

Living in NYC with an aged mother in Denver is fraught with anxiety, guilt and concern. Finding a thoughtful, prudent and reliable person to assist my independent mother was daunting until we met Alissa Schramm. Over the next three years, she worked with my mother on a wide range of needs, from doctor’s appointments to identifying other support services. She became our eyes and ears and alerted us to needs and concerns in making my mother maintain her independence in a safe and healthy way. Alissa is the careful observer, the gentle reminder and the competent, compassionate manager. Her valuable contribution served us well and allowed my mother to maintain her independence with dignity. We recommend her without reservation.

Highly Responsive

I became my mother’s guardian and conservator in April 2011. Exercising these functions at a distance created significant difficulties. I quickly located Alissa, who went to see my mom the day after I found her. She was immediately able to deal with a dental problem, getting mom an appointment with a geriatric dentist within a day.

She always saw my mom as an individual, and she found people my mom could enjoy (a companion, a senior fitness trainer, a wonderful massage therapist) who suited my mom’s interests and needs. Should you be lucky enough to engage Alissa, she will provide you with a measure of security that your parent is well cared for, and that their needs are met in an extremely timely fashion. She quite simply preserved my sanity!

Broad Base of Knowledge

During the final weeks of a very difficult and confusing illness, Alissa helped me navigate home care, nursing home care and hospice care for my widowed mother. I live in western Pennsylvania and my mother lived on her own in Denver. As an only child, I was the sole bearer of responsibility for my 90-year-old mom.

I turned to Alissa initially to help me sort out what kind of care my rapidly deteriorating mother needed. Alissa identified assisted living possibilities for me to visit, then when my mom was suddenly hospitalized, she checked on her medical care at the hospital and later at the nursing home. She gave me much needed reassurances as to the nursing home that was chosen and the care my mother was receiving.

Alissa has a broad base of knowledge from home care to medications to assisted living and nursing homes to hospice care in the Denver area. She was known and highly regarded by several of the agencies that provided care for my mom.

In this highly emotional time, it was important for me to have someone like Alissa with a broad professional background to turn to as I made what turned out to be end-of-life decisions for my mom.

Thoughtful and Meticulous

The first step is the biggest one. I contacted Alissa in 2009 when I noticed my mom becoming overwhelmed with caring for my father, who has Alzheimer’s. While my brothers and I offered help when we could, my mom did the majority of the caretaking. Her health was starting to be affected.

Alissa wrote a very thorough and detailed outline of my dad’s health issues, recommendations for short and long term implementation, and even an immediate care plan. She listed several facilities for each of my parents along with financial info that was very beneficial. Having this report really helped inform others members of the family about the progression of my dad’s illness.

I have referenced the report many times. I am glad to say my dad is now living at one of the communities recommended by Alissa. His Alzheimer’s has progressed, but he is in a safe and caring environment. Last August, my mom moved to a community recommended for her by Alissa. She seems very happy there.

Alissa definitely was very thoughtful and meticulous in her evaluation. I appreciate Alissa’s advice and assisting our family in helping care for my parents.