10 Jan Barbara Newman Mannix to the Rescue of Baby Boomers

As the nation’s 75-million strong Baby Boomers are called on to care for their elderly parents they confront tough challenges. There is a host of specialists to vet, legal and estate planning, housing and financial red tape to maneuver, medical issues to decipher, and a raft of legal documents to complete. And it is often overwhelming and emotionally charged.

How do individuals under duress approach family crises that require snap decision-making and a deeply informed knowledge base? Barbara Newman Mannix founded A Dignified Life LLC to serve as a research resource to help these families navigate tough decisions and evaluate all of their options in times of life transition. ADL is a unique company that advocates for families and relives their burdens with a wide range of support services in the medical, legal, and social services under one roof.

Mannix, a fomer Macy’s executive and mother of twins, was inspired to launch the company after her husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2006 and she observed so many others in distress.

From care for a parent or loved one to downsizing and relocation and legal planning, ADL offers both in-person and virtual consultations with people in crisis to implement an action plan. The team then connects families to carefully selected geriatric care managers, social workers, attorneys and benefits specialists. Families have turned to A Dignified Life to divest homes, establish a will or estate plan, apply for Medicaid, and stage interventions to arrange for care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s, among many other tumultuous and personal situations (see the company website for a comprehensive list of services).

“Baby boomers, despite the desire to provide the best care for their parents, often do not have the time or expertise to figure out how to plan for their parents’ elder years. They need somewhere to turn for practical, pragmatic, and sensitive advice. In times of uncertainty or crisis, how do they best sift through the maze of literature regarding health, financial, and human service programs?” prompts Mannix, who launched A Dignified Life after her own experience in dealing with her husband’s terminal diagnosis of cancer in 2006.

Adult children praise care managers like Mannix, who is particularly adept at helping families assess the health and safety needs of an aging parent. Mannix and her team can even play ‘bad cop,’ diminishing the role of the ‘nag’ often played by adult children, and act as the ‘voice of reason’ amidst what can sometimes be a complicated, albeit loving, family dynamic.

For more information visit www.adignifiedlife.com.