THE QUESTIONS FAMILIES ARE ASKING AND THE ONES THEY HAVEN'T THOUGHT TO ASK
Jill Poser, CGCM, CMC, CDCP
OCTOBER 16, 2026
Over the years, many of you have asked me some version of the same questions: How do we know when it’s time? What should we be planning for? What happens next?
The answers are rarely straightforward. Often, the most consequential questions are the ones families don’t know to ask until they are facing a difficult decision.
I’ve created a new publication on Substack to explore these questions—and many others—through an ongoing series of essays on aging, caregiving, and the decisions that shape both. Drawing on my experience and our work with older adults and their families, I’ll examine what is often overlooked, the assumptions that deserve a second look, and the details that can make a meaningful difference in care.
Topics will include:
When the person and the care plan no longer match: What happens when a plan that once worked no longer reflects an older adult’s changing needs?
The difference between being able to do something and being able to manage it: Why performing individual tasks doesn’t necessarily mean someone can live safely and independently.
When everyone is doing their best, but the system is still failing: How gaps between family members, caregivers, physicians, and care settings can leave important needs unaddressed.
The decisions families make too late — and the ones they make too soon: How to balance safety, autonomy, and quality of life when there is no easy answer.
What reassuring reports may not tell us: Why medical information, technology, and occasional visits may not reveal the full picture of how an older adult is managing day to day.
These are just a few of the subjects I’ll explore over time. My goal is to help families recognize what matters, ask better questions, and make informed decisions when the path forward is not always clear.
My first essay addresses a situation especially relevant to South Florida: the seasonal move between northern and southern homes. What may seem like a simple change of residence can also be a significant transition in care—one that families often underestimate until a problem arises.
Two Homes, One Care Plan
Our monthly newsletter will continue just as it always has. It remains an important way for us to share information, insights, perspectives, and updates from Life Care Concierge of South Florida. Substack complements the newsletter by giving me another place to publish essays more frequently and share them with a broader community. It is free to subscribe, and subscribing is entirely optional.
I hope you’ll join me as this conversation continues.
Jill Poser, CGCM, CMC, CDCP
Life Care Concierge of South Florida