Our blogs
A Better Choice Elder Care was founded by people who saw their own family members robbed of their golden years by the insidious effects of Alzheimer’s disease. When faced with the agonizing decision to place a loved one in assisted living, it can be overwhelming. In addition to the emotional trauma that comes with parents no longer able to care for themselves, the mountain of choices and information can be too much.
Nobody knows that better than Commack resident Jeff Malyniak. Jeff found himself in the unenviable position of needing to find full time care for family members and know he will need to find care for both parents. “My Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimers a few years back and while her husband-my step Dad-was the care giver, both my sister and I knew we needed to get things in place if something was to happen with him. He passed away December 23, 2010. I was like most people, thinking that these things don’t happen to me, they happen to someone else. This isn’t something you prepare for. It just happens. And there was no roadmap, no place to turn that could save us time, and anxiety trying to sort through life-changing situation that was just beginning.”
While a lot of people facing similar circumstances are inclined to say, “Someone should do something about that,” Jeff Malyniak actually took action. Along with a partner who experienced the same situation with his in-laws, they formed A Better Choice Elder Care LLC.
“The business started over a lunch with my best friend who I have known since the fourth grade. We drew out some points on a napkin going over how to build a better referral firm than any other company out there. The next 6 weeks I went to 50+ assisted living communities to talk with the sales people and came up with a business plan that they loved.”
What does A Better Choice do…?
They offer a free service that helps families identify the most appropriate full-time assisted living community for their loved one. They also help educate them to all the different types programs, financial and care aide they might be able to get. With age 80-and-over being the fastest-growing segment of the population, and the baby boomer generation just reaching retirement age, Jeff and his service could not have come along at a better time. Because the founders know from first hand experience the traumatic consequences of dealing with advanced age care, they are eminently capable of helping you find the appropriate solution for your family member
So, how does it all work? A Better Choice Elder Care has professional elder care counselors that know the Long Island, Metropolitan NY and New Jersey elder care market better than anybody. The reason is simple: they live here! Jeff Malyniak is quick to point out that, unlike similar nationwide placement services, “We have intimate knowledge of the facilities we recommend, and are
uniquely suited to help people choose the most appropriate place with the ideal care.” Indeed, it is the high level of personal service, the local knowledge and experience that sets A Better Choice Elder Care apart.
“I have spoken to hundreds of families and while we uncover the care they need today, we also need to address the care they will need down the road. For example it is as simple as asking how they are walking today and if down the road this gets worse and they might need a wheelchair we need to match up the right assisted living communities which allows wheelchairs. We do not want a family to have to switch communities and start the process all over again and absorb the expenses of relocation.”
Jeff broke it down his approach for me when I asked him. “We focus in three main areas- Care, Location, and Budget.”
First, the level of care for your loved one is deemed appropriate—nothing more, nothing less. This is by far our most important mandate. However, when selecting a community, we must give some consideration to the possibility of a higher level of care in the future.
Second, the location of the care community should be convenient. We will find a care solution that is a reasonable distance for friends and family to visit.
Third, the cost of the community care is within the family budget, not just from the start, but down the road as well.
Overview of Assisted Living
Assisted living is a residential alternative to nursing home care. According to the National Survey of Residential Care Facilities, there are over 31,000 assisted living communities’ nationwide serving almost one million seniors. A relatively new concept twenty-five years ago, today assisted living is the most preferred and fastest growing long-term care option for seniors. The reason we bring this up is that all communities are different and each building is unique. A Better Choice is able to help you discover how they are different and whether a particular community-even if it’s the closest to you-could be beyond your budget.Over the years they have built a system which brings up all the assisted living homes in that area by zip code. That technology was built by a company right here on Long Island by a local company. Jeff points out, “This can help our counselors give our customer fast information right at their fingertips. One of the biggest issues families face is with the cost of these communities. Most of these homes are not cheap.”
Jeff has said many times, however, in comparing eye-catching aesthetics to actual care:
“There is a community for everyone. And just remember-chandeliers don’t give care.”
A Better Choice works with Adult homes as well as assisted living communities. The major difference is the majority of adult homes are less money and they go without all the bells and whistles that an assisted living operation might have within the building.
Jeff goes on. “Another critical area where we help families is with families dealing with Alzheimer’s care.” This is a warm spot with Jeff and his company. The key factor with Alzheimer Disease and dementia is to let the resident age in place. They work directly with Alzheimers support groups and have firsthand knowledge of where the best assisted living communities are that can provide care for this debilating disease. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses. Jeff’s personal experience with this disease allows him to provide immeasurable value to people going through it with loved ones.
“Having a family member with this disease gives me firsthand knowledge and helps me give insight into what to expect.”
For more information on Elder Care, call 855-315-9700, email or visit A Better Choice Elder Care website at .
By John Keenan
John Keenan is the owner of John Keenan Marketing, a Marketing Consulting firm specializing in helping businesses leverage the Internet to get more customers and solve problems. He is a Commack resident, husband, father of four children, and long-suffering Mets fan. For more information on how he uses video to build authority for his clients, or anything else related to your marketing, he can be reached at or his website, .
Jeffrey B. Malyniak is one of the founding partners and now sole owner of A Better Choice Elder Care, LLC. His previous experience includes 11 years in the medical field with major Pharmaceutical companies, and in Information Technology. His past professional work has proven invaluable in his efforts at ABC Elder Care, where he has helped hundreds of families in the Tri-State Area.