Senior care info, resources and experts on tap

By Deb Silverthorn

The new Manchester Living podcast provides information and resources from throughout North Texas’ care community and aims to remove some of the guesswork for families.

“Finding the answers to health care and support for our families shouldn’t come from a blind online ‘search.’ The Metroplex has so many incredible caregivers and support organizations and they all want to make what can be so stressful, much easier,” said Brian Levy, Manchester Living’s director of marketing and business development. 

The podcast series, which posts every two weeks, premiered premiered on Jan. 8. Levy said he aims to share his expertise and that of many health care and related-field providers he works with. “Every day my phone rings with a ‘need it now’ situation and it’s impossible to do the homework overnight.”

The 20-minute podcasts have addressed issues of COVID-19 care and safety, navigating the elder care maze, communicating with the elderly, isolation and the growing popularity of concierge medicine. They are all accessible for viewing or watching at any time. 

Levy’s interest in developing the podcast came through his work with the Manchester Care Homes and Cambridge Caregivers clientele. His interest in working in the industry doesn’t stop at his locations, he said, and his goal is to help as many families as possible. He first got to know Manchester as the grandson of a resident. “Our industry is a tight community and we have the best of the best of all aspects of the industry joining us.”

Levy hosts each episode. The first guests have included: Jo Alch, executive director of Pajamas for Seniors; Sandi Greenberg, Manchester Living director of nursing; Brian Harmon, Nexus Home health care owner and physical therapist; Stephanie Israelstam, director of sales and marketing at Anthology of Plano Senior Living; Mindy Jones, PyxisCare founding principal; Dr. Roger Khetan, Signature Medicine at Baylor University Medical Center; and Dr. Kyle Molen, North Texas Preferred Health Partners. 

“I’m thrilled to have been on the podcast because the more people we can reach to support, the better,” said Greenberg, who considers each of the residents at the four Manchester Living homes as family. She advises that knowing the options in advance makes it easier for seniors and their adult children to make decisions about care. 

“We and our parents are living longer, which is great, but this means having older bodies that most people don’t have experience in caring for,” said Harmon, a career physical therapist. His agency’s clinicians offer physical, occupational and speech therapies, skilled nursing care and social work support. “Manchester’s podcast shares resources who answer the questions that most in the sandwich generation are asking. As a provider myself I’ve learned so much and I’m glad Brian asked me to participate.”

Manchester Living, which opened in 2009, provides boutique assisted living with personalized care in residential settings in North Dallas, Northwood Hills, Preston Hollow and White Rock. Cambridge Caregivers is the in-home, private duty division, and its employees are available for hire in private homes or facilities for needs ranging from occasional to full time. 

“We want to be a lighthouse for our community, for those looking to care for their family members and, if their family members aren’t physically under our care, then we want to be a part of putting the answers about care out there,” said Adam Lampert, Manchester Living’s CEO and partner. “We are about caregiving and getting the information out wherever and however we can to meet our goal for success.

For schedule information, or to tune in to the Manchester Living podcast, visit ManchesterLivingPodcast.com.