Navigating Senior Care with Stella

Episode 14: Respite Care: Taking Breaks Without Guilt

You cannot pour from an empty cup. If you're caregiving right now—whether it's hands-on daily care or coordinating placement—you're probably running on fumes.

In this episode, Senior Placement Advocate and caregiver Stella Herrera Williams talks about why taking breaks isn't selfish. It's survival. And how respite care isn't a luxury—it's a necessity fo...

Senior care isn't cheap—and it's also not optional. In this episode, Stella breaks down the real costs of senior care in Central Texas, the financial mistakes that families make most often, and a practical framework for budgeting and finding actual value in care decisions.

Learn what assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing actually cost, how to plan financially for 5-10 years of care, and what to look for beyond ju...

Legal documents aren't just boring paperwork—they're yoursuperpower as a caregiver. In this episode, I'm walking through the documentsyou actually need, why I didn't have all of them (and neither do my siblings),and what happens when you're missing the critical ones.

We cover:

✅ Power of Attorney (Medical & Financial)

✅ Living Will & Advance Directives

✅ Will & Trust

✅ HIPAA Authorization (the often-forg...

Navigating Senior Care with Stella - Episode 11

NAVIGATING MEDICARE & MEDICAID FOR SENIOR CAREConfused about Medicare and Medicaid? You're not alone - and this confusion costs Austin families thousands of dollars every year.In this episode, I break down the difference between these two programs in plain English - no jargon, no government-speak. Just what you actually need to know when caring for a loved one in the Austin met...

Most Austin families have NO idea residential care homes exist - small, family-style environments offering exceptional care at lower costs than traditional facilities. In this episode, Stella Williams breaks down everything you need to know about these hidden gems: what they are, who thrives in them, real costs in Austin (spoiler: you could save $12K-36K per year!), red flags to watch for, and how to find quality homes.

You'll h...

What happens when you're caring for a parent with dementia at home while raising a teenager? In this deeply personal episode, Senior Advocate Stella Williams shares her raw, honest journey of being caught in the sandwich generation.

When Stella's mom was battling cancer and declining with dementia, 14-year-old Jaden watched his childhood shift as their home transformed into a care facility. This isn't a story about facil...

Episode 8 of our Austin Senior Living Series!

EPISODE 8: Memory Care Explained - When Assisted Living Isn’t Enough

Today we’re breaking down memory care - what it is, how it’s different from assisted living, and when your loved one needs this level of specialized dementia care.

In this episode, I cover:

• What memory care actually provides (and how it’s different from assisted living)

• 8 signs it’s time for memory care instead of ho...

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses end-of-life care, hospice, and personal loss. If you're grieving or this feels too raw, it's okay to skip this one and come back when you're ready.

Stella shares her dad's lung cancer journey - from home care to ICU to a hospital comfort care room where he passed on February 5, 2020. As his medical power of attorney, she discusses the crushing guilt of not being able to ...

In this deeply personal episode, Stella reveals her origin story - the night she broke her mother out of a rehab facility in less than 5 hours and why that traumatic experience led her to become a senior placement advocate. She shares the reality of three years of home dementia care, including aggression, paranoia, and her recent stroke symptoms, while exploring why she's uniquely qualified to help families with BOTH home care ...

Episode 5 of our Austin Senior Living Series! Today we're breaking down Assisted Living - what it provides, who it's for, and how to know when it's time.

In this episode, I cover:

• What Assisted Living actually provides (and what it doesn't)

• Who needs Assisted Living vs Independent Living

• Personal care services and medication management

• Real stories from Austin families I've worked with

• Honest pros and co...

Starting our Austin Senior Living Series! In this episode, we're breaking down Independent Living - what it actually means, who it's designed for, and what you can expect in Austin communities.

I'm covering:

• What Independent Living really is (and isn't)

• Who is the ideal candidate for Independent Living

• What's included in most Austin communities

• Real examples from families I've worked with

• Pros and co...

In this vulnerable episode, I share my personal health crisis while caring for my mom with dementia - and the wake-up call that taught me sustainable caregiving starts with self-care.According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, over 40% of family caregivers report feeling emotionally strained, and 1 in 3 say their health has gotten worse since caregiving began. If you're running on fumes, waiting for "the right time" t...

Episode Number: 2 Episode Title: Understanding Dementia: What I Wish I'd Known Sooner Duration: 6-7 minutes Season: 1 Category: Health & Wellness / Self-Help Explicit Content: No

In honor of World Alzheimer's Month, Stella gets deeply personal about her journey with her mother's dementia. As a professional senior care advocate, you'd think she would have spotted the signs early. But love sometimes make...