Like many families, we had the emotional task of downsizing and moving my in-laws into memory care and a retirement community. This was an exceedingly challenging time for our family.

I remember how difficult it was for my husband and his siblings to make decisions. I remember how overwhelmed and frustrated they all felt. Don’t get me wrong, I felt it too, but not being one of the children provided enough emotional distance for me to make suggestions and still compassionately help them move forward.

Shortly after that humbling experience, a close family friend also had to move a loved one into memory care and he was moving into a retirement community. Knowing I had gone through this before, he asked for my help and I was happy to do it.

Helping my own family and friends navigate through what can be a challenging time was actually very fulfilling. When I realized how much I enjoyed managing all the details involved, easing the stress for others, and getting them settled into their new home, I just knew and believed there were more people who could use my help. This is when I decided to start Barkley Lane.