Eldercare Wiz

A New England native and graduate of UMASS Amherst School of Management, Liz obtained her Master of Social Work degree from New Mexico State University before returning to Western Massachusetts in the summer of 2000.

As with most good things in life, one connection organically leads to another. After graduate school, her position as a Crisis Clinician at Baystate Franklin Medical Center's ER in Greenfield led to Medical Social Work for Baystate's VNA & Hospice in Springfield. Later while also working weekends on-call for the hospital’s social work & discharge planning department, she transitioned to long-term care at a small family-owned nursing home in rural Shelburne Falls.

At the Anchorage Nursing Home, the owners supported the elimination of an outdated "social services" position in favor of a clinical geriatric social work model. Liz used her advanced training to create a program of dignity, community, and comfort from the first day of admission to end of life. Eventually she agreed to be trained as their Licensed Administrator, caring for her neighbors - over 40 employees and 32 residents in all.

It was there that Liz combined her business and clinical skills to institute policy and systemic changes in service of person-centered care. After her financial, clinical, and physical plant modernization goals were met, she moved on to the Center for Extended Care at Amherst as a financial consultant.

Liz opened her private care management and psychotherapy practice in 2013 and continues to this day helping older adults and their families navigate aging and care systems with creativity, humor and compassion.  She is also a trained and experienced End of Life Doula, founder of Valley Deathcare Collective; supporting elders and guiding families to the very last breath if needed.