Dannelle LeBlanc, Certified SENIOR ADVISOR & CareGiving ADVOCATE
From the Chrysalis
A New Book coming Summer 2024
They say Black Don’t Crack lol, but it can, and I did.
My name is Dannelle Golden Banks (LeBlanc), and I’m a 50+ mother, daughter, sister, and student of life. I work as a Certified Senior Advisor, Caregiving Advocate, and former family caregiver for my father-in-law who had Parkinson’s disease.
With God’s mercy, the power of Nature, and knowledge gained from working in patient support services, I healed my body from an undiagnosed, inappropriately treated chronic illness that felt like I was living in a chrysalis, separated from the world and trapped inside my own skin for two decades.
In spite of the 53+ million people in the U.S. who care for family due to aging, chronic illness, or disability, our work is largely unrecognized and undervalued, while the impact on our own health and wellbeing can be devastating. The CDC states that around 40% of caregivers report having two or more chronic illnesses, and 53% indicated a decline in their own health has compromised their ability to provide care.
I’m grateful to the many amazing healthcare professionals working within the system to bring dignity and quality of care to the people they serve, but there’s only so much one can do when the system itself is dysfunctional.
Sometimes, we have to find a way to help ourselves.
From the Chrysalis tells how I did it, and is intended as a non-clinical guide to empower others to create their own quality of health both within and outside of the healthcare system.
Thank you so much for your support!
WELCOME
You are essential.
We are daughters, sons, spouses, parents, grandchildren, friends, and others committed to doing our best to care for a family member or friend due to aging, chronic illness, or differences in ability.
We rarely begin our journey calling ourselves “family caregivers”. We care because we love, or perhaps due to family obligation. We may begin by “just helping out”, or due to a medical crisis.
Before we know it, we can be overwhelmed by the responsibilities and stress of managing a family member’s personal, medical, home, legal, financial, and social care needs.
As the foundation of our health care system, family caregivers provide an estimated $35 billion in care annually here in Texas (estimated over $470 billion nationally). To sustain our healthcare system, we need support beyond direct care services to manage the impact on our physical, emotional, workplace, and financial well-being.
CareGiver Transitions provides purposeful resources, training, and tools to help individual family caregivers, community organizations, and businesses manage the impact in each stage of caregiving.
Learn more HERE
Get the free 150+ page CAREGIVING COMMUNITY GUIDE
Download our free digital resource directory for (and by) family caregivers, customized for 12 North Texas counties + National Edition available
COVID-19 CAREGIVING RESOURCES
Caregiving through COVID
Find a vaccination provider near you:
Get free home testing kits via USPS:
Beginning Wednesday, January 19th 2022, you can order free rapid COVID-19 test kits through the government at the following website www.covidtests.gov
A total of four test kits can be ordered per household.
The COVID-19 pandemic presents challenges that require collective determination and cooperation to overcome.
As communities mobilize to fill the gap in resources for healthcare professionals, family caregivers are simultaneously challenged to find and mobilize resources needed to care for older, chronically ill, or disabled family members.
The following links include national resources as well as information specific to North Texas.
CDC.gov
Texas Health and Human Services
North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging
Resources, Information and Community Meetings serving adults age 60 or older and their caregivers in the following counties:
Collin, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, and Wise
Facebook: facebook.com/northcentraltexasaaa/
Website: nctcog.org/aging-services
Dallas Area Agency on Aging
Resources, Information and Community Meetings serving adults age 60 or older and their caregivers in Dallas county:
Website: ccadvance.org/
Tarrant Area Agency on Aging
Resources, Information and Community Meetings serving adults age 60 or older and their caregivers in Tarrant county:
Facebook: facebook.com/UWTarrant/
Website: unitedwaytarrant.org/aaatc/
Transitions of Care: Planning for a Family Member's Discharge or Change in Health Care Environment
For FAMILY CAREGIVERS:
caregivertransitions.com/healthcare-encounters
For HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS and RELATED SERVICES:
We're committed to assisting both healthcare professionals and family caregivers impacted by COVID-19 in North Texas.
CareGiver Transitions can help make a difference by supporting discharge planning for North Texas families. Contact us for details. Email: Dannelle@CareGiverTransitions.com
More COVID-19 information and tips
Household checklist (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/checklist-household-ready.html
North Texas Aging & Disability Resource Center: nctadrc.org/
Resources for Older Adults, Caregivers & Health Care Providers (John A. Hartford Foundation): https://www.johnahartford.org/dissemination-center/view/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-resources-for-older-adults-family-caregivers-and-health-care-providers
aarp.org/health/?cmp=CON-HEALTH-COVID19-031220 (AARP)
Top COVID-19 Scams to look out for
The Dallas Morning News
Caregiving Community Guide for North Texas Family Caregivers
Get the free 150+ page CAREGIVING COMMUNITY GUIDE - a comprehensive directory of caregiving resources customized for 12 North Texas counties + National Edition (select your county when you subscribe).
The GOOD DAYS EXCHANGE
What is Good Days Patient Assistance?
What is Good Days Patient Assistance?
What is Good Days Patient Assistance?
Good Days Patient Assistance programs provide financial help for people who battle a chronic illness or life-altering condition.
Clients not only receive help with many of the financial costs of care, but also connections to resources and community partners for additional support.
Learn more about Good Days Patient Assistance programs in support of people battling a chronic or life-altering illness, and their caregivers here.
The Exchange
What is Good Days Patient Assistance?
What is Good Days Patient Assistance?
Executive Director of Good Days Clorinda Walley interviews Peyton Manning.
The 2019 Good Days Exchange brings awareness and celebrates those who work in relentless support to address the impact of chronic illness.
Inspired Stories
What is Good Days Patient Assistance?
Inspired Stories
The Exchange welcomed guests from across the country, including those who have received life saving help from Good Days assistance programs.
Jake Olson, Courtney Clark, Naomi Judd, and keynote Peyton Manning each shared their inspiring story overcoming a chronic or life-altering condition.
Our congratulations and heartful thanks to Clorinda Walley and her amazing team!
Inaugural Regional Caregiving Conference Southwest
Thank you to all who joined us for the Inaugural Regional Caregiving Conference Southwest in Wimberley, Texas!
Attendees participated in educational and inspired caregiving sessions throughout the day, and had the following to say about the conference:
"Emotionally and intellectually supportive, meaningful. Insightful. Encouraging and spiritually enlightening. Filled with practical ideas and delicious food! Thanks!" - Diane
"Thank you so much for putting this seminar on for us caregivers. What an incredible source of information and encouragement. For bringing such solid and informed speakers, many of them walking the same or similar caregiving roles." - Gail
"Outstanding!! Motivating! Great learning experience. Eye-opening content. Well organized, excellent food, good networking opportunity. Thank you!!" - Rosa
Conference highlights included keynote speaker Bruce McIntyre, who delivered his presentation "Thrive Anyway: 12 Lessons After 12 Years of Chronic Illness and Caregiving."
We are so grateful to all of our exhibitors, volunteers, and sponsors including American Advisors Group (AAG), TBI Warrior Foundation and Alexis Point Senior Living.
It was an honor for Caregiver Transitions to serve as co-host and organizer.
CareGiving Partners
Certifications and Memberships
