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Vital Connections Support Services, LLC, Atlanta, Atlanta, GA (2026)

08/05/2026

💜 Personalizing Memory Care

I've been working in a memory care community for nearly a year, and one lesson continues to stand out: every person wants to be recognized.

Our community follows the Hearthstone-certified I'm Still Here® approach to memory care, which focuses on remaining abilities, purposeful engagement, dignity, and meaningful daily routines for people living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Each day, our team creates opportunities for connection through morning meetings, trivia, memory games, music, art, reminiscing, and other activities that celebrate the strengths our residents still have.

One of my favorite responsibilities is leading our morning meeting. We talk about the weather, the lunch menu, events that happened on this day in history, and share a photo and song of the day.

The most meaningful part, though, is greeting every resident by name. With more than 25 residents, it only takes a few seconds to acknowledge each person—but those few seconds can help someone feel recognized, respected, and valued. That's what person-centered care is all about.

A familiar face, a warm smile, and hearing your own name can make a real difference.

What's one small thing you can do today to help someone feel seen, heard, and valued?

08/01/2026

August 1st marks International Childfree Day — a day honoring those who choose not to have children.

As a gerontologist, I think about what that choice can mean across the aging journey. While research shows that older adults without children are more likely to live alone than parents their age (37% vs. 20%, according to Pew Research), living alone does not automatically mean living without support.

Many childfree older adults build meaningful lives through close friendships, community connections, and chosen family. Aging well is not defined only by biological relationships, but by the people who care, show up, and walk alongside us.

Strong connections, purpose, and belonging are essential parts of healthy aging.

Pictured: In her 80s, Marcia Drut-Davis, author of Confessions of a Childfree Woman, who has shared her experience and advocacy around living a fulfilling childfree life.

07/29/2026

💛 **Success and struggle can exist within the same life. Compassion and connection have the power to change the story.**

Roy Raymond experienced professional success when he founded Victoria’s Secret in 1977. However, after selling his stake in the company, he later faced personal and professional challenges, including business setbacks, financial struggles, and the emotional impact of divorce.

In 1993, Roy Raymond died by su***de after jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. His story reminds us that we often cannot see the battles people are fighting behind closed doors. Achievement, recognition, and success do not make someone immune from depression, emotional pain, or moments of hopelessness.

The documentary *The Bridge* explored the Golden Gate Bridge’s history as a location associated with su***de and highlighted the importance of prevention. After decades of advocacy, research, and heartbreaking losses, a physical su***de barrier was completed in 2024—showing that prevention is possible and that communities can take action to save lives.

Su***de prevention is something we all have a role in. A compassionate conversation, a listening ear, and a safe space to share struggles can make a difference.

Some ways to cope during difficult moments include:
💛 Connecting with supportive friends, groups, or communities
💛 Speaking with a mental health professional
💛 Building meaningful relationships and support systems
💛 Calling or texting **988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline** during a crisis
💛 Exploring resources like **NowMattersNow.org**, which provides tools for managing intense emotional pain

Life includes both accomplishments and challenges. How we show up for one another—with kindness, patience, and understanding—can help someone find hope during their darkest moments.

If you are struggling, please remember: you are not alone. Your story matters. Support is available.💛

***dePrevention

07/28/2026

💛 **When Loss Is Universal: Reflections From Long-Term Care**

Working in an assisted living and memory care community is one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to support residents, create moments of connection, and help bring joy into their daily lives through activities and engagement.

But alongside the beautiful moments, there is also loss.

Recently, our community lost a resident who was truly cherished. She was partially blind and had hearing loss, so our team worked together to make sure she felt included and supported. We helped her participate in BINGO, accompanied her to entertainment programs, and provided accommodations so she could continue enjoying meaningful experiences.

Our goal was always to help her experience dignity, connection, and quality of life.

One day, she needed additional medical support and was taken to the hospital. A few days later, I learned she would not be returning. The hardest part was continuing my day knowing that I would no longer help her with BINGO or share those familiar moments with her.

Grief is a part of caring. When we open our hearts to support others, we also open ourselves to feeling the loss when they are gone.

A fellow aging services professional shared words that have stayed with me:
**“You give your absolute best to them while they are here.”**

Those words bring comfort. We may not be able to stop every loss, but we can make sure that the time we have with our residents is filled with kindness, compassion, and respect.

To all caregivers, activity professionals, healthcare workers, and families supporting older adults: please remember to care for yourself, too. Your grief matters. Your emotions matter. Taking time to reflect, connect with others, and practice self-care helps you continue providing the compassion that others need.

The moments we create with our residents may seem small, but they often mean everything. 💛

07/22/2026

💙 Celebrating Four Years of the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline 💙

Since launching on July 16, 2022, the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline has provided free, confidential, 24/7 support to millions of people going through mental health crises, emotional distress, or suicidal thoughts.

I got to do this work firsthand as a crisis specialist, and I want to share what that really looked like. Our line was open 24/7, and in a single eight-hour shift, five days a week, I talked with people as young as 9 and as old as 90 — everyone from 988 callers to people connected through United Way, Child & Adult Protective Services, The Trevor Project, Trans Lifeline, veterans' services, homelessness referrals, warm lines, and more. Every single call needed empathy, focus, and the ability to shift gears fast — sometimes with almost no break in between.

Here's the hard truth: that pace isn't sustainable, and it isn't safe, for callers or for the counselors answering the phones. We were paid less than $15 an hour for this work.

Crisis centers everywhere are short-staffed, which means the counselors still there carry even more weight than they should have to. When we ask so much of so few people, and pay them so little, something has to give — and it shouldn't be their wellbeing, or the quality of care you get when you call.

Mental healthcare can't keep being an afterthought. It's a public good, and it's going to take all of us — nonprofits, businesses, our communities, schools, churches and faith communities, families, and friends — to actually show up for each other's wellbeing, instead of leaving it all to a crisis line to catch what everyone else missed.

If you ever call or text 988, please know: the person on the other end is there to listen and help you through one of life's hardest moments. A little patience and grace goes a long way, for both of you.

To every crisis counselor still answering the call — thank you. Investing in people is one of the best investments we can make. Maybe it's time for a new commitment: "Make America Care Again." 💙

If this resonates, please share it. You never know who needs to see it today. 🧡

Image created by Mindful Connections Support Group.

#988 ***dePrevention

07/21/2026

**Before Every Profession, There Was a Teacher.**

Teaching is one of the most rewarding—and one of the most emotionally demanding—professions.

I once had the privilege of working with a classroom of fifth graders, and I absolutely loved those students. Their curiosity, resilience, and hope for the future inspired me every day. At the same time, I witnessed the incredible responsibility teachers carry, especially in under-resourced schools. They are often expected to be educators, counselors, mentors, caregivers, advocates, and sometimes even providers of basic necessities.

No one should have to carry that burden alone.

The tragic loss of Kelly Luscombe, a teacher in the UK who reportedly struggled under overwhelming workplace pressures, reminds us that educator mental health deserves greater attention. While her story is heartbreaking, it also highlights the urgent need to better support teachers everywhere.

As someone passionate about mental health and su***de prevention, I believe we must do more than thank our educators—we must invest in them. That means fair compensation, manageable workloads, access to mental health resources, and strong support from schools and communities.

Imagine if every person spent just one week as a substitute teacher. I believe we'd all gain a deeper appreciation for the patience, compassion, resilience, and skill this profession requires.

Before there were doctors, nurses, engineers, athletes, scientists, business leaders, or artists, there was a teacher who helped lay the foundation.

Let's celebrate our teachers not just during Teacher Appreciation Week, but every day. They are shaping lives, strengthening communities, and building the future.

💙 To every teacher: Thank you for the difference you make, often in ways that may never be fully seen.

***dePrevention

07/15/2026

💙 **The Language of Connection in Memory Care**

One of the biggest misconceptions about dementia is that meaningful connection disappears. After nearly a year working in memory care, I have learned that connection does not disappear—it simply changes form.

Connection can look like a resident encouraging another person to enjoy a musical performance. It can be someone gently moving their hands or tapping their feet to a familiar song with their eyes closed. It can be a comforting hand on a shoulder, holding hands during a program, sharing a smile, or asking about a dining companion who has not been seen recently.

These moments remind me that engagement is not measured by the number of words spoken. Connection can be found in a smile, a glance, a touch, a shared memory, music, laughter, and simply being present with another person.

Working in memory care has shown me that dementia does not take away a person's humanity. The desire for love, belonging, purpose, and meaningful relationships remains throughout the aging journey.

Every interaction is an opportunity to honor someone's story and remind them that they are seen, valued, and important.

This work has also encouraged me to reflect on my own relationships: Am I slowing down enough to truly connect with the people around me?

How do you create meaningful moments of connection in your community, workplace, or daily life?

*"Your legacy is every life that you touch."* — Dr. Maya Angelou

07/14/2026

🐾 Our Pets Leave Pawprints on Our Hearts—and We Leave Them on Theirs: The Often Overlooked Impact of Su***de

A story from Wuhan, China, about a loyal dog waiting for days on a bridge after losing his owner to su***de is a heartbreaking reminder that the impact of su***de extends far beyond the individual. Our companion animals form deep bonds with us, and they, too, can experience grief and loss.

As someone passionate about mental health, su***de awareness, and healthy aging, this story reminded me that every life touches countless others—family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even the pets who greet us at the door each day.

It also brought to mind the documentary Angel of Nanjing, which follows Chen Si, a volunteer who has spent years helping prevent su***des on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge. His story is a powerful reminder that compassion, connection, and simply being present for someone can make a life-changing difference.

Let's continue checking in on one another, listening without judgment, and reminding those around us that they are valued and not alone.

💙 If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a trusted friend, family member, counselor, support group, or crisis service. Seeking help is a sign of courage, and there is hope.

🐾 Our pets leave pawprints on our hearts—and we leave them on theirs. Never underestimate the lives that are touched by your presence.

***deAwareness ***dePrevention

📷 Photo taken in Wuhan, China (Wuhan SAPA).

07/08/2026

The True Meaning of Social Engagement for Older Adults ❤️

As a gerontologist, I have learned that meaningful social engagement is about much more than gathering older adults together in one room. It's about creating experiences that reflect their interests, encourage independence, and foster genuine human connection.

Working in an assisted living and memory care community has given me a whole new appreciation for something as simple as BINGO.

At first, I didn't understand why residents looked forward to it so much. But after facilitating the game, I realized it was never just about winning.

It's about choosing a favorite colored chip.
💙 It's about sitting where you can best see or hear the numbers.
💙 It's about neighbors helping one another.
💙 It's about laughter, encouragement, and celebrating every "BINGO!"
💙 It's about maintaining independence while also enjoying the support of others.

These moments may seem small, but they create joy, purpose, confidence, and belonging.

As professionals, caregivers, family members, and friends, let's continue creating opportunities that honor each person's unique interests and abilities. Meaningful engagement has the power to reduce loneliness, strengthen relationships, and improve quality of life.

I'd love to hear from you! What activities have you seen bring older adults the most joy and connection? Share your thoughts in the comments. 👇

If your senior living community, nonprofit, church, or organization is looking for support with meaningful engagement, healthy aging education, or strategies to reduce social isolation and loneliness among older adults, I'd love to connect.

📧 Chanel Reid, Gerontology
Founder, Vital Connections Support Services, LLC
Email: [email protected]

Together, let's build stronger connections and help older adults thrive.

07/07/2026

"In a world where you can be anything, choose to be kind." — Clare Pooley ❤️

One year ago, I accepted a position as a Crisis Specialist with the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline because I wanted to better understand something that has become the focus of both my research and my life's work: the impact of social isolation, loneliness, depression, and suicidal thoughts, particularly among older adults.

From September 2024 through August 2025, I had the privilege of speaking with people from every stage of life—from children as young as 9 years old to older adults in their 90s. While some callers were experiencing suicidal thoughts, many others reached out because they were grieving, overwhelmed, lonely, struggling to meet basic needs, or simply needed someone to listen.

Although every conversation was different, one message remained the same:

People want to be seen. People want to be heard. People want to know they matter.

Working on the 988 Lifeline reminded me that while resources, referrals, and professional support are incredibly important, one of the greatest gifts we can offer another person is our compassion. Listening without judgment, showing empathy, and being fully present can make a meaningful difference.

Today, I want to encourage you to take a few moments to check in on someone. Call a friend. Visit an older neighbor. Send a text to a family member. Ask a coworker how they're doing—and be willing to listen.

We never truly know what someone is carrying behind their smile.

Your kindness may not solve every problem, but it may remind someone that they are not alone.

Let's choose compassion. Let's choose connection. Let's choose kindness. The world needs more of all three. 💙

***dePrevention

Vital Connections Support Services, LLC

08/05/2026

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