July, 2016 | Choice Connections of New York

20 Tips for Fall Prevention

According to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: • In the United States, one of every three people 65 years and older falls each year. • 60 percent of seniors fall in their own homes. • Older adults are hospitalized for fall-related injuries five...

Touring Tips

Senior Resources

It’s a fact: Finding that special place that will be home for your parents is one of the most important – and difficult – decisions you will make. Take the time to visit the facilities you are considering, talk with the staff and residents, and carefully review all...

Helpful Phone Numbers

Senior Resources

Alzheimer’s Association 4 Pine West Plaza, Albany NY 518 867-4999 AARP (American Association for Retired Persons) Albany Chapter 518 434-4194 Caregivers Support Services of Catholic Charities Albany, NY 518 449-2001 Carelinks of Southern Saratoga County Glenville, NY...

Senior Housing Options in the Capital Region of New York

Senior Resources

There are many senior housing options that are available to those 55 and older in New York. Senior housing can cover a wide range of options, from Independent Senior Apartments to Senior Living Communities to Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Facilities. In the...

Jeffrey Powell

18:34 15 May 23

We were referred to Choice Connections by a family friend who recommends them to her own client’s families. My sisters and I found Renee and Melonie to be very helpful while searching for an assisted living facility for our mom that fit within her budget. They helped during the entire process answering any question we had. I would recommend them to anyone trying to find senior housing for a loved one.

Eliza Dell

23:40 23 Apr 23

Choice Connections gave us the guidance and help that no other organization had been able to provide. Melonie was easy to communicate with, understood the challenges we were facing and confidently steered us in the right direction. I am so grateful to have found this organization. They are a huge asset to elder care services in our area. Thank you, Melonie and Renee!

Linda Kosiba

14:09 20 Jan 23

Without Renee and Choice Connections, I can't imagine how we would have come to the realization of an optimal plan for our 95 and 96 year-old parents. It was a crisis-spurred situation and finding Renee through a trusted friend saved the day! She was tireless in seeking options of a new home for Dad and Mom that would provide for their safety, needs, and specific preferences. We greatly appreciated her effort, guidance, informed support, and knowledge throughout this process. Our parents are adjusting well to their new home and we know they are safe and being taken care of in a positive, loving atmosphere.

Natalie Toro

18:31 19 Jan 23

Cannot feel more grateful for Melonie and Renee for finding an amazing place for my mom who has Alzheimers. Their kindness on a soul level goes beyond what anyone should expect. They listened to our needs with compassion and within 24 hours, we had a place to call. Choice Connections WILL help you!

Darlene “Darla” Plavchak

13:28 14 Nov 22

From the the first phone call to our last email, Renee and her partner, Melonie were extremely helpful in finding the perfect placement for my father.Renee and Melonie were considerate of both Dad’s and my needs in finding a good location, a place that would suit his specific healthcare needs, were relentless until a placement was found and were ALWAYS available to answer all of my questions.Renee and Melonie of Choice Connections NY are sensitive and caring to the needs of our aging parent(s) and their family.They are the ones you want helping you during this transition for your loved ones.

Rachel Gerdes

17:49 20 May 22

The wonderful woman at choice connections have been an incredible resource for me in dealing with my aging parents. They make the time to help you work through options and are able to utilize their own personal experiences as reference. Having their help through this hard process as been a game changer.

Jeff DiBartolomeo

16:35 18 May 22

I could not be more grateful for the guidance, compassion, and knowledge that is Choice Connections and Renee and Melonie specifically. Their service and constant support has been critical in our family's efforts to find the best care for our beloved Dad. With so much confusion and misinformation out there on long term care for our loved ones, having a resource like Choice Connections of New York is invaluable to our community. These ladies are simply the best and I cannot possibly praise them enough for what they did for my family and I.

Dawn Hotaling

13:21 16 May 22

Renee & Melonie are fantastic - they helped us find the perfect memory care for Mom much quicker than we ever thought possible. They did all the legwork for us and made an already difficult decision so much easier. I highly recommend Choice Connections!

Randy R

21:53 14 May 22

Choice Connections works hard to connect seniors to the residence that best fits their needs. For the second time in eight years, Renee (and Melonie) diligently searched through all the Capital Region senior living places to find the optimal place for my parents.First, Choice Connections asks detailed questions so they get to know you and what you are looking for, then they wade through a multitude of options.... and present you with many good possibilities. First my parents were searching for independent living. They wanted a large living space with 2 bedrooms AND 2 baths, a place that would welcome their small dog, and a full kitchen area since Mom loves to cook. Renee (and sometimes Melonie) toured over a dozen places with us!! Eventually my parents settled in Saratoga in a situation where they made many friends, had wonderful staff.. and overall had a great experience!!!Recently it was time to move my folks to an assisted living facility that met their requirements of two bedrooms, a larger space overall (compared to other residences), willingness to allow Mom to manage her celiac (wheat allergy) disease, and had memory care available on site for Dad for the future. And if there could be a small kitchen of any time that would be bonus. A tall order for sure.We worked mainly with Renee... but Melonie also chipped in and provided her expertise as appropriate. Both of the women are friendly, caring, compassionate, detail-oriented and thorough. They want the best for their senior "customers". I would highly recommend Choice Connections to any person or family who need to navigate the area senior housing alternatives.

Dianne Henk

15:07 23 Apr 22

Melonie and Renee helped my family navigate two major moves for my mother and they were amazing. They are knowledgeable and compassionate when both are needed as you are trying to do the best you can to care for a parent. I recommend Choice Connections highly!

Sue Wickham

17:42 14 Apr 22

Coming to grips with the reality that I could no longer meet my mother's level of care she required was extremely difficult. However, contacting Choice Connections was the best call I could have made. Renee was extremely compassionate but more importantly very professional and knew all options to be considered. Renee took the time to inquire about my mom's condition and needs. In doing so Renee was able to recommend memory care assisted living as an option. (I feared my mom was beyond that type of setting.) Within one week of my first conversation with Renee, she provided me with a list of facilities to considered; we selected three; Renee set up personal tours; and I selected the facility best fit for my mom.Renee's knowledge and expertise saved me hours of phone calls and tours. Most importantly Renee led me in the direction that was best for my mom.My mom is now settled nicely in a beautiful facility, surrounded by great staff and fellow residents to socialize with. Mom is safe and happy (and I am adjusting well) thanks to Renee and Choice Connections.I have already recommended Choice Connections to three friends and will continue to recommend them to anyone who is faced with placing aging parents.

Kimberly Arnold

12:41 30 Jan 20

Locating housing can be overwhelming and difficult. Renee and Melonie take the time to assess the situation and find the best option for your loved one. I always appreciate being able to reach out to them as a resource. I recommend using their services and have been very satisfied with their professionalism.

Jim Manuel

00:05 30 Jan 20

When you get to that horrible time in life, when you have to admit that your beloved parent can no longer function without more assistance, I *Highly* recommend Renee. Once I contacted her, she took care of everything for me to visit a number of facilities and find exactly what I was looking for. She stayed in touch and did everything I asked. I couldn't recommend her more highly.

Joanne Smith

13:19 20 Nov 19

I don't know what I would have done without Renee. She is knowledgeable, kind and helpful. She explained the process, answered my questions, and assured me that she understood the stress of the situation. I would recommend Choice Connections to anyone looking for guidance about the next step for a loved one.

David Carson

22:58 10 Nov 19

We were made aware of Choice Connections through Hamilton County. My wife and I have appreciated their help, and I want to especially commend them for suggesting senior communities without putting a lot of pressure on us to make a decision.

Stephen Watson

13:00 23 Oct 19

Choice Connections is simply a wonderful service!My husband is physically handicapped and we realized we were becoming trapped in our home. I was exhausted doing all the inside and outside work. Melonie interviewed me on the phone and was so positive and reassuring. She sent me links to independent senior communities in the area. We fell in love with the Summit at Saratoga and she arranged a tour of the Summit with Renee and Christy the manager. It fit our needs perfectly and we moved in a few months later.I’ve recommended Choice Connections to friends who are also starting to feel the effects of aging but don’t know where to turn. Renee and Melonie and Choice Connections have been our saviors!

Delia Easton

20:01 07 Oct 19

This is a wonderful free-of-charge service that is available to Capital District residents free of cost. Renee Birnbaum emailed and called me numerous times with information that had not been given to me by other professionals I hired for the same service.

Gail Cerruti

18:41 07 Oct 19

I would like the world to know that Melonie and Renee of Choice Connections are experts at helping navigate the assisted living world and truly care about the proper identification of the needs and services required in the care of your aging loved one. They took the feeling of “overwhelming” and turned it into heart centered focus on where and who would be a best fit scenario and location for my Dad. They followed up with me to see how they could be of assistance numerous times along the way as our situation changed. Highly recommend their assistance in a journey where the final decision still rests in the hands of you and your loved one.

ADK Ed

08:33 04 Oct 19

Melonie and Renee were very helpful as we were trying to navigate options for my mom with senior living...They not only provided the options but also contacted the various facilities in the area to set up visitations for us...Thank you both!

21:08 28 Sep 19

Melonie and Renee were so helpful when we needed to find senior housing for my Grandmother. We needed to find an affordable assisted living residence quickly as she was in rehabilitation in a nursing home and couldn’t return home. They were able to direct us to the perfect new home for her and they guided us every step of the way. I highly recommend their service.

Howard McDonald

17:37 10 Sep 19

Melanie's experience saved us so much time and resources. Always giving the best advice and answered all my questions. This is an invaluable service to families. I recommend people utilize the experience here and give them a call!

Amy Clayton

14:39 18 Jun 19

Melonie and Renee were absolutely wonderful to work with. They were very so helpful in our journey of placing our mom in the right facility. They listened to our needs and gave recommendations that fit what we needed for our family. In addition they were able to speak from a place of experience as well struggled with the desire of keep Mom at home and the need for better care for her. Their knowledge of the facilities available and both the pros and cons of each was so helpful. They personally met us at tours of those facilities. We would highly recommend them to anyone needing to find the right living place for their loved one.

Jim Mcdonald

01:52 14 Jun 19

My wife and I wish to thank Melonie Pratt, and Choice Connections, for their caring and expertise. My mother was deemed ready to leave a skilled nursing/ rehab facility in Vermont, and we needed to get her into assisted living in the Albany area. We had toured some places, but felt like we were just making the rounds and not really focusing on finding the right place that would meet mom’s needs now, while at the same time allowing a possible future Medicaid filing, and permitting her to stay on. Rather than traipsing all over the area and checking loads of places, we were able to avail ourselves of Melonie’s knowledge of the facilities and avoid delays. Mom is now in a good place and we are relieved. An interstate move has its complications, but Choice Connections minimized them. Thank You and we will highly recommend Choice Connections to anyone who finds themself in such a predicament! . Jim and Judy McDonald

c szajer

20:12 19 Oct 18

I have been working with Choice Connections for over a year. I have worked with both Melonie and Renee. They are both top notch! They are extremely professional. As my moms disease has progressed, they have been there every step of the way. They have met me at different homes to personally show each facility. They understood and listened to our concerns. They continue to call and follow up to make sure all is going well. There is not a better organization out there, who will take the time to explain all the ins-and- outs of the process, finding the right home for your loved one. They are the best! 5 plus starsClaire Z

Maria Geizer

00:27 09 Oct 18

Melonie and Renee have a wealth of knowledge between them about Senior living communities and resources in our region. They will assist you every step of the way while you and your family explore what's out there, and they'll help you make the best decision for your family's needs. I always refer to them and I know the folks I refer will be in great hands. I can't say enough good things about this service!

Sharon Gravelle

11:25 30 Sep 18

Melonie and Choice Connections were such experts to find exact places (assisted living) that would be a fit for our mother. Based on income and skill need, Melonie was spot on. As a nurse, and working full time, I appreciate all the work they do to help ease our worries and do this leg work for us. Thrilled to have these services available

20 Tips for Fall Prevention

Touring Tips

Helpful Phone Numbers

Senior Housing Options in the Capital Region of New York

Contact Us – Serving the Greater Capital Region, The North Country & The Berkshires