FAQ
Common Questions
Wondering what it’s like to work with me? Start here with some frequently asked questions.
I work with individuals, friends and family members who are navigating the aging of a senior in their life — especially those seeking thoughtful, practical support grounded in lived experience. My specific focus on how to support aging at home. My lived experience is with a senior with dementia living at home with carer support.
I focus on supporting you to develop a resource network you can count on, providing a set of questions to help you navigate professional relationships in caregiving, and offering tools you can implement as care navigation gets more complicated. You leave with questions to ask, practical approaches to try, and next steps you can use right away.
I have been supporting a senior who chose to age at home for nearly four years. It has been a complicated journey filled with learning, uncertainty, frustration, and more than a few tears along the way.
Professionally, I am a planner and organizer. Throughout this experience, I have often found myself thinking about how much easier certain situations could have been if I had known the right questions to ask, understood how different systems worked, or had access to practical tools and resources sooner.
Like many caregivers, I have experienced the challenges of navigating fragmented systems and trying to piece together information from multiple sources. I started Rosemary Oak because I want to put that experience to use. My goal is to help other caregivers find their footing, reduce some of the friction they face, and feel more confident as they navigate their own caregiving journey.
My goal is for care navigation to be 1-3 conversations designed to save you time, energy and frustration. As a caregiver, your time is precious and I know every situation takes more time than you expect. My goal is short term advice for long term gain.
No. While my personal experience is supporting a friend living with dementia, many of the challenges caregivers face are shared across different situations. If you're helping an aging parent, spouse, relative, or friend remain safe and supported at home, I may be able to help you think through options, resources, and next steps.
Yes. My experience is in the Metro Vancouver area and I have intimate knowledge of the systems in this area. That said, many caregivers support a parent, friend or relative from another community or province. While every situation is different, my strategies and tools can help anyone starting caregiving think through communication, organization, planning, and questions to ask local providers and family members.
We call the first session a Bearings Session. It is a focused conversation designed to help you get grounded - or get your bearings - and to help you find some clarity about the caregiving journey and what steps you can take to save yourself extra stress and heartache. Before we meet, you'll share some information about your situation. During our conversation, we'll identify your biggest challenges, discuss practical approaches you can try, and create a list of next steps and questions that may help move things forward. My goal is for you to leave feeling more informed, more confident, and less alone in navigating the journey ahead.
Both are available, but most people choose to start with the Bearings Session. Caregiving is complicated and it's hard to commit to multiple sessions at one-time. If you're not sure what you need yet, this approach allows you to start with a short, focused option and decide from there.
I reserve five one-on-one sessions each month for caregivers who could benefit from support but may not otherwise be able to afford it. If cost is a barrier, please reach out and we'll discuss what may be possible.
No. I am not a healthcare professional, social worker, lawyer, or financial advisor. My support is based on lived caregiving experience, research, and practical care navigation. I help you identify questions to ask, resources to explore, and approaches that may help you make informed decisions alongside qualified professionals.
That's completely normal. Most people reach out because they feel overwhelmed, confused, or unsure of their next step. You don't need to have everything figured out before we talk. Part of my role is helping you identify the most important questions and priorities so you can move forward with greater clarity.
I do not provide medical advice, legal advice, financial advice, case management, or direct care services. Instead, I help caregivers navigate complex situations, prepare for conversations with professionals, identify resources, and develop practical strategies based on their unique circumstances.
Still have a question?
If your question is not here, send a note. Samantha replies personally, usually within one business day, and there is no obligation to book.