HavenWell

10/29/2026

What a joy it was to be back at Keystone Place at Beachwalk in Fort Myers this month! Their staff is so kind, and their residents show up welcoming and engaged! It's a privilege to be trusted to offer encouragement and guidance, no matter where someone might be in their health journey.

This month I presented Surviving a Health Storm, a practical and compassionate guide to navigating a scary diagnosis with clarity and confidence. We talked about what to do when the news lands, how to involve family without losing control of your own care, and how to find your footing on the other side of a health crisis.

This presentation was designed as a follow-up to my Aging Well on Your Own Terms talk, and the two work beautifully together as a series. If you or someone you love is part of a senior living community, a wellness group, or simply navigating a health journey and looking for guidance, I would love to connect. And if you know of an organization that might benefit from bringing these presentations to their community, feel free to pass my information along!

10/26/2026

Earlier this month, my husband and I were up and out the door to support the Partners Pink Run at Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers, a 5K benefiting Partners for Breast Cancer Care, a wonderful local nonprofit that funds breast screening, diagnostic testing, and treatment right here in Southwest Florida. Every dollar raised stays local, directly supporting patients and families in our own community who are navigating a breast cancer diagnosis.

There is something really powerful about standing in a crowd of people all wearing pink, all there for the same reason. Whether they were running for a survivor, running in memory of someone they loved, or fighting the battle themselves, the energy in that place this morning was something special.

So proud of my husband for running the 5K and so glad we got to be part of it together. 🌸🌿

10/23/2026

Recently I had a wonderful meeting with Scott Strachan from Abby Services, and after talking through how much our services complement one another, he wrote a really thoughtful article about it! You can read it here: https://abbyservices.com/nurse-care-manager-private-caregiver/

Scott puts it so well. A private caregiver helps your loved one live well at home. A nurse care manager helps the family navigate the healthcare. Many Southwest Florida families benefit from having both, and together the two roles help keep a loved one safe, supported, and at home while the family stays in charge of every decision.

That is exactly the kind of partnership that makes a real difference for families navigating this season of life, and I am so grateful for the connection.

Scott, thank you for such a thoughtful article and for the kind feature of HavenWell. It was so great learning about the heart behind Abby Services!

10/20/2026

When someone truly understands their own health, everything changes.

They walk into appointments prepared instead of reactive. They ask the questions that actually need asking. They leave with a clear picture of next steps instead of a stack of papers they are not sure what to do with. They catch the things that need catching before those things become bigger problems.

And the people who love them sleep a little better at night.

This is what better health literacy actually looks like in practice, and it is exactly what HavenWell is built to support. Not by replacing your care team, but by making sure the space between what your providers are saying and what you are actually understanding and acting on gets bridged in a way that changes your experience of healthcare completely.

You deserve to understand what is happening in your own body and your own care. You deserve to feel prepared and confident walking into every appointment. And you deserve to have someone in your corner who makes sure nothing important gets lost along the way.

That is what HavenWell is here for, not just during Health Literacy Month, but all year long.

If you are ready to feel more informed, more confident, and more supported in your healthcare journey, I would love to connect.

10/15/2026

Most people have experienced low health literacy at some point, they just did not have a name for it.

It is leaving a doctor's appointment and not being able to remember what was actually said. It is nodding along during a procedure explanation because everything is moving too fast to stop and ask questions. It is getting home with a new prescription and realizing you are not entirely sure what it is for or what to watch for.

It is the stack of discharge papers sitting on the kitchen counter that nobody has fully read. The specialist referral that was never followed up on because nobody explained why it mattered. The diagnosis that felt scary but vague because the appointment ended before the questions even started forming.

These moments are not rare. They happen to capable, intelligent people every single day, because the healthcare system moves fast and the gap between what providers communicate and what patients actually absorb is real and significant.

Recognizing those moments is the first step. Knowing that support exists to help bridge that gap is the second.

If any of this sounds familiar, I would love to connect. Send me a message or visit havenwell.life to schedule a complimentary connection call. 🌿

Have you ever left an appointment feeling more confused than when you walked in?

10/12/2026

Health literacy is the ability to find, understand, and use health information to make good decisions about your care. And while that sounds simple, the reality is that most of us are navigating a healthcare system that was not designed to be easy to understand.

Medical terminology is complex. Discharge instructions are written at reading levels most people find difficult to follow. Appointments move fast and providers are stretched thin. And when you are scared, stressed, or overwhelmed, even straightforward information can feel impossible to absorb and retain.

This is not a reflection of intelligence or education. It is a reflection of a system that has a real communication gap, and one that has very real consequences for people's health outcomes.

The good news is that health literacy is not fixed. With the right support, the right questions, and the right person in your corner, navigating healthcare can feel completely different.

That is what this month, and what HavenWell, is all about. 🌿

Is there a moment in your own healthcare journey where you wished someone had just explained things more clearly?

10/09/2026

This event is coming up next weekend and I'll be attending! Looking forward to a day of learning and networking! If you'd like to join me, register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/abwa-imperial-river-presents-a-business-skills-symposium-october-17-tickets-1991461509985 - Hope to see you there!

10/06/2026

A breast cancer diagnosis can stop your world in an instant.

One moment everything is normal. The next, you are sitting with information you were not prepared for, a list of next steps that feels overwhelming, and a healthcare system that suddenly feels very large and very complicated.

I think about this a lot during October, not just because it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but because navigating a new and frightening diagnosis is one of the most common reasons people come to HavenWell.

The clinical care matters enormously. But so does having someone who can help you understand what you are actually being told, ask the right questions at the right appointments, coordinate between the specialists suddenly involved in your care, and make sure nothing important falls through the cracks while you are still trying to process what just happened.

You should not have to figure that part out alone.

If you or someone you love is navigating a breast cancer diagnosis or any other frightening health situation right now, I would be honored to help. Visit havenwell.life or send me a message to schedule a complimentary connection call.

10/02/2026

I recently had a great meeting with Michael Conticelli, a financial planner here in Southwest Florida, and he shared about here: https://solutionsmoneymanagement.com/healthcare-navigation-patient-advocacy/

We talked about how, when it comes to serving seniors in Southwest Florida, we are two sides of the same coin. Financial planners help people understand their financial picture and be proactive and prepared for the future. As a nurse navigator, I do the same thing for their health, helping them connect all the pieces in a fragmented system so they feel proactive and prepared as they age.

Michael, it was so great connecting with you and thank you for sharing such a wonderful article! 🌿

When healthcare becomes complicated, families often need help connecting the pieces. Learn how healthcare navigation and patient advocacy can provide clarity and coordination.

10/01/2026

If you are a senior in Southwest Florida, or you have a loved one who is, this one is worth clearing your calendar for!

I am thrilled to be joining a wonderful group of local senior resource experts for a free Senior Resource Workshop on Thursday, October 29th at 11:00 am at Wh***ey Creek Country Club in Fort Myers. Lunch will be provided, and it is a genuinely great opportunity to ask questions, learn about the resources available to you, and connect with trusted local professionals all in one room.

Space is limited to 30 people, so spots will go quickly.

If you would like to attend, send me a message with your phone number and email address and I will get you registered. I would love to see you there! 🌿