Senior Life Solutions: One Woman’s Story of Grief, Resilience and Hope

Linda Schwartz, 83, has lived in Jacksonville her whole life. She raised three children here, worked at the grocery store and library, spent 64 years married to her husband Roger. But a few years ago, everything she’d built her life around began to shift.

Roger was diagnosed with dementia. Linda became his full-time caregiver, managing not just the practical demands but the slow, quiet grief of watching someone you love change.

A friend nudged her toward Senior Life Solutions at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, a program for adults 55 and older dealing with the emotional weight of major life transitions.

The team with Senior Life Solutions shared mindful awareness and coping skills with Linda, all of which were valuable when Roger’s situation deteriorated, and Linda moved him into The Pointe in Jacksonville, a memory care community.

Then came a fall at home, serious enough that Linda required surgery. Concerned, her children, living in Denver, Nashville and South Carolina, asked her to consider moving into the assisted living section of The Pointe. She agreed. But the toughest blow was that she couldn’t keep her beloved dog, Daisy Mae, who went to live with their daughter in Nashville.

“It felt like my kids had deserted me,” Linda said. “And they took my dog away, too. She was my baby.” The loneliness felt profound. But she leaned on those coping skills gained through Senior Life Solutions. What she found was something she hadn’t expected, hope for the future – even without Daisy Mae.

What Is Senior Life Solutions?

Senior Life Solutions is an intensive outpatient program for adults 55 and older dealing with depression, grief, anxiety through daily life or major life changes. Most patients are covered in full through Medicare Part B or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Amy Lonergan, RN, and the Senior Life Solutions program lead, hopes more people learn about this program that offers practical help with a large dose of encouragement.

“I am proud to be a part of the Senior Life Solutions team here at JMH offering services that help our seniors experience joy again,” she said. “It has been exciting to see our patients learn new skills to manage their situations, helping them get back to the things they find meaningful.”

The program meets two to four days per week. Each morning, patients check in, spend some time visiting, then move through group therapy sessions and a nursing education hour covering topics like medication management, nutrition and safety. Lunch is provided. The clinical team includes a psychiatrist, licensed therapist and registered nurse and meets weekly to coordinate care, staying in close contact with each patient’s primary care physician.

A Different Approach to Therapy

Licensed clinical social worker Martin Stauffer uses Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy as a tool, among many others, when helping patients in the program.

“We definitely see some big changes in people,” he says. “In mood, self-regulation, coping skills. On a deeper level, we help them become aware of beliefs they’ve held their whole lives and give them a chance to think and feel differently about themselves and the world.”

Linda took to the mindfulness work right away. “I learned mindful breathing here,” she says. “It helps me clear my mind and relax. It got me through a lot.”

The social piece mattered just as much. Linda reconnected with a friend she knew from the dog park. She found herself looking forward to coming in. “I felt like I was in school again,” she said. “In a good way. There was a sense of camaraderie.”

Support coordinator Jayden Lahey sees the value of those friendships up close. “The program helps them gain friendship and freedom back in their life,” she said. “We have people who enjoy coming to group because of the social time. Some will sit an hour after group ends. They get so much from that.”

Moving Forward

Linda joined the program in the summer of 2025 and “graduated” in January 2026. She still tears up when she thinks about Daisy Mae. She still faces questions about what comes next. But she approaches those questions differently now.

“I’m not letting it bother me,” she said. “If you have any kind of issues whatsoever, I recommend you try this out. I haven’t gone to pieces, and this program is why.”

Jayden agrees and hopes Linda’s story encourages other people to consider Senior Life Solutions. Twelve people have participated in the program, which just launched in 2025.

“Senior Life Solutions gives people the why for going on,” Jayden said. “A new reason to turn a corner and see things in a different light.”

Learn More

Senior Life Solutions is available at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, Lincoln Memorial Hospital and Taylorville Memorial Hospital. To learn more, visit memorial.health/medical-services/senior-life.