“Hi there, I’m new to aging.”
Most people don’t actually say those words out loud — but they do think them. It usually hits in a quiet moment: a parent starts needing a little help, a piece of mail arrives from Medicare, a home suddenly feels less practical, or you realize you’re asking questions you’ve never had to ask before. Aging sneaks up this way — for older adults and for the family members supporting them.
That’s why RVNAhealth offers Coffee & Conversation: Guidance for Growing Older, Your Way — a relaxed, monthly meetup designed for anyone who’s beginning to think about aging in a new way. Maybe it’s your own future you’re planning for. Maybe it’s your parents. Maybe you’re navigating both at once. Wherever you are, this hour makes it easier to understand what options exist and how Geriatric Care Management can help.Each session gives the same helpful framework for discussion:
- what a geriatric care manager does
- how families are typically supported
- when professional guidance can make a difference
- what “aging in place” truly requires
- how to think ahead before things become urgent
We also welcome general, big-picture questions — the kinds people sometimes feel unsure where to ask:
- “What should we consider if my dad wants to stay at home?”
- “How do we plan ahead without overwhelming my mom?”
- “When is it time to get help?”
- “What options exist that we may not know about?”
These conversations are intentionally broad and designed to help people get oriented — not to handle individual cases on the spot. When questions become specific to your home, your health, or your family dynamics, that’s when one-on-one care management becomes most valuable.
Coffee & Conversation is facilitated by Cindy LaCour, LCSW, a Geriatric Care Manager who will be present at every session to guide the discussion and help keep the conversation supportive, practical, and accessible.
For our final month in this series, we’re also joined by Nora Barton Cascella, M.Ed., who will be part of the conversation and available to help respond to general questions that come up.
Coffee & Conversation is the ideal starting point. It lets you ask questions, hear what others are thinking about, and leave feeling a little more grounded. It’s helpful whether you’re 65 and planning ahead or 45 and trying to understand what your parents may need next.If you’ve ever thought, “I’m suddenly dealing with things I never had to think about before,” you’re in the right place.
Meet Cindy
Meet CindyCynthia LaCour, LCSW is a Geriatric Care Manager with more than 40 years of experience as a social worker supporting older adults and their families through life’s many transitions. Her work has spanned care at home, assisted living, and skilled nursing settings, giving her a deep understanding of how aging unfolds over time. Cindy specializes in helping families navigate the emotional and practical realities of aging, including dementia and cognitive decline. She brings extensive knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, and long-term care options, along with a steady, compassionate approach that helps people feel less overwhelmed and more confident about next steps. When you don’t know where to start, Cindy helps you find your footing.
Meet Nora
Nora (Goodhue) Barton Cascella, M.Ed. serves as Patient Experience Manager at RVNAhealth, where she helps ensure patients and families feel supported, informed, and truly heard. With experience across Intake, Insurance, Hospice Care, and Patient Services, she brings a calm, practical perspective to conversations that can otherwise feel complicated. Her background in education and grief support shapes a thoughtful, people-first approach grounded in clarity, empathy, and respect. A lifelong Ridgefield resident, mother of five sons, and grandmother to nine, Nora understands both the professional and personal sides of navigating aging and care.
Learn more about our Geriatric Care Management & Aging-in-Place Solutions.
Registration is required.
Coffee and light refreshments provided.
*RVNAhealth is a private, 501c(3) non-profit organization which provides a continuum of care to people in 35+ towns across Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties. These programs are made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would like to support RVNAhealth’s mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed and help us build stronger, healthier communities, please click here.
RVNAhealth.org / 203.438.5555 / Medicare Certified / Serving Towns Across Western CT
