Welcome
Take a breath. You’re in a space of understanding. Dementia is often described in clinical terms, but it is lived in deeply human ones. If you are caring for someone with dementia, I can help you in 3 specific ways: 1) Understanding the illness and a roadmap for what's to come (symptoms, behaviors, care environments) 2) Gain clarity so that the decisions you make save you money and enhance quality of life for both of you 3) Learn how to maintain your equilibrium and identity while on this journey My name is Amy Massingale and I am on the other side of where you are now - but wow, have I been there. If you are providing care to a person with dementia, chances are you are carrying more than most people see. You may feel overwhelmed and isolated. This is a place for guidance and for reimagining what the dementia journey can look like - not medically, but emotionally, socially, and spiritually. My team and I partner with you for a holistic approach that helps you navigate every aspect of the illness and the care journey. Care and wellbeing are not just about managing symptoms. They are about: -Preserving dignity -Connection -Creating joy You are doing one of the hardest things. You don't have to do it alone.
Our Mission
Both Sides
"Our mission is to provide compassionate, comprehensive dementia care consulting services that empower families and care teams to navigate the challenges of dementia with confidence, dignity, and grace. My team and I strive to create personalized care plans that honor each person's unique needs, values, and preferences, while fostering a sense of community and support for all those affected by dementia."
How We Help
Assessment
We start with a comprehensive (non-clinical) assessment to understand the specific needs and challenges of the individual facing dementia.
We focus on the social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of care that we believe as just as vital to well-being as the medical aspects.
Personalization
Based on the assessment, we create a personalized care plan tailored to the unique situation and requirements of the individual. Our care plan integrates an individual's preferences, their rights, and medical treatment.
We work collaboratively and in compliance with medical personnel and the broader care team.
Support
Both Sides supports the person with dementia, as well as the family and their care team.
We provide continuous guidance to ensure compassionate care throughout this journey. We advocate in medical settings, help evaluate placement options, provide companionship and ease loneliness, develop support materials, connect you with resources, and facilitate on-going involvement.
Maintenance
Once the family achieves a sense of balance and joy, we help them maintain it for the long term with our continued support and guidance.
We are available to you as much or as little as needed - either on a retainer, or a per-need basis for the entire duration of the illness.
Feedback
The only thing constant in dementia care is change. Your feedback regarding our approach is crucial.
We listen and adapt to make sure the guidance provided meets the evolving needs of the individual and their family.
Type of Support
Advocacy
in medical settings
Hospice and end-of-life consulting +
Death Doula services
Ongoing education + cutting edge research
JOY
Facilitating family cooperation + resolving conflict
Helping families evaluate care facilities + red/green flags
Managing symptoms and problem "behaviors" in dementia
Natural and behavioral interventions as alternatives to medication
Care plans for the patient + and the caregiver
Client Stories
"Amy was the one person who helped me understand that the old rules didn't apply anymore...providing me with the insight to help our family with the transition to my mother's next phase. Amy helped me shift from the helpless adult child to the caregiver who could keep her parent safe. She helped us get there with kind and generous support, a wealth of knowledge and personal experience and the occasional, much needed sprinkle of humor."
Ashley S.
"Amy is....someone who understands how to show compassion to the person they are caring for, but more importantly love, respect and treating the loved one in the same way you would like to be treated if the wheels were turned. Amy you are a star."
Fiona C.
"Our biggest challenge was determining whether to keep dad at home, with us in our home, or place him in a care facility. This is a gut-wrenching decision and Amy was with us every step of the way. We came to realize, through her guidance, that guilt has no place here and she helped us arrive at a solution that was the best possible outcome under the circumstances. I couldn't have done this without her."
Tanya W.
Our Family's Story
Both Sides was founded by Amy Massingale. In 2017, Amy relocated her parents from Texas to Oregon to help support her father who had mid-stage Alzheimer's disease, and her mother, who developed Lewy Body dementia shortly thereafter. Amy was her parents' primary caregiver until their passing in 2021. She oversaw the care they received in an assisted living/ memory care facility, as well as caring for them in her own home during the COVID pandemic lockdown in 2020, before finding an ideal care home near her house. For a year, she was forced to visit only at the window due to the visitor restrictions imposed by the state. Following her parents passing, she became involved with the advocacy group, Caregivers for Compromise, after her story of this ordeal was published in a collection of stories entitled "Protecting Them To Death." about the damage caused by the isolation of long term care residents during the pandemic. From there, Amy trained to becime a Long Term Care Ombudsman for the state of Oregon, worked for the Alzheimer's Association as an educator, engaged as a senior advocate and volunteered for Meals on Wheels. She then made a career transition and worked for a memory care community in the Portland area as a Community Relations Director. Amy's unique experience has given her the perspective from "both sides" - both bedside caregiving and working in the industry. Her passion and purpose is for helping to enhance the lives of people living with dementia.