By Rebecca Barnes, Publisher, Prince William Living
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Most families know they should talk about retirement, future healthcare needs, legal documents, and the possibility of needing help at home. The difficult part is knowing when to begin and how all those decisions fit together.
Too often, the conversation begins after a fall, hospitalization, diagnosis, or family caregiver reaches exhaustion. SYNERGY HomeCare of Lake Ridge hopes to help local families begin planning before they find themselves responding to a crisis.
The locally owned home-care provider is partnering with Signature Estate & Investment Advisors to present “Aging Well Starts With a Plan” on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Clearbrook Center of the Arts in Lake Ridge. The event is free, and advance registration is encouraged.
Three Parts of One Plan
Monica Conroy, co-owner of SYNERGY HomeCare of Lake Ridge, said she regularly sees families trying to make financial, healthcare, and legal decisions separately, even though one decision often affects the others.
The idea for the program grew after Conroy heard Arvette M. Reid speak about building a well-rounded planning team. Reid compares a good aging plan to a three-legged stool. Legal, financial, and healthcare planning form the three legs, and all three are needed to create stability.
That idea stayed with Conroy. A later conversation with a couple from the Lake Ridge Parkinson Friends group reinforced how many people want practical information about planning for the future.
“They were actively thinking about their future and had heard Arvette speak previously,” Conroy said. “Our conversation reminded me how many people are looking for good, practical information to help them plan ahead rather than waiting until circumstances force them to make decisions.”
The program is not limited to people who consider themselves seniors. It is also intended for people approaching retirement, those who have already retired, adult children helping their parents, couples planning together, and anyone who suspects there may be gaps in their current plans.
A person does not need to be facing an immediate problem to attend. In fact, Conroy suggests families have these conversations while they still have time to weigh their choices.
“Planning for aging doesn’t mean giving up independence,” she said. “It’s actually one of the best ways to preserve it.”
Practical Guidance for Families
The program will focus primarily on financial planning while also showing how financial choices connect with legal and healthcare decisions.
Attendees will learn about preparing financially for retirement and possible future care, avoiding potentially costly mistakes, identifying decisions that should be made in advance, and finding professionals who can help. The goal is to give people useful questions to ask when reviewing their own plans or helping someone they love.
Arvette M. Reid, AIF®, healthcare planning strategist with Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, will lead the discussion. Before joining SEIA, Reid worked in palliative and hospice care, dementia care, and assisted living communities.
Her experience in healthcare and financial planning helps her explain how decisions in one area can affect a family’s options in another. According to Conroy, Reid also has a talent for making complicated topics understandable and relevant to everyday life.
The gathering is intended to feel more like a community conversation than a formal seminar. Refreshments will be served, including homemade ANZAC biscuits from the SYNERGY HomeCare family.
When Is It Time to Consider Home Care?
One of the questions families ask most often is, “How do I know when it’s time?”
They may also wonder what home care includes, how much assistance a loved one needs, whether the person can remain safely at home, what care will cost, and how the family will pay for it.
Another common concern arises when a parent insists that help is unnecessary. Conroy encourages families to think beyond whether the person is still physically capable of completing a task.
“Often the conversation isn’t really about whether someone can still do something,” she said. “It’s about what support could make life safer, easier, and more sustainable while helping that person remain as independent as possible.”
SYNERGY HomeCare of Lake Ridge provides non-medical in-home care for older adults, Veterans, people living with disabilities or chronic conditions, individuals recovering from an illness or hospitalization, and others who need support to remain independent.
Depending on the person’s needs, care may include companionship, bathing and dressing assistance, meal preparation, medication reminders, transportation, errands, light housekeeping, respite for family caregivers, and help with other daily activities. The team also has experience working with people living with Parkinson’s disease and their families.
The company serves portions of Prince William and Fairfax counties, including Woodbridge, Lake Ridge, Occoquan, Manassas, Bristow, Lorton, Springfield, and Clifton.
Conroy said finding the right level of care begins with listening. The team talks with the individual and the people involved in the person’s care about what has become difficult, what the person wants to continue doing, and what kind of help could improve daily life.
From there, the team develops an individual care plan. That plan can change as the person’s circumstances change. Some people may need considerable assistance, while others may benefit from only a few hours of help.
“Sometimes someone doesn’t need extensive care right away,” Conroy said. “A little help at the right time can make a significant difference.”
A Local Family Helping Other Families
SYNERGY HomeCare of Lake Ridge is owned and operated by Monica and David Conroy. Their daughter, Sydney Conroy, serves as the company’s community relations manager.
The family describes its approach with the statement, “We don’t just care for you; we care about you.”
For the Conroys, that means serving as a resource even when home care is not the answer a family needs. They want people to feel comfortable calling with questions, talking through their concerns, and asking for help finding the right local resources.
“We want to be the kind of resource we would want for our own family,” Conroy said. “Someone you can call with a question, who will listen, help you understand your options, and point you in the right direction even when the answer isn’t home care.”
That broader view of aging is one reason the company is hosting the Sept. 29 program.
“Home care is only one piece of aging well,” Conroy said. “Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do is help someone ask the right questions earlier and connect them with people who can help.”
Her advice to families is straightforward: Bring the financial, legal, and healthcare parts of the plan together. Learn what options are available. Talk with the people who may eventually be involved, and build a trusted team before it is needed.
Register for the Program
“Aging Well Starts With a Plan” will be held Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Clearbrook Center of the Arts, 2230B Tackett’s Mill Drive, Lake Ridge.
The event is free. Advance registration is encouraged at yourbestagingplan.eventbrite.com.
To learn more about SYNERGY HomeCare of Lake Ridge or discuss home care and local aging resources, visit synergyhomecare.com/va-lake-ridge-22192, call 571-677-3500, or email monicaconroy@synergyhomecare.com.
