Regular Contributors to Bella’s Blog

Jeff Goldman is President of GM Goldman & Associates, an independent insurance agency founded in 1968 and specializing in Medicare guidance and healthcare coverage planning. Over nearly two decades leading the agency's Medicare practice, Jeff has helped thousands of individuals understand their options, avoid costly enrollment mistakes, and make confident decisions about their coverage.

Jeff is an independent broker licensed in Illinois, which means his recommendations are based entirely on what's right for each client — not on quotas or carrier relationships. His approach is built on plain-English explanations, long-term relationships, and a belief that Medicare decisions should be driven by education, not pressure.

LinkedIn | GM Goldman & Associates

Carol Marak is a Solo Advisor and Advocate, and soon-to-be-published author of the book Solo and Smart. Carol is a former family caregiver; she has spent the last decade providing help and advice to countless aging adults planning for their future. Carol’s work has appeared in Time Magazine, ABC News, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, US News and AARP the Magazine. 

Dr. Mary L. Flett is a licensed psychologist with more than 20 years experience working with behavioral health issues in older adults. She specializes in assessment and treatment of dementia, chronic pain, and emotional and spiritual issues associated with aging. A Buddhist, Dr. Flett uses mindfulness to work with mind/body/spirit approaches for optimal wellness. Her warm and engaging writings offer unique insights about what it means to create purpose and meaning across the lifespan. You can read more from Dr. Flett at her new website, www.FivePillarsofAging.com. Her books, which focus on successful aging, can be found on Amazon.

She was recently appointed to the California Senior Legislature (https://4csl.org/), representing Sonoma County, where she contributes  her expertise in developing legislative priorities that preserve and enhance the quality of life to aging adults in California. Dr. Flett also consults with individuals, agencies, and organizations on creating elder-friendly communities.  She publishes a weekly blog exploring a wide array of topics of interest to aging adults.

Joy Johnston did not expect that she would become a full-time caregiver for her mother soon after her father died of dementia. But she persevered, uprooting her life and moving cross-country to care for her mom. Her memoir, The Reluctant Caregiver: Missives from the Caregiving Minefields, provides a fresh perspective on how to provide care even if you’re not a natural caregiver. Joy’s writings also highlight the challenges involved in long-distance and rural caregiving.

Theresa Wilbanks cared for her father until his passing at 99 years of age. Theresa founded Sustainable Caregiving and works with fellow family caregivers to help them navigate their caregiving journey. Look for Theresa’s book, Navigating the Caregiver River: A Journey to Sustainable Caregiving, coming soon!

Anthony Cirillo is a healthcare and caregiving expert and president of the Aging Experience and the creator of the Caregiver Smile Summit. He creates solutions for the industry and connects companies and people to relevant services and products. A professional speaker and media influencer, Cirillo is a fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives with a master's from the University of Pennsylvania.

Lisa Marie Chirico is an Everyday Wellness Coach, caregiving expert, and founder of Care Planet. Lisa is on a mission to empower family caregivers as well as people searching for more positivity and greater well-being in their lives through her personalized coaching and special events. Lisa is also an Alzheimer’s Advocate, Long-Term Care Advocate, and an Elder-Care Specialist. After living through the journey as a family caregiver, Lisa wanted to help others during this difficult moment in their lives.

Jackie Melinger is the owner-operator of My Personal Bookkeeper, a service that helps adults organize and manage their personal finances. Jackie and her team at My Personal Bookkeeper are passionate about helping older adults and their families. Jackie, along with her team of Client Advocates, work with their older adult clients to provide peace of mind and enable them to maintain independence, while their families and professional advisors feel confident and secure that their parent and client's financial affairs are handled properly. 

Jackie, along with her husband Michael, also own three Home Instead franchises in the Chicagoland area.

Roberta Carson started Zaggo, a nonprofit organization, to help patients and family caregivers manage illnesses and injuries, after her experience as caregiver for her teenage son Zachary during his battle with terminal brain cancer.   

Lucinda Koza is the founder of i-Ally, a platform for Millennial family caregivers as well as TEDxUnion Yomen and a journalist with Authority Magazine. After her own experience becoming her father's full-time caregiver at a young age, Lucinda decided to dedicate her life to advocating for Millennial family caregivers.

Kimberley Brey is the Manager of The Longest Day for The Alzheimer’s Association’s Illinois Chapter. The Longest Day is the second-largest fundraising event for The Alzheimer’s Association.

Benjamin Surmi is the VP of Innovation, Culture and Training at Koelsch Communities, a group of 39 exceptional senior-living communities. 

Benjamin helped us understand the power of universal design: the idea that great products are designed to benefit the most people possible, instead of being designed to meet specific needs of smaller groups of people. It’s why our clothing is engineered and branded for all people of all ages and abilities.

Carrie Aalberts, also known as Dementia Darling, is a gerontologist and caregiving expert. Carrie's mission is to help those who are on the caregiving journey both practically and emotionally. She provides extremely valuable caregiving advice that helps navigate this journey, while also reassuring caregivers that they are not alone.