About Assisted LivingAssisted living facilities offer housing and care for active seniors who may need support with activities of daily living, like bathing, dressing, and medication management.Complete guide to assisted livingBest of 2024 Assisted Living Winners
About Memory CareMemory care facilities provide housing, care, and therapies for seniors who have Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia in an environment designed to reduce confusion and prevent wandering. Complete guide to memory careBest of 2024 Memory Care Winners
About Independent LivingIndependent living facilities offer convenient, hassle-free living in a social environment for seniors who are active, healthy, and able to live on their own.Complete guide to independent livingBest of 2024 Independent Living Winners
About Senior LivingSenior living is a term used to describe various housing and care options for older adults from maintenance-free, 55+ facilities for active seniors, to secure, fully staffed facilities for seniors with Alzheimer's or dementia. Complete guide to senior livingFind senior living facilities near you
About Nursing HomesNursing homes provide short-and long-term care for seniors who have physical or mental health conditions that require 24-hour nursing and personal care.Complete guide to Nursing Homes
About Senior ApartmentsSenior apartments offer accessible, no-frills living for seniors who are generally active, healthy, and able to live on their own.Complete guide to Senior Apartments
About Care HomesResidential care homes are shared neighborhood homes for seniors who need a live-in caregiver to assist with activities of daily living, like dressing and bathing.Complete guide to care homes
Veteran ResourcesVA benefits for long-term care, such as Aid and Attendance benefits, can help eligible veterans and their surviving spouses pay for senior care.Guide to VA benefits for long-term care
A PLACE FOR MOM

Editorial Team

Our writers, editors, and content strategists focus on all aspects of senior living to empower caregivers and seniors with the most relevant, trustworthy, and up-to-date information that helps families make the best decisions. With backgrounds spanning a variety of industries, including health care, elder law, financial services, and education, A Place for Mom’s editorial team members have decades of combined experience covering senior living topics — everything from researching and writing comprehensive yet easy-to-understand articles on assisted living costs and memory care therapies, to crafting in-depth guides on veterans benefits, senior activities in cities across North America, and much more.

Why trust us

We’ve built a team that specializes in producing original, informative content specifically for seniors and caregivers. We know which topics are most important to our readers, because we speak with families at all stages of the caregiving process to understand the day-to-day issues they encounter. Our writers conduct further research using reputable sources such as government and academic institutions, and by interviewing medical, legal, financial, and senior living experts to make sure our content stays up to date with the latest industry standards. Before we publish our work, an editor verifies all facts as part of our strict editorial process.

Leadership

The two directors of A Place for Mom’s editorial team have a combined 40 years of experience creating content on medical or senior living topics.

Sarah Pratte

Director of Site Content Strategy

Sarah is the Director of Site Content Strategy at A Place for Mom. She's passionate about developing accessible, easy-to-understand health information for consumers and medical professionals, and has written for major medical organizations, including Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Angelike Gaunt

Director of Editorial Content Strategy

Angelike Gaunt is the Director of Editorial Content Strategy at A Place for Mom. She’s developed health content for consumers and medical professionals at major health care organizations, including Mayo Clinic, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the University of Kansas Health System. She’s passionate about developing accessible content to simplify complex health topics.

Writers and editors

A Place for Mom’s skilled writers and editors make sure our content is accurate, up to date, and thorough yet easy to understand.

Tori Newhouse

Managing Editor

Tori Newhouse is the Managing Editor at A Place for Mom. She has more than 15 years' experience in publishing and creating content. With a background in financial services and elder law, her passion is to help readers to plan ahead and plan for their ideal retirement. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Gordon College.

Marlena Gates

Senior Editor

Marlena Gates is a senior editor at A Place for Mom, where she's written or edited hundreds of articles covering senior care topics, including memory care, skilled nursing, and mental health. Earlier in her career, she worked as a nursing assistant in a residential care home for children suffering from severe traumatic brain injuries. Marlena holds a master's degree in nonfiction writing, plus a degree from the University of California, Davis, where she studied psychobiology and medical anthropology. While there, she worked as a research assistant in the psychobiology department.

Nirali Desai

Senior Copywriter

Nirali Desai is a senior copywriter at A Place for Mom. She focuses on life enrichment opportunities and memory care. Previously, Nirali worked in social media and marketing, edited a regional senior magazine, and wrote for the American Red Cross. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Kansas.

Rebecca Schier-Akamelu

Senior Copywriter

Rebecca Schier-Akamelu is a senior copywriter at A Place for Mom, specializing in topics such as assisted living and payment options. With more than a decade of experience as a content creator, Rebecca brings a person-centered approach to her work and holds a certificate in digital media and marketing from Duke University.

Kevin Ryan

Copywriter

Kevin Ryan is a content specialist at A Place for Mom, focused on home care topics that include defining the differences between home care and other senior care types, home care costs, and how to pay. Kevin’s desire to support seniors and their families stems from his previous career as a teacher, plus his experience as a writer and community journalist.

Kayla Van Erdewyk

Copywriter

Kayla Van Erdewyk is a content specialist at A Place for Mom, where she focuses on senior-friendly technology, the move to assisted living, and many other topics that help families choose the right type of care. Kayla holds a master's degree in special education from the University of Northern Colorado, plus a psychology degree from Creighton University.

Michael Freeman

Copywriter

Michael Freeman is a content specialist at A Place For Mom, where he focuses on topics like nursing homes and memory care. Michael has more than a decade of professional writing and content creating experience under his belt, as well as a master's degree in public relations from the University of Maryland.

Danny Szlauderbach

Video Producer and former Managing Editor

Danny Szlauderbach is a video producer and former Managing Editor at A Place for Mom, where he's written or reviewed hundreds of articles covering a wide range of senior living topics, from veterans benefits and home health services to innovations in memory care. Since 2010, his editing work has spanned several industries, including education, technology, and financial services. He’s a member of ACES: The Society for Editing and earned a degree in journalism from the University of Kansas.

Content strategy

A Place for Mom’s content strategists guide our editorial work to ensure the topics we cover topics remain relevant to families.

Ashley Huntsberry-Lett

Manager of Content Strategy

Ashley Huntsberry-Lett is the Manager of Content Strategy at A Place for Mom. She has over a decade of experience writing, editing, and planning content for family caregivers on topics like senior health conditions, burnout, long-term care options and costs, estate planning, VA benefits, and Medicaid eligibility. Ashley has also moderated AgingCare.com’s popular Caregiver Forum since 2018. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in mass communication from the University of Florida.

Jesal Shethna

Search Engine Optimization Manager

Jesal Shethna is the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Manager at A Place for Mom. As SEO Manager, she is passionate about optimizing the site's online presence to connect seniors with quality care options. Her work involves implementing strategic SEO initiatives to enhance the visibility and reach of the website, ensuring it ranks prominently in search engine results pages.

Jess Carney

Manager of Emerging Channels

Jess Carney is the Manager of Emerging Channels at A Place for Mom. As a copywriter and content strategist, she worked to develop A Place for Mom's Caregiver Resources library, which serves as resource for caregivers throughout their journey. Currently, she manages and produces A Place for Mom's video content. Jess earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Strategic Communications from the University of Kansas, as well as a minor in creative writing.

Grace Hobson

Content Strategist

Grace Hobson is a content strategist at A Place for Mom. As a strategist, she connects readers to storytelling that answers complex questions and clarifies difficult topics around aging, caregiving, and senior care. She's an award-winning journalist and has degrees in journalism and English from the University of Kansas.

Taryn Dixon

Conversion Rate Optimization Specialist

Taryn Dixon is the Conversion Rate Optimization Specialist at A Place for Mom, leveraging her background in content strategy to enhance user experiences and drive meaningful conversions. She excels at distilling complex topics related to aging, caregiving, and senior care into accessible and actionable insights. Taryn holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English from Southeastern Louisiana University, with a focus on creative writing.

Anna Nichols

Content Strategist

Anna Nichols is a content strategist at A Place for Mom primarily focusing on end-of-life care and caregiver support. Her work has involved researching senior-friendly activities in cities across the U.S., as well as reporting on the challenges of long-distance caregiving. Anna holds a B.S. degree in education from John Brown University and a M.A. from the University of Notre Dame.