Meet the Founder

Emma Donnelly

As the founder and manager of Meriatrics LLC, I'm passionate about promoting and advancing the social needs of older adults (with whom I've long enjoyed a warm and unique rapport).

I grew up in Massachusetts and have been a resident of NH for the last 18 years. From 1979-2012, I was a flight attendant for United Airlines, the flexibility of which afforded many other pursuits.

Over the years, I've provided extensive care, companionship, support and end-of-life care for older adults, as well as regular/SPED/substitute assistance services for elementary school children in MA/NH public schools.

In 2008, I created and self-published "The Reminder Book", a self-help resource designed to comfort and reassure older adults in transition due to mild memory loss, health challenges and/or care transitions.

In my spare time, I've also served as a community volunteer in various capacities:

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused/neglected children (Merrimack Valley, MA)
Citizens' advocate and candidate for mayor (Methuen, MA)
Exeter Hospital (Exeter, NH), Ambassador/ER support for Patient Relations
Church/parish outreach (Correspondence and Transportation Committees)

In my spare time, I enjoy the beach, fitness, traveling, writing, cooking, dancing, golfing and all Boston sports.

Thanks for visiting!

With warm regards,

Emma

Founder's Message

Human connection is a golden thread woven through the tapestry of our lives. No matter our age, we are social beings. As we all learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, our quality of life is largely dependent on connecting with others.

Yet, older-adult social needs often go unmet, whether due to a culture of indifference, ageism, insensitivity to their plights, or a lack of understanding as to the conditions that hamper their social-emotional well-being. Consider the following:

Older-adult social deficits usually result from conditions outside of their control, such as the death of a spouse, failing health, reduced mobility, loss of a driver's license, etc.

Living independently does not guarantee social engagement.

Many older adults cannot access local senior centers or community programs due to a lack of transportation or disability issues.

Families/friends find it increasingly difficult to visit and share quality time with older loved ones, due to busy schedules, "sandwiched" caregiving, or not living close by.

Traditional medical services often don't address or yet include "social care".

In-home support programs often "bulk" services (i.e. personal care, housekeeping, meal preparation, errands, etc.), leaving little time for quality one-on-one social interaction.

Long-term care facilities include group socialization/activity, but may not have the staffing or funding to meet individual social needs.

Many assisted-living programs are increasingly searching for supplementary social options for residents and their families.

The time for new and flexible options in older-adult social care has clearly arrived and our mission is to bridge the gap. Please call on us anytime if we can help you or someone you love.

Thank you.