When a parent on Florida’s West Coast starts to need more help, families tell me the hardest part is not knowing who to call first. I am Margot Cooke, and for more than 25 years I have helped families sort out care, housing and next steps. In Sarasota I work only for you, and our first hour together is free.
Most parents I meet in Sarasota want to stay in the home they love, and with the right help many of them can. I start by spending time with your parent to understand the day as it really is: mornings, meals, medications, showers and the long afternoons. Then I help you choose the kind of home care services that fit, meet the agency with you and make sure the first caregiver who walks through the door is a good match.
Coming home after a hospital or rehab stay is a fragile time. A doctor may order skilled home health visits for nursing or therapy, but those visits are short, and the everyday help your parent needs between them often falls to the family. I help you line up both sides: the skilled visits your parent’s doctor orders and private personal care for bathing, dressing, meals and getting safely around the house, so the first weeks home go smoothly.
Many Sarasota families have one sibling nearby doing most of the work and others living in other states with strong opinions. I lead family meetings, in person or by video, so everyone hears the same facts at the same time. I keep your parent’s wishes at the center of the conversation, and we leave with a plan that names who does what. Families tell me this one meeting takes more weight off their shoulders than anything else.
Sarasota is a popular place for adult children to bring a parent from up north, so they can be close by. I help you plan that move from a distance: what kind of senior housing suits your parent, which neighborhoods put them near you, and how to make the first weeks feel like home. For active parents, I also explain what 55+ communities offer before you start looking.
Caring for a parent or spouse around the clock wears people down faster than they expect. I help Sarasota caregivers find real breaks: a short respite stay in a community, a weekday adult day program with activities and lunch, or a companion who comes for a few hours so you can see your own doctor or simply rest. I also point families to the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida for local programs.
A rested caregiver makes better decisions, and asking for help is part of caring well.
Hurricane Milton reminded Sarasota families how quickly a storm can upend an older adult’s life. If your parent lives at home, I help you build a storm plan that covers medications, power for medical equipment, and the county special needs shelter registry. If your parent is in a community, I ask to see the emergency plan, including the backup power Florida requires to keep indoor temperatures at or below 81 degrees for at least 96 hours, and how families are kept informed.
Living with dementia changes a little at a time, and families often notice the turning points late: wandering, missed meals, confusion at night. I help you put the right support at home for as long as it works, and when it no longer does, I guide you toward memory care services in Sarasota that are calm, secure and genuinely skilled with residents who have dementia.
Tell me what is going on with your parent and I will help you find the next step. There is no pressure and no obligation.
I help families across Sarasota County, from Lakewood Ranch and downtown Sarasota to Siesta Key, Osprey, Venice and North Port, and nearby Bradenton. I am one of the independent senior living advisors in Florida, and I meet families wherever their parent lives.
My mom had to move into assisted living rather quickly. I had no idea what I was doing, what question to ask or what I should be looking for. Margot was available 24/7 to answer all of my questions.
Karri Von Ebers
Google review
We were looking to retire and relocate to Florida. We were so fortunate to find Margo! As a bonus my Mom came with us and Margo found her a beautiful independent living place and Mom is happy too.
Cheryl Singer
Google review
She answered all my questions on regards to the options I didn’t know I had for my Mom when given the diagnosis of dementia. She was my peace in times of uncertainty.
Salexly Rivera
Google review
Look at how long the director and caregivers have been there, the inspection history with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, whether residents are actually joining the activities, and how often care plans are reviewed. Ask to see the hurricane plan too. I walk families through each of these on tours.
Once the needs of your parent are clear, many agencies can begin within a few days, depending on their staffing. I help you get the details right first so the first caregiver is a good fit and you are not starting over a week later.
Many communities offer short respite stays when they have a furnished apartment available, and some ask for a minimum stay. It is best to plan ahead, especially before a surgery or a trip. I help families find openings and prepare the paperwork.
Yes. I help families plan long-distance moves, choose the right type of housing near the adult child, and set up new doctors and pharmacies so the first weeks in Sarasota feel settled.
Home health care is skilled nursing or therapy that a doctor orders, usually for a limited time after an illness or hospital stay. Home care is everyday help with bathing, dressing, meals and companionship. Many families need both for a while, and I help coordinate them.
