Mary Belanich is President of The Aging Navigator, LLC, providing services to aging adults including personal concierge, later-life planning and consultation to elder-serving professionals and organizations. With more than 20 years of professional experience in the field of aging, Ms. Belanich has a broad depth of knowledge and resource base in Northern Virginia.

 

Ms. Belanich represented Goodwin House Incorporated as a sales consultant for their membership-based program, Goodwin House at Home, where she educated older adults about the importance of securing a long-term plan to help ensure peace of mind for the inevitable changes that come with aging.

 

Prior to joining Goodwin House, she spent over 12 years as Manager, Senior Health at Virginia Hospital Center, where she managed the Philips Lifeline emergency response program and co-facilitated the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group. She also coordinated a monthly healthy aging lecture series, led a bi-weekly senior mall-walking program, and provided supervision and training to staff, contractors and volunteers.

 

During her tenure at Virginia Hospital Center, Ms. Belanich was very involved in the Arlington County government, serving on the Arlington Commission on Aging for six years (two terms), where she chaired the Public Information and Outreach Committee. She was also a member of the Executive Board of the Arlington County Steering Committee for Older Adults.

 

Ms. Belanich spent two years as the Director of Community Relations at Sunrise Bluemont Park where she coordinated the evaluation and placement of residents in an independent/assisted living residence.  Prior to that role, she was the Assisted Living Coordinator at Sunrise of Alexandria where she managed all aspects of quality care to over 100 residents while promoting assisted living options to the community via lectures and public speaking.  Before moving to Northern Virginia, she was the Reminiscence Coordinator at Sunrise Senior Living in North Lynbrook, NY, where she was responsible for hiring, training and supervising staff to care for more than 30 residents with various types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. In this role she also provided support to the resident’s family members by facilitating caregiver support groups and one-on-one counseling.

 

After earning her Master’s Degree in Clinical Art Therapy from Long Island University – C. W. Post Campus, Ms. Belanich began her work with older adults at a community hospital in New York where she provided therapeutic group sessions with individuals suffering from various mental health challenges.

 

Ms. Belanich began her professional career as a graphic designer and art consultant after receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communication from the University of Kansas. Her love of design and the creative arts continues as a passion she shares with her husband, Jim Belanich, Ph.D.