About MaeBet…
MaeBet Solutions was born from over three decades of professional experience—and a deeply personal journey with two remarkable women. The name honors my grandmother, Mae Manderfield Chabot, and my “bonus mom,” Betty Chabot, my dad’s wife of 45 years. They were two deeply loving women who shaped my life and whose experiences with long-term care ultimately helped shape my next professional chapter.
After Betty was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, I experienced healthcare and long-term from an entirely different perspective—not as a professor, but as a daughter, caregiver, and advocate. When Betty eventually moved into long-term care, our family spent 407 days walking alongside her and the professionals who cared for her.
During those 407 days, our family missed visiting Betty only twice, when winter weather made it impossible to get there. We were present. We observed. We asked questions. We advocated. We worried. We learned. We worked mutually with medical staff. We were present during every lunch and dinner. And, we learned how important it was to become true partners with professionals caring for someone we loved. That experience changed me. It also helped me recognize where the next chapter of my professional life could make a difference.
MaeBet Solutions brings together both sides of the healthcare table: professional expertise and the lived experience of a family caregiver.
MaeBet’s logo honors them as well, featuring a violet—Betty’s favorite flower—and a beloved ladybug for Grandma Mae.
About Me…
For 27 years, I was a Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Ohio University, teaching and working in areas including lifespan and life-course development, death and dying, bereavement, ambiguous loss, healthcare stress and families, and patient and family-centered care. I spent my career helping students understand not only what happens to people and families during life’s most difficult transitions, but also how we can respond to those experiences with greater knowledge, empathy, and humanity and immersing myself in healthcare settings both in the United States and globally.
Today, I provide education and training for long-term care professionals that focuses on the human side of care: helping staff better understand Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, resident healthcare stressors, caregiver stressors, grief and bereavement, ambiguous loss, and the emotional experiences of residents and the people who love them.
I also work directly with families navigating Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, long-term care, and the complicated emotions and decisions that accompany these journeys. My goal is to help families better understand what is happening, find useful resources, communicate effectively with care providers, implement memory making as a family, and feel more prepared to participate as partners in their loved ones’ care.
Qualifications…
Dr. Jenny Chabot
Professor Emeritus, Ohio University
Human Development and Family Science, Social and Public Health
College of Health Sciences and Professions
Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science (1998)
Completed Certification Training on Ambiguous Loss
Understanding and Applying Ambiguous Loss: Its Meaning and Application
Conducted by Dr. Pauline Boss, pioneering scholar of ambiguous loss
Healthcare Experiences in Four Countries: Canada (Fulbright Teaching and Scholar Awardee), Ireland, South Africa, and the United States
Recipient of Ohio University’s Top Teaching Awards 5 Times, Selected by Students
Recipient of Additional Statewide (Ohio), University, and College Teaching, Mentoring, and Advising Awards
Longtime Volunteer in Healthcare Settings
Areas of Expertise:
Ambiguous Loss in Healthcare/Long-term Care
Patient and Family-Centered Care
Patient and Family Healthcare Stressors
Principles of Service-Learning and Training of Volunteers in Healthcare Settings
Death, Dying, and Bereavement
Family Systems, Lifespan, and Lifecourse Development
Building Relationships with External Partners
Volunteer and Service-Learning Coordination, Training, and Placement of Student
Volunteers in Healthcare Placements
We’re Here
To Help
Through training, consulting, and psychosocial support, MaeBet Solutions helps create stronger connections between caregivers, families, and residents.