Reinforcing Wishes, LLC

06/01/2026

As my family enters a year of mourning, all communications maybe delayed. 🪶

June 7th Pensacola class will be canceled.

05/29/2026

Alyssa joined me this morning for her first day of work! Teaching 2 CPR classes with one of our long standing Pensacola clients!

Did you know we offer night classes for NOC shifts at care facilities? Classes were at 12 noon and 12 midnight.

Thank you to Grandview Retirement Home for your continued support! We are honored to come along side you to support your admin, care staff and med techs!

05/09/2026

Funeral Processions: Let’s talk about them

I was raised primarily in Ohio and taught to be mindful and aware of funeral processions. I was also taught that as a respectful community member on the side of the road there was a protocol for me. As a child, I witnessed family pull their vehicle over. Radio was shut off and all the people in the car paused to give respect for the family and friends passing by. I taught my children this as well. As I aged, I particularly reflect on the times I have been apart of or in the procession.

Today, I considered how at one time how long that procession was, was a direct reflection of your life and relationships. It’s no longer like that with family scattered across the country. Services streamed online and the changing culture of funeral services in general. I considered that the funeral procession is an element of the rituals that’s fading out of the death culture.

I remember when I was in elementary school my first panic attack was when the family car arrived to pick us up for my grandfather’s funeral. I think back to all the times as a family member I have been in the family car, in the procession and as a professional the one helping families into the cars. As I have traveled the country serving others in deathcare, I have been curious to see what areas still honor and respect the dead even when they don’t know them.

Today, I paused for a procession in Milton, Florida. I thought about my extended family preparing to honor their loved one. I wonder if their community will honor their grief. I have been in the family car watching others as they go on about their day as my world has fallen apart. I have been in the family car and absolutely stunned and comforted watching the community around us stop to pause as the family car rolls through.

Collectively, we need to do better to honor and support our neighbors. Sometimes with our silence and our distance. Sometimes with our patience of the anger their grief hides in.

Many of our followers have utilized our Deathcare support services and appreciate our support. Today we pause to recognize many hearts are broken and shattered, some are learning how to breathe and settle into their new roles as widow or widower. We also pause to consider many in the community are grieving their living something we have no traditions or protocols for.

So with this reminder let’s be mindful and aware when our neighbors and family that are in their grief, we honor the traditions and do what we can to restore some humanity into the community.

05/03/2026

Caregiver check in:

Respite isn’t a reality for most families. We need to be diligent about our self care and how we purposefully seek out rest. All too often we confuse self care with self indulging activities (that cost money).

Research shows 20 mins in the still of nature is as effective as 2 hours in therapy. I know very well sometimes 2 mins alone feels impossible.

My encouragement is to start small, asking for help for you to walk the dog alone can be hard. If you want that accountability consider requesting a walk-n-talk visit with me or a weekend respite visit.

I still have summer 2026 dates available. Always offering free consults on google meet.

04/30/2026

Raising my kids with confidence in their medical teams simply wasn’t an option for me. The inconsistency in care as a military family, the training facilities that treated us like guinea pigs and the sheer exhaustion from being default parent who moved communities and support systems every 24-36 month is unexplainable to those who don’t understand military culture.

We weren’t a part of the EFM community until our service members twlight tour. Largely, because of the stigma that being a medical fragile family was a liability to his career. Ironically, they re-enlisted him two more times after twenty years.

Trust me when I say the phrase, “WHEN PIGS FLY”…. Regularly flew out of my mouth that’s not an exaggeration. So clearly I had to take a picture when I saw this artwork!

If you’re new here, let me reintroduce myself. Hi, I am Emily. I created Reinforcing Wishes, LLC in 2020 as a caregiver support agency to help fill the gap in care I witnessed at all 10 duty stations. Families are expected to be their own lifeguards while in crisis , sleep deprived and generally overwhelmed. This is not acceptable.

Now my children are 18 & 21. We survived the broken system, occasionally we were able to thrive! I raised hell the entire time as an advocate for our kids and the other families. I naturally mentored others on the barriers in the system and how to overcome them or avoid it all together.

So what are we here for? Community, Coaching & Consulting. We offer services that are inclusive and accessible nationally. Text, call or email for your free consult if you’re feeling the crush of being a caregiver in a broken system.

Trust me when I share I have the head and heart knowledge to help support families in these experiences.

~ Emily Vass, MS, MA, RMHCI
[email protected]
(850) 844-6798

04/24/2026

Registrations close today for Pensacola Community CPR class on April 26 @ 2pm.

Next Pensacola class is June 7th

Link below only a few seats left!

04/21/2026

I’ve been working with some of my students on recognizing “cold prickly” vs. “warm fuzzy” thoughts and feelings—and it really stuck with me. So when I saw this at the Medical Center Clinic, I had to snap a picture!

It’s a good reminder that even as adults, we still deal with those cold, prickly feelings—especially around things like appointments we know are important but sometimes struggle to follow through on.

Just a reminder: we’re here to help. Our services include treatment escorts, medical coaching, appointment advocacy, and transportation support to make those tough moments a little easier.

Text or call for a FREE consult (850) 844 6798.

04/20/2026

Caregivers, this is a fantastic account to follow.

Let us know what you think. Who do you like to follow?

04/18/2026

Attention students working in care facilities in Florida! 📚

Attention FALA Facility Members - Scholarship Opportunities Available! Don't miss the deadline (6/5/2026)!!✨🙌

Foundation Academic Scholarship for Excellence in Senior Care: The Foundation awards multiple $1,000 scholarships annually to employees of FALA Facility Members who are enrolled in accredited college or university degree programs. These scholarships are designed to support fields crucial to senior care, such as nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, gerontology, nutrition/dietary, or clinical social work. Additionally, we may consider other aging or health-related fields, however, preference will be given to those degree programs first listed.

Click Here to Apply for the Academic Scholarship: https://form.jotform.com/253015392100139

Foundation FALA Conference Scholarship: The Florida Assisted Living Education & Research Foundation typically awards a minimum of two (2) $1,000 scholarships annually to selected FALA Facility Member owners or employees who would like to attend the FALA Annual Conference & Tradeshow but don't have the funding to do so. Scholarship recipients are required to attend the full conference. A portion of the scholarship is applied to cover the conference registration fee and the balance is given to the recipient to offset travel and hotel expenses.

Click Here to Apply for the Conference Scholarship: https://form.jotform.com/260904632614151

Be sure to submit your application by June 15th, 2026!

04/18/2026

Seats still available! Next Pensacola class will be June 7th at 2pm