About Toni

As much as I accomplished throughout my career and life, I know there was no greater purpose than walking this journey with my mom and now, helping family caregivers finding meaning, support, and validation through your own experience.

Caregiver Consultant

Empowering & Educating
Family Caregivers

I started Heart Light Enterprises, to help family caregivers overcome the stress and negativity of caregiving and to find meaning and resilience in this life-changing journey. I want to help you solve your biggest worries and concerns and not only turn overwhelm and chaos into control, but also find peace of mind, love and light, throughout not only the best of times, but the worst of times. Working with me, I promise to help you more effectively manage your responsibilities through education, planning, and organization, become more confident in your decision-making, learn effective communication techniques and successful strategies to lessen the stress of daily living.

With over 40 years in the healthcare industry, I am both a Certified Caregiving Consultant ™ and Certified Caregiving Educator™, in addition to holding a Master’s Degree in Audiology. As a member of several professional speaker organizations, I am also an author, dynamic speaker and well recognized Distinguished Toastmaster. As a former instructor for Baylor College of Medicine, I have extensive experience working with physicians and patients in hospital and crisis environments.

Toni standing with hands on chair
Toni Gitles and Her Mom

My Caregiving Story

HOW I LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF CAREGIVER SUPPORT

When mom asked if I would take her to a doctor’s appointment in 2003, I had no idea I would end up becoming a caregiver for 14 years. That’s a long, long time! At the time, mom was a healthy, active, energetic octogenarian. As she got older, I was there for her as she experienced one unexpected health crisis after another, eventually struggling with vision, hearing, mobility, and other issues of great concern and decline.

Navigating this journey by trial and error, I figured out the do’s and don’ts of caregiving almost completely on my own. As an only child and dutiful daughter, I put mom’s care and quality of life as a top priority. Alway asking first, what were her desires and needs, we navigated “the caregiving years” together. Never knowing when the end might surprise us, we lived life fully, expressed our love frequently, and created memories that I treasure today. The time I spent as a caregiver changed my life forever. At the end of our journey, I was able to say that I had no regrets. Mom died peacefully February 20, 2017.

Author

Speaker

Workshops & Presentations

Toni’s career in the healthcare industry for over four decades and 14 years of caring for her mom positions her as an expert in caregiving and happy, healthy aging. She delivers caregiver conferences aboard dementia-friendly cruises for caregivers and their loved ones. As a consultant, educator, and dynamic speaker, Toni trains businesses and provides group support and one-on-one guidance. The principles she shares transform the caregiving and aging experience into a journey of discovery and adventure.

Partners & Affiliations

Dementia Friendly Dining logo

Dementia Friendly Dining

Establishing dementia-friendly dining has been the goal of founding champion Dennis Dulniak, care partner for his wife Nancy who was placed in a memory care community a year ago. He has teamed up with Toni Gitles, Certified Caregiving Consultant and Educator with Heart of Caregiving and Edith Gendron, Chief of Operations with the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center. The Meatball Stoppe is the first restaurant identified for training personnel, scheduling and publicizing, with more planned in the upcoming months.

The Meatball Shoppe

Toni at the
first Dementia Friendly Dining event

Elite Cruise Vacations logo

Dementia Friendly Cruises

ELITE CAREGIVER RESPITE ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA FRIENDLY
“Living Everyday to Enjoy Life” will include: Caregiver respite sessions, time for the caregivers to relax, experience an adventure or simply take a nap. Available RN private duty care one-on-one client support at a minimal hourly fee. Accessible accommodations (at no additional charge) and rentable mobility scooters. Dementia / Alzheimer’s interactive conference sessions intended to educate, inspire and create new ideas.

Dementia Friendly Cruises

Discover Demhttps://youtu.be/IAt7VIq3aOMentia-Friendly Cruises

Certified Caregiving Consultant LogoCertified Caregiving Consultant™
Certified Caregiving EducatorCertified Caregiving Educator™
Certified Caregiving FacilitatorCertified Caregiving Facilitator™
Certified Caregiving Specialist™
#1 International Bestseller gold medallion with red ribbon#1 International Best-Selling Author
Lions Club International LogoLions Club International
Myasthenia Gravis Logo2022 Emerging Leadership Award, Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of AmericaList item
Advisory Council, Caregiving.com 2018-2019
Share the CareShare the Care Presenter
Center for Family CaregiversAdvisory Board, The Center for Family Caregivers 2018-2019
Faculty Member, National Caregiving Conference 2018-2019
Former Instructor Baylor College of Medicine
Certified Caregiving Consultant LogoSpeaking Circles ® Facilitator
Seek and Speak Your Story ® Facilitator
Toastmasters InternationalDistinguished Member, Toastmasters InternationalList item
Dementia Friendly Dining logoDementia Friendly Dining Trainer