Cheryl DeLaby thinks of life as the passage of seasons. People experience them in all kinds of ways, under varying circumstances, and at different ages, but everybody goes through changes.
Reaching for resources
For more information about Monarch Senior Transitions and its free services, visit monarchseniortransitions.com or follow Monarch Senior Transitions on Facebook. Contact founder Cheryl DeLaby by emailing cheryl@monarchseniortransitions.com.
Younger generations might not spend time contemplating old age, she explained, but there are a lot of important decisions in life’s final season. DeLaby’s job is to help families navigate the point when their loved ones need a new level of care, like assisted living or a group home.
For 20 years, DeLaby has worked for assisted living facilities, and in December 2025, she founded Monarch Senior Transitions to help Central Coast residents free of charge.
“They plan ahead of time, or they plan in crisis,” DeLaby said. “Maybe they have a fall, and then they’re coming from the hospital. … Maybe they want to be around other people that are going through the same season.”
She’s the centralized point of contact for families, assessing each senior and helping them clean out their prior home, sell the property, sort out finances, and match them with a new living situation. The process depends on the individual’s budget, their physical and mental health history, and what’s important to them at their new home.
“I’m more of a guide,” DeLaby said. “I offer my opinion, but the families decide what’s best.”
Equipped with a Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly license, DeLaby understands the intricacies of different types of residences and how someone may or may not fit in.
Large assisted-living facilities provide a “cruise ship” lineup of daily activities and meals but are more expensive. Small care homes, with four to eight residents, are more individualized, offering fewer activities yet more oversight. DeLaby said that everyone, introverts and extroverts, thrive when they’re around other people.
“With seniors, they need a community where they’re at, and they actually excel in areas like that,” she said.
There are four assisted living facilities in Santa Maria and 140 smaller residential homes throughout San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, DeLaby said. Since families aren’t able to visit every home to see where the best fit is, she does that work ahead of time.
It’s important for families to consider their relative’s personality, especially when it comes to ensuring that seniors maintain their independence. Most would prefer to not leave their homes at all.
“I want to help people if they want to stay home, too,” she said.
Sometimes that looks like installing grab bars to make their original homes safer or removing rugs and other safety hazards to prevent falls, one of the most common reasons for entering assisted living.
DeLaby’s first client, the mother of a high school friend, suffered a fall.
“It’s really just being an emotional support through a really hard time, and that’s what a lot of people need,” DeLaby said.
She wants Monarch Senior Transitions to bring light into families’ lives and help the elderly maintain a sense of autonomy in their new chapters. The professional is happy to walk the road with anyone asking for a hand.
“I feel like it’s more of a calling,” she said. “You can take the knowledge that you have to help somebody else with it, and when you’re serving in that way, it’s like such an intrinsic feeling where you’re truly making a difference.”
Highlights
• Lompoc Transit is offering free rides through Feb. 28 on fixed-route lines, on-demand services, and ADA paratransit, according to the city. Riders are encouraged to take advantage of the city’s bus routes for commuting, shopping, and dining, highlighting Lompoc’s new options that were announced in September 2025. For more information about the city’s transit system, visit cityoflompoc.com or call (805) 736-7666.
• Santa Maria Recreation and Parks released its winter and spring activity guide filled with classes, sport leagues, and other community events. Residents of all ages can find engaging activities on the program, which was released in English and Spanish. Find the recreation guide online at cityofsantamaria.org.
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in February 5 – February 12, 2026.