Answers For Elders Radio Network

Emily Schwarz from ElderLife Financial joins Suzanne to talk about the process of having a free consultation with ElderLife Financial, and goes over a variety of options that might be available to pay for senior care. Sometimes people reach out to them with questions about home sales, estate sales, and other topics. Life insurance can be an untapped resource. It's possible to sell your life insurance. People often don't realize that money paid to a licensed facility for health care is tax deductible — paying for senior living isn't "rent," it's a tax deductible medical expense. What usually happens is that the community provides a letter that states what percentage of the total payment can be written off on taxes. Reverse mortgages are beneficial if one spouse is moving into senior living while the other remains in their house. They can get some equity out of their home to pay for the care. Learn more at elderlifefinancial.com. Find more podcasts by Emily Schwarz at Answers for Elders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emily Schwarz from ElderLife Financial joins Suzanne to explain how her company helps seniors. ElderLife is a financial aid office for senior living, a one-stop shop to help families understand how to pay for long-term care. They have resources to help families understand long term care insurance, veterans benefits, how to monetize a life insurance policy, information on reverse mortgages, tax deductibility of assisted living, and help families with bridge loans, up-front money to get into a community. They provide a free consultation. Learn more at elderlifefinancial.com. Find more podcasts by Emily Schwarz at Answers for Elders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emily Schwarz from ElderLife Financial joins Suzanne to talk more about financial resources for people who are aging. Among the common misunderstandings for veterans benefits: people think that the serving-in-wartime criteria means you have to have served in combat. That's not the cas. You need to have served a day of active duty during a wartime period, and 90 total active service days, but could have served stateside. You don't have to be injured to qualify for VA's Aid and Attendance Pension. The benefiting spouse need not have been married to the veteran during the time of service, but had to have been married for a year, and were married to the veteran at the time of death. Listen to hear more common misunderstandings. Learn more at elderlifefinancial.com. Find more podcasts by Emily Schwarz at Answers for Elders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emily Schwarz from Elder Life Financial joins Suzanne to talk about untapped resources to help pay for senior living. She says veterans benefits are the most underutilized way to pay for senior care. What don't we know about programs? VA's Aid and Attendance Pension has just 300,000 veterans and spouses using this benefit, yet imagine how many retired veterans there are in the country. People often don't realize that they may qualify for this benefit. Learn more at elderlifefinancial.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristen Christian from Bee Organized joins Suzanne to talk about getting rid of clutter. Keep what you love, but there's a boundary to watch, especially if you're downsizing. "China comes up a lot, it's a hard one. There are lots of ways of looking at it, how to honor your memories without keeping everything." Kristen provides a couple of ways she's done that with heirlooms. The whole point is to find the sweet spot between too little and too much, and crafting your environment around it. If everything is precious, nothing is precious. Family caregivers looking for a new opportunity could get involved in the downsizing business. Franchising is a great opportunity to start a new business while not doing it alone. Watch their video or read about franchise opportunities. Learn more at Bee Organized. Visit their What They Do page to sign up for their Buzz Tips newsletter and find the location nearest you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristen Christian joins Suzanne to talk about downsizing and decluttering. The goal is to own less. Be a gatekeeper for your next chapter: only bring what you like, need, and use. Bee Organized takes clients through a power purge. About every item, ask yourself: Do I like this item? Do I use this item? Is this item valuable or irreplaceable? There's no loophole in the process, and the more you go, the better you'll get at it. It may seem overwhelming, but doing a little at a time gets it done. Give yourself time, and start small. All that stuff didn't accumulate overnight. Don't make it daunting, make it fun, turn on the music, invite a friend, hire a downsizing company like Bee Organized. Keep in mind the end goal and revisit it – if your goal is to move to a smaller space, hold on to that, and it'll push you through, give yourself grace. Learn more at Bee Organized. Visit their What They Do page to sign up for their Buzz Tips newsletter and find the location nearest you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristen Christian joins Suzanne to talk about how to create the right mindset to start downsizing. When you think of creating art, it takes time, patience, and planning. You have to gather materials, have a purpose and plan, and intention. We use a different lens when we get people ready for downsizing, to arm themselves with the proper tools, just like an artist would, and it goes a lot smoother. Any move is stressful, and a transition is hard. The stress can take a toll. Learn more at Bee Organized. Visit their What They Do page to sign up for their Buzz Tips newsletter and find the location nearest you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristen Christian joins Suzanne to talk about Bee Organized, a passionate company that helps people go from chaos to calm, and have seen many lives transformed through the process. Whether it's home organization, moving, remodeling, downsizing, rightsizing, or concierge services, delegate the details to the Bees. Downsizing is a matter of math, but it's hard because we have a relationship with our stuff. Is it valuable — monetarily or from a sentimental point of view — or is it truly just junk that's piling up? Once something comes into our home, it's not just stuff, it becomes ''our'' stuff. Downsizing can be an art. Use it as an opportunity to curate what you're bringing into the rest of your life. Craft an environment that supports you and brings out the best in you. Kristen Christian is co-founder of Bee Organized and the Chief Marketing Officer of Bee Organized Enterprises. Launched in 2015 with the sole desire to help simplify lives, today the Kansas City-based headquarters has Bee Hives in Dallas, Denver, Houston, North Houston, Miami, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Orlando, Palm Beach, Portland, Rhode Island, San Diego, San Francisco, Scottsdale and Seattle. Learn more at Bee Organized. Visit their What They Do page to sign up for their Buzz Tips newsletter and find the location nearest you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Church, Chief Science Officer of Athira Pharma, joins Suzanne to provide an overview of what happens in a trial, how long they last, and the different kinds of clinical trials. In this segment, Kevin talks about how to find clinical trial locations, as well as what sorts of things the doctors are looking for in a participant. Talk to your doctor or neurologist, or a specialist at a clinic, check clinicaltrials.gov for trials in your area, and for Athira Pharma trials see https://www.lift-adtrial.com/. You don't need a doctor's referral. If you're a caregiver or an adult child, if you're interested in participating in a clinical trial, talk to a specialist to see if it's appropriate. Talk to your doctor or neurologist, or a specialist at a clinic — visit clinicaltrials.gov for trials in your area, and the LIFT-AD Clinical Trial website for Athira Pharma's trials. See AFE's Alzheimer's and Dementia page and AFE's Athira Pharma podcasts page for more shows about these topics. Courtesy of Athira Pharma. Suzanne closes out the show with Lucy's story looking forward to springtime.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Church, Chief Science Officer of Athira Pharma, joins Suzanne to talk about what happens in clinical trials, how long do they last, and what the different types are. There are 143 Alzheimer's treatments in various stages of study at the moment, including those in clinical trials stage 1, 2, and 4. Athira's trials last about six months long. They involve periodic visits to a trial center, usually a hospital, meeting monthly or bimonthly over the course of the study, while being given either the treatment or a placebo. The patient's caregiver is essential to the trial. If you're a caregiver or an adult child, if you're interested in participating in a clinical trial, talk to a specialist to see if it's appropriate. Talk to your doctor or neurologist, or a specialist at a clinic — visit clinicaltrials.gov for trials in your area, and the LIFT-AD Clinical Trial website for Athira Pharma's trials. See AFE's Alzheimer's and Dementia page and AFE's Athira Pharma podcasts page for more shows about these topics. Courtesy of Athira Pharma.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Church, Chief Science Officer of Athira Pharma, joins Suzanne to talk about what happens to the brain when someone has Alzheimer's. It's a very complex disease. Most people know about the amyloid plaques that causes neuro-degeneration. Other proteins also build up. These clumps interrupt memory formation, communication between nerve cells, and regardless of the clumps, the ultimate problem is that the nerves aren't working properly and are dying. Right now there are limited treatments for those diagnosed with Alzheimers. Athira's clinical trials with fosgonimeton aim to keep nerve cells alive in the face of these clumps. It helps reduce inflammation, and it's shown promise in their trials. If you're a caregiver or an adult child, if you're interested in participating in a clinical trial, talk to a specialist to see if it's appropriate. Talk to your doctor or neurologist, or a specialist at a clinic — visit clinicaltrials.gov for trials in your area, and the LIFT-AD Clinical Trial website for Athira Pharma's trials. See AFE's Alzheimer's and Dementia page and AFE's Athira Pharma podcasts page for more shows about these topics. Courtesy of Athira Pharma.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're concerned about memory loss, this show will interest you. Kevin Church, Chief Science Officer of Athira Pharma, joins Suzanne this hour to talk about Alzheimer's disease and developing treatments. Alzheimer's is growing, a critical unmet need, with 6.5 million American adults diagnosed, and byy 2050 there could be as many as 50 million patients. The average age of onset is between 70 to 75, usually diagnosed in one's 60s. The long-term impacts of the lockdown and pandemic are being researched, but researchers are seeing that Covid infection has increased the risk of developing dementia later, and it may have worsened ongoing dementia. People in some cases avoided going to the doctor for years, and may have gotten diagnosed later than they would have without the pandemic. Athira seeks to develop treatments for neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease as well as Parkinson’s Disease, PD Dementia and Dementia with Lewy Bodies, and ALS. They conduct clinical trials, and their lead compound fosgonimeton targets a neurotropic factor to help nerve cells grow. To learn more about the lead compound, watch Athia's YouTube video. Learn more about Athira's focus on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and visit the LIFT-AD Clinical Trial website to see if you qualify for a clinical trial in your area. See AFE's Alzheimer's and Dementia page and AFE's Athira Pharma podcasts page for more shows about these topics. Courtesy of Athira Pharma.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lianna Marie, CEO of AllAboutParkinsons.com, joins Suzanne to talk about how to be both visibly and emotionally strong, even with our bodies becoming more frail over time. Holding on to inner strength and resilience, and retain our empowerment. She quotes Bob Marley: "You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice." For many people, this resonates, there's a lot to navigate. She saw her mom's ability to withstand greater and greater challenges, because she had to. Losing physical strength but gaining emotional strength helped her mom live longer. Lianna's book "The Parkinson's Path" will be coming out later this year. Currently, ''The Complete Guide for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Loved Ones'' is available at Amazon. Find more of Lianna's podcasts at her Expert page on the Answers for Elders website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it mean to be empowered with Parkinson's? Lianna Marie, CEO of AllAboutParkinsons.com, joins Suzanne to address what to do as people with Parkinson's get older — and caregivers take more control over decisions — and feel a loss of autonomy. Lianna realized with her mom that she was making mistakes and had to course-correct, providing choices to empower her. We own our lives. It's the ability in decision-making to be able to listen and consult with doctors, but be able to see what's working over time and doctors don't know her completely, only seeing them once or twice a year, and that doesn't mean they know about her own body. Her mom learned to trust her gut, and tell medical practitioners what they're experiencing when it conflicts with their expectations, what's working and what's not working to improve your quality of life. Lianna's book "The Parkinson's Path" will be coming out later this year. Currently, ''The Complete Guide for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Loved Ones'' is available at Amazon. Find more of Lianna's podcasts at her Expert page on the Answers for Elders website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lianna Marie, CEO of AllAboutParkinsons.com joins Suzanne to talk about focus for those with Parkinson's and their caregivers. Lianna explains, "Focus is an interesting topic I decided to dive into in my current book that I'm writing, 'The Parkinson's Path.' It's a very complex disease, affecting your physical and your emotional side. We're losing our focus because we've just got so much going on. And then there's also the actual change that's happening in people with Parkinson's brains, and that's creating this thing. My mom used to say, I just have a foggy brain, I can't multitask anymore. There's an actual change that's happening in their brain — they call it dual tasking. It's important to understand that that's a thing. "Your independence and mobility are being taken away, from things like brushing your teeth, which we may take for granted. Accepting a little bit, being vulnerable, saying, OK, fine, I accept that this is happening, but I'm not, I'm not giving into it. Michael J Fox's quote: "Acceptance doesn't mean resignation, it means understanding that something is what it is, and that there's gotta be a way through it." So control the things that you can, try not to worry about the things that you can't. I know it's easier said than done, but we can all take that as good advice in our lives, right? The serenity prayer, you know, but I would say that that for us was a big thing and so she over time learned to focus on things like, I can control my diet, what goes into my mouth, to help with my Parkinson's symptoms. I can control my exercise to an extent. Even when she was losing her mobility, she could control whom she allowed in her circle. So if somebody was being very negative, she would say I don't have room for that in my life anymore. "I always think of things in athletic terms. When you're learning mental training for something like shooting a target, and I'm trying to hit a bulls eye down the middle, I wanna say hit a 10 — I don't want to say in my head don't hit a five, because as soon as you have that in your head, don't do that one, that's where your mind goes, right? So it's a subtle, but very effective thing to change. So when someone with Parkinson's is going along on their day and darn it, the wheels shut down, your legs stop moving, whatever it is that's going on, you want to focus on the thing that you want to happen, as opposed to the thing that you don't. I'm not suggesting that you can just mentally train yourself out of a symptom. However, I will say that it certainly doesn't hurt to be focusing on the things that you want, as opposed to the things that you don't want." Lianna's book "The Parkinson's Path" will be coming out later this year. Currently, ''The Complete Guide for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Loved Ones'' is available at Amazon. Find more of Lianna's podcasts at her Expert page on the Answers for Elders website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lianna Marie, CEO of AllAboutParkinsons.com, joins Suzanne to talk about her personal experience with her mom coping with Parkinson's disease, a trial by fire learning over time how to adjust to this chronic illness. Her mom had a type with slow progression and was able to live with it for 30 years. Lianna's book "The Parkinson's Path" will be coming out later this year. Currently, ''The Complete Guide for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Loved Ones'' is available at Amazon. Find more of Lianna's podcasts at her Expert page on the Answers for Elders website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retirement coach Larry Jacobson joins Suzanne to talk about inspiration, fulfillment, and satisfaction in our later years. Suzanne described her own experiences when she was downsized out of her career at 52 years old, and she found a calling to pursue the dream of starting her own company. Larry says most new businesses started today are by people who are in their 50s or over 60. He coaches entrepreneurs, and one of his retirement training modules is all about fear. It's very scary to try something like this to be fulfilled, reinventing yourself. Larry walks people through, starting with visioning what your life might be life if you could rebuild it. It ends with perseverance, commitment, risk taking, and a strength-weakness analysis. Learn about his training course on Navigating Entrepreneurship for those over 50, or visit https://larryjacobson.com/ for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're wondering about what you might do after you retire, check out retirement coach Larry Jacobson's free retirement tools. The first tool is a retirement wheel to assess how you're doing in eight areas of your life, and connecting the dots shows how well balanced you can be in your retirement. The second tool helps decide what you might choose for your encore The third tool is a passion quiz, 30-35 questions that dig deep into what you like doing and what you're good at doing, then has you review your answers, checking for patterns in your answers. The forth tool is an e-book revealing the top five retirement secrets. The fifth tool is the first segments of his self-guided video training course, Sail Into Retirement. Through this special offer with Answers for Elders, you can get whole course for just $95, including a 90-minute coaching session with Larry, a $350 value. Check out the tips and offer at https://larryjacobson.com/5-free-gifts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Larry Jacobson joins Suzanne to talk about his Sail Into Retirement self-guided video course, an award-winning life-style planning program that teaches us how to start living the life you always wanted to live. He'd carried a dream to sail around the world for decades, and then found himself taking a leap of faith. Larry says, "I ended up as CEO and then was able to sell the company. I bought a boat and left to go sailing. I left my career, my income, my security. I left my home, I left my partner. I left my identity, and that was the most difficult. And this is what happens when people retire is they lose their identity. If you're a plant manager, if you're a cop, if you're a nurse, if you're a doctor, a lawyer, anything, that's what you do. That's how you identify who you are, ask anybody at a cocktail party, you know? "I came back six years later, having sailed all the way around the world. And it was a dream come true and it was magnificent. It was life changing. It would change the way I looked at the world, it changed, everything for me and then I came home and I was lost. I thought, well, I've sailed all the way around the world. I made my dream come true. Now, what do I do? Because I committed career suicide. I was out of the industry and nobody knew who I was. "So I spent three years writing my memoir about the journey as around the world. And I was searching, I didn't know what I was gonna do one day. A friend of mine called, who was the CEO of a big company in San Francisco. And he said, uh, hey, Larry, can you come out and give me some advice. The following week, I went into his offices, and I said, OK, I'm here, what do you need? Do you need help with personnel finance? And he says, 'no, I know how to run my company. I want to know how you got out, how you left, how you let go of your identity as a CEO. I wanna paint.' I said, wow, OK. Well, so I started thinking about how I did it and I gave him some advice and he says, OK, great. The next week he had told a friend and that friend called me and he was a CEO and he wanted to know how he did it. I thought, hm, I might be on to something here." Visit Redefining Retirement, or Sail Into Retirement to learn more about the video course and watch free sample lessons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we look forward to that looming date of turning 65, we wonder what happens next. Retirement and fulfillment coach Larry Jacobson joins Suzanne to talk about his project Redefining Retirement. He says most of our lives are scripted, from school to jobs, perhaps with a career, perhaps at the top of your career, and then you retire. Then you turn the page for the next segment of your life, nothing's written. Because we don't have anything we're supposed to be doing, we get stymied. What do we do next? The most common answer is sleep in, travel, and golf. After a year, they ask now what? You want to find the next thing that will provide purpose and fulfillment, not just pleasure. Larry explains, "Let me give you an example of the difference between pleasures and fulfillment. So, you know, I'm a sailor. So I'm out on a boat quite often. Let's say I bring the boat into the dock and I do a perfect job of docking it. That's pleasurable. If I take you out on the boat, and I teach you how to dock the boat, and then as we come into the dock, I turn the wheel over to you, and you dock it perfectly — that's fulfillment for me. I passed on some wisdom. I was teaching, mentoring, helping creativity in other people, and doing something better for a society. It's the sense of being part of something larger than yourself, that's fulfillment and purpose." Larry's goal is to draw that out of people, helping them find it, being part of something greater than yourself, whether it's teaching or something else. He provides free tools to Sail Into Retirement, a self-guided video course, 9 modules. Visit Redefining Retirement, or Sail Into Retirement to learn more about the video course and watch free sample lessons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dementia family coach Faith Marshall joins Suzanne to talk about a hard subject, what happens to those in early stages of dementia. Faith says, "I have one client specifically that is on the internet a lot, checks his email. He's recently retired. And so that's always been something that's been part of his routine, but one of the things that does happen in dementia that is helpful is a sense of paranoia can set forth where they start to not trust some things that are happening. So at least he asks me when he gets some strange email with a link. Ask me about it, we talk about it. Sometimes I'll log on and, and help him work through it. But he gets emails that are saying his antivirus is out of date. You need to log on and pay this. So sometimes he may think that's a real thing and he'll reach out to me and say, can you help me pay this? And my mind immediately goes: wait. "And just with the few situations that I come upon, it makes me realize that it really is happening daily. I don't know how many per minute, but it's continual. And with someone that has dementia, telling them not to click in a link in an email is a recurring conversation, and putting up firewalls and things like that. We've taken those steps with computers so that we've go IT helping to monitor what's going on, and it's just such a big threat as well as them feeling like someone is helping them. That's the pattern between all of these — the brake fluid, all the things that they're actually believing that someone is there to help them. "Oh my gosh. My, my antivirus is expired. I need to pay this right away." They create a sense of urgency in whatever the scam is doing. "Your computer is not working. You need my help. I need to buy parts" or whatever the case may be. I need to go buy lumber to fix the porch over the roof. "So it creates this need for communication with family on all, all levels. And you don't like we talked about, you don't want to feel like you're crying or spying, but you do have to listen. And what, what happened with my own family was my mom would say "don't tattle on me." Faith Marshall: It's like she felt bad. "I sucked into it again." You know, don't tattle on me. And she didn't want us to worry. But yet we needed to be part of those conversations to alert the authorities and reach out to the AARP and the local police department, and be more educated about it, and be more mindful. And neighbors again can be helpful with all of that, because they're the ones who may be in conversation with your loved one over the fence. You know, next door saying hi.” Suzanne says, "The most important thing that you can do with your loved one, being a family caregiver, is to establish trust with that parent or with that loved one. If you're a spouse, you're likely trustworthy. But, I see too often that there is a division between the adult and the adult child because there's that trust factor, that the adult child isn't around very much, they're not engaged very much with that senior loved one. They may live out of town. The other thing, I am really a strong believer in starting to have dialogues where you don't have elephants in the room. You know, it's ok to start having healthy, difficult conversations early and, how you do that in my world is start speaking about your own fears, your own concerns. You know, mom and dad, I was laying in bed last night and I couldn't fall asleep because I was thinking about this." Faith hosts caregiver support groups. "I think it's really important for people to feel heard and feel part of a community, find their tribe. I do an introduction to group coaching the first week of every month. Having someone to talk to when you're going through this, that truly understands, it can be so supportive, and we all need our community and we need to be heard. A lot of people use Facebook groups for that. But

Dementia family coach Faith Marshall joins Suzanne to talk about vulnerable or lonely seniors who are vulnerable to be taken advantage of. Scammers can falsify the caller ID. Faith described an experience with one of her clients that scammed him out of $2,500 over multiple days, and him thinking they were helping him with a computer problem. If a caller knows your name, that's not enough. If they claim to know your card number, make them say the whole number. Never pay for something over the phone. Have them call you back tomorrow – if they're legitimate, they will, and that gives you time to research their phone number. Or if whatever the "crisis" is is legitimate, you yourself can call the company using numbers you have on your bill to confirm whether it's true. Faith says, "I even received a phone call from my credit union, that said they were the credit union calling with a fraud alert, which the credit union does. I got sucked into it the whole conversation. Next thing I knew the guy had moved money from my savings account to checking, entered himself as a bill pay and then I hung up and I called the real fraud prevention line, and they hadn't called me, and they were able to stop it, but he was ready to empty my checking account and, and it was kind of like, oh stupid. You know, I know this stuff, but you just get sucked into it." Suzanne says, "If they're asking you for a card number, they have a card processor. They are traceable. Pay attention to what people are asking you. Don't give out personal information to a stranger on the phone. If it's your bank, they already have your information. They're not gonna ask you for those things. If your loved one is vulnerable, find ways to help them keep their dignity, because they still have their autonomy, they still have the right to purchase things if it's their money, but it's finding a way to work with them, not against them." AARP's Fraud Watch Network Helpline is at 877-908-3360. It helps seniors monitor scams and reports it to the federal government. If something happens, report them. Learn more at Faith Marshall's AFE page and at dementiafamilycoaching.com. You can email Faith at [email protected] or call her directly at (855) 363-2484.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dementia family coach Faith Marshall joins Suzanne to talk about how to protect ourselves from senior scams. First, get seniors to be open with their families. Working with banks, online banking, helps with fraud alerts and unusual charges. Neighbors are a big help, if they see contractors or other unusual people arriving at the door. We have to be watchdogs for our families. You can have the bank set up an account with limited funds in it, rather than having a debit card that accesses an account with $50,000 in it, while funds can easily be added to it when needed. A caregiver could have a second card for the account. Faith shares more scam stories. She shared a second scam that her parents experienced about six months after an earlier one. "Somebody knocked on the door right after dad left to go for a walk, and they knew their name. So they told mom, "Walt wants us to fix the roof. Is he here?" Well, they knew he wasn't. And so then she told them he wasn't there, and wound up getting in the car with them, and going with them up to the bank to get $2,500. She was in the early stages of dementia, and she was scared, but she was afraid of what would happen if she didn't follow through. She didn't understand why they didn't come into the bank with her. Well, it's all the security cameras, and they waited in the car. She felt very comfortable with them and, uh, came back to the house, and the guy took a two by four and shoved it up through the covered porch to show her that it was rotten, and it needed to be fixed, and created that sense of need. "Then when the police report was filed, and the police came, they're the ones who alerted us to the fact that there is a whole network. It was not the same people, totally different people, different faces for her. After that point, mom was a lot more receptive to having our help with the finances and changing the bank account and adding a signer. So I was a signer for one of her accounts, as my brother was a signer for another account. So when the bank called, we could put a stop on something that was happening." AARP's Fraud Watch Network Helpline is at 877-908-3360. Learn more at Faith Marshall's AFE page and at dementiafamilycoaching.com. You can email Faith at [email protected] or call her directly at (855) 363-2484.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dementia family coach Faith Marshall joins Suzanne to talk about senior scams. Every family knows someone who's been taken advantage of. This segment goes into how and where scams show up. We used to worry about email links and phone calls, but now we even have to be wary of people scamming those who park in handicapped spots. Suzanne tells a story about her mother being scammed by someone claiming to be an encyclopedia salesman. Faith shares a story about her parents: "Mom and dad went grocery shopping and parked in the handicap zone. Dad was five years older than mom, and not moving very fast, and she was driving. The clerks even helped them load the groceries in the car. And somebody must have been hanging out in the parking lot watching them, because they only got a block away on a side street, and they got flagged down by this little truck that was urgently pulling up next to them. And the guy got out, said that they were leaking brake fluid from the rear tire, and he went back to the rear tire, and then he came up to show my dad, who was a mechanic, that he had brake fluid on his hands. The whole thing was staged. "And I still to this day cannot believe what dad let them do, because he could fix anything. They got mom to go with them in the car, go home to get her checkbook, she went into the bank and she withdrew $1,800 cash. They took her back to the car where dad was waiting, and promised to follow them home, and then come back. The story got to my brother, the police were called, and it was reported. They trusted them to fix these brakes that had nothing wrong with them. We did report it to the police, and my brother took control of the bank account. He would only put $300 in that checking account that was attached to that debit card. And she started to say, finally, when people would call, 'oh, that's too much, I have to ask my son for permission.' Suzanne replied about that situation, "It's that slippery slope that we as family members have to walk, because we want to allow our loved ones their dignity and their ability to have their choices. On the other hand, there are a lot of situations that are overwhelming and they just forget. They will have a nice voice on the phone. They'll meet this nice young man that comes to the house. If it's a lonely lady, they'll appeal to that." AARP's Fraud Watch Network Helpline is at 877-908-3360. Learn more at Faith Marshall's AFE page and at dementiafamilycoaching.com. You can email Faith at [email protected] or call her directly at (855) 363-2484.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elder Law attorney and passionate special needs advocate Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to talk about a new podcast show coming soon. Hosted on the SeniorResource platform along with Answers for Elders, it's going to be called "Seniors, Special Needs, and the Law." Episodes will discuss long term care issues; some estate planning issues, mostly how it affects long term care; special needs issues; care coordination; and Jim hopes to create an information source that clears up the confusion surrounding these issues. He'll revisit Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA program, so that people can listen and be prepared to deal with these circumstances. Learn more at http://www.protectingseniors.com or email Jim at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elder Law and special needs attorney Jim Koewler helps those who need long term care now, as well as people who are worried about needing it in the future. In cases where someone already needs care, he helps find ways to pay or the care, either through Medicaid or VA benefits or other means. If they have too much money, he can help them shelter some of their funds to help them qualify for benefits. Jim also works with care coordinators who look after their care, if they're in a home setting. His care coordinators are nurses. He helps people throughout Ohio with legal and financial work, but the care coordinators want to see their clients in person monthly, so they limit themselves to areas near their office in northeast Ohio. If you're outside of Ohio, and want to find someone with similar services, go to lcplfa.org, the website of the Life Care Planning Law Firms Association. Learn more at http://www.protectingseniors.com or email Jim at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elder Law and special needs attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to explain the differences between Medicare Advantage and a Medicare Supplement. Basic Medicare pays 80% of healthcare costs. In addition, Medicare caps what it pays to providers. A Medicare Supplement will cover the 20% that Medicare doesn't cover, no questions asked, with no copays and an annual deductible of about $180. Most people have Medicare Parts A and B. Doctor visits, therapy, and similar items are covered under Part B, while hospitalization and rehab center stays are covered under Part A. Neither covers prescription drug costs. A Medicare Advantage plan is a form of "managed care" that substitutes for Medicare, so if you enroll in it, then you're out of the Medicare system, but now in the Advantage system. These plans can have deductibles, copays, and can limit coverages to particular locales, but you may get low-cost coverage in exchange. Learn more at http://www.protectingseniors.com or email Jim at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elder Law attorney and passionate special needs advocate Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to talk about open enrollment, and the insurance changes that go on at the end of each year that lead in to the open enrollment period. From October 15 to December 7 is annual enrollment, when people who are on Medicare Advantage plans (or have other coverage providing a prescription plan) need to see if their current plan is appropriate for them for the coming year. Some people let it ride, while many others shuffle into new plans, because the types of covered medicines can change. If you change your mind aft December 7, you can change plans from January through March, during a period called open enrollment. Neither period lets you jump into a Medigap Insurance plan if you can't qualify for it, but you can move between Advantage plans. A Medigap plan can accept you at various times, but after those periods of eligibility they don't have to accept you. Jim describes other sorts of circumstances. For instance, if you want to change from Medicare Advantage to a supplement after the enrollment plan, you have to apply, and an underwriter may interview and evaluate you in person. Learn more at http://www.protectingseniors.com or email Jim at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristine Grow, the spokesperson from the Coalition for Medicare Choices, joins Suzanne to talk more about Medicare Advantage. Suzanne asks about dual eligibility. Grow says, "People who are dual eligible qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, and this can get confusing because a lot of Americans aren't quite sure what the differences are. Medicare is for people 65 and older, or who have certain disabilities. Medicaid is eligible for low-income Americans, two million Veterans, moms, their children, and about 12 millions are eligible for both programs. They have very serious health conditions, they need a lot of protection. So, they're a very important population that has a lot of chronic conditions, greater levels of disability, and they're more likely to need nursing home care as well. Medicare Advantage serves a lots of them through SNIP or special-needs plans, lots of care coordination and services for care. A lot of plans have special programs specifically designed for people with diabetes, and it's not just to cover their insulin. There are a lot of other illnesses and a lot of other conditions that come along with being a person who has diabetes, to manage your chronic condition. As your condition may get more serious, to take care of those illnesses as well, help you with healthier eating programs and a lot of other things to help get your blood sugars a little bit more stable and take care of you in the longer run. You have a lot of different doctors that you need to see." Suzanne asked why sometimes you have to switch medicines in order for it to be covered under Medicare Advantage. Kristine explained, "That's because these Medicare Advantage plans are offered by health insurance providers. It's a public/private partnership between the federal government and health insurance providers and the job of the health insurance provider is to negotiate lower costs for you, whether that's through lower premiums, or through lower out of pocket costs. When you get the care that you need, various drug manufacturers are the ones that are setting the price for these medications. I think we can all agree that they need to lower these prices that they charge from a very high price. "No matter how much you negotiate, you're never going to get an affordable price for a lot of seniors who are on a limited income, but the health insurance providers do a great job of negotiating those lower prices. And they do that through tools that are available to them, such as a formulary which they may say, depending on other drugs that are available, if you have drugs that have the same efficacy, you can get a much cheaper price for it if you get this version of it, and it's a way to get the drug makers to compete with one another. So, the drugs that are delivering the same kind of clinical outcome can be charged at a cheaper price. So it's kind of like that negotiation between say, a brand name tissue or a generic tissue. You get the same value out of it, you just get a very good price for it as well. So there's a lot of that negotiation that happens. Visit MedicareChoices.org to learn more about Medicare Advantage and the Coalition for Medicare Choices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristine Grow, the spokesperson from the Coalition for Medicare Choices, joins Suzanne to talk more about Medicare Advantage. They represent millions of seniors across the country who choose Medicare Advantage for their coverage. Based in Washington, D.C., active in all states, they reach out to lawmakers to ensure that it's protected. Grow says, "The good news is that Medicare Advantage is one of those rare areas where we have had strong bipartisan support, and that has continued even this year. More than 60 senators signed onto a letter to the administration about the importance of protecting Medicare Advantage. "We do have some concerns right now that, as the administration is thinking about investments into the program for 2024, they've just made some proposals that would cut billions of dollars out of the program. And at a time when it does have such strong support and where the Medicare trustees are projecting that Medicare costs per enrollee are going to go up 5% for next year. On average, cutting billions of the program is just really the wrong direction for Americans, especially when the Medicare Advantage program has had such a strong history of adding value, improving health outcomes and saving costs for seniors and taxpayers. "It could impact the sickest and those with the lowest incomes, so it's important that you reach out the White House to let them know how you feel about Medicare Advantage." Visit MedicareChoices.org to learn more about Medicare Advantage and the Coalition for Medicare Choices. They have lots of stories from members and lots of information and tools to help you work with your local congressman, representative, and senator.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristine Grow, the spokesperson from the Coalition for Medicare Choices, joins Suzanne to talk more about Medicare, and how seniors think about Medicare coverage. She explains, "Today's seniors have a different expectation for their health care and their health care coverage. They don't want just coverage when they are sick. They also want coverage when they are well, to help them stay well. They want to get better faster, and they wanna stay healthier longer. So programs like access to healthy foods, things like fitness programs, things like access to community centers, these are things that help them stay more fit physically and that get them out in the community and build new relationships. So they have a better sense of mental wellness and mental well-being as well. These are really strong commitments by these Medicare Advantage plans and the health insurance providers that offer them. And we think those are really big pieces of why our senior voters are so very satisfied with these plans, and they continue to tell Washington every single year that these plans need to be protected." Medicare Advantage is also available to those on fixed incomes or at the poverty level. She says, "Seniors are choosing Medicare Advantage, they're not required to enroll in it, but they're looking at these plans and making a decision. When we look at the demographics of the enrollees, 40% of them have an income of $25,000 a year or less. So these are low income households, they have a very fixed income, and they need their household dollars, especially their health care dollars, to stretch as far as they can. Price points keep going down year after year. This year for the 2023 benefit year, the average monthly premium was just $18 a month. And there are a lot of seniors who are able to get plans for $0 premiums a month, depending on what they qualify for and what plans are offered in their area. So it's, it's an important part of their financial stability." If you have questions about Medicare Advantage, Kristine Grow says, "A really great website is offered by the federal government itself. It's Medicare.gov. And it has a lot of very basic, easy to understand information about what is Medicare: What are the different parts? How do I qualify? What would I need to pay for these different parts? It also has a great tool called the Plan Finder tool, which helps you to find a plan that is specific to what you're looking for. And it helps you compare plans as well to see what's covered, what's not, and make sure that you're comfortable with the choice that you're making. "At the Coalition for Medicare Choices, we very strongly believe that people should have truth in marketing and know exactly what they're buying. We want them to have a choice that makes sense for them and they're happy with, nobody wants anybody to choose a plan that they're not satisfied with." Visit MedicareChoices.org to learn more about Medicare Advantage and the Coalition for Medicare Choices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristine Grow, the spokesperson from the Coalition for Medicare Choices, explains why Medicare Advantage plans are growing in popularity. She joins Suzanne to explain who it covers, how it's accessible, and how the country's demographics apply. Kristine explains, "when you become eligible for Medicare, you have choices and to what kinds of health care coverage you can enroll in. Original Medicare are the parts that are considered Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. A covers a chunk of hospitalization costs. Medicare part B covers a chunk of doctor visits in other sorts of visits. Medicare Advantage is Medicare part C, and Medicare Advantage covers everything that original Medicare covers ,plus a whole lot more. So if you enroll both parts A and B, you can also choose part C. "Some of the benefits that we hear from our seniors, who are part of the Coalition for Medicare Choices, what they really like about Medicare Advantage is the vast majority of these plans include prescription drug coverage. A lot of Americans are surprised when they hear that original Medicare doesn't include prescription drug coverage. It also includes services like dental, vision, and hearing services which are very important. Other services include coordination of care, particularly for conditions that are chronic, such as if you have heart disease or a heart condition, if you have diabetes, very common kinds of health conditions that if you proactively manage them, you can stay healthier a little bit longer and realize and achieve a better quality of life than you may otherwise. "There are also more benefits in Medicare Advantage that are being included now, which are called supplemental benefits. And these are benefits to address what are called the social determinants of health, or social barriers to better health. For example, if you have a home that doesn't have very good air conditioning or heating, and you have some, some health risks, you may be able to get additional services to help you keep your cold place warmer or your warm place a little bit cooler. You may get transportation back and forth to the doctor's office, for the pharmacy to get the care that you need, even healthy foods and healthy meal programs if that is a risk factor for you. So there's a lot of these Medicare advantage programs offer, beyond original Medicare." Visit MedicareChoices.org to learn more about Medicare Advantage and the Coalition for Medicare Choices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zinnia TV is an app, a therapeutic caregiving tool especially made for those dealing with memory challenges, such as those with Alzheimer's, dementia, and Parkinson's. Allyson Schrier joins Suzanne to talk about Zinnia TV and how it helps those with the illness as well as their caregivers. The app can be downloaded to a phone, tablet, or smart TV. It opens to a library of channels, and each channel has a menu of videos. There are a large number of channels, including the all-day channel, interests channel, places channel, nostalgia channel, and the nature channel. Allyson says, "People should check out our Facebook page. We're on LinkedIn, and there is a lovely lady named Adria Thompson, whose organization is Be Light and she put together a fabulous — gosh, we were just thrilled — a fabulous video talking about how she uses Zinnia TV. And that is on our Facebook page right now." The website hosts some sample videos. They're on Facebook and LinkedIn. Zinnia TV subscriptions are $6.99/month, or $69.99/year, with a two-week free trial. Learn more at Zinnia TV.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Allyson Schrier joins Suzanne to talk about the Zinnia TV app, helping people thrive beyond their diagnosis, with the aim of both the caregiver and the person receiving care to thrive. The meaning of the flower zinnia is "Memories of a Forgotten Friend." The Zinnia TV app has more than 180 research-driven videos that are digestible and appealing for people in mid- to late stages of dementia. Watching the videos serves to create opportunities to talk and share. There are a variety of channels, opportunities for people to be successful and help support activities of daily living. There are videos about, for example, drinking water. It's not about how to do it, but seeing people, cats, geese and more drinking water and enjoying it. Caregivers play that video five or six times a day as a point of conversation to prompt the senior to have a glass of water. Zinnia TV subscriptions are just $6.99/month, or $69.99/year, with a two-week free trial. Learn more at Zinnia TV.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 million caregivers are caring for a senior loved one who has dementia in America. Allyson Schrier joins Suzanne to talk about a typical day for a caregiver. While everyone is different, those living at home with a loved one in mid- or late stages of dementia face some consistent themes. As a caregiver, you have a lot on your mind, and are often exhausted, on edge, not getting much sleep. There's an unpredictability of what your loved one might want to do or might say. In Allyson's case, it was a daily challenge to help her husband retain his dignity and accomplish the tasks he needed to do without making him feel like he was being treated as a child — not just being cared for, but being supported. She highly recommends learning how to be a more effective caregiver and provides a number of excellent resources for people to check out. Allyson co-developed Zinnia TV, a positive, nurturing, inspiring app and a therapeutic caregiving tool for those in similar circumstances. Zinnia TV subscriptions are just $6.99/month, or $69.99/year, with a two-week free trial. Learn more at Zinnia TV.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Allyson Schrier joins Suzanne to talk about Zinnia TV, a therapeutic caregiving tool. It's an app created especially for people in the progressive stage of Alzheimer's or dementia. So many caregivers are trying to do their best for their senior loved ones when their mind is working in a very different way. It's an overwhelming situation. Allyson talks about the experience of caring for her husband who, after several years trying to find out what was going on, was diagnosed in 2012 with frontotemporal dementia at age 47, which has been in the news a lot lately, as Bruce Willis was recently diagnosed with it. Allyson's kids were 12 and 15 at the time. It changed his personality, made him less connected to others and much different than the kind, loving husband he'd been. Regular TV and YouTube don't engage well with those in middle or late stages of dementia. Allyson realized that slower-paced visuals, with music instead of words, or with the words captioned, would be better. Zinnia TV is co-founded by Allyson and Frank Lee, a former Product Designer at Apple. Zinnia TV subscriptions are just $6.99/month, or $69.99/year, with a two-week free trial. Learn more at Zinnia TV.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn about how to keep your home safe. According to the CDC, 50% of adults over 65 who fall and experience a serious injury may never be able to live independently, or have to go to a nursing home due to their injuries. And every 20 minutes in this country, an adult over 65 dies from a fall. These are preventable injuries – often a trip and fall, such as from a slippery throw rug. Think about how you can keep your home safe in the future. Go to SilverSpaces.com to get information on little things that you can do over time in the early stages of your retirement, so that you can stay independently as long as possible. National aging-in-place expert Dr. Jill Bjerke of Silver Spaces LLC joins Suzanne to talk about the SilverSpaces.com website, which helps you survey your home to make it more aging-in-place friendly. Dr. Jill Bjerke says, "For example, one of the things we do look at is your floor covering. Say you have vinyl tile in your bathroom, and it's slippery. Well, there's a coating you can paint on there to give it more resistance. Same thing in the kitchen, if you've got water on your floor, and you don't have a slip resistant coating, that's a perfect place to slip and fall. And these are things that we point out in the online assessment at SilverSpaces.com. These are the modifications that you can do to keep yourself safe. "I tell people to think about having a tennis ball in their hand. That's what it's like to have arthritis. Instead of having door knobs on your kitchen cabinet doors, lever handles — which just take a push — is such a better solution. These are the types of solutions that we offer to people to try and make their homes safer. "You can do a whole bathroom remodel and take your tub out and put a walk-in shower. That's logical, if you want to do that, and if it's in your budget. But there are so many other smaller things that you can do. Remember, as we get older, we tend to shuffle. So instead of having that 3" pile carpet in my living room, maybe I should have something that is maybe an inch to an inch and a half and I won't trip as much. If your coffee table has sharp corner, and you trip and fall, you could set yourself up for a serious injury. We start to lose our peripheral vision as we grow older, so we recommend having a very strong color differential between the color of your floor and the color of your walls, so your brain knows where you are in space. There are many things that are not expensive. But we just don't think about things, because it comes on so slowly." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether we want to get older or not, it's not an option — we're all aging. National aging-in-place expert Dr. Jill Bjerke of Silver Spaces LLC joins Suzanne to talk about aging in place questions. If you're getting close to 65 or retirement, it's important to consider downsizing and decluttering. What if you're not able medically or physically to stay in your current home. What are your options? Dr. Bjerke says, "Let's say I can't stand my home. What are my options? Where am I'm gonna go? Can I move in with a relative? There are things called "tiny homes" that you can put on your own property. There's something now, our current newsletter talks about, which is accessory dwelling units, where you can remodel a basement in a relative's home and you can live there instead. "What if I can't stay here because it's not a safe place for me to be? Or maybe you have a huge home, and modifications just don't make sense. You have a four-bedroom, three-bath home, and there's two of you. Sometimes people can remodel a garage and then rent out their home to cover the cost. You may have a person with dementia that needs care, but can live somewhat independently — you can remodel a garage for that person. "The SilverSpaces.com assessment is not only just for older adults, but we also look at the pictures of dementia, muscular dystrophy, people who are in wheelchairs, people who are in walkers, things that need to think about when you're ambulating around the home clutter elimination. Big huge one. We all have way too much clutter and we don't realize how dangerous it is for us. "We just seem to accumulate things for whatever reason. We don't realize how many things we have, and when I talk to people, their fear, it was like, oh my gosh, how am I going to move all this stuff? This is the time to start thinking about downsizing. I've had clients who have said, 'I don't want to leave all this stuff for my kids to go through. I want to get rid of it now.' Now gives you the perfect opportunity to make a list, or put labels on the back of things of where you want some of your things to go when you're no longer here. Because once you are no longer here, no one knows you wanted your niece to have that emerald bracelet." Visit Silver Space’s website to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our lives change, but our home doesn't. If you're getting close to 65, or thinking about retirement, it's time to talk about aging in place: steps we can take to maintain our quality of life during our senior years. National aging-in-place expert Dr. Jill Bjerke of Silver Spaces LLC joins Suzanne to talk about the Silver Spaces App, which helps you survey your home to make it more aging-in-place friendly. Dr. Bjerke says, "There are dangerous situations, but because these things have been around us for so long, we just don't recognize that they could be a danger to our health: trips and falls. Trips and falls are the major cause of deaths for people over 65. With a hip fracture, you will usually not live independently, and most will have to go to a nursing home. These are preventable, and that was the reason this assessment was created. "It's called SilverSpaces.com. It allows you to walk through your home, each room at a time, and answer questions about that room as it pertains to the way you use it. So it will say, do you have floor rugs? You should not have floor rugs. So the recommendation will be, either tape them down, or remove them. You have three sources of light. Do you have a task source, a natural source, or an ambient above-light source? We need a lot of sources of light, as our eyes change, and we just don't realize it. Do we have motion detector lights throughout our home? So that as we move through our home, particularly during dusk or during the dark, our ways are lighted. If we have arthritis in our shoulder, can we reach up to that second shelf in our kitchen, or do we need to put in shelves that come down to us. Are we having back troubles and we can't bend over very well? Then we need drawers that pull all the way out to us. "If you have sharp corners on your countertops in your kitchen, or your bathroom, and you fall, that's a perfect way to get a traumatic brain injury. There are rubber things you can put over those countertops. There are all kinds of solutions that are not real, real expensive that can change that environment." "Another one that people don't realize over time, and I know this sounds silly but having gone through knee replacement surgery myself, I can attest to this: How high is your toilet? Is it hard to get up and down off of? Because it's too low, or do you have grab bars, and are they in the right place? So this assessment goes through both the interior and the exterior. It goes through second bedroom, second bathrooms, offices, dens. You can do as much or as little as you want, and what you are trying to assess. "And then, at the end, you get a report that can either be printed or saved as a PDF. And it gives you very, very targeted recommendations and changes that you can make to make that problem easier to live with, and maybe even go away and do it in a different direction. Visit Silver Space’s website to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National aging-in-place expert Dr. Jill Bjerke of Silver Spaces LLC joins Suzanne to talk about steps we can take to maintain our quality of life in our senior years: downsizing, eliminating clutter, and improving safety. Dr. Bjerke says, "Aging in place is not what people think it is. It's not 'I'm just gonna stay in my home forever.' The problem is that we change, but our homes don't. That means we need to step back and take a look at what's going on in our lives. We need to look at our finances, transportation, health, socialization. Ask questions: What am I gonna do if I can't drive? Do I have transportation in my town so I can get where I need to go? Is my health good enough for me to remain at home, or my partner to remain at home, or do I have a condition that's going to need some attention in the future, and remaining at home may not be the best option for me. Socialization is one of the downsides of aging in place, because you can become very isolated if you can't get to where you can socialize with other people. So those are some of the really important factors that we need to think about in addition to staying in my home as long as I can." Some people get overwhelmed with downsizing and de-cluttering. Dr. Bjerke says, "I've had clients say things like, 'I need to downsize because I don't want to leave all this stuff to my kids,' which is an amazing thing. And I hear people say, 'I don't know where to start.' Well, I can see why. But if you break it down into manageable pieces, you do two drawers at a time, or part of a closet at a time, and you sort things, you decide what you're, keep going to keep, what you're going to sell, what you're going to recycle what you're going to give away, that makes it a lot easier. "Now, along with that comes with some things that have memories attached to them. One of the things people don't realize is they are not attached to that thing, they are attached to the memory that that thing brings to them. If you are going to downsize, you don't have the room for some of these things, possibly take a picture of it, so you still have that image, or find someone who will love that piece as much as you do. I've given entire sets of China to churches. There are ways to manage getting rid of some of your things in a very peaceful way. And that's what it should be. It shouldn't be full of stress, it should be peaceful." Coming in our next segment, Dr. Bjerke introduces the Silver Space app to help you survey your home and make it more aging-in-place friendly. Visit Silver Space’s website to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonya Hilson at CarePartners Living joins Suzanne talk about senior wellness and how the senior living community fits into the quality of life for seniors. This segment focuses on physical wellness. The number one reason why we want to have our senior loved ones be in senior living and be under care is the principle of physical wellness. It's that ability to eat right, to live right, to exercise, to have a better quality of life. Tonya says, "It's so important for our seniors as they're aging that they're still moving — whether it's moving just arms, or still walking, it's very important. At our cottages, we have courtyards, and there are lots areas where seniors can come and watch. Some are so dedicated that they bundle up and come out in the cold – I've got to get my daily exercise. They come, whether they're taking a walker, or if they're taking small steps, or walking briskly, they just want to get out and enjoy the outside and the fresh air. So whether we're doing a gentle yoga class, or if they're lifting weights, even two pound weights, it's so exciting for them." They also have an amazing food program, and there's a great deal of mindfulness in the quality of food that's being served. Tonya says, "With your rent, food is included, so it's not a separate fee. There's breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. If someone wants something between those times, food is available. We have sandwiches, healthy snacks, and we want to make sure they're feeling full." Suzanne ends the hour with a story. Sometimes the true sign of life's purpose shows up in the most unexpected ways. CarePartners Living currently has a move-in special that waives up to $2,000 in charges, based on your spend-down. They're encouraging families to try them out. With respite care, you can stay anywhere from 2-3 days to 2-3 weeks at a flat, daily rate. If you're on the fence, but you want to try it, give Tonya a call at 206-412-355, or visit the CarePartners Living website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Venetia Dela Cruz from CarePartners Living joins Suzanne talk about senior wellness and how the senior living community fits into the quality of life for seniors. Previous segments have covered emotional and social wellness, and this segment introduces environmental wellness, an aspect that people might not think of. Venetia says, "By keeping our residents safe, that means keeping them away from illnesses as well. They want to feel safe and comfortable in their own environment, and we're also making sure they have everything they need in their spaces and in our buildings." Suzanne says, "There are so many seniors at home with throw rugs, they have to climb stairs, they might have rickety banisters, they might have a bathroom that is hard to navigate, maybe a tug they have to step over — all of these are huge fall risks for a senior, that's not an environment that supports someone, if they have vision or mobility issues. Environmental wellness also covers the things that bring people joy — it might be pictures on the wall, beautiful colors you like to wear, it's a way of expressing yourself." "Senior living is ADA compliant. If your loved one ever needs to have a walker, or a wheelchair, or if they get vision issues, the hallways have railings, and they have benches so that you can sit. Environmental wellnes also is being in an environment that is beautiful. One of the things that's so great about CarePartners is that the communities are beautiful." CarePartners Living currently has a move-in special that waives up to $2,000 in charges, based on your spend-down. They're encouraging families to try them out. With respite care, you can stay anywhere from 2-3 days to 2-3 weeks at a flat, daily rate. If you're on the fence, but you want to try it, give Venitia a call at 425-919-4006, or visit the CarePartners Living website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonya Hilson at CarePartners Living joins Suzanne talk about senior wellness and how the senior living world keeps ourselves grounded in the best quality of life. This segment focuses on social community, our ability to connect with others. Tonya is a Community Relations Director for CarePartners Living. Tonya says, "One of the things people ask about is that their mom is used to staying at home; will she be able to adapt to this new environment? They will meet new friends, we encourage that. Whether that means making sure she's available for an activity that's happening in the morning, or the afternoon, we just want her to be a part of it. It's so important — they look forward to it. Our residents look forward to the socialization, the activities, even meal times. You're not at home eating alone any more, you're at the table with friends." CarePartners Living currently has a move-in special that waives up to $2,000 in charges, based on your spend-down. They're encouraging families to try them out. With respite care, you can stay anywhere from 2-3 days to 2-3 weeks at a flat, daily rate. If you're on the fence, but you want to try it, give Venitia a call at 425-919-4006, or visit the CarePartners Living website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Venetia Dela Cruz from CarePartners Living joins Suzanne talk about senior wellness and how the senior living world fits into the quality of life for seniors. Venetia is Business Development Manager and works closely with the Community Relations Director. Soon AFE will be launching a program series on the Eight Foundational Principles of Wellness, and this hour touches on four of the principles. Emotional Wellness is at the core of our being, where we're most able to adapt to changes, and is our sense of well-being, feeling as if we're fit to take on the day, and also a willingness to nurture and be nurtured. It's key when moving into a senior living community, because, yes it is a change, but it's a change for the better. Instead of feeling isolated, watching TV at home all day, or be in a community that surrounds you with that kind of love and acceptance. CarePartners Living currently has a move-in special that waives up to $2,000 in charges, based on your spend-down. They're encouraging families to try them out. With respite care, you can stay anywhere from 2-3 days to 2-3 weeks at a flat, daily rate. If you're on the fence, but you want to try it, give Venitia a call at 425-919-4006, or visit the CarePartners Living website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asset protection attorney Darol Tuttle joins Suzanne. Darol shared a couple of stories. "I grew up poor, a farm boy. When I was three years old, I watched my grandfather die right in front of me. I can remember that vividly. Our family went on a different course from that day on. Our grandmother lived with us — she died two years ago, she lived another 54 years alone, relying on family members. And so, for me, the silver tsunami is biased, it's not gender neutral, it adversely affects women. The great thing is, the law has solutions." BoomX.biz, the BoomX Academy, is a membership site, an online digital academy. "There is a member level called Family Leaders, and these are people who are actively planning. For $44/month, we meet weekly for a live Q&A, they have exclusive checklists and guides, and that site also has a drafting app for a work product that I currently charge $8,000 for. You can draft that work product for $150 and you'll have it in your in-box immediately, the same app I use for my clients in my law firm, because I wrote the code for it." Learn more at the BoomX website or visit Darol's YouTube channel. Suzanne also shares a poignant story about dog adoptions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asset protection attorney Darol Tuttle joins Suzanne. Suzanne asks what is the easiest way to get started. Darol says, "The old model is you go to an expensive lawyer's office, with doorknobs made of gold. Some of these estate plans cost $15,000. My website, which I've been pouring my heart and soul into, is a great way to start. I'm a lawyer, I have a law firm, I practice law. However, to get started, you need information, you need to process it, sitting in the comfort of your home, reading an article, listening to a podcast. I have a podcast show - I had a radio show called the BoomX show on another network, for Baby Boomers and Ex Gen'ers. My website is BoomX.biz, the BoomX Academy, and it has several audio master classes on spousal protection trusts. A free master class introduces you to the power of the law, called The Roadmap, so you can get the idea." "Investing is offense, you're growing your money," Darol says. "There's no conversation about defending your money." We need to start early and plan, and have a grasp of what's going on. Learn more at the BoomX website or visit Darol's YouTube channel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asset protection attorney Darol Tuttle joins Suzanne. In our last segment, Darol talked about a spousal protection trust. Rules have changed for living trusts. Darol explains, "If you transfer a personal residence into a living trust for Medicaid purposes, the home is no longer exempt. That's poison. There's a court of appeals case for that, if you have a spousal protection trust in your will. For this trust, the surviving spouse cannot be the executor or the trustee of their own trust. Talking about the probability of financial loss, Washington is tax obsessed right now. If you want to double your exemption, set up a spousal protection trust. But for some people, even when they know that, there's some block to moving forward and taking a simple solution that guarantees a solution. "Spend-downs never apply. Brutal, brutal Medicaid spend-downs, which is what every retiree should be afraid of, even if you think you have it wired through your life and that of your spouse, $30,000 a month for long term care, although a remote possibility, it will clean your clocks, it will ruin everything. Take simple little precautions." A living trust doesn't protect finances, it just avoids probate. A living trust is disregarded by the IRS and Department of Revenue. Learn more at the BoomX website or visit Darol's YouTube channel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Attorney Darol Tuttle joins Suzanne to talk about going beyond estate planning in asset management. Darol explains the differences between estate planning and asset protection planning. Estate planning is about handing the transfer of your wealth to heirs after you've passed on. Asset protection focuses on protecting your assets while you're still alive, to finance your retirement throughout your life, and to fund the retirement of your spouse. You want specifically to defend against the three main threats, which are high unreimbursed medical expenses, unnecessary taxation, and family mismanagement/mistakes. A great example to illustrate: Washington is one of 12 states with an estate tax, the highest in the country, with a $2 million exemption. But these days a home could cost $1 million. A life insurance policy, even term, counts as your estate, so if you had a $1 million home and a $1 million insurance policy, you're hitting the cap. Washington also has a 7% capital gains tax. A bill introduced in Washington on January 20 proposed a third tax on wealth, a 1% tax on worldwide investments. So that's three unique wealth taxes in the state, eroding our nest eggs. Setting up a simple trust doubles the exemption of a couple to $4 million, saving about $160,000 in taxes. People going broke on long term care is a serious problem. People don't understand spousal protection, and another trust set up by Federal law says if you leave money for your spouse in a spousal protection trust, for their benefit, then Medicaid spend down and transfer penalties do not apply. This is the most important trust in asset protection law, and has the fewest penalties. So think about asset protection. Forget about asset transfer, think about putting the inheritance of your spouse in a bullet-proof silo so it doesn't have to be spent down to $2,000, so she doesn't have to be in poverty, so she can co-pay with Medicaid and have everything taken care of all the way to the finish line in comfort. Learn more at the BoomX website or visit his YouTube channel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architecture and Aging-in-Place expert Aaron Murphy, owner of ADM Architecture, joins Suzanne to talk about his vision for the website foreverhome-us.com in the next three to five years. If you're over 55, look at your home. Ask yourself these questions if you want to stay in your home as you get older: Can you navigate around your house when you're older? Are there stairs, can you navigate your bathrooms? If you were in a wheelchair, could you use the bathroom? Could you climb into a slippery bathtub? Do you have proper handrails? Could your home be adapted as you age? Yes, it is possible, and there's a great opportunity for architects, designers, and home remodelers to learn how. Murphy is building a one-stop place to visit where you can trust that everyone brought onto the team will be able to help. Check out foreverhome-us.com if you're a homeowner thinking about aging-in-place. The site has three main areas. First, if you want us to speak with members of your company, they can do that. Second is the opportunity for business owners to be trained. Third, there will be a nationwide database of aging place and universal housing design stock plans. The average buying cycle is seven years, but when you buy a home you ought to consider what it'll be like living there longer than that, especially if you're over 40. This might be your last home purchase. It's beneficial to think about aging in place questions even if you aren't worried about it now. Visit foreverhome-us.com to learn more. If you email [email protected] and say that you heard him on Answers For Elders, you'll get a free home evaluation checklist. If you're a consumer looking for a longevity plan house design, he will provide 50% off on the first house design, more than $1,000 savings. If you're a business owner thinking of getting into the industry, there's a phenomenal opportunity here. If you're interested in the course work to become an aging-in-place expert, you'll get 50% off on the first teaching module, also more than $1,000 off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Architecture and Aging-in-Place expert Aaron Murphy, owner of ADM Architecture, joins Suzanne. If you're a Baby Boomer concerned with how to live longer in your home, this hour is for you. With 10,000 people turning 65 each day, Murphy's site foreverhome-us.com takes what he does in his business, designing houses with aging in place and universal design solutions, and helps more people by bringing what he knows to a national level. Now instead of training the individual consumer, he trains the trainer. It will become a group of experts (general contractors, occupational therapists, remodelers, home designers) and all the affiliate products and things that go with staying at home. Visit foreverhome-us.com to learn more. If you email [email protected] and say that you heard him on Answers For Elders, you'll get a free home evaluation checklist. If you're a consumer looking for a longevity plan house design, he will provide 50% off on the first house design, more than $1,000 savings. If you're a business owner, interested in the course work to become an aging in place expert, you'll get 50% off on the first teaching module, also more than $1,000 off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.