Answers For Elders Radio Network

Suzanne talks with Julie Wilkins, Ignacio Lopez, and Rebecca Martin to talk about MorningStar Senior Living's Lavender Sky program. Rebecca Martin is VP of Memory Care, Julie Wilkins is Vice President of Clinical Resources at EmpowerMe Wellness, and Ignacio Lopez is a dementia resident expert at MorningStar at West Valley. This segment focuses on where we go in the future with breakthroughs in Alzheimer's and dementia therapies, and how they plan for the future with Lavender Sky, the communities' holistic approach to Alzheimer's and Dementia memory care. Rebecca says, “We're constantly reevaluating our current programs, just looking at our new clientele, and unfortunately, we do see an increase in earlier onset Alzheimer's and dementia. So how does programming change for somebody that is 55 or 60 versus our our previous clientele that was in the older ages of 80 and 90. So we've looked at a lot of different holistic modalities and the benefits in implementing them into our program offerings, and just see so much success from that. So that's I think really where we're going is furthering the development of our activity offerings.” Julie says, “There's just a ton of research being done. Things come out every month. We are constantly updating our program. One of the more interesting things of late has been the connection between music and improved memory, improved depression, agitation, and the areas that are stimulated in the brain by music. But the other piece of that is the individualized component. We strongly associate music of certain types with emotions and experiences, so we always want to make sure that we're pairing, you know, something that has a positive impact on the individual, or a type of music that they've always enjoyed, or something that has always made them feel uplifted or calmed in something. Ignacio says, “We're looking at things to include like cognitive stimulation therapy as well, and new things that are always up and coming. We want layer those into our Lavender Sky program as well. What we know about cognitive stimulation therapy is that it can really help people in the earlier stages of dementia to maintain their independence, longer, have better word-finding skills, better emotional control, and really just overall better quality of life. It's a therapy that's been around for several years, but we're seeing more studies that show excellent success in even reducing the need for dementia medications. And if we can do that just by engaging our residence in these creative ways, in additional holistic modalities and therapies, then that's our goal, quality of life, 100 percent.” Learn more at https://www.morningstarseniorliving.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rebecca Martin, MorningStar Senior Living’s VP of Memory Care, joins Suzanne to talk about their Lavender Sky program. Lavender Sky is the communities’ Alzheimer's and dementia memory care philosophy and programming services, which takes a holistic approach. Why is it called Lavender Sky? Rebecca explains, “That really comes from our tagline at MorningStar, which is to cast a new light, and that is our goal, just knowing that so many people come to us having those feelings of despair or anxiety, and wanting to find the best place for their senior loved one. And also, the color dark purple is often associated with Alzheimer's, so we decided, when we cast light on the darkness of all of those emotions, that we can really bring peace to those families, that we can lift them up to a lighter, more hopeful space. And just doing so lightens that color to lavender. So we chose to call it Lavender Sky. And for the soothing properties of lavender, the plant, which is known to help therapeutically soothe anxiety.” Rebecca continues, “The program is really more than just a training program. This is our philosophy on memory care with staff training, family support services, and our signature standards that you can see in all 32 of our homes. What we did there is branch off of our mission statement and our commitment to really value all seniors as gifted in contributing individuals. We thought, how do we continue to do that despite the challenges that come with dementia? How do we continue to draw out those gifts and support our seniors to really feel genuinely valued? “We've had the Lavender Sky training program since about 2013. It has evolved over the years, and the program has been developing over this past year to include additional layers: the family support, and even community training for first responders, or anybody that really just wants to have a greater understanding of dementia and Alzheimer's. “We require all of our staff to go through the Lavender Sky training. So, whether they work in culinary, housekeeping, or the front desk, we want them to have that deeper understanding of what dementia is, because 70% of our residents, even in assisted living, can have some cognitive challenges. So we want them to be able to identify when someone might benefit from additional support, or how to redirect somebody that may have some cognitive challenges. And we just want everyone to feel fully comfortable, equipped, and confident that they know how to engage with a resident, how to redirect them if necessary. And to really understand, with great empathy, what's physically going on with their cognitive decline.” See a video introduction of Lavender Sky with Rebecca Martin, and learn more atMorningStar Senior Living’s website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suzanne is joined by Ignacio Lopez III, CDP, dementia resident expert at MorningStar Senior Living's new community, MorningStar at West Valley in San José, California. They have a dedicated art studio, fitness studio, living areas, two dining rooms, and a sky terrace. The Lavender Sky approach is to serve them, enter their world and embrace them where they are. The community is set up for person-centric care. They are scheduled to open in January and taking reservations, with Founder's Club members having many perks. Learn more at https://www.morningstarseniorliving.com/communities/memory-care-san-jose-west-valley/. Their information center is located at 3920 Williams Rd, Suite B in San José.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julie Wilkins, Vice President of Clinical Resources at EmpowerMe Wellness, joins Suzanne to talk about their Mindful Living memory program, a formalized approach to addressing the needs of seniors who are experiencing memory loss or a decline in function related to dementia or other cognitive issues. It is based on Claudia Allen's work of the six levels of cognition, which is a test that evaluates the ability of someone to make decisions, maintain independence and safely perform basic skills. Mindful Living is used to identify seniors showing memory problems or decreased ability to function in their residence, determine their functional level, educate on coping strategies, and provide non-pharmacological interventions to enhance quality of life and improve their ability to function. Julie explains, “We have developed an individualized approach. So not only do we start with determining what level they're at, but we also take into consideration who their relationships are with, and the depth of those relationships, in addition to what is the structure of their day. Some folks do just fine until the afternoon, and that's when it breaks down, and we have to figure out what triggers the breakdown. “If we have a family member that's concerned, we'll bring them in for a screening. We do some assessments: what is their day like, how are they managing in their residence? What things can they do, what things are they having trouble doing? From there we can get an idea if we need to do more specialty testing to delve into really what the cause of the problems are. We need the level screening that I talked about, and then from there, we set goals with the resident and the caregivers and family in mind, so everybody contributes to those goals: What are the important things for them to do? How can we keep their level of independence as much and as long as possible?” Follow the links to learn more about Julie Wilkins, the Allen Cognitive Level screen, EmpowerMe Wellness, and the Mindful Living program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living joins Suzanne to talk about CarePartners memory care and their Bonded Pairs program, which keeps spouses together at a senior living community. Kelley talked about CarePartners cottages: "The cottages has been such a winner from the very beginning, and it allows residents autonomy because they each live in a little house — they have their own little bedroom, everybody has a bathroom, there's a common area, a kitchen, and usually they've got cookies or bread or something baking to make it smell good all the time. And residents have snacks in the refrigerator. They can go out to a beautiful, secure courtyard and enjoy being out in our beautiful weather. We have umbrella areas and undercover areas for them to sit outside and enjoy beautiful things. And they can visit other cottages, so if they have a friend that lives across the street, they can go visit, like a little village. But it works. It works, because they get to be outside, they get to they get to move. Activities have also been brought in. You want it to feel for them like the little house they used to live in. It's just it's kind of neat to have, like you know, a barbecue or something going on and have all the rest of the neighbors and out in the courtyards and enjoying their neighborhood.” Regarding Bonded Pairs, this is for any couple, where they're safe together. “Bonded Pairs doesn't have to be a married couple. It can be any bonded pair. We've had a mother and daughter team. Our goal is to keep them together as long as possible. We'll come into the room providing care. You know, we can do all the same things for that loved one that we do in memory care. Maybe there's time for their haircut, and they gotta go run by the bank, but she's just not having a bad day. They can take mom up to memory care. She can hang out with us for a couple of hours while he runs his errand he can't come back and pick her up. So it works out really well. But at night, you know when when they're going to sleep, and she's right tucked in next to him and he's not worried about what's happening upstairs, and she's not scared because she's alone.” They purchased The Arbor in Bremerton, Washington and Lynden Manor in Whatcom County, Washington. “We've already gotten the chance to make some improvements at Lynden Manor. Not that it needed a lot, but sometimes when you've been in a building for a long time, you don't see things. We've got a lot of new things planned. We just did a really fun party for the residents, with a petting zoo, a band, and good food. The Seahawks Legends got to come visit. But it's gorgeous and it has independent, assisted living, and memory here all right there on this gorgeous ground. And again they seem like all of other CarePartners properties. They do that that beautiful spend down. You don't have to worry about, what am I gonna do if I run out of money? You just stay, have a great life, have fun. It's a beautiful community.” CarePartners has also expanded into Arizona with three communities. “We're building in Tuson. There's Cottage Lane at Vineyard Park Surprise, Arizona. They don't use the phrase independent living in Arizona, it's more advanced care for assisted living, and then memory care, with all three in a one-story building that's really easy to navigate. The building is fantastic, again, great care team, beautiful people. The rooms are amazing. I'd live there, it's fantastic.” Learn more at their website at <a...

Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living joins Suzanne to talk about the most common questions she's asked every day about Alzheimer's and Dementia. Kelley explained, “People want to know what a normal day looks like. You may go in for a tour and see people sleeping on the couch. Depending on the time, they'd probably be doing that at home — and this is their home. Don't expect there to be parties every time you visit, because the job isn't to entertain the residents constantly, it's to keep them in a homelike environment where they feel safe and secure. There are all sorts of activities from doing somebody's nails to playing a card game, or something else that's entertaining. But the most important thing is not that mom needs to be entertained, but that she needs to feel needed. CarePartners learns as much about the residents. One family sat us down, told us all about their beautiful mother who moved into our Mill Creek community. The activity girl ran down and got all these vases, and all these gorgeous flowers, because the mother was a flower arranger. She now does all of the flowers at the community. That's the kind of stuff you'll see in dementia communities. It's not always cupcakes and popcorn balls. You need to meet these folks where they're at, at the moment.” Sometimes mom wakes up and see her husband — but she remembers what her husband was like 30 or 40 years ago, not the old man in bed next to her, and she doesn't recognize him. Another common thing is that grandma will fixate on a teen grandson, and he doesn't get it, and thinks grandma's being weird. Do you look anything like grandpa when he was young? In her mind, Mom will go back in time. Certain things don't make sense to us, because in their mind, they're back to 32 again, and you should be about 12. Rarely, they don't recognize the spouse. Most of the time that's the only person they recognize as their disease progresses. But when it seems Mom can't remember your name. Kelley says, “I'm gonna tell you right now. I think, in their heart, they always know who you are. I think that's why things get calm after a visit. I think that's why, even if they don't recognize you, just your presence can be good for them. Don't give up on them just because they've hurt your feelings. Think about what they're going through.” When families get to this point, and ask how can they best bridge my loved one into a community of care such as CarePartners, they ask what their first steps should be. Kelley advises, “The first thing they should do is start checking things out before it becomes an emergency. The problem with memory care is, by the time we get folks, there's either been an emergency, or we're about to have one. Make your decisions sooner. Start doing some research a little bit beforehand. Pick out communities that you like. I would pick out one or two, not just one. And the reason is, what if the time comes when mom needs to move, and they're full? So check out a couple of places, make sure you like a couple of them. Ask the right questions. And then as far as your loved one goes, you're gonna know, and a lot of times if you're taking them back and forth to a doctor, the doctor at some point will make a recommendation, and it's time. We've never had a problem with anybody really refusing to move in. You know, that's not really a problem because most folks are either they're ready for memory care or they're happy that assisted living is going to be a bridge.” In the next segment, Kelley and Suzanne talk about the CarePartners Bonded Pairs program. Kelley explained, “One of the situations we realized we're having is that kids were coming to mom and dad, and separating them because one of them has Alzheimer's. We think we should go put Mom in this place. And dad's like, “I'll be darned if you're going to take mom from me,” and mom doesn't want to be taken from dad. So what we came up with was the Bonded Pairs program. And at our Mount

Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living joins Suzanne to talk about different types of dementia, and how to approach caring for a senior loved one. If you contact the Alzheimer's Association, they'll tell you there are over a hundred different types of dementia. Alzheimer's is the kind of dementia you see the most, and you also see vascular dementia that can be brought on by a number of different things. Heart disease, COPD. You also see Lewy body dementia, which unfortunately is very common with many Parkinson's residents. You don't have to have Parkinson's to get Lewy body, but that also forms a very different behavior, a very different outlook. Also, a 45 year old person who gets Alzheimer's will probably be deceased by 50, and an 89 year old woman's with Alzheimer's will probably live out their life. We as family members think we're doing right by a loved one because we have them at home, but we really are clueless when it comes to communication. We don't know how to stimulate their brains — we don't have those skill sets. What should they expect in a home care situation? You need to take a look at the situation. If your loved one is still safe at home — they're not wandering, they're not at risk, they're still in the first stages — can you bring in some home care to kind of help out with a few things, maybe some housekeeping, whatever it takes to keep them at home? As long as they're safe at home, it's never a bad idea. When we get to the dementia part, where we have science experiments in the refrigerator and medication not being taken on time, then it's time to ask: Is it really realistic for us to keep mom and dad at home? What's it doing to my health, what's it doing to our situation? And is it working? Is mom happy? And if the truth is it's not working, she's not happy, then you have to start looking at some outside options. And there's adult family homes, there's assisted living, memory care-type communities, there are options out there. But you have to figure out what's going to be best for them with their personality and their abilities, and their social skill at the time that the placement has become necessary. In the next segment, Kelley and Suzanne talk about various care options for those with Alzheimer's and dementia. Learn more at CarePartners’ website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living joins Suzanne to discuss how to talk about dementia or Alzheimer's with your senior loved one. We all get forgetful at times, depending on our stress level and workload. You can be forgetful at 20, you can be forgetful at 40. You can be forgetful at 80. Normal forgetfulness is you're walking out the door; did you bring your keys? Not normal is you've got medications on the counter that are eight years old, but you think that you just got them. Unless we have a long-distance relationship with our families, we usually can tell when there's been a decline that's significant enough to make a difference. Watch for signs of danger: is the person becoming a danger to themselves or other people? If you think that's an issue, get them in to see their doctor to get a proper diagnosis. How do you bring that up? First, put yourself in the other person's shoes. Understand that what you're going to talk to them about is scary. This is not an easy conversation for you to have, but it's a harder conversation for them to have. Think about the message you want to convey — ask them how they're feeling. Ask them if they're noticing things: are they feeling a little bit different, and are they noticing things are a little tougher or harder, or whatever it is you've noticed in the home? Also keep the family dynamic in mind. Kelley shared this story: “One time 15 years ago my mom got really sick and was in the hospital for a long time, and finally they said she could go home, but they really recommended she had some extra care. And I said, hey, I'm the oldest kid, I'm the daughter. I'll come take care of you. And she said, yea, No. My feelings were hurt for just a minute, but then I got it. She did not want our dynamic to change. She didn't want to become my child. If I had gotten sick and she took care of me, there wouldn't have been any dignity issues, because she's already been doing that from the time I was born.” You have to think about that when you're having these conversations with your loved ones. Try not to put them in a position where their dignity could be a concern. Maybe they don't want you to be the person who cares for them, and don't take that personally. You're gonna have to honor their wishes as well. In the next segment, Kelley and Suzanne talk more about connecting with our senior loved ones in a new way. Learn more at CarePartners’ website. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Luetke, founder and CEO Sound Dental Care, joins Suzanne to talk about breakthroughs in geriatric dental care. In this segment, Sarah talks about her mission and where the breakthroughs will take us. Her goal and team is about serving others, helping family members, and trying something different. We're all aging, and we're all going to go through this process – seniors should be able to live out their lives feeling like they're being cared for, in a humane way, being advocated. Learn more at https://www.sounddentalcare.com/ or call 206-745-3808.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Luetke, founder and CEO Sound Dental Care, joins Suzanne to talk about breakthroughs in geriatric dental care. Sarah shares a story: “I saw a couple - husband and wife's spouse - for years at the private practice. I was their hygienist at the dental office, and both had excellent teeth, lots of crowns in their mouth. Anytime they needed work done, they financially did it, they could afford it, they believed in it, and they just had beautiful mouths, healthy mouths. The husband came in one day, and I hadn't seen his wife in a few years, and he said, ‘I haven't had her in because she now lives in a nursing home, and I'm really worried about her. She has 10 to 15 teeth that have broken off to the gum line since you guys saw her last.’ So the dentist said, ‘Sarah, you're starting your your mobile company, why don't you go to the nursing home and see her?’ I saw her, and I sent photos to the dentist, and nd he said, ‘There is no way I'm extracting all those teeth — some dentists may extract all of those, but he said on an Alzheimer's patient they would need general sedation, it's not in her best interest. He said, “why don't you go do that thing you do?” And that thing the thing I do is a palliative care or an alternative treatment with silver diamine fluoride, an antimicrobial prescription topical. You apply it with a Q-tip, you apply it to a cavity, you can apply it to root tips. I've applied it to abscesses where a patient isn't healthy enough for an extraction. What can we do? The medical doctor will put the patient on a systemic antibiotic and I will treat it with silver diamine from a clinical point, and together we will try to do everything we can to keep the patient healthy. So this is what I did for my patient, and I continued to care for her for five years. She had quit eating a lot of her favorite foods before the silver treatment. Those teeth did turn black, as it arrested the cavities. If that's a concern to the patient or the family, you can always have tooth-colored fillings put on top of them. But you don't have to. Her husband said, no, just leave it. She started eating bacon again. She she lived for five more years. And the cost is so much less than doing a filling. As a matter of fact, in our practice, we charge no extra for our private pay patients. And if we bill insurance and they don't pay for it, we write it off because we feel that it is the best thing, better than a cleaning. It's the best thing we can do for a patient.” Learn more at https://www.sounddentalcare.com/ or call 206-745-3808.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Luetke, founder and CEO Sound Dental Care, joins Suzanne to talk about breakthroughs in geriatric dental care and services. COVID changed a lot of things for a lot of people, and the pandemic really sped up tele-dentistry and mobile dentistry. If you Google mobile dentistry, there are many many people - providers, whether it be dentists, hygienists, dental therapists, denturists - starting to be mobile. Thinking outside of the box of traditional dentistry is really opening up doors. Tele-dentistry allows an offsite dentist to supervise a hygienist or diagnose something and give them permission to treat a patient in a different way. If you have a senior loved one who's in a senior living community or goes to a community center, there are are services available for people who might not necessarily be able to make it into a dental office to bring dental care to them. Washington state law that allows hygienists to operate independently in certain settings: Sound Dental Care only cares for patients 65 and older at nursing homes and senior centers. As a mobile firm, she has less overhead and be more mindful of seniors on fixed incomes, anyone that no longer has an active paycheck coming in. And oftentimes people no longer have dental insurance once they are no longer with their employer dental insurance. The pandemic evolved mobile dentistry. When Sound Dental Care started in 2016, they did bring a dental chair with them into the senior living community - a patient chair, dental chair, and an operator chair, as well as the whole ultrasonic, suction, and everything else you'd see have at a dental office. But due to the pandemic, a lot of these facilities could not buy state mandates to let patients out of their room. For her hygiene practice, she prefers to take everything into the building. As a denturist, she has a mobile denture van; the patient is still in the building, but if she need to go do something with their dentures, she has a lab right there. There are other providers that have patients come into their van or their motor home for services. But Sound Dental Care works with patients who need assistance moving about, and they're higher-risk patients, so they are better cared for in the building. And that makes sense, too, because staff is there, in case of a problem, with a dementia patient who might have a panic attack. Sound Dental Care does many preventative type treatments, including alternative palliative care with silver diamine fluoride. It used to be used in the United States, but we shifted to the use of local anesthetic, drilling and filling, and when patients started thinking cosmetically. It is a liquid antimicrobial containing silver and fluoride, and silver ions, and it halts decay in a cavity or a tooth that's broken off. In our next segment, Sarah and Suzanne will talk more about advances in geriatric dental health. Learn more at https://www.sounddentalcare.com/ or call 206-745-3808.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Luetke, founder and CEO Sound Dental Care, joins Suzanne to talk about geriatric dental health. Sarah has worked in dentistry for over 20 years, for some time in Bainbridge, a very affluent community as a dental hygienist for a group practice dentist. Patients had the ability to pay for dental care that could keep up on their dental health. She has also had the opportunity to work in farm communities in Montana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota where people don't have the finances to do everything to restore their teeth. She saw patients being offered amazing dental care services. And in America, we are aging people with teeth. Previous generations had teeth pulled and maybe had dentures. Now we have much better technology, but it can be expensive. If you're having tooth pain and you can't afford traditional dentistry, or you can't get into the dental office even if you have the money, it's a big problem. So as a hygienist, Sarah's goal has been advocating for health and educating her patients. Seniors may not necessarily do as good a job with their dental care. They're perhaps not eating as many crunchy items, things that can help break down things, and instead eating softer foods. For Alzheimer's patients, the action of chewing and masticating food actually helps the brain and function. In our next segment, Sarah and Suzanne talk about advances in geriatric dental health. Learn more at https://www.sounddentalcare.com/ or call 206-745-3808.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pauline Smith, executive director of Encore Communities at Laurel Cove in Shoreline, Washington joins Suzanne to talk about how the community supports families of senior loved ones. Encore Communities at Laurel Cove is located at 17201 15th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155. Learn more at https://encorecommunities.com/laurel-cove or call 206-364-9336.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With high rates of Alzheimer's in Washington, Suzanne talks about memory care at Encore Communities at Laurel Cove in Shoreline, Washington with executive director Pauline Smith. She talks about memory care and the services provided for those with Alzheimer's. Encore Communities at Laurel Cove is located at 17201 15th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155. Learn more at https://encorecommunities.com/laurel-cove or call 206-364-9336.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Working with seniors in their 70s or 80s who are considering downsizing to senior living. The thought of moving is unpleasant, especially for people who have lived in their home for a generation or move. Pauline Smith, executive director of Encore Communities at Laurel Cove in Shoreline, Washington joins Suzanne to talk about how Laurel Cove helps. With the senior, they help brainstorm through the process, they have community partners who help with downsizing, estate sales, packing, moving, which helps a lot. Respite stays are available so all people have to do is pack a suitcase. Encore Communities at Laurel Cove is located at 17201 15th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155. Learn more at https://encorecommunities.com/laurel-cove or call 206-364-9336.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pauline Smith, executive director of Encore Communities at Laurel Cove in Shoreline, Washington joins Suzanne to talk about Laurel Cove, an independent assisted living and memory care residence in one community. Starting out in skilled nursing as a caregiver, Pauline progressed to resident care coordinator and eventually executive director. They also talk about seniors in their 70s or 80s who are considering making a shift to senior living and reasons why they might make a move. Encore Communities at Laurel Cove is located at 17201 15th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155. Learn more at https://encorecommunities.com/laurel-cove or call 206-364-9336.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this segment, Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, talks with Suzanne about the differences faced during the sale of a senior loved one's home in situations were there's an only child and where there are multiple siblings. People in each situation envies the other. If you are a caregiver, you've got to take breaks, have balance and boundaries. Don't fall into the slippery slope of being everything to your loved one until you burn out. Find SASH Services at sashservices.com or sashrealty.com, or call 888-400-SASH.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bumpy family dynamics are normal through transitions and a senior loved one's home sale. It's not a matter of whether there will be differing opinions, conflicts, and differences in goals, it's when they'll come up. Continuing from the previous segment, Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, talks about some more family roles some people might resonate with: the "expert" who knows more than anyone on every topic, the "user" (person siphoning the loved one's resources), the volunteer angel, as well as the rallying team, a beautiful rallying of all the family members to help the loved one which makes an immeasurable impact. Find SASH Services at sashservices.com or sashrealty.com, or call 888-400-SASH.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this segment, Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, describes some typical roles that siblings and family members fall into during the sale of a senior loved one's home — why they fall into these role, how that impacts the whole family dynamic, and how we can provide support to these people during our care for a senior loved one. Rebecca talks about family roles some people might resonate with, such as the devoted advocate, the sacrificial lamb (stretched-to-the-limit home caregiver), armchair quarterback, and the no-show. The bottom line is supporting the best interests of the senior loved one, at the end of the day. Find SASH Services at sashservices.com or sashrealty.com, or call 888-400-SASH.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have a family going through changes with a senior loved on, or is expecting soon to go through a transition, this is show you may want to listen to. Family plays an outsized role during transitions. With all the stress, strife, and confusion for caregivers, it's easy to come apart at the seams with the family you love, particularly since it's the family home that's going to be sold. Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, joins Suzanne to explain a few things that happen to families during transitions so that you'll know what you're experiencing is normal. It's hard to let go, and place your trust in someone outside yourself. Build a team around you who can keep you going strong: professionals, social workers, and caregivers. Find SASH Services at sashservices.com or sashrealty.com, or call 888-400-SASH.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nationally renowned Alzheimer's and dementia expert Lori La Bey joins Suzanne from Minneapolis at Alzheimer’s Speaks. In this segment, Lori introduces the Dementia Map, a global resource directory, event calendar, glossary, and blog. There's such a need to connect families with products and tools to find support. They don't want to give away their personal information to find tools. It's crafted to be as simple as possible to use, since caregivers are exhausted and our loved ones can be easily distracted. There are 150 searchable categories by location. Visit Dementia Map to see more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you know of someone who is dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia, or caregiving for them, direct them to Lori La Bey's resources at Alzheimer’s Speaks. Nationally renowned Alzheimer's and dementia expert Lori La Bey joins Suzanne to talk about educational videos, dementia quick tips, the Purple Angel Project, a list of dementia-friendly businesses, blog, caregiver roadmap, poetry, art, news, and more. See these free resources and tools for caregivers. Listen and subscribe to Lori's podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The need in the community drove Suzanne to form Answers for Elders, Similarly, nationally renowned Alzheimer's and dementia expert Lori La Bey was frustrated by the lack of resources, products, tools, services, and educational support available to families and professionals back when she needed them to help care for her mom. She became committed to make a difference shifting dementia care from crisis to comfort around the world. See these free resources and tools for caregivers. Listen and subscribe to Lori's podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This fall, nationally renowned Alzheimers and dementia expert Lori La Bey joins Suzanne from Minneapolis at Alzheimer's Speaks. Lori talks about her personal experiences with her mom, who was first diagnosed in the 1980s. La Bey is a passionate advocate who searches for ways to shift our dementia care culture from crisis to comfort around the world. She understands change is needed on multiple levels. Listen and subscribe to Lori's podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grief can be overwhelming, and for seniors going through it, it's a powerful effect on our bodies. Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living talks to Suzanne about how to hep, buy paying attention, being available, taking action to support loved ones, honoring that they need time to work through the process. This segment talks about what a senior living community needs to know to provide the right help for someone working through the grieving process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living has talked to Suzanne about senior dynamics and what families are going through regarding grief. This segment is about things to do, steps you can take, actions. Don't offer advice unless they ask for it. They need someone to listen. It's hard to be around someone who's sad, but be nice, it's better for them to be around people. It's heartwarming to be invited somewhere even if you feel depressed enough not to want to get out of bed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living joins Suzanne to talk about grief. With the loss of a loved one, Kelley talks about how to support those who are in the grieving process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living joins Suzanne to talk about grief. How many of us have lost loved ones during the pandemic, having illnesses resulting from the pandemic, taking care of spouses or loved ones who are struggling? We turn ourselves inside out while caring for a loved one. Kelley shares insights about grief, how people process grief, and how we can be better at supporting and helping those working through the grieving process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, summarizes her eight tips to make your home sale more successful in a changing real estate market. See her previous segments in this hour for details about each of the tips. People have seen price reductions and seeing a 45-day period to sell their home after the crazy seller's market. Recently in the Pacific northwest, about 1,900 homes were new listings, while 2,100 reduced their price and 400+ canceled the listings. Your broker should bring this sort of data tailored to your specific local market, and their communication skills are of paramount importance. Homes sell every week of the year, every season, every economic cycle. If you didn't list in the spring in summer, you don't have to wait till next year. You can list on Thanksgiving. Rebecca once listed a house on December 23rd and got seven offers before the end of the year. You can still have a successful sale if you follow the tips: 1) Presentation matters. 2) Study your competition. 3) Price in the sweet spot. 4) Broken should have a multifaceted marketing plan. 5) Interview potential real estate brokers. 6) Buyers can ask for concessions. 7) The best offer usually comes during the first week. 8) Be collaborative with potential buyers. Find SASH Services at sashservices.com or sashrealty.com, or call 888-400-SASH.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, provides more tips to make your home sale more successful. Sellers should expect these things in a changing real estate market.6) It's OK for buyers to ask for concessions such as help with closing costs now that interest rates are rising. Buyers can ask for inspections and for repairs to be made prior to closing. Appraisal work orders are being seen now, all normal. Also, contingent sales — allowing extra closing time for the buyer to sell their home and lease options may come up. No seller should take offense; these are normal concessions.7) The best offer usually comes during the first week. You will have the most traffic your first week. Don't wait for a better one; don't scare away the only buyer you have now in hopes of getting a different one, though you should encourage negotiation and multiple offers.8) Take good care of your potential buyers. When you have one or two potential buyers, you want to be friendly, accommodating, and flexible. You both want to close the sale, so collaborate to tackle and solve obstacles together.Hear some general market statistics and a summary of Rebecca's tips in our next segment. Find SASH Services at sashservices.com or sashrealty.com, or call 888-400-SASH.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Continuing from part 1, SASH Services founder Rebecca Bomann provides more tips to make your home sale more successful in a changing real estate market. 2) Study your competition. Look at who is listing their home now, how are they priced, how do they compare to your home. Swipe through photos on real estate apps. 3) Price your home in the sweet spot: not so high that nobody comes to see it, not so low that you feel you left money on the table. Pick your sale price one or two days before listing, not earlier. Buyers are very well educated, can easily check comparative prices on their phones, can tell if a house is priced too high, or how many price drops you've had. Don't base it on what your neighbor got six months ago; it must be priced based on current market data. If you get a lot of activity the first week, it's priced right. If you have no offers after a few weeks, then it's priced too high and it should be reduced 3-5 percent. The market never lies. 4) Have a multifaceted marketing plan. You can't just put it on the market and expect a flood of offers. Your real estate broker needs to earn their commission: Host 2-3 open houses the first week, some in twilight hours for people just off work; make gorgeous flyers on nice paper to show pride of ownership; make excellent video or virtual tours; promote online on social media and in real estate apps to drive traffic. 5) Interview potential real estate brokers. Research who you're going with. How do they showcase other listings? Don't just pick your nephew because they're related. There's so much at stake when the proceeds are going to fund your care for the rest of your life — you don't want to leave money on the table. Hear more tips in our next segment. Find SASH Services at sashservices.com or sashrealty.com, or call 888-400-SASH.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The real estate has shifted since May. You can still enjoy a successful change in your home sale, but a few expectations have changed. Since the pandemic in March 2020, it's been a frenzied seller's market with high sale prices and multiple offers. You can always count on the market changing, and now the market is leveling to become less lopsided. 18% yearly appreciation, having to make offers on multiple homes, waiving inspections, waiving appraisals, non-refundable earnest money, with little inventory available for sale is not a sustainable situation. It was fun for sellers for a couple of years, but a balanced market where buyers have some leverage is a more stable market. Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, provides tips to make your home sale more successful in a changing real estate market. You can still sell a home within a few days, but you need to follow guidelines to make that happen. 1) Presentation matters. During the seller's market, you'd see sellers leaving garbage cans out in front of the house and brokers taking dark, fuzzy photos. Today, sellers need to present a clean, well-lit, uncluttered home. Put your home in its Sunday best. Pack up or sell some of the things you don't need because it will photograph better, and insist on professional photography. You don't have to do all the work yourself. SASH Services can take care of the hard work, the downsizing, sprucing up, and moving parts so you can just worry about moving into your new destination. Hear more tips in the next segments. Find SASH Services at sashservices.com or sashrealty.com, or call 888-400-SASH. Lead image © Can Stock Photo / FeverpitchedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elder law attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to talk about what to do when a care facility threatens to discharge or evict a senior loved one. There are specific federal rules that apply when the reason for the discharge is failure to pay: * No "failure to pay" if Medicaid application is pending - If not first application, there must be difference from first * Maybe no "failure to pay" if state hearing or appeal is pending * Facility may try to discharge despite the Medicaid application Just the fact that they are prohibited from these discharge threats doesn't mean they won't try. If they succeed because the family doesn't know any better, then they get away with it. If someone wants to challenge a threat to discharge, make sure you follow all these steps: * Appeal instructions are in the discharge notice * Appeal to the appropriate governmental office ** Include a copy of the proposed discharge paperwork in your appeal ** Send a copy of your appeal to the facility Have the written discharge notice before you began your appeal. You have 30 days, but don't wait to appeal — if you don't appeal soon enough, the facility can go ahead and discharge them. If you win your appeal after that, the facility is first in line to take them back, so long as they have the space. Possible defenses against the discharge: * Challenge the reason for discharge ** If discharge is for failure to pay, show there is aa pending application or appeal * Challenge the choice of their new facility as not appropriate ** If it's your home, for instance, show how it can't meet the loved one's needs * Challenge failure of proper notice In a hearing, the nursing home or assisted living facility goes first, because they carry the burden of proof. When it's your turn, you're probably going to have to be specific about why the new place isn't appropriate. The hearing officer will assume because it was on the notice that it's appropriate, unless you say otherwise. Challenging them is not easy. Every family should have an elder law attorney, because all sorts of situations happen. Watch on YouTube to see slides from Jim's presentation. Learn more about Jim Koewler at his website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We sign all sorts of paperwork when a senior loved one is admitted to a nursing home, assisted living, or memory care community. But often we don't know what we're signing. Elder law attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to explain exactly what we're signing, and helps us spot legal red flags in the paperwork. This segment focuses on a care facility's threats to discharge or evict a loved one. These rules apply to communities that take Medicare or Medicaid, regardless of whether your loved one is using those programs. If they're private pay, if there's a problem along the way, these laws may still apply: Must give 30 days advance notice, unless Resident's health has improved Resident hasn't yet been there for 30 days Health or Safety Emergency to anyone in the facility Medical Emergency for Resident (Hospitalization) Must still give notice as early as is practical The "health or safety emergency" is often used in cases where a resident has improperly touched or threatened others. The notice of discharge must contain: Reason for proposed discharge Proposed date of discharge Proposed new care facility Right to a hearing and how to request it Long-Term Care Ombudsman contact information The proposed new facility may not be the site where the loved one ends up going, because of circumstances that happen in the ensuing 30 days, but a site must be proposed. While preparing to discharge: A new place must be able to meet care needs New place needs to agree to take the personNot necessarily at time of notice of dischargeRequired at time of actual discharge Old place must ensure a safe, orderly discharge Given the threat of discharge to your residence, anyone challenging the discharge should say that your residence is unable to meet care needs, or else the hearing officer can assume whatever is on the notice is appropriate. They may say you have to come and take your loved one, but no, that is not a safe discharge. They have to make transportation arrangements. The ombudsman should give you this information, but we don't know that they will, or how much they know. Services in the Seattle area such as Sound Generations and Homage Senior Services help seniors with discharges and qualifying for Medicaid. Reach out to your city or county departments of aging but Watch on YouTube to see slides from Jim's presentation. Learn more about Jim Koewler at his website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elder law attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to talk about the admissions paperwork we have to sign when a senior love one comes into a skilled nursing facility. Most nursing home and assisting living agreements now have a spot where they want someone else from the family to sign as "resident representative." Subject to federal rules: Resident Representative: Promise to pay from resident's money Has "Sole" control of the resident's money "Volunteer" to guarantee payment Will take in resident if the nursing home discharges the senior loved one The second point you're signing, that you have "sole" control of the resident's money, is often not the case. You may have the ability to spend mom's money as power of attorney, but you don't have sole control unless you're the guardian of their estate — your mom can still also spend her money. If you sign that, you've already lied. The admission person handing this for you to sign doesn't know the difference, but the nursing home's attorney knows it isn't true and has put it in there anyway. The third part means if you sign this, you personally will be held accountable to pay bills. The fourth part meets state and federal rules for the nursing home to provide a save environment in case of discharge. You don't want to agree to these items if you can avoid it. If there's a Medicaid mess-up, then you become responsible for the private pay of your loved one's care. This actually happened to Suzanne, who signed admission papers for her mom even though she wasn't her mom's power of attorney, because someone had to fill out the forms, and by signing, she "volunteered" to cover the bills. How do you avoid this? Watch for it; cross it out. Or if you don't want to draw attention to that, sign your name with a comma, followed by POA. This means that you're signing this on behalf of the loved one, not as your individual self, which legally protects you from agreeing to consequences that affect you personally. Suzanne urges anyone who's facing these situations to consult with an elder law attorney so they you can avoid the situation she found herself in. Watch on YouTube to see slides from Jim's presentation. Learn more about Jim Koewler at his website. Lead image © Can Stock Photo / aoo3771See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elder law attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to talk about the admissions paperwork we have to sign when a senior love one comes into a skilled nursing facility. In part one, they talked about how the agreement should document what services are available that meet your loved one's needs. This segment focuses on aspects of the agreement that are subject to federal rules. Under CMS rules, a place that takes Medicare and Medicaid: Can't demand giving up right to Medicaid, unless the facility doesn't accept Medicaid Can't demand a waver of personal property loss Arbitration Agreement: Resident can reject at signing, can rescind up to 40 days after signing Watch on YouTube to see slides from Jim's presentation. Learn more about Jim Koewler at his website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour addresses all the paperwork — legal contracts — involved in a loved one's transition to senior living. Sometimes you're electronically signing your name and initialing a few signature blocks on an iPad, but you aren't shown the 50 related pages that are on the document you just signed. You're under the gun in an emergency and need to arrange for a care now, and you just assume you'll sign this, and mom or dad will be taken care of, and everything will be OK. Usually it is. Today we're talking about troublesome clauses that might be in the underlying contracts you were asked to sign with or for your loved one. Elder law attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to showcase red flags to watch out for. They apply to nursing home, assisted living, and memory care admissions. First off, this agreement must document what services are available that meet your loved one's needs, and they must disclose limitations on service. Watch on YouTube to see slides from Jim's presentation. Learn more about Jim Koewler at his website. Lead image © Can Stock Photo / daisydaisySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy Schenk, community engagement lead at the Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida, joins Suzanne courtesy of Athira Pharma to talk about handling caregiver anxiety and stress, and provides advice for caregivers. We have to focus on caregivers – if you were still working and your employer has a program assistance number, call the number. Another thing: if you're an only child, you'll be responsible for a senior loved one's care, but you'll also be in control of all the decisions. If there are many children in the family, that becomes challenging, so reach out to other people. We all think at the start that "we can handle it alone, we're super." You're wrong: everyone needs help on this journey. How many times do people ask you, "if you need anything, just call" — that's nice, thinking you have a free minute – keep your sense of humor. What you want to do is write down all the things on your plate now that you think you might have help with, not that you should but that you might, and when people offer, you have already thought through what you need, even if it's to have a quiet chat once a week while you're spouse is sleeping. People who want to help you will help you. Learn more about the LIFT-AD Trial, a Phase 2 Study of an investigational drug for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease and about the Neuropsychiatric Research Center.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Certified Dementia Practitioner Amy Schenk joins Suzanne from Cape Coral, Florida, courtesy of Athira Pharma to talk about the difference between normal memory issues as a result of aging and abnormal issues, and indicators to watch for. What happens to our brains as we age normally, as well as what happens when it's not so normal. If you are seeing things that are different in the person you're concerned about, things that make you think "That's not like them," listen to your intuition. Learn more about the LIFT-AD Trial, a Phase 2 Study of an investigational drug for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease and about the Neuropsychiatric Research Center. Lead image courtesy of Pexels/Anna ShvetsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy Schenk, community engagement lead at the Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida, joins Suzanne courtesy of Athira Pharma to talk about cutting-edge clinical trials. She educates, represents, supports and encourages people to take care of their brains. They talk about the stress of caregiving and risks for Alzheimer's disease. Preventative measures that are good for your heart are also good for your brain. Adequate sleep, a good diet, and hydration are important. Set healthy boundaries for yourself as a caregiver. Learn more about the LIFT-AD Trial, a Phase 2 Study of an investigational drug for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease and about the Neuropsychiatric Research Center.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Certified Dementia Practitioner Amy Schenk joins Suzanne from Cape Coral, Florida, courtesy of Athira Pharma to talk about the impacts of the pandemic on families and people with Alzheimer’s disease. Amy also educates in both Assisted Living and Long Term Care environments. Learn more about the LIFT-AD Trial, a Phase 2 Study of an investigational drug for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease and about the Neuropsychiatric Research Center. Lead image courtesy of Pexels/Marcelo ChagasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour focuses on the major ways that senior homeowners can be taken advantage of through the process of selling their home. This final segment may surprise some listeners — one of the biggest sources of folks to take advantage of seniors are their own family members. The family should be there, advocating and having a loved one's best interests in mind, but that's not always the case. Some of the worst offenses come from their own family. Suzanne is joined by Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, who provides some real examples and a couple of takeaways from this topic. Click to learn more about Rebecca Bomann and SASH Services.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This segment elaborates on ways that seniors can be taken advantage of by unscrupulous real estate agents. Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, joins Suzanne to discuss this topic. Rebecca has a lot of respect for her fellow agents, and there are a lot of really good real estate professionals in this industry. But like any industry, there are a few who are incompetent, insensitive, unscrupulous, or don't know how to address the special needs of senior home owners. Because they come in as a professional, with their license and business card, sometimes seniors don't think they need to be vetted and assume everything they do is above board. Unfortunately this isn't always true. Rebecca describes a few ways real estate agents can take advantage of a senior or be harmful to them in the sale of their home. Also, she provides advice for choosing a good agent, to interview multiple agents and make them earn your trust, and that a good broker explains everything you're signing. Click to learn more about Rebecca Bomann and SASH Services.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This segment describes ways that unscrupulous house flippers and investors can take advantage of seniors. They're looking to get deals, to purchase a property for less than market value. But if you're 80 years old, hard of hearing, with family living out of town, and a flipper visits you using some of these strategies, it's disgraceful. Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, joins Suzanne to describe various ways house flippers try to take advantage of seniors, as well as hot to offset this and protect yourself from these tactics. Click to learn more about Rebecca Bomann and SASH Services.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour focuses on ways that senior homeowners can be taken advantage of during the process of selling their home. This is the sale of their biggest asset to be able to pay for their care for the rest of their life, which they may have lived in for many decades, and the biggest financial transaction of their retirement years. Rebecca Bomann, CEO and founder of SASH Services, joins Suzanne to delve into this important topic for senior homeowners as well as their family members and caregivers. Everyone who knows a senior and has a senior loved one in their life will want to pay attention. We think it's important for people to know that this is a possibility, that folks can be vulnerable to this. We'll talk about ways that this can happen and how it can be prevented, with specific examples. The next segments focus on incidents that can happen specifically with home flippers &amp; investors, real estate agents, and even family members. Click to learn more about Rebecca Bomann and SASH Services.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suzanne talks with Tracey Harvey at at Cadence Kent-Meridian in Kent, Washington. Everything they do from a life engagement perspective, they have some wonderful signature programs. Life engagement team members customize a program to meet the needs of residents. Learn more about Cadence Kent-Meridian and Tracey Harvey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suzanne talks with Tracey Harvey and Chef Ray Canos, Culinary Director at Cadence Kent-Meridian in Kent, Washington. Ray runs the dining program and provides an overview of meals at the community. For example, on the day the interview was recorded, breakfast was Eggs Benedict and the soup of the day was bean and bacon. Lunch was chicken quesadillas with homemade guacamole, homemade fresh corn salsa. Dinner was Chinese themed: grilled chicken teriyaki with jasmine rice, beef and broccoli with noodles, steamed bok choy and sauteed cabbage, with homemade lemon blueberry cake for dessert. Learn more about Cadence Kent-Meridian and Tracey Harvey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suzanne talks with Tracey Harvey and Resident Services Director Navdeep K. at Cadence Kent-Meridian in Kent, Washington. Navdeep oversees the health and wellness and assisted living at the community. Learn more about Cadence Kent-Meridian and Tracey Harvey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From studios, to one bedrooms and two bedroom apartments, Cadence Kent-Meridian in Kent, Washington is now open for residents. Suzanne talks with Tracey Harvey, Regional Vice President of Marketing &amp; Strategic Planning, Northwest, about this shift in senior living. People want to have control, pursue their passions, and if they can, downsizing and making retirement plans. Learn more about Cadence Kent-Meridian and Tracey Harvey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elder law attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to talk about presumptive qualifications for VA Compensation, particularly service during Vietnam, in which veterans are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange if certain disabilities have occurred. At the 6 minute point, Jim talks about services administered through the health side of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the same group that runs the VA hospital. Available services include geriatric evaluation, adult day health care, respite care, and skilled home health care. There are also a number of services available, tied to being in a particular residence. They help support assisted living, residence at adult family homes, and others. To qualify, you have to qualify for VA Compensation or VA Pension, have to have income low enough to qualify, and if you don't qualify for some other government benefits. You can see slides from this presentation on the YouTube video of this podcast. Learn more at http://www.protectingseniors.com or email Jim at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.