Answers For Elders Radio Network

Healthy living as we age means moving. Fitness and wellness coach Kelly Fennelly joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how to keep moving. Suzanne shared this quote from Dick Van Dyke quote: “At 30, I used to exercise to look good. At the age of 50, I would exercise to be fit. At 70, not to be padded to a bed. And at 80, to be able to live without assistance. And now at 99, I do it purely out of defiance."Kelly talks about balance, exercise, movement, diet, and being healthier as we age. Kelly says, "I have one client, I'm trying to get him to walk [more]. He's 84. He does a little bit of walking on the golf course, but there's a cart. So what I did was leaned into walking the dog so many times the during the day and during the week... And when his wife takes the dog out, then he will do certain a certain amount of time just walking through the house. So we got it. So it doesn't have to be on a treadmill outside necessarily. It. It just has to be moving."Kelly does in-person and Zoom coaching for those looking for sustainable health goals, with personalized coaching for individual body and lifestyle goals. She is an ACE Senior Fitness Specialist and ACE Health Coach. Check out her website.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Fitness and wellness coach Kelly Fennelly joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about changes that happen to our bodies as we age, and what to do about it to keep ourselves healthy. What do you eat? How do you move? What kind of exercises do you do?The discussion turns to eating more protein. Suzanne had read that a 150-pound woman over the age of 65 should divide their weight by three to compute that she needs to eat 50 grams of protein per day. Keely says, "Some of the the research that I've seen, it's even greater than that. They're saying, possibly, 30 grams per meal. So then that would be 90 per day. It is a little struggle for some, because if they're not doing breakfast, or or however your meal schedule is, it can be challenging."Kelly provides some recommendations for various ways to incorporate that much protein into our daily meals.Kelly does in-person and Zoom coaching for those looking for sustainable health goals, with personalized coaching for individual body and lifestyle goals. She is an ACE Senior Fitness Specialist and ACE Health Coach. Check out her website.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

At Answers for Elders this week, we continue our conversations to open up the hood, peel back the curtain, and talk about what goes on behind the scenes at senior living communities. And we're honored to have conversations today with two incredible C-level executives here at Chateau Retirement. Angel Audino Averman, the Chief Financial Officer of Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show from Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood.Suzanne points out, "You've seen the industry change, where management companies come in and everything keeps changing. It makes you guys so much different in the fact that you can keep that consistency." Angel says, "We own the real estate. And we partner with our mortgage lenders and HUD, being a primary lender for us. And we were fortunate to refinance most of the portfolio 3% over a 30 year term. I know that we sat on a very stable foundation. And so the fact that the Godfrey family owns the bricks and mortar and the operations, it's one phone call when we need to make a decision."Angel adds, "There's two generations of family in the Chateau and the family members who have worked here in the past and the grandchildren that have worked here, that continues. And we can point to a half a dozen families employee families where it's the mom and the dad, it's the kids, it's the grandkids. So that family element is there as well, or will have a resident come in and their grandchild is looking for a job. And and we say we'd love to have them. So it's a community, and it's not the physical building. It's how it feels..."We invest in years of service. So we celebrate that every year at the holiday party. And it's $100 for every year of service. So if you think about 350 employees, and the benchmarks of three, five, 10, and every five years after that, the idea being that it's not so much that we want you to stay because it reduces our cost now, but the way that we train, the way that we develop employees, we can't get that traction [by] constantly turning people every six months."Most of our suggestions come from our employees. And Jim [Godfrey]'s famous for saying, 'What's the dumb thing that we should stop doing?' And I thought, that's an interesting way to ask that question. He's truly interested – you're the boots on the ground, what do you see that we don't?"Family-owned Chateau Retirement is Greater Seattle's expert in senior living, with a legacy of success in its culture, tenure, and dedication of staff to its residents. This episode was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

This week, we're going to open up the hood, peel back the curtain, and talk about what goes on behind the scenes at senior living communities. And we're honored to have conversations today with two incredible C-level executives here at Chateau Retirement. Jason Brooks, the Chief Operating Officer of Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show from Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood.Jason says, "We've been family owned from the beginning. And having that family ownership really translates down to treating people with love, dignity, respect. We feel like our job is to take care of our employees, because we know that a happy employee who loves where they work, who has been there forever, is going to treat the resident better... Literally 25% of our workforce have been here ten years plus."We really want to bring in people who have a real cultural fit, have a real caring sense to them, a real sense of wanting to to serve and do well for other people. If they need to learn how to be a better server or be a better caregiver or be a better maintenance guy, we can teach them all of that. What I can't teach somebody is to care. I can't teach them to have that heart. They have to kind of come by that a little naturally."Jason adds, "You also have to be very responsible with your growth and your trajectory. You know, we're 25 buildings, we're looking at expanding here shortly again, but we've built three buildings in 25 years. It was very steady. It was very purposeful... Unfortunately, there's a lot of companies that get into, 'the Silver Tsunami's coming!,' so they want to build as quickly as they can and capture as much of that as they can. And then they end up either being highly leveraged or they don't actually own the property. They're managing it for somebody else. So they don't actually get to make the call. Jim [Godfrey]’s always kept a very conservative fiscal approach to everything, which has really allowed us to do the right thing by our employees and by the residents from day one. "There's a couple of different [financial] models out there, right? Some people are beholden to Wall Street, because they're publicly traded. And as share prices dip, they have to make sacrifices financially, and cut back services and programing. Or somebody comes in, at their management company, they could be a management company and have to report to several different ownership groups. And then it gets really complicated, because you can't have the same programing if you can't fund things all the same. If you're if you're a management company for multiple people, building A and building B, even if they're in the same town, may be completely different. It could be a completely different culture that's being run through there, because of how they have to manage the financial aspect of the business."Family-owned Chateau Retirement is Greater Seattle's expert in senior living, with a legacy of success in its culture, tenure, and dedication of staff to its residents. This episode was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s...

Hear some examples from Rob Haynie of what people have done with the proceeds from selling their life insurance policy. Rob joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show. Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) and is a charter member of the Association’s PPC committee, which is charged with the regulatory and legislative activities of the industry. The Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc., he has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.Rob describes a family who had been donating money to a ballet center, but were running low on funds around 2008. "The money that would be going to the 501c3 [the ballet center] was not going to go to them, because they were going to lapse the policy. So they were losing money. Their financial planners said, 'What about a life settlement?' He said, 'What are you talking about?' They said, 'We're going to sell the policy.'"Two things happened. They immediately donated the money, what they got, to the 501c3, who was able to take it tax free. But the key thing was, the donors, he and she were both alive, were able to write off the donation while they were alive. And they also were able to go to the ballet center and see their name above the doors as you walked in for a number of years, before they passed away."Rob adds, "Your life insurance policy is like any other assets you own. It's yours. You can do with it as you please. You can find out what it's worth – exactly what it's worth, today – by going through a process, a free non-binding appraisal, and then at that point you will have a decision to make as to what's best for you. And you can sell some of your life insurance policies. We can split a policy in half. You can sell half, and keep half. But at the end of the day, we just want you know there are options."Email Rob Haynie at [email protected], call his cell phone at 954-599-4433, or learn more at the LI Settlements website.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Rob Haynie joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about selling your life insurance policy for cash. Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) and is a charter member of the Association’s PPC committee, which is charged with the regulatory and legislative activities of the industry. The Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc., he has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.Suzanne asks, "What are people most confused about with life settlement?" Rob answers, "That they don't understand that, they think there's a catch, they're missing something."It isn't too good to be true. It's a life insurance policy. You own it. You can do whatever you want with it. And if you can get more money then you can from the carrier, you have every right to get it."Email Rob Haynie at [email protected], call his cell phone at 954-599-4433, or learn more at the LI Settlements website.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Believe it or not, you don't have to be sick to sell your life insurance policy. You can sell it and repurpose the proceeds in a life settlement. Rob Haynie joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how Life Settlements work. Rob is the Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc. and serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA). He has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.Rob says, "Life insurance policies are not designed to pay a death claim. They are priced to know they're going to lapse. You don't have to be sick to sell your life insurance, it's just another misnomer in our industry. "I've been saying it for 30 years: we're putting the life back in life insurance... We are helping people with life expectancies exceeding 20 years to sell their policies. I sit on the board of LISA [Life Insurance Settlement Association], and I was told the other day we do a market data collection study every year. On average, when you talk about things you could do with the settlement money versus not having so much money, we determined that the typical seller gets 5.2 times to as much as 7.8 times. This is on average. So if you were about to give up your policy for $100,000, and now you're going to get make it up $500,000, that's a big difference..."There's a lot of fear about Social Security. A lot of people are living on Social Security right now. So the idea of knowing that this is a resource, it eliminates a lot of that uncomfortableness, knowing that they're going to be okay no matter what happens."Email Rob Haynie at [email protected], call his cell phone at 954-599-4433, or learn more at the LI Settlements website.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Rob Haynie, Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc., joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about Life Settlements: selling your life insurance policy and repurposing the proceeds. Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) and is a charter member of the Association’s PPC committee, which is charged with the regulatory and legislative activities of the industry. He has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.Rob explains, "A life settlement is the sale of an existing life insurance policy to a third party – we'll call that person an investor – and for money that is greater than the cash surrender value, or certainly in the case of lapsing, but less than the death benefit. And it's all based upon someone's life expectancy and the cost of insurance going forward from that. They might have been 45 years old when they bought it and they had a whole list of reasons down on a pad of paper... [Maybe there's been] some chaos in the financial sector of the person's household. Most people will lapse the life insurance policy, or surrender it for the cash, because that's the only thing they know to do. The insurance company is certainly not going to tell them they could [sell it]."You can sell your life insurance policy. We've always kidded the life insurance industry, saying, 'You should be telling people they can sell the life insurance policy because they could turn around, take the proceeds and buy something else you offer, as opposed to letting it lapse or surrender.'"They can take the proceeds from the settlement, and we use the word repurpose that, and buy something that fits their current needs, such as an annuity. So instead of paying money, they're getting money every month off of an asset they didn't know had any value."Email Rob Haynie at [email protected], call his cell phone at 954-599-4433 or learn more at the LI Settlements website.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Chateau Gardens memory care director at Chateau Valley Center Michelle Oleas joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders podcast with Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement. This episode was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington. Michelle and Lacy talks about how memory care interfaces with with Life Enrichment at Chateau, and how they work together.Michelle says, "They're both very important entities, but I don't look at it as separate entities, rather independent pillars. That is very important to enhance the quality of life of our residents. Nursing, we take care of the medical part. We give the medications. We want to keep them safe. While life enrichment, they're there to provide social interaction, meet their spiritual needs. There's just so many things that work hand in hand that are both essential in providing the needs of our residents."Michelle says, "Usually in dementia, we cannot dwell in the past nor the future, right? They live in the moment. When I have a family member come up to me and say that was a wonderful event, and my mom was really happy with what was going on in memory care, that really hits me hard, right? Because at the end of the day, we're here for the residents. Whatever time they have left, we want to make sure that they do have quality time. We always hear, 'Oh, they have dementia. They won't remember any more.' That's not true. Because at that moment, if you made them happy, then they know – something made them happy. So I think that's a very important piece with these activities."Lacy adds, "Memory care holds also a special place in my heart. My grandmother suffered through dementia, and it's just a horrible disease. So we work very closely with all of our nursing staff and our caregivers and med techs. We try to be very involved in memory care, and we are working on having weekly morning meetings with the teams to make sure we're all on the same page. It's everyone's job to enrich people's lives, especially for memory care. In memory care, it takes a lot. It takes a village. I have so much respect for nurses and memory care, and it's a hard job. And dementia and Alzheimer's, and we couldn't do it without them and vice versa."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Why is senior living the next adventure, and not your grandma's nursing home? Cindy Serrano, community relations director of Chateau Retirement at Chateau Valley Center, joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders podcast with Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement. Chateau's services are helpful and consultive, guiding seniors through a journey to live a happier, healthier, longer life – providing resident and family support, and increasing family involvement. This episode was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington.In the previous segment, Lacy and Suzanne talked about how Life Enrichment plays into senior living. Cindy talks about this starting at the beginning, integrating the interests of new residents into the community. Cindy says, "We want to make sure that they have an understanding of everything that we have to offer. We're more than just apartments for aging adults. Life Enrichment plays a huge role. You have your day-to-day activities to really enhance the quality of care... I almost treat every meeting almost like a first date, because it's getting to know the core of who the person is and how we can help out."Cindy adds, "If we hear a story, we want to include that with them, it means a lot. It's a huge part of their life. So housekeepers, maintenance, whenever they hear something that resonates with them, they will let us know. And then we try to do our best to make that happen. I think that is really what also sets us apart."At each community, the Life Enrichment directors and occasionally our Culinary Directors will all meet once a month to plan either the year or the month ahead. And that way we know what is needed from everyone to make sure that this successful. And we're all very communicative. We all work really well together. And if we need help, everyone steps in. It is a very team-oriented company. It's very true: teamwork makes the dream work, and that is what Chateau is. And if they know something about a resident that we didn't know, they will share it and then we will work together to make sure it happens."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about the ways Chateau supports independence and successful aging with a varied activity schedule. But life enrichment goes beyond social activities to quality of life, quality of care, as well as resident and family support. Family-owned Chateau Retirement is Greater Seattle's expert in senior living, with a legacy of success in its culture, tenure, and dedication of staff to its residents. This episode was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington.Lacy says, "We have activity committees, we have dining committees, we have anything you can really think of — and anything that we can do, we will do. I like to think of Chateau as a cruise ship on land. I want to do anything we can within reason and safety. I think that this is the best part of living. You're retired. You can kind of do what you want, and I want that to happen everywhere.""Life Enrichment is an all-encompassing program. It is not just activities where it's bingo, pinnacle, canasta, It's health, it's well-being, it's overall happiness. I really try to involve physical, social, emotional, mental, everything into the life enrichment experience. It's a huge step, moving into a retirement community or just moving in general, and to move somewhere where you're not just playing games, but you are actually living the next part of your life in all aspects of the word."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Our common denominator with indoor and outdoor safety is walking. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share tips for seniors on how to be more mindful of how we walk.Dr. Shawn says, "I've [talked to] five people in the last three months that have had an issue because at home they use a walker. And for some reason, when they went outside the house, they didn't think they needed it with them, or they didn't want people to see them with a walker. What you have to remember, it's a mindset shift. The initial response of most older adults is they don't want an assisted device, because they feel like that's the beginning of the end, right? It's all going to go downhill from here. But actually, those devices allow you to walk safely, give back independence, make people more independent.""Walking is the number one exercise for a healthy body because it builds bone density, keeps your bones strong, it's keeping your muscles strong. It's also building cardiovascular endurance, being able to especially community distance. If you're going to go out and go to the store, being able to be able to walk those longer distances, it's literally the number one thing I recommend."In May, Dr. Shawn will be hosting "Stand Up, Keep Up," a two-session Zoom course covering not only steps for fall prevention, extrinsic and intrinsic factors, but also digging deeper to find the root causes of why they might be at a high fall risk. Answers for Elders viewers and listeners can get special pricing. Click here for more information or to register.Visit Rockstar Seniors.net to learn more or to set up a free discovery call with Dr. Shawn Weiss to get answers to any questions or concerns. Hear more podcasts by Dr. Shawn here.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show with a safety checklist for the indoors. Dr. Shawn discusses items like having adequate lighting in rooms where you're doing spring cleaning. Also, check the batteries in smoke detectors, make sure they're working. If you have air vents, have them cleaned, to help get rid of toxins and buildup of dust.Dr. Shawn adds, "My mom, she likes to run the sweeper still, herself. It's one of the things that she can still do. She noticed that her sweeper is just becoming too heavy. And so we went out and got her a lighter-weight sweeper, which means less energy consumption. It's much safer for her to push, and it's just done wonders. She's able to do more things."In May, Dr. Shawn will be hosting "Stand Up, Keep Up," a two-session Zoom course covering not only steps for fall prevention, extrinsic and intrinsic factors, but also digging deeper to find the root causes of why they might be at a high fall risk. Answers for Elders viewers and listeners can get special pricing. Click here for more information or to register.Visit Rockstar Seniors.net to learn more or to set up a free discovery call with Dr. Shawn Weiss to get answers to any questions or concerns. Hear more podcasts by Dr. Shawn here.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

To avoid senior loved ones slipping and falling in their yard, check it first for slippery areas that could pose a fall risk. Make sure if they have arthritis and want to garden that they have electric pruning shears, as well as light folding stools to help them sit while gardening. Local volunteer groups may be available nearby to help seniors clean up winter debris in their yards. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about senior safety outdoors now that spring is blooming.Can your senior loved one get outside easily? Would handrails help? Composite decks can get slippery. Make sure they take breaks, stay hydrated, any have any type of life alert button so they can get help immediately if they fall.Dr. Shawn says, "My grandmother was 85. I will never forget, she lived down in the hollers of Virginia and she was one of those strong Southern women, which is what kept her going as long as she did into her 90s. She's up on her ladder at 85, taking down the Christmas lights in the spring, like it didn't matter. She was going to do it. Nobody is going to tell her not to do it. That's a little extreme, but you have to use really good safety judgment. If they live alone and haven't been active during the winter, have somebody take a survey [of the yard]. Do you have loose gravel, is the driveway gravel or is it paved? Are there wet leaves? Some people still have Christmas stuff up or they might have cords outside... Those little things are really risky, especially if they're covered up."In May, Dr. Shawn will be hosting "Stand Up, Keep Up," a two-session Zoom course covering not only steps for fall prevention, extrinsic and intrinsic factors, but also digging deeper to find the root causes of why they might be at a high fall risk. Answers for Elders viewers and listeners can get special pricing. Click here for more information or to register.Visit Rockstar Seniors.net to learn more or to set up a free discovery call with Dr. Shawn Weiss to get answers to any questions or concerns. Hear more podcasts by Dr. Shawn here.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about preventing senior falls, now that spring has come and everyone's heading outdoors. Suzanne shares a story of a senior whose walker go stuck in some overgrown vines in her yard, and when she tried to force it free, she fell and was stuck lying on the ground for more than two hours until a meter reader happened by who helped her. They discuss making sure your shoes have good soles, and to watch out for ground that might have changed over the winter. Dr. Shawn says, "The right shoes aren't just about wanting to look good and [match your] outfit. If you have the right shoes, they can keep you out of the emergency room. [When you want] to go out onto the sidewalk, things can still be slippery. You still have overgrowth, leaves, rain. You need to really take inventory of proper footwear. Make sure they have good traction, shoes that have Velcro or the laces that are already set, so that you don't run that risk of tripping. You want your foot held securely in the shoe. Adaptive footwear is also a great option if you experience swelling, or bunions, or have balance issues, they make some great products."In May, Dr. Shawn will be hosting "Stand Up, Keep Up," a two-session Zoom course covering not only steps for fall prevention, extrinsic and intrinsic factors, but also digging deeper to find the root causes of why they might be at a high fall risk. Answers for Elders viewers and listeners can get special pricing. Click here for more information or to register.Visit Rockstar Seniors.net to learn more or to set up a free discovery call with Dr. Shawn Weiss to get answers to any questions or concerns. Hear more podcasts by Dr. Shawn here.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

The Vivos Institute has developed a non-invasive treatment for sleep apnea, as well as a non-invasive assessment program Dr. Bahar Esmaili, VP of Clinical Integration at the Vivo Institute in Denver, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about their solutions.Dr. Bahar Esmaili says, "Up until now, diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea was just depending on going to the lab, sleeping in a bed that's not yours. But now we have a sleep test as a simple as a ring that we put on your finger, with an app at home. We can even test the patient up to five nights. We test children at age two for this disease. And believe me, there are children that are suffering obstructive sleep apnea under-diagnosed, and we can screen them at their own home with non-invasively and fully FDA cleared methods."And this is a very exciting time for Vivos because now we are full on medical practices where patients come and seek this treatment in sleep clinics. We're in the process of integrating our appliance therapies and our methodologies into sleep clinics all over the country. Our appliances are accepted by Medicare and Medicaid."Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea treatments at The Vivos Institute's website or all 720-399-9322.Learn more about Bahar EsmailiVisit Bahar Esmaili's personal website Airway ArchitectFind her on Instagram @thesirwayqueenListen to her podcast If Your Mouth Could Talk.Visit her YouTube channelCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksMentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

CPAP machines aren't a cure for obstructive sleep apnea, as they don't fix the underlying health issues, and being dependent on them can eventually worsen symptoms. Dr. Bahar Esmaili, VP of Clinical Integration at The Vivos Institute in Denver, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about sleep apnea's common treatment, CPAP, and which it's not the best solution.Dr. Bahar Esmaili says, "To properly treat obstructive sleep apnea, the focus should be to restore posture, early cranial neurologically, physiologically the proper nasal breathing mechanics. And a lot of adults they'll, they'll use a CPAP machine. Basically it pushes the air, positive pressure, air to keep that space open. Well, it's not a permanent fix. It’s something you have to wear every night for the rest in your life. Adherence to this treatment has been very low. "The American Academy of Sleep Medicine [has] said, we really have no conclusive study to show the quality of life or any of the metabolic conditions have been improved with use of CPAP. And I concur."Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea treatments at The Vivos Institute's website or all 720-399-9322.Learn more about Bahar EsmailiVisit Bahar Esmaili's personal website Airway ArchitectFind her on Instagram @thesirwayqueenListen to her podcast If Your Mouth Could Talk.Visit her YouTube channelCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksMentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

Sleep apnea is highly under-diagnosed. Dr. Bahar Esmaili, VP of Clinical Integration at The Vivos Institute in Denver, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the risks involved in not being diagnosed with sleep apnea.Dr. Bahar Esmaili says, "A part of sleep that's the most important for emotional stability, the dreaming stage, if you're familiar. It's called REM stage, Rapid Eye Movement. Now, those folks that have a collapsible, narrow airway, they have more events happening in the REM stage where the brainwaves are closer to awake. It's more like unstable sleep, closer to awake, to prevent seizures, that in accumulation of beta amyloid have been linked to the accelerated rate of dementia."I'm talking with folks in their 40s that have forgetfulness, they have fatigue, because the brain is not taking the advantage of the delta IV production and the spinal fluid movement around the brain, both of which are just under-diagnosed and not even not even looked at."Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea treatments at The Vivos Institute's website or all 720-399-9322.Learn more about Bahar EsmailiVisit Bahar Esmaili's personal website Airway ArchitectFind her on Instagram @thesirwayqueenListen to her podcast If Your Mouth Could Talk.Visit her YouTube channelCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksMentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Dr. Bahar Esmaili, VP of Clinical Integration at The Vivos Institute in Denver, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about sleep apnea.Dr. Bahar Esmaili says, "The one third of life we spent in bed is determining the quality and longevity, longevity of the life we live outside the bed. Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that basically manifests itself at night when we're sleeping. When the airway is unable to stay open and collapses, or the flow gets limited, oxygen drops, [triggering] a condition called arousal or fight-or-flight."Imagine you're being choked every night in bed multiple times per hour. Now imagine what that's going to happen to your nervous system. Cardiovascular conditions, stroke, diabetes, whole host of metabolic conditions over the years and decades, to be exact, have been linked to obstructive sleep apnea and breathing disorders at night."Disruption in sleep is detrimental to our health. The reason why we have sleep cycles, and the reason why we our bodies need rest, is because during the time that we are in bed, our brain and body go into a state of recharge, regeneration, removing metabolic toxins from our our system... A lot of amazing things happen for the body and brain, one of which is removing some of the toxins."Alzheimer's and dementia have been linked to sleep breathing disorders. You see the impact it has long term, on not just health but quality of life."Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea treatments at The Vivos Institute's website or all 720-399-9322.Learn more about Bahar EsmailiVisit Bahar Esmaili's personal website Airway ArchitectFind her on Instagram @thesirwayqueenListen to her podcast If Your Mouth Could Talk.Visit her YouTube channelCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksMentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

This segment delves into the day in the life of a senior living resident, having a sense of purpose every day so they can feel like they're a vibrant member of a community that is supporting them. It looks at how Chateau Retirement Communities integrates and sustains care to make sure that residents' quality of life is as great as possible. Nicole Bosancu and Amanda Krueger join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast, recorded onsite at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. Nicole is Heath Services Director at the Chateau at Valley Center community in Renton, Washington. Amanda is Vice President of Health Services.Nicole explains, "We really rely on our housekeeping and culinary staff, because it really takes a team. We might have a resident who's a little more independent, so housekeeping will come and say, 'Hey, Nicole, this person didn't come down, we haven't seen them in a couple of days either in the dining room, or I went in their apartment and it seems like they need a little bit more help.' So that we can go in and then either have a care conference or talk with them and [ask] what do you need from us to make sure you're taking care of."Nicole says, "If they fall, they can push their call button and the staff can come. But we also have a new AUGi system that is like a motion detector. So somebody falls, it sends us an alert that we can go in and right away.Amanda adds, "One of our mottos is happier, healthier, longer. And so with this new AUGi technology, it's very proactive and that it can hopefully give motion alerts to the team before that resident even has a fall. So that way we're hoping to prevent a fall that could potentially be detrimental if it turns into an injury fall. So it's an amazing technology and we're excited to have it in our communities."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

This segment discussed senior care options, and the different ways that loved ones join a senior living community like Chateau Retirement Communities. Laura Smith and Amanda Krueger join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast talk about the Chateau Retirement care model. Laura is Health Services Director at Chateau Pacific. Amanda is Vice President of Health Services. This show was recorded onsite at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.Laura says, "We are very fortunate to have the number of nurses that we have in our buildings... The benefit that I see from having so many nurses is that we get to know our residents on a more individualized basis, and then we get to know little details about their lives that guide the way we care for them.Amanda adds, "Really getting to know our residents is very important. In fact, one of the stories that we have recently is that we learned from a family member, or [possibly] a staff member, that a resident was having a hard time showering, getting into the shower and agreeing to that. And they found that offering her a banana before the shower allowed her to forget about the process. And [then] she was able to take the shower without any any behaviors, and never refused to shower after that point. And, making sure that gets to the service plan, so all the staff then learn of that."Laura says, "We have families that don't see necessarily what we see, because their loved one may act differently when they're around, or they've maybe had some walls up that they let down and they have a little bit of dementia or whatnot. So we do see things that the families don't see, so we do have to sit down and and have those conversations, this is what Mom's doing lately. Her mom's not wanting to necessarily go out to activities. Let's figure this out. So we do like to have families come in and talk about these things. We want people to be able to live their best lives that they possibly can here, and have that quality."Suzanne noticed a vibrancy about the culture at Chateau Pacific that has a lot to do with the overall view of how they treat people. Laura says, "Our philosophy here is that we are privileged to work in their home. This is their home, and we get the privilege to work here. So we're serving them. They're not here for us, we're here for them."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Amanda Krueger joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about senior living, recorded on site at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. Amanda is Vice President of Health Services, and oversees the health and care provided at Chateau Retirement Communities.Amanda says, "We are a family owned small business. And it's very much our philosophy that's carried on then within our our communities. We believe in letting residents live life on their terms. We treat them with dignity, respect, compassion – when we do need to come into their home and assist them in their daily living. And then we also believe in treating the staff the best we can because it's going to trickle down that if we take care of our staff, they'll take care of our residents. And so those two platforms are something we really strongly believe in, and it's just carried forward for over 25 years now.""Maybe dad has Alzheimer's and mom doesn't. Well, they can both live here. We have that quite often, where one spouse is living independently or even with assisted living, and then their spouse is safely in memory care. And [there's] peace of mind knowing they're okay and they're not going to wander off, or anything like that, and being with them during the day to connect with them in that way.""Our assessment is based on an individual service plan. So we meet the needs, we assess the resident, each individually at various times in the year, if there's a change of condition or annually at minimum, and then whatever that resident needs, we are able to provide. And so from there we have levels, but each person's level and what they do could be different because of what that need is for the resident. It makes the care plan sometimes different for the staff to learn. But we're making sure that that is exactly what the resident needs, and that's what's really important."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Who will care for the family caregiver? Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to suggest various ways to provide some relief for your family caregiver.Daphne says, "Recognizing what someone does day in and day out – and it gets to be month after month, and sometimes year after year – just articulating your gratitude to someone has more power than you can even imagine. It lifts the spirit. And it can just be verbal, and just be, 'Thank you. I don't know how you do what you do. Your energy is incredible. You always have a smile for Dad, no matter how confused he is.' The simplest of things can go so far. When you're in a place of gratitude, you can have a heart more of abundance."Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about family, starting those tough conversations about aging parents and senior living, and being guided by your highest family value.Daphne says, "We need to just stop and decide: What are our highest values for me individually, or for our family, or for my relationship with my mom and dad? And for you to have a benchmark – or a litmus or an understanding – of what your highest value is and then work toward that highest value... One [example] would be that I want my parents to be as happy and as healthy and safe as possible while honoring their own wishes. That could be a very standard highest value. You, as an advocate for whoever those people are, parents or otherwise, tweak that in terms of, how can I help them gracefully get into this next chapter of life and still honor their wishes? Because sometimes we have to be very proactive and sometimes we have to say the words that are not easy to say."And so I'd like to give you just some ideas of how to do that. As an adult child, that could be, 'Mom and dad, this is a tough place for me to be at, and I respect you completely, but I'm seeing the following.' And I would love to have a conversation about this without anybody getting defensive, if we can. And throw some humor in it, if that's your personality. Or if you're a friend and you see something from a distance – maybe it's a couple or somebody that you see at church that's a caregiver for everybody in the church – be able to say to them, 'My heart is is kind of hurting for you right now. And I am your friend. And I feel almost a responsibility to kind of have a conversation. We can have it once and be done, but it's on my heart and I really want to point out some observations that I have.' These are words off the top of my head. And I don't know your personality. These are my personality words, but have the courage to talk about what's going on. Even though someone is saying, 'I'm going to die in my house and go out for feet first,' even though somebody says, 'Nope, I'm not leaving my home,' even though somebody says, 'We're fine,' you still have the courage to push through that, because people aren't fine."Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

By 2030, more than 70 million people in the United States will be serving as family caregivers. What do families typically know and don't know about the resources that are out there? If you're a family member of a senior loved one, this is something that you can do to help. Gathering information doesn't mean you're making decisions yet. Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the importance of asking questions.Daphne says, "If you're an adult child, or if you're a power of attorney, for someone, I implore you, ask questions. Any question, it does not matter. If somebody is at the hospital and you see on the board in the hospital room that they are on a no-salt diet, ask about that. Why? It might be something that's very prudent for right now, or it might be something that's in their chart from years ago and isn't germane to today."When people go to their doctor's office, or when they go to get admitted to the hospital or you're in the E.R. As the patient, you have the right to ask any question.. If [the answer] didn't make sense, or you're not clear about it, ask again. It's your body. It's your life. Be bold, and just ask questions."Regarding resources that are are available to help. Daphne says, "Most counties have a resource called Aging and Disability, and that's a really good source of information to find out what services are in your county or in your community. It is a good resource. Many of those resources are free, or they can be at a reduced rate through the county and that's [paid for] through your taxes. Make use of those services that your county has."Another resource in your community: You may have a person that's called a placement navigator, or someone who does placement and referral for housing and care for seniors. And that's what I do. I'm a resource for people. Typically our services are free to the consumer. And so we're a point of information, an information post. And when you reach out to someone, that's not saying, 'Oh, I'm ready to move,' it's a place to gather information."Another place that you can sometimes find resources is through your church. If you've got a faith system, your pastor, your rabbi, a priest, they may know of some resources for you or people to help you get through a situation, or just to inform you about how how does this system work."Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were both in the news recently. Both had been found dead at their home, her from a rare hantavirus and Hackman from advanced Alzheimer's. She had been his primary caregiver. Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about caregiver burnout. Currently 53 million Americans are family caregivers, providing unpaid assistance to their loved ones with either health conditions, disabilities or aging issues.Suzanne says, "The thing that's so overwhelming is, she didn't take care of herself. She let her disease progress to the point where she passed away – and she was on the phone with her doctor. Of course, we will never know exactly the facts of that phone call, but the whole point is, it's overwhelming. They tend to ignore their own health, their own symptoms, their own lives. They let themselves go down the rabbit hole, all in the sacrifice of caring for someone else. And this is a classic scenario. "Daphne says, "It is. But it also isn't necessarily something that's front and center, it sneaks up on them. The power of stress on our bodies is not always able to be seen when you're in it. And sometimes even from your family, if you've got daily routine with your family, they may not see the effects of your added responsibilities and being a caregiver. But internally, your body is is fighting to hang on. And that changes from decade to decade. The more birthdays you have, the more profound stress can be on your body functions. And so when you have a doctor – or a friend, or someone who's visiting you after seeing you maybe a few months ago – really, really listen to what they're saying. Please don't dismiss it."Daphne adds, "If you're the caregiver, you are in the thick of it and you are in the routine of doing what you do on a daily basis. I'll speak as a daughter. I remember when my mom would say, 'Daphne, today wasn't that bad,' or when she had a really bad day, she'd say, 'Tomorrow will be better,' or one that was really stressful and she was caring for my dad, who had Lewy Body dementia and Parkinson's, when it was a very stressful day and things really were falling apart, that's when she was most often ready to get some additional care. And then the sun comes up the next day, and she says, 'Now, Daphne, I can go another day.'"It's those deepest days that you really need to listen to, because that's the denominator that determines how much stress you have. Yes, you are a caregiver, and your heart is going to be full of compassion to keep going... You're on this roller coaster, and your body is spitting out adrenaline and cortisol with that roller coaster. And the faster that wave gets on the roller coaster, the more stress you're going to have. We’ve got to give ourselves a break. We have to do it."Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Senior Care Finder's CEO and Co-Founder Christie Stukenholtz joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how is technology changing the way for families to connect. She also shares advice on what to look for on other websites to make sure you're getting impartial information, or not getting sent to a call center where your contact information will be be shared.Christie says, "By 2030, all Baby Boomers will be of retirement age or older, and that's about 73 million people. And about 70% of them will end up needing some sort of care. And I will tell you that the industry as a whole is not prepared for this level of demand. Thinking about home care, that's very much something that many, many people are considering these days. And there are tremendous, amazing technologies that leverage AI, and different things that allow people to stay at home longer."We leverage AI on our platform Senior Care Finder to really help guide someone through the process. It's more than just selecting a community, or finding a home care agency that can you or your loved one. It's everything else that goes with that process. If someone has to move, what do I do with their stuff? How do I manage their finances? There's so many questions. And so we want to be that place that you can land, take a deep breath, and at least feel confident in your next decision, and know you have technology and tools that are aiding you in that process."One of the things we talked about is really being in control of your search and feeling confident of the resources that you have, in their transparency, and all of that good stuff. As I think about tips that I would give people as they're searching, if you get to a site and the first thing you have to do is give all of your contact information, press pause. They're going to do something with that information. And so just be aware of that. If you get to a site where it looks like a directory site, but suddenly you start to notice that the phone number on every single listing is exactly the same, pause. Think about what that might mean. They're going to fail to filter you to a call center and probably leverage your information in your experience to a lot of communities that weren't relevant. Have your antenna up and listen to your gut, that that is important, and we want to be a resource that's non-biased and transparent, meeting the consumer where they're at, and in holding their hand through the process."Check out the Senior Care Finder website.Senior living communities and senior care providers can claim their free listing.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Trying to find care or a senior living community for a senior loved one? Senior Care Finder's CEO and Co-Founder Christie Stukenholtz joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share her top tips. Listen in as she explains:Start the conversation sooner than you think. Use a platform like Senior Care Finder to do your research, even anonymously.Many want to stay at home. Start thinking about what that option would look like.Go with your gut when you're interviewing people.Check out the Senior Care Finder website.Senior living communities and senior care providers can claim their free listing.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

If you're in that process of later life care, or caring for a senior loved one, this is a very important conversation. Senior Care Finder's CEO and Co-Founder Christie Stukenholtz talks with Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show about the first steps families should take when they come upon a crisis about their loved one.Christie says, "I'm from Lincoln, Nebraska... With my grandmother being in Washington state, or my grandpa now being in San Antonio, Texas, a platform like Senior Care Finder can help. Using and leveraging those virtual tours, looking and reading at consumer reviews, those help you. And a site like Senior Care Finder can also give you the tools to be able to narrow down your search, find the top priorities that your loved one needs, and then also arm you with those questions to ask.""My first piece of advice is, if you don't think you need to have the conversation, it's the perfect time to start the conversation. Because nobody wants to be a burden. But people have wishes and they have desires of how they would like to spend their days, and that matters. As soon as you can start the conversation, the better. But secondly, really understanding, what are their non-negotiables? What are their most important things, that if nothing else matters – they need a place that's pet friendly, or they need a place that is in close distance to family so that they can come visit, or they need a private room. Something is at the top of that list. And so having that conversation will help you research, and do the navigating, will help you prioritize and get really clear on what places might be the best fit."Check out the Senior Care Finder website.Senior living communities and senior care providers can claim their free listing.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Senior Care Finder's CEO and Co-Founder Christie Stukenholtz shares her personal story with Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show. Suzanne recalls that she needed a resource like this years ago to help her make the right decisions for her mom.Christie says, "My first interaction with senior care and searching for options was for my grandmother, who lived in Washington state. I lived in Nebraska, and my dad called and informed me that she could no longer live independently at home, and asked if I could be helpful in figuring out where she could go next. And quite frankly, my husband, Heath, worked in the senior living industry. I was pretty savvy. I was a smart researcher. I did not think it would be very hard. So I confidently said yes, and quickly had a rude awakening of how hard that process was. "We were fortunate to get on a plane and rent a car, and drive around to a number of different communities, and tour them – many of which did not look anything like the few pictures I found online – and ultimately found a great place for her. But on that flight home in 2015, I told Heath, this cannot possibly be the experience that everyone is going through. Not even a place to see a comprehensive list of my results, or really understand the differences of care types, or how you pay for it. It's a big, confusing world... And if I can't be the one to care for my mom or my grandma, it's a really, really big deal who that person is, or community is. And so I really felt a pull to to jump in and do something about it."Christie adds, "Now, consumers, in my opinion, are much more educated, because they're doing research on their own right. And they want to learn and gather information, and they don't want to be sold to. And we really study the behavior of that person, and try to meet them where they're at. So that's really the need that Senior Care Finder is trying to fill, is being a place that people can go take a deep breath and really start educating themselves, and start that process that so many times can feel very overwhelming."Check out the Senior Care Finder website.Senior living communities and senior care providers can claim their free listing.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Hear some memorable success stories from seniors who have followed through with the Whole Life Living Approach at GenCare Lifestyle from Leon Grundstein and Danielle Parker. Leon is Founder and CEO, and Danielle Parker is COO,Leon shares the story of a Parkinson's patient determined to be able to get our of her wheelchair and walk again. "We had a woman move into our Ballard community. She had Parkinson's and she was in a wheelchair. One of her goals was, 'I really want to be able to walk again.' So we have, certified trainers included in the rent in all our buildings... We started developed a program for this woman that started off in the pool, so it allowed her to walk. She did weight training and she slowly, from walking in the pool, graduated to a walker, and she was using a walker instead of a wheelchair. And she was very excited about that."And she continued the program and she was dedicated herself, and had the drive to complete the program. Then she started lifting weights and doing boxing, a good thing for Parkinson's. Anyhow, she hit the next level and she was able to use a cane. She had all the gumption going, and [eventually] she was able to stand up and walk 100 feet without any support. She was able to be much more mobile and manage her disease much, much better. And we were always very proud of that, and proud of the trainer that helped her get there."Danielle shares the story of a woman with diabetes. "She's still living at our Renton community. When she moved in, she self-described as overweight. She did have type-2 diabetes and she was on insulin. She joined our walking program. And in the program, they would wear a pedometer and they would track the stats and ultimately at the end of the program, they were walking to Las Vegas, so that they would celebrate with a casino. Casino Royale night at the Community, which was lots of fun. But the real reward for this resident was she went and saw her doctor after the program. She was no longer diabetic, no longer taking insulin. And felt better than ever. She had lost 70 pounds. She's a testimonial on our website, and she's wonderful, just a wonderful resident. She would later go on to beat cancer, and attributes a lot of that to the program."Learn more at gencarelifestyle.com.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

No matter where you are in the U.S., here's good advice when researching senior living communities. Leon Grundstein, Founder and CEO of GenCare Lifestyle, and Danielle Parker, their COO, join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders radio show. Leon talks about the questions people should ask and things they should look for in a senior living community. Danielle talks about looking at reputation scores and online reviews, but also points out that a community should be asking you about your values, interests, and wishes too.Leon says, "In my opinion, when you walk into a community, the first thing you want to see is activity. You want people out and about, talking to each other, doing stuff, because that is an indicator of what kind of energy is in the building. The most people want activity. You want to be in a place where you can hang out and have fun and meet people and socialize."Second is when you engage with staff members like the housekeeper or even the maintenance guy, when you walk by, do they say hi or do they look at the floor? So you want them to engage with you."You want to have a meal there. See what the food’s like. You want to meet the executive director, because you can get a feeling of how the leadership is in the building."Danielle addresses what to look for in online research. "Looking at reputation scores, of course, reading reviews online, are critical to know what the current residents and family feel about the community. Looking at any compliance information that's available online. Most cities and states have public information about the care and wellness services that are being provided at the community."But I think the one of the most important things is, really, pay attention to the questions that you're being asked. The first time you go, how well are they working to get to know you and your needs as a person? [Do they ask] what does your day look like? What's important to you? What do you value? What are your traditions, and how do you spend your holidays and days at home? And and what do you want to do, if you could do anything? You really want to find a community that matches those values and aligns with who you are as a person, who you aspire to be as a person, and is ready and willing to partner with you on that journey."Learn more at gencarelifestyle.com.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Socializing is a critical aspect of our well-being. Leon Grundstein, Founder and CEO of GenCare Lifestyle, and Danielle Parker, their COO, join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders radio show to talk about this part of our lives. Leon explains how GenCare tracked the effects of longevity when they began their Whole Life Living Approach program.Leon says, "One of the worst things that can happen to you is being in solitary confinement. That's why it's so oppressive. And that speaks to why, if a person just decides to stay home with a caregiver and they don't socialize, they're really going to deteriorate mentally, emotionally and physically. So when you come into an environment like ours where you're around people, whether it's at a meal, an exercise class or discussion about a book or you're watching a movie together, or you're having a political debate together, no matter which side of the fence you're on, it works your brain and it gets your juices flowing and it just makes you feel more alive. As human beings, we need that kind of contact."You get a few hugs along the way. And physical touch is important, not just the verbal interaction, the visual interaction. We develop relationships and bonds, and people are happier, and they live longer when when they're in that type of situation."Danielle shares a success story. "I met a daughter of a current resident. Now, he was a prospective resident then, and she was looking for senior housing communities specifically related to nutrition. Dad was home alone, independent, still driving. And he was he was eating a lot of frozen TV dinners – the number one ingredient is sodium, for shelf life. And he had heart failure, and his legs were swelling, and he couldn't figure out why. And it was having a very negative impact on his quality of life, and his ability to navigate at home, navigating the kitchen."About six weeks after he moved in, the swelling in his legs was nearly gone. And he was walking better. He was participating in activities. He actually said he hated TV dinners. He said they had their time and place, but didn't want them any more. And his daughter just felt so relieved. Her dad was back. He would opt to go with her out on outings, and go to the grocery store, and run errands."Learn more at gencarelifestyle.com.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

The Whole Life Living Approach help seniors improves their lives in key areas for senior living. Leon Grundstein, Founder and CEO of GenCare Lifestyle, and Danielle Parker, their COO, join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about their program.Leon explains its origins. "I was looking at really what what we as humans really need, not just in our age group. Whatever we eat is the fuel that drives our engine. So we want we want good food, without preservatives, we want special diets for vegans and vegetarians. We don't want processed food. We want to make food that's fresh on-site. We want to have adaptations for people who have gluten intolerance, or [for] diabetics. This ... makes you feel better, makes your heart run better, manages diabetes, manages weight, all those things."And then the next step is exercise. You want exercise to take advantage of the fuel to keep your body strong, allows you to sleep better, better management of diabetes, for example. And we know it reduces the incidence of cancer when you're active, and we just wanted to take that step as one of the four facets."The third facet was the socialization. And we know that human beings do better in a social environment than being isolated. It stimulates us both socially and emotionally. So we have a very socially-active program with residents, that we track what they do and how often they do it, to make sure they're participating."Lastly, no matter what age you are, you still want some purpose in your life."Danielle talks about how the plan is implemented. "It's the four facets: eat better, move better, think better, live better. And if we're doing the four things the way Leon outlines, then the residents' quality of life is enhanced and they might live longer as well, with a higher quality of life. And we're looking at residents holistically, deliberately, and specific, and making sure that we're addressing their needs."Learn more at gencarelifestyle.com.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Will Senior Living leverage AI and other technologies in the future? Chief of Staff Tamra Godfrey, SHRM-SCP at Chateau Retirement Communities continues her conversation with Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders radio show from Chateau Boston Landing. Tamra shares her vision to care for the next generation of staff and residents.Tamra says, "My dad has always been ahead of the curve technology-wise, and I think he's really embedded that in all of his children. And so it's fun to to be looking ahead and bringing in what is really innovative. I think we might be a little ahead of the curve as far as succession is going. And I'm really excited about leveraging that and the new perspective and embracing AI where we can, streamlining, and enabling technology as much as as much as we can.""I love connecting with people. I love work. I love seeing our employees. I love working with a leadership team. It's, it's really fulfilling to help seniors live their lives with as much respect and dignity as possible, and say anything is possible."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Chief of Staff Tamra Godfrey, SHRM-SCP joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders radio show from Chateau Boston Landing in Washington State. Tamra discusses how employees are hired and developed at Chateau Retirement Communities so they can be supported and mentored.Tamra describes growing up at Chateau and gaining her background. "I kind of grew up at the Chateau, so my very first job was as a server at Chateau Pacific. During college, I was a prep cook, so I was just working part time. I was going to school full time and then post-college, I became a full time cook in a community in Renton, so I was cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all of our veterans down there. And then I made the move to our home office as an executive assistant. And then I started as an H.R. manager at Chateau Valley Center. Eventually I moved into a community relations director position, then into a marketing position at our home office. And then that's when I decided to jump out of the nest and go do things on my own. I went to work for a property management company out of Seattle, and I did that for about seven years. And that's amazing background to for coming into that now where you're going to be managing these properties. I learned so much. It was really complex and I had a great time there. [Eventually] I understood how to do it, I got a little bit bored. And so I called my dad and I'm like, I think I'm interested in learning more and possibly coming back to this business, and taking it to the next generation.""I think it all comes from our shared values. In addition to being a family-owned and operated company, really focusing on people and investing in people. We see so much value in this. If our employees are happy and engaged and feel valued, they are going to take care of our residents exponentially better than if they were not engaged. So, really investing in them, in their emotional, physical well-being, in making sure our leaders are great leaders and taking care of the employees at work. That's been a big investment and a big value."We have three nurses at every single one of our campuses. It's incredible, and nurses are not cheap. They are truly an investment. And what we've done to support them is, we have resident care coordinators, who are really focused on the staff management alongside their nurse, so that all of the caregivers can be a cohesive unit and have the right support for managers, while nurses are really focused on the nursing care that they're specialized in."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Suzanne Newman continues her conversation with CEO and President Jim Godfrey at Chateau Retirement in Washington State. In this segment, Jim talks about his experiences living at the senior living community he founded.Jim says, "I've been living here in Chateau now for what, 16, 17 months? And I've gotten to know a lot of the residents, and as of yet, I don't know whether they're just being nice — I don't think so, I think they’re being honest — they say they love it here. They love the staff and they love the food. They love everything we do. So, you know, I thought, Oh God, I’m moving here. I’ll have somebody at my door every day complaining about something. It hasn’t happened."When it comes to improving the lives of other people, Jim says, "That's what kept me in the business after I first tried it out. I felt it was very it was a good feeling, frankly, to be able to give these senior citizens who built their country a happy and peaceful life as enjoyable as possible, seeing your face in their life. And that, to me, seemed like – I think the Buddhists call it right to work. And I felt it really was right for doing that. So that's what kept me in it, and I was enjoying it too."We focus on the residents and their well-being, not the bottom line. I mean, we we have to keep ourselves profitable and operating efficiently, and all that. But we're not going to suddenly jump the rates 15% or 20% just to make some goal.Jim explains, "Our mission was to work with each resident as they come in, get to know them, and then work with them to help them develop a lifestyle which they like and they want to build on. And so they can live happier, healthier and live longer, and they do it on their terms. One of my initial feelings about these buildings [decades ago], it’s sort of like an army camp where you all go into a big barracks and we all have the same routine, and I didn't want that."I wanted our residents to be able to choose their own lifestyle and live life to the fullest. And I think they they do that. We have people sit down with them after they move in, and talk to them, and then try to help them meet other people, and other veterans who have maybe similar backgrounds, who they might connect, and introduce them to them. So they start to make friends. They get here for a few months and their circle starts to expand. And human beings are social, right? Yes, they are. They need friends, they want to talk, have friendships. So trying to help them make friends is a big part of it."Regarding the future of his communities, and setting the foundation for the next 25 years, he says, "I've always had [my] children working here for me. I wanted to let them dip their toe in the water and see how they liked it. And so I had two or three children, son in law, daughter in law, working for us from time to time. And then Tamra was, and then she moved out. Then one day, I got a call, 'hey dad, what if I came back to Chateau to work?' Yeah, you know, thank God. Cause I thought she'd have the capability to take it and run it. [I told her] I want you to go and get an MBA, as well as your psychology degree. I think we're in good hands."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast <a...

Suzanne Newman broadcasts this week's radio show from Chateau Retirement in Washington State, talking with CEO and President Jim Godfrey. Jim describes his start in the industry, coming from a construction background and partnering with a person who ran nursing homes in the 1980s. Jim helped redefine retirement living.Jim says, "It's a kind of business that I felt good about, retirement. Here I am giving back to people who built this country, seniors who worked hard, and scraped, and saved, and built this country. Now I have a chance to give back something to them, and where they can live in happiness and reasonable health — depending on whatever afflictions they may have — but do do the very best to give them happy, happy final years of their lives, as enjoyable as possible."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Volunteer groups advocate to make a difference in the lives of people facing Alzheimer's and dementia. Jim Wilgus, Executive Director for the Washington State Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about various ways you can help the search for a cure.Jim says, "There's a lot of ways for folks to engage with the Alzheimer's Association, whether you're in need of services yourself, or you want to volunteer for a clinical trial, or you want to volunteer for an event, or be a community educate educator in your home community. We're present with Walk events in 600 communities across the United States and over almost 30 in my territory."There's all kinds of ways for people to get involved. Certainly if you're in need of services, that's a place to start your journey, to access services at the local level or at a 24/7, 365 day year level. Contact our helpline at 1 800 272-3900. We have master's level social workers that work at that helpline to provide care and support services and advice to individuals, but also they're available with our central information around what's happening locally that you can get involved with."Another great place to go is our website www.alz.org, and you can access a myriad of resources there, but also find your local chapter. Getting involved as a volunteer, or seeking our services, is a good first step to begin your journey of supporting the Alzheimer's Association or gaining services from the Alzheimer's Association."A one time opportunity could be to participate in your state's Advocacy Day, which actually has individuals from all parts of the state. We held ours last week in Olympia here in Washington. We had over 100 individuals at the state capitol in Olympia who visited with every legislator on a scheduled appointment to talk about the agenda that we were promoting to support Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. We were in Juneau last week in Alaska. If you're in Des Moines, if you're in Santa Fe, if you're in Annapolis, there's a state advocacy day for every single state. It's just as easy as finding the information on our website and learning about when those dates are, and how you can register."Visit https://www.alz.org/trialmatch to find clinical trials in your area.Alzheimer's Association websiteAbout Alzheimer's and DementiaCall their helpline at 800.272.3900Hear more podcasts about the Alzheimer's AssociationHear more podcasts about the Walk to End AlzheimersCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Jim Wilgus, Executive Director for the Washington State Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the need for participants in Alzheimer's clinical trials.Jim says, "There are circumstances, certainly, where Alzheimer's disease is prevalent within family units, but there's also incidents where it's not. And that's what makes Alzheimer's disease such a mystery, and why research and clinical trials are so important. There's also known evidence that Alzheimer's disease and other dementia are more prevalent in certain populations, particularly African Americans and Hispanic Americans."There are needs for all kinds of individuals. And certainly some trials don't require a diagnosis, some trials do. But the bottom line is we need participants in trials. They're safe, they're ethically sound and founded. Many of them are at universities and hospitals, and new treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other dementia are nearly impossible without clinical trials. Many more participants are needed, including people, as I mentioned, with dementia or those who are at risk of developing it. Also, for caregivers, or healthy volunteers, with no dementia issues. All are urgently needed for the hundreds and hundreds of trials that take place throughout the United States."Visit https://www.alz.org/trialmatch to find clinical trials in your area.Alzheimer's Association websiteAbout Alzheimer's and DementiaCall their helpline at 800.272.3900Hear more podcasts about the Alzheimer's AssociationHear more podcasts about the Walk to End AlzheimersCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

If you have a loved one who was just diagnosed — or if you've been diagnosed yourself, maybe you are taking care of someone — with Alzheimer's and dementia, the Alzheimer's Association is an amazing resource. Jim Wilgus, Executive Director for the Washington State Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about clinical research, and opportunities to participate in clinical trials to cure Alzheimer's.Jim says, "Today, many trials are done online or over the phone. Sometimes they may just require one initial visit. So there's a lot of opportunities for engagement and opportunities for people of any walk of life. We need anyone that wants to be in a trial to get engaged. Inquire about trials that are available in your area, if you're disposed to, because some trials accept individuals who are in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or other dementia. Sometimes even in the middle stages. And sometimes trials have opportunities for the caregiver to participate as well. So it's a very important part of finding a cure to the disease."Visit https://www.alz.org/trialmatch to find clinical trials in your area.Alzheimer's Association websiteAbout Alzheimer's and DementiaCall their helpline at 800.272.3900Hear more podcasts about the Alzheimer's AssociationHear more podcasts about the Walk to End AlzheimersCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Jim Wilgus, Executive Director for the Washington State Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show. Suzanne and Jim talk about the Alzheimer's Association accelerating clinical research into cures for Alzheimer's and Dementia, funding about $430 million for 1,100 projects in 56 countries. The Alzheimer's Association has a division of medical science leadership and officers, plus hundreds of volunteers and researchers.Jim says, "The United States is funding at an exponentially higher level, significantly of nearly $4 billion at the federal level compared to when I started in 2010. It was at just about 40 or 50 million. And so now the research funding is rivaling that of cancer and heart and HIV AIDS and the urgency of getting that funding advanced from 2013 14 or so to where it is today means largely through the efforts of the Alzheimer's Association and our thousands of advocates that are that go to D.C. and that work at their districts and home as volunteers in all 50 states.""One in nine over 65, and one in three over 85, [are at risk for Alzheimer's]. And when I started in 2010, one of the things that we did as an association was participated with a corporation to have a float in the Rose Bowl Parade, which is on January 1st every year. And it was 2011, which was the very first day that Baby Boomers turned 65. And it was to bring attention to the fact that this generation, over an 18-year span, is going to be turning 65 at 10,000 people a day."Visit https://www.alz.org/trialmatch to find clinical trials in your area.Alzheimer's Association websiteAbout Alzheimer's and DementiaCall their helpline at 800.272.3900Hear more podcasts about the Alzheimer's AssociationHear more podcasts about the Walk to End AlzheimersCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

The value an estate planning attorney brings you, vs. just downloading documents yourself online, is a discussion Andrea Lee frequently addresses. They are who will advocate for you. If you're a senior, an estate planning attorney or an elder law attorney is worth their weight in gold. Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about the benefits of hiring an elder law attorney.Andrea says, “Number one, it's extremely important when you're preparing estate planning documents to ensure they're exactly properly done. The laws are constantly changing, and unfortunately, if someone downloads a form and it's not in tune with the existing laws, it's not going to achieve their goals... If an individual signs, say, a power of attorney document and then it's not enforceable or doesn't give the right powers, it doesn't give the right date of being effective — if there are problems with it, then the individual who signed that usually has become incapacitated when somebody else is trying to use that document. There's no cure for that.""Downloading documents and simply filling them out is really a recipe for disaster, because if they are not properly done, if they don't go right, there isn't a way to fix it after the fact... I have had clients who I represented years ago, or the children of clients I represented in drafted documents for many years ago and call me up and say, mom and dad moved twice since they met with you and now mom's in a facility and we can't find original documents, but we need an original to sell the house. There are laws that state, if I'm the attorney who drafted the document... I can make it happen that a copy is accepted as much as an original. Whereas if you've downloaded a form and you've signed it yourself, there isn't any way legally that I know of where we can get copies accepted, if nobody has a copy of that and can't attest to the fact that this copy is identical to someone's original document.”"I meet with my clients and I always say to them, it's my job to think of the worst things that can happen and then to mitigate it. What if this happens? You know, what if, unfortunately, your entire family is wiped out in an earthquake, just these crazy things that can happen, and then how can we prepare a plan that would still work? Yeah. What if there was an earthquake and the house came tumbling down — we've seen tragedies as recently as the fires in Southern California, where people have lost homes, they've lost everything. And those things happen. And that's actually another compelling reason to retain an attorney to draft documents.”“I think it's everybody's hope that their agent, who they select and name the documents, advocate properly for the principle. So right when I sign that health care power of attorney, when I sign that power of attorney, that financial power of attorney, whatever documents that I execute, the hope is always at the agent I've named properly advocate for me. But the reality is so many agents lack the education, they lack the experience, they lack the knowledge to truly be a fantastic advocate for their loved ones...”Learn more:About Andrea LeeLegacy Estate Planning websiteLegacy Estate Planning podcastsCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Elder law attorney Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to clarify the steps an executor of the family estate has to take after a senior loved one passes.“When someone steps into that role of power of attorney, loving daughter or son or good friend, whomever that is, there are so many different hats that they wear when they act as an advocate for their loved one. Many people misunderstand the steps that have to be taken care of after someone passes away. And there's there's a little bit of confusion about, hey, I was a power of attorney, but mom died. What happens now? What are my roles? What do I do? And what are the necessary steps that an agent has to do after the death of a loved one?"When someone passes away, one of the first things that you should do, you grieve them. You take a little time to reflect on your relationship with that person and spend some time grieving your loss. And then, the next step really should be sitting down with a competent estate planning and or elder law attorney to answer some questions about the legal steps or legal requirements after someone dies."I recently had a case where an individual was ill for a long time and his mom actually was his power of attorney. She'd acted on his behalf. She obviously loved her son deeply... And after he died, the mom — thinking, hey, I'm this is my son, I’m the power of attorney — actually started giving away his personal property, taking steps to administer his estate. However, his will named a different executor and different beneficiaries who were his minor nieces and nephews. Luckily, it was a good family and we were able to fix everything that had gone wrong. However, her lack of understanding of her role and what happened after her son died could have very, very easily led to her being in trouble for improperly distributing assets.""I met with a client very recently whose father was an estate planning attorney, and she's aged herself now, she's in her seventies or eighties. And she said, my father told me he became an estate planning attorney because he liked and loved people... I couldn't understand that when I was a child, because I thought he just filled out paperwork. But now that I'm realizing the humanity of aging, and the humanity of assisting family members through the death of a loved one, I've really come to realize that — especially with estate planning, different from other laws — really is about caring for your clients. It's really not just checking the boxes of an administration, but being that support system for that individual who has recently lost a loved one.""One of the main reasons you do want to meet with that estate planning attorney after the death of a loved one is there are significant legal obligations that are thrust upon an agent named in a will, and you start acting in that role, then you're accepting some of those legal responsibilities. And so the role of that attorney is to guide the executor or the trustee through those legal requirements. There are a number of steps that a trustee and/or an executor have to follow. There are both federal and state deadlines that need to be met. There are obligations they have to fulfill, there are notices they have to provide. And most people will act as an executor or a trustee a handful of times in their life. Once, twice, maybe a few more. And they just don't have the time to actually learn all of their obligations. So a good estate planning attorney should be able to sit down with an executor or a trustee and then hold their hand through an entire administration."Learn more:About Andrea LeeLegacy Estate Planning...

With multi-generational housing on the rise – aging parents moving in with their adult children — this segment looks at the complex issue from the child's point of view. Elder law attorney Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about expectations and approaches.Andrea says, "There's obviously many ways this can be set up... And the big question that we always want to advise is sitting down and formulating a plan of what that would look like, not just structurally, but emotionally. If mom and dad were to live in there, if mom and dad are investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to modify a house or to add an apartment, then the conversation needs to be had. My recommendation is two kitchens, two living areas. That has been a proven need to make long term care housing happy for everyone, is their home separate space, so you're not constantly in each other's hairs. But the conversation the child needs to have with their parent is, 'hey, if you're investing all this money and you're living with me, both parties need to be protected.' So you have to have a plan."What about the time when mom and dad die? What is going to happen with that money they've invested? Do they expect to be put on that deed? Do they expect to earn an ownership interest in that property, or are they going to treat it as a gift to the child and say, 'I'm giving you this $200, $300,000, and my hope is you let me live in this apartment that we're building. That creates a risk for the parent, because what if the kids change their minds after a few years? They don't want mom and dad to live there anymore. If it's a gift, the parents aren't protected. But if the parents own an ownership interest in that house, then it opens the kids up to the possibility of, if mom or dad die, and that becomes a part of their will, or distributed through their trust, might they be in a position where they have to sell their own house to pay off a sibling? You don't want them to be in that position either."Andrea adds, "Many questions can arise if your parents are thinking of living with you. it's absolutely essential that the parent and the child sit down and discuss these possible scenarios. And because most people only do this once in their life, it is best done if that parent and that child sits down with professionals who have experience guiding families through creating multi-generational housing. So you can discuss the pros and the cons and the risks to the parents and to the child."Learn more:About Andrea LeeLegacy Estate Planning websiteLegacy Estate Planning podcastsCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Since COVID, there has been a 40% increase in multi-generational housing: either senior parent or parents have moved in with their children, or kids who can’t afford to live on their own have moved back home again. For an aging parent, they wonder: should I sell my house? Should I invest money in my son or daughter's home? Should I move in with them? What does that mean for my overall estate plan, my assets? How does that affect the other heirs if I have other children? Elder law attorney Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about this complex issue.Andrea says, "I'm a huge proponent of multi-generational housing. If you want your kids to help you, it shouldn't be a burden to them. My own mom and dad bought a house half a mile from me, and that's what allowed us to keep my mom home for ten years after her dementia diagnosis, because we were able to support my dad and provide that care. And it's even easier if you can live within the same house, because that even decreases that burden of having to go somewhere else to help with that day to day care that people frequently need as they age."Now in some instances, maybe a multi-generational house itself is not the best option, or it's not feasible. But at minimum, you need to live within a mile of your kids... I was part of that sandwich generation, where I had young children at home and I had a mom and dad who needed help. And I'm an attorney, and I work full time. And it was overwhelming at times for me to try and balance my kids, their sports, their school, dinner, homework, work, and also care for my parents. And so for any parent who's out there, moving near your child so that they don't have to drive 30 minutes — that's an hour out of your day, that's valuable time that really causes a lot of stress for your children. "One of the challenges I have found as an elder law attorney with multi-generational housing is combining two households. That's so hard to do, it can actually increase stress a lot. So if you want to live together, the goal is that it is beneficial for everyone, and not just you as a parent. First, take a step back and say, 'I want to make sure I'm not overly burdening my child,' and setting up that expectation of what your child is going to do for you, listening to them in their circumstances..."Mom and dad are thinking, I'm going to make a very large investment. I'm going to remodel my son or my daughter's home so that I can have a downstairs living area that is wheelchair accessible, and that I can age in for the rest of my life. Well, then you have to have that conversation, if mom and dad died a few years later, that money has been invested into that child's house and the other children aren't going to get the benefit of that. So those parents need to make sure they've updated their estate plan. They've created a deed that allows that resource to then pass to the child with whom they're living. Or if that's not what they want, they have to have that clear conversation and expectation with that child. But also with other members of the family, they don't want to be in a circumstance where mom and dad die. Something happens. They can no longer remain in that home, and people are fighting over the investment mom and dad made into living there. And what's going to happen to that? There's so many ways it can go wrong, that's extremely important for clients who are considering doing this, sit down with an expert who has a lot of knowledge of multi-generational housing and issues that need to be addressed when making that decision."Learn more:About Andrea LeeLegacy Estate Planning website<a...

Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about providing nationwide assistance for people seeking answers.Daphne says, "When you're looking for someone to help you guide you through this maze of options, ask for referrals in terms of what are other families — and I would specifically ask for, I want to know about your hardest ones. You know, I want to know about the ones that you had to work hard. What was the outcome? And it doesn't have to be all rosy. We're human beings, right? We know that things can go sideways. That's the uniqueness of each story."I am president of the chapter in the State of Washington for NPRA, the National Placement and Referral Alliance. It is a trade association specific for referral and placement agencies. They have a code of ethics that they are developing nationwide, much like you would think of the Bar Association for attorneys, but certainly not at that level of sophistication. It allows me to be able to have vetted people in most states that can provide the level of guidance that I would want for for any of my clients. "And so that really does my heart well in terms of being able to be a part of Answers for Elders and having this nationwide presence, that we can start to establish a a litmus, a benchmark of what consumers can expect. And the other piece that NPRA does is really focuses on legislation about family choice, being able to protect our seniors and not being bombarded by a constant information that's not appropriate or feeling like they don't have choice. So that's something that NPRA is very, very focused on. I wanted to share with you that information on how can I help people nationwide when I'm sitting in the Seattle greater area."Daphne adds, "It's very hard to know who I'm supposed to trust these days. And so there's there's some ways of just vetting people through NPRA. There's a test that's designed specifically for referral agencies, and you can look for a little CPRS [logo], which is Certified Placement and Referral Specialist, and it's very akin to little letters behind someone's name. CSA, Certified Senior Advisor. And the difference between the two is the CSA is broad — it's for many, many different disciplines of help and support to our senior communities — and the CPRS is specific to [people] like myself. So that's one thing that you can look for."Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.Learn more:Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for EldersAbout Daphne DavisHear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share her top five tips for choosing a referral agent, specifically to help you find medical assistance for a senior loved one, or to choose a senior living community for them.Meet face to face.Make sure they can refer you to every available option, not just the ones they have contracts with.They will go with you when you tour facilities.They will stay with you and help during the transition time.Make sure you are comfortable enough to ask questions and share family secrets.Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.Learn more:Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for EldersAbout Daphne DavisHear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about why and how to choose a referral agent to help with making choices about a senior parent.Daphne says, "When you don't have enough information about making a really serious decision or consequential decision, inevitably what I have found is that people have to make another decision in a very short amount of time. What is the right fit for my mom or dad? I don't want to limit it to just talking to adult children and talking about your mom and dad, but let me just generically paint that picture. Even if you're looking for yourself, having enough information so that you don't have to move again is probably one of the things that could motivate consumers to want to explore a referral agent."Many times we can think we can do this ourselves [with] a computer and the Internet... But in this scenario, people are very unique, and they do not fit into a cookie cutter, one-size-fits-all group... It's so important to me to find to be able to meet the loved one. And I don't I don't care if it's for 2 minutes or 2 hours. There's a uniqueness in the energy of your loved one that is important to pick up on. And that's one of the things that in choosing a referral agent, make sure that they're not going to just work off of piece of paper of symptoms and general allergies... Inviting a professional to help you in figuring out where is your mom or dad right now, or where are you right now in the journey of life? What chapter of life are you in to have someone be able to come in and take a snapshot picture of today?"Daphne adds, "What are our highest values in making this move? Why are we making this move? What are the things that have to exist in this new place called home for your loved one? Once you've established what those highest values are, then you as a family — and I'm going to just talk as a family — you can keep each other accountable to that litmus to that list of highest values and not get in the weeds, but mom really liked doing Fill in the Blank. And she was 40 years old when she did that... So sticking to what are the highest values, that's what a referral agent will do, will help walk through discovering what are the important things to talk about."I'm going to generically say in our later years in life, whatever number that starts out, but 80, 90 years old, being able to to say, what is it today? Yeah, Dad used to like to go out and go fishing and he still has that interest, but he's not fishing anymore. But now he wants to talk about it. Or now he wants to educate other people about how fishing, or he wants to be proud of his collection of fly fishing poles, whatever it is... it's not choosing a community that he gets to go out on the river and go fishing."Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.Learn more:Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for EldersAbout Daphne DavisHear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

If you're faced with the daunting challenge of helping a senior loved one find medical assistance after an injury or choose a senior living community to move to, you're not alone. Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about finding a referral agent to help answer those questions.Daphne says, "I have 25 years of being able to see some patterns in this industry of housing and care for elders and seniors. What I'm seeing now is a lot of hesitation and people not sure who they can trust. I'm seeing families come to me and say, 'I just don't have enough information. Why are people not telling me what's going on with my mom or dad? I don't know what direction to go.' It used to be this way Medicare covered X, Y, and Z, and now I'm finding out they don't cover that anymore..."If you think of a hospital and what used to happen there was, you had something get diagnosed or responded to in the E.R., you had some time to recover. If you have surgery, you have some time to recover. That's not the case anymore. Now they ship you off to rehab... and, well, what's rehab, what's skilled nursing, what is this? And what can I expect there?"Do I take mom home? Do we do in-home care? Do we contract through our insurance, Medicare insurance? Do I have P.T.A. and speech therapy come in? Do I go to an assisted living? Physical therapy or occupational therapy? Or do I look at assisted living?"Daphne adds, "What are you going to get when you have chosen someone to help you, whether it be in a referral agency, or a moving company, or an elder law attorney? I'm really looking forward to talking about the subject of, what do you look for in a referral agent? We do have referral agents available nationwide. Each state has their own requirements of what a referral agent can and can't do. And some states are more sophisticated about having requirements in terms of how to run their business. "In general, I get to come in, hear the story, do some research, go on a tour, show you what's available out there, and then you, the family, have some guidance to make an informed decision."Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.Learn more:Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for EldersAbout Daphne DavisHear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.