Answers For Elders Radio Network

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.

If you're single, it's much harder to plan financially in advance for retirement, as there are more options available for married couples. To alleviate worries about finances and aging, or the possibility of an unhealthy retirement where you might face a chronic illness, you may want to research alternative living facilities on your own ahead of time, or prepare irrevocable trusts to preserve assets. Elder law attorney Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about various ways single folks can protect their assets for retirement and beyond.Andrea says, "I have found that frequently single individuals have a whole other set of challenges that they need to face when doing their estate and long term care planning. If there's a spouse, there are significant things that we can do to preserve assets. And unfortunately, so many single people just don't have those same resources. And it's oftentimes a huge stress and a burden for them as they anticipate aging. Hopefully they've met with a financial advisor or someone who's a little bit knowledgeable and developed a budget and a plan to make their money last."Andrea adds, "I do recommend people plan to live to 100. Not many of us make it, but some do. So it's better to plan for it. But for single people, especially if they are concerned about long term care, I do get that phone call frequently where somebody is saying I have adequate resources to pay for healthy retirement, but I am concerned about unhealthy retirement. I'm concerned about the stroke, I'm concerned about dementia, I'm concerned about ALS, or any type of [chronic illness]... For single people, unfortunately, there are not as many good options if you're facing incapacity and needing long term care. What's the priority? And it's definitely putting in place that financial power attorney, putting in place that health care power of attorney."But I would say it's also being much more conscientious about planning for the future incapacity and ensuring you have adequate resources and adequate plans to pay for that. If people are single, they have adequate resources, we want to look at long term care insurance. Is that a viable option for you? It's important. It's essential to have a housing plan in place. It's essential to sit down and say, you know, if I become incapacitated, what do I want that to look like from a practical standpoint? Because you might not have a spouse to step in and make those decisions for you. And so the question is, hey, can someone take care of me at home? Do I have the resources to hire someone if I don't have family members who can step in? And if neither of those are true, what are the alternatives that I would feel comfortable with?"So the beauty is there are a lot of options available to single people, but don't wait to plan. Sit down with an estate planning, an elder law attorney. Sit down with your family members, and have that hard conversation about what can people do for you, what are their boundaries."Learn more:About Andrea LeeLegacy Estate Planning websiteLegacy Estate Planning podcastsCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Silver Sneakers is the only fitness program that provides financial rewards for staying fit. Members can grow a college fund for a loved one. So even if a senior is on a fixed income, they can actually provide money for a grandchild's college tuition. It's a great motivator to get exercising — people will often do for others what they won't do for themselves.Jan Sheeley explains, "When they go to either a gym or take an online class seven times a month, they can win $250 that goes into your college fund for a loved one."The program is available through Silver Sneakers, free fitness benefits available to senior loved ones through their Medicare Advantage program.Visit https://tools.silversneakers.com/ to see if you have the Silver Sneakers program available in your Medicare Advantage. To sign up for the college tuition reward, visit silversneakers.tuitionrewards.com.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Jan Sheeley from Silver Sneakers joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders radio show to talk about strategies for making and achieving realistic goals for exercise, in particular to make New Year's resolutions achievable.Jan says, "Tracking things down, writing things down, is helpful. It's the same with fitness. It's the same with food. I'm going to eat one vegetable with every meal. Write down that vegetable. Write down whether you do it or not. I'm going to drink a glass of water with my meal. Write that down. So tracking things, writing them down. Then you know you've got a great achievement, you are winning."Visit https://tools.silversneakers.com/ to find resources on their blog that help with exercise and diet. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

For people with chronic conditions like arthritis, exercise can be difficult and painful. Jan Sheeley from Silver Sneakers joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders radio show to talk about free resources at Silver Sneakers to help, and also provides some strategies for getting started with moving and exercise.Jan says "We do have online documentation, stories, an actionable items on the website. You go to silversneakers.com, you don't have to be a member. That site is completely free. Anybody can access it. We have a blog that talks about chronic conditions. You can choose which one fits you, and arthritis is a very big one."You don't have to start by going to run a mile today. No, it could be I'm going to walk around the block, or walk around my dining room table. Just get moving. When you do start moving, it engages your endorphins and makes you a lot happier. Feel good about yourself, know you're doing something actionable. Those things really improve your health outcomes."Visit https://tools.silversneakers.com/ to find resources on their blog that help with chronic illnesses. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Jan Sheeley from Silver Sneakers joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders radio show to talk about free fitness benefits available to senior loved ones through their Medicare Advantage program. Silver Sneakers is a free program accessible through certain Medicare Advantage programs. Check the website to see if you are already enrolled in the program. Jan Sheeley is Regional Growth Marketing Manager for Tivity Health and Silver Sneakers. Jan explains, "Silver Sneakers is a free benefit with a medicare Advantage plan. It allows you to go to the gym in our network for free. You have access to live online fitness classes, and we have over 300 that you can choose from. And you can pick whether it's a yoga, whether it's a strength class, a stretch or a fall prevention class. And then we offer classes through your community center. It's available through either Aetna or Humana or Elements in Washington state. It's through different plans in every state."To find out, do I have Silver Sneakers, visit https://tools.silversneakers.com/Eligibility/CheckEligibility. On the right-hand side of the website, you just need to put in your first name, your last name, your birthday, and your zip code and hit enter, and it will show you, yes, you have Silver Sneakers. Then it will give you this long code, the eligibility number that will allow you to go into a gym."Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

A lot of people choose not to get married. They co-habitate, they mix assets, they'll buy a home, and some even have retirement plans. There are many legal protections for married couples, but some of those protections don't extend to individuals who live together, such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid benefits. If an unmarried couple decides to live together, they ought to discuss how to protect each other, and consider how do you protect yourself if you choose to live with a partner. Elder law attorney Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne to talk about protections and estate planning for unmarried couples.Andrea says, "We all like to think that our partners love us, and we'll do what's in our best interest, they'll always put us first. But the reality is, even married couples can each have their own will. They can each retain their own counsel. So if you're an unmarried couple and you're residing together, even if you own a home together, there is the possibility that one partner could go retain an attorney, draft a will, create a trust that says, 'Hey, when I die, my half of the house goes to my kids, or my half of the house goes to the Humane Society.' And so it can be very tricky for unmarried couples or even married couples to plan."Andrea adds, "You might be an unmarried couple. You could live together for 40 years. And if one of you has a stroke — or is in an accident and ends up in the hospital, if you are not married — your long-term partner might not have any legal ability to visit you in the hospital, to talk to your doctors, to make decisions on your behalf. That might fall to your parents — or your sibling who you haven't talked to in decades. So really, unmarried couples, it's even more important for them to sit down and prepare a plan than it is for married couples, because they don't have any of those protections that the law puts in place.""There are different rules in different states, and how each state interprets those relationships. and what rights are bestowed upon different individuals. There are some benefits where, if a surviving spouse gets remarried, they might lose some benefits. Some ... people don't want to give up money that they're earning because of a death of their first spouse by getting remarried. I do military pensions. There are a lot of people who would love to get remarried, but they are concerned about potentially the loss of a military pension, or some other benefit that they might have received."Learn more:Andrea LeeLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning podcastsCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Dr. Marc B. Cooper sees enormous benefits in using AI to help our senior loved ones, especially in their later age. He joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the potential of technology, particularly AI, to combat loneliness among the elderly and improve healthcare management in the future. They consider strategies that can be implemented to help elders feel less isolated. They also think about how AI can assist in the mission of The Contemporary Elder Institute.Additionally, they explored the impact of AI on content creation, with Suzanne sharing her experience using AI tools to help write a book. Marc is the author of "Older to Elder: The Thinking and Being of a Contemporary Elder." Visit his websites at www.requestingwisdom.com and www.drmarcbcooper.com.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Dr. Marc B. Cooper joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to continue their talk about aging with purpose and intention. They talk about higher consciousness and self-understanding. They ask how a higher consciousness and self-understanding can impact your life.He writes, "After 80 years on the planet, my life’s been anything but linear. In our Western culture, my adult journey followed a prescribed path for success: college, dental school, a residency in periodontics training, and an advanced degree in immunology. This was followed by two years in the Air Force as a periodontist and oral surgeon at the tail end of the Vietnam War. Post-service, I settled into private practice in Bellevue, WA, moonlighting as an associate professor at the dental school for my first few years."Then, after a little more than a decade, I pivoted. After a decade of drills and scalpels, I traded my dental chair for consulting. I began coaching individual and small groups of dental and medical practices. In the ladder part of my consulting career, my clients included national and international healthcare organizations, hospitals of hospital systems, for-profit and nonprofit boards, business incubators, C-suits, insurers, VCs, vendors, Fortune 500 companies, think tanks, and government agencies. "Existentially, I’ve been on my own walkabout. I completed the est training in 1979 (now Landmark Education) and became a program leader for them until 1984. I participated in programs and sittings at Naropa University, a Buddhist university, where I sat, learned, and added Eastern practices of consciousness. I also spent quality time with Native and Aboriginal elders, which profoundly shaped my current understanding of what it means to be an elder."Marc is currently CEO of the Contemporary Elder Institute. He leads small group programs and does Elder coaching, applying higher wisdom to client's issues, concerns, and problems. Marc is the author of, "Older to Elder: The Thinking and Being of a Contemporary Elder." Visit his websites www.requestingwisdom.com and www.drmarcbcooper.com."Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

More about aging with purpose and intention: Suzanne Newman is joined by Dr. Marc B. Cooper on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to delve further into the significance of living with intention and purpose as individuals transition into elderhood. Dr. Cooper highlights the importance of authentic elders in decision-making and the need to redefine aging positively. He describes how to live with intention and purpose.He describes the mission of The Contemporary Elder Institute, how he hopes to accomplish the mission, and what a person needs to be to accomplish it.Marc says, "My intention is for listeners to consider what makes Elders unique, why they are closed out in our culture, and the possibility that if Elders were heard in the world, the world would work." Visit his websites www.requestingwisdom.com and www.drmarcbcooper.com."Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Aging with purpose and intention: Dr. Marc B. Cooper joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to discuss the evolving role of elders in society, particularly as the population over 65 continues to grow. Suzanne Newman shared her personal experience of being downsized, which led her to establish Answers for Elders. Both Suzanne and Dr. Cooper emphasized the importance of storytelling and legacy for baby boomers, who control a significant portion of wealth. They discussed the need for elders to guide younger generations and the value of inquiry in fostering personal and societal growth, while also addressing the challenges of ageism and the importance of living authentically as one ages.Marc says, "If you sit down on a bench with Margaret Mead, what kind of conversation would you have? Or an Einstein, or Rubin... How would you talk? How would you be? There's something about them that calls forth something out of you, what a true elder is.”Learn:* What is the difference between Older and Elder?* What qualities and characteristics does one need to become an Elder?* What are the benefits and costs of becoming an Elder?In 2017, he sold The Mastery Company, an entrepreneurial expression founded in 1984. The company grew into a global company. After the sale, he started Seeking Wisdom, a think tank that eventually evolved into the Contemporary Elder Institute. He leads small group programs and does Elder coaching, applying higher wisdom to client's issues, concerns, and problems.Marc says, "And along the way, I authored 13 books, wrote 2,320 newsletters/blogs, published 220 professional articles, featured on podcasts, and burned through 1.25 million air miles."If you are on the cusp of retirement, or two to three years post-retirement, thoughtfully considering what’s next for your life, I suggest you read my book, "Older to Elder: The Thinking and Being of a Contemporary Elder" and visit my websites, www.requestingwisdom.com and www.drmarcbcooper.com."Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Elder law attorney Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne to talk more about special needs trusts, comparing first party special needs trusts and third party special needs trusts.Andrea provides an example of a third party special needs trust: "Let's say I am a parent of a disabled child, and my disabled child does not have assets. Maybe they're on Medicaid, maybe I support them, but they don't have their own money. I might draft a will, and in my will give my two healthy kids their distribution outright, and then for my disabled child, I in my will might create a special needs trust, using my money for that disabled child because that money never belonged to that disabled child. It was my money and I'm putting it in a trust for that child. That would allow that child to continue accessing Medicaid, continue accessing long term care, continuing accessing Social Security without having to spend that money down."Now, that's one use of the special needs trusts. But as an elder law attorney, we most frequently use them when we have a married couple, and sometimes we even use them when they're both healthy, but we almost always use them if we have a married couple, and one spouse is incapacitated."My mom was diagnosed with dementia in 2014. My dad was very healthy. And when my mom was diagnosed, we faced the reality that, as long as my dad was alive, as an elder law attorney, I could use my resources and my knowledge and my skills to help preserve most of my parents money. And I could do that by making sure my parents have a valid estate plan, transferring assets to my dad, moving some things around, maybe just creating a great plan to preserve assets."But even though my mom was the one with dementia, there was the possibility that my dad could die first. I mean, he could have a stroke. He could be in a car accident. So when we have a married couple, what we frequently will do is we will impoverish the incapacitated spouse, enrich the healthy spouse, and then in that healthy spouse's will, we would create a special needs trust. So in my parents' situation, if my dad happened to have died first, the house that he lived in would go into that trust. The retired accounts would go into that trust, their families would go into that trust so that my mom could receive long-term-care benefits, and all that money could be preserved and help supplement what Medicaid does not cover. So that's a type of special needs trust that can be used by married couples to ensure they never have to spend all of their money down in order to qualify or to keep a spouse on Medicaid benefits for, among other Social Security type of benefits."Learn more:Andrea LeeLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning podcastsCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

So many of us have a loved one that may have special needs, a disability. Maybe a spouse has just been diagnosed with dementia and needs care, and they're afraid of losing their house or their money. If you're in that situation, or maybe your parents are, or a child that has special needs, this episode will be important. Elder law attorney Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne to talk about special needs trusts and how people can protect their own resources.Andrea explains, "A first party special needs trust is a special needs trust that is created using an individual's own resources. They're the least popular... An individual might use a special needs trusts under the following circumstances. Let's say they were perfectly healthy, but they were in a car accident and they suffered a traumatic brain injury and now they need assistance for long term care benefits, like Medicaid or VA, or they're accessing Social Security. But they can't access those benefits because they have their own money. Maybe they've successfully were employed or maybe they had an inheritance... If it's an individual's own money, we then have to create what's called a first party special needs trust, where we use the assets of that individual to create that special needs trust. They do have a lot of limitations, so we don't use them as often as the other type of special needs trusts... The applicant has to be under the age of 65... and it must have a Medicaid payback."I practice in the state of Washington, and even though special needs trusts are created based on a federal law and special needs, trusts exist in all 50 states. And the way each state's interprets and treats those special needs trusts is different. So even though I can talk about special needs trusts in the broadest terms, if somebody is really interested in talking about how special trusts could serve them individually, they really need to meet with an elder law attorney in the state where they reside, because that elder law attorney can formulate a fantastic estate plan that will protect their assets, allow them to not lose their house, that will allow them to preserve some of their assets. And there's a lot of ways that we can preserve assets for a married couple, and allowing them to not become destitute, just because of a terrible diagnosis."Most of my clients are much better served with what we call a third party special needs trust... The third party special needs trust is a trust that's created with the assets of a non-applicant... They can choose the trustee. They cannot be their own trustee, but they could choose a trusted child. They could choose a professional organization. That money is protected, and it's used to provide good quality of life quality for the beneficiary."Learn more:Andrea LeeLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning podcastsCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

We don't spend enough time finding out everything we need to know. Have you got your legal paperwork done? L.E. "Ellie" Brown from Chateau Retirement Communities joins Suzanne to talk about how to find resources for seniors that many people don't even know exist.Ellie says, "I think there's a cottage industry for everything we need in this. It is out there. But here are some of the ideas. There are companies that will literally come in as a real estate company, and help you move to senior living. It will box everything up, put some to sale for an estate, sell some they'll get rid of, all based on your wants and needs. There are companies that will come in and help you do financial review... Bridge loans. There's elder law, who can do the power of attorney executor, especially if there's cognitive issues. Think about this. If your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer's and they're too far gone, they can no longer sign for a power of attorney. Then what are you going to do? Then it's a whole other thing to try to get them the support and love they need."Ellie adds, "There are some great programs out there that don't cost anything to the family. Senior Care Finder is one that I really enjoy a lot. They don't capture your information, but you go on there and you do a search, and it'll show you all the Google reviews, and the different sites in your area, and then it gives you that opportunity to contact those communities yourself... Google reviews are a little tough at times because you get angsty employees, and during COVID, It was rough, but that is still a way to go look, overall... It's got all that vibrant information. Or, there are some amazing smaller paid advisors that will really walk the walk with you."I always say tour, tour and tour and tour and tour. Have lunch, attend activities in the building. You get to know the building. I have people that didn't move in for four or five years, but they came to every event. They came to the big events. They came to dinner once in a while, or lunch. They get to know the community... So find that place that feels like your mom could see herself living there, and then and go tour, tour and tour."Tour first as the daughters, or the son, or whoever the caregiver is, and narrow it down. Don't exhaust [mom or dad] with five or seven tours, narrow it down to two or three."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 at https://www.chateauretirement.com or call 800.960.1944.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

L.E. "Ellie" Brown from Chateau Retirement Communities joins Suzanne to share how families can best support their senior loved ones. Ellie shares her top three tips for getting through the transition when a loved one starts struggling:1. Communication. I see that most families are not as open as they could be. If you have siblings, be on the same page. All noticing different things.2. Have that initial conversation with your loved one, as soon as possible. Hearing from them, learn their wishes. Hopefully you're discussing this early enough to be able to honor their wishes.3. Start doing your research. Find programs, learn what's out there, what are the options.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 at https://www.chateauretirement.com or call 800.960.1944.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

What signs of aging are of concern as we're supporting our senior loved ones? L.E. "Ellie" Brown from Chateau Retirement Communities joins Suzanne to talk about the warning signs and facing up to the various dynamics of denials, not just from ourselves, but also our loved ones.Ellie shared her personal, family experiences with warning signs. She says, "For my mom, her health was clearly in decline. She wasn't recovering as quickly from colds. She was seemingly depressed at times. So that was a sign to me. Not as vibrant anymore. Then I started hearing about falls, which — she was minimizing the falls. For a long time I found that she was hiding quite a bit of her decline. "And I'm doing this now with my father, and he would hate to hear this, but I show up early when I tell him I'm going to come visit. When your family member is prepared to see you, they've gotten cleaned up, buttoned up, and they put their package on, because that's your mom or your dad. Their job, in their mind, is to protect you. Also their pride: 'I don't want what's about to happen, to happen to me, where they find out that I actually am declining, and probably looking at the next step.' And then there's the family dynamic: 'That's my child. I don't want to be a burden or a bother.'"I also don't think we pay enough attention to the appetite and the depression as well, so that these are some significant signs. More doctor visits, more of that kind of thing."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 at https://www.chateauretirement.com or call 800.960.1944.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

L.E. "Ellie" Brown from Chateau Retirement Communities joins Suzanne to talk about how to best support our senior loved ones, particularly as they get older and might need to consider senior living. Ellie works with families every day, and shares common situations that she encounters as families try to help their loved ones. Ellie is Vice President Sales - Strategic Market Analysis, Branding &amp; Sales Leadership for Chateau Retirement.Ellie finds that a lot of families are facing similar challenges, obstacles, stereotypes about senior living, and misinformation. "It could be as simple as the daughter says, 'I visit with my mom every day, so she's got socialization.' I coach my sales teams to say, hold up now, that's not the same as peer-to-peer socialization. Visiting my dad is definitely visiting, but when he's with his compadres of the same age group, that's different... At the end of the day, how do we best support our parents at that point, our loved ones who still have every right to make all their decisions as independent, honorable people that have made it this far in life? With the exception if it's a dementia-type thing or a cognitive thing. Because we are starting to shift that, we're having to start making some decisions for them. What does that look like? And those conversations are hard, and there's no there's no perfect roadmap, right? Every family has their own dynamics, but how do we know when to say what we need to say, and how to say it? When does tough love come in? Because we're worried most of the time, [when] something's changed."Families experience different aspects of denial. Ellie says, "There's multiple things going on there. As the adult daughter, there's my own denial going on. I don't want my mom or my dad, I don't want to accept this [situation]. Also, I have a busy life. I probably have stuff going on myself, job, grandkids, kids, my own stressors. There's a little bit of that disconnect. But also, parents are parents. They're great at faking it, great at confrontations. They're great at mom's pretending dad's better than dad's [really] doing. That's why the inquiries, and the leads, spike in January and February, because everybody sees each other during the holidays and we've got eyes on 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 at https://www.chateauretirement.com or call 800.960.1944.Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/