Answers For Elders Radio Network

Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about physical wellness, a pillar of the eight foundational principles of wellness, part of the summer Vitality Revolution podcast series. Dr. Shawn says, "We kind of get set in our ways and routines. It's good to have routine, if it's serving you. But we get stuck in these routines and these habits that aren't serving us. It's really amazing the small things you could do your routine and mindset — we talked about emotional health, mindset is everything. If you aren't in a space where you are ready to make those changes, then you're going to have that roller coaster of success and failures and you're not going to see the benefits. What is physical wellness? Dr. Shawn says, "I've been a physical therapist for 26 years. My goal is to get everybody moving. It doesn't matter your capabilities, or your illnesses, or what we call co-morbidities. There's something for everybody and there's just so many reasons to move your body, even if it's 10 minutes, if it's 5 minutes. If you're not an exerciser or you feel like you can't, there's a way to move your body. Moving your body is so important. Think about all the things that it does. It helps your emotional wellness. But it's proven to reduce anxiety, to reduce depression, to relax, to help you sleep. It also helps with cardiovascular health. I don't care if you have to sit in a chair and march your legs, or if you're somebody who's over 60 and is still taking five-mile walks, it doesn't matter, you can improve your cardiovascular fitness by simply moving your body. "I always say to start with five minutes. And it depends on the individual. You might be using a walker. That's ok. How about how many laps can we take around the house today? Let's start there. I've had my 75-year olds who are avid hikers and are really into fitness, and have been their whole life; well, I'm going to challenge them as well. " Dr. Shawn Weiss Book an appointment with Dr. Shawn Weiss Dr. Shawn Weiss' 60 days to optimal health program Senior Health and Wellness website Hear more podcasts with Shawn Weiss Vitality Revolution More podcasts on Physical Wellness Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why would you want to set up a living trust? Legacy Estate Planning attorney Steve Waltar joins Suzanne to talk about the basics and benefits of living trusts. Benefits include ease of management and they work in all 50 states. Steve says, "I think it was Oliver Wendell Holmes who said, 'Don't put your trust in money, put your money in trust.' What's behind that? Well, lots of reasons. I think, practically speaking, it's a great way to get organized. Who knows your assets better, you or your heirs? You just get to clean up how you own things... It gets you organized, and then you can make sure that anything that's in the trust is properly organized. And then other things that are outside of the trust can point to the trust and it coordinates things. Why do people want to do a trust? Because you avoid probate, you maintain privacy, you get strong incapacity protection. It's more thorough than will planning. You have more documents. It's easier during your life. It's easier if you're incapacitated, it's easier when you die, it's harder to contest. It works in all 50 states. It's more flexible. I mean, I could go on. There tends to be a few downsides. It tends to cost more, and be a little bit more work. I don't need to sell a trust. I just need to ask what people's goals are, and many of those things cause them to want to do one." How much more does it cost? Steve says, "If you get a Michelin tire, it's the same tire [wherever you buy it]. Powers of attorney are very different between attorneys. Wills are different. Trusts are even more different, but in general it's from $1,000 to $3,000 more, maybe, to do a trust. I mean, it's hard to know. My father in law spent $7,800 doing a will plan. That's more than a trust that I would even do for a single person today. So, in general it's a bit more, $1,000 bucks or more." What assets should not be in a trust? Steve says, "You don't want to have retirement funds. And the reason is, you don't want to change title on retirement period. If you take your IRA or your 401K, you take it out of your name and you move it into your trust, the IRS could consider that a distribution. You may say the beneficiary is the trust, or it's my spouse, then the trust, but that's different than ownership. So you don't want to change ownership on tax-deferred assets." Legacy Estate Planning at Answers for Elders Legacy Estate Planning website or call 425-455-6788 More podcasts with Steve Waltar Find an attorney near you at the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys website Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trustees manage assets on a trust. Successor trustees do the same sorts of things that an executor of an estate does, but for a trust. Sometimes it's the same person. Legacy Estate Planning attorney Steve Waltar joins Suzanne to talk more about living trusts, and this segment focuses on trustees. Steve says, "A trustee is the manager. They're the ones that hold legal title and it's a fiduciary position, meaning they are doing it on behalf of someone else. In a revocable living trust, husband and wife are probably their own trustees, but they're going to have successors that work after they're incapacitated or when they die. So that's kind of what we're talking about: who who can do this job, how important is this job?" What qualities should a trustee have? Steve says, "Trustworthy, honest, good communicator, fair, unbiased. I think that the knowledge base is, you want someone that at least understands your kinds of assets. If you're into lots of fancy buying and selling, if they've never had any stock accounts, they're probably not a good candidate. Now they can hire the financial advisors, the attorneys, the accountants, but they need to have a base level of understanding your types of assets. But as a person, or as an institution, they have to have really high values. They can't put their interest above the interest of the beneficiaries. They can't be disorganized. "Frequently people are listing children... Sometimes you'll have co-trustees. 'Well, I know my son would be fair, but he's just not organized.' Well, do we bill them as co-trustees — they both have to sign — or is it and/or? "It's a thankless job and if someone's an heir and they charge for doing the work, and it is work, then the other siblings don't understand it, don't appreciate it. They think it's being unfair. Sometimes there's tension between siblings, and sometimes it is better to have a trustee that's a bank. Banks are not known for being, you know, sensitive, but at least if they don't like the bank, that's a little different than disliking a brother or sister. I think clients often want to avoid the fees. That's actually the biggest problem. They want to avoid the fees, they figure the kids would do it for free. I'm saying, well, the kids could charge as well, or we might say in the event they act, they get a little bonus, they get a gift. It's not taxable because when you work, and you declare, that's gross income to you. They list the family because they figure they're the beneficiaries. They want to keep it private. They figure everyone gets along. There's a little saying in estate planning that the planners are the givers — those that do the wills and trusts — and then when someone dies, it's the takers. They want the money, and they want it now, and they don't appreciate who's doing all the work. "I've handled hundreds and hundreds of estates and probates. One time, Bank of America said 'It's not big enough. We don't want to be the personal rep and will you do it?' And so I did it. I mean, I had to clean out the storage, I had to go get the car, I had to sell the car. I had to do all that stuff that usually an attorney doesn't do. There's a lot to consider. We've got some lists on things to consider on our website at waltar.com, and they can look that up... Sometimes I just think it's good for people to interview professional firms. It's a good idea to just kind of know who's there, who could do what?" Legacy Estate Planning at Answers for Elders Legacy Estate Planning website or call 425-455-6788 More podcasts with Steve Waltar Find an attorney near you at the American Academy of...

Legacy Estate Planning attorney Steve Waltar joins Suzanne to talk more about living trusts. This segment focuses on who does what when trusts are created and managed. Steve says, "We need to identify the three parties. The first is the trustor. Sometimes it's called grantor or settlor, but I like trustor. For a married couple, it's both husband and wife. Then there's the trustee or trustees, and then there's beneficiaries. So those are the three parties. The one that can change it, the one that created it, the one who's taxable estate it is, that's the trustor. Do you have control over the trust? You can be all three people, that's the cool thing. My wife and I can buy, sell, lease, transfer. We have our condo in Sun Valley, Idaho in the trust, and our house, my business and all these things like that. So it's the trustees that have the authority. Anything you can do the trustee can do. Maybe we scale it back, to make sure that a trustee, especially a successor trustee can't do as many things as possible, but as long as you're the trustee, why limit yourself? "After the trustor dies, or if they're incapacitated, someone needs to manage it. And it's really nice for it to be people and not have a lot of fees, if you're still alive. But upon passing, it's very common to pay a trust company or something. So the trustee is a lot like a personal rep in a will or an executor. It's their job to value all the items and read the trust and consult with an attorney and know things. And then it might be as simple as distributing, or it might be managing things carefully for a period of time. So they're the fiduciary, they're wearing the hat, that's the highest duty under the law. They're managing someone else's money. "The one time you don't want a living trust is if what you're trying to do is qualify for Medicaid, because everything in the trust is your asset. They're not subject to creditors, or divorce, or taxes, but the state of Washington is a super creditor, so they can go after that. So for those clients, it might be a will with a Safe Harbor Trust is a better tool. That's an asset protection strategy. It's not an incapacity management strategy. So I would say from an incapacity management strategy, a trust is a stronger tool than a power of attorney for management. Powers of attorney often don't work. And when a trustee gets in problems with an institution, they just move the money because they're the legal owner." Legacy Estate Planning at Answers for Elders Legacy Estate Planning website or call 425-455-6788 More podcasts with Steve Waltar Find an attorney near you at the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys website Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You want to have documents to protect your wishes, making sure that you leave a legacy behind for your loved ones, and if you become incapacitated — if you need help in your later life, if you're unable to speak for yourself — there is legal proof that honors your wishes. Legacy Estate Planning attorney Steve Waltar joins Suzanne to talk about the value of trusts. Steve explains, "There's pros and cons with everything. But I was [working with] a retired pastor and his wife. I was just doing a simple will plan. And the wife says to me, 'Steve, how come Suzie Ormond says some people should have a living trust.?' I said, 'some people are worried about avoiding probate, and he says, 'we're worried about avoiding probate.' And I said, 'Some people are worried about incapacity, and she says, 'we're worried about incapacity'. Then I said, 'well, some people are kind of worried about privacy. They don't want anyone to know who gets what, when and how.' They said, 'we're worried about that.' And I said, 'would you guys like a trust?' Trusts are beneficial for so many things, maintaining privacy, avoiding court, flexibility. If you move from state to state, they are essentially a will replacement tool. They're not for everyone, but they just, they do an awful lot of things. "A living trust is a tool that was used more than 1000 years ago to get around the king's court, to get around probate. So it's a private way to own things, where you have a trustor or trustors that create it, you have trustees that manage it, and then you have beneficiaries. It's a lot like: you have a chest of drawers and you move things into it, and then you have use of them during your lifetime. Upon your death, depending on whether it's a married couple or a single couple, there's certain things that happen, and when all the trustors are gone, then it can be as simple as going outright to the beneficiaries, or you can still give them trusts with some protections for the beneficiaries. "On the one hand, it's generally more cost and work to set up. On the other hand, it's more likely to work, because who knows your assets better than you? So frequently when someone does a will, they don't check their life insurance or their IRA, they don't look at anything, they don't retitle anything. A trust kind of makes you look at how you own things, what should be transferred into the trust? And once you have things in the trust, it means they can't be subject to a court process of a guardianship or a probate. They're in the trust, and you have backup trustees that manage things. So it's kind of peace of mind and organizational element." Legacy Estate Planning at Answers for Elders Legacy Estate Planning website or call 425-455-6788 More podcasts with Steve Waltar Find an attorney near you at the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys website Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caregivers deserve some time for self-caring. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about some ways to help care partners from becoming overtaxed and burning out. Dr. Weiss says, "Emotional wellness affects every single foundational principle. It's very similar to the coaching I do with the pillars of health and emotional, mental health. It's at the top because... attitude is huge. You're not going to accomplish things or, or have a growth mindset, if you're stuck in a negativity pattern, or depression and sadness... If you're a family caregiver or care partner, that can cloud everything. "If you think about what's happened since COVID, we just saw a tremendous increase in the amount of caregiver burnout, and you see the that term quite a bit. But if you're a care partner, what I see is you're exhausted, you don't even take time for yourself. You're burning the candle at both ends, maybe you're still working, and then you're coming back to take care of a spouse or a mom or a dad, or traveling to their house to give them care and help them with A, B, or C, and you just are spent. "And when that happens, not only is it affecting your mental state, it's affecting you physically. You become more prone to illness, you become more prone to develop disease. You get weak, you're not exercising, you tend to not eat well. When you're emotionally burnt out, it's critical to start with that self care concept to get your emotional health back on check. And that's when I talk about making sure that you start with finding time for yourself every day... You can't take care of anybody else very well if you don't take care of yourself, because then what happens, you start getting angry, you start getting frustrated, you start getting short tempered, and that's not serving yourself or the person that you're helping at all. "If you know somebody who's in that situation, take the time to try to pull them away. Honestly, it could be coffee, it could be a book club, it could be uh a spa day, get your nails done. It does not matter. You need to take time for yourself."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you where you want to be at your age? If not, what are some strategies to improve? Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to provide four key ways we can improve how we feel emotionally. 1) Move your body; 2) Have gratitude; 3) Journal positivity; and 4) Try new things. Dr. Shawn says, "Start our day with reflection. The best way to do that is get outside and get moving. Move your body in whatever way you can. "Getting outside and combining that movement with meditation is just so uplifting, because you can go through your gratitudes. Sometimes I take a walk and I'll say it out loud like, 'oh, thank you so much for this beautiful day.' It's setting me up to feel good in my heart... What am I grateful for? Who are the people I love in my life and what do I want for them? And what do I want for myself? "Find positivity in every single day. Write it down. You can [also] speak these things out to yourself. "I'm a big believer in trying new things. Some people think, 'It's just too late for me to try something new. I'm too old to try something new.' Baloney. It's just not true. You have to believe in yourself and have the confidence to try new things. This is the perfect time. I know so many people in their 50s, 60s, even 70s that have gone to take classes, that have gone back to school, that want to make a change, to do something that brings them joy... It's a growth mindset." Dr. Shawn Weiss Senior Health and Wellness website Hear more podcasts with Shawn Weiss Vitality Revolution More podcasts on Emotional Wellness Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If we don't have our emotional or mental health in a good place, it will affect all of pillars of our health. We'll have a hard time making progress. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about emotional wellness, a pillar of the eight foundational principles of wellness, part of the summer Vitality Revolution podcast series. Dr. Weiss says, "Emotional wellness is your sense of self worth, your confidence, and certainly we each have a story. As I've gotten older, I've had a business for over 20 years. My kids are now out of the house and grown. All of these life things are going to affect how emotionally well I am, and that's going to change, and then understanding that that's ok. But you have to have a sense of self worth and that's going to be hard for some people. Let's say you 50, 60 years old, maybe you're approaching retirement age, having an idea of what you want to do next. Some people think, 'oh, it's over. I'm just gonna go downhill from here,' when it's just not the truth and it doesn't matter where you are physically or financially or spiritually, you have to believe in you, and you have to believe that there are better things to come once these life changes start." Dr. Weiss adds, "The idea of self care on a daily basis to me starts with routine. I coach and treat patients 50, 60, 70, 80+ years old. There's always room for self care and you have to get into that habit, and that starts with how you start your day." "They've done brain scans. Just the act of thinking about what you're grateful for rewires the brain to positivity. When you start out your day with positive information, and feeling self-worth, and knowing that 'I am worthy of good things come to me. I'm going to put A, B, and C aside, and I'm going to feel good about my day.' It's amazing what can happen. So again, the self-care piece starts with you taking time for yourself, involving other people in your life, reaching out to friends and family. "If I had to pick one thing to do in the morning to help you set yourself up emotionally, it's get outside. Because it kind of is two-fold. When you get outside, even for 10 or 15 minutes in the morning, it really is uplifting, and then if you take a walk — no headphones, nothing — feel nature, look around, observe your surroundings. It's a walking meditation. That's one of the best ways to start your day." Dr. Shawn Weiss Senior Health and Wellness website Hear more podcasts with Shawn Weiss Vitality Revolution More podcasts on Emotional Wellness Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about the eight foundational principles of wellness. The Vitality Revolution podcast series kicks off this summer with an overview of the eight foundational principles of wellness as designed by the University of Colorado at Pueblo. Suzanne says, "Let's lighten it up this summer. Let's focus on wellness on a higher potential and really think about how we can live a better quality of life, no matter what you're doing. These principles can help everyone. "Number one is emotional wellness. And we're going to talk about that piece today. So I'm gonna go past that. Number two is physical, and it's interesting they're put together in order. How do we keep our body healthy and vibrant? Number three, occupational wellness. Now it's interesting that we have occupational wellness after physical. But when we go through it, it makes total sense. Number four social wellness: how do we build connections and why are connections so important in the world? Then the next one, spiritual wellness, sets the stage of having a sense of well-being, of higher purpose, of contentment with the world, and being in congruity with our values. After that, intellectual wellness, which has to do with brain health. Are we utilizing our cognitive function in our brain appropriately, and to keep us level? Then we have environmental wellness. How do we build an environment that supports us? And then at the end is financial wellness and our resources. Do we have the resources to sustain us? "We're going talk this summer about all eight principles." Dr. Shawn Weiss Senior Health and Wellness website Hear more podcasts with Shawn Weiss Vitality Revolution More podcasts on Emotional Wellness Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's important to stimulate our brains in new ways as we grow older. A growth mindset means believing what you're doing, training yourself to believe that new tasks are possible and doable, and uses our brain's natural neuro-plasticity to continue to rewire itself and continue to grow. Cultivating a growth mindset is self-motivating and brings us a sense of accomplishment. Positive Wellness Coach Debra Kane joins Dr. Shawn Weiss to talk about what a growth mindset is, and how we can use it to become happier. This episode on emotional wellness: mindset over 50 is part of the Vitality Revolution summer podcast series on Answers for Elders. Debra Kane is a certified life coach specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming with a goal to empower you to reclaim control of your life and unlock the joy that lies within. She offers one-on-one and small group sessions tailored to your unique needs and goals that focus on your overall well-being, integrating mental and physical fitness to help you thrive in every area of your life. She has online courses, webinars, and the "Lead to Succeed Masterclass." Check out her book, "Do You Parent With Leadership?" on Amazon. * Debra Kane's website* Schedule a call with Debra Kane * Dr. Shawn Weiss* Senior Health and Wellness website* Hear more podcasts with Shawn Weiss * Vitality Revolution podcast series* More Podcasts on Emotional WellnessSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone wants to plan ahead. Sometimes you have a parent trying to prevent a crisis, but if something happens, you want to be prepared. Though life care professionals like to help people prevent a crisis, helping families navigate a crisis is the nature of their work. Lisa Mayfield, CEO and founder of Aging Wisdom, joins Suzanne to talk about how life care professionals help. Lisa says, "I think the first thing is knowing that there are people like us. And even though we love to help people prevent crisis, crisis is really the nature of our work. So that's what we're doing, day in and day out, is helping families navigate these situations and they're typically a fall. A parent falls, they end up in the hospital because they broke a hip. So families are needing help: how do I navigate the hospital? Hospital stays are so much more confusing these days. You might never see the doctor, the discharge planner is a different one every day... You don't know what to ask. You don't know who to ask... They'll make recommendations but they don't explain what it means. So, helping families navigate that whole hospital stay. But then also helping them figure out what happens next, if rehab is recommended. Why would that be a good thing? Why would you do it? How do you find one? What will happen then? And how much will your insurance pay?" Lisa adds, "I'm working with a wife right now whose husband had just landed in the hospital. He's now in rehab. She really wants him to come home. He's not yet walking again after a significant fall, where he hit his head on the floor. At [home], they have a lot of stairs to navigate. So, is that going to be realistic? And if you really want to make that work, what are we gonna need to do to the home to get [him] more help? So [we're] helping her navigate those options and those difficult decisions. Because if you're at a point where your spouse or partner can't come home, that's devastating and heartbreaking, and the adult children might not agree. This is a family where there's stepchildren. Then you're dealing with stepchildren and the current wife, and they might be at odds at what should happen. So [we're] helping families really make tough choices and navigate when they're not on the same page." Aging Life Care AssociationAging Wisdom websiteMore podcasts with Lisa Mayfield Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Family members may spot changes in how a senior loved one starts behaving. Some are natural for age progression, while others could mean that they might need medical care or assistance. Aging life care professional Lisa Mayfield, CEO and founder of Aging Wisdom, joins Suzanne to list some of the top signs of uncharacteristic behaviors to keep in kind when visiting senior loved ones. 1) Changes in mail management: You'll see mail start piling up on the table. "When your memory is changing, you can't look through mail and [tell junk mail from] the electric bill. So the mail just piles up. They may not be paying their bills, they may be behind in their credit card or their electricity." 2) Changes in appearance. "Maybe your mom was just meticulously dressed all the time. Always had her lipstick on. Her hair was perfect. And you're just starting to notice that she's wearing that same shirt each time you visit, it's starting to have stains on it. Maybe her hair just isn't quite as nice as it used to be." 3) Repeating stories. Mom becomes confused about appointments, and starts repeating questions she asked two minutes ago. 4) Forgetting to take medication. "You're noticing that they aren't taking their medications, their pill bottles haven't changed. You're just noticing confusion with medications." 5) Changes in initiative. "There's lack of initiative when people's memory is changing. People just end up not doing much. You'll find your dad sitting on his recliner hour after hour and he seems perfectly content, where he used to be out playing with the car, mowing the grass, or playing golf." For more signs that your parent may need help, get the resource guide at https://agingwisdom.com/ Aging Life Care AssociationAging Wisdom websiteMore podcasts with Lisa Mayfield Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lisa Mayfield, CEO and founder of Aging Wisdom, joins Suzanne to talk about how aging life care professionals consult with individuals and families who are navigating changes in health and memory. Lisa says, "The main thing we're doing with people that are planning ahead is teaching them the lay of the land. What does it look like if you stay at home, what's available? What do those resources look like? What does it cost? Where do you find those people? And then if you were to move, what's assisted living, what's memory care? What's a continuing care retirement community? Helping people understand here are all your options. Here's how they're different. Here's why you might pick one or the other. And then, most importantly, being able to strategize with people based on their own situation, which typically relates to their finances. What financial resources does this couple have for their future planning? And based on that, we can help them create plans that are realistic and sustainable financially." Lisa adds, "I met with this couple 10 years ago, and they were 70 at the time. They had just retired and they were wanting to meet with me, asking: what should we be thinking about? At that point in time, the most important priority was getting their legal documents together, making sure they've done their power of attorney documents, and their advance directives. So they felt better. We made that connection. I heard from them five years later, and that point it was more, 'Okay, we know we want to stay home, but let's tour some retirement communities just so we see what they're like.' And so I identified a few and they toured, and they went on their way saying, 'We feel better. We've done some planning.' "I just heard from them recently, and they're now 80. The husband was just diagnosed with dementia. So this story is helpful, because they were planning, they've been planning for 10 years. They had this relationship with me. So when that sort of change had happened, they knew who to call. We had a relationship, they could connect. Now it was much more real: what do we do now with this diagnosis? ... And really the big question is, do they want to stay at home or do they want to think about moving?" Aging Life Care AssociationAging Wisdom websiteMore podcasts with Lisa Mayfield Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Geriatric care managers are essential advocates for navigating the path for senior loved ones with medical or mobility challenges. A geriatric care manager or aging life care professional consults with individuals and families who are navigating changes in health and memory. People are doing this work across the country to help navigate the complicated, overwhelming, confusing system that is long term care choices and memory changes, and what do people do while amid these changes. Lisa Mayfield, CEO and founder of Aging Wisdom, joins Suzanne to talk about how these consultants advocate for loved ones during these crossroads and transitions. Suzanne says, "When I was navigating that world as a daughter, way back when, I listened a lot to my mom about what she wanted. And although there was a little voice in the back of my head saying this is probably not the right fit, I didn't have the toolbox to be able to guide her. So what ended up happening, I ended up moving my mother four times. And that is heartbreaking, because had I made the right decision in advance, she would have not had to move. I didn't know what I didn't know, and had I hired somebody like you, I can imagine my world would have been so much easier for on me as well as on her." Lisa Mayfield says, "Once we're hired by the family to be their advocate, we're looking out for your best interest. Geriatric care managers are part of a professional association. We're certified, many are licensed and have master's degrees. We have a code of ethics, and so we don't take referral fees. So what that means is: when we're making recommendations to families, we're not getting anything back for making those referrals. We're not selling anything. And so we can really be an unbiased person to make recommendations, which I think is really important, that's hard to find in this industry as a neutral person to help you navigate." Aging Life Care AssociationAging Wisdom websiteMore podcasts with Lisa Mayfield Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As you're listening, or watching on YouTube, sit up straight because we're going to talk about posture. Posture plays into overall health and our digestive system. It also lifts us up right, both emotionally and physically, there's so many things that posture plays into overall health. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about how good posture can improve our health, particularly as we age. Dr. Shawn says, "If you look at people over 70 you might see the effects. Maybe they're slouched over, they're significantly rounded over. It takes years to get that way. That's why it's so important to start looking at your posture now. Spinal alignment – when you have good posture, then you're maintaining those natural curves of the spine. Sit up, have your hips square, put your feet on the ground. Maintaining spinal alignment is super, super important. If your spine is aligned, then your muscles are balanced. If you are somebody that sits on your couch, and you're leaning over all the time, and you've got one leg underneath you, and you do that all the time for years, it's going to have an effect on your structure. Keping your muscles balanced is super important because that's preventing pain, that's preventing injury. We want those muscles to be strong and working for you. "So spinal alignment, muscle balance. The other big thing is breathing. The easiest way to explain that is if you are getting a little bit more rounded when you sit. What happens when you start getting more rounded is that is closing up your chest wall. All of those muscles are going to get tight. You're not getting good lung expansion. When you start to breathe in, you're not able to get full capacity and get good air exchange. "As we get older as we start slouching more, we start seeing all of these muscles get tight, and then the muscles in the back get overly stretched. So they become weak. It's super important from a breathing standpoint that we're able to get good air exchange. I work with people that have COPD, that are on oxygen, or have other pulmonary issues. One of the first things I'm working on with them is posture to maximize airflow." Learn more Dr. Shawn Weiss Senior Health and Wellness website More podcasts about physical wellness More podcasts with Dr. Shawn Weiss Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we age, sometimes we forget about a very important aspect of our health: our oral health. Once we get in our fifties and sixties, some of us think, it is what it is. It's expensive; senior on fixed incomes put tooth care last. But as we age, our teeth need more attention. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about how oral health factors into overall health. Dr. Shawn says, "Your mouth has its own kind of ecosystem and it really does affect your overall health. It's kind of the start of the whole gut canal, and there's a lot of indicators for that. People might be grossed out by this, but your mouth has over 800 types of bacteria, viruses, parasites, things like that. Some of them are beneficial, and you want to eliminate the ones that shouldn't be there. "When you're looking at gut health, there's such a connection with gut health and oral health. Be mindful of that, outside of regular dentistry. When you get your teeth cleaned, you're trying to prevent gum disease and some people might have dentures as they get older, and you're trying to prevent tooth decay. But there's so much more to it. There's a lot of indicators that we can study in your mouth that are predictive of your overall health." Learn more Dr. Shawn Weiss Senior Health and Wellness website More podcasts about physical wellness More podcasts with Dr. Shawn Weiss Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Practical takeaways from global studies aim to reduce our risk for developing Alzheimer's and dementia. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk more how to apply these recommendations to our everyday lives. One 20-week lifestyle plan was developed by the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention Intervention and Care. The plan has four components that focus on diet, exercise, stress management, and support groups. There's a 30% lower risk of developing cognitive impairment by changing to whole foods, lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. Break down the diet to 14% total fat, 16%-18% protein, 63-68% complex carbohydrates. A Mediterranean diet checks all the boxes: a lot of fish, a lot of nuts. Hydration is also important. 30 minutes of walking per day, even broken into chunks, is the best overall exercise you can do. Strength and resistance training three times per week is essential, even if you're just lifting soup cans from the pantry. Other whole exercises, such as stretching, flexibility, meditation, in a home exercise program is recommended. Dr. Weiss says, "The last two things were: one, stress management and meditation, yoga, flexibility exercises, breathing strategies. And then the last one was the support groups, and they broke those support groups down into three times per week and they exercise together. They did stretch management techniques, they did straight support group talks, and lectures and education in those three times a week. At Senior Health and wellness.org, you can find some great information and other videos that I've done." Learn more Lancet Commission 2020 report Shawn Weiss Senior Health and Wellness website More podcasts about physical wellness More podcasts with Dr. Shawn Weiss More podcasts about dementia Get a free guide for cognitive impairment strategies. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about Alzheimer's and dementia studies with an eye towards prevention. She discusses the FINGER survey (Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) and ongoing global studies that study 12 modifiable risk factors: hypertension, smoking, type-2 diabetes, obesity, social isolation, alcohol, lessened cognitive activity, lower education levels, hearing loss, head injuries, lifestyle (physical activity and exercise), and air pollution. The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention Intervention and Care developed a 20-week lifestyle plan addressing the 12 risk factors. Broken down into four components, they involve 1) Modifying diet and nutrition; 2) Exercise routines; 3) Stress management; and 4) Support groups (having people interact on your team). Learn more FINGER study Lancet Commission 2020 report Shawn Weiss Senior Health and Wellness website More podcasts about physical wellness More podcasts with Dr. Shawn Weiss More podcasts about dementia Get a free guide for cognitive impairment strategies. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can families be supportive during a senior loved one's downsizing to senior living, and when is it time for Mom to let professionals take over? Rebecca Bomann, CEO of SASH Services (Sell a Senior's Home), joins Suzanne to advise families during downsizing. Sometime families help, and sometimes they get in the way and make it more complicated than it needs to be. Her three tips: Let mom take ownership of the move; let professionals be the bad guy; and validate mom's emotional journey. Let mom take ownership of the move. Rebecca says, "I really believe strongly that the more the senior gets to make their own decisions in the sale, the more it's done on their terms and on their timeline, even if it's not convenient for the family. They'll feel a sense of ownership, that I did this when I was ready, I did this My Way like Frank Sinatra says. I encourage families: let your parents decide, give them options to choose from, and respect the timeline they're on, because they will arrive at their timeline. Sometimes it's longer, sometimes it's shorter. Sometimes it takes a crisis, but just give them the autonomy and the agency to decide when they want to do it and how they want to do it. It's hard for family, especially when there's a lot going on. But it's so powerful for the senior to experience." Let professionals be the bad guy. "When should family step back? Professionals come in, they're detached from the home emotionally. They're there to do their job, and they're experienced and trained in taking care of seniors, and they won't get as frustrated with mom or dad that they want to take, you know, 11 lamps to their new apartment. So let them be the bad guy. Let the downsizer and the mover and the placement advisor and the senior care professionals, let them be the person giving the guidance. So you can just be the son, you can just be the daughter, in a supportive and loving place, letting your parent have this journey on their terms." Validate mom's emotional journey. "Another thing really is just validating and respecting the emotions that the parent is going through. There's going to be the denial and the grief that they're feeling about leaving the home, and the sadness about the memories. I would never say, 'you know, mom, at least you have a place to move to mom. At least you have money in the bank.' Just say, ' it's so understandable to be sad right now. And this is really hard, dad,' and just validate the place they're coming from, because they're still a person and they have agency. Validating their feelings and letting them have permission to grieve, and go through that emotional journey, makes it such a better landing on the other side." Hear more podcasts with Rebecca Bomann on Answers for Elders. SASH Services overview at AFE Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the obstacles to downsizing, and how can we get past them? Rebecca Bomann, CEO of SASH Services (Sell a Senior's Home), joins Suzanne to address obstacles people face as well as their solutions. Rebecca says, "I've sat in hundreds and hundreds of living rooms over the years that I've been providing these services, and my clients articulate to me why they don't feel like they can move even though they really want to or need to. "One of them, and this is kind of a misperception, is they have the physical limitation of not being able to sort and pack their whole home. Of the hundreds and hundreds of clients that we've assisted, only two of my clients actually did their own packing. Everyone else had a team of helpers, professionals downsizers, people to come in and help sort and pack. My dream is that someone can sit in their recliner with their favorite beverage, and they're just making decisions. 'I don't want that. I do want that,' and they have professionals help them with that process. No one should ever feel like they can't move because they have to physically do the work. Bring people in, you deserve that kind of help. There's a great network of what's called senior move managers around the country. Just go to their website, type in your zip code, and see who's near you. And that website is https://www.nasmm.org/, the National Association of Senior Move Managers. It's a great resource. "Another obstacle is they feel like they can't really get through it, because they don't have family living close by that can help them through the process. Families are scattered all over the country and the world these days, they very rarely all live on the same block, and they think, 'I'll never get through this. My family's all out of the state, or on the other side of the country.' And I always say, 'Bring in the professionals. You actually can have a very low-stress, very supported, very easy move because you've got a team of people helping you, whether your family can be there or not. And it's sometimes a blessing if your family can't help. Because they will sometimes come in with their emotions, their attachment to the home, competition between them, fighting over heirlooms, or they can only give you an hour a week for six months. Don't feel bad at all if your family can't help, it's probably a good thing. "One more obstacle is feeling like people have limited resources to pay for the sorting, and packing, and emptying out of their home. They think, 'Well, I don't have the $5,000, $7,000, or $9,000 to be able to pay all these people to come and help me. So I guess I'm stuck.' There's so many ways that this can be paid for. A lot of senior living communities actually provide assistance with this. They have incentives, they give financial credits, or they have their own moving services. The other thing that we've seen many time is that the selling of valuables in the home will actually pay for all of the labor and professionals to come and help you in the home. So if you've got lunch boxes from the 1960s in your attic, an amazing a collection of antique furniture, or World War II paraphernalia in the basement, collectors all over the country are looking for these things. They will pay good money. You can have an online auction with professionals who'll manage it for you. I've seen online auctions make $10,000, $13,000, $18,000 for a client. And then they have plenty of money to pay for their move and don't have to dip into other resources." Hear more podcasts with Rebecca Bomann on Answers for Elders. SASH Services overview at AFE National Association of Senior...

Rebecca Bomann, CEO of SASH Services (Sell a Senior's Home), joins Suzanne to talk about various options for downsizing and moving, including for those 55 and up, as well as the emotional journey of leaving the family home. Rebecca says, "Happily, there's so many options out there for seniors who are looking to downsize from their home, more and more living options, a greater variety of pricing options for people, amenities, activities. They're allowing pets more in these communities. There's a lot of open doors and opportunities. So it doesn't feel like clients are looking at kind of a barren landscape of where to go. There's a rich buffet of opportunity and options where people can live. "They allow guest stays at many of these. Instead of just doing one tour and feeling like you have to make a decision, people can go and stay for a weekend as a guest. Take it for a test drive. See what it's like in the dining room, meet new people in the hallway. If they don't like it, they can keep looking. It's a risk-free way to have a good sense of that community. "The younger boomers and the folks that are just starting to search, they don't want all of the work of a giant home and property to take care of, and they're looking at a senior living community as a quality of life choice. We're gonna have less to take care of, more amenities, a heated pool, a clubhouse, people to talk to, social events, and we want to start this fun phase in our life. We don't want to put it off forever while we hang on to this big house that we don't need anymore. We don't need a big 3,000 square foot home." Rebecca adds, "I feel like the emotional journey of leaving the family home is actually bigger than the physical part of listing it and selling it. I always say to my clients, 'The listing of your home at the end of this journey, and putting it on the market and selling it is about 10% of all that we're going to do here together. We have the sorting and downsizing of household items. Saying goodbye to things that folks are attached to, having family come and pick out the things that they want to take, doing an auction or an estate sale, saying goodbye to the home, and all of those feelings that people feel about the home. I feel like sometimes they're a little bit embarrassed to feel grief about leaving their home. And my personal belief is that it's just like a family member. After 30, 40, 50, even 60 years, it is as familiar and comfortable and home and warm as a family member. And so leaving that home is like losing a family member and there needs to be grief." If you're in the state of Washington, call SASH Services at 888-400-7274 or visit https://www.sashservices.com/. Outside of Washington, check out the national association of senior move managers at NASMM.com. Hear more podcasts with Rebecca Bomann on Answers for Elders. SASH Services overview at AFE Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rebecca Bomann, CEO of SASH Services (Sell a Senior's Home), joins Suzanne to expose two myths: 1) You can only sell your home successfully at certain times of the year, and 2) All real estate brokers are the same. Rebecca says, "One thing we can count on in the market is, it never stops changing week to week, month to month, higher interest rates, lower, more buyers, fewer buyers, longer days on market, hot market, cold market. What I always tell clients is, don't worry about the market. If your home is presented the right way, and it's priced right, it will sell any month of the year. People have the myth that you can only sell in the spring, or only in summer. But actually, you can have a really successful sale in November, December, or January, because there's fewer buyers, and the buyers that are out there, they're very serious. They're not tire kickers. I tell folks, if you find that perfect apartment, that perfect condo, that 55-plus community with the sun coming in the living room in the morning, focus on giving yourself the next best place to live. A home sale with a qualified real estate broker will take care of itself any time of the year. "Not all real estate brokers or licensees are the same. When you get ready to sell your home, there's going to be 15 opinions coming at you from every which way. 'Oh, use my nephew. He just got his license. Use Linda down the street because she helped you when you had that yard sale, and use the people because they go to the same church as you.' This is the only sale of your family home that you get. There are no do-overs if it doesn't go well. You deserve very good representation. And I say, interview multiple brokers, find out what have they done. Have them show you their sales in the last year. Are they experienced? What's their communication style? Take your time choosing someone that you really connect with. It's such an important relationship. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are at stake in this decision. Don't choose someone just because you feel pressured." Hear more podcasts with Rebecca Bomann on Answers for Elders. SASH Services overview at AFE Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne to offer tips for dealing with complex family dynamics of helping a struggling senior loved one. Be the son and daughter, don't try to parent your parent. Daphne says, "My first golden tip would be: if anyone has an opinion, or wants to be a part of a process, or will have a thought about what should happen with mom and dad, they need to be involved in gathering the information from the very beginning. Everyone needs to hear the conversations, everyone needs to get the printed matter. Even if they say 'I trust you, you take care of it,' because inevitably we're curious people, we're gonna ask a question and the person who's at the front line is gonna go, 'I've done all this work already. I've narrowed it to these things. You said you trusted me.' "Those conversations need to be collective. I encourage people to have a third party. If you have a situation where someone lives out of town — or the relationships between child and parent are strained, or very different, or there's 19 years between the oldest and the youngest siblings, there's gonna be different perspectives — have these conversations together. "The other thing that I would really suggest is having it agreed upon by all people involved that we are going to stick to the following highest values, which means you go through a process of discovering what are the highest values from your perspective with a child. What is an example of that? Mom could never give up her gardening. She's got to have some kind of place to be gardening. That's a high value. If they're going to assisted living or independent living, she's got to have a garden. Dad has to have a TV room, dad has to have his own space, he has a collection that he has to keep. There might be something from a religious point of view. They might need to be close to their church or their synagogue. There might be a difference in perspective concerning finances. Mom and dad have money, let's just assume they have some money that they can privately pay for their own care, and they've worked hard for that. And one perspective is they should spend their money on themselves. But mom or dad says no, no, no, we gotta leave something for our kids." Pinnacle Senior Placements website More podcasts with Daphne Davis Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A senior loved one has had a hospital stay, and now they want to go home. Or their insurance is running out and they need to return home to recuperate. What are their options at home for care? While at the hospital, talk to a social worker about in-home care, which can supplement help from a spouse and other family members. Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements talks about considering the various services available to families that Medicaid can pay for. Daphne says, "It happens all the time.Because mom or dad was at home already, and husband and wife were making this work, the natural place to go is back home. And that's not a bad thing to do, if you have the services available to help you. I encourage people to talk to a social worker if they're coming out of a rehab situation, or at the hospital, to talk to the social worker and ask them about in-home care. That is something that can supplement the family supporting mom or dad. And it can be a little bit expensive, and nationwide I'd say probably an average is about $40 to $45 an hour. There's usually a four-hour minimum. So there's some restraints on that. "But it's a time that you can leave the rehab and have a cushion, of somebody to help mom or dad in the morning, let's say to start their day. Or it might be more to end their day, or it might be to make sure there's three meals prepared, or something like that, but it's a good way to transition back home, if in fact it can be successful at home. "The other thing is, I caution families to put too much stress on themselves. You've got your siblings. 'Mom and dad have taken care of us all of our lives. We can take care of them now.' And that is good for the short term, but not the long term. And I'll tell you why: your relationships will suffer. And your primary relationship, as son or daughter to your mom or dad, will change. And the stress level increases — that's transferred to your mom and dad. Now the healing process is going to slow down. They're stressed because they feel like they're bothering you, because you're in the sandwich generation, and you're running kids to soccer game and taking care of mom." Pinnacle Senior Placements website More podcasts with Daphne Davis Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When do you start discussing having more care for mom and dad? Oftentimes, people wait too long. In this segment, Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements offers the broad picture health analogy of a three-legged stool: hydration, medication, and nutrition, which balance fine so long as all three are done well. Daphne gives us some warning signs that it may be time to have that dreaded conversation with a senior loved one that they could benefit from some assistance at home. Daphne says, "Are you finding a medication on the floor that's underneath the dining room table, because it just slipped out of their hand when they walked from the kitchen to the dining room? Think of that big broad picture. Let's say mom and dad are living in the home, and you help with supplementing some grocery shopping, and you're seeing the same foods around, or even the box of saltine crackers that they asked for isn't opened yet. Or you bring over a meal or two a week, and there's very little taken out of it. You'll say, mom, you haven't eaten, it's your favorite dish, and she'll, she'll say, 'well, I just wasn't hungry.' That's a sign. Everyone needs calories to make their body work. If it's not fueled, it won't work. Your body is a machine and it needs high-octane fuel. You can still have your ice cream, but you gotta get some protein. "Let's say that they've lived in the same house for 60 years, and the furniture has been exactly the same way for 60 years. All of a sudden you're seeing them touching the back of the furniture as they walk, or they're touching the wall, or they're using their next hand, that they're taking a step with, to reach for the chair that's in front of them. Furniture walking. It's not a terrible thing to do because your loved one has figured out, how do I keep myself safe? But there's something behind that ,in terms of maybe a balance issue, maybe lightheadedness, weakness in their muscles, something's going on. That's a sign." Pinnacle Senior Placements website More podcasts with Daphne Davis Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daphne Davis joins Suzanne to talk about crossroads and transitions. One of the most difficult parts of aging with families is being unprepared for life's changes. When adult children realize that mom or dad may need some help, broaching the topic can be challenging. A longtime contributor to Answers for Elders, Daphne Davis is President of Pinnacle Senior Placements. Daphne says, "Post pandemic, what I'm seeing is that families are really trying hard to have their loved ones stay at home for as long as they possibly can. And I think that comes from a number of places. No one wants to leave their home. There's no place better than home, and we're going to figure out how to make that work. But I think there's another piece that's happened, and that's in terms of having trust, and knowing who can you trust to help you navigate this whole world of care outside of your home. When we were back in that pandemic time, we got to see what it's like to rely on a caregiver who's taking care of 15 to 25 people. And so we got scared, and we said, oh my gosh, I can do this. I know I can do it. "We're waiting way too long to give support to our elders. I'm just gonna say it. It's hard to hear. Having a bandaid to the professional care of what your family may need is not helpful on many levels. One, the quality of life for your parent and their ability to have a quality life every month of their life, it should never decline. There are ways to keep it happy, even though it's going to change. "Families are really at odds with each other. I've been doing this for 25 years and I have never had such dissension within families and not be able to help them get on the same page. Each state has different offerings. And so it's really important for you, the families, to be able to connect to somebody who can help you navigate within your own state system. That's very important because what we can do in Washington doesn't happen in New York." Pinnacle Senior Placements website More podcasts with Daphne Davis Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This segment focuses on how various legal documents work together as part of your estate planning to make sure you're taken care of if anything happens that makes you incapacitated. Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne to talk about the pieces of a person's legal puzzle. Andrea says, "Estate planning is very much like a puzzle. And within that puzzle, there are so many different pieces that come together to create a picture, like a beautiful picture of that puzzle. And the problem is, frequently people might miss a piece or two of that puzzle. They think they've got the whole puzzle in place because they don't have a good understanding of what a comprehensive estate plan looks like. But the reality is, all those pieces come together, and they each serve a different purpose. For example, some of my clients and most individuals need a slew of documents. You need a financial power of attorney that says, if you're incapacitated and not able to manage your own finances, who can manage your finances for you. They might also need a health care power of attorney that says who can make those medical decisions, housing decisions on your behalf, a HIPPA release that allows medical institutions to share information with agents, a living will that gives end of life direction, a disposition of remains that says what do you want done with your body when you're gone. And then maybe a will or a trust, that you dispose of your assets when you're gone. So those are some of the pieces of that puzzle. And the reality is, depending on how they're prepared determines how effectively and efficiently those documents could work." Mention you heard the show on Answers for Elders to get a free consultation. Legal Documents You Need podcast episode mentioned in the show Andrea Lee Incapacity planning overview at Legacy Estate Planning Incapacity planning articles at Legacy Estate Planning More podcasts with Andrea Lee More podcasts about Power of Attorney Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrea Lee from Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne to talk about issues individuals and families face in regards to incapacity. Incapacity planning is a broad area of law that covers how you are cared for if you become physically or mentally unable to care for yourself. The type of care could range from simple tasks like buying groceries, paying bills, and handling financial matters to more important decisions such as selling real estate, gifting assets to your children, or making critical medical decisions. Incapacity planning could include a number of techniques such as Property Powers of Attorney, Health Care Powers of Attorney, Living Wills or Advance Health Care Directives or Guardianships/Conservatorships. It is also important to have appropriate HIPAA authorization forms in place. Andrea says, "I've been practicing elder law and estate planning for 19 years now. And it is not unusual for me to have someone walk into my office. They're 86 years old. They don't see well, they don't hear well, they're using a walker. They're afraid of using the stove and maybe their kids have said something to them along the lines of, well, maybe it's time to get help. And they're like, oh, I don't need it yet, because they don't see themselves the way that other people see them. I mean, in my heart, I still feel like I'm 25. I'm not, I have a child in their twenties, but that's how I feel. And that's how even 85-year-olds feel. They still see themselves frequently as much younger and more capable. So it's so much harder for people oftentimes to get the help they need, because they can't accurately see themselves." When is the best time to plan? Andrea advises, "The best time to plan or anticipate incapacity is long before anyone even gets close to that. My own mom has dementia, and for the very first five years, she was pretty competent and she would never acknowledge she was the one that had a problem. She could never acknowledge that. Hopefully you start when you're in your forties, and then you revisit when you're 50. But the very first thing we need to make sure someone has are those power of attorney documents. And that's because without those basic power of attorney documents, as an attorney it's extremely difficult for us to assist a family who's dealing with navigating the challenges someone might face as they age. "The number one goal obviously is to have those legal documents in place. Because once we have them in place, we can almost always overcome some of the other challenges. Maybe not knowing where things might be kept, not having a copy of the deed, not accessing accounts, we can almost always overcome them. It's hard, but we can do it, as long as those legal documents are in place. "Now, for our clients, when they retain us to prepare a comprehensive estate plan, we give them an organizational binder. And in that binder we give them a list of documents that their agents might want in the future, and we give them places to store information. So that if you become incapacitated, if something happens to an individual and their children are able to find that binder, they've made it easier for those children. So it's all there together in a nice binder and the kids don't need to spend hours searching through the house to try to find their social security card or something along those lines." Mention you heard the show on Answers for Elders to get a free consultation. Andrea Lee Incapacity planning overview at Legacy Estate Planning Incapacity planning articles at Legacy Estate Planning More podcasts with Andrea Lee

Skyline resident Kendall Clark Baker continues his conversation with Suzanne about living in Skyline's life care senior living community. In this segment, he talks about what happens on an average day, the variety of restaurants in the community, friendships, a chapel, programs, and support groups. On an average day, Kendall says, "Well, I wake up early and I have coffee that I prepare in my kitchen, and my own private, quiet time with my cat, just preparing myself for the day and being grateful and expressing that gratitude. And by the time I'm ready to move out, it's eight o'clock in the morning. I go downstairs to the fourth floor to the fitness room and join 12 to 15 other people in Wake and Stretch, and it's a 30 minute class. And this was something that Sonia and I did together from the very beginning. We have an outstanding fitness program. On Friday, it's actually a full hour of yoga. "And sometimes, like this morning, I had breakfast in the bistro. The bistro has breakfast six days a week. This morning I just sat by myself, but there was another table next to me with eight people. Sometimes I will have breakfast like that informally with a group of people in which the group is just constituted at the last second in the morning. Sometimes there's a program that I go to, but usually I just have my own variety of business, and reading, and activities. I like to write, and have my own personal business affairs that I take care of. "And I might go down for lunch at noon, or I might prepare my own lunch. Sometimes I go swimming in the swimming pool, which is a beautiful swimming pool with a hot tub. Sometimes I'll go over to the gym. There are programs, like we have Sky Opera. I'm just kind of going through, because every day is is different. But on Tuesdays, I have dinner with a group of friends, and what we share in common is that we all had or have family members in memory care. I really no longer qualify for the group because Sonia died, but everybody appreciates that. They keep bringing me back." * Skyline's website* Skyline at Answers for Elders* Hear more podcasts about Skyline* Hear more podcasts about senior living Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kendall Clark Baker continues his conversation with Suzanne about living in Skyline's life care senior living community. In this segment, Kendall talks about what he feels are the primary benefits of living here, its diversity, and its location. He also discusses his wife's developing illness, her move to assisted living, and the strong community support they received. Kendall says, "The primary benefit really are the relationships with new friends. I really think that's the core, that one is part of a genuine community and mostly for us, for everybody, of new friends, friends become a lifeline that we share life with. I think sometimes people travel, sometimes people go to the arts, performing arts events with, but who are there for us when life situations come along, and challenging and are supportive. It's a supportive community. "I'm looking right now our the window at the Catholic Cathedral, and for those who are Catholics in the community, that's a real plus. We have three medical centers within blocks of each other, each direction which means that the response time is very short. It's just filled with clinics and physicians and medical services that are easy walking distance. The beautiful public library is just four blocks away. Benaroya Hall, where the symphony and chamber music program is held, that's within walking distance. Seattle Art Museum, a theater which is a convention center. These are all within walking distance and then going up to the Seattle Center, I usually personally take the bus or sometimes walk downtown and get on the monorail and take that up to the center. So public transportation is another really strong asset for us." Kendall talked about his wife's changes. "Sonia was a real mover and shaker. She had a master's degree in urban planning. She was very active, especially in starting the environmental services committee, and she really developed and promoted the recycling program, so much so that she was nicknamed the 'garbage guru.' She arranged field trips down to the recycling center for the community. Sonia was very involved in the Skyline Residents Association. She was on the executive committee of that too. "About two and a half years ago, her health began to deteriorate, and it ended up being Lewy Body Parkinson's. It affected not only cognition, but mobility also. We were having this conversation, and she was fully present and able to make the decision that this was the time to put our life care contract into place, and for her to move to the memory care floor. She moved there and received just great care, and and it was so close. Even though she was there and I was here, we were literally only three minutes apart from each other. So I was able to see her morning, and afternoon, and tuck her in at night, and yet still come back and have a life of my own. Her disease progressed, and she finally went on hospice care last early December, and then died on January 15th. The relationships that I had developed here in the community have been so strong that I have felt, enormous support and love. So I've never felt lonely or alone throughout this process of saying goodbye. I've had the family support from outside, and that's been strong support. But every bit as significant, if not more so for me, are the community relationships that developed." * Skyline's website* Skyline at Answers for Elders* Hear more podcasts about Skyline* Hear more podcasts about senior living Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See <a...

Skyline resident Kendall Clark Baker joins Suzanne to provide a glimpse of residing in Skyline's life care senior living community. Baker was a charter member, who moved in when the facility was brand new 15 years ago. Why choose a life care community? Kendall says, "We, [my wife] Sonia and I, are both kind of planners. We plan ahead, and we learned from our parents, both positive and negative experiences in late years. I especially learned from observing other people over the years. I'm a pastor, a long-retired pastor, but I worked with a lot of people. Oftentimes people would say, 'our only regret after having moved into ra etirement community is that we didn't make this move sooner.' From there, we said, well, we really like being downtown, because we think it's a great place to be when you're aging. You're so close to healthcare everywhere, the culture, performing arts, and public transportation. We feel a great deal of independence by being able to be downtown." What intrigued them about Skyline? "It checked our boxes that it was downtown, it had every level of care. That was an important part, because our intention was to move to a community where we would never have to move again. And that every level of care, that one or the other or both of us should require, for the rest of our lives would be cared for in this community. Then the life care contract was also very attractive, because what that really meant for us is that once we knew we could afford to move in, then we were confident that we would never be faced with a situation where we couldn't afford to stay here. And that's what the life care contract is, is that basically continues at very close to the same cost to us, even as we have assisted living." * Skyline's website* Skyline at Answers for Elders* Hear more podcasts about Skyline* Hear more podcasts about senior living Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CarePartners Cottages are secured campuses containing a small neighborhood of three or four apartments. These unique cottages are a great solution for many issues facing those with Alzheimer's and dementia, including sundowning and socialization. Tracy Helling at CarePartners Living talks about the company, their special spot in the area of senior living, and the benefits of the cottages. Tracy says, "We have four cottages at my cottage community. Inside these four cottages is this amazing four season discovery garden, heated sidewalks, patio heaters, patio mister. So we can optimize the amount of time that folks spend outside, if they wish to. And I was on a tour with a family, and one of my residents was walking from her cottage to another cottage, and she had a cup of coffee in her hand. And she said, 'Oh, we're out of sugar. I'm just gonna go see the neighbors have any.' And I thought, this is a perfect illustration about why this concept is unique. "It's unique in so many ways. Sundowning is that period of time that some people start to have behaviors, anxiousness: I have to go to my job, I have to go home and make dinner. It could be between 2 and 5 or 6. Some people have it different times. What a natural intervention for sundowning. When we say, 'ok, well, we'll see you later,' and they go outside and they walk on our sort-of-figure-eight sidewalks for a while and that anxiousness and that restlessness works itself out. And then they come back to us and we go, 'oh, welcome back. Once you come on in, we have a snack, or we're watching this great movie right now.'" CarePartners Living website Tracy Helling More podcasts with CarePartners CarePartners on Answers for Elders Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy Helling at CarePartners Living shares three most important things to keep in mind during interactions with senior loved ones who have Alzheimer's and dementia. They can't make new memories, so correcting them and arguing with them just causes distress. Have a sense of humor when the unusual happens. And remember that every day is a new day – someone with Alzheimer's and dementia lives in the moment, so if they get angry with you, they won't carry that into tomorrow. CarePartners Living website Tracy Helling More podcasts with CarePartners CarePartners on Answers for Elders Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Socialization and relationships are important for our mental health, and it's a core part of memory care at senior living communities. Mom or dad wants to be with peers as well as with family. Home care agencies are available to come in and provide assistance to seniors with activities of daily living. Tracy Helling at CarePartners Living joins Suzanne to talk about these factors for those with dementia and Alzheimer's. Tracy says, "The beautiful thing about moving your loved one, either from a home environment or from, say, an independent living or assisted living to a specialized memory care is the folks. Everybody has dementia. No one's going to say, 'You've said that three times.' No one's going to say, 'You know where the bathroom is, you've been there six times today.' No one is going to say that. "One of the things we see when people come from other environments is people have been noticing that there's something not tracking, they have noticed. So they shut down socially, they stop doing activities, they stop pursuing relationships. When they come into a specialized memory care, everybody's in the same boat. There is, interestingly, a bump up in both the appetite and socialization, using their brain. They're in their tribe Nobody's going to make them feel 'other' in this environment. Some of these things are very stressful for families. For us, it's a Tuesday. So we all understand how this works. We don't get tired of reminding, or queuing, or any of that. So I think that specialized memory care is a beautiful place where we see people begin to actually function at their optimum level. They're with other people in an environment, and with a routine, that is absolutely pleasant for them." CarePartners Living website Tracy Helling More podcasts with CarePartners CarePartners on Answers for Elders Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy Helling at CarePartners Living joins Suzanne to talk about memory care. CarePartners has senior living communities in Washington and Arizona. She talks about the warning signs of dementia, comparing them with natural signs of aging. For instance, forgetting something in the microwave is common, but forgetting that microwaves aren't a good place to keep your keys is not. Forgetting someone's name is common, but forgetting their spouse's name is not. If you're afraid to leave them alone, if safety becomes a concern, the greatest thing you can give them is an elevated level of care: memory care. CarePartners Living website Tracy Helling More podcasts with CarePartners CarePartners on Answers for Elders Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Probate is a court process to retitle assets. Probate is designed to create a “final accounting” upon death. It is the legal process of “proving up” a Will, or verifying that a Will is valid, takes place in one of two instances. First, if a person dies leaving behind a Will, or second, if the deceased has died intestate, that is, has not left behind a Will or estate plan of any type or the Will cannot be found. Estate planning attorney Steve Waltar with Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne to give us a primer on probate. Steve says, "Probate is a Latin term that means 'to prove,' and it's essentially to prove who died and prove what their assets are. So, it's this court process to retitle things. Probate is not caused because you have a will, and it's not caused because you don't have a will. It's really caused because there are things that need re-titling." Probate articles by Steve Waltar Legacy Estate Planning at Answers for Elders Legacy Estate Planning website More podcasts with Steve Waltar Find an attorney near you at the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys website Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although Joint Tenancy offers some short-term conveniences, in the long run it poses a host of problems that can cost you and your loved ones many times the expense and headaches you thought you were avoiding. Estate planning attorney Steve Waltar with Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne to talk about the difficulties of using joint tenancy while trying to plan your estate. Steve shares an example. "It's a stark story. The mom had already been through a probate, because her husband died, and so she wanted to avoid that. She did a will, listed her three children. That's fine. But the problem was, then she took her $400,000 brokerage account and she thought it would go through probate. 'I'm gonna add my son to the account. He knows more than I, he studies Morningstar, blah, blah, blah.' Well, son was a pretty good kid, but one day he was driving to the Seahawks game and he was in a car accident, and it was his fault. The PI attorneys are pretty good. They do asset checks before they sue people, and they saw that he owned this joint account, he was on title with mom. And so when they collected $100,000 judgment, they went after and they took it from that account. "So joint tenancy is you adding someone to an account where you each own 100%. It's not like a house. In Washington, a husband and wife own a house, they each own half. When you own a joint — a liquid account — the default in Washington is 100%. So it could be a $2,000 bank account. Well, that's not a huge amount. But a brokerage account, why would you add children to that? And then when mom died, the balance of that account didn't get controlled by the will. It went to the son. "It is a probate avoidance tool. It can be appropriate in limited circumstances. But why in the world, once children are out of your house, would you add them to your accounts? It's much better to make it payable on death to them, and give them a power of attorney to manage. "Joint tenancies, it's done all the time. I have a report called 'The Trouble With Joint Tenancy,' it just gives a lot of the details. It's very easy to create. You just go down to a bank and you have a bunch of people on an account, they all own it. Anyone can withdraw all the money. It'll only go to the survivors, your will and trust won't control it." Joint Tenancy article by Steve Waltar Legacy Estate Planning at Answers for Elders Legacy Estate Planning website More podcasts with Steve Waltar Find an attorney near you at the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys website Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you don't file estate planning documents, your state will do it for you, perhaps not the way you expect. Estate planning attorney Steve Waltar with Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne to talk about various options available when planning your estate, what happens when you list beneficiaries, generally how wills work, living wills, living trusts, and Medicaid planning. Steve says, "There's lots of benefits of proper estate planning. Avoid probate, that's very common. It's to protect your assets from creditors, or at least from your beneficiaries. Many people want to leave a legacy, they want to pass on their values, they want to lower estate taxes. And sometimes people want to do generational planning for the grandchildren as well. So the list is long. There's a lot of who gets what, when, and how. "70 to 80% of people die without a will. If you die without a will, the state has one for you. And it's different in every state. If you're married, certain property goes to your spouse, but if you have separate property, it would only be half, and the other half would go to children. It may choose the wrong people, or it may be ineffective. You certainly can't do estate tax planning. You certainly can't do legacy planning. That's the big one you want to avoid. The other one, it's not a very good practical one, we can joke about it, is to have the last check to the underwriter bounce. I don't know people who want to outlast their estate. Spend it all, it's not a really good plan." Legacy Estate Planning at Answers for Elders Legacy Estate Planning website More podcasts with Steve Waltar Find an attorney near you at the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys website Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estate planning attorney Steve Waltar with Legacy Estate Planning joins Suzanne to talk about having an estate plan. Families run into gotcha moments where they discover a loved one hasn't files certain documents, or haven't made plans, and are left to second guess what they want. In this segment, Steve introduces the concept of estate planning and different types. Most people don't want it to be a curse, but a blessing, and it's about protecting yourself during your lifetime. Make sure your wishes are honored they way you want to be honored. What exactly is estate planning? Steve says, "I like this definition. It's not perfect, but it's what I've been using for 25 years. It says I want to be in control of my estate as long as I'm able. If I become unable to manage my estate, I want to be the one who designates the person to manage my estate for me, without court intervention, following my death. I want things to be as easy on my loved ones as possible. I want my estate to pass to the people and organizations that I want, when I want, and how I want, a little bit of control. I want a smooth administration of my estate. And finally, I want there to be an absolute minimum of conflict delays, court costs, and taxes. And though I love you, Steve, attorney fees." Steve adds, "You actually can affect people after you're gone. I think estate planning is really about choice. It's choosing things, protecting yourself during your lifetime. Last I checked, we all die. Maybe you want to protect the kids from lawsuits and divorces. So good estate planning means you're protecting your assets. Proper estate planning probably means keeping out of court while you're alive. Traditional estate planning may cover final expenses and, and trying to lower estate taxes. And there's modern estate planning, there's sophisticated planning, there's estate tax planning, and then legacy plan that involves your life experience. So really, it's a blend a lot of things." Legacy Estate Planning at Answers for Elders Legacy Estate Planning website More podcasts with Steve Waltar Find an attorney near you at the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys website Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about holistic care, why those over 55 should incorporate some of these practices, and share some of the most popular ones that can be done at home. Weiss provides balanced functional wellness education and coaching based on the the six pillars of health: exercise, stress, sleep, nutrition, gut health, and emotional health. Dr. Weiss starts by defining holistic care, saying, "By definition, it's really the ability to take care of your physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social health. And really just understanding the connectivity between all of it. We have a very compartmentalized medical system. You have specialists for absolutely everything. Now I'm a firm believer, I've been in that world for the last 26 years. But there's a lot more that you can do. And I call it a sick care system, honestly, because I think that there's a lot of profitability for people being sick, and if you don't take care of your health, now you're going to be forced to take care of your illness later. "Being able to have an open mind to understand that there are other ways to understand how your body works, and understand the connection between your physical and your mental health, your socialization, and your spiritual wellness. There's all kinds of wonderful studies that show, if you dig a little bit deeper, you can get into root cause health and just kind of get to the bottom of why things are happening... We can remedy some of these illnesses and symptoms in a different way." Dr. Weiss has a Spring Into Action promotion, her Thrive over 55! 60 days to Optimal Health Coaching Program. Work personally with Shawn to address all 6 pillars of health, which includes personalized plans of action. Dr. Weiss shared a video called the "Endocannabinoid System, the Hemp Plant, CBD and Optimal Health." Watch this valuable information session featuring Dr. Erin Luecke, PT, DPT and Dr. Shawn Weiss, PT, DPT. Learn how the ECS impacts our health, the importance of sourcing, breaking stigmas, and how to encourage conscious conversations. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/lUShMGDhSUc?si=Va8EauCWVHt7b6nl Learn more: Shawn Weiss Senior Health and Wellness website Dr. Weiss's Health and Fitness Coasting for Optimal Health website Hear more podcasts with Shawn Weiss More about Thrive over 55 Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Diagnoses of depression and anxiety have risen 25% since the pandemic. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne to talk about ways depression and anxiety can be reduced holistically. One of the best things to do for depression and anxiety is to exercise. If you are over 50 and are feeling a bit lost and want to make changes, check out Shawn Weiss's Fit Over 50 30 day Coaching Program that will address the 6 Pillars of Health, that includes improving emotional health. How do you start? Shawn says, "The first thing, you have to get an assessment. There are many wonderful standardized assessments. Just going to your primary care physician would be my first suggestion, because they will point you in the right direction, and then they start trying to rule out other things. If you have somebody who has cognitive impairment, it's very difficult to diagnose because there are overlapping concerns. There's a term called pseudo dementia, when somebody who believes they're demented, but they're actually severely depressed. You do the screenings and you're really trying to weigh and pinpoint exactly what's happening. Medicare has our standardized depression questionnaires that we do with everybody. And if you meet that criteria, then you really should do something about it. Medication is probably the first line of defense in depression, simply because it just takes the edge off, and once you improve those symptoms, especially if you have cognitive impairment, you'll tend to see an improvement on the other side of that. "I'm always going to say, well, I don't want to do medication, that would be the last resort. You want to address the underlying causes of the depression. Is it a big life event, is a stressor triggering it? You're going to dig a little bit deeper, and you can do that even in counseling, and a lot of people in the older generation don't want to go to counseling, but there's so many things that you can identify. Like, there's been a death in the family, and maybe there's going to be your health diagnosis, all these things that can trigger sadness. Therapy is really good because it allows your brain to process." Dr. Weiss shared a video called the "Endocannabinoid System, the Hemp Plant, CBD and Optimal Health." Watch this valuable information session featuring Dr. Erin Luecke, PT, DPT and Dr. Shawn Weiss, PT, DPT. Learn how the ECS impacts our health, the importance of sourcing, breaking stigmas, and how to encourage conscious conversations. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/lUShMGDhSUc?si=Va8EauCWVHt7b6nl Learn more: Shawn Weiss Senior Health and Wellness website Dr. Weiss's Health and Fitness Coasting for Optimal Health website Hear more podcasts with Shawn Weiss Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Rettmann from Transforming Age joins Suzanne to talk about the definition of a life plan community and what it offers residents. Joan says, "A lot of different terms are used in the industry, and this is a classic example of where things get confusing. A life plan community is really an umbrella term that covers independent communities that have additional care levels available, such as assisted living, memory support, and normally skilled nursing as well. "That term 'life plan' is actually replacing, if you will, the term CCRC, or continuing care retirement communities. So they can really be used interchangeably now. Within that umbrella of life plan or CCRCs, there are various models that differ from one another — different contracts such as a type A life care, a type B modified, or a type C fee for service." * Transforming Age website* Hear more podcasts about discovering senior living Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Somebody comes into independent living in a retirement community. What does it offer? Generally it takes care of housekeeping, provides meals, and lots of social activities. Joan Rettmann from Transforming Age joins Suzanne to summarize the various offerings. Joan says, "One of the things that a lot of people appreciate most is a release from some of the domestic responsibilities, like housekeeping for instance. Not having to do that is quite appealing to a lot of folks. There's always a meal plan. So it's not surprising that food is oftentimes towards the top of the list. Various meal plans are offered; sometimes it might be one meal a day included, or potentially up to three. The third key area would be in terms of the activities that are offered, or lifestyle events that are offered in a community. So that might be lectures, seminars, fitness classes, those kinds of things. "If it's one that's just independent living, and there aren't additional care levels available, it's usually on the lighter side with meal services. So it might be one meal a day that's included. Housekeeping may not be as frequent as, say, in communities that offer additional levels of care. There might be a great activities calendar, but it might not be quite as robust as the other models. Regardless of what option you're looking for, it's good to compare to make sure those differences become very clear." * Transforming Age website* Hear more podcasts about discovering senior living Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The term 'retirement community' covers a lot of different types of options, some with care, some without care. Joan Rettmann from Transforming Age joins Suzanne to talk about what they all mean. Joan says, "There are a lot of terms that are used out there in the industry. The first step may potentially be one that falls in the category of 55 plus, starting with a younger age group. A lot of times those communities can be designed in an apartment-like complex. They can be more of a campus-like setting or a town home. Some folks choose that option if they're ready to have a little bit of a lower maintenance lifestyle, but still have it feel most similar to the situation that they had been living in. They typically come with some sort of a community space too. Maybe it's a specific building designed for that, or there are common areas, central areas for people to come together and enjoy that social experience without necessarily all of the maintenance responsibilities of their former home." If you're looking to retire or downsize, ask yourself some key questions. Joan says, "Regardless of age, sometimes a lot of folks assume that, they have to wait till a certain age to consider it. Or that's a goal that they have in mind. Rather than looking at a number, look at other things. Ask yourself some other important questions. First of all, 'Do I have any health diagnosis that might I might need care within the next year or two?' Then that might tell you, maybe I'll focus on communities that have care services built in as part of it, instead of ones that are independent only. "Next would be: 'What are my goals? What do I want? What would be my expectations when looking at a community?' For some people, the socialization piece is top on their list. Maybe where they're living right now, that piece is missing. So they want that piece, which is really common in retirement communities. Other people are more private by nature, so what's more important to them would be the types of care available. If something changes in the future, maybe they're more focused on certain amenities. A big reader will want to make sure they have a great library. Or a pool, or other things that I want to do more independently. So the amenities can be part of it. But definitely think about what's important to you in the long term as well. If something changes down the road, how comfortable am I with the the plan for the services that may or may not?" * Transforming Age website* Hear more podcasts about discovering senior living Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Rettmann from Transforming Age joins Suzanne to talk about various independent living retirement options. People are starting to explore senior living options at an earlier age. We're seeing a shift to people in their 60s and early 70s, people looking to improve their quality of life. What seems like a forever home could get in the way of other priorities. Retirement communities can provide a low-maintenance lifestyle with more social opportunities. Joan says, "The use of technology has changed, become more and more important. You'll see that play out in a lot of different ways in retirement communities. One that stands out to me that's most fun is in one of our communities, Madison Park. They use innovation in the form of robots as dining servers, to provide more opportunity for the dining team to kind of be front and center and more personal with the residents. These adorable little robots named Salt and Pepper are running back and forth from the kitchen to deliver food. Residents love it. Residents were involved in naming the robots. They're fun topics of conversation. When grandkids come in, they want to make sure they get to see the robots. So that's a lot of fun, but also just in the design of building. Juanita Bay will be lead certified to become one of the greenest communities in the nation. So a lot of great changes and and a lot of great changes evolving with technology." Transforming Age is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of older adults by integrating housing, community services, technology, philanthropy, and partnerships. The Transforming Age network of affiliates offers high quality housing communities in great locations including Continuing Care Retirement Communities, Active Adult, Affordable Housing, Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Support and Skilled Nursing. * Transforming Age website* Hear more podcasts about discovering senior living Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sean Joseph, CEO of Jordan River Moving &amp; Storage, joins Suzanne to talk about how to make your move as smooth and stress-free as possible. The better you prepare ahead of time, the smoother the move will be. Sean says, "If you want the move to be fast and smooth, we would like to see boxes and furniture. So the boxes will be all packed and taped on the top, nicely closed, flat, no items sticking up. Because then our guys will come in, take all the boxes immediately to the truck, and be fast, because they're working fast. Then we will handle the furniture for you. We will disassemble the bed. We will take off the legs of the dining room table, and we're gonna wrap all your furniture with heavy duty moving blankets. And we'll take it to the truck. So what's important here? Clear out spaces. If you leave the room with a bed in the middle like we had last week, all around it was a lot of mess, from clothes. The movers called me and I said, guys, take the bed. It is what it is, but that's not how it's supposed to be. If it's a local move, that will take forever, and it costs you a lot more money. Boxes and furniture. That's what we would like to see if we not find boxes. We will gladly supply boxes. "We deliver empty boxes to you with no charge. We can come a few times, because we want you to be prepared, do your own packing. We'll give you the tape, we're not charging for the tape. We'll show you how to tape the box properly. We will give you smart tape so you can mark which room to deliver to at the destination. The better you prepare, the easier smoother and money saving it will be." Sean adds, "If you have questions, go on our website, use the chat. We will answer it even if you're not using us, really. If you want to use a moving company in different state, and you're not quite sure, I will do the research for you... For us educating the consumer is the most important thing. That's why on our website, people should take the time and read the blog. We have informative and helpful blogs. So ask neighbors, ask friends, get advice. We're always ready and willing to help whether you use us or not. We want to protect you." Learn more: Jordan River Moving &amp; Storage on AFE Jordan River: Call 877-611-0808 or visit https://jordanrivermoving.com/ Hear more: Senior moving podcasts on AFE Moving to senior living podcasts on AFE Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast: Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of seniors get taken advantage of by moving companies. In this segment, Sean Joseph, CEO of Jordan River Moving &amp; Storage, joins Suzanne to talk about how to avoid moving scams. Sean says, "A lot of people think that everything on the Internet must be cheap, safe, and good. All those are wrong assumptions. Websites [can be] completely made up, the five star reviews that been posted on the website are completely fake. By the way, I just filed two complaints with the FBI about all those five-star fake reviews that are posted by all of those people. It's a major issue, and seniors are booking with those people, who collect a 35% deposit on a long-distance move, and after that, they sell the job to someone else. It's always go back to the basics. You must ask for in home estimate to protect yourself. "When they offering you an online binding estimate, forget about it. If it's not in writing, it's not an estimate. So what's happening? Because nobody came and visited, they claim later, oh, based on your information, it was only 10 boxes, but now you have 40 boxes. Stay away from a situation like this." Regarding cubic feet vs weight, Sean says, "Everybody can [put items] in a truck and spread it to different cubic feet. I can put it in 200 cubic feet, or 300, or 500, that's what [a non-legit] company is doing. Do not move with any company who charges by cubic feet. There is a reason why the state department, the military, and state agencies use weight. If you have any question, you're not sure about anything, you can ask for a reweighing, which should be free. Visit the scale house, watch the first and second weighing." Learn more: Jordan River Moving &amp; Storage on AFE Jordan River: Call 877-611-0808 or visit https://jordanrivermoving.com/ Hear more: Senior moving podcasts on AFE Moving to senior living podcasts on AFE Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast: Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sean Joseph, CEO of Jordan River Moving &amp; Storage, joins Suzanne to talk about how to find trustworthy providers to help seniors with moving. This segment focuses on in-home estimates. Make sure items that are priceless to you are packed appropriately, and moving companies are there to provide these services. Sean says, "So when we go to the house, first of all we would like to see what we're dealing with. We will go room by room, and ask what needs to be moved, what services are required from us to perform on the day of the move. And we will engage in conversation, and pretty much try to give advice of how to prepare for a smooth move. There will be a lot of questions that we usually answer with seniors. A lot of them didn't move often. You need to listen to what the customer says is important and what what they want to do. "You need the person to understand, we can do it for you. They are here to help you. Sometimes it's just five minutes for us, but for you it's a few hours, and maybe involved more physical labor that you don't need. They still think they can do a lot more than what they can really do. And let me give you an example of how we can make it easier for you. Instead of putting all those clothes in your car, I can use wardrobe boxes. We can pack the china for you. It's not going to add too much to the move. We are here to help, we are here to provide service." Learn more: Jordan River Moving &amp; Storage on AFE Jordan River: Call 877-611-0808 or visit https://jordanrivermoving.com/ Hear more: Senior moving podcasts on AFE Moving to senior living podcasts on AFE Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast: Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're thinking about the next chapter of your life, and downsizing or senior living is on the horizon, this month Suzanne covers all aspects of the process, starting from the beginning. In this episode, Sean Joseph, CEO of Jordan River Moving &amp; Storage, joins Suzanne to talk about how to plan, what to take with you, and how to find trustworthy providers to help seniors with moving. It's a monumental step for someone who's lived in the same home for more than 50 years, and often an emotional turmoil to depart from that home. Sean says, "Just last Friday, I went to a couple, I think they were 80 years old. They lived in the same house since 1970, and we're going through the items, and she needed to downsize. It was just difficult for her to go through the process. I was listening and I gave my opinion. And I listened to her, and she said, ' this is my china, this is important.' She had so much stuff, Suzanne, so much stuff. And I told her, you're downsizing to a new townhome, you have to make decisions. I mean, it's not easy. Get the family involved. She was planning to give it to a family member, and that's a lot of things, but it's important for the family." Suzanne adds, "It's also the emotional connection to the bricks and mortar of the home, because there's memories. One of the things I always tell families to do is write letters to the new owners, and leave them in different areas of the room. This was my room. This is what I remembered happening here. It's a way of continuing forward that memory, that whoever is going to take that home next to you is going to is going to honor that, they're going to realize that a life lived in that home." Why Sean goes to your home to make an estimate, he explains, "First and foremost, it is a requirement, even if a lot of people doesn't want it. It's basic protection for the consumer. We want to go visually inspect the house. That's the only way of really doing an estimate. The video estimate it's good too, to deal with the technology, but the elderly are not as computer savvy with the phone and camera. And also, it's a trust issue. We have to visually see and explain, and for us, if we do the job, prepare, and tell them what needs to be done. The last thing we want is to come to a house unprepared, and cause stress to elderly people. You know, for them the movie is stressful no matter what. People coming to their home now, after so many years that they lived there and protected their items, precious things they accumulated during the years. And suddenly, strangers are coming in. We want to make them feel comfortable and build trust." Learn more: Jordan River Moving &amp; Storage on AFE Jordan River: Call 877-611-0808 or visit https://jordanrivermoving.com/ Hear more: Senior moving podcasts on AFE Moving to senior living podcasts on AFE Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast: Alzheimer’s Speaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this bonus episode of Answers for Elders, Suzanne introduces the new podcast of estate planning specialist David T. Phillips: Estate Planning Made Easy. Visit the podcast's YouTube channel to watch the show, or subscribe and listen to the podcast by following these links on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. By law every American can gift $18k annually, to anyone they want, completely gift, estate and income tax free. Many are reluctant to use their gifting allowance. But proper gifting will not only give the giver fulfillment during their life, it can produce generations of powerful, productive people. Learn how to leverage your annual gifts to the max. Learn more: Estate Planning Made Easy website Use discount code EPMEZ at shop.empez.com to receive a 50% discount The 10 Most Common Estate Planning Mistakes, 4th Edition, by David T. Phillips Generational Wealth Strategies newsletter Wealth Creation Strategy Table Contact: Estate Planning Specialists at 888-892-1102 The Durfee Law Group at 480 324-8000 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.