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    Eldercare Illuminated

    Torchlight’s Eldercare Illuminated empowers family caregivers as they overcome obstacles and navigate the complexities of caring for an ill or aging loved one. Tune in for conversations with top eldercare experts, practitioners, or experienced caregivers who can provide practical advice and hands-on tips designed to help you simplify your life while meeting your loved one’s needs.

    Want full access to Torchlight’s online caregiving platform, including personalized action plans, eGuides, and tools? Have your employer contact us! They can find our information at www.torchlight.care.
    enTorchlight45 Episodes

    Episodes (45)

    Ten Days with Dad: A Conversation with Mark Resnick

    Ten Days with Dad: A Conversation with Mark Resnick
    Mark Resnick’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014. Five years later, as the disease progressed and COVID began to shut down the country, Mark was plunged into the intimate world of caring for a loved one with a dementia diagnosis in the middle of a pandemic.

    Mark learned more about himself and his dad than he ever anticipated. The result is Ten Days with Dad: Finding Purpose, Passion, & Peace During The Darkest Days of Alzheimer's and COVID-19.

    Join us for this episode of Eldercare Illuminated to hear Mark explain what those dark days revealed and how his lifelong ambition to write a book “happened.” Somehow, Mark’s journaling habit resulted in a book that shares life lessons through stories of his youth and his father’s Alzheimer’s journey. Part memoir, part homage to Dad, Ten Days follows Mark’s childhood, being raised with his two brothers by a single father in the suburbs of Boston to his days as his father’s primary caregiver.

    About Our Guest:

    Father, son, brother, husband, coach: Mark Resnick has had many roles. He explores how these relationships and responsibilities have affected his outlook and the way he lives his life today. Learn more about Mark or reach out to him via his website at https://www.markjresnick.com.

    Understanding Your Rights Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

    Understanding Your Rights Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
    The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) is a U.S. law that requires covered employers to provide employees with protected, unpaid leave for certain medical and family reasons. Yet, many Americans are unsure of the ways in which FMLA could make a significant difference in their ability to meet parenting or caregiving responsibilities as a working person. Join Torchlight host Stefanie Boucher for a conversation with Teri Weber, a partner and Senior Vice President at Spring Consulting group and subject matter expert on employee benefits and absence management programs, including FMLA. In this episode, you’ll learn about:

    •FMLA basics, including who is eligible to use FMLA and what criteria must be met;
    •How to talk to your employer about using FMLA to meet medical or family needs;
    •What to do if you’re getting resistance from your employer; and,
    •More!

    About Our Guest:

    Teri Weber is a partner and Senior Vice President with Spring Consulting Group. She has over 15 years of experience in health and welfare plan strategy, design, and implementation. In addition, she is a subject matter expert on absence management programs, including disability, family medical leave, and leave of absence tracking. Her areas of expertise have allowed her to work with diverse employers and vendors to streamline processes and programs to meet the needs of both employers and employees. Teri holds a BS from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts.

    How to Become a Badass Advocate for Your Seriously Ill Loved One

    How to Become a Badass Advocate for Your Seriously Ill Loved One
    Are you caring for a seriously ill loved one? If so, perhaps there are moments when you feel overwhelmed or even powerless as you try to get (and give) your loved one the best possible care. In this episode, join Torchlight hosts Lenore Tracey and Stefanie Boucher for a conversation with Erin Mulqueen Galyean, author of Badass Advocate: Becoming the Champion Your Seriously Ill Loved One Deserves. Whether your child or loved one is hospitalized or at home, listen to learn how to:

    - Build a support team for you and the patient and ask for help when you need it;
    - Overcome fear of authority figures and ask doctors effective questions;
    - Balance self-care with patient care; and,
    - More!

    About Our Guest:

    Erin Mulqueen Galyean is an author and speaker who trains sales professionals in effective communication with healthcare providers. She lost her father to Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 1997 and her sister to a rare lung disease in 2018. Fueled by these heartbreaking experiences, Erin helps others become powerful advocates for the seriously ill loved ones in their lives.

    12 Conversations: How To Talk to Almost Anyone About Long-Term Care Planning

    12 Conversations: How To Talk to Almost Anyone About Long-Term Care Planning
    People are encouraged to plan for retirement (Save money!) and dying (Make a will!). But many of us — maybe most of us — forget that there can be a long (and expensive) time in between.

    In this episode, host Lenore Tracey talks with author, humorist, and elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski. Cathy’s new book, 12 Conversations: How To Talk to Almost Anyone About Long-Term Care Planning gives caregivers and future care recipients — all of us — reasons to talk to each other about how we’ll pay for care and what types of care we want. Better yet, Cathy gives us the language to deal with these conversations, no matter who you’re talking to — Mom, Dad, your grown-up kids, your Uncle Fred, your doctor, or your mom’s doctor.

    Check out what long-term care care costs where you (or your loved one) live: https://www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care.html. Best to be sitting down when you do this! Then commit to having those important conversations with the people you love.

    *Genworth Financial 2021 Cost of Care Survey

    About Our Guest:

    Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for eight different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).

    Cathy’s most recent book, 12 Conversations: How To Talk to Almost Anyone About Long-Term Care Planning offers practical advice for discussing this difficult topic with your aging parents, your adult children, your siblings, your spouse, and other key players you will meet as a caregiver - or a care recipient. Cathy’s wicked sense of humor and commitment to straight talk will prepare you to get through these conversations successfully - maybe even gracefully!

    Cathy’s first book was a memoir, Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers. Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

    A Conversation with Kate Washington, Author of Already Toast

    A Conversation with Kate Washington, Author of Already Toast
    If you’re looking for a book to create an engrossing TV series, Kate Washington’s Already Toast should be high on your list. Published in March 2021, the book chronicles Kate’s life as a caregiver after her husband is diagnosed with a rare cancer. Lenore Tracey, host of Eldercare Illuminated, spoke with Kate about what it was like for her as the trajectory of her life is turned upside down.

    Sailing into their 40s with no expectation of the disaster that was about to strike, Kate and her husband were raising two children, working, and enjoying successful careers in sunny California. This is the story of their family, plunged into the murky waters of caregiving. It highlights the distressingly inadequate systems that support American families when serious illness strikes. Kate learns caregiving while caregiving – scant on-the-job training for an unanticipated job. She shares how the experience enlightened her and changed her, how historical notions of women as caregivers fare in modern America, and how we might address some of the failings of a fragmented medical and social care construct that many of us will find ourselves immersed in, whether we like it or not.

    About Our Guest:

    Kate Washington is a writer in Northern California. Her book, Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout in America (Beacon Press, March 2021), shines a stark light on the experience of family caregivers. Largely left on their own to navigate the medical, insurance, work, and social support systems involved when a loved one becomes ill, caregivers are ill prepared and unsupported as they struggle to manage family and work responsibilities. With 53 million family caregivers in (Caregiving in the U.S. 2020, National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP), Already Toast is a must read for family caregivers, health care and social support workers, and policy makers.

    Visit Kate’s website at https://www.kawashington.com/already-toast.html.

    Caregiving: Am I Really Cut Out for This?

    Caregiving: Am I Really Cut Out for This?
    In this episode, host Lenore Tracey and award-winning documentary producer Paula Sellars consider a question that caregivers don’t usually think about — What if I’m not willing, able, or happy to be a caregiver? And it’s obvious companion thought — But I have to do this anyway!

    Caregiving is an act of love, devotion, duty, and responsibility. We may have planned to care for our elders, and we may have vowed “in sickness and in health.” We may also have a troubled relationship with the family member or friend who needs our help. Or we may turn green at the sight of blood, need a full eight hours of sleep to be remotely human, or be raising four-year-old triplets.

    Listen to two eldercare professionals, (who are also caregivers who have “been there and done that”) discuss how to accept thinking the unthinkable and cope with the must-do’s of a caregiver’s life.

    About Our Guest:

    Paula Sellars, MSW is an expert in adult learning, training development, and training delivery, particularly in promoting large-scale social change. Paula is the originator of an award-winning training method called Docutraining®, which integrates documentary style film, practical behavioral directives, and human empowerment training to produce reliable behavior change. In her role as president & director of curriculum development at Vistalynk, LLC (https://www.vistalynk.com/vistalynk-home) she brings this same evidence-informed training methodology to support understanding, reflection, intention, and behavior change to aging and caregiving relationships. Paula is also a personal development and entrepreneurial coach.

    Secrets to a Good Night's Sleep

    Secrets to a Good Night's Sleep
    Most people know that sleep is essential to good health. But what you might not know is that 60 to 80 percent of us aren’t getting nearly enough of it - not by a long shot. And that’s a big deal. Studies show that insufficient sleep can lead to poorer health outcomes and quality of life, an increased risk of accidents, diminished productivity, and even an inhibited ability to learn and solve problems.

    Fortunately, whether you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or simply stay up too late at night, most sleep problems are treatable. In this episode, join Eldercare Illuminated host Lenore Tracey and Exceptional Parenting Podcast host Stefanie Boucher as they discuss the beauty and importance of sleep - and the little known secrets to getting a good night’s rest - with clinical sleep educator and behavioral sleep therapist, Rick Clerici. You’ll find out how to use your body’s natural sleep pattern to maximize rest, how to begin preparing your body for sleep from the moment you wake up in the morning, and what to try if parenting or caregiving responsibilities are making sleep difficult.

    About Our Guest:

    Rick Clerici is a Clinical Sleep Educator and Behavioral Sleep Therapist. As the co-founder of Clear Mind Systems, Rick develops corporate sleep wellness programs, lectures in corporate and university settings nationwide, and serves as Sleep Educator for four major employee assistance programs in Massachusetts. As a personal sleep coach, he and his practice have helped thousands of individuals in all age groups get a better night’s sleep.

    Learn more about Rick Clerici and his work by visiting http://www.clearmindsystems.net/.

    Home Sharing: Creating Friendships, Support, and Resources

    Home Sharing: Creating Friendships, Support, and Resources
    Many families today are struggling with uncertainty and threats to home and hearth. Financial instability is a reality for people who have had their work hours reduced or lost their jobs completely. In this episode of Eldercare Illuminated, we’re exploring an idea that predates the country’s troubles of 2020 and has the potential to provide some relief to caregivers and the adults they love. That’s home-sharing.

    Housemates have been a standard for young people starting out after completing their education. What are the many benefits that may be available to an older adult when sharing a living space? Amy Ford, of Silvernest, discusses how this little known option can provide different kinds of support for your loved one. In this discussion, we cover:

    - What types of help can be built into a home-sharing agreement
    - Safe ways you and your loved one can find a housemate
    - Questions to consider when interviewing an applicant
    - The importance of creating a formal home sharing agreement to protect both your loved one and her new housemate

    Check out these resources to explore the home-sharing option further:

    - Silvernest (http://silvernesthome.com/torchlight)
    - Senior Homeshares (https://www.seniorhomeshares.com/
    - National Shared Housing Resource Center (http://nationalsharedhousing.org/program-directory/)

    About Our Guest:

    Amy Ford is the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development for Silvernest, an online roommate-matching service that pairs empty nesters, retirees and other aging adults with long-term housemates. Amy joined Silvernest from the National Council on Aging (NCOA), where she was the senior director of financial wellness, responsible for leading a team in the Economic Security division that provides education to older adults on a variety of topics related to financial wellness, including the question of considering accessing their home equity.
    Before joining NCOA, Amy supported housing counselors in the training division of a large community development organization, NeighborWorks America.

    Conversations with Working Caregivers: Amy Lyman

    Conversations with Working Caregivers: Amy Lyman
    The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the lives of young and old alike since March. For caregivers who are juggling work, children, and aging or disabled loved ones, the disruptions have been relentless.

    We open our first episode of the Fall season of Eldercare Illuminated with a far-reaching conversation about what the last few months have been like when a loved one lives in a memory care unit during a COVID-19 outbreak and beyond.

    You’ll be surprised to hear that it’s not all bad news:

    - Seniors who contract this virus can recover.
    - Flexibility lends grace when circumstances continuously change.
    - Children (and dogs) still bring joy.
    - Workplace support is key to making all the pieces fit together.

    Guest Amy Lyman shares the story of caring for a loved one with dementia during the coronavirus pandemic. We learn that loved ones who can only live in the moment may enjoy a special boon while the rest of us are bathed in anxiety.

    About Our Guest:

    Amy Lyman is Torchlight’s Director of Client Success. In addition to years in the financial services industry, Amy has experience working with adults and facilitating support groups in a mental health clinic. Most recently she worked supporting employees and advising Human Resources professionals and managers about workplace dynamics. Who is she when she’s at home? All of those things and the mother of three, wife, daughter, and primary caregiver for her 88-year-old mother.

    The Coronavirus Scams Epidemic

    The Coronavirus Scams Epidemic
    As if the coronavirus pandemic were not bad enough, it has spawned another epidemic. Testing and treatment scams, product delivery scams, tax identity theft, and a multitude of new and creative ways to get people to divulge private information or click on sites that load malware, ransomware, and other dangerous software onto their devices are on the rise.

    As our guest, Steve Weisman says, “Things aren’t as bad as you think, they are far worse.” But don’t despair. Steve joins Torchlight’s Eldercare Illuminated host, Lenore Tracey, and Exceptional Parenting Podcast host, Stefanie Boucher, for a discussion of what to beware of and how to avoid the clever ways these thieves seek to undermine our digital security. Steve alerts us to attacks and identity theft based on use of websites and apps targeted at students, younger children, seniors, and employees; he offers some surprising insights about how criminals are exploiting the tools and applications we use every day.

    Steve has helpful strategies to share for all of us — adults and kids of all ages. Check out his website, Scamicide.com, for regular updates on new scams and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.

    About Our Guest:

    Steve Weisman, JD is an attorney admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, college professor at Bentley University, and nationally recognized expert on scams, identity theft and cybersecurity. He appears regularly in the media to share his knowledge and ideas for staying one step ahead of the bad guys.

    You can find Steve’s books on retirement planning and digital security on Amazon. Learn more about identity theft attacks based on use of Facebook, iPad, iPhone, Android, cloud apps, iPod, and other new technologies — and shows you how to protect yourself, or how to fix the damage if you've already been attacked!

    Conversations: Exploring Loss and Grief

    Conversations: Exploring Loss and Grief
    This podcast was recorded before the coronavirus pandemic. The need to understand the many faces of grief and how to treat each other kindly after a loved one dies is magnified under our current circumstances. Whether you are working remotely or on site, you, your family, and your co-workers may experience losses or be called upon to share condolences in this time of uncertainty.

    Join Eldercare Illuminated host Lenore Tracey for a conversation with Amy Tucci, President and CEO of the Hospice Foundation of America. Amy shares her knowledge, experience, and advice for individuals and families grieving after the death of a loved one. Whether someone you care about dies suddenly or after a long illness, the experience is painful; it requires time to understand and incorporate the loss into one’s mental and emotional framework.

    Download additional resources to help understand and deal with grief from the Hospice Foundation website at https://hospicefoundation.org/Grief-(1).

    Managers and employees can find specific information on how to be helpful when a colleague has lost a loved one in the Hospice Foundation’s booklet Grief at Work: A Guide for Employees and Managers, which can be found at https://hospicefoundation.org/Grief-(1)/Grief-and-the-Workplace.

    About Our Guest:

    Amy Tucci is the President and CEO of the Hospice Foundation of America (HFA), headquartered in Washington, DC.

    She started at the Hospice Foundation in 2004, directing its national Living with Grief® educational event and has been responsible for many educational programs on advanced illness care and grief for both the public and professionals. She has edited several books on end-of-life topics, considering issues such as ethics, pain management, child and adolescent grief, and spirituality.

    Eldercare in the Time of Coronavirus: Social Distancing and Visiting Your Loved One

    Eldercare in the Time of Coronavirus: Social Distancing and Visiting Your Loved One
    In this episode of Eldercare Illuminated, Torchlight’s Eldercare Practice Leader, Lenore Tracey, answers questions about the limitations on visiting nursing homes and assisted living facilities as well as the importance of social distancing for caregivers and seniors during the coronavirus pandemic.

    Guest host Stefanie Boucher usually presents Torchlight’s Exceptional Parenting Podcast, when she’s not writing about the challenges of raising children and navigating education issues for children with and without disabilities. Today, she looks for ways to explain social distancing and how to convince a stubborn loved one that visiting the grandparents is just a bad idea.

    As promised in this episode, we’re including links to a couple of graphical representations and expert explanations of how social distancing works:

    This BBC video explains social distancing using dominoes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51989370

    A coronavirus transmission animation, from New Zealand’s online magazine, The Spinoff: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Covid-19-Transmission-graphic-01.gif

    An in-depth scientific article in the leading medical journal, The Lancet, “Scientific and ethical basis for social-distancing interventions against COVID-19,” Joseph A Lewnard, Nathan C Lo, Published: March 23, 2020: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30190-0/fulltext

    Johns Hopkins Medicine explains the importance of social distancing, self-quarantine, isolation, and “flattening the curve”: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-social-distancing-and-self-quarantine

    Check the CDC’s website, https://coronavirus.gov, for the most current information and recommendations.

    Let There Be Music: The Power of Music in Caregiving

    Let There Be Music: The Power of Music in Caregiving
    Are you currently hesitant or unable to visit your loved one due to the coronavirus pandemic? Is your loved one feeling more isolated than usual as a result of social distancing? If so, music may be able to help him or her fight loneliness and even boost the immune system!

    Mary Sue Wilkinson spends her days bringing live music to assisted living facilities, memory care units, and nursing homes. In one of our most popular episodes of Eldercare Illuminated to date, Mary Sue shares her thoughts about the role of music in caring for someone with dementia — and the opportunity to enhance your loved one’s life in myriad ways through live and recorded musical
    experiences.

    The Rolling Stones’ lead guitarist Keith Richards has said, “Music is a language that
    doesn’t speak in particular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it’s in the bones, it’s in
    the bones.” For individuals with dementia, music can spark what’s in the bones to rise
    to the surface for moments of clarity and happiness.

    About Our Guest:

    Mary Sue Wilkinson is the founder of Singing Heart to Heart™ and the Young at Heart Music Program. As a career educator and professional musician, she discovered the power of music to awaken memories and bring joy. Today she specializes in using music in dementia care. Her book, “Songs You Know By Heart: A Simple Guide for Using Music in Dementia Care,” her sing along CDs and her E-Book “Finding Memories through Music: A Family
    Interview,” as well as other resources are available on her website: https://www.singinghearttoheart.com/home.

    Loving Mike: Caring for a Spouse with a Serious Illness

    Loving Mike: Caring for a Spouse with a Serious Illness
    What do you do when your husband comes home with a surprise? He’s got cancer. Host Lenore Tracey opens Season Five of Eldercare Illuminated with a conversation about caring for a spouse with a serious illness. Life is going on with its usual ups and downs: kids’ ball games to cheer at, reports due at work, snow to be shoveled, and groceries to be bought. Then the universe throws a wrench in the works.

    Guest Rebecca Throop shares what she learned and how her family got through an unexpected caregiving challenge. Rebecca talks about both the practical considerations and the importance of community when a life partner becomes ill. Learn from one caregiver’s grace and fortitude.

    About Our Guest:

    Rebecca Throop, mother, wife, marketing professional, and caregiver extraordinaire, is responsible for fundraising, marketing, and communications for one of the 10 state-designated community mental health centers (CMHCs) in New Hampshire. She divides her busy life between work, family, friends, and Maggie — her four-footed, furry dog companion.

    Rebecca shares another important story in her TedX talk "Change Your Language - Save a Life" delivered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on January 3rd, 2020.

    Social Security is not calling!

    Social Security is not calling!
    Have you or your loved one gotten one (or more) phone calls from someone saying they are from Social Security? Join host Lenore Tracey and elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski to learn more about these scam calls and how to handle them.

    Need a concrete way to respond to this type of scam call? Consider the following:

    1. HANG UP - no need to say a single word!

    2. Try one of the following options; print it in big letters and place it by your and your loved one’s phones:

    “We don’t respond to telephone solicitations. Thank you.” HANG UP.

    “I will call the Social Security Office to verify this call. Thank you.” HANG UP

    Sacrifice politeness to protect your social security number and other private information!

    About Our Guest:

    Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).

    Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers. Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

    Bringing Mom Home

    Bringing Mom Home
    In this episode of Eldercare Illuminated, host Lenore Tracey talks about her own experience bringing her mother home to live with her toward the end of her Alzheimer’s journey.

    The decision to bring a family member home to live with you is a big one. It works for some families, and it doesn’t for others. It may work in the beginning, but not at the end of your loved one’s journey; or it may work only at the end.

    Lenore shares how her family made the decision and the ten items they considered each time they contemplated moving mom home:

    - Amount and type of care needed
    - Amount of supervision required (especially with a dementia diagnosis)
    - Safety
    - Activities and opportunities for the caree’s social engagement
    - Physical environment: stairs, bathrooms, noise, privacy, etc.
    - Family members’ schedules and availability to help
    - Impact of professional caregivers coming and going in your home
    - Expectations and needs of relatives and friends for visiting
    - Pets
    - Respite for yourself and other family members who are helping

    About Our Guest/Host:

    Lenore Tracey is Torchlight’s Eldercare Practice Leader. She has been writing about and providing eldercare for more years than she cares to count.

    Won’t you be my neighbor? A Cross-generational Approach to Loneliness

    Won’t you be my neighbor? A Cross-generational Approach to Loneliness
    Entrepreneurs Joy Zhang and Madeline Dangerfield-Cha observed the anxiety and stress caused by social isolation and loneliness on college campuses. Smartphones notwithstanding, many college students find themselves aliens in a new world when they begin campus life.

    At the other end of the arc of life are older adults. Mobility problems, hearing or vision impairment, the devastating loss of a spouse, or a sense of alienation from the fast-paced, technology-drenched environment leave many seniors challenged by social isolation and loneliness.

    Joy and Madeline recognized the problem and envisioned a solution. What started as Visiting Students Services for Hire in the San Francisco Bay area is now Mon Ami – a business that pairs young people with adults who need a companion, technology support, an exercise buddy, or household help.

    Join Eldercare Illuminated to explore an exciting cross-generational approach to addressing social isolation and loneliness.

    About Our Guests:

    Graduates of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Joy Zhang and and Madeline Dangerfield-Cha discovered that lonely people don’t need more toys and gadgets — they need other human beings. With very different backgrounds (Joy’s experience as a dementia and hospice volunteer and Madeline’s in education and digital marketing), the two discovered a hole in the fabric of eldercare that did not have a high-tech answer. Mon Ami pairs college students with elders living in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and in the community. Mon Ami companions, the adults they visit, and the family caregivers all benefit. Voila!

    Elder Law Attorney or Estate Attorney: Who’s Who

    Elder Law Attorney or Estate Attorney: Who’s Who
    Join this episode of Eldercare Illuminated to learn what an elder law attorney or an estate attorney can do for you — and how to choose the right attorney for your situation. Host Lenore Tracey interviews elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski to get the inside scoop on the tools and documents these professionals use and when you might need them. Cathy also shares three important questions to ask when you or your loved one are selecting an attorney to work with.

    About Our Guest:

    Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).

    Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers.  Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

    Let There Be Music: The Power of Music in Caregiving

    Let There Be Music: The Power of Music in Caregiving
    Eldercare Illuminated launches its fourth season with an interview of professional
    musician Mary Sue Wilkinson, who spends her days bringing live music to assisted
    living facilities, memory care units, and nursing homes. Mary Sue shares her thoughts
    about the role of music in caring for someone with dementia — and the opportunity
    to enhance your loved one’s life in myriad ways through live and recorded musical
    experiences.

    The Rolling Stones’ lead guitarist Keith Richards has said, “Music is a language that
    doesn’t speak in particular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it’s in the bones, it’s in
    the bones.” For individuals with dementia, music can spark what’s in the bones to rise
    to the surface for moments of clarity and happiness.

    About Our Guest:

    Mary Sue Wilkinson is the founder of Singing Heart to Heart™ and the Young at Heart Music Program. As a career educator and professional musician, she discovered the power of music to awaken memories and bring joy. Today she specializes in using music in dementia care. Her book, “Songs You Know By Heart: A Simple Guide for Using Music in Dementia Care,” her sing along CDs and her E-Book “Finding Memories through Music: A Family
    Interview,” as well as other resources are available on her website: https://www.singinghearttoheart.com/home.

    Get Dollars and Sense Help with a Daily Money Manager

    Get Dollars and Sense Help with a Daily Money Manager
    When handling the bills and the paperwork are just too much for your loved one and you are too busy or too far away, consider hiring a Daily Money Manager. Professional money managers are advocates who help people sort out bills, health insurance, magazine subscriptions, and more to create a system that works for everybody.

    Host Lenore Tracey meets up with Money Manager Barbara Boustead to learn what these professionals do – and don’t do – and how to find one.

    Enjoy the podcast and check out the American Association of Daily Money Managers (https://www.aadmm.com/) to learn more.

    About Our Guest:

    Barbara Boustead, LCSW is a social worker who shifted her focus from working with youth to helping seniors and older adults, military personnel, Veterans, and people with disabilities and chronic illness, including mental illness.

    After learning first-hand how important it was to organize and stay current with medical, legal and financial documents for her aging mother, Barbara founded her company, Mary’s Daughter LLC in 2011. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Mary’s Daughter helps individuals and families with their daily money management and organizing tasks.

    Barbara is an active member of the American Association of Daily Money Managers (https://www.aadmm.com/), leading the organization’s Southern Wisconsin chapter.