Middle Aging - A Podcast for the Sandwich Generation

In this episode, I speak with my dear friend Ruth Waxter.  Not only is she a fantastic elder law attorney in Frederick, MD but she is the "meat in the middle of the sandwich"!  She has children, a husband, a career and has her mom living with her.  There are challenges but Ruth says it's been a fantastic experience with many unforeseen benefits.*NOTE: The sound quality isn't the best since your host chose an outdoor setting next to a parking lot to record!  

I am back!  Lots has happened with my family since my last episode.  I take a few minutes to get raw and real about the passing of my dad January 24, 2020.

Maybe it has been awhile since you have laid eyes on your mom or dad and are worried about what you will find when you enter their home during the holidays.  Have you had a niggling thought that something "isn't quite right" with your dad? Maybe Mom has fallen and didn't tell you because she didn't want to worry you.  What should you look for when visiting your family this holiday season? Luckily, we have the answers.  Eileen McLaughlin with Right at Home gives us some insight and questions to ask when visiting and what to do when you suspect there's a problem that needs to be addressed.To contact Eileen and the folks at Right at Home in your area, check out:https://www.rightathome.net/central-maryland

On this episode, I chat with a dear friend Mary Ellen about her experience with the loss of her mother, her father and her stepfather.  Dealing with loss is difficult, but Mary Ellen had a lot to deal with when her mother was ill and then her step father passed shortly after that.  Family dynamics, grief, planning the funeral, selling the house-it mostly fell on her.  She tells a poignant story that many of us can relate to.

On this episode, I talk about what is going on with my family and being in the middle, discussion about my class in Thanatology and the amazing book "Being Mortal"

In this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Jennifer Minnick, Director of Housing for Habitat for Humanity Frederick County.  I know all about how they utilize volunteers and sweat equity to help families build homes, but I never knew that there was a program to help seniors stay in their homes.  We also have a unique land trust program that reduces the cost of a new home significantly.You will hear the enthusiasm in Jennifer's voice when she talks about all that HFH does in our county and the organization as a whole.To volunteer, donate or learn more, please visit: http://www.frederickhabitat.org/

For most of us, our dogs are truly our family.  They greet us when we get home, provide companionship when we are lonely, make us laugh, make us cry and provide us with unconditional love.So what happens when your loved one leaves their home to live in an assisted living facility? What if they can no longer care for their dog in their home? What about their beloved dog?  Sure, some places allow you to bring your dog with you, but what about walking the dog a few times a day?  Joanna Price, owner of Woofin' It Pet Concierge saw this need and has been providing this valuable service to our community.  Not only does she provide this service to seniors in their homes and in various living facilities, but her customers include busy families, vacation care and more.  Joanna is filling a huge need in our community by providing loving care to our pets.  And who doesn't need more love in their life?

Why would a senior need a personal trainer?  There are many reasons according to Katrina Wolf, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and ACE Certified Senior Fitness Specialist.  owner/founder of Agewell Senior Fitness:Post Rehab exercise program. Don’t stop when you’re discharged from physical therapy, we can motivate and progress you to continue with the gains you’ve made in PT.Parkinson’s Disease. We can develop a program tailored to your level of function.Balance training. Don’t let fear of falling keep you from enjoying retirement.Training for something special? Upcoming vacation, new grandchild on the way? Let us get you in the best shape to enjoy the life you have worked for.Katrina has been nominated as one of the Best of the Best by the readers of the Frederick News Post and once you listen to our interview, you will understand why. She is committed to helping seniors live their best lives.https://agewellseniorfitness.com/home/

Join me and Brian Snyder with HomeCentris as we discuss the differences between Medicare and Medicaid and how they are used for in home health services.  There is a big difference and it can be very confusing dealing with all of the in's and out's of Medicaid.  HomeCentris is the premiere service provider for those seniors that utilize Medicaid.  Brian is passionate about providing high quality care for those seniors that are typically under-served. https://www.homecentris.com/

In this episode, Katrina Wolf, owner of Age Well Senior Fitness tells us why it's important for our seniors to exercise to the best of their ability. Her company provides exercise instruction in your home tailored specifically for your needs-build your confidence to do the things you love. No matter if you're concerned about falls, or just want to have more energy to go about your day, we have the skills to develop an exercise program to achieve your goals. Specializing in health conditions such as stroke and Parkinson's.When Medicare=paid physical therapy ends, many seniors plateau and do not continue to improve.  In home fitness continues and expands upon the progress made to reach attainable fitness goals.To learn more, https://agewellseniorfitness.com/

I have often wondered if caregivers that work for the federal government receive services from an employee assistance program (EAP) and other support while on the job.  Interestingly, here in the DC Metro area, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has such a program.  I had the pleasure of interviewing Robert Norton, EAP professional with NIST who hosts a caregivers support program and provides resources for those of us in the Sandwich Generation.Robert “Bob” Norton received his Master's degree in counseling psychology and has over 40 years post graduate experience in the fields of mental health & substance abuse counseling, including providing and managing employee assistance programs.  He is a member of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) and serves as President of the DC chapter of EAPA.  Bob is a Nationally Certified Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Maryland and in the District of Columbia and a Certified Employee Assistance professional.  In addition to having worked in several mental health and substance abuse treatment settings, he has worked as an Employee Assistance Counselor for the past 26 years with The Office of Personnel Management, U.S. Marshal’s Service, The Library of Congress, and the Executive Office for United States Attorneys as an EAP Program Administrator, and NIST ( for the past 10 ½ years). I hope you enjoy this episode

Recently, well within the past few months, I have been deep in the middle of aging-my dad has been ill, my son is far away and I have to choose where to spend my time.  This episode is different. Let me know if you can relate to what I am experiencing.  We are a community of caregivers that need to support each other.

WARNING - this interview with Dr. Craig Hauser of Hauser Health discusses the use of medical marijuana, drug addiction and other topics that may not be suitable for all audiences.  Dr. Hauser explains the variety of uses for medical cannabis, delivery systems, misinformation and rumors about its use.To learn more about Dr. Hauser and his integrative health medical practice, visit:https://www.hauserhealth.com/

WARNING - in this episode I interview Dr. Craig Hauser of Hauser Health and the medical director of a local medical cannabis dispensary. We discuss some topics that can be a sensitive subject for many people.Dr. Hauser begins by defining all of the acronyms and starts to distill truth from fiction. Next week, we will dive into the topic more in depth.To learn more about Dr. Hauser, check out his podcast: "The Medical Potcast".  It's very informative.

I don't know about you, but when I am tired and stressed, I turn to comfort foods to make me feel better.  In reality, they make me feel worse physically then emotionally-why the heck did I just sit down in the kitchen at 1:00 am when I can't sleep, grab a spoon and that half gallon of ice cream in the freezer and proceed to devour the entire container? (Notice: I don't want to dirty a bowl since hey, I am going to finish the whole thing anyway!)Enter Cheryle McKee.  She is an incredibly knowledgeable nutritionist and explains the science behind food and what it does for our bodies and our brains. Proper nutrition is crucial to being an effective caregiver and for our elderly population.To learn more about Cheryle and her company, Nourishing Abundance, go to:https://www.nourishingabundance.com/

Did you know that every state in the United States has a program to provide support for caregivers? I didn't until I met Mary Collins and Mindy Lohman-Hinz at a senior services networking event.  I learned so much from them about what resources are available to caregivers.The National Family Caregiver Support Program is a federally funded program requiring each state to provide a support program for caregivers.  Passed as an amendment to the Older Americans Act in 2000, each state is REQUIRED to have a program to meet the needs of caregivers.  There are no income requirements to receive assistance from this program.People who may benefit from this program are:Caregivers who are caring fro someone older than age 60.Caregivers of a person of any age with Alzheimer's Disease or related disorder.Grandparents and other relative caregivers over age 55 who are caring for a child age 18 or under and/or adult children with a disability aged 19-59 years old.To learn more, go to: https://frederickcountymd.gov/301/Caregiver-Program

Did you know that every state in the United States has a program to provide support for caregivers?  I didn't until I met Mary Collins and Mindy Lohman-Hinz at a senior services networking event.  I learned so much from them about what resources are available to caregivers.The National Family Caregiver Support Program is a federally funded program requiring each state to provide a support program for caregivers. Passed as an amendment to the Older Americans Act in 2000, each state is required to have a program to meet the needs of caregivers. Note: There are no income requirements to receive assistance from this program. People who may benefit from this program: Caregivers who are caring for someone older than age 60. While many caregivers are family members, this program can also assist caregivers who are not related by blood or marriage. This program is also for caregivers of a person of any age with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder.Grandparents and other relative caregivers over the age of 55 who are caring for a child age 18 or under and grandparents or relative caregivers providing care for adult children with a disability who are between 19 - 59 years of age. The caregivers must be age 55 years and older and cannot be the child’s natural or adoptive parent.Click on this link to learn more: https://frederickcountymd.gov/301/Caregiver-Program

When it comes to finding the perfect senior housing situation for your aging family member,  the process can be overwhelming.There are hundreds of options to choose from and finding the “right” place can be challenging. That's where senior housing advisors step in. They take the burden of finding a senior housing option off your shoulders by handling all of the research and matching services for you.This episode, Kriste Kidd with Oasis Senior Advisors discusses the ins and outs of senior housing and how she can help.https://www.oasissenioradvisors.com/frederick/

I am so excited to present this episode to you.  One of the most difficult decisions a family can make in conjunction with their loved one is when to switch from curative to palliative care.  It's a difficult decision and the loving and empathetic professionals at Hospice of Frederick County are there for support.  Learn all about hospice from my dear friend, Patricia Ortiz.  She is absolutely passionate about what she does and spreading the message that "Hospice is Hope".

All about the documents! What are the essential documents you need to have before something happens to you or a family member?  What is an estate plan? What is an elder law attorney? This episode features Scott Morrison, Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney answering these questions and more.https://www.samlawoffice.com/