Club Sandwiched podcast

A doctor is a doctor is a doctor, right? Not when it comes to a Geriatrician. Dr. Bill Rhoades, Geriatrician at Advocate Health Care, sits down to explain the benefits of having your parent see a Geriatrician rather than a General Practitioner (Internist). Have a pad and paper handy because Dr. Rhoades lists 3 reasons to change, what mistakes the middle generation are making AND what are the 2 things your parents can do to stay healthy. And, do you know how much time a Geriatrician allots for appointments with patients (vs. other drs)? You’ll be shocked. Listen and then you’ll appreciate why the title Geriatrician and Orchestra Leader are interchangeable.

Dottie is a full fledged member of the Sandwich Generation going 100 mph - working full time, taking care of her mother, involved in her 4 kid's lives and babysits her 2 adorable grandsons. How does she do it all and manage to keep her sanity? And, what technology does she use with her mom that is a life saver and gives her peace of mind (at all hours of the night!)? Take a listen - you'll learn a thing or 2, be inspired and share a laugh.

Boy, the tables have surely turned. Your parents used to nag you to make sure you’re eating (and well). Now you’re noticing your aging parents don’t have a lot of food in the kitchen and the food they do have is not that healthy. Time to call in the Calvary. Listen to my guest, Lisa, owner of Chefs for Seniors talk about all the benefits of hiring a chef for your parent. The professionally trained chefs customize menus, shop for the food, bring in their own equipment, cook, socialize AND clean up. Wonder if they’ll do this for “non seniors”? Asking for a friend. https://chefsforseniors.com/

We’re all familiar with, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”. But, how about “I’ve fallen and I CAN get up”. My guest, Jim, is a personal trainer who specializes in exercising with senior citizens (even into their 90’s). This was an eye opening conversation. Jim arms us with all the physiological and emotional benefits to help get our parents up and moving – at ANY age.   And, yes, he even works with seniors on how to properly get up off the ground if they’ve fallen. Listen, then call your parents and encourage them to start exercising.

When you're in the Sandwich Generation, you dream about having a clone of yourself to help your parents out. You've said it over and over - if only there was another me to do everything that needs to be done for my parents. Your dream has come true. Listen to Kathy, a daily household and money manager, your new BFF, where we talk about how they keep your parent's day-to-day lives on track and under control. She will explain how companies like hers can help with everything from bill paying to coordinating health insurance to troubleshooting vendors. Finally, you're not in this alone.   http://sprauag.com/

We’re born planners. We just are. We plan our parent’s dr. visits, medicine refills, and caregiver schedules. But, what about all those happy occasions coming up like graduations, weddings and parties? Are we prepared for those? If you’re lucky enough to have all 3 generations together to celebrate these milestones, you will need to put your “planner” hat on and make sure you think every detail through so that everyone enjoys the great moments. Handicap parking Hotel reservations Air travel Walking apparatuses Meal scheduling Listen to my latest podcast about how make the most out of celebrating the good times with all 3 generations. Then, count your blessings and don’t forget to take A LOT of pictures.

Nevenka is back with more colorful stories of living the high life in the Sandwich Generation. This time Nevenka talks about discharging her mom from the hospital and tips for making it a smoother process.  As if having a parent in the hospital isn’t stressful enough, springing them has its own challenges. As hard as we tried to stay on course with just this one subject, we did find ourselves veering off the preverbal highway (confessing our ER shenanigans, being a rock star advocate, etc.).

Remember when I said that taking away your parent's driver's license was a big one?  How about cleaning out their house? That's a big one.   Well, this episode just might win the award for one of the bigger moments in the Sandwich Generation - hiring a caregiver for your parent. In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Sam Cross, founder and owner of Broad Street Home Care http://broadstreethomecare.com/. Sam has such practical, sound advice and really makes you think: Start from a place of “wanting help” before it becomes “needing help”. Caregiving actually allows you to preserve your relationship with your parent. Instead of throwing in the towel if things go south, think about it a different way. And much, much more!! Listen all the way to the end when Sam gives the “Top 5 Secrets to Success When Embarking On This Journey”. The payoff is great!!!

Part I (“Estate Planning Isn’t A Dirty Word”) just scratched the surface of this important subject.  Now, in Part II, Alan Press, Estate Planning/Elder Law Attorney, continues to simplify this topic so we can all understand and take action. Here are just a few areas Alan discusses: 1)   The 2 different Powers of Attorney. 2)   How to avoid going to Probate. 3)   What happens if a Guardian isn’t selected. 4)   And so much more! Listen to Alan’s very practical advice on making sure we are helping our parents plan in the best possible way. Check out Alan Press’ website at: http://shirelawgroup.com/

This episode is a subject NOT near and dear to all our hearts - but one that can be addressed in a painless way!  No, not talking about going to the dentist, rather setting up your parent's Estate Plan. This topic is not just for the rich anymore, this is for everyone.  My guest, Alan Press, Estate Planning/Elder Law Attorney discusses why it's so important to make sure your parents have all their bases covered with their wishes. I've broken down my interview with Alan into 2 parts. In Part I, Alan talks about: How to start the process with your parents (which is 99% of the battle).  What to expect in the first meeting with your attorney.  What do all these terms/acronyms mean so laymen can understand (POA, Wills, Guardian, Executor). Listen to Alan's very practical advice on making sure we are helping our parents plan in the best possible way.  Check out Alan Press' website at:  http://shirelawgroup.com/

Be honest. Do we ever stop and consider what our kids think about when they see their parents being squeezed between the 2 generations?  How do we really sound to them when we’re mega stressed and lose it? Do we even want to know. I finally found out directly from the source – Tatiana, a 14 year old daughter who is living through the stresses of her mom (Nevenka) taking care of both her elderly, ill parents while raising 2 kids.  You might not think kids are absorbing it all, but, oh they are.  Tatiana offers such a sweet perspective of being the bottom slice of the Sandwich Generation. Sit back and keep an open mind while Tatiana gives us her perspective.  And, take it from me, listen to Tatiana’s mom’s episode, “It’s Always Something” before or after listening to this episode. It will put the whole crazy puzzle together for you.  Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for the after shocks of Nevenka and Tatiana listening to their respective episodes!    http://www.clubsandwiched.com/003-its-always-something/

Teri's back! One episode just wasn't enough to cover all her wonderful information and how Patient Advocates can help us navigate being in the Sandwich Generation. In this 2nd episode, Teri talks about what rights we have as patients while in a hospital setting. Our hands aren't tied if we're not happy with hospital treatment plans, discharge decisions, etc. Patient Advocates like Teri go to bat for the patient and if necessary, will bring your loved one's issues in front of a hospital ethics committee. Teri also introduces us to a newer term -  Senior Orphans and what to do if that describes you. And, finally, we're all aware of how scary Senior Fraud can be for your parent. Teri talks about their role in combating those risks with your parent. As a bonus to listening all the way to the end, we tell you how you may receive a free consultation from Teri and how to find a Patient Advocate in your area. Check out Teri’s company at www.northshorern.com To find a Patient Advocate in your area: 1) The Alliance for Professional Health Advocates: https://aphadvocates.org/ 2) National Association of Healthcare Advocacy Consultants:  http://nahac.memberlodge.com/

Do any of these describe you? Your parent lives out of town and is in the midst of a health care situation. Your parent is hospitalized and you don’t understand what they are entitled to with insurance and length of stay. Or, you suspect medical errors occurred in a nursing facility or hospital. If you can answer yes to any of these, consider hiring a Patient Advocate who can take care of all of this for you and your parent. This podcast is so chock full of ways you can benefit from having a Patient Advocate that it takes 2 episodes just to get through it all. Teri, owner of NShore Patient Advocates, talks about why and when a family should hire a Patient Advocate. This truly is an episode that can benefit your entire family. Check out Teri’s company at www.northshorern.com

Janice, veteran pharmacist, returns to my podcast for a second installment of everything related to medicines for your parents. In this episode, Janice covers more subjects that will help you save time, money, aggravation and keep your parent's safe:  How to store their meds. Find out what room in the house is the WORSE to store meds.  How to save money using drug cards or special rebate programs.   How to split meds so they don't go flying across the room. Why planning ahead on refills is so important.  And random facts like: 1)Did you know capsules float? (Janice will tell you the best way to swallow them). 2)Do pharmacists count by 2's, 3's, 4's?  Listen to Janice's hysterical description on her own method!  

When it comes time to move your parents out of their home, Judy, Realtor from Coldwell Banker (http://www.buffalogroveareahomes.com/), offers step by step advice on making this process manageable. Judy addresses everything from how to pick the best realtor, decluttering your parent's house (yikes!), staging, and the small things you can do to help sell the house. Learn about Two Bag Tuesdays, shredding events, and how to involve the grandchildren in the process. Don't run away from this daunting subject - attack it head on. You got this!

Ever feel like you’re in quick sand? You just feel stuck - between handling a million things for your parents and your kids. You just go through one task or crisis after the other without having a second to think about you. Anita, a Certified Life Coach and Sandwich Generationer, provides extremely practical tips on how to de-stress and start taking care of YOU. Anita’s tips don’t take long either and can be done in your car, in a doctor’s waiting room or in the privacy of your bedroom after a very exhausting day. Learn breathing techniques, like 4-7-8 or ocean breathing to relax. Listen to how easy it is to practice Walking Meditation with your parent and kids. It’s all free and can be done in as little as 10 minutes a day. There’s even scientific evidence to the benefits of meditation. This podcast is all about “Small Moments. Many Times” to help you deal with being in the Sandwich Generation.

Had the good fortunate to welcome Stephanie back to the podcast. This time she took off her "Official House Organizer" hat and put on her "the daughter who had to move her parents out of their house of 50 years" hat. Stephanie shares funny and touching stories on how she accomplished this monumental feat. How did she pare down contents from a 4 bedroom house into a 2 bedroom apartment? What did she do to make it easier for her parents for the first day of their new place? And, many more great tips along the way.

Just when you finally got around to organizing all your parents’ medicines the old fashioned way (pen to paper), in walks the digital age with 1001 apps to do that and so much more.  This podcast suggests apps that will help your parents stay on top of their health, make their everyday life easier and even ways to stay connected to your family. Does your parent forget where they parked their car?  There’s an app for that.  Your parent isn’t picking up their phone and you don’t know where they are. There’s an app for that. Did your parent remember to take their morning pills? Well, you get the picture. Here’s some I talk about:   MEDICAL: Medisafe, Carezone, Heartwise, iPhone Health   STAY CONNECTED: Skype, Facetime, Facebook,  Photo Album Sharing   GAMES/ENTERTAINMENT: Words with Friends, Kindle, Audible, Yesterday USA   EVERY DAY HELPERS: Evernote, Notes, EyeReader, Big Names, Find My Car, Find Friends, Ride Sharing, Find My Phone, Calendar Reminders

We prepare for so many things with our aging parents. Healthcare. Caregiving. Living situations. Why aren’t we better prepared to make sure our parent’s financial affairs are in order? Listen to Financial Advisor, Janet Petran, break down everything on very simple terms - Trust, POA, Will, Probate. Don’t be intimidated by this process, be prepared.

Don't just hire a heart-beat to watch your parent. Listen to this podcast to hear a few, but critical questions you should be prepared to answer before you begin the interviewing process. Time spent up front being very honest with yourself will save you time and a ton of heartache later. Trust me!