Life Happens

Moving is a challenge for anyone. But for a senior who may have lived in the same home for many years, it is especially difficult. Today Kim Hegwood and Gina Powell the owner of Caring Transitions in Houston, Texas will be talking about these challenges and how a senior move manager can help. Kim will ask Gina: 1. What does a senior move manager do? 2. I decided to downsize and move into a senior...

Kim Hegwood is joined today by Nelson Negron a financial advisor with Provident Oak Financial, LLC. Their conversation today is about planning for the future when a special needs child is in the picture.  Kim and Nelson will talk about: Typical vs Special Needs Retirement Average Retirement Cost vs Average Medical Cost for Special Needs Child When should you start planning? Special Needs Plan...

Planning for your retirement is something you should not take lightly. Today Kim Hegwood visits with T. Mark Rush, CPA about the Secure Act and how it could affect you are those you will one day leave behind.  A few of the questions Kim will be asking include: Have you reconsidered your beneficiary designations on your retirement plans lately? Do you know how the SECURE ACT will affect the he...

"In a nutshell, this is about improving care for people who have dementia, but it also includes providing support and resources for the caregivers. So that's the unique part about this study. It approaches what we call the dyad, which is those two people that are most affected by the dementia diagnosis." Alice Williams Alice Williams, the Community Education Specialist for the Sealy Center on Agin...

"If you look at your cell phone and you see all those apps on your cell phone and realize that every single one of those companies has your name, your email, maybe your password, and perhaps your credit card. Those are digital assets, electronic records." Betsy Ehrenberg Kim Hegwood is joined by her guest Betsy Ehrenberg the founder of Legacy Concierge. And their topic today is all about protectin...

"So, our system, our medical, and otherwise is kinda hard to navigate. And we don't have, I don't know, there's not a really big "how to system" out there" Andrea Zaite  Kim Hegwood has a conversation with Andrea Zaite about her role in helping seniors and their families as a Life Care Manager. A few of the questions Kim will ask are: What is an Aging Life Care Professional? What does an Agin...

"That's the beauty of joy! It's really not a magic trick. I like to tell people I work with that. It's not Hocus Pocus and you use a magic wand, but it's focused focus." ~Carmalyn McCracken Join Kim Hegwood and Carmalyn McCracken as they explore joy. Here are a few questions we will be asking Carmalyn What is the difference between joy and happiness? How do you find JOY during the difficult days?...

Who doesn't want to help their brain, right? Today Kim Hegwood and Ron Nevelow will be discussing how you can push back the clock on dementia. Kim will be asking Ron the following questions. Listen to find out Ron's answers. 1. Why is it important to know what works to keep a healthy brain? 2. What has global research-proven to work in getting/keeping a healthy brain? 3. What is the biggest mistak...

Often when families are faced with a dementia diagnosis they are confused about what steps to take next. Kim's guest today Brenden Shannon understands. And Brenden quickly found out that some of the people he reached to for help we only interested in making a sale. Thus Complete Dementia Solutions was formed. Kim will talk to Brenden about his company and how they differ and can help. 1.Can you Te...

These days there are a lot of different options for senior care and senior living. Sometimes it can be a bit confusing. In this episode, Kim Hegwood will be talking to Nate Manthey, the administrator for Light Heart Memory Care. These memory care homes are a great option for someone with dementia. Kim will ask Nate,  1) What is a Small Memory Care home? 2) Small Memory Care home compared to L...

When someone has dementia keeping them engaged is more important than ever. Kim Hegwood's guest today, Robyn Horn has some really great ideas and tips for how to do that. Kim and Robyn will discuss: 1. Why is it important to develop a daily activity plan for a PWD (Person With Dementia) (activities are "things we do" including taking a bath, playing games, etc.)? 2. What should the caregiver keep...

Qiana is the perfect guest for this show today. Not only does she have the professional knowledge but Qiana has been in caregiving roles with her own family. First with her beloved grandmother, affectionately called Mama Doll, and more recently with her father who has a diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease. Today Qiana joins Kim to discuss how to balance your life, work, and caring for someone with De...

Caregiver Guilt! We all experience it. Even caregivers who appear to have it all together. Laura Wayman, known as the Dementia Whisperer, hears stories of guilt from her caregiver clients all the time. And the guilt serves no one, least of all the caregiver. Kim Hegwood will be talking to Laura about the different beliefs caregivers have that create the guilt they experience. 1. Other caregivers a...

Leslie Marchand, LCSW,  is a Social Worker and Bereavement Counselor for Silverado Hospice of North Houston. She has helped countless families and patients deal with grief. She talks about the 3 different types of grief and how they can affect families struggling to understand what is happening. The Pandemic our world has experienced for the last year has made grieving more challenging as fam...

Who doesn't want to get more out of their day, right? Especially family caregivers. It often seems as if there are just not enough hours in the day.  And some caregivers are also juggling a job, a spouse, and children at home AND caring for an aging parent. Today Kim Hegwood is joined by Marla Ragen of Organized Time to get some tips on how to manage what time you have more effectively. Marla...

Today's show about Dementia features a special guest. Christine Thelker is living with a dementia diagnosis. She is the author of " For this I Am Grateful, Living With Dementia". Christine will change the way you think about dementia and help you realize that a dementia diagnosis is not the end of life. Kim will be asking Christine: 1. How old were you when you received a dementia diagnosis? 2. Ho...

Staying independent and healthy as you age is the #1 goal for most seniors. Today Kim has brought in to the show a fitness expert that specializes in working with people over the age of 50. He says that the fitness industry has failed the public. Jake specializes in Functional fitness for his clients. Kim will be asking Jake  the following questions on the show: 1.How has the fitness industry...

If you are over 50 your body may be sending you signals that it's time to change a few habits. One in particular is how and what you eat. Shonah Jefferson is on a mission to help seniors eat healthier and live a quality life. Kim Hegwood dishes with Shonah to find out: The connection between nutrition and aging; How the lack of access to healthy foods prevents seniors from aging in place; How seni...

The last year has been challenging for all of us. And it has taken a toll on our mental health. Listen as Kim Hegwood and Lisa Milliken have a conversation about this important topic. Lisa will have solutions that you can easily implement into your daily routine. 1. What are some of the triggers during this pandemic that further presents challenges for our mental health and well-being? 2. Who is a...

At what age should you be talking to your children about dementia? Join Kim Hegwood as she visits with Kathryn Harrison a caregiver and an author. Kathryn has written 2 books for children to help explain the changes associated with dementia. She was led by her own experiences with her children and her mother who has dementia. Kim will ask Kathryn: 1. What drove you to create your debut book, Weeds...

 Hospice is the most underutilized service that Medicare pays for. However, during this pandemic people are now beginning to realize the value of having a Hospice team on board to help. The pandemic has created some challenges for hospice workers but as strong advocates, they have continued to serve.  Angela Cross Angela has worked in Healthcare for 16 years. She has worked in Hospice ca...

Kim Hegwood is joined today with Lizette Cloete to talk about a different way of approaching dementia care. Lizette graduated from the University of Pretoria, South Africa in 1992 as an Occupational Therapist. She is the owner of “Think Different” Dementia, a company she established to teach people to think differently about dementia, emphasizing education about dementia, how to care for loved one...

2020 has certainly been a challenging time for families caring for someone with Alzheimer's. Today Kim will be speaking with Ann Marie McDonald. Ms. McDonald is the Chief Program Director for the Houston & Southeast Texas Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Kim and Ann Marie will discuss how the association is able to provide services during the COVID-19 crisis we are experiencing. Topics...

Most people say they really want to stay in their own homes. And most have not thought about what it may take to be able to do that. With age comes the likelihood of decreased mobility. Kim is here today with an accessibility and mobility expert Christian Fitsch-Mouras with 101 Mobility. Christian and Kim will discuss: 1. What's the difference between Mobility and Accessibility? 2. What is Aging i...

Today Kim visits with Eddie Orum about his caregiving journey. Eddie Orum is currently a caregiver for his aunt and a volunteer for AARP. Throughout his journey as a caregiver, he has relied upon community resources to increase his awareness to provide respectful care for his aunt who lives with him, and his mother who lives 3 miles away from him. Kim will ask Eddie: What influenced you to become...