Senior Matters Podcast

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to check-in on your plans, whether they are estate plans or financial plans.

Life never goes from A to B. There will be detours, adjustments, and even changes in thinking. It's important to consider having a plan that can evolve with you as your life changes and progresses. It better to have a plan than no plan at all. And remember- you can always change your plan.

Mark talks about the wide-spread problem of scams aimed at the elderly, and what to watch for when protecting yourself and your loved ones.

Nobody wants a family feud (unless it's the game show)! Oftentimes, when there is a death in the family, things bubble up from the past. Planning ahead, even beyond your lifetime, can prevent a lot of pain and stress for your loved ones. Let Mark and Carly give you advice on how to navigate difficult familial situations when it comes to estate planning and inheritance.

Carly Ward joins Mark Wight to explore the many alternatives to burials. From creating keepsakes to choosing more "green" options, discover the variety of ways to best take care of your remains after you've left this life.

Quite a few people seem to think that estate planning is boring, but Mark Wight believes that talking about your loved ones should be anything but boring! In this episode, Mark shares his take on what makes estate planning intriguing and important.

Tim Pape has been involved with the care industry for a long time and has recently joined the new Family Resource Home Care providers in the Treasure Valley. He is sharing some of his insight concerning home care and aging at home with Mark this week.

Justin Walker joins Mark Wight for another week and continues his focus on financial education when it comes to aging at home. How can financial planning get you the help you need to stay independent? Justin covers some of the basics and their applications to those who want to age in place.

Justin Walker discusses with Mark Wight the financial side of preparing to age at home. After looking at each individual's overall financial situation, it's important to discover where their emotional connections lie and what is important to them. Learn more in this episode about how being intentional with a long-term financial plan can help maintain independence. There's no place like home!

Dr. Randy Moss joins Mark Wight on this week's episode of Senior Matters Radio to discuss caregiver burnout and compassion fatigue in family members supporting their loved ones in need. Tune in to learn what the signs of burnout are, what to consider when you become a caregiver, and how to use the wide array of tools and resources to give your loved ones and yourself the best quality of life possi...

When the word "estate" is mentioned, many people imagine Gone With the Wind style mansions. Yet when it comes to estate planning, an "estate" is just your stuff. If we drill down to the real reasons why estate planning is important, we realize it's not actually about all the stuff; it's about our sweethearts, our families, and our communities. Estate planning is about people.

This week, Mark shares stories about DNA testing and its unforeseen impact on families and estate planning. Once familial ties are discovered, there are new factors to consider in your estate planning. Does this mess up all your planning? Mark discusses some subtleties to be aware of and approaches to take when answering this question.

Sometimes real stories help us understand why pre-planning is so important. Mark Wight shares some examples to provide context and demonstrate how pre-planning, and even crisis planning, can bring peace of mind and security for whatever the future may hold.

Mark Wight address how to pre-plan on multiple levels: physical health, emotional health, financial, and legal. This is the second part in his discussion about how to age at home safely and comfortably. These ideal situations do not happen by accident, so we need to plan ahead. Mark shares some of the many resources available to assist in all levels of strategic planning.

Aging at home is the goal of many seniors, especially here in Idaho. Mark Wight explains that the aim to stay in your home can't just be wished into place; it must be strategically planned. Designing your own plan empowers you to extend your time at home and improve your quality of life while aging at home. The default government plan is indifferent to your unique circumstances and preferences. In...

From testing out a facility to which questions to ask administrators, learn the best ways to find an assisted living center to call home. Kathleen Little, Chief Experience Officer of the Cottages, joins Mark in offering advice on checking out assisted living for you or your loved ones. Contact Kathleen Little: 208-475-1805

This week we welcome Dr. Louise Ye-Liew, D.O., to Senior Matters Radio and to the Treasure Valley! Dr. Ye specializes in geriatric medicine and her practice will focus on individuals 65 years old and above. She is dedicated to seeing her patients as a whole and working in partnership with them and their families. Listen to hear more about her approach to senior health! Contact Dr. Ye-Liew: (208)-5...

What do Prince, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Carrie Fisher all have in common? Their wills are confusing and complicated! Listen to today's episode to learn about dramatic celebrity estate planning and which states are most deathly expensive with Carly Ward, IEP's newest attorney, and Mark Wight.

David Taylor, the attorney at Twin Falls Estate Planning, joins Mark Wight today to review estate planning basics. Turns out planning in the Magic Valley isn't so different from planning in the Treasure Valley!

This week, Mark Wight and Sarah Rushton, of Healthy Living at Home, talk about aging in place and how in-home services can assist seniors with that goal. Sarah explains how special the healthcare community is in Treasure Valley, and how the collaboration and communication within it benefits seniors. She also helps Mark clarify the differences between "Home Care" and "Home Health" services and when...

On this episode, Scott and Mark pick Bill's brain about questions concerning trusts that he hears regularly. If the trust is in Idaho, can it include property in California? What happens to the trust if the lawyer goes away? How does the estate tax affect a trust state-to-state? They address these questions and more! We hope this episode informs you and proves that you can call Idaho Estate Planni...

Eric Collett joins Mark Wight today to talk about how lifestyle choices are the most effective treatments for Alzheimer's. With the recent news that little progress has been made on a pill to treat dementia, many patients may be tempted to despair. Eric and Mark are here to tell you, that instead of losing hope, to remember that there are already many ways to effectively treat dementia. Do not los...

Ideally, everyone would be able to age at home. Yet the need to downsize can often become a complicated reality. Dan Ward's goal is to find the best practical solution for each customer navigating this changeover. Dan Ward, owner of Life's Transitions based in Boise, joins Mark Wight today to discuss how their team compassionately helps their customers to downsize and transition into more practica...

Elder abuse is a topic that can't be over-discussed. It can happen physically, financially, emotionally, and virtually. Today, Mark Wight discusses our responsibilities to help prevent all types of elder abuse, including what signs to look out for and safeguards to put into place.

Today, Adrean Cavener and Rick Vogel join Mark Wight to talk about Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month and how the Greater Idaho Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association can help everyone whose lives are affected by the disease. In this episode, you will learn how their organization helps Idahoans, whether they have healthcare access or not, and how you can get involved.