Tag: Long Term Care
Supporting Families Through Aging Transitions with Jennifer Beach (Ep. 76)

Supporting Families Through Aging Transitions with Jennifer Beach (Ep. 76)

By |

When aging parents or loved ones need more care, families often face overwhelming choices.

How do you balance emotions with practical decisions? What resources exist to guide families through health, financial, and housing challenges?

In this episode of Dollar$ And $ense, Nicole Romito speaks with Jennifer Beach, Advanced Aging Life Care Professional™ at Advocate For Elders, LLC. She shares her experiences helping families manage transitions, from coordinating medical care to evaluating senior living communities, while highlighting the importance of advocacy and planning.

Key takeaways:

  • The role of an aging life care professional in supporting families through medical, financial, and emotional transitions
  • Why long-distance caregiving creates added challenges and how local advocates help bridge the gap
  • The importance of having a second set of eyes and ears at medical appointments
  • How to effectively evaluate senior living communities beyond the marketing pitch
  • The value of accreditation, ethics, and professional background when choosing an elder care resource
  • And more!

Previous Episodes of Interest:

  • Aging Parents: How to Start the Conversation – Part 1 (Ep. 74)
  • Aging Parents: What We Learned Caring for Our Parents – Part 2 (Ep. 75)

Connect with Nicole Romito: 

Connect with Jennifer Beach:

About Jennifer Beach:

Jennifer Beach has 25 years of experience working with and advocating for older adults and their families. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University and a Master of Arts degree in Sociology from Cleveland State University. Jennifer started her career working over 15 years with older adults with developmental disabilities. After additional training she soon began Advocate For Elders.

Jennifer is a licensed, insured Social Worker and an Advanced Aging Life Care® Professional. Jennifer served as the Midwest Chapter President of the Aging Life Care Association and served 7 years on the Board of Directors. In 2018, Jennifer was honored as the recipient of the ALCA Midwest Chapter Outstanding Member of the Year Award.

Jennifer is also a monthly contributor and author for Northeast Ohio Boomer and Beyond. IN 2022, she received first place in the Senior Issues Category at the North American Mature Publishers Association for her contribution to NE Ohio Boomer and Beyond.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS | More
Aging Parents: What We Learned Caring for Our Parents – Part 2 (Ep. 75)

Aging Parents: What We Learned Caring for Our Parents – Part 2 (Ep. 75)

By |

When aging parents can no longer live on their own, emotions and logistics collide. 

In this powerful 75th episode of Dollar$ and $ense, Nicole Romito is joined again by her Private Vista partners, Jeff Toner and Steve Merdinger, to share deeply personal and professional experiences navigating late-in-life transitions for aging parents.

From legal blind spots to Medicare rules that no one explains, this conversation peels back the complexity and reveals how essential sibling coordination and proactive conversations really are.

What to expect in this episode:

  • Real-life stories of navigating elder care for parents in different states
  • How to avoid missed insurance benefits and unexpected out-of-pocket costs
  • The hidden toll on the “default” caregiver sibling and how to support them
  • What Jeff wishes someone had told him before he dealt with hospice
  • And more!

Resources:

  • Aging Parents: How to Start the Conversation – Part 1 (Ep. 75)

Connect with Nicole Romito: 

Connect with Steve Merdinger:

Connect with Jeff Toner:

About Jeff Toner: 

Over the 30 years of doing this work, Jeff has lived many lives through my clients. He has been with them in moments of great joy and cried with them during their times of sadness. He has taught and educated them, but more importantly, he has been taught and learned from them as well.

As a father of three and business owner, Jeff enjoys an enriched life. He channels his time, talents, and energy between family and friends, clients and colleagues, as well as causes that provide a path for those without the opportunities he’s had. Now that Jeff’s children are becoming young adults, he is most excited to explore new directions for the next stages of his life.

About Steve Merdinger:

Steve has been a financial planner since the mid-80s, helping people consider priorities for themselves and their families, and then working closely with them to turn their hopes and dreams into reality. Before that, he worked in his family’s business, which gave him a unique understanding of the financial dynamics of family-owned businesses, including the issues of succession planning.

As I look to my future, Steve hopes to become more involved with mentoring students — perhaps becoming a trainer with the Positive Coaching Alliance organization. He would like to carve out more time for meditating and maintaining his fitness and flexibility through Bikram yoga. And, of course, spending more quality time with his wife and two children. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS | More

FEATURE
Long-Term Care Planning: Getting Your Affairs In Order with Lauren Weldon (Ep. 11)

Long-Term Care Planning: Getting Your Affairs In Order with Lauren Weldon (Ep. 11)

By |

As we are living longer and healthier lives, we often take for granted that one day, our situation might change. Planning ahead for your long-term care now can help you avoid unforeseen expenses in the future.

In this episode, Nicole is joined by Lauren Weldon, a partner at Margolis Weldon LLC who specializes in elder law and estate planning. Listen as Lauren shares real-life stories and scenarios, and details what can happen in less-than-ideal situations when it comes to long-term care planning.

Lauren discusses: 

  • Her work as an elder law attorney and why some people require her services
  • The importance of having a trustworthy, and capable Power of Attorney
  • Why having conversations as a family is integral to your long-term care plan
  • The difference between Medicare and Medicaid 
  • And more

Connect with Nicole Romito: 

Connect with Lauren Weldon:

About our Guest: 

Lauren Weldon is a partner at Margolis Weldon LLC in Parkridge, Illinois. She founded the firm in 2015 with Matt Margolis and has a career as an elder law attorney. Lauren graduated from the University of South Carolina and obtained her law degree from John Marshall Law School.

Lauren lives in Mt. Prospect with her husband, a labor and employment attorney, their six kids, two cats, and two dogs. In her free time (the little of it she has) Lauren enjoys riding her horse and spending time outdoors with her family and friends.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS | More