Aging Answers Show

Drawing upon his 23 years of auto sales expertise, Jay Grosman is the founder of iautoagent, a whole new safe and painless way to buy or sell your car. Jay discusses how they become the "realtor" for the car buying/selling process, with you never leaving your home, meeting strangers, taking one phone call or handling any paperwork. Jay also serves as a consumer advocate on Fox2 News as well as CBS News. 

Holidays can be stressful, for all of us! The change in routine, noises from large groups or general chaos can be anxiety provoking for anyone, but especially individuals with Dementia who may become overwhelmed by extra stimulus. Nicole Huffman of ACM Care provides tips for helping ease the tension for your loved one dealing with this disease, including adjusting your own expectations for traditional holiday routines.

Laughter is not only fun, it is healthy! Annemarie Deutschmann of LMAO discusses the benefits of this intentional exercise, especially for those who may need it most, seniors who face a variety of health issues as they continue to age. She provides tips for keeping your mind active and encourages elderly to engage in social interactions to keep mentally fit. 

Sometimes, just a little assistance around the house can make all the difference in a senior being able to remain independent. Janet Wood-Turner, owner of A Nu Norm specializes in assisting clients with instrumental Activities of Daily Living (managing money, managing medications, cooking, housekeeping, using appliances, shopping & extracurricular) so that they can continue to age in place for as long as possible. Another important service they provide is scheduling "well checks" and intermittent visits to monitor the quality of care your loved one is receiving in assisted living or long-term care facilities. Going with the senior to doctor visits and keeping notes of information given by the medical staff is another service that can offer seniors' families peace of mind.

The Shepherd's Center is volunteer-driven organization helping seniors in the community. Betsy Solomon and Karen Zelle discuss the programs available including fitness/exercise, guest speakers, book and film groups and studio art and more. They also provide services for the elderly including transportation to medical appointments, simple home repair, seasonal yard clean-up and provides a senior resource center. They both emphasize the ongoing need for volunteers.

With all the commercials, ads, phone calls and information that comes out during Medicare Open Enrollment, how do you know what to choose? Why do I get the Medicare & You booklet that comes in the mail once a year? What's the difference in my plan and the one my next door neighbor is choosing? Stacy Haberstroh, owner of Senior Insurance Concepts, discusses how to speak all things Medicare and answers all these questions and more.. She has been an insurance educator and broker for 18 years. She offers educational events all throughout the St. Louis area and helps people enroll in the best individual healthcare plan.  She specializes in making Medicare easy and reducing the anxiety that is involved in making your health care choice.

Being fit in your golden years can mean the difference in living in a wheelchair or playing with your grandkids. It can also mean being dependent on multiple medications or enjoying life to its fullest. Katie MacKenzie of GymGuyz, discusses the importance of the three components of health - strength training, including balance, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility.  She says it is never too late to start and that there are plenty of ways to use things in your own home to get fit. Katie says the bottom line is that seniors have to keep moving to maintain their independence. 

CLAIM, the acronym for Community Leaders Assisting the Insured of Missouri has been the official State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for Missouri since 1993. Wilma Schmitz, the Regional Liaison for CLAIM, discusses how they help people on Medicare understand their benefits.  Schmitz says that CLAIM helps people understand their benefits and make informed decisions. In some cases, they save people money. In other cases, they help people find the medical and prescription-drug plans that best fit their health needs. CLAIM has 250-300 volunteers statewide and along with its more than 100 community partners and 80 plus satellite locations to provide local counseling. All volunteers must keep themselves independent of the private insurance industry so no particular plans or products can be pushed.

As we age, we have the tendency to not want to talk about getting older, instead of being intentional we start putting out fires. Thank goodness there are professionals who will sit down with you before there is a crisis to create an individualized plan of care to help you write your story as you wish. Melanie Maynor, of Aging Gracefully discusses services available to help you prepare for the future, maintaining your dignity, quality of life, and independence. Melanie see her and her staff as an extension of her client's family and want to ensure they (and their families) never feel alone. By guiding them through difficult situations, she imparts a peace of mind and a sense of relief so they can continue to enjoy their time together.

When it is time to move, especially if you are a senior, can be mind-boggling when it comes to what to do with all the stuff you and your family don't want. Where to start? Jay Phillips, owner of Elite Estate Sales since 2007, is a professional when it comes to assisting seniors and their adult children assemble, price and sell their excess stuff. He says his team is seasoned at making it easy and painless, offering whole-house buyouts, clean-outs, and one- or two-day estate sales.