Eldercare Success

Protein Drinks. Here's how to make your own, that taste better, and costs less!

In this episode, we discuss how to make a home blended protein drink that tastes better and costs less to make than those big brand-name protein meal replacement drinks.  Its protein content is also higher and there’s less processed sugar (unless you add another sugar-based ingredient).

The cool thing with this is that you should enjoy the recipe too.  I certainly did! You can substitute any extra ingredient or mix up the flavors so that you or those you care for don’t get bored.  Here’s my example Using a large counter blender or bullet brand-type blender:

Use the blender cup or container to mix the following ingredients.

1. Add a few chunks of your favorite store-bought or DIY frozen fruit.  I like mango, strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple. 
2. Next, some water, or milk, cashew milk, or almond milk to cover the fruit.
3. Add one scoop of your favorite protein powder.  I mention two of these in this episode:

• Dymatize Protein Powder (25g protein, <1g sugar), available in vanilla, chocolate, or Dunkin Mocha Latte flavors
• Voita Proteins Powder (18 g protein, 0 sugar). This protein powder has no flavor so you can make up your own as you create your own recipes.
• Organic Protein Powder (21g plant protein, 0g sugar). This one comes in vanilla, iced coffee, strawberries and cream, and unsweetened/natural flavors.       

4. You can also add your own concoction of flavors including:

• Cinnamon – a dash or two based on your taste
• Coffee from your leftover morning coffee pot (store leftover coffee in the refrigerator, too)
• Cocoa powder – no sugar
• Vanilla extract, or other extract flavors you might like
• Yogurt – ideally low fat/low sugar
• Ice cream – for a dessert treat
• Or other creative flavorings and foods including veggies!

5.  Add into the blender cup, 2 -3 ice cubes, depending on the consistency you want and enjoy the most.

If using a Bullet Blender and frozen fruit, I don’t add any ice cubes as the blended frozen fruit makes the drink rich and smooth on its own. 

6.  Close the lid tight and blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. You may want to add more liquid if your blended protein drink is too thick. Or use a spoon and enjoy like a thick shake.

Experiment with your own ingredient ideas.  Get creative and add veggies for a more savory drink.  Or add ice cream with a green nutritious veggie.  Think ice cream-flavored garden peppers. 

Extra note: If your loved one is taking prescription medications, please check with your doctor or healthcare provider to make sure that any type of protein drink is safe and will not interact with their medications. A blended drink, made with proper nutrition in mind, will help those who have dental issues and problems chewing hard foods. If their teeth are not in good condition, lower sugar content foods/drinks will also help reduce the chance of dental or gum decay. Again, please check with your doctor or pharmacist for any potential chance of medication interaction.

Host:  Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2022 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

Caregiver burnout is real. It’s something to be taken very seriously. It can cause you physical harm. 

In this episode, my guest, Cait Donovan, and I discuss burnout.  She has a ton of information to share that will help all of us who are responsible for the welfare of someone.  Burnout doesn’t only happen to family caregivers; it happens to those in the profession of healthcare and caregiving, too.  Few are immune. 

Knowing what to do to recognize burnout’s symptoms is important to keep them from getting worse.  This show should prove invaluable to us caregivers, those we care for, and even our employers! 

In this show Cait and I discuss:

• Three symptoms associated with burnout
• Understanding if you really are burnt out or on your way there
• How the body is physically harmed by burnout
• That gratitude may not be your best way to start healing
• Caregiver traps and what to do about them
• How Oxytocin is good medicine
• Using stress to help us heal
• How to get help from your boss and employer instead of quitting because they don’t understand
• Ways to recover, heal and find joy again

In this episode, you’ll also learn how, in 20 seconds, you can start feeling better and healing.

Don’t set yourself up to be a caregiver martyr.  Over the years, through experience, observations, and by reading blogs and social media posts, I see how many caregivers wrongly place blame on others and become martyrs in their families.  We don’t have to be the ones who fall ill from caring for those we love. 

Caregivers, anyone who supports a hands-on caregiver, or anyone who expects they’ll need help from others in the future, should listen to this important episode.

Guest: Caitlin (Cait) Donovan is one of New York City’s leading burnout experts and acupuncturists, host of “Fried – The Burnout Podcast,” and author of the book "The Bouncebackability Factor: End Burnout, Gain Resilience, and Change the World". Her master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine enables Caitlin to combine Eastern wisdom with her natural practicality. She has been featured on podcasts and online magazines such as “Forbes”, “Elephant Journal,” “Thrive Global,” “Addicted 2 Success”, as well as quoted in Oprah Magazine.

Host:  Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2022 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

What happens when you find out that your lonely, long single parent suddenly has a new, (perhaps secret) love interest?  Far too many times, questionable characters who don’t have the best intentions, steal the hearts, and destroy the lives of vulnerable seniors, in ways that can’t be repaired – financially, emotionally, and yes, even medically.  

It’s so sad that we must be both vigilant and suspicious about who befriends our aging parents.  As we age, we naturally become more trusting, and more dependent on those good people in the world who truly do want to help us. However, the creepy characters who purposely look to feed on our hearts and bank accounts make everyone else’s lives even more difficult. 

In this episode, my good friend retired Sargent Michael R. Herst, and I dive into some of the cunning ways love scammers worm their ways into the lives of those we love.  Michael’s own father-in-law almost fell prey to one of these crooks!

Here we discuss:

• How to detect when a secret “love interest” is creeping into your parent’s life
• How love scammers justify their actions
• Tricks they’ll use to pull on your heartstrings
• Identifying such people for who they really are
• Best ways to protect them personally, financially, and emotionally
• How to confront someone you suspect
• How to get support from the police and others
• And much more!

This is an important episode that everyone should listen to and learn from.  The following links provide additional resources you can use, should you suspect one of these love scammers is focusing on your mom or dad. 

An important side note: Romance scams were one of the top frauds that resulted in the greatest losses for seniors during these past two years, according to the National Consumer Law Center. These love interests are not always created in person either. Many happen online. Please keep vigilant.

Preliminary background and abuse reporting links:

• Check People 
• Been Verified
• Truth Finder 
• National Center on Elder Abuse 

Guest:  Michael R. Hearst, a retired Police Sgt, Husband, Father, and former caregiver, and podcast host of “One More Thing Before You Go,.” Michael and his wife, Diane, also hos a podcast together which airs on Sunday mornings titled:  Over The Tea Cup with Michael & Diane.

Host:  Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice of your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2022 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

• How do you fight what you think is an outrageous bill?
• How common are medical billing errors?
• How do you stop out-of-network charges? 
• How can you avoid getting an unexpectedly large medical bill?   
• What’s the No Surprises Act and how does it help us?
• Why should you get a price upfront, for a procedure that you, or someone in your family, needs? 

Believe it or not, medical billing errors are quite common these days. Even though we’ve moved to electronic medical records, the coding process that is supposed to ensure that procedures are properly noted for your insurance provider or Medicare payers can get complicated.  Sometimes as many as three or more codes are needed to describe one procedure before your carrier will approve your coverage.

Recent research notes that as much as 90% of all medical bills have at least one error in them. 

Who pays in the end, and why should you be responsible for these mistakes? 

That’s where “coders” come in:  medical billing coders can be a patient’s best friend. Especially when they can help us understand our bills, correct errors, and reverse coverage denials.

In this episode, we take a deeper, and rather interesting, look behind the scenes with a medical coding expert. These are the folks who keep your medical providers organized so they can focus on keeping you healthy or recovering. 

Either way, we need coders!

There’s a lot more in store for you in this episode, and, as always, a laugh or two to keep us all moving forward.  Tune in as we learn more from Jennifer McNamara, one of the best coding instructors and educators I know.

Additional links of value:

• How new rules help protect us all from surprise medical bills
• Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• How to dispute medical bills.
• List of commonly used codes
• New consumer/patient billing protection, with or without insurance

Special Note: the No Surprises Act supplements individual state surprise billing laws. It's important to first check into such protections that have been instituted in your state. One term to research in your state is the All-payer Model Agreement or any rules that help set limits on out-of-network charges. You can also call the CMS help desk line at 1-800=985-3059 for questions directly related to your personal situation.

Guest: Jennifer McNamara CPC, CCS, CRC, CPMA, CGSC, COPC AAPC, is the Director of Education and Coding for Oncospark. She has worked in many specialized areas of Coding including Orthopedics, Plastic Surgery, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Podiatry, and many more. Her coding team provides Auditing, Consulting, RCM services, Credentialing, and Compliance through our team of experts.

She is the host of the weekly podcast “Life as a Coder” where she discusses the Health Information Management industry and how to succeed in the Business of Healthcare as well as tips for work-life balance.

Host:  Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guests and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. The information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice or your own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2022 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

"If you lead a good life, you’ll never really die."  Native First Nations Saying.  

If you care for someone you love long enough, chances are you’ll be there as they go through the process of dying. All cultures, communities, and tribes have their rituals for helping those through their final breath, including how to treat the remains and placate spirits after passing. 

This is the first in a series of shows I’ll host over the course of the year about cultural rituals and rites for the dying, and those who’ve passed. 

There are many things we can learn from these rituals.  Although they can differ quite a bit, there are similarities and overlaps.  Understanding each may help our own hearts and minds heal after those we love have left us.

This episode opens with a native prayer offered to us by my friend, Maurice Switzer,  a citizen of the Missasaugas of Alderville First Nation in Ontario Canada.  In our conversation, Maurice shares how the Anishinabek Nation traditions have changed over the years.  He describes how younger generations are looking back and working to adopt historical traditions of their own native tribe’s people. 

Maurice’s family culture is a unique blending of Mohawk and Jewish heritage.  Both cultures’ approach to caring for aging parents isn’t as far apart as we at first might think.  Together, we discuss aspects that can help us think differently about how we care for our own loved ones, and ourselves, too.

Listen in to learn more about:·      

• Insights into how native/indigenous caregiver
• skills differ from our own care approaches
• How families are benefiting by coming back together again
• What traditions are being re-adopted by younger people and how this can help  older generations  
• How grandparents have become the North Star for many
• The importance of the number 4 to native peoples
• How the position of First Nation elders is differs from seniors in mainstream society
• How tribal elders influenced the early formation of the US government
• What traditions are changing over time and why
• How Native people’s life beliefs are similar to the position of the sun throughout the day and year, and how this impacts the heart at the time of passing
• Beliefs of how the spirits decide which newborn baby they’ll inhabit 
• Beliefs in how ancestral spirits work through pregnant mothers
• How spirit guides are determined
• The importance of how elder’s name newborn children
• How spirits guide us through life accomplishments
• The understanding of a thanks giving vs. prayer
• And more!

Guest: Maurice Switzer, Bnesi, is a citizen of the Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation, one of some 40 member communities of the Anishinabek Nation in Ontario, Canada. He is also proud of his Mohawk and Jewish heritage.

He currently lives in North Bay, Ontario, located 250 miles north of the provincial capital of Toronto, Canada's largest city. Maurice serves as a member of Nipissing University's Indigenous Council on Education, and on the board of North Bay's Indigenous Friendship Centre, one of 120 such centres located in cities across Canada to provide a variety of culturally based services to urban Indigenous residents.

At various times, he has been a member of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, editor and publisher at five Canadian daily newspapers, communications director for the Assembly of First Nations ‐‐ the national political voice for over 600 communities in Canada ‐‐ and the Union of Ontario Indians, and an adjunct professor of Indigenous and communications studies on the Laurentian University campus.

Host:  Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guest and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. Information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice or you own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2022 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

How do you know when someone’s lying to you?  What about when they’re hiding something from you?  It’s one thing if that person is a friend, co-worker, or even enemy. It could be much worse if it’s a medical professional unwilling to deliver bad news to you, or the one you’re caring for. 

Where do you start to uncover the truth? Start by watching faces. 

Many good doctors, aides, hospice members, and other medical professionals are never comfortable delivering bad news.  Although trained on so many levels, few master the skills of deceit. 

In this episode Joseph McGuire and I discuss how to more easily detect what’s going on in the heads of your medical team as they talk with you.  Learning how to identify which information they feel they can’t (or simply won’t) share can save you and yours a lot of grief later on. 

In this show, we cover a lot including:

• How understanding pre-language “caveman” communications can help us better decipher someone’s hidden intent   
• How body language can get help you determine if you’re getting the “real story”
• How to set higher acceptance standards for what doctors should be telling you – even if it hurts
• How to look into someone’s eyes and know what they might be thinking next
• What to listen for when trying to determine a doctor’s true level of engagement with you
• How to look beyond the fancy façade of a facility being marketed by a slick salesperson
• How to challenge someone with a smile
• And much more!

One more thing… you might also learn how to understand your own sibling’s behavior from some of the details that Joseph shares with me here in this show, as well.

Helpful links:

Article: Why Faces Don't Always Tell us The Truth

Book: Never Split The Difference, by Chris Voss

Guest: Joseph McGuire, is the CEO of Clearshight Communications. Having practiced, taught and honed his techniques over a period of more than 30 years Joseph has developed a mastery of observational skills. He uses them to add an extra degree of clarity and accuracy to many levels of decision making and negotiations.  Within his group work he teaches people using his 7 stage program of ‘Communicate, Negotiate and Collaborate’.

He is highly experienced in the role of impartial and unbiased observer, enabling interviewers to focus on asking questions specifically role related.

• Author of ‘Face Facts: The Art of Reading Your Clients and Prospects for Sales, Negotiation and Recruitment’
• Presents regular training for clients in Ireland and abroad using the ancient Chinese tradition of face reading and body language to build relationships both professional and personal
• Incorporates FBI negotiation and interrogation techniques for clarity of communication, purpose and intention in negotiations
• Individual consultations to clearly identify strengths and enhance awareness of presentation
• Relationship compatibility consultancy for individuals in both their professional and personal lives

You can find Joseph on LinkedIn, Twitter, and on Clearsight Communications.com.

Host: Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guest and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. Information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice or you own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2022 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

The funeral business is a business- something important to keep in mind.  In this second episode, my friend Paulette Hamel, and I dig (pun intended) further into the funeral industry and highlight some key issues you should know, right now. 

There’s so much that we hold in until the final farewell, the wake and/or funeral, and the following celebration of life (for those who chose to do so).  Yet many of us don’t plan for those final moments. 

It’s hard enough to stand in front of a group of people to share stories about your loved ones, voice your love for them, and poignantly recall, funny, and sometimes frustrating memories.  It makes it harder if you’re worrying about not knowing what they really wanted in the end.

If funeral plans weren’t set up in advance, you might be hit with a lot of questions, and even forced to make some costly decisions.

In this next podcast, we’ll address such points as:

• Do all funeral homes have crematoriums?
• Will a funeral director be upset if you “shop around” for such services, compare and come back ready to bargain?
• Are they required to divulge all their pricing up front?
• Will you get sticker shock or surprise fees, weeks later?
• Will they hold your loved ones’ ashes until you can pick them up for burial?
• Will they bring those ashes to the cemetery or do you have to do that?
• What happens when burial insurance doesn’t cover everything?
• How much should you get?
• What if you want to bury someone at sea?  Can you do that legally? 

There’s much more that we cover in this show, including how not to become a victim of the system when your emotions are running high! 

Stay tuned and tune in!

Additional links discussed in the show are:

Link to Death Café  https://deathcafe.com/

Death Doulas: What are they? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_midwife

Consumer Affairs, National Cremation Society of America

Guest: Paulette Hamel, Founder, DoeRayMe, Inc. Paulette is also known as The Legacy Lady is on a mission to help 1 million women organize their affairs so that their loved ones will not have to be burdened by doing so once their time to pass comes. For more information on Paulette, The Legacy Lady go to: http://www.legacycreator.io/legacycreator

Host: Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guest and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. Information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice or you own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2022 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

Those final days right before your last breath aren’t the time to plan or hope that you’ll be sent off to the great beyond with special fanfare.  You can, however, get that, and more, such as being set adrift at sea in a beautiful handmade paper flower box (environmentally friendly, of course).   If you want to spend eternity with the fishes, you can even become part of a coral reef that’s being created on the ocean floor to look like the city of Atlantis. 

However fun and even quirky these ideas may be, they take some very real planning, in advance, to accomplish.

If you’re a business owner, you should be planning for what happens, after you pass, to your company, employees, and family.  My dad found himself suddenly and unexpectedly required to take over his father’s optical firm while on active duty in the closing days of WWII.  Don’t let a sudden change in your health or life put everything you’ve worked for, and those you care about, in peril.

In this episode you’ll meet my guest, Paulette Hamell also known as the Legacy Lady.  Together we discuss some fun and sometimes serious points of discussion about our final days.  Some points that many of us are uncomfortable having with family, friends, and employees. 

We even dive into the scary things we think happen based on what’s presented in the movies.  No, it’s not like those creepy horror shows. 

So step out from hiding and listen up as we have a very frank, yet fun discussion about making final plans and wishes for after that last breath.  We’ll also cover:         

• Cool ideas for funeral wishes   
• Inexpensive funeral ideas
• How to make your wishes known to others
• How to shop for funeral arrangements
• Unique ideas for urns
• Alternative funeral ideas
• Alternative ways to be buried,
• and more.

There might be a better way than what you’ve already thought about. 

Additional links to items mentioned in this show:

Flying Wish Papers - environmentally safe and fun alternatives to Chinese luminaries. Note, if you do want to use a luminary for a tribute, check with your local fire department to learn about safety regulations and ways to prevent fires.

Handcrafted Biodegradable Floating Flower Urns - these unique and beautiful urns are environmentally save and are sustainably made from 100% pure cotton, sugar cane and other natural materials. They float on the water for about 3 minutes as they go out to sea and then become one with the ocean.

Guest: Paulette Hamel, Founder, DoeRayMe, Inc. Paulette is also known as The Legacy Lady is on a mission to help 1 million women organize their affairs so that their loved ones will not have to be burdened by doing so once their time to pass comes. For more information on Paulette, The Legacy Lady go to: http://www.legacycreator.io/legacycreator

Host: Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guest and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. Information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice or you own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2022 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

Medicare can be a confusing to anyone.  When we need to help our parents out, many trip up along the way.  Worse, the more we age the more we seem to trust. Such trust often leads well-intentioned folks to switch policies because their older TV actor “friend” said they’ll save a “boat load of cash” by using the policy they know and trust.  Switches get made and many believe they’ve made the right choice, without checking any further.  After all, they made many good choices in the past, including, hopefully, in raising us. However, the right Medicare benefits are needed more as we age.  That bit of extra insurance, on top of Medicare, when selected well, can save them, (and sometimes us) from financial ruin.  Health stuff happens.

In this episode we discuss some tough challenges in making sure our parents get on the right Medicare related plans for their needs. We’ll talk about how to determine what to add and when; who to trust; what questions to ask; what questions they ask when you’re applying for Medicare, what information to share, and what to monitor and watch out for.  Also, just as important, how to fix missteps, what happens if you don’t pay your Medicare bill, and signup challenges that can cause greater confusion and financial loss. All of which aims toward making their personal care and well-being more stable. 

My guest on this show is Wendy Allegaert, a Medicare insurance agent who’s been in on those call center banks. She now counsels and supports many on how to help their parents and others, with Medicare and private insurance.  It’s a long and helpful conversation for all.   

Guest: Wendy Allegaert, Independent Medicare Insurance Specialist.   Wendy is an independent licensed health insurance agent with a passion for people, healthcare, and customer service.   Her special focus is in helping people figure out Medicare options.  She's an educator at heart and loves to simplify the Medicare world for her clients.    Wendy offers end-to-end customer service starting with the basics of Medicare, enrollment periods, cost-savings, comparisons of plan types, eligibility for financial assistance and more.  

Medicare can be a confusing puzzle, but, fortunately, Wendy takes great delight in helping clients put all the pieces together and create the options best suited for their lifestyle and budget!

Host: Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guest and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. Information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice or you own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2021 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.

Are there lighter sides to being a caregiver?  How can humor ease tension and boost your mood?  Could a sense of humor be an essential part of being a good caregiver?  What happens when a celebrated comedy sitcom writer, once known for her hotpants in Hollywood jumps into the world of caregiving for her parents?  You’ll find it hard to believe what Susan Silver shares in our next podcast

From caring for an aging and frail father, to rescuing her perfectly quaffed mom with dementia, to her own near death-by-chopstick, Susan shares some of her life’s unexpected twists and turns. 

Yes, even strong men have laughed, smiled, and shed a tear over the stories Susan shares with us.  You’ll also hear her top 10 things that anyone,

of any age, should avoid while in a hospital.

Tune in: surprises await!

Host: Nancy May, Author How to Survive 911 Medical Emergencies, Step-by-Step Before, During, After!  Expert in managing the path of step-by-step caring for an aging parent or family member, even from over 1200 miles away, or more. For a Free File-of-Life to www.howtosurvive911.com. Nancy is also the Co-Founder of CareManity LLC, and the private FaceBook group, Eldercare Success.

Guest: Susan Silver, the author of Hotpants in Hollywood has written for some of the most iconic sitcoms of all time, creating laugh lines for Mary Tyler Moore, Sarah Jessica Parker, Beatrice Arthur, Bob Newhart, and The Partridge Family.

Susan was a trailblazer when she began her writing career in 1971 at The Mary Tyler Moore Show. A female comedy writer in an industry overwhelmingly dominated by men, she is perhaps the first and only television writer to be featured in TV Guide wearing hot pants.

As casting Director at Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In, she also knew (and not just in the Biblical sense) some of Hollywood’s most desirable leading men, and even had a run-in in with Richard Nixon (non-romantic, thank you very much). Susan went on to write for The Bob Newhart Show, Maude, The Partridge Family and Square Pegs. She continues to teach comedy writing at venues including the Television Academy and the New School and has lectured at the Paley Center, SCAD, and Brandeis University.

Susan has appeared on CNN, HLN, Good Day NY, and The Today Show. She has written opinion-editorials for The New York Times and Refinery 29 and had a long running column on newyorksocialdiary.com called “The Search For Mr. Adequate.” Her weekly radio commentary “Susan Says,” which covers news, politics and culture can be heard on an NPR affiliate in Connecticut as well as on-demand at robinhoodradio.com and iTunes.

You can find more about Susan and her fabulous stories of love, life and caregiving at https://hotpantsinhollywood.com/

Disclaimer: The views, perspectives, and opinions expressed in this show are those of the show guest and not directly those of the companies they serve or that of the host or the producer CareManity, LLC. Information discussed should not be taken as medical, legal, or financial advice. Please seek the advice or you own personal medical, legal or financial advisors as each person’s situation is different. (c) Copyright 2021 CareManity, LLC all rights reserved. CareManity is a trademark of CareManity, LLC.