I love to talk to nurses. We practice in all areas of healthcare, so you can find a nurse to talk to for just about anything. Julianne is an expert RN, end of life doula, and advance care planning facilitator. She can help individuals identify their personal goals, options, and choices when it comes to end of life.

Listen today to learn:

• What an end of life (death) doula is
• What advance care planning facilitators are and how they can help you and your family
• How many people over aged 65 will arrive in a hospital unable to speak for themselves, i.e. why this conversation is so important…
• When YOU (we) should start advance care planning

Find Julianne here:

juliannemcdevitt.com and Facebook

Resources:

The Story of LaCrosse WI (episode 15 of engAGING Conversations)

Being Mortal by Atul Gwande

Find out the answer to this question and more:

• What is the key to reducing fear when talking about death?
• Are families well supported by hospice today?
• What is the most common way we die?
• Is death painful?

Find Barbara on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube

And get her booklets:

Gone From My Sight–The Hospice Blue Book

Pain At End of Life

and other resources on her website

After a holiday hiatus, I'm back to let you know what'g going on here at engAGING Conversations, and to ask for your help and prayers for the people of Puerto Rico (listen. It will make sense). Happy New Year!

Have you been wondering where I am? I apologize for my absence. It was not planned. It just kind of happened.

Listen in today to find out what’s going on behind the scenes. Find out where I’m going next week, (End Well Symposium) and how you can go too!

I’m looking forward to meeting several people who I have already interviewed here on engAGING Conversations:

• Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider
• Michael Hebb
• Dr. BJ Miller
• Dr. Michael Fratkin
• Sallie Tisdale RN

and a few I hope to get the opportunity to interview:

• Tim McGraw
• Meghan McCain
• Dr. Lucy Kalanithi

All of whom are speaking at the event!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Please consider 2 things this week:

• Start the conversation with your family this Thanksgiving.
• Help end senior hunger in America and make a donation to Meals on Wheels

Who wants to party?!? There is a BIG festival happening in San Francisco October 24th-November 3rd. Did I mention it’s a death festival? Its’ actually a festival to get people talking about death, in an effort that we may live more fully in the present. Doesn’t that sound awesome???

Listen today to find out more about:

• ReImagine End of Life San Francisco
• ReImagine End of Life New York
• A movement among millennials to explore death and celebrate life
• The Debut of Brad’s song “Why Wait”
• Why you should watch Disney/Pixar’s Coco

If you want a festival in your city, contact ReImagine End of Life

Follow them on Facebook Instagram

And check out This Party’s Dead with Erica Buist_064

I’ve been a professional caregiver for the last 35 years. I realized recently that I have also been a “professional” family caregiver for the better part of the last 17 years. I don’t work in a bubble, teamwork is everything. But in spite of my professional knowledge, it’s amazing the things that can happen that you aren’t quite prepared for. I honestly don’t know how families with non-medically trained people manage.

Listen today to learn from my most recent caregiving experience. I’m going to share with you 5 (no, 6) things you should know about providing care to a family member after major surgery.

In addition, there are some things happening in the month of October that you should know about:

• It’s Long Term Care Planning Month. To learn more, listen to: Understanding Long Term Care Insurance with Hone Leveen_025
• Medicare’s Annual Election Period begins 10/15. Hear more: Medicare’s Annual Election Period with Danielle Kunkle_031 and Medicare Updates with Danielle Roberts_080
• ReImagine End of Life, a life/death celebration happening in San Francisco, beginning October 24th. In next week’s episode I will be interviewing Brad Wolfe, co-founder. You’ll also get a sneak peek (?listen) of a song he will be debuting! Don’t miss it!!

And although not in October, I will be attending the End Well Symposium, happening in San Francisco on December 5th. Learn more about it here: End Well with Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider_056, and JOIN US!!

Medicare is the US National Healthcare program for people over 65. It’s comprised of two parts: A & B, which cover ~80% of costs. The rest is filled in with things called Part C, D, and Medigap, which are supplements you can sign up for during the yearly election period. There are lots of things to consider when making decisions about these moving parts. Because making the wrong choices can cost you money.

The annual election period runs from October 15th to December 7th. Medicare recipients receive information in the mail a few weeks prior to this period. There is also a lot of commercial attention on the TV.

Danielle Roberts is a medicare insurance expert and is going to help us understand how it all works. She first appeared on engAGING Conversations last year, on episode 031, so I encourage you to listen to that episode too.

Listen to today’s episode to learn:

• When you need to sign up for Medicare
• What the Annual notice of change is and why you need to pay attention to it
• What the different parts of the Medicare Program are
• Things to consider when choosing your plan
• Why you should consider a prescription drug plan even if you don’t take prescription drugs
• What Medicare does not cover

Find out more about Danielle and her company at

Boomer Benefits and follow them on Facebook Twitter Instagram

There are SO many things to consider when planning a funeral, why do most of us not plan ahead? It’s traumatic enough when a loved one dies, why do we wait until it happens to figure out the specifics, when time could be better spent supporting each other in our grief?

John Manke, RN and funeral director, gives us a tutorial regarding things to consider when planning a funeral. There are more things to consider than you might think. And how do you know what your loved one would have wanted if they never told you?

Listen to today’s episode and learn about:

• disposition of the body
• organ/tissue donation
• options for ceremonies
• death benefits
• why you need to do your homework (and save money!)
• what can happen if you don’t plan

John’s business Manke Memorial is happy to help if you are located in North Jersey. Find out more about organ and tissue donation at The Sharing Network

Probate court guardianship was set up to protect people from  family members out to take advantage of them. What has happened, however, is that SOME court appointed guardians have figured out how to work the system, and take advantage of elders with assets.

Dr. Sam Sugar says ageism is to blame, in part. Squabbling families feed into this. Our legal system is supposed to help people who can’t get it from other sources. But court appointed guardianship can be quite the opposite.

He and his organization Americans Against Abusive Probate Guardianship, are on a mission to educate, advocate, and legislate to change this.

Listen today to find out:

• What is equity/probate court?
• How can elder guardianship abuse happen?
• How many people may be affected by this…?
• What is incapacity, and how can this effect an outcome?
• What can you do to prevent this happening to you or someone you love?
• Why once court appointed guardianship has been established, it can be extremely difficult to expunge…

Find out more here:

Guardianship Abuse and the Elderly : The Perfect Crime

AAAPG.net

The Guardians

There are seven states, plus Washington DC, where Death with Dignity is currently legal. There are bills pending in seven other states. Massachusetts is one of them. Massachusetts States Senator Will Brownsberger tells us about the bill there. And once again, you will see, that there is often a personal reason why people are in this end of life space.

It’s called different things in different places. Here in Massachusetts, the bill is titled S.1208 End of Life Options. In Colorado, the home of my last 3 guests, it’s called Medical Aid In Dying. Regardless of it’s name, it allows physicians to legally prescribe medication that a terminally ill individual can self-administer to hasten their death.

It’s controversial, and definitely not for some (for most I would imagine). But for the select group of competent people who choose it, I believe it should be allowed. Listen in and learn:

• Why Senator Brownsberger is an advocate
• what the barriers are even in states where it is legal
• what you can do to promote legislation in your state