Focus on the Future

Creating a health care directive is an important step in planning for the future. It's a gift that lets your family know what choices to make regarding your health care if you are unable to voice that choice for yourself. In this podcast episode, Focus on the Future host Allycia Wolff talks with Maggie O'Connor of Honoring Choices Minnesota. Together, they discuss what goes into a health care directive and why it is important to you and your family.

About Honoring Choices Minnesota
Honoring Choices Minnesota is a collaborative, state-wide Advance Care Planning initiative led by Twin Cities Medical Society. Honoring Choices Minnesota’s goal is to spur family conversations about future health care preferences and to assist health care organizations and community partners with the installation of a comprehensive advance care planning program. Learn more at www.honoringchoices.org.

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 9 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show

Creating a health care directive is an important step in planning for the future. It's a gift that lets your family know what choices to make regarding your health care if you are unable to voice that choice for yourself. In this podcast episode, Focus on the Future host Allycia Wolff talks with Maggie O'Connor of Honoring Choices Minnesota. Together, they discuss what goes into a health care directive and why it is important to you and your family.

About Honoring Choices Minnesota
Honoring Choices Minnesota is a collaborative, state-wide Advance Care Planning initiative led by Twin Cities Medical Society. Honoring Choices Minnesota’s goal is to spur family conversations about future health care preferences and to assist health care organizations and community partners with the installation of a comprehensive advance care planning program. Learn more at www.honoringchoices.org.

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 9 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show (http://www.arcminnesota.org/podcast)

Episode 8 of Focus on the Future highlights the importance of building friendship within the community. Guest Angela Amado shares her knowledge on the importance of building lasting friendships and relationships with people with disabilities. Angela suggests that valuing what people with disabilities bring to the table is a great way to form lasting relationships with them. She also stresses the importance of creating friendships between people with disabilities and people without disabilities. In this episode Angela and Allycia have a conversation about how and why to form friendships in and out of the disability community.

About Angela Amado
Angela Amado has promoted person-centered approaches and social inclusion throughout her 40+ year career. She has worked both across the United States and around the world, teaching and training. Most recently, Amado was with the University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration (ICI).

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 8 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show

Episode 8 of Focus on the Future highlights the importance of building friendship within the community. Guest Angela Amado shares her knowledge on the importance of building lasting friendships and relationships with people with disabilities. Angela suggests that valuing what people with disabilities bring to the table is a great way to form lasting relationships with them. She also stresses the importance of creating friendships between people with disabilities and people without disabilities. In this episode Angela and Allycia have a conversation about how and why to form friendships in and out of the disability community.

About Angela Amado
Angela Amado has promoted person-centered approaches and social inclusion throughout her 40+ year career. She has worked both across the United States and around the world, teaching and training. Most recently, Amado was with the University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration (ICI).

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 8 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show (http://www.arcminnesota.org/podcast)

What role does safety play in future planning? Can we really plan for a safer future? In this episode of Focus on the Future, host Allycia Wolff interviews Dr. Nancy Fitzsimons. Dr. Fitzsimons is a professor of social work at Mankato State University. She is also a board member of The Arc Minnesota. In their conversation, Allycia Wolff and Dr. Fitzsimons discuss how we can empower our children and re-think what it means to be safe.

About Dr. Nancy Fitzsimons
Dr. Fitzsimons earned her MSW and PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Jane Addams College of Social Work and her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Mankato State University. Her area of concentration has been in developmental disabilities, disability policy and services, and preparation of social workers for practice with people with disabilities. At Mankato State University, she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in social welfare history, services and policy; social work policy practice, task groups, macro social work practice; and social work practice with people with disabilities and their families. Dr. Fitzsimons serves on the board of The Arc Minnesota. In 2015, Governor Mark Dayton appointed her as a representative to the Minnesota State Council on Disability.

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 7 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show

What role does safety play in future planning? Can we really plan for a safer future? In this episode of Focus on the Future, host Allycia Wolff interviews Dr. Nancy Fitzsimons. Dr. Fitzsimons is a professor of social work at Mankato State University. She is also a board member of The Arc Minnesota. In their conversation, Allycia Wolff and Dr. Fitzsimons discuss how we can empower our children and re-think what it means to be safe.

About Dr. Nancy Fitzsimons
Dr. Fitzsimons earned her MSW and PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Jane Addams College of Social Work and her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Mankato State University. Her area of concentration has been in developmental disabilities, disability policy and services, and preparation of social workers for practice with people with disabilities. At Mankato State University, she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in social welfare history, services and policy; social work policy practice, task groups, macro social work practice; and social work practice with people with disabilities and their families. Dr. Fitzsimons serves on the board of The Arc Minnesota. In 2015, Governor Mark Dayton appointed her as a representative to the Minnesota State Council on Disability.

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 7 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show (http://www.arcminnesota.org/podcast)

As a caregiver, you are often focused on the care of others. But what about caring for yourself? In this episode, join host Allycia Wolff as she talks with the Thayer family about self-care. Brian and Jen Thayer are parents to Roa and Gunner, one of whom has special needs. In this episode, they talk about making time for yourself, communication, and finding the things that make you whole.

Resources mentioned in this episode
Dad's Support Group meets the first Saturday of the month at 5pm at Carbonie's Pizza in White Bear Lake. Contact Brian Thayer at 651.604.2754 for more information.

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 6 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show

As a caregiver, you are often focused on the care of others. But what about caring for yourself? In this episode, join host Allycia Wolff as she talks with the Thayer family about self-care. Brian and Jen Thayer are parents to Roa and Gunner, one of whom has special needs. In this episode, they talk about making time for yourself, communication, and finding the things that make you whole.

Resources mentioned in this episode
Dad's Support Group meets the first Saturday of the month at 5pm at Carbonie's Pizza in White Bear Lake. Contact Brian Thayer at 651.604.2754 for more information.

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 6 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show (http://www.arcminnesota.org/podcast)

In 2014, President Obama signed into law the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, better known as ABLE. The ABLE Act allows for people with disabilities to save money without disrupting their benefits. On Episode 5 of Focus on the Future, host Allycia Wolff chats with Katie McDermott about ABLE Accounts. Katie is the Self-Advocate Associate at The Arc Minnesota. In their conversation, they talk about how ABLE can keep you financially secure and living the life that you choose.

About ABLE
The Achieving a Better Life Experience Act was signed into law in 2014 by President Obama after receiving broad support. ABLE accounts allow people with disabilities to save up to $15,000 per year, or $100,000 throughout a lifetime, without disrupting benefits. ABLE funds can be used in any way that promotes quality of life for people with disabilities. Learn more at savewithable.com.

Resources mentioned in this episode
The Arc Minnesota's webinar, "Understanding Trusts & ABLE Accounts" is available at https://youtu.be/gNjL55XwQfw.

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 5 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show

In 2014, President Obama signed into law the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, better known as ABLE. The ABLE Act allows for people with disabilities to save money without disrupting their benefits. On Episode 5 of Focus on the Future, host Allycia Wolff chats with Katie McDermott about ABLE Accounts. Katie is the Self-Advocate Associate at The Arc Minnesota. In their conversation, they talk about how ABLE can keep you financially secure and living the life that you choose.

About ABLE
The Achieving a Better Life Experience Act was signed into law in 2014 by President Obama after receiving broad support. ABLE accounts allow people with disabilities to save up to $15,000 per year, or $100,000 throughout a lifetime, without disrupting benefits. ABLE funds can be used in any way that promotes quality of life for people with disabilities. Learn more at savewithable.com.

Resources mentioned in this episode
The Arc Minnesota's webinar, "Understanding Trusts & ABLE Accounts" is available at https://youtu.be/gNjL55XwQfw.

About Focus on the Future
You can find more information about Focus on the Future at arcminnesota.org/podcast. If Episode 5 inspired a question for an Arc Advocate, call The Arc Minnesota at 833.450.1494.

Focus on the Future is a podcast for caregivers and families supporting people with disabilities. In each episode, a conversation about the journey of discovering our best life and how to achieve it. While exploring legal, financial, and quality of life structures, Focus on the Future aims to get back to what matters most: living a fulfilling and meaningful life that is defined by each individual person.

Support the show (http://www.arcminnesota.org/podcast)