On Life With Helen

Do you and your family members have a life insurance plan? It’s best to prepare for the worst so if the worst comes, your loved ones can properly grieve without having to worry about costs and arrangements. 

In this seventeenth episode, I am joined by my good friend Lisa Hutercherson. Lisa is the National Account Director at SUMMUS, a platform that provides medical decisions through fast, virtual access to the world's best medical expertise. Their clients are companies that seek to create a supportive healthcare experience for their employees and drive better, cost efficient outcomes. Lisa and her team support their clients across all health questions and stages of care. 

Listen to this episode of On Life With Helen to learn Lisa’s description of what she calls the trifecta impact of life insurance in the workplace. Lisa shares how she learned the benefits of this trifecta, lessons about life insurance from losing a family member, and why she was inspired to join the healthcare industry in the first place. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Lisa’s background and her personal experience with life insurance (2:31)
•  The impacts of the trifecta of life insurance in the workplace (15:41)
• Why Lisa got into the healthcare industry (18:23)
• Lisa’s reflection on her nephew’s life (25:57)

Connect with Lisa 

• LinkedIn
• Email

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you taken on the responsibility of caring for one or more family members that are declining in health? Or are you expecting to at some point later in life? 

In this sixteenth episode, I am joined by Kerri Sanford, a Medicare Specialist at Lawlen Insurance Solutions. When Kerri got a concerning call about her parents' health, she knew that she couldn’t sit idly by while their mental and physical states continued to decline. She moved them both into her home in Sacramento and became their caretaker while also maintaining her personal career and navigating a global pandemic. Since caring for her parents, Kerri has become passionate about sharing her story and encouraging caregivers to prioritize self-care.  

Listen to this episode of On Life With Helen to learn Kerri’s tips and advice for caring for family members. She talks about her parent’s health decline, the different ways that her life changed after they moved in with her, what she learned about the importance of self-care, why it’s important to have a plan of action, and so much more. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Kerri’s experience caring for her parents (2:10)
• How Kerri sought out additional help (7:05)
• The different ways that Kerri’s daily life changed (11:44)
• The importance of taking care of yourself while caring for others (22:33)
• Kerri’s message to caregivers (29:50)

Connect with Kerri 

• LinkedIn

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much of your time do you spend volunteering? The benefits of volunteering are beyond measurable for all professionals, no matter the industry you work in. 

In this fifteenth episode, I am talking about the value of volunteering for everyone. In this Part 1 episode, I share my experiences, stories, and lessons learned from volunteering with a professional organization for over 10 years. You will hear about the benefits of volunteering for solo-preneurs, the community that volunteering has brought me, different roles that I have had throughout my volunteering journey, and what I have learned about the main purpose of volunteering. Stay tuned for Part 2 where I will be interviewing a guest who has taught me so much about the importance of volunteering throughout my career. 

Listen to this episode of On Life With Helen to learn about the value of volunteering for every professional! 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About the volunteering organization I am involved in (2:38)
• That the pros of volunteering outweigh the cons (8:08)
• What the main purpose of volunteering is (10:11)
• How volunteering has taught me when to say yes and when to say no (15:05)
• My experience with Rotary volunteering (20:48)

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who has been a mentor in your life? Are you a mentor to anyone? Mentorship is something that we all can benefit from, whether we are the mentee or the mentor. 

In this fourteenth episode, I am talking about the power of mentorship and the role that it has played in my life as both a mentor and a mentee. Connecting with other people to share experiences, lessons, advice, and support is an incredible way to grow personally and professionally. Throughout this episode, I talk about what makes a good mentor, my personal experiences with mentorship in my career, the differences between mentorship and sponsorship, and more. Mentors are valuable in every stage of life and I hope this episode inspires you to seek out a mentor that supports you and has your best interest. 

Tune in to this episode of On Life With Helen to learn about the power of mentorship for your professional and personal life! 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• How I incorporate mentoring in my professional life (3:58)
• The qualities of a good mentor are (10:37)
• The importance of listening during mentorship (18:13)
• What to look for when seeking out a mentor  (23:23)

Resources: 

• Article: What Makes a Good Mentor?

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are ways that you support yourself and others through grief? 

In this thirteenth episode, I am joined by the wonderful Emily Thiroux Threatt. Emily is the host of the podcast, Grief & Happiness, where she shares stories of those that have not let grief strip them of their joy for life despite experiencing immense loss. Emily is also the author of the book, Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief, a fantastic resource for those that are unsure of how to navigate the grief they are going through. Throughout this conversation, Emily shares the loss she has experienced in her life, what tools she recommends for supporting others that are grieving, her mission with her podcast and books, and more. 

Tune in to this episode of On Life With Helen to learn how you can love and live your way through grief from Emily!

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Emily’s background in grief recovery  (2:14)
• Emily’s personal experiences with grief (18:03)
• Emily’s recommendations to support others through their grief (28:12)
• Grief advice for business owners (34:09)
• What the future holds for Emily’s grief work (37:36)

Resources: 

• Book - I’m Dead, Now What?

Connect with Emily  

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Book: Emily Thiroux Threatt - Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you understand what a reverse mortgage is? 

In this twelfth episode, I am joined by Mitchell Cooper to talk all about his insights, advice, and perspective as a Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional. Through his work, Mitchell provides education to professionals and homeowners about the strategic use of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage in retirement income planning. Throughout this conversation, Mitchell talks about the biggest misconception about reverse mortgages, what the Reverse for Purchase program is, common mistakes that people make when it comes to reverse mortgages, what goes into the loan process, and examples of client situations he has worked on. If you have been confused about the ins and outs of reverse mortgages, Mitchell’s expertise will help answer the basic questions you may have. 

Tune in to this episode of On Life With Helen to learn from Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional, Mitchell Cooper!

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• What the biggest misconception is about reverse mortgages (2:27)
• What happens when the last resident passes or goes into a long term care facility (16:00)
• About the Reverse for Purchase program (20:30)
• Mitchell’s explanation of the  loan process (28:27)
• Mitchell’s vision for the future of the reverse mortgage industry (35:31)

Connect with Mitchell  

• LinkedIn

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you know what a benefits broker’s role is? Whether you are an employer or an employee, benefits brokers are there to help save you money and get you the best benefits plan possible.  

In this eleventh episode, I am joined by Cerrina Jensen to talk about her role as an Employee Benefits Consultant & Benefits Broker. Cerrina is passionate about empowering and educating employers to teach them how to navigate the healthcare system and deliver better benefits for their employees. Throughout this conversation, Cerrina shares the top reasons why employers should look at working with a benefits broker, what her company’s mission is, and how she is working to empower and educate women in the industry. Cerrina is a longtime friend and I am so excited for you to hear her background and how she is stepping up as a female leader. 

Tune in to this episode of On Life With Helen to learn what the role of a benefits broker is and how they can serve you as a company and an employee! 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Cerrina’s background and her new career pivot (2:07)
• The top reasons why employers should look at a benefits broker (7:43)
• About Cerrina’s passion project (21:45)
• How Cerrina’s company is opening up their plan to people outside of the insurance industry (29:34)
• Cerrina’s advice for young professionals (35:10)

Resources Mentioned: 

• Book - Pancakes for Roger: A Mentorship Guide for Slaying Dragons 

Connect with Cerrina 

• LinkedIn

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you have someone in your life that is struggling with their mental health? 

In this tenth episode, I am joined again by the wonderful Renee Balcom, a health advocate advisor, to talk about Mental Health 5150. Understanding what a Mental Health 5150 is important so you are prepared if you ever find yourself in a situation with someone who is not in a stable state of mind and are concerned for your or their safety. Throughout this episode, Renee shares stories from her work with clients that she has had to call a 5150 for, what her advice is for when you need to call for a 5150, her steps for working with clients, and more. 

Tune in to this episode of On Life With Helen to learn what a 5150 is and when it would be appropriate to use! 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Who Renee is (2:13)
• What the 5150 is and the situations it is applied to (4:30)
• Renee’s advice for calling on someone with mental health distress (12:14)
• Renee’s steps when working with clients (14:37)
• To look after those in your life (31:08)

Connect with Renee 

• Email Renee
• Silver Lining Network & Directory 

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Please note, this episode centers around discussions of involuntary holds due to psychiatric distress (as they are handled in California). To avoid confusion, we would like to clarify some of the information discussed. We talk about schizophrenia not aging into dementia. It’s important to note that those with psychiatric disorders show a correlation with developing dementia later in life, however, these disorders don’t develop into dementia. So, you can be schizophrenic and have dementia too, but schizophrenia doesn’t manifest into dementia. Following that, we discuss 5150 holds. Please note that a 5150 can be extended up to 14 days but cannot exceed that. Additionally, code 5252 is mentioned as the next escalation after being on a 5250 hold. The correct code is actually 5300, which can be extended up to 180 days after the 14-day period stipulated by the 5250. Lastly, we make mention to the California “Welfare and Institutions Guide”, which is actually referred to as the “Welfare and Institutions Code”.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you considered getting a 10 year term of life insurance? 

In this ninth episode, I am talking all about the ins and outs of 10 year terms. A 10 year term is a great option for many people, but it is still important to know the important details so you can confidently decide if it is the best route to go. Throughout this episode, I talk about why business owners may want to look beyond the 10 year term, the benefits of having a 10 year term, what the accelerated underwriting process is, and the importance of staying compliant for annual exams. I share various case studies from clients that may be valuable to think about if you are considering a 10 year term. 

Tune in to this episode of On Life With Helen to learn if a 10 year term is the right life insurance option for you!

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• The upcoming guests and topics (1:58)
• What a 10 year term is  (3:43)
• Scenarios from some of my clients (11:17)
• About accelerated underwriting (15:21)
• What it looks like when you have to go into full underwriting (21:03)

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you feel unsure about what ‘s best for yourself or loved ones when it comes to healthcare? Connecting with a health advocate advisor is a great way to ensure that you aren’t getting taken advantage of in the healthcare and long term care systems. 

In this eighth episode, I am so excited to share with you Part 2 of my conversation with Renee Balcom, a health advocate advisor. In Part 1, Renee shared what a health advocate advisor is, her process for creating a care plan for clients, and stories from her career. Throughout this episode, Renee talks about some of the case studies that she has worked on, the two pieces of information she wants every listener to know, how to best prepare for the later chapters of life, and more.  Renee has spent over a decade consulting and providing services to families looking for care solutions for their loved ones. She helps people navigate the healthcare system, make informed care decisions, and cope with the challenges and strains of caregiving. 

Tune in to this episode of On Life With Helen to hear Part 2 of the conversation with health advocate advisor Renee Balcom! 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About some of the case studies Renee has worked on (1:41)
• To advocate for the medical treatment our loved ones need (7:45)
• About the Right To Try law (12:32)
• Renee’s tips for preparing to move into this chapter of life (18:15)
• The payment and services that come with working with a health advocate advisor (29:36)

Connect with Renee 

• Email Renee
• Silver Lining Network & Directory 

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.