Living Care Radio Episodes Darol Tuttle

A segment of Living Care Radio that aired December 9th at 10:100 am on KKNW, AM 1150.

In this episode, Darol discusses the growing complexities of long term care planning in relation to static retirement income and the high and increasing costs of long term care. To help him frame the discussion, Darol co-hosts with Lisa Doyle from CayCare. CayCare is a care management and referral agency that assists clients locate long term care resources.

In the remainder of the show, Darol and Lisa welcome and chat with Jennifer Lottis, Community Relations Director at Aljoya Mercer Island, an Era Living retirement community.

Aljoya Mercer Island offers a warm, vibrant lifestyle, a vast array of amenities, rich programming, and exceptional Independent Living, Assisted Living, and nursing services.

Era Living is a private, Seattle-based company founded by Eli and Rebecca Almo. A respected and recognized leader in retirement living throughout the Puget Sound, Era Living owns and operates eight premier communities. Since 1987, Era Living has been dedicated to fostering a healthy and engaging environment of whole body wellness, culture, warmth and social fulfillment, providing exceptional healthcare services and enriching activities at all eight communities. Era Living's Wellness and Active Aging Programs are developed in collaboration with the University of Washington School of Nursing - the nation's top-rated nursing school. It's this type of innovative and vibrant approach to senior living that makes Era Living communities so desirable.

Living Care Radio Host, Darol Tuttle, discusses issues related to aging and the law, the legal framework in which a person transitions from home to a care community. Darol begins by discussing the law and its origin in British common law and discusses the case of William Burnett from Old Bailey criminal court to point out that the law has progressed in the last few centuries.

In the next segments, Darol introduces listeners to Pam McFadden, sales director at Bellettini Assisted Living Community. The Bellettini is an urban senior living community in the heart of beautiful Downtown Bellevue, which is a shining example of energy and vitality. Residents know they are on to something good. From day one, their entire experience of living at The Bellettini has been customized to what is important in their lives—feeling good is just half the equation

The Bellettini offers 145 apartment homes for those over the age of 62, featuring 25 different floor plans. One- and two-bedroom apartments range from 700 square feet to 2,400 square feet. Assisted living services can be added and customized at any time. To round off our Health and Wellness department, we offer speech, physical and occupational therapy along with a massage therapist.

Visit The Bellettini at www.thebellettini.com. Pam can be reached at 425.450.0800.

Address: 1115 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

In the next segment, Pam introduced Karen Pfeiffer Bush, a Professional Organizer and Senior Move Manager and the owner of LifeSpace: Home Organization and Transition Support. Karen described the work she does in helping seniors downsize and make a transition to a new space, to include staging and design experience certainly comes in handy for knowing what they need to do to properly market their home and knowing what will work for setting up their new space.

Karen can be reached at 206-719-1662

In the first segment, Darol described the modern trend of adult children providing care for aged parents. The stress is sometimes overwhelming and many family members who provide care need help but do not know how to ask for help. That question, when is a good time to ask for help, became the theme of the show.

To help Darol answer that question, Rebecca Bomann, owner of SASH Realty, hosted two guests from Allied Health Advocates, Robin Shapiro and Beth Droppert. Allied Health Advocates (AHA) is a Washington state-based health advocacy company focused on providing in-person assistance to patients and their families who are navigating the health care system. Through dedicated Health Advocates, who have backgrounds in nursing, law and communications, we help provide unique insight for patients.

Robin and Beth explain their passion for advocacy, how they originated the company and what motivates them to help families who face sometimes serious medical crises. They also offer tips on when is the best time to ask for help and how to obtain it. You can contact Allied Health Advocates by contacting them at this link: http://www.ahadvocates.com/contact-us.php

Living Care Radio host, Tacoma WA Kirkland WA elder law attorney Darol Tuttle hosts Fedelta Senior Care Solutions, in particular owner Steve Meyer and Regional Sales Director Tammi Reeser. In the first segment Darol described the topics of a Living Care Workshop, held earlier that day. The focus of the Workshop was asset protection. Darol described the term "asset protection" as the proven strategies and techniques used by planners to pay the high costs of long term care. Many seniors incur high long term care costs in their eighties when their income is static. Most receive social security income or pension income. When care is required, the monthly expenses for care that is unreimbursed is greater than income. The retirement accounts of the senior must pay for the shortfall. It is important to make intelligent decisions about investment returns to at least keep up with inflation. Darol points out that he currently sees daily rates at nursing homes as high as $450. Assuming a 5% inflation rate, nursing home rates in 2025 could be as high as $700 per day. Without investment return, many seniors may need to deplete their assets and apply for welfare.

In the remainder of the show, Darol interviewed his guests. Steve Meyer created Fedelta in 2004 to help aging people live at home as long and as well as possible. Fedelta was founded for very personal reasons on the principles of trust, care, compassion and loyalty that were instilled by his parents and grandparents. Today, Fedelta is a trusted and accessible leader in integrated care solutions including home care, senior housing placements and care management.

As a local, privately owned company, Fedelta Care Solutions and its professional caregivers proudly serve families and individuals throughout King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties with offices in Seattle, Bellevue, Everett Bainbridge Island and Tacoma. Fedelta was awarded the Better Business Bureau's prestigious "Western Washington Business of the Year - Large Business Customer Service Award for 2006", and earned an "A+" rating from the BBB.

Fedelta is a trusted leader in the healthcare community with the industry’s most stringent screening and hiring practices, selecting fewer than 10 percent of caregivers who apply. Fedelta has earned a reputation for quality care and responsiveness; in many cases, care solutions are in place within 24 hours of a family's first call to Fedelta. Nurses and care teams are available by phone 24/7.
Fedelta is dedicated to providing care, guidance and support to preserve the physical and emotional well-being of seniors and their families. Caring for an elderly relative who has begun to experience physical or mental challenges is something that most people don’t want to think about until they have no choice. When that time comes, it is important not to put quick answers before long-term solutions. Fedelta is passionate about providing information, choice and true continuity of care, from companion home care to advanced in-home nursing, as well as RN care management and unbiased, client-centered senior living referral services.

Steve Meyer’s ongoing efforts to establish Fedelta as an organization devoted to exemplary health and support services led to his election as a member of the Board of Directors at the Alzheimer's Association. Witnessing the struggles of those affected by Alzheimer's and their families has provided Steve with personal insight that he applies daily in the pursuit of treatment options and medical care that will one day halt the most common cause of dementia.