Aging in Style with Lori Williams Lori Williams Senior Services

Why should I use a senior placement service for myself or my loved one?
There are 5 reasons to work with a senior placement service, and 3 things to consider when choosing the right locator service.
When you’re researching senior living for yourself or a loved one, it can be a long process that brings up many questions. Without help, you risk wasted time, unwanted stress, and even ending up in the wrong type of senior living that’s even more expensive.
Senior Living Expert Lori Williams has worked in senior placement services for 17 years. Senior living placement services assess your needs to help you find the living situation and senior resources you need. She shares the 5 reasons to use a senior placement service:

1. They save time. No need to Google options and find time to research during your busy day working and caregiving. A senior placement locator will already know what’s in the area. They do an assessment to learn your needs, budget, and location so you can quickly find a place that meets your needs and even brings you joy.
2. Senior locator services have community relationships and knowledge. They know the nuances of each senior living community option, where they are, and what sets them apart - and can educate you. If you like gardening, a senior placement locator can find you an apartment with a patio. They’ll also know the prices and where there’s availability.
3. They can refer you to other resources. Not only can they help you find a home, they can also refer you to other valuable resources: home care, hospice services, elder law attorneys, Medicare specialists, and more. Maybe you don’t actually need senior living and you just need a home health aide - senior placement specialists might know a great match.
4. They offer a roadmap and guidance along the way. If your mom broke your hip, they can help with every step, from preparing to move to settling into your new place and finding a rehab facility. They can also help explain how Medicare works and lay out a plan for the caregivers. They can also determine if staying home safely is possible and connect you to a local Meals on Wheels.
5. They’re free for you to use. It won’t cost you a dime. Senior locator services have contracts with the communities and earn a fee for successfully placing individuals. All other services, like creating a roadmap and connecting you with other services, are free.

Lori also explains 3 factors to consider when choosing your service:
1. It’s best to use a local service – they’ll know your area.
2. Make sure at least one person on staff is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA).
3. Experience, reputation, and passion matter.

These tips help ensure a tailored experience where you’re helped by those with knowledge on aging and services.

Topics discussed:
· Senior living placement specialists
· Benefits of senior placement services
· Senior living communities
· Independent living and memory care
· Senior living considerations
· Senior resources

Takeaways from this episode:
-A great senior placement service will get to know your personality, hobbies, and preferences to find your best fit.
-Senior placement services offer a holistic experience beyond just matching you with a senior living community. They have contacts throughout the senior care industry and can help find movers, rehab, and even resources to help you stay home as long as possible.
-Residential care facilities (care in a house-type of environment) are less advertised and well-known, but a senior placement service will have the connection.
-Senior...

Dana Mantilia realized how critical it is for people to learn about cybercriminals, identity thieves and scammers while creating her identity protection company. 
Criminals often prey upon seniors in particular by playing on their emotions and loneliness, creating a sense of urgency to get them to act fast. That’s why it’s important to have conversations with seniors who aren’t as knowledgeable about the pitfalls of technology so they’re aware of the risks and keep their personal information secure.
This week, Dana joins Senior Services Expert Lori Williams to discuss the top tactics cyber criminals use. She shares common red flags to look out for, so you can spot an attempt when it’s happening. With her protection tips gaining more than 2.5 million views on social media, her advice is useful for people of all ages to prevent identity theft and avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

Topics discussed:
- Senior scams
- Identity theft
- Data breaches
- Credit monitoring
- Phone and email scammers
- Money laundering
- Cybersecurity

Takeaways from this episode:
- Scams tend to play off of emotions and urgency so you don’t have time to stop to consider the likelihood of their claims being false. Realize that in real life, most requests don’t have to happen immediately, so don’t rush to pay anyone.
- Common phone scams include pretending to be a relative that needs money to get out of jail, people from “Medicare” asking for personal information, and “charities” needing donations.
- Use charitynavigator.org to check if a charity is legitimate.
- Never give out your personal information on the phone. Government agencies will reach out to you through the mail, not phone.
- People will take advantage of seniors on dating sites by quickly escalating a relationship and asking for money.
- Don’t transfer money from your account to a stranger's because it could be a money-laundering scheme and you could be held liable.
- Review your privacy settings on Facebook.
- Use different passwords for everything so if your login details are stolen for one account, your others aren’t immediately compromised.
- Be sure to check your Google / Gmail password because your account often stores payment information to all the websites you visit.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
To connect to Dana and learn more about her Identity Protection Business:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-mantilia/
https://www.identityprotectionplanning.com/
To claim your online social security account:
https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/
To verify a charity's work before donating:
www.charitynavigator.org
To find out if your email address has been part of a data breach:
https://haveibeenpwned.com/
Mexican prison scam video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTL1vK6r3qw
To suggest a topic, be a guest or to support the podcast, please email: Lori@Loriwilliams-seniorservices.com
For more senior resources and to sign up to the newsletter, please visit:
a href="https://loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

What to consider when life changes in an instant?
Taking care of a loved one with a life-changing illness or accident is a difficult journey that can happen to anyone. It is a big catastrophe that can change your life in an instant, however, no one thinks this can happen to them until it does. That is why it is important to ensure that you know your insurance and financial options, as well as letting others set up fundraising efforts to ease the financial strain.
In this episode, Lori Williams invites you to join her on the journey of navigating the recovery of her husband, Mark, who suffered four massive strokes on Christmas, and its subsequent financial load. As an advocate and expert in care, Lori shares the lessons she has learned about financing care, and highlights the importance of accepting financial help (or any type of help for that matter) from your family and community.

Topics covered in this episode:
-Life-changing circumstances
-Lifelong care
-Navigating stroke recovery
-GoFundMe and other health crowdfunding options
-Veterans' Care
-Social Security

Takeaways from this episode
When a loved one becomes disabled, it is necessary to modify your home to make it accessible and safe, and most times it comes at a high cost.Hiring a caregiver is crucial when you are taking care of a disabled loved one. Lori talks about the importance of looking into your specific circumstances to determine what's best for you and your family.Financial assistance is a difficult topic to talk about. Social Security disability, Veteran's Benefits and other financial help all have specific requirements that you need to be aware of before filing.Navigating healthcare bills can be overwhelming, so it's important to rely on others to support you: even if that means creating fundraising efforts on platforms like GoFundMe and local restaurants - there are a lot of options.


Resources mentioned in this episode:
5 tips to remember when your loved one is in Intensive Care Unit:
https://www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/episode/3eb6bd43/124-5-tips-to-remember-when-your-loved-one-is-in-icu-intensive-care-unit
For more senior resources and to sign up to the newsletter, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/LoriWilliamsSeniorServices/
https://www.instagram.com/theloriwilliams/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/theloriwilliams/
https://loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/

Have you ever had something on your heart, and the universe sends you a sign to do it?
Senior Living Expert Lori Williams saw there was an opportunity within the senior living community. Each day she helps place seniors into different living situations: memory care, assisted living, independent living, and more. She also helps connect families to senior resources. These families often wonder what to do with items their loved one no longer needs, such as walkers and wheelchairs – or they need something and are wondering where to find it.
Emelita’s Closet was born from a desire to serve the senior community. Named after Lori’s grandmother who emigrated from Ecuador, it’s a labor of love and a continuation of Emelita’s generous spirit: a donation-based supply closet for seniors in Flower Mound, Texas (and surrounding areas).

Popular donations include:
- Wheelchairs
- Walkers
- Shower chairs
- Crutches
- Boxes of Depends
- Ensure nutrition shakes
- And more

This is a great community resource to connect seniors in the community with tools and items they need. On the flip side, it’s also a great way to donate to those in need who may not be able to afford or find these items. If your loved one recently passed away, it's a generous way to give back in their honor.

 
Topics discussed:
-Senior donations
-Walkers and wheelchairs
-Serving the senior community
-Senior supply closet
-Inspiring senior
-Senior volunteer work
-Dementia / Alzheimer’s resources

Takeaways from this episode:
- If you feel called to make a difference in your own small way, pay attention. The universe may send you a sign to make it a reality.
- Thrift stores may not accept senior mobility devices. If your loved one passed away, consider donating their belongings to a senior supply closet.
- Great items to donate to a senior supply closet include walkers, wheelchairs, unopened boxes of Ensure or Depends, and more.
- If you need an item like a larger wheelchair that’s harder to find, ask your local supply closet if they have one available.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
To donate and learn more about Emelita's closet, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090763355708
www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com

To suggest a topic, be a guest or to support the podcast, please email Lori@Loriwilliams-seniorservices.com
For more senior resources and to sign up to the newsletter, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/LoriWilliamsSeniorServices/
https://www.instagram.com/theloriwilliams/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/theloriwilliams/
https://loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/

How to find happiness as we age?
Katharine Esty likes to joke that she has “peaked at 87.” A psychologist and activist for aging, she’s also the author of Eightysomethings: A Practical Guide to Letting Go, Aging Well, and Finding Unexpected Happiness. The book contains insights from her interviews with 128 people aged 80+ from all around the country about what it means to age.
Katharine explains how the world becomes smaller in your 80s: friend circles shrink, living spaces downsize, and you even physically shrink. For her, it was uncharted territory, as she was accustomed to keeping up with her family despite her age. However, her own life and her interviews with other people over 80 reveals that they’re a happy group - even happier than people who are decades younger.
She and Senior Living Expert Lori Williams discuss:
-Making accommodations and adaptations as we age
-Finding happiness (and purpose!) as we age
-The 5 types of people coping with health issues
And more.
It’s easy to hold on to the past and memories of who you were before aging. However, when you finally let that go, there’s another side to it – a worthwhile, wonderful life full of new possibilities. And it’s never too late to find pleasure in new things or find a new purpose.
Topics discussed:
-Turning 80
-Attitudes around aging
-Embracing change
-Downsizing / senior housing
-Retirement
-Finding purpose as we age
-Senior happiness
-Staying social as seniors

Takeaways from this episode:-Happiness is letting go of everything you think your life is supposed to be and celebrating everything it really is.
-It’s important for seniors’ health and emotional well-being to stay connected to other people as they age.
-Research shows that people in their 70s and 80s generally mellow out, are less angry, and worry less.
-The 5 types of people who are coping with health issues are deniers, stoics, realists, complainers, and worriers.
-People are happiest when they have a purpose and are contributing in some way.
-Instead of trying to preserve the life you had, try new things you haven’t done before - you might find another person and a new life on the other side.

Resources mentioned in this episode:Learn more about Katherine Esty, PhD.'s work:
https://www.katharineesty.com/
Purchase her books:
https://www.katharineesty.com/books
To suggest a topic, be a guest or to support the podcast, please email Lori@Loriwilliams-seniorservices.com
For more senior resources and to sign up to the newsletter, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/LoriWilliamsSeniorServices/
https://www.instagram.com/theloriwilliams/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/theloriwilliams/
https://loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/

How can I prepare for a loved one having a medical emergency?
Create an easily retrievable binder of important documents, including financial and medical information.
When your loved one has a medical emergency, it’s a godsend to have all the information you need in one place. It may not be your first instinct to find the log-in for your loved one’s health insurance portal, for example, but you may find yourself needing it! Also, make sure you have access to their cell phone and their passcode - you will need it to gain access to important information.
This was the case for Senior Services Expert Lori Williams when her husband, Mark, had a stroke. While they had conversations about their wishes regarding healthcare and treatment, it would have made everything easier to have insurance / Medicare login information, phone passwords, and other details handy. That way you’re not busy searching for everything and stressing about logistics if the unthinkable happens.
Lori was inspired by Lynne Von Villas, whose father passed away while her mother was suffering from dementia. Lynne had plenty of paperwork to deal with while carrying out her father’s will and moving her mother to a memory care facility. Eventually, she realized she’d benefit from making all the information she needed portable and easy to reference.
Having a 3-ring binder containing important information is a great idea for families to have ready. Lynne discusses tips and tricks, plus important documents to have on hand. This can include their social security number, health insurance or Medicare plan information, and even links to their household accounts like electric.
Not only that, having the right paperwork reduces your loved ones’ stress, especially if they’re in charge of a family member’s medical care and estate. It eases their burden during a difficult time, and that’s an invaluable gift.
Topics discussed:
- What to do if your spouse has a stroke
- Wills and estates
- Paperwork for elderly family
- Crisis preparedness
- Insurance and long-term care policies
- End-of-life / funeral plans
- Social Security and identity theft preparedness for seniors

Takeaways from this episode:
- Don’t wait to create a plan of action in case of an emergency. Life can change in an instant, and it’s a huge relief to realize you were prepared.
- It’s a gift to your loved ones to have your important documents somewhere easily retrievable (but safe and secure)!
- Include medical and financial information in your binders, as well as household accounts, electric, gas, and cell phone account information and passwords.
- Medical considerations include: veteran’s benefits, a Medicare plan (and which), a DNR, insurance policies, medication prescriptions, and whether they have a long-term care policy.
- Financial considerations: Become a signer on their bank accounts and have your name on stocks and bonds (and have them in electronic form).
- Multifactor authentication is where websites send access codes to your cell phone. Be sure you have a way to access those codes for your loved one if you need to log in to their accounts.
- Protect yourself from identity theft by sending death certificates to the 3 credit bureaus.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Creating Your Binder List:
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2c62c2_65a3d9193ff5449bb47d6c1b4ab5e883~mv2.jpg
Claim your social security account:
a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/create.html" rel="noopener noreferrer"...