Life Happens Podcast with Kim Hegwood

Promote Independence & Avoid Wandering Away with Benjamin Surmi

Benjamin Surmi from Koelsch Communities joins Kim Hegwood again to talk about how tech can help prevent wandering and promote independence in seniors! Benjamin and Kim discuss why tech may be the solution to help seniors with dementia, watches that are especially helpful for seniors, alternative options for wearable alert buttons, other options to keep a senior safe, and how these tools are empowering seniors.

“Should You Use a Funeral Negotiator?” with Ken Lambert

Ken Lambert, Funeral Negotiator, joins Kim Hegwood for a very informative conversation about how you can save money from the cost of funerals! Ken and Kim discuss what a funeral negotiator does, how funeral negotiators are compensated, why families often shy away from comparing funeral prices, the biggest expense in funerals,  and he shares his experience with some of the families who saved money using his service.

Building a Financial Plan, Critically Important for Caregivers with Leslea Stock-Lopez

Did you know that caregiving can impact your finances? Leslea Stock-Lopez from Star Group Wealth Management joins Kim Hegwood to discuss why financial literacy is important for caregivers, how caregiving impacts finances, the benefits of financial planning, how to initiate these sometimes difficult conversations, and the steps to get started with financial planning.

Caregiving & The Science of Aging Well with Amanda Rees

According to Amanda Rees, “[Movement] has real therapeutic power to it. And there are little tips and strategies you can have to get the most out of movement. We like to talk about movement as medicine more than because it sounds catchy, but because we want movement to feel as accessible and inclusive as possible.” Amanda is the owner and co-founder of Age Bold, an online platform that creates personalized, science-backed programs to address health and wellbeing challenges faced by older adults. Amanda joins Kim Hegwood to discuss her caregiving journey, the link between healthy aging and caregiving, what she means when she says “Movement Is Medicine,” what caregivers should know about falls and balance, and some sample exercises to help with balance.

How ‘AgeTech’ Is Revolutionizing Care Choices with Benjamin Surmi

Benjamin Surmi from Koelsch Communities joins Kim Hegwood to talk about the new technology that can improve your life and that of a senior you know! Benjamin and Kim will discuss what “AgeTech” means, how it can help seniors, what you should have in your AgeTech toolbox, how to find and evaluate AgeTech tools, and how these tools can help someone with dementia and caregivers!

Framework for the Sandwich Generation with Christy Yates

Those in the sandwich generation can have an especially difficult time as caregivers, as they often need to balance caring for their aging parent AND their children. Christy Yates is an author and speaker who lived through taking care of her parents while balancing her job and caring for her children. Christy and Kim discuss what the sandwich generation is, how to balance care for your children and a parent, how to help your child understand what is happening to grandma or grandpa, tips for caregivers who are in the sandwich generation, and how Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) can help the caregiver.

Your Hearing and Brain Health with Dr. Carrie Raz

“How you hear is with your brain. The ear is just a tool to get the information to your brain. And what happens over time is hearing loss, as it goes down, that processing is affected. So essentially your brain, once you can’t hear, will rewire itself to find information in other methods. I like to tell my patients that generally speaking, it’s kind of like, they’re always playing Wheel of Fortune. They’re missing bits and pieces. Sometimes they get the puzzle quickly and easily. Other times they’re trying to rely on other things like context clues. So that’s kind of the connection between hearing and cognitive issues. Because if you can’t hear it, you’re going to find other methods to piece it together. And the worse the hearing loss gets, the harder it is for your brain to piece it together.” -Carrie Raz

Dr. Carrie Raz, a Houston-based audiologist, joins Kim Hegwood to discuss the risk of untreated hearing loss, the connection between hearing loss and dementia, why hearing aids are so expensive, why Medicare does not pay for hearing aids, the difference between over-the-counter hearing aids versus those provided by an audiologist, and whether it matters where you get hearing loss treatment from.

“Medicare Open Enrollment Is Starting – Why Is This Important?” with Toni King

With Medicare open enrollment right around the corner, Kim Hegwood brought in Toni King to share important information that everyone needs to know! Toni King is a Houston-based Medicare Specialist who has spent over 27 years as a top sales leader in the Medicare and health insurance fields, and has conducted her “Confused About Medicare” workshops throughout Texas and the southeastern United States. A few of the questions Kim asks Toni include:

• • What are the dates for Medicare’s Fall 2o22 open enrollment?
  • If someone is already on Medicare, why is open enrollment still important?
  • If someone joined an advantage plan and would like to switch back to original Medicare, can they do that during open enrollment?
  • What happens if someone joins an advantage plan, and later decides that they do not like it?
  • What should individuals look for when choosing a Medicare agent?

Caring for Aging Parents – When Siblings Disagree with Kimberly Best

If you tend to disagree with your sibling, you will likely disagree on some things while caring for an elderly parent, too. Kimberly Best, family mediator, joins Kim Hegwood to speak about an issue that many of her clients are facing: whether it is common for siblings to disagree on the care of an aging parent, her experience as a Registered Nurse when families are not on the same page, how disagreements can affect the senior needing care, when a family should seek outside help, how mediation is different from counseling, and how her book, “How to Live Forever: A Guide to Writing the Final Chapter of Your Life Story,” can help!

Behavioral Health and Quality of Life with Vilma Long

Vilma Long is the Clinical Practice Manager for TeamHealth in Houston, which provides primary care, wound care, and behavioral health in long-term, assisted living, memory care, and rehab facilities. She joins Kim Hegwood to discuss behavioral health and quality of life, why doctors recommend behavioral health, the difference between psychiatry and psychology, behaviors to look for that might help a loved one, how behavioral health can help a resident with memory issues, how to monitor patient progress, and whether insurance can cover behavioral health.