I had a speaking event almost 15 years ago, and the speaker before me was Honey Leveen, a Long Term Care Insurance Specialist. I am so glad I arrived early that day and heard her presentation. At the time, I had no idea long-term care was not covered by my existing insurance plan and future Medicare. Not long after that meeting, Wonder Husband and I purchased a long-term care insurance policy from Honey. I was 47 years old, and it's one of the best things I've ever done. Money was tight, but we cut back on other things with our future in mind. We don't have a large amount of savings now. We do have care waiting for us when we need it for the rest of our lives. Ask friends and family if they have long-term care Insurance and who they used to navigate the plans and pricing. There is also a link to contact Honey in this episode's description. She tells us a lot about this special insurance in the first part of this interview. The second half is a conversation we had when we stopped to grab coffee with Honey and her husband near a retirement community they have moved to in Florida - to hear more about senior living options. More and more senior living companies are finding ways to make the last years of life happy, social, comfortable, and safe. Honey Leveen educates us on how these places work on a Starbucks patio in sunny Ft Myers, Florida. We will all get older, so we might as well have as much info as possible. Bottom line - have a plan - not only where and how you will live as you age but who and how you will pay for it. Don't burden your family because of your lack of planning.  Yes, long-term care, any plan, will cost you some money. And the older you get, the more expensive it will get. But odds are you will need something - your plan should not be to burden your family with your care. Surprisingly, a third of my podcast audience is in their 20s, so I'm talking to you now. Start putting a few dollars away now for your retirement and elder care. If you do it now, you will have incredible peace of mind and quality of life later. It's up to you. Start talking about this with your family and friends. We need a much better system in the US and worldwide to care for our aging population, but until someone comes up with that plan. Last, we're just coming off Thanksgiving and heading into the holidays. If there is a caregiver you need to shop for, here are some ideas - maid service, lawn service, grocery delivery, premade meals for their freezer, or a meal service, take over for a few hours so they can get something done or have time to themselves. Send them to a nice hotel for a few nights off, and you take over the care or hire a home health service. Most importantly, say thank you, "I see you and see what you are doing and everything you are sacrificing." A little acknowledgment goes a long way, HONEY LEVEEN, LUTCF, CLTC, LTCP www.honeyleveen.com Work: 713-988-4671 Cell: 713-447-6197 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/message

Chris Alan is a longtime radio personality in the Houston/Galveston, Texas area. He also runs a very successful restaurant chain in the area - Christian's Tailgate with the best onion rings, burgers, and tacos. And he and his brother are currently losing their beloved mother to Alzheimer’s. It's not always easy for anyone to tell me their story but seems to be especially harder on men. Because Chris and I are so close, he agreed to sit down and talk to me about his current journey with his mom and his own fears. You'll also hear some scenes from the play. There are links to everything we discuss below.   Please subscribe to #survivingalzheimers wherever you listen to your podcasts. It is especially helpful for us if you subscribe to us on Spotify. Thanks! Early Signs of Alzheimer’s/Dr. William Justiz https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/episodes/Early-Signs-of-Alzheimers-e2aojn7 Houston Radio Platinum https://houstonradioplatinum.com  MOCA Test https://static1.squarespace.com/static/62aa2cf3b606f524a5f66129/t/6499aafcab8a203c2c905192/1687792380994/MOCA+test.pdf Christian’s Tailgate/Houston https://www.christianstailgate.com Mostly Chocolate https://mostlyhtx.com Book https://amzn.to/2X6byTR Donate https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/the-woman-in-the-mirror-play Play https://surviving-alzheimers.com/home#play Record a message https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/message My website https://surviving-alzheimers.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/message

Cathy Arroyo, a friend of mine, was dealing with a mom, a stepdad, and a dad who were all in different stages of dementia in different cities across the country from where she and her brother were. Someone suggested they hire a Geriatric Case Manager (GCM), something I wish I had known about for Mom. Cathy tells us what this case manager does, how you find one, and the interview questions you should ask. You can find these questions and links below. Cathy told me later that they paid anywhere from $700 to $1000 monthly for their case manager’s services. Theirs was one of the best, so there are definitely more affordable rates should you choose to go this route. You can find out more at aginglifecare.org.  And you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for more #survivingalzheimers information.  The play⁠ ⁠The book⁠ ⁠Make a tax-deductible donation VA Aid & Assistance --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/message

During COVID, I started a podcast on no particular subject just to entertain myself. One of the people I talked to during that time was Melissa Stevens, the widow of Mark Stevens. Mark was one half of one of the most famous radio teams ever, Stevens and Pruett, on KLOL in Houston, Texas, the station I was at for so long. Many fans know Mark is no longer with us, but they don’t know why. Melissa joins me to talk about Mark's journey with Alzheimer's, why many fans didn't know, and her journey as a loved one and caregiver. Melissa and I talk about family and friends who stopped coming or never came at all - and the simple things they could have done that would have made a difference. Make a tax-deductible donation to the play here If you’d like to learn more about Mark Stevens, see “Runaway Radio,” the documentary about KLOL. It’s doing the film festival circuit right now and then will be available on streaming services. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Yet caregivers still question ourselves during and after. Melissa and I both learned that you do the best you can; there is no manual for #survivingalzheimers  The play The book Make a tax-deductible donation "Runaway Radio" The clock test Melissa talks about Tell me your story --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/message

Betsy Grubbs practices law in Texas and has helped me countless times with information. She has also helped me put together and update as needed The Family Questions - questions every family should have the questions to at any time. Here are Betsy’s five most important documents to have: - Will - Statutory Durable Power of Attorney (POA) - Medical Power of Attorney (POA) - Advanced Directive (also known as a Living Will)  - HIPPA Release  *Traveling? Carry printed copies of these with you in case you can’t access the electronic versions! Make a ⁠tax-deductible donation⁠ to the play. Other documents you should have: - Military separation papers  - Marriage license - all marriages!  - Birth certificates - Death certificates - Appointed guardian document - Funeral wishes document Buy the book: Surviving Alzheimer's with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine on Amazon Learn more about the play The Woman in the Mirror here, coming to Revolution Stage Company in Palm Springs in March 2024. And, if you would like to leave a voice comment for us to use on the podcast, you can do so here on your phone. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/message

Mike McGuff lost his mother to early-onset Alzheimer's in his 20s. We talk about what that was like for a young man just starting a promising career and how it changed him and his life on the other side of this journey. McGuff is a Houston/Southeast Texas Alzheimer's Association board member and the 7th Congressional District of Texas Alzheimer's Ambassador.  Professionally he is a digital marketer, blogger, and documentary filmmaker whose first film, "Runaway Radio," a documentary about 101 KLOL (the rock radio station I was on), is currently playing film festivals. You can donate to our Alzheimer's Walk team here. Check out the Randy Pausch book and The Last Lecture that Mike and I mentioned. Both are life-changing. And, you can tell me your story or leave a message for me here or reach out to me using the contact form on our website, ⁠survivingalzheimerspodcast.com⁠. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/message

Are you starting to notice things that have you concerned about a loved one and memory loss? Is it normal forgetfulness as they age, or is it something else? Neurologist Dr. William Justiz of Aqualane Clinical Research talks to us about the difference and a plan of action if needed. Find the MOCA Test sample on our website. And leave us a recorded voice message for a future podcast here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/message

Welcome to the introduction to #survivingalzheimers with Dayna Steele, a weekly conversation by and for caregivers. Links: Tell Dayna your story or leave a comment to be used on the podcast - you can record it on your phone here Be featured in an episode as a guest - contact Dayna here Buy the book - Surviving Alzheimer's with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine Learn more - visit the website Everything else ... Join Dayna: TikTok Instagram Facebook YouTube LinkedIn --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/survivingalzheimers/message