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Lorna Armstrong, Chief James Laudermilk on Emergency Preparedness, and Cris Emrich of the Dallas Arboretum

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Cris Emrich was born in Mexico City and grew up in South Texas. After finishing her degree in Austin, TX she spent fifteen years in New Orleans working in the beer industry. After 25 years of marketing to the 21-29 year old male demographic, Cris decided that she wanted to take on a new a marketing challenge. At the Dallas Arboretum, Cris is able to reach everybody from ‘womb to tomb’ by sharing the beauty and educational experiences that the Arboretum has to offer.

Having spent many years as a board member on the Council on Aging in New Orleans, Cris knows that our seniors need to stay healthy and active and she loves to share how the Arboretum can help seniors achieve those goals. The Dallas Arboretum is located at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, TX 75218 and their website is http://www.dallasarboretum.org/. Cris can also be reached by phone at 214-796-2131.

James Laudermilk is a Georgia native.  Growing up in Walton County, he volunteered at the fire department when he was 17 years old.  Two years later, the department offered him a paid position as a fire fighter.  He has been serving both Walton County and now Fulton County for the last 18 years.  James is now Crew Chief for the Sandy Springs Fire Department.  In addition to serving the public fighting fires, James and the Sandy Springs Fire Department are committed to community education through certification programs for emergency response.  Since the program’s inception, the Sandy Springs Fire Department has trained more than 100 individuals.  These programs are offered on a monthly basis and are free to the public.  For more information about the program, or to register for the City’s 911 or Swift 911 program, visit their website at www.sandyspringsga.gov.  James can be reached directly at 404-368-6490, or via email at jlaudermilk@sandyspringsga.gov.

Originally from Southern California, Lorna Armstrong was deeply impacted by a 7.0 earthquake near her home in Northridge in 1994.  Having seen firsthand what it was like to be without water, power, gas and other basic services, Lorna joined her fire department’s local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).  When she moved to Alpharetta in 1998, she joined the CERT program in that community as well.  After 25 years in the corporate world, Lorna decided to make a business out of her passion for emergency preparedness, and formed Armstrong Emergency Readiness in 2009.  The mission of her company is to prepare families for any type of emergency, whether it is a “shelter in place” emergency, or an evacuation.  She trains families, caregivers and others on what to put in the Emergency Preparedness “kit” and how to be ready to survive the aftermath of an emergency.  For more information, please contact Lorna at (404) 952-0647, or visit her website at www.armstrongER.com.

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, providers of high quality, affordable in home senior care in Dallas and Atlanta, for hosting today’s show!

A Conversation with Laura Carr, Skillman Church of Christ

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Laura Carr is a native of Oklahoma City, OK and a proud graduate of the University of Oklahoma. She is well traveled having lived in Oklahoma City, Houston, San Diego, San Francisco (twice) and Dallas (twice). Like many of us, Laura entered the senior services industry after she was affected on a personal level when her father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In 1995, Laura moved from San Francisco to Oklahoma to help her parents navigate the confusing waters of Medicare, Veteran’s Benefits and other resources. Through this personal experience (“nightmare” as she calls it) Laura recognized that there is a great need for people to help seniors find options for care.

Today, Laura provides durable medical equipment and helps seniors take advantage of the state’s Senior Telecommunications Assistance Program, which provides free phones for those that have a sight or hearing impairment. Laura is also the Senior Services Liaison for her church, Skillman Church of Christ.

Skillman Church of Christ is hosting Senior Adult Healthfair on September 29 from 10am to 1pm, and is extending an invitation to the Eugeria! Radio listening community.   Skillman Church of Christ is located at 3120 Skillman Street in Dallas.   Visit them on the web at www.skillmanchurch.org.  To contact Laura, you can reach her by phone at 214-388-0088 or by emailing her at lauracarr@prodigy.net.

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, providers of high quality, affordable in home senior care in Dallas and Atlanta, for hosting today’s show!

Eugeria! Radio Chats with Gwen Massey of Senior Care Finders and Janice Simien of Emeritus at Sandy Springs

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Gwen Massey was born and raised in Tyler, Texas. After completing her BSN at the University of Texas at Tyler, Gwen worked as nurse across many different disciplines. After experiencing the benefits of home health and hospice care firsthand with her grandmother, Gwen became a hospice nurse.  After a number of years in hospice nursing, Gwen felt the tug of entrepreneurship, wanting to provide a unique service, filling a need she observed in the senior community.  The result was the genesis of Senior Care Finder and Consultants two years ago. Recognizing that finding the proper services can be a challenge for seniors and their families, Gwen stepped in to fill this need.

With over 30 years of experience as an RN, Gwen assists seniors and their families identify their needs, helping them find the proper care and services to fit those needs. Gwen can be reached by phone at 214-546-1935 or by email at info@theseniorcarefinder.com. You can also visit their website at www.theseniorcarefinder.com.

 

Born, raised and educated in south central Louisiana, Janice Simien has spent a good bit of her career helping seniors as they transition from their own homes to independent and assisted living communities.  She started this work as the result of a friend that invited her to investigate a career helping seniors.  Today Jan is the Community Relations Director for Emeritus at Sandy Springs Place, a memory care community in Sandy Springs.  Emeritus at Sandy Springs Place is a 52 room community with four wings that provide care for residents in each of the three stages of dementia.  Jan tells us that she loves her job because she recognizes that families are delegating a very important role when they trust Emeritus with the care of their loved one.

To arrange a tour of the Emeritus campus, please call Jan at 770-650-8800.  The community is located at 1262 Hightower Trail in Sandy Springs.  You can also check them out on the web here.

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!

Dr. Amanda Mueller, Audiologist, and Larry Black, A Computer Partner

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Dr. Amanda Mueller, Au.D. grew up in Norman, Oklahoma before moving to Texas to attend Baylor University.  At Baylor, her interest in audiology developed after taking some courses in the field.  She graduated from Baylor and then completed her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) at the University of Texas at Dallas/Callier Center in 2005. During her training, she researched patient outcomes from humanitarian audiology services provided by ComCareInternational.org.  Dr. Mueller enjoys the science and technology behind the audiology field and strives to provide her patients with the best possible solution.

After practicing in a clinic for 5 years, Dr. Mueller decided to open her own house call practice “Hear at Home” where she provides audiology services in the comfort of her patients’ homes.

Dr. Mueller and her husband Bert met and married at their church and have been blessed with two precious boys and a beautiful baby girl!  Contact Dr. Mueller through her website at www.hearathome.us or by calling 855-Hear-at-Home (855-432-7284).

 

To say that Larry Black has a diverse background and set of interests would be an understatement.  Larry began his career in radio broadcasting as a way to pay for school.  He was on of the first broadcasters for ESPN!  He is also an instructor for PKA Full Contact Karate.  Larry went on to a career in information technology with a number of companies.  Then, he tried his hand at retirement.  Not content to collect shells on the beach, he opened a business called “A Computer Partner”.

Larry, as a senior himself, is attuned to the needs of seniors as they relate to computers and internet usage.  He tells Eugeria! that “change” is the largest obstacle that seniors face in becoming computer proficient.  He goes on to say that anyone, no matter their age, can learn to use a computer and the internet.  Larry provides a full range of technology services to seniors, from computer selection and set-up to repair and maintenance in the senior’s home.  For more information, contact Larry at (770) 314-2400, email him at larry@a-computer-partner.com, or visit his website at www.a-computer-partner.com.

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!

Eugeria! Radio chats with Janet Dawkins of Aging Options and Eric Sawyer, of Peacefield Wealth Solutions

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An Atlanta native, Janet Dawkins tells us she’s been working with seniors so long that she has now become one!  After attending the University of Georgia, Janet immediately began working in the senior services industry.  She spent 10 years as a case worker, and worked her way through the ranks to become a director of operations for an assisted living community.  Eight years ago, she founded Aging Options with Laurie Hamilton.  Janet’s business is comprised of two primary services:  a referral service to assist families in finding home or facility-based care, and a consulting service that provides continuing education for community staff, assistance with veterans’ benefits and family consultation and issue resolution.  Janet can be reached at (678) 30007058, via email at assist@agingoptionsga.com, or visit her website at www.agingoptionsga.com.

Eric Sawyer is a native Texan, growing up just outside of College Station Texas. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Texas A&M University, Eric went on to earn a Master’s of Science in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University, which is thought by many to be the top school in the country for this field of study.

One of Eric’s passions is to promote the need for financial literacy and to help young adults start planning their financial futures. Eric has spoken out on the need for financial education among Texas high school students. A Certified Financial PlannerTM, Eric brings experience from nationally recognized financial planning firms as well as from his time as the Director of Financial Planning for a local company. Eric has assisted a broad range of clients, including business owners and professionals, to reach their personal and professional goals. Through comprehensive financial planning, Eric helps our clients bring clarity to their personal finances.

Eric lives in Carrollton with his wife, Lisa, their twin children and dog, Sadie. Eric can be reached by email via phone 214-794-0193 or email esawyer@peacefieldwealth.com. His website is www.peacefieldwealth.com.

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!

Eugeria! Radio chats with Griswold Special Care

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Upon graduating with a Masters in Business Administration from Indiana University, Brad Culp would not have predicted that he would end up in the senior homecare industry.  Prior to acquiring the Atlanta Northeast Office of Griswold Special Care, he spent the bulk of his career in management consulting.  About nine years ago, Brad began investigating small businesses to acquire.  After a lengthy search, he and his wife Leasa found an opportunity to combine business and mission, as Ginger O’Shea, the founder of the Atlanta Northeast Office of Griswold Special Care decided to retire.  A year later, Brad opened the Dallas North Office of Griswold Special Care, now managed by Kevin Reitz and Dennie Moore.  Looking back, Brad says, “I love being in this business, making an impact on peoples’ lives every day!”

About five years ago, Brad was introduced to Sam Grass through a mutual acquaintance.  After a number of conversations about the home care business, Brad and Sam decided to team up to expand the coverage of the business to Northern Gwinnett and Forsyth Counties.  Though we try to ignore the fact, Sam was born, raised and educated in West Virginia.  Sam spent 20 years in the managed care industry before determining very deliberately that he wanted to be in the homecare business.  Eugeria! Radio has adopted Sam’s mantra as its closing for every show:  If the youth of this nation is its greatest national resource, then it stands to reason that the seniors of this nation are its greatest national treasure.”  Sam has committed his career to preserving this treasure!

To find out more about Griswold Special Care, call either Sam or Brad at (770) 908-0707, or visit them on the web at www.gscatlanta.com.

Dorotha Ocker discusses Veterans Benefits on Eugeria! Radio

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Growing up on a cotton farm in south Texas, Dorotha Ocker has come a long way!  Initially attending Texas A&M for undergraduate studies, she then attended Texas Women’s University for a Masters degree, then went on to earn a law degree from Stanford University.  Upon graduation from Stanford, Ms. Ocker took a position as a litigator for the Department of Justice in Washington DC.  Due to a family health event, she requested a transfer to Dallas to be closer to her family.   Over the course of time she started working with her father, and ultimately decided to open her own law practice.  When she discovered that her grandfather had not accessed veterans benefits that were due him before he died, Ms. Ocker became interested in helping veterans identify all the benefits to which they were entitled.  To that end, she created the Ocker Law Firm, for which she is the principal attorney.  Now she works every day to help people learn how to get the government to work for them, not against them, and she is loving it!  To find out more, call Ms. Ocker directly at (214) 390-5715 – she answers her phone!  You may also visit her on the web at www.ockerlawfirm.com.

Special thanks to the Dallas North Office of Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!

Donna Sharp and Sarah Biehl from Hope Memory Care, and Reverse Mortgage Specialist Jan McFarlane

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Jan McFarlane is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas and moved to Dallas after college to pursue a career in court reporting. She soon decided that she wanted to pursue a different path and entered in to the insurance industry.  This move quickly led her to real estate which then turned her on to the path of mortgages. Jan now has over 26 years of combined experience between real estate and mortgages, and specializes in reverse mortgages as a Reverse Mortgage Specialist.  Jan notes that she is licensed in all 50 states, and often provides services to family members from all over the country.

The best part of Jan’s job Is helping her clients take charge of their financial situation by unlocking a wealth of resources. As a senior herself, Jan enjoys interacting with her clients on a daily basis. She says that “They’ve taught me that it’s never too late to continue to enjoy life.”

When she’s not working, Jan keeps herself busy with many hobbies including her Boston Terriers, gardening and needle point. Jan can be reached by calling 214-528-3111 or 877-528-3111.

 

Originally from New Jersey, Donna Sharp has spent more than 20 years in the nursing field.   For the past seven years, she has focused on geriatrics, and has worked in a number of assisted living facilities.  She loves working with seniors, and gets real joy out of mining their wealth of knowledge and wisdom.  Donna was joined this morning my a returning (for the fourth time!) guest, Sarah Biehl.  Sarah also is drawn to seniors, and couldn’t imagine working in any other field.

In the last year, Donna became aware of Hope Assisted Living and Memory Care.  This unique community is nearing completion near the Gwinnett County Airport, just over the Lawrenceville line in Dacula.  This community, being built by George and Earl Schoepf, is committed to helping individuals with some type of dementia age in place.  The community will have four “Villages”, each focused on providing specific living arrangements for each progressive stage of dementia.  Donna is the Executive Director of the community, and Sarah is the Therapeutic Activities Director.  Both Donna and Sarah are very excited about the community, and can’t wait for the completion of construction and subsequent approval to take on residents by the State of Georgia – details on Grand Opening to follow.  To find out more, contact them at (404) 769-2166, check out their website at www.hopememorycarecenter.com, or email them at either dmsharp@hopememorycarecenter.com, or sbiehl@hopememorycarecenter.com.

Special thanks to the Atlanta Office of Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!

Randy Langford of The Edgemere, and Karen, Pat and Sandy from the Wesley Woods Senior Transitions Program

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Randy Langford is a native Texan and grew up in Dallas before becoming a pastor. Through his work in the ministry, Randy developed a great passion for seniors and a desire to see them live rich and fulfilling lives. After 25 years in the ministry, Randy entered the security business and began networking with large retirement communities. He went on to work with the Good Samaritan Foundation and has been the Administrator of The Plaza Healthcare at Edgemere for about three months.  Randy can be reached at 214-615-7045 or by emailing rlanford@edgemeredallas.com.  If you would like to drop by for a tour, the community is located on Northwest Highway between Thackery and Edgemere Street in Dallas, or visit them on the web at www.edgemeredallas.com.

Joining us today from the Wesley Woods Transitions Senior Program were Karen McMichael-James, Pat Rich and Sandy Glasser.  Karen McMichael-James is a licensed social worker originally from Philadelphia.  Pat Rich is a licensed professional counselor who fell in love with caring for the elderly while taking care of her mother.  Finally, Sandy Glasser is a licensed professional counselor, born in Germany who started her career in childhood education, but later returned to school to get her licensed professional counselor certification.

The Wesley Woods Senior Transitions Program is a comprehensive short-term outpatient program that provides support and treatment for older adults facing emotional or behavioral health difficulties.  The program meets Monday through Friday from 10 am to 3 pm.  The structured format provides medical monitoring as well as therapeutic groups and activities.  Transitions can be used as a step down from in-patient treatment as well as a program for older adults needing an intensive level of care, but not hospitalization.  For more information about the Wesley Woods Senior Transitions Program, call them at (404) 728-4776, or visit their website here.

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!

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