geriatric care manager Archives - Business RadioX ®

Difficult Clients and Placements

July 4, 2014 by Mike

Gwinnett Studio

Difficult Clients and Placements

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Christin Whiyttington, Lewis Mann, Victoria Collier, Mandy Merkel — Christin Whittington, Lewis Mann, Victoria Collier, Mandy Merkel

Senior Salute Radio brings timely information to leading edge Boomers and Seniors about issues involving care-giving and aging. Learn from both professionals and regular people going through the process with their families. Each week we will also Salute an incredible Senior.

Senior Salute Radio is presented by The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier.

Special Guests:

Mandy Merkel/Senior Resource Consulting

Senior Resource Consulting was formed to respond to the growing and critical needs of seniors and their families. Founder and owner Mandy Merkel is a licensed speech pathologist and certified professional geriatric care manager with over 30 years of experience in the rehabilitation and long term care arena. Services range from in depth assessment of current health and housing status, recommendations for long term care options, assistance with relocation from home to alternative housing options, liaison with medical and facility staff, ongoing care management and monitoring, and elder mediation services.

Their personal “hands on” involvement ensures the highest level of service, advocacy and commitment to maintaining the dignity and integrity of their clients.

Lewis Mann/Atlanta Home Care Partners (AHCP)

Atlanta Home Care Partners (AHCP) is a private duty non-medical home care agency that employs certified nursing assistants to provide one-on-one care to families so their loved ones can age in place gracefully and with peace of mind.

Christin Whittington/Energy Dancing in Balance Reflexology & Reiki

Energy Dancing in Balance was founded in 2009. It is dedicated to using energy healing to help your body de-stress, relax and relieve pain. Reflexology, Reiki, and other modalities are each just a vehicle because, in fact, the body heals itself.

Reflexology is like a foot massage — but better! Pressing on reflex areas in the feet stimulates the corresponding organs, glands and tissues located throughout the body. This promotes blood flow, moves lymph (the body’s natural cleaning mechanism), and creates deep relaxation. (There are also reflex points on the hands and ears.)

Reiki (“Divine Energy”) is a Japanese technique of “laying on hands” to reduce stress, enable relaxation and promote healing. Reiki affects energy fields that surround and penetrate the human body, and helps restore the body’s natural, balanced energy flow. (“Ki” is the Japanese form of “Chi” — the Chinese word for “energy.”)

Both these healing modalities can help lower your stress level and your blood pressure, reduce pain, and relieve anxiety.

Today’s Senior Salute goes to Helen Whittington for her independence and dedication to Aging in Place.

Therapeutic Horticulture at the Arboretum, and MyAccessableHome

January 5, 2012 by angishields

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Therapeutic Horticulture at the Arboretum, and MyAccessableHome

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Susan Morgan grew up in Tennessee where her love for horticulture started early on as her father was a horticulturalist. After graduating from the University of Tennesee with a B.S. in Horticulture, she went on to receive her M.S. in Plant Sciences with an emphasis in Public Horticulture. She recently received a certificate in Horticulture Therapy from the Horticulture Therapy Institute at Colorado State University and holds an International Diploma in Botanic Garden Education from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London England.

Susan moved to Dallas when her husband’s job was relocated and has been at the Dallas Arboretum since 2007, where she is the Senior Manager of Therapeutic Horticulture. Prior to her work at the Dallas Arboretum, Susan was the assistant gardening editor for HGTV.com and Scripps Network. If you would like to contact Susan about her Horticulture Therapy programs at the Dallas Arboretum, you can reach her at 214-515-6595 or email her at smorgan@dallasarboretum.org.

Third-time guest Dara McMillan, LMSW, grew up in New York in a family of health care professionals. She received her Masters in Social Work from Boston University, and spent more than a decade as a social worker and a geriatric care coordinator. Dara moved to the Atlanta are in 1996. In her work as a social worker, Dara often observed clients in less than “accessible” living situations – either from a furniture placement perspective, or from a structural perspective. Dara and her husband Chuck are the owners of a unique company called My Accessable Home. Though there are a few other companies in the Atlanta area that specialize in renovations for seniors and disabled adults, their business is unique in that they bring a wholistic approach to the process. This is a great benefit to their clients as they truly understand both the physical and social needs of their clients and what will be needed to make their home safe to live in as they age. Dara will be hosting a free workshop in February together with Paige Joyner of CompliancePlus regarding federal HIPAA compliance. Additionally, you can see MyAccessableHome in “A Home For All Ages” at the Atlanta Home Show in March. Dara can be reached at (404) 274-1488 or visit them on the web at www.myaccessablehome.com.

We want to thank Griswold Special Care for sponsoring today’s show. Griswold Special Care has been a preferred provider of high quality, affordable in-home senior care in Dallas and Atlanta for 20 years.

Laura Jalbert, Founder of Mindful Transitions

December 22, 2011 by angishields

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Laura Jalbert, Founder of Mindful Transitions

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Laura Jalbert is a rare Atlanta native! She earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Georgia (go Dawgs). Though Laura is a licensed clinical social worker trained in mental health, it wasn’t until an experience with a great grandmother that she knew she was meant to work with seniors. In her words, the senior community “chose her”! When her great grandmother developed an affinity with her, despite the lack of recognition of who she was, Laura knew she was destined to a career with seniors.

After graduating from UGA, Laura started her career in an assisted living community in Buckhead. She moved from their into an in-patient geriatric psych unit, then on to a private practice in a doctor’s office, where she still practices. In addition to this practice, Laura started a company in 2007 called Mindful Transitions. Mindful Transitions is focused on assisting seniors make transitions in life – whether emotional transitions due to a loss, or social transitions, due to a physical move. Her services are typically covered by Medicare or private secondary insurance. To find out more, visit Laura’s website at www.mindfultransitions.com. Alternatively, you can call her at (678) 637-7166.

Kelly Bass of Griswold Special Care, and Amy Hentschel of Senior Provisions

November 17, 2011 by angishields

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Kelly Bass of Griswold Special Care, and Amy Hentschel of Senior Provisions

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Kelly Bass is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Griswold Special Care’s Plano office. Kelly was born in New York but moved to the Dallas area when she was 4, so she’s “kind of a Texas home-grown girl”. After graduating from North Texas State and getting married and starting a family, Kelly discovered she was a natural caregiver. Kelly began by opening a Montessori school in her home and eventually opened a Kumon Math and Learning Center.

Like so many of us, Kelly’s passion for seniors grew from a family situation when her mother in law sent out an “SOS e-mail” when she needed help after a surgery. When Kelly’s brother, Doug Decoursin, approached her about opening a non-medical home care office with Griswold Special Care, Kelly jumped at the chance to help. Kelly has enjoyed learning about senior care and how the industry can help seniors live more independent and healthy lifestyles.

You can reach Kelly via e-mail at kelly.bass@griswoldspecialcare.com or by calling the Griswold Special Care Plano office at 469-277-3541. Visit the website at www.griswoldspecialcare.com.

“Show Me”! Amy Hentschel is a Show Me Girl! Born and raised in Missouri, Amy believes that actions speak louder than words. Drawn to serving seniors at an early age, Amy spent many hours during her high school years volunteering in hospitals and with hospice. After earning a degree in Communications and Mass Media from the University of Missouri, she took a job with Medicare provider and equipment distributor in Illinois, where she called on 250 long term care accounts. Spending her days going in and out of skilled care facilities, she quickly realized how much help the residents needed, and how ill-equipped many facilities were in terms of holistic treatment of their residents. About a dozen years ago Amy, finally sick and tired of Illinois winters, moved to Atlanta where she took a job with Sunrise. She loved her work there, and thought she’d be there indefinitely. About a year ago, Amy began planning for a new business that would provide support, advice and resource to the seniors she’d become so attached to. To make the transition from business development to care consultant, she created Senior Provisions, and organization dedicated to assisting seniors evaluate their needs, and find solutions to meet those needs, whether in their current home, or in a new environment. She provides expert guidance in the areas of senior living options, adult day programs, skilled nursing options, Alzheimers care, non-medical home care, support groups and financial/legal services. To find out more about Senior Provisions, visit their website at www.myseniorprovisions.com, or call Amy directly at (678) 925-0223.

Carole Larkin and Diane Grainger Chat with Eugeria! Radio

June 24, 2010 by angishields

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Carole Larkin and Diane Grainger Chat with Eugeria! Radio

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Born and raised in Rochester, New York, Carole Larkin has gradually worked her way south, through a number of career iterations. She started her career with the Welfare Department for the State of Ohio. She later became a Computer Aided Design engineer for HVAC systems in Clean Rooms. In the early 90s, Carole went to University of North Texas to get her Masters Degree in Applied Gerontology. Like many others, Carole ended up in the senior services arena through the experience of caring for a family member, in this case, her mother. Today she is the owner of ThirdAge Services, a geriatric care management consulting firm in Dallas. She specializes in helping families with Alzheimer’s and related dementias issues. She can be reached at (214) 649-1392, or visit her on the web at www.thirdageservices.com. She is also passionate about Puzzles to Remember, a non-profit organization that collects and distributes puzzles for seniors with dementia-related illnesses. Check out their website at www.puzzlestoremember.com.

A native of Alabama, Diane Grainger has been a nurse for 30 years. She spent her early years in the operating room. About twelve years ago, Diane became aware of a unique program started by Gwinnett Medical Center in 1994. This program, the Congregational Nurse Program, was designed to promote health and wellness to churches and their surrounding communities. This concept, started in the Chicago area by Dr. Granger Westberg posited that nurse involvement following a hospital stay would have a positive effect on continuing heath and wellness. Though she continue in her role at Gwinnett Medical Center, it was an idea that was tugging at her heart. About ten years ago, Lawrenceville First Baptist Church created a position for a congregational nurse. Diane applied, got the job, and has been there ever since. She loves the program, and sees her position as much more than a job – she sees it as a calling. Diane can be reached at (770) 963-5121, via email at diane@lawrencevillefbc.org, or on the web at www.lawrencevillefbc.org. For more information on Gwinnett Medical Center’s congregational nurse program, click here.

A Chat with Thom Corrigan, Sandi Thurber, Debra Herring-Gates and Jean Holley

December 17, 2009 by angishields

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A Chat with Thom Corrigan, Sandi Thurber, Debra Herring-Gates and Jean Holley

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Thom Corrigan led off today’s show representing both Metta Johnson and Associates and The Elrod-Hill Law Firm. Thom has served the senior community as a social worker and a geriatric care manager for thirty years. Though the two organizations he works with represent different disciplines within the senior services arena, both share the common objective of providing a comprehensive assessment of a client’s situation and providing solutions to meet each client’s unique requirements. Thom is active in Cobb County Services for the Elderly, Senior Services of North Fulton, and serves on the board of the Georgia Chapter of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association. Thom can be reached at (404) 791-8234, or via email at thomcorrigan@bellsouth.net. Visit the Elrod-Hill Law Firm at www.Elrod-Hillfirm.com, and Metta Johnson & Associates at www.mettajohnson.com.

Next, we spoke to Sandi Thurber, Director of Social Services at Gwinnett Extended Care Center, a subacute facility that is part of Gwinnett Medical Center’s Lawrenceville Campus. To anyone that speaks to Sandi, it is apparent that she loves her job, and is personally motivated by helping families in times of crisis and need. Educated in Sociology at the University of Southern Mississippi, Sandi began working with older adults on a part-time basis as the Activities Coordinator in a nursing home. After many years at both Meadowbrook and Delmar Gardens, she accepted her current position at Gwinnett Extended Care about four years ago. Sandi tells us that one of her key roles is as a discharge planner, and that planning begins the day a patient is admitted to her facility. Her advice to our listeners is that they should do the same, so that a family doesn’t have to make key decisions in the midst of a crisis. Sandi can be reached at (678) 312-3064, or via email at cthurber@gwinnettmedicalcenter.org. To visit Gwinnett Extended Care’s web page, click here.

Finally, we spoke to a lovely duo representing Gwinnett Hospital System’s Congregational Ministry for Health & Wellness. Debra Herring-Gates is the Congregational Health Nurse for Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church. Starting in 1996, Debra was one of the very first nurses in this unique program. Joining the program seven years ago, Jean Holley is Director for the Congregational Ministry for Health & Wellness. This program forms partnerships with faith communities to establish and support interfaith health ministries led by a parish nurse/health minister. The program supports parish nurses as they offer an array of services, including health counseling for individuals, health education for congregation and community, coordination of volunteer services, health promotion programs and support groups. Debra can be reached at her church at (770) 448-5475, or via email at dherring@hopewellmissionarybaptist.org. Visit their website at www.hopewellmissionarybaptist.org. Jean can be reached at (678) 312-2467. To visit the web page for the Congregational Health Ministry, click here.

Full House! Don Kemp, Nancy Kriseman, Renee Cook and Taryn Westmoreland

December 10, 2009 by angishields

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Full House! Don Kemp, Nancy Kriseman, Renee Cook and Taryn Westmoreland

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Don Kemp is the President of Southern Advisors Group, a comprehensive financial planning service. After 20 years of Fortune 100 experience, Don now brings his problem solving skills, business experience and client insight to families by providing comprehensive solutions to a range of financial issues, such as IRA preservation/distribution strategies, the cost of long term care and “self-completing” tax-free retirement income plans. Don brings a broad, “wholistic”, long-range perspective that helps clients make decisions now that will serve them for decades to come. Don can be reached at 678-860-4639, or via email at dkemp@brokersifs.com.

More than 15 years ago, Nancy Kriseman, President of Geriatric Consulting Services, Inc., recognized that aging adults and their families were having difficulty navigating the complex and often bewildering choices facing them as they were required to make decisions about healthcare, living arrangements, custodial care and more. Acknowledging that the amount of information available can be overwhelming, Nancy helps her clients sift and evaluate the options. Her passion is to tackle the most challenging family situations both by educating and counseling, thereby bringing peace of mind, comfort and harmony to her clients in their time of need. Nancy can be reached at 404-881-0313, or visit her website at www.nancykriseman.com.

Renee Cook and Taryn Westmoreland rounded out our line-up this morning. Renee and Taryn represent Tiffany Haggard, and Senior Lifestyle Connections. Renee’s responsibility at Senior Lifestyle Connections is to assist clients in navigating the difficult and convoluted process of applying for benefits through the Veterans Administration’s Aid and Attendance program. Renee spends a good bit of her time evaluating her clients for eligibility to the program before the application process is even started. Taryn’s role is to help families find an evaluate living arrangements that meet their physical, emotional and social needs, as well as accommodating their financial means. Taryn, Renee or Tiffany can be reached at (866) 966-6323. Visit their website at www.seniorlifestyleconnections.com.