All Posts in "Contributing Author"

What do a P-51, a concert violin, a toy train collection and an old beach cabin have in common?
All four were turned into creative gifts to charity, made in lieu of cash.

That’s right. Your favorite nonprofit might be the best place to give things you had never considered giving them, because you figured what they need most is cash to sustain their missions.

What sorts of things?  Maybe your spouse collects vintage baseballs, but none of your daughters wants to inherit them.  Maybe you inherited a beach cabin back in Minnesota, but you never use it.  Maybe you wound up with a classic Dusenberg that is gathering dust in a garage.

The best market for memorabilia is usually another collector.   If you donate them to a favorite charity instead, three good things happen.  The charity sells them for cash, you may receive a tax break, and those baseballs still wind up in the hands of someone who loves them.

Likewise, that old cabin on the lake you feel guilty for neglecting can provide a hefty gift to charity, allowing you to hang on to other assets for your own use.   This makes a lot of sense, especially when other assets have declined in value.

You also receive a subtle bonus when you turn a keepsake into a charitable gift.  If you simply sell it, you might suffer seller’s remorse.  Giving it to charity triggers a ripple effect.   That concert violin might fund a scholarship for a music student.   That vintage car might provide job training for someone struggling to find work.

Check the attic.  What you thought was part of your dusty past may have a future.

Mike Robinson is Senior Vice President of Planned Giving at United Way of Pierce County. Please consult a qualified estate planner before making a charitable gift.

Contributing Author by — October 26, 2011 in Everything Else

Blurry vision and blind spots may be more than just signs of aging-they can be indicators of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This complex disease affects more than 10 million Americans and is the leading cause of blindness for people over 50. Promising research is advancing new treatments and teaching us more about the disease, but people must take preventive measures and understand the importance of early diagnosis to protect their sight, especially as aging Baby Boomers are becoming more at risk.

Early diagnosis depends on detecting warning signs and regular visits to an ophthalmologist. A person suffering from the early stages of AMD may not notice changes in their vision. But as the disease advances, they may experience blurring in their central vision, especially during detail-oriented tasks like reading.

Doctors diagnose AMD by identifying yellow deposits called drusen that collect underneath the retina. Most people initially suffer from dry AMD, which occurs when the cells in the eye’s macula slowly break down to gradually blur central vision. Some cases of dry AMD progress to the wet form, which causes rapid, advanced vision loss because abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula and leak blood and fluid. A person seeing straight lines as wavy is a classic symptom of wet AMD.

Genetics often play a role in AMD, but the heredity link is complicated as many people develop the condition without family history of it, while those with affected parents may never suffer vision loss. A number of additional factors are associated with AMD, including cigarette smoking, bright sunlight, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diet.

The National Eye Institute conducted the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), which found that a dietary supplement containing a combination of vitamins and minerals reduced people’s risk of developing advanced AMD. The supplement is available over the counter, but should only be taken after consulting a doctor.

Studies have also linked consuming lower amounts of dietary fat to decreased chances of developing advanced AMD. Foods high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and nuts, as well as colorful vegetables rich in carotenoids may also help prevent AMD.

Current research holds promise for new AMD treatments. A biopharmaceutical company recently launched a clinical trial of a cellular therapy derived from stem cells that could preserve and restore vision of AMD patients. Another company is conducting a gene therapy human study that could be a long-lasting approach to halting vision loss from AMD, with only a single treatment. And, one company is seeking FDA approval of a therapy for wet AMD that requires less frequent treatment injections than existing treatments.

Dr. Stephen Rose is the Chief Research Officer for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing research for AMD treatments and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.

Additional AMD information is available at www.FightBlindness.org or by calling 800-683-5555.

Contributing Author by — October 26, 2011 in Everything Else

Starting a new business at age 60!  What was I thinking?  I thought I was crazy when I decided to go to law school at 45, graduating at 49.  I started practicing elder law right away in Bellingham.    Back then my friends were all talking retirement, downsizing, snow-birding, and I was entrenched in billable hours, court hearings, and all night sessions writing briefs for court.   The bonus in all that work was that I loved my work and enjoyed fighting for my elderly clients and their families every single day.   I moved to Tacoma to open an elder law practice in 2001 and have been here for 10 years practicing Elder Law.

Now at age 60, my friends are all retired, have moved to sunnier climates, and when most people start to wind down their life, I start my own law firm.  And to make it even more interesting my new partner is 32 years old.  So this 60-year-old elder law attorney (and yes, I can be my own elder law attorney now) is learning what the “cloud” is, what “virtual” is, and how in the world can you have a phone system going through your computer.

My partner, Sean Flynn, has a Masters Degree in Business and received his law degree about 1 1/2 years ago.  So he is just starting in law, although he has a lot of experience in real estate as a result of work experience and family interests.   He is somewhat of a technology whiz kid so I was not prepared for what was in store for me.

When I approached Sean to ask if he wanted to go into practice with me, one of his first comments to me was “we can have a virtual office with all our files and documents in the cloud.”  So as I sit there listening to him, I am picturing how my clients will be able to find me in the cloud or in my virtual office to come in to see me or sign documents.  I am having a hard time visualizing that happening.

My life as an attorney and paralegal (15 years prior to being an attorney) has been brick-and-mortar:  an office with a chair, desk, file cabinets and legal assistants.  You can touch your chair and files.  You can see them in front of you.  Your clients can see them.  All is well.   To me, the cloud is all “up there” somewhere.

“You see I have clients who like to see me and hug me,” I told Sean.  “They like to sit in a chair and put their arms on a table.  They like to see documents.  They are like me, they like to see and touch.”   This sounds like an old Dick and Jane Book.  I say, “I like to touch.”  Sean says, “Virtual is the way to go.”  I say, “I like to see.”  He says, “the cloud is where it is at.”

So we compromised.  I have my office with tables and chairs and some files.  I have legal assistants and computers.  But we also have an office in Seattle that is very close to virtual since the staff for that office are located here in Tacoma, the files are all on the “cloud” and the phones are run through the computer.   Even the way my clients can pay me now is changed.  The old days of checks are almost over.  My clients can now  pay their bill virtually on my iPad or my iPhone.    The funds go directly to our bank accounts.   So this old dog has learned new tricks from this young pup of an attorney.

Science is saying that in order to fight off Alzheimer’s Disease you should learn new languages or take on new learning experiences in your 60s or 70s so you form new synapses in your brain.   If that is true, I will never get that dreaded disease since I have formed so many new synapses in the past few months learning the “cloud” that I think I have rewired my entire brain.

So much has changed in the law office in just 30 years. I know that by the time I retire, law offices may be all virtual.  More and more of my clients contact me by cell phone, voice message, email, text messages or on Facebook.   The age of sit down face to face law practice is changing day by day.  But I am holding on to my desk and chair with clenched hands.  I like face to face contact.  You get more hugs that way!

Jonete W. Rehmke is a partner at Rehmke & Flynn, PLLC, 917 Pacific Avenue, Ste 407, in Tacoma, WA  98402.  She can be reached at (253) 209-0899.

Contributing Author by — October 26, 2011 in Everything Else

Aegis Lodge in Kirkland, WA.

People often put off moving their family members suffering from dementia (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Lewy Body, Frontal Lobe or other) into a residential facility for a variety of reasons that often don’t hold up under closer inspection. Here are some of the most common reasons that people wait.

Reason #1: Waiting until mom gets worse to make a move.

Many families hope their loved one will never get worse, or wait from a directive from their primary care physician or the hospital (if a crisis happened before). Yes, a move may affect mom’s memory but it will allow her to enjoy the benefits of assisted living (companionship, activities, brain stimulation, good nutrition, nursing supervision) while she still can. It will also make her transition better if in the future she needs to move to the community’s memory care because:

  • Mom may now know the staff and be less reluctant to receive care
  • Mom will have a structured routine that will minimize her fears. She will also have more of a feeling of companionship rather than abandonment.
  • Mom will have by then some familiar faces and friends who will be transitioning with her
  • Most secured memory cares have a wait list and place the community’s own residents before placing a new resident

Reason #2: Mom wants to stay home.

If  your family is able to provide in home care, this may be an option. However, six out of 10 people suffering from dementia will wander out of their homes. What will happen if your loved one leaves the home in the middle of the night?

Providing yourself with peace of mind is as important as providing for their best care.

Home care can become expensive (on average, if you are paying for seven or more hours of in-home care, you could have your loved one in an assisted living environment with all the care provided and supervision 24/7), and it doesn’t provide the interaction and stimulation a retirement community could provide.

Short-term stays are a great way for seniors to “try” a community.  In today’s era, a senior community is more like a cruise ship rather than the old-style nursing homes.

Reason #3: Mom can’t afford it.

There are several ways to pay for assisted living and memory care communities.  For instance:

  • Aid and Attendance is part of an “Improved Pension” Benefit for veterans and surviving spouses that is largely unknown.  Aid and Attendance can help pay for care in the home, Nursing Home or Assisted Living facility.
  • Long-term care insurance can pay for a nursing facility or home care, and many policies also cover assisted living.
  • Some communities may convert to Medicaid but be careful when this promise is made.

Recently I heard of a family that had been promised to convert to Medicaid if their mom did a private pay stay at their community for a minimum of 2 years. The senior has been there over a year and then the community was sold to a different ownership group who has no intention to convert to Medicaid. Not only must this type of promise be in writing but you must also investigate the stability of the group you are choosing for providing care for your loved one.

Reason 4: Mom will hate me if I do this to her.

Although a move is not an easy transition, it is better to do it when you have a choice rather than being forced to do it (like if mom goes to the E.R. and they will only discharge her to a community).

It takes between 4-8 weeks to fully transition and feel comfortable in a new environment. Transitions are definitely harder when a senior is more progressed in dementia.  A sudden change at this stage may start behaviors that some senior living communities may not accept, thereby limiting your options.  A senior housing provider who has training in memory care can help you with the transition, from sending you email updates as needed or letting you know what time of the day your parent is in a better mood for a visit.

Recognizing that your parent needs a change to remain safe or healthy can be traumatic to both of you.  The best time to talk to your parent is long before it is actually necessary.  It is important not to rush the decision and to recognize that seniors want to hang onto their independence for as long as possible even though that may not be what is best for them.  The good news is that there are options out there to help your parent get the care needed and there are people to help you with the process.  Your parent needs you whether they admit it or not.  Continually reassure them that you are there for them and always will be.  Throughout the process, keep your sense of humor and keep the communication lines open.

Sandra Cook is the Marketing Director for Aegis Lodge in Kirkland, WA.  She can be reached at (425) 814-2841.

Contributing Author by — October 15, 2011 in Everything Else