Betsy Wurzel and Diane Carbo discuss how to avoid surprise medical bills. Betsy shares her personal story of how she received a high medical bill due to not checking whether her doctor and facility were in her insurance plan. The hosts emphasize the importance of checking your plan before going to a doctor or facility, especially with Medicare advantage plans which can be limiting. The podcast also highlights that insurance companies don't always continue to have agreements with doctors or hospitals, so it's important to do research before any medical procedure. Finally, they urge people to be ..read more

The podcast discusses the topic of driving and retiring from driving for those with dementia. Betsy Wurzel, a dementia care specialist and podcast host, shares her experience with her husband who continued to drive despite showing signs of unsafe driving due to dementia. She emphasizes the importance of family members taking personal responsibility and not being afraid to have discussions about taking away their loved ones' driving privileges. Betsy regrets not having told the doctor to tell her husband he couldn't drive and advises others to learn from her experience. The podcast also mention ..read more

The podcast discusses the concept of a death doula, an end-of-life specialist who helps individuals and their families prepare for death, the dying process, and terminal illnesses. The services offered by a death doula range from writing advanced directives to post-death care and legacy work. The holistic approach of a death doula helps people face their fears and anxiety regarding death and dying. The discussion also mentions the concept of a death cafe, a safe place where individuals can meet to discuss death, the afterlife, and other related topics with like-minded people. The podcast notes ..read more

The podcast is about the benefits of having end-of-life conversations and planning for the end of life, including the fears and concerns that people may have about the subject. The speaker discusses the benefits of being able to make decisions about medical treatments, where the loved one will be when they pass away, how end-of-life care will be delivered, and what comfort measures will be provided. The speaker also highlights the importance of honoring the loved one's last wishes to avoid guilt or regret. Strategies for initiating conversations about end-of-life planning are also discussed, i ..read more

In this podcast, Diane Carbo, CEO of My Vital Alert, shares the importance of carrying personal health information when traveling, particularly for seniors. Carrying one's specific medical information helps avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary testing, especially during an emergency situation. The personal health information should include emergency contact information, a list of doctors and their contact information, medical conditions, past medical conditions, and medication lists including prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Allergies to food or drugs should also be included. Diane a ..read more

The podcast features Kim Doviak Van Hassel, a caregiver coach, as she talks about her experience caring for her aging parents. In this episode, she discusses how her life changed after her mother fell. Kim was an only child who had been doing long-distance caregiving for her parents for a few years. Her parents were in their 80s and had some health problems, but they were managing well until her mother fell. Kim had been at their house for a few days to help them get to the doctors, and her mother fell when Kim was on the phone. Kim and her father didn't know what to do, but they eventually ca ..read more

The podcast is a conversation between Diane Carbo and Pat Deegan about bereavement, grief, and mourning. The speakers discuss different ways that people die, and how people grieve, including children, people in long-term facilities, and those who have experienced homicides and suicides. They also discuss the importance of communication with family and doctors, the impact of media and publicity, and the stigma associated with death by suicide. Pat Deegan emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and addressing the different types of loss people experience and suggests that counseling and suppo ..read more

The podcast transcript is a conversation between two women discussing the different funeral and burial options available today. The conversation is led by Alycia Martel, an end-of-life specialist, def doula, caregiver, coach, and podcast host. They discuss how traditional funerals involve embalming fluid and chemicals leaching into the ground. The alternative funeral options they discuss include home funerals, where the deceased's loved ones are in charge of the entire funeral process, and green burials, where the body is buried without embalming and in a biodegradable casket. Cremation is als ..read more

In this podcast, caregiver coach and dementia care specialist Tracey Lawrence discusses the importance of Medicare coverage for caregivers of aging parents. She mentions her private Facebook group called The Good Kids Club, which she created for adult children who don't see themselves as caregivers. Lawrence talks about a post from a member about insurance denial of coverage due to an incorrectly diagnosed systemic problem that was labeled as a dental problem. She recommends talking to a Medicare broker before choosing a particular type of Medicare to ensure the right kind of coverage for indi ..read more

The podcast discusses caregiver stress syndrome, a condition characterized by total physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that arises due to neglect of one's own physical and emotional health while caring for someone else. The conversation stresses the importance of self-care for family caregivers and likens it to the airplane safety instruction to put the oxygen mask on oneself before helping others. Women, who often put themselves last, and baby boomers caring for their parents while also raising adolescent children are particularly vulnerable to this syndrome. The podcast also highligh ..read more