On Life With Helen

If you think about where you would like to spend the final years of your life, you most certainly won't pick an eight-by-ten room in a building living with a bunch of strangers and having to report for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yet somehow, society pushes us to believe it is an ideal place for older adults. 

In this episode, I'm talking with Renée Balcom, Professional Healthcare Advocate, Founder and CEO of Renée & CO, Keynote Speaker, and Author. Today, Renée helps us understand how we can offer the best environment to our loved ones in their final years. 

Listen to episode 39 of On Life With Helen to learn from Renée how to avoid the predatory side of the adult care industry, what options exist to offer our loved ones the best care, and why it is crucial not to react during a crisis. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• The things we like don't change after we age (2:34)
• A bit about Renée's background and history in the healthcare industry (5:16)
• The dark side of the adult care industry (9:13)
• What is aging in place? (23:57)
• The benefits of multigenerational environments (26:40)
• What questions should you ask when hiring adult care (33:56)
• Try not to act in crisis (46:15)

Connect with Renée:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

Let's Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How many things did you do despite being scared this year? 

In this episode, I'm talking about the fears conquered, the accomplishments, the chances of being brave I didn't waste in 2022, and my expectations and vision for 2023. As we get closer to the final sprint of the year, a year I used to clean my plate, mentally and physically, I take time to look back and give myself some grace for every box on my to-do list I checked. Today's show is also an invitation for you to do the same. 

Listen to episode 38 of On Life With Helen and learn about what you can expect from this podcast in 2023 and my three main goals for next year. I also encourage you to plan what you want to achieve in your personal life and business and, most importantly, allocate time to relax and enjoy your achievements. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• The universe rewards the brave (2:21)
• You can find things to be brave daily (2:50)
• It's time to congratulate yourself for being brave (5:01)
• My gratitude for having Jackie Martinez in my life (10:59)
• My three big goals for next year (14:52)

Resources mentioned:

• Jack Canfield website

Let's Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The holiday season is usually a time for reflection, planning, and, quite often, feeling awful after overeating and experiencing food coma symptoms. 

In this episode, the lovely Jen Livengood visits us again to share five hacks to take care of your health during the holidays that'll help you keep your mental and physical health on track. As an experienced registered dietitian and functional nutritionist, Jen brings answers to some of the most common doubts and difficulties we might find during the end of the year's celebrations. 

Listen to episode 37 of On Life With Helen to learn how to deal with the little devils that sit on your shoulder and ask you to ignore what your body says and keep eating. Jen teaches us how to enjoy the holidays' whole experience, prepare to eat less and still indulge ourselves, limit sugar consumption, set achievable goals, and so much more. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• A bit about Jen's expertise and how she helps people (2:03)
• Savour the holidays spirit (3:02)
• How eating before you eat helps you keep yourself in line (6:35)
• Always start with the veggies first (8:34)
• The importance of being aware of sugar consumption (13:08)
• Why it is crucial to set achievable goals (18:03)

Resources Mentioned

• Liven the Good Life website 
• Episode #33 - Jenn Livengood - Taking Your Health Into Your Own Hands

Connect with Jenn:

• Instagram

Let's Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You already learned why retention is so important and how to implement the stickiest plans to make it happen in parts one and two. Now it's time to find out your options to fund that commitment. 

In this episode, in the third and last part of this series on employee retention with Trevor Patching, you'll learn the best options to fund your retention plans and how to recognize the right approach based on your company's size and projection. 

Listen to episode 36 of On Life With Helen and find out why most companies fund their retention plans with life insurance, how they manage to get back every dollar and some profit, and why you should consider having multiple policies as an asset. Trevor also explains why there is no one-size-fits-all solution for companies, the magical advantages of premium financing, the best moment to get premium financing, and much more. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Why is life insurance the preferred vehicle to fund retention plans for most companies (3:08)
• How most life insurances work and why they are so helpful (4:48)
• A bit about other funding strategies (11:12)
• What is premium financing, and how it works (16:27)
• There is no one-size-fits-all solution (22:09)

Connect with Trevor:

• Website
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 561-523-3947

Let's Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If a recession or any other external factor forced you to shrink your company by 30, 40%, or even half, who are the employees you should retain to keep the lights on? 

This week, on the second episode of this three-part series on employee retention with Trevor Patching, we talk about the best ways to solve retention issues and put in place a plan sticky enough to make employees decide to stay with you. 

Listen to episode 33 of On Life With Helen to learn about the questions you must ask yourself before figuring out a plan to keep your mission-critical employees around. Trevor goes through the key elements you should have in mind before creating a plan, which employees you should aim for, and how to turn their rewards more attractive. He also shares real-world examples of how some companies deal with their retention issues, explains how additional bonuses for retirement work, and much more. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Why should you focus on your mission-critical employees? (2:49)
• How to deal with employees that are more valuable than others (5:55)
• Bring the time horizon of the benefits closer (8:52)
• When is the right time to start funding your future obligations? (13:01)
• What is a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP), and how it works (16:33)

Connect with Trevor:

• LinkedIn

Let's Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The post-pandemic scenario brought a massive change in employee retention with it. The different career path options, the hybrid work models, and the starring relevance of mental health at work created a war for talent. Employees happily jump between jobs, and companies break their heads trying to figure out how to attract talent.  

In this episode, I'm talking with Trevor Patching in the first of a three-parter series on employee retention. Trevor is the President of Asset Wealth Management. After a successful career in Asset-Based Lending, he now provides guaranteed risk-free programs, specializing in annuities, life insurance, and long-term care to protect retirees and business owners from the financial risk of outliving their assets or dying too young. 

Listen to episode 34 of On Life With Helen to dip your toes into how to identify the need for employee retention out there and how it is equally affecting white and blue-collar business owners. Trevor explains what companies should think of to differentiate themselves and attract talent, what kind of talent they should focus their efforts on, and how employee retention affects skilled labor. Plus, we delve into the insurance agency, how business owners can benefit from it, and much more. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• A bit about Trevor and his background (2:09)
• What kind of employees are the ones we want to keep (4:48)
• The end of the participation trophy era (7:44)
• What is an insurance agency (12:17)
• How does retention affect skilled labor workers (16:07)

Connect with Trevor:

• LinkedIn

Let's Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether it is for lack of time to prepare meals or seeking quick dopamine hits, we rely more and more on processed food, which not only lacks essential nutrients but also takes a toll on our health. Recent studies show that at least 88% of American adults have some kind of metabolic issue. 

In this episode, we welcome Jenn Livengood, who invites us to look differently at what we put in our bodies. Jenn is a registered dietitian and functional nutritionist passionate about helping people incorporate healthy lifestyle habits with the sole purpose of assisting them to experience lasting changes and increased longevity. She loves running and being outdoors and is turning her 4 acres into a farm. He also uses part of her barn to offer aerial fitness and skills classes and homesteading workshops. 

Listen to episode 33 of On Life With Helen to learn about the long-term issues of poor eating habits, the importance of dealing with root causes instead of symptoms when dealing with eating disorders, and what happens in our bodies when we overeat sugary carbs. Jenn also shares simple life hacks to deal with food cravings, explains why we feel hungry after eating certain foods, and much more. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• A bit about Jenn and her background (3:04)
• The essential role of motivation and goals to implement life-changing habits (6:10)
• The tricky ways of diabetes to hide itself for years (10:02)
• 95 pounds of sugar per year in the average American diet (14:15)
• Eat your food in the right order (24:46)
• Choose savory over sweet (31:12)
• Slow and steady wins the race (37:51)

Resources Mentioned

• Liven the Good Life website 
• Book: Jesse Inchauspe - Glucose Revolution: The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar

Connect with Jenn:

• Instagram

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With virtual healthcare tools increasing, human connection and speed to care remains vitally important when it comes to the healthcare experience. 

In this episode, I am joined by Lisa Hutcherson. She is a National Account Director at SUMMUS Global, a platform that empowers families through direct access to a  virtual network of leading specialists across 48 leading hospitals. Lisa’s previous experience includes growing and developing teams across the US in financial services, retail and other dynamic sales organizations before her journey to working within the technology channel of employee benefits.  She has spent the last 18 years at Aflac as an associate, DSC, RSC, BDC and Group Rep. 

Listen to episode 32 of On Life With Helen to learn about how SUMMUS Global is changing the landscape of virtual health care for employees. Lisa talks about how SUMMUS is different from the other telehealth options, stories from her own personal healthcare experiences, what the different plan options are with SUMMUS, and how they are prioritizing speed to care. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Lisa’s career background (2:15)
• How SUMMUS sets themselves apart in the telehealth industry (6:14)
• Lisa’s personal telehealth experience (16:43)
• The plan options for SUMMUS (19:44)
• How SUMMUS focuses on speed to care (25:00)
• Ways that SUMMUS drives engagement (30:34)

Connect with Lisa 

• LinkedIn
• Website

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What changes are being implemented in Medicare? 

In this episode, I am talking with Rosamaria Marrujo. Rosamaria has been a true pioneer in the field of Medicare for over 20 years. Throughout her career, she has supported over 6,000 agents nationwide through her GA/FMO based out of California. Rosamaria Marrujo, of Trusted American Insurance Agency, is the current CAHU/CAHIP Medicare Chair, and local Northern California SAHU Chapter President. In addition to being a leader in the Medicare Industry, Rosamaria is also a sought after speaker and she has spoken at more than 200 Medicare-related conferences, 800 educational sessions, and 50 in-depth two-day seminars.

Listen to episode 31 of On Life With Helen to learn about the upcoming changes in Medicare for 2023. Rosamarie talks about why she decided to pursue a career in the insurance industry, upcoming changes for Medicare eligibility, what the options are for people with chronic diseases, updates that employers and employees need to know, and so much more. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• How Rosamaria got into the insurance industry (3:34)
• What’s coming up in 2023 for Medicare (7:00)
• Upcoming changes in Medicare eligibility (10:39)
• Big changes in Medicare for 2024 and 2025 (25:45)
• Rosamaria’s recommendations for listeners (31:10)

Resources Mentioned

• Medicare 2023- Premium – Deductible Update Link.

Connect with Rosamaria 

• LinkedIn

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you have a list of things that you have to do but they continue to pile up?

In this episode, I am talking about how I have made changes in my life throughout this year that have allowed me to make room for exciting changes. Back in January, I made a list of personal and professional things that I wanted to tackle. I went through and wrote down commitments that weren’t serving my goals anymore and personal items that I have been putting off. You will hear in the episode what the specific things were on this list, how I successfully tackled it, and what my recommendations are for you to do the same. 

Listen to episode 30 of On Life With Helen to learn how I have let go of previous commitments, taken action towards my goals, and created room in my life for new projects that I am so excited to work on in this next chapter of life!

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About the list I created back in January (1:59)
• The list of things I had put on the back burner in January (2:57)
• About the two new projects that I’m excited to work on (7:52)
• My recommendations for how to approach the rest of the year (8:11)

Let’s Connect!

• Email
• LinkedIn
• Website - Ornellas Insurance
• Facebook  Page - Ornellas & associates insurance services
• Facebook Profile Helen Ornellas Lanham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.