All Home Care Matters

All Home Care Matters was honored to welcome Steve Ventura the Founder of USA Bio Care LLC as a guest to the show to discuss the issue of hoarding.

About Steve Ventura:

Born and raised in Northville, MI. A graduate of Northville High School. Steve attended Ferris State University on a Track Scholarship while earning a Bachelors degree in Business. After graduation Steve attended New York University earning his Masters Degree in Sports Business Management.

After 20 years in the Sport & Entertainment industry Steve’s entrepreneurial spirit couldn’t be contained and he launched two different businesses: USA Bio Care & Hoarding and Ventura Ventures Franchise Consulting. Both are based here in SE Michigan and are heavily involved with partnerships with local non-profits and the VA in Ann Arbor through their Hometown Heroes Program which hires vets when they arrive home from active duty. Steve resides in Milford, MI with his wife and two children.

About USA Bio Care LLC:

USA Bio Care LLC has three divisions: USA Bio Care which works directly with Federal, State and Local law enforcement performing Bio Hazard Remediation in homes, commercial settings and vehicles, USA Hoarding which supports individuals and families dealing with Level 1-5 Hoarding situations and USA Cleaning which is a traditional Janitorial Cleaning division that also does carpet cleaning and HVAC decontamination.

All Home Care Matters was honored to welcome Laurette Klier, Christine Droney, Elisa Bosley, and Paula Muller as guests to the show to discuss "Spirituality, Faith, & Care."

About Laurette Klier - Founder of NANA'S Books:

As the founder of NANA'S BOOKS, Laurette Klier brings a wealth of experience and expertise to elder care and compassionate communication. With a lifelong commitment to teaching and caregiving, Laurette holds undergraduate and master's degrees in speech communications and education from Boston College. A certified dementia practitioner and cognitive stimulation therapist, Laurette is dedicated to enhancing the lives of elders through innovative techniques and purposeful resources.

An Aetna fellow and teacher consultant for the National Writing Project, Laurette blends academic knowledge with hands-on caregiving experience. Her pioneering approach to re-imagining the culture of elder engagement has earned her a 2021 Maude's Award, a 2023 National Mature Media Award and a 2023 Service to Seniors Award from the National Society of Certified Senior Advisors.

About Christine Droney, LCSW, MSW, CT, MPH-C, NCTTP: Christine's journey began 3,217 miles away in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the Troubles, the war of the 1970s. Her parents bravely left everything they knew behind to pursue a life of peace and opportunity for their family in the United States. Christina has noticed the barriers to an individual’s (and their family’s) emotional, social, and cultural experiences while going through complex life events. These barriers contributed poorly to their mental health.

After years of starting a family and raising children with a bleeding disorder, she was determined to embark on a path of being part of the solution to the problem. Christine's emphasis on whole-person wellness provides a holistic treatment to your psychological well-being. Therefore, she inherently invest in the best outcome for her clients.

Christine is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Her desire to help others has pushed her to serve her community for over thirty years. She was inducted into the New Jersey Women’s Hall of Fame in 2017 for her contributions to social services and volunteerism. She has made over 400 visits to the United States Senate, House of Representatives, and legislative offices advocating on behalf of patients for much-needed change. She has a passion for education issues, brain health, Men’s, Women’s, and LGTBQIA+ health, and has worked on several nonprofit boards.

About Elisa Bosley, Chaplain:

Elisa has more than 40 years of experience leading non-denominational Christian worship services and Bible studies in both church and parachurch settings. She also has over 20+ years of experience interacting with older adults with dementia, a population she absolutely loves. (Her own father-in-law developed Alzheimer’s disease in the early 2000s, and she and her husband were intimately involved with his journey until his death in 2012.)

In 2016, she combined her spiritual-care experience with my dementia-care experience and became a licensed chaplain for elders with dementia. She serves at a long-term memory care community near her home in Boulder, Colorado. She is now caring for a parent living with dementia.

About Paula Muller, Ph.D.:

Founder of CareLink360™, brings a wealth of experience in healthcare technology, including a background in Biomedical Engineering, EEG analysis in Switzerland, Ph.D., and Post-doc work with Parkinson patients. Her career spans tech and software development roles at companies like SiriusXM, Net-Scale Technologies, and Authentidate. Paula’s vision for CareLink360™, inspired by her commitment to family bonds, aims to bring seniors and their loved ones closer together.

The Caregiver's Journal hosted by Lance A. Slatton and Denise M. Brown.

The Caregiver's Journal is the show where we are sharing the caregiving experiences, stories, and wisdom of family caregivers.

Chapter 2 - "The Path to Diagnosis":

In this journal entry, we welcomed Jesus Loreto, Sharon Hall, and Effie Parks who shared their stories and experiences on "The Path to Diagnosis".

Jesus Loreto:

Jesus is a Certified Caregiving Facilitator and member of the Patient Advocacy Council Guthy Jackson Charitable Foundation Caregiver for his beautiful wife Maria Elena who was diagnosed with Neuromyelitis Optica NMOSD (NMO) for 16 years. Jesus had been running a caregiver's support group for almost a decade and found it very rewarding to help others to navigate their diagnosis and manage their disease day to day.

Jesus believes that by telling your story you can save lives, you make people realize they are not alone. They have readjusted to their new normal, and love life. They live with NMO but NMO is not their life.

Sharon Hall:

During Sharon's 18 years of caregiving, she has navigated the medical community, the social service community, and the support community. Her husband was diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration, so she has added experience in young onset dementia.She was a care partner speaker at the Research Summit on Dementia Care and Services at the NIH in 2017.

She has also presented at the 2017, 2018 and 2019 National Caregiver Conferences. Sharon has been a speaker in many webinars on dementia. She facilitates a local support group and an online chat for care partners. She also has a podcast with a dementia expert to give families much needed information. Sharon also contributed to the “Fighting Alzheimer’s” insert in USA Today. Sharon is active in social media within the dementia community.

Effie Parks:

Effie Parks, originally from beautiful Montana, has become a guiding light in the rare disease community following her son Ford's diagnosis with CTNNB1 syndrome. Settling in Washington, she transformed her family's journey into a crusade for advocacy, support, and empowerment for families navigating similar challenges. As the host of the "Once Upon a Gene" podcast, Effie has been recognized for several awards including WEGO Health and Podcast Magazine for her impactful storytelling and resource-sharing in the realm of rare genetic disorders.

Effie extends her advocacy through speaking engagements at medical and patient advocacy conferences, sharing her experiences and insights from her work to bridge the gap between all rare disease stakeholders. Her skill in community engagement, developed through her advocacy, empowers her efforts in building a supportive network and raising awareness. With a mission to leave the world better than she found it,

Effie is dedicated to fostering a more informed and empathetic environment for those impacted by rare diseases. Her work embodies resilience and compassion, inspiring and uniting the rare disease community. Effie’s journey is not just about sharing stories, it's about driving change and creating a lasting impact in the world of rare genetic conditions.

Visit The Caregiver's Journal Official Website:

https://thecaregiversjournalpodcast.com/

Connect with Lance A. Slatton:

Official Website:

https://www.lanceaslatton.com

Official Website:

https://www.allhomecarematters.com

Connect with Denise M. Brown:

Official Website:

https://join.caringourway.com/

Conscious Caregiving with L & L is "Tackling the Tough Conversations."

The topic of this episode is on "Compassion, Kindness, & Seniors" and features an All-Star Panel.

Stephen G. Post, Ph.D.

Post’s most recent book is Dignity for Deeply Forgetful People: How Caregivers Can Meet the Challenges of Alzheimer’s Disease (Johns Hopkins University Press, May 2022). His work on caregiver ethics and spirituality has been supported by grants from the NIH National Institute on Aging and the National Institute on Mental Health, as well as the Human Genome Institute.

His writing and advocacy are recognized as the baseline for national ethics guidelines in dementia care in the United States, Canada and Japan, among others. Post’s book The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer’s Disease (Johns Hopkins University Press) was designated a “medical classic of the 20th century” by the British Medical Journal (2009), whose editors wrote, “Until this pioneering work was published in 1995 the ethical aspects of one of the most important illnesses of our aging populations were a neglected topic.” Post is recipient of the Alzheimer’s Association national distinguished service award “in recognition of personal and professional outreach to the Alzheimer’s Association Chapters on ethics issues important to people with Alzheimer’s and their families.”

Loretta Woodward Veney:

Loretta Woodward Veney is an inspirational speaker and certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator who offers a wealth of information, encouragement, and humor to her audiences. Loretta is the author of Being My Mom’s Mom, Refreshment for the Caregiver’s Spirit, and Colors Flowing from My Mind.

Kim Hamer:

Kim is the author of "100 Acts of Love: A Girlfriend's Guide to Loving Your Friend Through Cancer or Loss," an invaluable must-have life guide offering practical tips to support employees or friends experiencing life’s little “hiccups.” As a captivating speaker, Kim’s stories empower audiences to navigate the complexities of life, fostering a culture of compassion and resilience in both personal and professional spheres.

Cyndy Luzinski:

Cyndy Hunt Luzinski is an advanced practice nurse with a nursing background which ranges from critical care to community case management. In honor of her dad who experienced dementia, she founded and serves as executive director of Dementia Together, a nonprofit organization in Northern Colorado which offers education, enrichment, and hope, while cultivating joy and building stronger connections for people living with dementia, their care partners, and the community. As the first SPECAL (pronounced “speckle”) practitioner in North America, Cyndy is leading the way to share the simple, positive, UK-originated SPECAL Method with anyone who wants to learn how to make living well with dementia the expectation, not the exception.

Lance A. Slatton and Lori La Bey thank you for joining them for another episode of Conscious Caregiving with L & L where they are "Tackling the Tough Conversations"

Visit Lori La Bey's Official Website:

https://www.alzheimersspeaks.com

Visit Lance A. Slatton's Official Website:

https://www.lanceaslatton.com

Visit All Home Care Matters' Official Website:

https://www.allhomecarematters.com

All Home Care Matters is helping to shine a light on the importance of the arts in the dementia space.

We are honored to welcome three instrumental individuals who are helping to incorporate the arts into dementia care and the dementia space. The members of this esteemed panel of guests are Alexis Baker, MT-BC, CDP who is founder of Bridgetown Music Therapy, Laurette Klier founder of NANA'S Books, and Dr. Marc Rothman founder of Dementia Spring and the CEO of Lizzy Care.

About Alexis Baker, MT-BC, CDP - Founder of Bridgetown Music Therapy:

Alexis Baker is a board-certified music therapist of 10 years and owner of Bridgetown Music Therapy, which she founded in 2017. She is passionate about using music to make a difference in the lives of older adults, especially those living with dementia.

About Laurette Klier - Founder of NANA'S Books:

As the founder of NANA'S BOOKS, Laurette Klier brings a wealth of experience and expertise to elder care and compassionate communication. With a lifelong commitment to teaching and caregiving, Laurette holds undergraduate and master's degrees in speech communications and education from Boston College. A certified dementia practitioner and cognitive stimulation therapist, Laurette is dedicated to enhancing the lives of elders through innovative techniques and purposeful resources.

An Aetna fellow and teacher consultant for the National Writing Project, Laurette blends academic knowledge with hands-on caregiving experience. Her pioneering approach to re-imagining the culture of elder engagement has earned her a 2021 Maude's Award, a 2023 National Mature Media Award and a 2023 Service to Seniors Award from the National Society of Certified Senior Advisors.

About Dr. Marc Rothman CEO of Lizzy Care & Founder of Dementia Spring:

Dr. Rothman is a physician executive with deep experience in home- and community-based services for older adults, physician practice management and clinical operations, value based care and Advanced Alternative Payment Models, regulatory affairs, quality improvement, and post-acute and long-term care.

Dr. Rothman is the Chief Executive Officer of Lizzy Care, a new model of Dementia Care Management that provides the people, technology and resources needed to keep those with Alzheimer’s and dementia safe and vibrant at home.

Founded in 2022, Lizzy Care services clients in the New York, New Jersey and southern Connecticut area. Prior to Signify Dr. Rothman served as Senior Medical Officer at Aspire Healthcare where he led the nationwide provider network, the Aspire TeleHealth palliative care service line, as well as all centralized telephonic care services. Before Aspire he was the Chief Medical Officer of Kindred Healthcare, Inc., at that time the nation’s largest provider of integrated post-acute care services with over 2,400 locations in 45 states. There he led the medical affairs division and held responsibility for physician engagement, quality, patient experience and pharmacy services. Kindred acquired Gentiva Health in 2015, and was then taken private and sold to the Humana/Welsh/TPG consortium in 2018.

Prior to joining Kindred, Dr. Rothman directed post-acute medical services at the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center and practiced geriatric, post-acute and palliative medicine with the Permanente Medical Group. Dr. Rothman is the founder of the Dementia Spring Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that supports visual and performing artists who are portraying dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in a new light through their work. He currently serves as a Director for the Mission Healthcare Corp. in Southern California, with the Vistria Group, and until recently was a Director for the Healthdrive Corp., which was acquired by Cressey and Co. in 2023.

All Home Care Matters is honored to welcomeMiriam Allredthe Head of Partnerships &Dan Ogrenthe Head of Design fromCareswitch.

AboutMiriam Allred:

Miriam Allred is the Head of Partnerships at Careswitch, the first AI-powered home care agency management software. Prior to working at Careswitch she worked at Home Care Pulse, where she led partnerships, launched and hosted Vision: The Care Leaders’ Podcast, and managed events such as the Home Care Growth Summit. When she’s not working you can find her cycling, rafting, or cross-country skiing with her husband Daniel.

AboutDan Ogren:

Dan Ogren is a designer and entrepreneur with 8+ years of experience creating visually compelling brands, experiences, animations, interactions and systems. He has worked in-house with Fortune 500 companies (adidas, IBM) and for world-class design consultancies (frog) designing B2B and B2C software solutions for health care, financial services, oil and gas, IT services, e-commerce and agriculture. Dan also co-founded Rappora, a software company providing non-medical home care agency management solutions, designed to simplify office work, reduce risk and improve the quality of care.

AboutCareswitch:

Careswitch is the first AI-powered home care agency management system. Its platform uses generative AI to speed up administrative work within a home care agency—saving time for administrators, ensuring better information and communication with caregivers, and ultimately improving quality of care for care recipients.

All Home Care Matters was honored to welcome the founder of NANA'S Books, Laurette Klier as guest to the show. About Laurette: As the founder of NANA'S BOOKS, Laurette Klier brings a wealth of experience and expertise to elder care and compassionate communication. With a lifelong commitment to teaching and caregiving, Laurette holds undergraduate and master's degrees in speech communications and education from Boston College. A certified dementia practitioner and cognitive stimulation therapist, Laurette is dedicated to enhancing the lives of elders through innovative techniques and purposeful resources. An Aetna fellow and teacher consultant for the National Writing Project, Laurette blends academic knowledge with hands-on caregiving experience. Her inspiring perspective on re-imagining the culture of engagement goes beyond cognitive stimulation, to soul and spirit-tending, connecting care partners in all phases of life. About NANA'S Books: NANA’S BOOKS® is a treasury of nostalgic companion books. Mindfully designed to support older adults living with brain changes and their communities of care, we honor the individual through dignified reading and compassionate sharing. NANA’S BOOKS pair vintage literature and art with sensitivity and intention to elicit fond reminiscence and eased conversation. Grounded in faith and identity, our print and voice-enabled digital libraries affirm personhood and soothe the spirit. NANA’S BOOKS are for soul-tending. Our adaptive formats, hyper legible fonts and considerate layouts make visiting comfortable by enabling readers to savor books and good company once again.

The Caregiver's Journal is the show where we are sharing the caregiving experiences, stories, and wisdom of family caregivers. Hosted by Denise Brown & Lance A. Slatton of All Home Care Matters Chapter 1 - "Diagnosis Day" In this journal entry, we welcomed Bruce McIntyre and Roberta Carson who shared their experiences from their "Diagnosis Day". Bruce McIntyre: Bruce is the author of Receiving Peace, Thrive Anyway, Parkinson Positive, Graceful Transitions and Resilient Life. He serves as the CEO of the Oklahoma Parkinson’s Alliance. Bruce shares his expert guidance and warm humor with thousands of people each year. As a caregiver for his wife since 2004, Bruce understands the world of chronic illness and caregiving. Roberta Carson: After the death of her teenage son from brain cancer, Roberta started The ZaggoCare System , a nonprofit organization, to provide information and tools to help others better manage illnesses and injuries. Zaggo enables patients and families to become empowered, engaged, effective members of their medical teams to help them receive the best care possible. With an easy-to-use guidebook and organizational tools, the unique, award-winning ZaggoCare System helps patients and families through every step of a healthcare journey. Additionally, the Zaggo blog provides practical information to help patients and family caregivers navigate the medical world. Visit: https://www.thecaregiversjournalpodcast.com

All Home Care Matters is honored to welcome Amit Shrivastava as guest to the show to discuss his new revolutionary platform for helping families find and hire caregivers.

Amit is co-founder and CEO of GoInstaCare. Before starting GoInstaCare, he owned a successful Home Care Company in Chicago, which he and his wife started from scratch and made it extremely successful.

Unfortunately, they had to sell their company because of their son’s health as his body was not liking the cold and they moved to Austin, Texas a few years ago.

Conscious Caregiving with L & L is "Tackling the Tough Conversations."

The topic of this episode is on The Bureaucracy of Care & Seniors" and features an All-Star Panel.

Amy D. Spring; Owner/Founder, Wise-Transitions:

Amy Spring, the guiding force behind Wise-Transitions, is a physical therapist with a passion for improving the caregiving landscape. Her professional journey spans over 30 years in diverse healthcare leadership roles, including home care agencies, hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities.

A graduate of D’Youville College in Buffalo, NY, Amy's rich experience provides her with an invaluable understanding of the healthcare system's regulations, dynamics, and potential blind spots.

Donna de Villiers - Dementia Prevention Consultant, Vivira Brain Health:

Donna de Villiers is a Dementia Prevention Consultant. She helps daughters and granddaughters of people living with Dementia prevent the disease by balancing hormones, building beautiful brain health habits, and tweaking lifestyles. With two thirds of Dementia cases being women, it's time to really start digging into what we can do to reduce the risk factors of this disease! Donna started working in Health and Social Care here in the UK in 2007 and after many roles, and many qualifications. She built her business to help combat disease and give quality of life back to people.

Longevity isn't fun without the quality of life to go with it. The mission of Vivira Brain Health is to help reduce the tripling figures of Dementia diagnosis, and support as many women as possible in their pursuit to live full, healthy, and happy lives.

Malika Moore – Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Founder of Aging & Amazing®:

Malika Moore, MSW, LICSW, LCSW-C, is an Aging Life Care Professional™ and also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

Ms. Moore founded Aging & Amazing®, a company that strives to support older adults, caregivers, and the networks that surround them. Her niche and life mission is ensuring care and interaction with older adults is more than a checkbox.

Ms. Moore has over a decade of experience as a professional, clinician, public speaker, and business owner and has a genuine passion for older adults and caregivers. Her work in behavioral health, community education, and healthcare have prepared her for her current venture of serving the aging population, family caregivers, and professionals who specialize in aging.

Malika is a leader who enjoys uplifting and inspiring others. Ms. Moore was recognized and awarded the 2022 Aging Life Care Association "Rising Star" award. She also serves as a board member for All Home Care Matters and Home Care Partners. Malika holds dearly and values her family and friends and is personally invested in ensuring we all know that it is possible to live and be Aging & Amazing®!

Mary Farquhar Family Caregiver:

Mary Farquhar started as a colleague to her husband, Roger Fisher when he was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment in October 2018. As Roger’s disease progressed to Alzheimer’s, Mary reluctantly promoted herself to CEO of Roger Fisher’s Care.

Dr. Anne Kenney - Geriatrician and Palliative Care Physician, Author and founder of Together in Dementia:

Anne Kenny, MD is a geriatrician and palliative care physician, author of Making Tough Decisions about End-of-Life Care in Dementia and Founder of Together in Dementia - an educational/informational blog/coaching/course platform with a mission to provide physician-informed approach to care from someone who has also traveled the dementia journey.

Dr. Kenny has a new book co-authored with Teresa Webb, woman living with and advocate for Frontotemporal Dementia. The book, Your True North: A Guided Journal for Those Living with Cognitive Loss or Dementia about Legacy, Love and Wishes for the End of a Life Well-lived, will be available in the fall.

Tracy Cram Perkins, Author:

Tracy Cram Perkins, is a four-time dementia caregiving survivor with sixteen-years of experience caring for four family members with dementia. She is the author of Dementia Home Care: How to Prepare Before, During, and After. Dementia Home Care is the 2022 Chanticleer (pronounced chant-ih-clear) International Book Awards (CIBAs) winner for Instructional and Insightful How-To Manuals.

It is Tracy's mission to supply caregivers with proven shortcuts to reduce the stresses of dementia care. She teaches hands-on solutions for reducing repetitive questions, melt downs, and wandering. She includes tips using simple, inexpensive fixes found at hardware and office supply stores.

All guests contact information and links are available on the official website of Conscious Caregiving with L & L:https://consciouscaregivingll.com/

Thank you for joining your co-hosts Lori La Bey and Lance A. Slatton for another episode of Conscious Caregiving with L & L where we are "Tackling Tough Conversations"