Podcasts about who moved my teeth

There are some people who can take the most difficult situations and find the humor in them. Cathy Sikorski is one of those people. I met her several years ago at a midlife bloggers association meeting and became an instant admirer. She's written a blog for years dedicated to examining the hard and hilarious life of caregiving, which she's done herself for the last twenty years. In addition to that, she's a practicing  dealing largely in Elder Law and in today's episode, has all kinds of personal and professional/legal advice to pass on to you. She's the author of several books, the first being “Showering with Nana."  Today we're going to discuss two more that outline very eloquently how to talk to your loved ones about their end of life plans – or what needs to happen when dementia is in the picture: Who Moved My Teeth and Twelve Conversations: How to Talk to Almost Anyone about Long-Term Care Planning. Not the most “fun” conversation to have – but vital ones. Our Advertisers Links!  Click HERE for the NEW fabulous offer from AG1 - with bonus product with your subscription! You can hear more about this and many other topics by listening to my podcast, SelfWork with Dr. Margaret Rutherford. Subscribe to my website and receive my weekly newsletter including a blog post and podcast! If you'd like to join my FaceBook closed group, then click here and answer the membership questions! Welcome! My book entitled Perfectly Hidden Depression is available everywhere and you can order here! Its message is specifically for those with a struggle with strong perfectionism which acts to mask underlying emotional pain. But the many self-help techniques described can be used by everyone who chooses to begin to address emotions long hidden away that are clouding and sabotaging your current life. And it's available in paperback, eBook or as an audiobook! And there's another way to send me a message! You can record by clicking below and ask your question or make a comment. You'll have 90 seconds to do so and that time goes quickly. By recording, you're giving SelfWork (and me) permission to use your voice on the podcast. I'll look forward to hearing from you! Episode Transcript Speaker 1: Well, you and I have known each other, Kathy, gosh, for 10 years. Maybe a Speaker 2: Long, I, I know a long time. We've grown up a lot in the years that it's been, so I'm gonna go Yeah. A long time Speaker 1: . Yeah. A long time. Well, I think I met you, uh, when we were all meeting at Midlife Boulevard and that kind of thing. Right? Right. Speaker 2: Yep. That's what I remember in that, in Nashville, I'm gonna say. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Speaker 1: That huge hotel ...Yeah. It was great. And I have loved your work since, um, tried to have you on as one of the first guests of self-work, and I had no idea what I was doing technically, and I botched it, and I practically was in tears and said, I'll have to have you back on. And six years later, here we are, Speaker 2: , hey. But you know, a lot has happened in six years, and honestly Right. This is the universe because now is a really good time for us to talk. Yes, I have, and you have refocused our work many times. Right. And the refocus has helped us be better, um, Sherpa's for people in women especially, but people, uh, in what we're trying the message that we're trying to get out. Right. And so, I'm happy that it took six years. I, I, I, yeah. Really am, because I'm better focused about what I wanna say. Speaker 1: Well, you are incredibly kind. Your first book that I read was showering with Nana. Yeah. And I, it brought tears to my eyes, and I, I just loved that book. Speaker 2: Speaker 1: Well, for those of you who don't know, Kathy Sikorski's work, basically, I mean, she's, she's gone. And I want you to tell your story, but you've gone from being someone who was caring for a lot as I understand it, gone from a family member, a friend who was caring for a lot of people who were getting older and having those kinds of problems to then you earned your elder law degree and, and really have changed your whole life. And so I greatly admire that because it's, it's something where you have said, let me take what life has given me and then be able to have the experience on a lot of different levels, both personal and professional, so that I can really help other people. And I wanted you on, because I think this is so important, um, that we talk about, um, elder care and, um, everything you talk about, you have two new books, uh, that you sent fairly New, who Moved My Teeth, which I, after I read this, I peppered my husband with questions about, do we have that? Do we have this, do we have this? Um, and then I, I read until about 10 30 last night, uh, 12 conversations, how to talk to almost anyone about long-term planning. And so I have both of those books here with questions. Uh, so tell us a little bit about your story first. Speaker 2: So, so, yeah. I'm so happy that you brought up the fact that my life, what happened in my life, really informed and changed the way I decided to have a career. Yeah. Because I think, especially women, we get very feeling trampled down about what life is throwing at us and how we can't go do the thing we thought we wanted to do, or what we should be doing, or how we thought life should let us do this. That's right. Thing. Right. We feel very trampled by, by caregiving, by caring for our children, our parents, our, our, our spouses or whatever. And yet, it's an expectation that right or wrong, and a lot of times wrong, comes with just being a female, right? Mm-hmm. . Speaker 2: And so, I, I, I became a caregiver for eight different family and friends over the last 30 years. And honestly, this is a job for me that happened out of certainly love and respect for people in my life. My grandmother, my aunts, my, you know, my very good friend who fell down a flight of stairs and had no one to care for her, and had a traumatic brain injury. My brother-in-law, my sister passed away, and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the worst possible kind. And so I became his primary caregiver. So my only point being about that, that you made, which was, there were times when I was mad about that. Like, this isn't what I wanna be doing. This isn't what I think my life is supposed to be about. Right. I have dreams, I have aspirations. And it turns out that that's exactly what my dreams and aspirations were all about. It was taking my life experience and turning it into the person I wanted to be, which was this speaker, author, educator about something really important that I learned that I could share with people to help make their lives better. Speaker 1: Was that even close to anything that you had predicted or dreamed or wondered about that maybe that's the direction your life would go? Was it anywhere close? Speaker 2: No. Well, I didn't know it, but yes, because here's the thing. I wanted to be an actress. Okay? I was a theater major in college , um, for a couple years. And then I realized two things. I had a boyfriend. I couldn't spend any time with him, and I didn't, wasn't sure I could make any money being an actress, right? It, it, it's the poor girl's way to, to go about it. Maybe, I don't know. Lots of people make money and lots of money, but, so then my other dream was to be a lawyer, which is exactly what I did. Um, but in my mind it was the, the Clarence Darrow, the, you know, the big trial lawyer who's gonna save and help people by, you know, making these great trial things where, like you see on television the big surprise ending, whatever, all of which, of course has an acting component to it. May I add, right? Speaker 1: ? Of course. Speaker 2: So what that means for me, really what that meant for me is two things. I really wanted to help people, and I wanted to be in front of audiences in some fashion, right? Mm-hmm. and Margaret, that's exactly what I do. Wow. That's exactly what I do. Exactly. Speaker 1: Yeah. Wow. Mm-hmm. , it's giving me goosebumps. Speaker 2: Me too. . Speaker 1: And that's, you know, how when you say you got angry about it, it, it's, I mean, that's a lot of people to be primary caregiver for. Speaker 2: Yeah. . Speaker 1: So, I mean, can you tell us a little bit about, was there no one else? Did you just do it better than everyone? And you knew you did, did you, was it just everybody? That's the way your life turned out. Speaker 2: Everybody in your audience probably is a caregiver on some level, let's be honest. Mm-hmm. and, and, and the caregiving, you know, like I say, the joke is the train comes to my door and stops and everybody gets off. I mean, two things happened. Number one, like my grandmother in that book, my first book Showering with Dana, she came to live with me. And I had a two-year-old at the time. Mm-hmm. , so had a 92 year old and a Speaker 1: Two year, which is a hilarious book, by the way. Speaker 2: Thank you. They were, they definitely wanted to, you know, gang up on me and see what they could do, get away with it, Speaker 1: , Speaker 2: And it worked a lot. Um, but they, but that experience then led to, you know, other family members both on my side and my husband's side needing care. And as I'm doing this, as you remarked, I, I was a, I was a small town lawyer at the time mm-hmm. mm-hmm. . And as I started to formulate my practice around elder law, which is really kind of a new area of law, it is not, it is not the ancient law of, you know, criminal law and trial law, and even a state law, which goes back hundreds of years. Elder law is new because it's, it's about Medicare and Medicaid and nursing homes and, you know, things that have been growing and growing and growing during our lifetime. Mm-hmm. . But I needed to know this stuff cuz the people I were take, I was taking care of were old people. And then I was taking care of not so old people, but who were also in a system of Medicare and Medicaid because of their illnesses, their dramatic illnesses or whatever. So I, I just had to learn it. Sure. And then I became an elder lawyer, you know, cause of that. Speaker 1: Is that an actual, uh, specific kind of law, specific law degree? Speaker 2: It isn't, it isn't a law degree. There are certifications that you, certifications take. Yes, absolutely. And there are classes now, I would say they're fairly new in law school. Law schools are now offering elder law classes. Um, and it is definitely a specialty in law for sure. Okay. It's ab and there's lots of lawyers. That's Speaker 1: So that's really what I do. I try to teach everyone out there why you need an elder lawyer. What is it that you need? And what is different about elder law as opposed to any other, Speaker 1: Well, you make that point very well. again So, but the point being that I think some of us do go on autopilot, even if we're aware of these kinds of things. Speaker 1: And then other people just simply don't wanna think about it. You know, I grew up the daughter of funeral director and we, I mean, death was a part of life. I heard about people dying every day. And so I have a little bit of a different take on it, I think because of that. But certainly in my practice now for a long time, I, you know, mortality is something that, an illness and losing control, I mean, it's something that we all fear so much. Look at what's happening to Bruce Willis right now. I mean, he's taking the very brave step of letting some information out about it. Fronto, frontotemporal dementia or something like that. Mm-hmm. Speaker 2: mm-hmm. Speaker 1: . Um, and so, you know, good for him, but it's also very frightening and, uh, very, I think probably how many people have said, I'd rather just be hit by a bus than develop Alzheimer's. Speaker 2: So here's the thing though, it doesn't work that way. Yes. That's the problem. It doesn't work that way. And by ignoring at your peril, not taking, getting your affairs in order mm-hmm. , you really make it hard for the people who love you. That's right. And that's not what you wanna do. You don't wanna make it hard for the people who love you. And so, especially in my world where I deal with people who are sick, I deal with people who are incapacitated. So, so Bruce Willis is a perfect example of being so generous of spirit, his family, to share this diagnosis with the world, which is quite frankly, a horrific diagnosis. Yes. It's, um, to say, we've been dealing with this, we now know what it is and we're going to continue to deal with it. Speaker 2: But you can absolutely pretty much ensure that they have their affairs in order. So in other words, during the journey when they were trying to figure out the problem, they made sure that their powers of attorney were in order. That they, that those powers of attorney let them do what they want them to do. Because it's like you said, sure. You sort of know about it, you hear about it, you have it. But did it really do what you wanted it to do? Which is why I talk about it more specifically in the book so people know what questions to ask. What kinds of questions am I supposed to be asking about this document that somebody has shoved under my nose to sign? Right. Speaker 1: Let's talk a little bit about, I mean, I did not read all of who Moved My Teeth, but the, the picture of the book that I got was certainly, there's a lot of information about exactly what you just said at the beginning of the book. And then the latter part of the book is more, um, well, practical, practical, pragmatic, Speaker 2: Practical advice for caregivers for really Yes. When you're stepping into it, how do I talk to my person who, you know, how do I spend a whole day with someone who's quite frankly making me insane with it? The same questions, or Sure. You know, what kinds of things can I do? What are they acting crazy? Maybe they have a urinary tract infection. And I never knew about Speaker 1: That. I was gonna ask you about UTIs, cuz that's really a big deal. You know, before we move on too much, there's a young man I worked with several years ago now, he lived on a farm kind of complex. All his family lived together and he adored, adored his grandmother. And she was diagnosed with, uh, a terminal illness and she refused to talk with him about her dying. And I'll never forget, he came, this young man was tough as a brick, you know, and a reared on a farm and used to, I mean, he didn't, I mean, the fact that he even came to therapy was a minor miracle. But he said, it's just like there's this, she's gone, she was dead by the time he came in. And she, he said, I never got to talk to her about how I was gonna miss her and what I loved about her. And I know that's a separate topic in many ways from some of the more legal things, but not really. I mean, it's intertwined, isn't it? Speaker 2: But I, yes, and I love that because these legal things are an act of love. Speaker 1: Yes. Speaker 2: This is an act of love both for you as the person who is doing it. And for you as a person who's saying, mom, dad, I wanna spend time with you. I just had this conversation with two three daughters who, who have a, a podcast as well, which, which we talked about doing that. But, but they, they said we had to step in so quickly as caregivers. We didn't get the end of times as daughters. Speaker 1: Right. Speaker 2: And, and I have read this again and again, that people would so much more rather be grandsons and daughters and loving spouses rather than caregivers trying to deal with paperwork and, you know, and hospitals and doctors and anything you can do to make the hard road, the, the, the legal road, the people, anything that you can do to make that crisis part of the road smoother, gives you time to be a loved one. Speaker 1: Oh, that's a great point. It's such a significant one. Um, it, this the other book I talked about, 12 conversations really does pick out, you know, how do you talk to your dad? How do you talk to your mom? How do you talk to your siblings? How do you talk to your children? Um, and I I I loved a lot because you actually then have dialogue that we can read and go along with it. And you made jokes along the way. I love one of 'em called, I mean, I, I, I I dogeared it. What was it you said? Um, let see. Oh, it says, as you go through this chapter, you'll begin to understand that although this basic paperwork is crucial, it is the tip of the iceberg. And we are on the caregiving Titanic. . Speaker 2: Well, wow, that was good. Yeah, Speaker 1: That was good, wasn't it, Speaker 2: ? Speaker 1: And you're right, it's inevitable. You know what's gonna happen eventually, um, I've been on a hospice board for, or I was on it for many years and, you know, heard a lot of stories about how people handle palliative care and hospice and was thinking about that as I read your books. And, um, but I, I love the specificity of, of what you talk about in who Moved My Teeth, for example. You literally have a list of 60 ways to be more patient. You know, everything from count to 10 to drink a large glass of water, change what you're doing, take a bath, put gum in your mouth, , Speaker 1: Tell a joke, take a picture, order food, put lotion on you or your loved one, clean out a drawer, go through family photos, dance, bake color, and a coloring book. Tell a story. I mean, it's just these, I love the specificity of this. Speaker 2: And that gives not only you control, but the, but your loved one. Right. Right. So whether they have dementia or they're just ill, or they're just homebound or, you know, everyone doesn't have dementia, Margaret or, you know, caregiving isn't isn't just for those people with dementia. Like, it, it, it extends itself to lots of different kinds of people and their, their challenges. But if you are, for instance, coloring with them, it just gives them some control. Here's your page, here's my page. You can pick your crayon, you can pick your colored pencil. And even that, that little tiny weird thing of the two of you sitting there, you know, adult coloring was a big deal. Okay. Several years ago. Right. Speaker 1: Especially during the pandemic. Mm-hmm. Speaker 2: . Yes. And it's or puzzling. Right. Putting puzzles together, it's because two things. Number one, it's, it's kind of like, uh, what's that called? Parallel play. Mm-hmm. . Right? So, so you're both doing something, you're both feeling in control of the situation, and yet you're not necessarily having to engage, which sometimes disengaging is good, right? Speaker 1: Yeah, sure. Speaker 2: So, so any of those things is, is yes, certainly to, helpful to you as the caregiver, but it's probably also helpful to the person you're caring for as well. Mm-hmm. . And they have much less control over the situation than you do, let's be honest. Speaker 1: And, and them accepting that I, I recently had a, um, a benign tumor removed and my son, who's 28, came and stayed for three weeks to help take care of me cuz it was a more serious surgery and that kind of thing. And we sat down and had a talk about, okay, let's, let's talk about what's in our future and you know, you are our only child and you know, what, what comes to you now? And he looked at us and said, well, I think I'm probably gonna have to move to Fable, Arkansas, or y'all going to move where I am. One of the two eventually. And, and we talked about timing and, and I decided after reading your book that the next time he comes, I'm gonna ask him to stay another day and go over, go to our lawyers with us and talk about these documents that we've signed that he's named in. But he was, what he was 16 or 17 when we did them. Right. Speaker 2: So Speaker 1: He needs to hear about it and know what's going on. And, and I, I loved that taking, that was my own personal takeaway from your book. Excellent. And I, I think that that is so important for people. And, and again, doing it when you're 40, I mean, uh, waiting, you know, oh, I'll do that when I'm 85. Well, you don't know what you're gonna be like at 85 Speaker 2: And what you do at 40 is not what you're gonna need to do at 60. Right. It's very different. So if you did it at 40, you and you're 60, you need to take a second look. Speaker 1: Yeah. Speaker 2: You need to really, what Speaker 1: Do you think, what do you think is the, is the most common either error in thinking or behavior or both that people, Speaker 2: Well, the, the most common is not doing anything. Right. That's the most common. So, so if anybody who's listening to this now says, okay, I didn't do anything. I'm, I need to go do something, then yes, please go do that. Get your powers of attorney, get your wills, get your advanced directives. Just get them, get them. Mm-hmm. , um, and talk to an attorney about what you need and what your desires are. Specifically, I'd say the second most, um, common error is people who have done them, did them 10, 20, 15, 30 years ago. Especially people who have little children, they panic. I want someone to take care of my kids. If anything happens to me, I wanna make sure they have money if anything happens to me. And that's wonderful. And then they, you know, I always say they take that and they shove it into their underwear drawer and then you never see it again. . And you need to take it out of the underwear drawer, like Speaker 1: That old pair of underwear you used to be able to get into. But Speaker 2: Exactly. This is where I held up the granny panties and say, you need the granny panties of the wills. It's fresh, it's clean and it covers everything. . That's what you need to do. So that's the second biggest problem is people don't update their documents and boy have things changed. There's a thing now, um, it's called rufi. I wish I could remember what it stands for without looking it up. But what it's about is giving someone access to your digital information if you are sick and incapacitated, which is really important. Or quite frankly, if you're dead. Right. Yeah. And that information, that acknowledgement that yes, I'm giving this person access, has to be in those documents. Not the password so much, but yes, this person has the authority to get into my digital assets. And then when your son comes Margaret, show him where you keep your passwords, which, you know, online Speaker 1: Is, I don't see him anywhere. I keep online my Speaker 2: Head . Right. Online isn't great and in your head is even worse. . Speaker 1: Well, so what I did, I I sort of, the night before the surgery I went, what, wait a minute, what if something happens? And so I gave him the major passwords I could think about and we both kind of cried. And, and then I said, you know, but I, I should have all those written down somewhere or can Speaker 2: Somewhere. I mean, everyone says don't write them down, but truthfully, if you can't get into your computer where your passwords are, not having them written down doesn't help you. Right. Right. So you at least have to have your basic passwords somewhere where your loved one can have access to it, but legally also give them access to it. I see. In your documents. And that's new. That's not even in, I don't, pretty sure that's not in my first book. It's probably in my sec, my second or third book. Um, but things keep changing and that's why you need to keep looking at these documents, say every five years or so. Cause life changes. Speaker 1: You know, I also, um, my dad was always really sad because after his dad died and his dad died when he was 15, there was such family uproar about the will mm-hmm. Right. But it ripped the family apart. And I think a lot of the suggestions that you make are trying to say, you know, you could be that family where siblings don't talk to each other anymore after someone is either you're, you're having to decide about caregiving or, or you're having to decide about, you know, death issues or what's gonna happen after death. It, it can rip families apart like nothing I've ever seen really before. Speaker 2: Um, and so you, your work in my work are the same in that regard because in the sense that communication mm-hmm. is always going to be the key. Right. Right. You have to, you have to tell your children and your, it's so funny that you're saying this cuz I just, my mother's 90 fours down the street from me, and she's a pip and a half, and your listeners can go see us on TikTok if you want. I do fun little videos with my mom all the time. on TikTok. Um, and they're just, that's all I do is videos with my mom, who's 94. And she's so hilarious. Um, but I just said to myself self, I said, we need, although her will is very recent, I would say five years old, I wanna look at it again because I'm not sure it does what she wants it to do based on conversations that we've been having. So let's look at it. Right. Let's talk to my siblings and, you know, let's see what it, you gotta have, you have to, at least this is the other thing that you asked me that I sort of didn't mention is people just like you said, don't wanna talk about this. Yeah. It's scary, it's uncomfortable, but, you know, that's why we Speaker 1: Have, and also, uh, it, I mean, my brother died three year, three and a half years ago. It also, you, you can't talk about it without your own feelings about mortality or getting ill or losing control or, you know, these things that we fear that we just distract ourselves from and, you know, either have another beer or watch another baseball game mm-hmm. or go out and, you know, hunt something or fish something. Mm-hmm. So that we're in control or, or vape or whatever we do, um, to, to distract ourselves from the reality. Speaker 1: Right. You don't, you don't get outta dying. Right. So, um, it's, I I just think that these conversations are, they really can be trust builders. They can be things that, that offer clarity, that offer trust, that offer a sense. And as you point out a sense of control to the person who is older and realizes that they have a disease that is going to weaken them or, or cause their life to be something that frankly, you know, they wish did, hadn't happened to them, uh, like Bruce Willis. But at the same time it can, and we don't get to pick. So it, it's not like going to a, a restaurant and saying, oh, I'll have that. You know, it's just not like that. And, Speaker 2: But it's in the same vein, it's much harder to have a disease than it is to have a conversation about what happens if I have a disease. Speaker 1: Right. Speaker 2: It's not that hard. My friends, which is why I wrote the 12 conversations book. Yeah. It's really not that hard. It's five or six simple questions you need to ask yourself about what you want, what you think you wanna do, um, and then get a lawyer to write it up for you. It don't make it harder than it needs to be. Speaker 1: Speaker 1: Number one, there is nothing that is more mentally health challenging than being a caregiver. Mm-hmm. . It is, it is so hard. And I I I encourage you desperately to, if you have, especially if you have mental health benefits at your work or you know, in your insurance or whatever to use them because caregiving is a mental health stress. Do not think that it's not because it is. That's Speaker 1: As many people found out during the pandemic when it was all of a sudden 24 7 kind of Speaker 2: In your face. Yes, exactly. And if you are not yet a caregiver, but you see it coming down the road and you just happen to be going to a therapist, talk to them about that mm-hmm. , talk to them about this piece of your life that you see coming for you. And maybe if you're having challenges having that conversation with that person, or you yourself don't wanna do it, but you know, it has to be done, maybe you can get some tactics, some tools, because this is also about Sure the legal tools are important. That's what I'm here to tell you about. Get those legal tools. But it's also the communication tools, you know, the stress tools. There's so many tools that you need as a caregiver, and there's lots of people out there who can help you with that. Speaker 1: I, I, I also, before we, before we stop, I wanna make the point, I I, you're right. Caregiving you, you think, oh, I'm just taking mom to get her hair done, or Oh, I'm just taking dad to the post office, or I'm just doing this, or I'm just doing that. But those things add up mm-hmm. , and you've got children of your own, or you've got a job of your own or you've got a home of your own or you, you live two hours away or whatever it happens to be. You're right. It's, we can minimize, oh, this is, this shouldn't be, uh, you know, I'm just doing that. But they're, when you're just doing four or five or 10 or 12 or 15 or 20 of those things a month, then that's a lot. And it changes your life. And it can definitely impact the relationship you're in with a spouse or a partner. Um, and actually they may be going through something similar with their parents. Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. , Speaker 1: So, or aunts or uncles or whomever, grandparents. So it's just a conversation about it and, and to say, gosh, this is, you know, maybe people say, oh, I'm, I'm, I'm loyal, this is what I'm supposed to do. But that doesn't mean you have to, you know, you can't grieve it or feel different feelings about it other than, you know, I, I, I just, I just have to do this. It's, it's like, it's more complex than that. Speaker 2: Agreed. It is more complex than that. And you need to grant yourself the grace to understand that. Speaker 1: Yeah. Wow. What, how have you changed in, in, in taking care of these folks that you've loved or you've cared for being an elder law, um, specialist Now? What, what, I mean, how have you changed Kathy? Speaker 2: Um, I, Speaker 1: Being an author, a speaker. Speaker 2: . Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah, I've changed my career. That's for one. Um, honestly, this is, I don't know if this is terrible or not. Some part of me, it, my, my psychological part of me says it probably is, but I, I've actually become kind of a tough love caregiver in a lot of ways. Mm. Speaker 1: You mentioned that Speaker 2: The, the empathy is great, but the practicality is hard. And it's okay for you to recognize that and, and to have expectations of others. Not the person that you're caring for, the person who should be helping you, the person, you know, even your partner. Um, it's okay to have expectations of others. And I think I often when I'm teaching that, that often becomes a question. Um, you know, but my mom won't talk about this or I can't, she won't go to the doctor or whatever. And I'm like, you, you have two choices. You can take the tough love perspective that this is what we're going to do if I'm gonna be your helper, or you can tell them that they will have to suffer the consequences of that action. And you have to be okay with that. Yeah. So, wow, tough love caregiving is hard. Mm-hmm. . But it might be harder to be super empathetic and not allow yourself to realize that sometimes the person you're caring for also has to take the consequences of their Speaker 1: Actions. And it's really, I what comes to mind is sort of the age old. You, you have to parent your parents kind of thing. Mm-hmm. that one of the points, for example you made in the book was if there's a paid caregiver and your parent is being demeaning to them or saying things that aren't appropriate, that you have to say, you know, it's better to say, mom, you can't talk to Jane like that. Right. Or you, you need to apologize for what you just said, or Yes, that's not appropriate. Jane will leave and we really like Jane, and Jane does a good idea. Yes. Jane does a good, uh, job with you and for you and, and we can talk out what you don't like about Jane, but you know, talk about it with me. And then maybe if we need to make another agreement with Jane, that's one thing, but don't play out your, whatever is going on with you and, and say things to Jane that, that aren't helpful. Speaker 2: The other thing, and that's so important. Yes. The, the other thing that I'd like to bring up that I have changed, not changed my viewpoint amount, but have, have really put into practice and want more women, especially to do this, is get paid for your caregiving. Yes. If your parents would pay Jane, they should pay you. Right. Especially if you don't have Jane coming, if you are doing all of it. And if you are taking a f, especially if you're taking a financial hit, if you have, you know, gone from full-time to part-time work, if you have quit your job to take care of them, if you moved into their house and got rid of your apartment or you're paying rent over there, but living with them, if you are taking a financial hit and they have assets, they should pay you. And you get a signed paid caregiver agreement to protect all the parties. Speaker 2: But that's really important. There are far too many unpaid family caregivers who can and should be paid. And we are recycling this, this, uh, women get to the point then in their lives where they have no retirement, they have no right savings. They have no, because they stepped out of the workforce to be a caregiver 1, 2, 3, 7, 9 times, right? Mm-hmm. mm-hmm. . And there are even me ways to pay someone if your parents have no assets and Medicaid will pay, they will pay family caregivers. There are lots of organizations that have cropped up. Again, I said, do things change in the last two to five years that are now making sure you can get paid as a family caregiver. So, so that's the other thing that I, I have learned and I have changed my mind about that. Yes, this is great to be about love, but there's nothing wrong with getting paid. Speaker 1: Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm wonderful point and very important point. So, well, after six years, I'm really glad we finally had this conversation. It feels Speaker 2: Two more great. Speaker 1: Like it's a little bit different a conversation than we would've had six years ago. So Speaker 2: Very much yes. Speaker 1: That's, um, that's to everyone's benefit I think. So I thank you so much. How can people get in touch with you to speak or to teach or, um, just Speaker 2: To, so yeah, so if you're in a workplace, in a corporate workplace, that would be awesome to have me come in and help teach your, your team about not only caregiving, but what benefits you may have at work that you're not using to help caregivers. And that what you could bring into work. Uh, if you want to just, you know, look at my books Kathy Sikorski and see my name on the screen there. Just type that in. I come up for the first three pages on Google, but I'm on Amazon, so all my books are available on Amazon. And my website, which is being recreated as we speak, um, is kathy sikorsky.com. Um, and that's c a t h y s i k o r s k i kathy sikorsky.com. Um, and anytime you have a question, Kathy sikorski kathy dot sikorski gmail.com, you are free to email me. I love to interact with people who have questions and I will answer them as best I can and guide you to the resources that can really help you. Speaker 1: Kathy, I admire you so much. Thank you very, very much. And you are really funny. So, and Speaker 2: You told me about Speaker 1: That, that it's so important to keep your sense of humor. Speaker 2: Please. You guys, you gotta laugh about this cause it's, it's, first of all, it's a laugh worthy and second of all, if you're not laughing, you're doing something else. You don't wanna do Speaker 1: . You know, my dad used to say, uh, cuz he just infirmity after infirmity after disease after problem. He looked at me one time when he was about 81 or two and he said, you know, Margaret, God's not supposed to give you more than you can bear, but I gotta talk to God because he's way overestimating my abilities. . Speaker 2: Yes. I'm on your dad's side. Yeah. Speaker 1: If Speaker 2: He, if he ever figured out how to do that conversation, you should put that out there, Speaker 1: . Well, I'm not sure he did, but , thank you so, so Speaker 2: Very much. So great to spend time with you. I really loved it. Speaker 1: Yeah, me too. Bye. Bye.  

Send us a Text Message.Cathy Sikorski's caregiving journey started with taking care of her beloved grandmother. But as she became the “go-to” person for all her family members and friends who needed help, she realized the complexities of caregiving. In this eye-opening confession, Cathy shares her practical experiences and the importance of having an elder lawyer by your side. Becoming a caregiver for her nana was a defining moment in Cathy's life. Having grown up under her grandmother's care, Cathy felt a strong obligation to return the favor, even though she wasn't fully prepared for the challenges ahead. Her experiences and struggles as a caregiver led her to become an elder lawyer, focusing on the unique legal needs of caregiving families. Today, Cathy is a passionate advocate for caregivers, arming them with vital knowledge about their legal rights and how to fight for the proper care and resources their loved ones deserve. Through her work, she has touched countless lives, ensuring that those who need help receive the care and support they need.In this episode, you will:Uncover the hidden, legal aspects of caregiving and the advantage of using an elder lawyer.Discover why obtaining legal documents and consulting professionals is crucial for caregivers.Delve into the struggles and rewards of being a caregiver while learning why self-care is essential.Explore the true financial impact of family caregiving, specifically for women.Realize the significance of support networks, communities, and acknowledgment for caregivers.About Cathy:Cathy Sikorski, Esq.  is a Speaker, Elder Lawyer, Author and Media Guest who unravels the caregiving crisis's complex financial and legal problems. She uses her caregiver experience and expertise to educate, entertain and elevate the conversation around work, money, aging, and caregiving. Cathy has written three books on this topic, including Who Moved My Teeth? Preparing for Self, Loved Ones and Caregiving; and her most recent: 12 Conversations: How to Talk to Almost Anyone About Long-Term Care Planning.  Cathy has written and performed on caregiving for the Writers Theatre of New Jersey at Kean University during the Healing VoicesOnStage: Caregivers' Stories and the West Chester Story Slam. She continues to provide national Keynotes and is featured on many television, radio, and podcast episodes. She has been a requested contributor to print and media, including Huffington Post, and AARP, and is a SheSource expert for the Women's Media Center in Washington, D.C. Connect with Cathy:WebsiteTwitterFacebookSupport the Show.Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver Sisterhood of Care, LLC Website: www.confessionsofareluctantcaregiver.com Like us on Facebook! Tweet with us on Twitter! Follow us on Instagram! Watch us on Youtube! Pin us on Pinterest! Link us on LinkedIn!Tune in on Whole Care Network

People are encouraged to plan for retirement (Save money!) and dying (Make a will!). But many of us — maybe most of us — forget that there can be a long (and expensive) time in between. In this episode, host Lenore Tracey talks with author, humorist, and elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski. Cathy's new book, 12 Conversations: How To Talk to Almost Anyone About Long-Term Care Planning gives caregivers and future care recipients — all of us — reasons to talk to each other about how we'll pay for care and what types of care we want. Better yet, Cathy gives us the language to deal with these conversations, no matter who you're talking to — Mom, Dad, your grown-up kids, your Uncle Fred, your doctor, or your mom's doctor.Check out what long-term care care costs where you (or your loved one) live: https://www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care.html. Best to be sitting down when you do this! Then commit to having those important conversations with the people you love.*Genworth Financial 2021 Cost of Care SurveyAbout Our Guest:Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for eight different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).Cathy's most recent book, 12 Conversations: How To Talk to Almost Anyone About Long-Term Care Planning offers practical advice for discussing this difficult topic with your aging parents, your adult children, your siblings, your spouse, and other key players you will meet as a caregiver - or a care recipient. Cathy's wicked sense of humor and commitment to straight talk will prepare you to get through these conversations successfully - maybe even gracefully! Cathy's first book was a memoir, Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers. Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

Have you ever been (or are you now) in the position of caring for someone in your family? Perhaps an aging parent, a spouse that needs extra care, or how about supporting a parent after the loss of a partner? It can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be incredibly taxing and draining. You may find other areas of your life, including work start to suffer. After all, who is caring for you?? Enter Cathy Sikorski is a practicing and consulting Elder Law attorney for over 30 years. She speaks, writes, and consults to promote financial and legal preparation for the aging crisis. She is a best-selling author of several books focused on this crisis including "Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial Caregiver" and "Who Moved My Teeth?" Clearly, she has a wonderful sense of humor that allows us to look at these issues with compassion for the caregivers as well as those we are caring for. Be sure to hit the "Remind Me" button to join us live and be a part of the conversation.

On today's episode of The F Word, Sheryl Hickerson is speaking with Cathy Sikorski, Esq. Cathy is a practicing consulting attorney dealing in Elder Law and has been a significant caregiver for the past 25 years. She has engaged in many speaking engagements, radio programs, and podcasts to promote financial and legal preparation as well as humor in aging, healthcare, and caregiving. Her first book, Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver, was released by HumorOutcasts Press in 2016. Corner Office Books released Cathy's second book Who Moved My Teeth? a practical and legal guide for adults and caregivers. Cathy is a SheSource expert for the Women's Media Center (WMC) in Washington, D.C. She has been featured on the Huffington Post and AARP. She can also be seen on the West Chester Story Slam YouTube channel. Cathy has a blog, “You just have to Laugh... Where Caregiving is Comedy”. In today's chat we will discuss: - Longevity Planning: Ladies, are you ready? - Elder Law: Why you need this professional as a resource - Retirement Planning: Women are woefully behind and it will matter deeply when they age Be sure to connect with Cathy: Website: https://cathysikorski.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathy_sikorski LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathysikorski24/ Email: cathy.sikorski@gmail.com

Today’s guest is Cathy Sikorski. She is a practicing attorney in elder law. At the same time, she has personal experience being a caregiver for elders and not-so-elders. Her bestselling book, Who Moved My Teeth?: Preparing for Self, Loved Ones and Caregiving, combines her 25-plus years of legal and practical experience into a guide for preparing yourself or your loved ones for the complicated future of healthcare and caregiving. Initially a small-town general practice attorney, Cathy was initially driven to hone her skills just as a person taking care of the elderly, but quickly realized that elder law is legal practice unto itself. Her work as a caregiver, then, led her to embrace elder law as a profession. Elder law is a relatively young legal practice that was established only in 1994 because “the issues” surrounding the practice “are becoming so much more prevalent in everyone’s life. How do we take care of Mom and Dad as they get older? What are their choices?” Listen in and learn how having an elder law attorney can help you, alongside your other lawyers (i.e. estate), a financial advisor, to plan and prepare for retirement. Cathy also offers some best practices and hard truths about being a caregiver. Key Topics: An introduction to Cathy and her eight separate experiences as a caregiver (2:01) What’s elder law all about and how did it shape Cathy’s other work as a caregiver? (4:08) What areas does an elder law attorney cover? (06:03) How these attorneys also aid their clients’ spouses, especially on the financial side (8:56) The difference between elder lawyers and estate lawyers and what to know about wills (10:53) Why your different lawyers, financial advisor, and accountant all need to collaborate (14:15) What conversations do you need to have with aging family members today? (15:47) “Please check every darn beneficiary designation that you have.” (18:58) Considerations around of your spouse’s IRAs, 401(k), and other retirement accounts (22:07) Cathy on her life as a caregiver (26:03) Visit takebackretirement.com for a free caregiver contract. Who can become a paid caregiver? (31:12) The importance of having a support group as a caregiver (33:13) How to contact Cathy (35:06) Three action steps to take today (36:06)   You can reach out to Cathy at https://cathysikorski.com or send her an email at cathy.sikorski@gmail.com   If you like what you’ve been hearing, we invite you to subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Tell us what you love about this episode! Or better yet, tell us what you want to hear more of in the future. stephanie@sofiafinancial.com   You can find the transcript and more information about this episode at www.takebackretirement.com.   Follow Stephanie on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.  Follow Kevin on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

62 Who Knew ?!? Ep. 046.Tonight our guest is Ms.Cathy Sikorski is a practicing attorney for over 30 years and limits her practice to Elder Law issues. She has been a significant caregiver for seven different family members and friends. This combination of legal and practical experience in aging and caregiving has made Cathy a sought-out speaker on these important issues. She is a frequent guest on television, radio programs, and podcasts and speaks to promote financial and legal preparation in the aging crisis. With more than 30 years of law behind her, she provides critical legal information for our aging population and those who serve them. Her first book is a humorous memoir Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver (HumorOutcasts Press 2015). Her second book, Who Moved My Teeth? Preparing for Self, Loved Ones, and Caregiving with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers debuted at #1 on Amazon (Corner Office Books 2016).Every generation faces different complications when preparing for retirement. It will always be this way…But this generation is facing an issue like none other before it.And that issue is Longer lifespans! That's right, people are living longer than ever before! But make no mistake about it, longer life spans are a double-edged sword.Michael L. BannerPresident & CEOProfessional Mortgage Alliance, LLC.E-Mail – mbanner@pmanow.comCell – 727-224-3859NMLS# - 386692 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When Cathy Sikorski became caregiver for both her two-year-old daughter and her 92-year-old grandmother, she felt like she’d become trapped in an alternate universe. If her daughter took a snack from the dog’s dish one morning, her grandmother would do the exact same thing, then say, “Well, she’s doing it.” Cathy has been a practicing and consulting elder law attorney for over 30 years, with a special focus in financial and legal preparation in the aging crisis. She’s the author of Showering With Nana: Confessions Of A Serial (killer)… Caregiver and the Amazon bestseller Who Moved My Teeth?: Preparing For Self, Loved Ones, And Caregiving. Cathy has made many television, radio, and podcast appearances, and her work has been featured by the Huffington Post, AARP, and Women's Media Center in Washington, DC. She also serves on the board of directors of Nancy's House, a nonprofit dedicated to respite for caregivers. Today, Cathy joins the podcast to talk about how hard caregiving can be, especially for women. She shares the story of what happened when she became a caregiver for eight different family members over 25 years, why so many caregivers end up below the poverty line in old age, and the plans to make right now to protect yourself decades down the line. Overcomer Playlist Recommendation Rodgers & Hammerstein - You’ll Never Walk Alone Pearls of Wisdom Know you’re doing the best you can. You are not giving yourself enough credit. Ask for help. If you are a caregiver, you are definitely a person who probably isn’t going to ask for help because you’re a take charge person, but you’ve got to do that. Pay attention to how caregiving is going to affect you financially in the future. Show Notes To get access to the full show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit LifeWithArwen.com/25 Get The Book! She Handled It, So Can You!: An Inspiring and Empowering Financial Guide for Women Connect with Arwen Becker Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Rate & Review If you enjoyed today’s episode of She Handled It, hit the subscribe button in Apple Podcasts, (or wherever you listen) so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device. You can also help by providing an honest rating & review over on Apple Podcasts. Reviews go a long way in helping us build awareness so that we can impact even more people. THANK YOU!

The Long-Term Care CrisisJoin Cathy Sikorski and Katana as they discuss: Why it’s important to get caregiving documents in order. How to make a plan if Long-Term Care becomes a part of your life. The importance of having your lawyer and financial advisor work together.Cathy Sikorski is an Elder Law attorney but has expanded her career to become a speaker, author and media guest to unravel the complex problems of caregiving and aging. As a caregiver for 8 different people, Cathy used her experience to author two books. Her last book Who Moved My Teeth? Preparing for Self, Loved Ones and Caregiving is a practical and legal guide that premiered as #1 on Amazon. Her first book, released by Humor Outcasts Press, Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver, is a hilarious memoir. Cathy also has a blog, “You just have to Laugh,…where Caregiving is Comedy” at www.cathysikorski.com

On today's episode of The F Word, Sheryl Hickerson is speaking with elder law attorney, Cathy Sikorski, Esq. Cathy is a practicing consulting attorney dealing in Elder Law and has been a significant caregiver for the past 25 years. She has engaged in many speaking engagements, radio programs, and podcasts to promote financial and legal preparation as well as humor in aging, healthcare, and caregiving. Her first book, Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver, was released by HumorOutcasts Press in 2016. Corner Office Books released Cathy's second book Who Moved My Teeth? a practical and legal guide for adults and caregivers. Cathy is a SheSource expert for the Women's Media Center (WMC) in Washington, D.C. She has been featured on the Huffington Post and AARP. She can also be seen on the West Chester Story Slam YouTube channel. Cathy has a blog, “You just have to Laugh..where Caregiving is Comedy” at www.cathysikorski.com and speaker website at www.cathysikorski.com/Speaker. In today's chat we will discuss: - Retirement: How prepared (or not) is the older population for this transition? - Caregiving: How good (or bad) is it out there? - Elder Law: Why do we need expertise in this space? Be sure to connect with Cathy Sikorksi: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathysikorski24/ Website: https://cathysikorski.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cathy.Sikorski24 Cathy's Books: https://amzn.to/38uJRvt Email: cathy.sikorski@gmail.com

Cathy Sikorski is an Elder Lawyer and caregiver promoting financial and legal preparation in the aging crisis. Her first book, Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver and Cathy’s #1 Amazon book, Who Moved My Teeth? Is a practical and legal guide for the aging crisis. She has been on Huff Post, AARP and is a SheSource expert for the Women’s Media Center.

Have you or your loved one gotten one (or more) phone calls from someone saying they are from Social Security? Join host Lenore Tracey and elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski to learn more about these scam calls and how to handle them.Need a concrete way to respond to this type of scam call? Consider the following:1. HANG UP - no need to say a single word!2. Try one of the following options; print it in big letters and place it by your and your loved one’s phones:“We don’t respond to telephone solicitations. Thank you.” HANG UP.“I will call the Social Security Office to verify this call. Thank you.” HANG UPSacrifice politeness to protect your social security number and other private information!About Our Guest:Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers. Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

Have you or your loved one gotten one (or more) phone calls from someone saying they are from Social Security? Join host Lenore Tracey and elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski to learn more about these scam calls and how to handle them.Need a concrete way to respond to this type of scam call? Consider the following:1. HANG UP - no need to say a single word!2. Try one of the following options; print it in big letters and place it by your and your loved one’s phones:“We don’t respond to telephone solicitations. Thank you.” HANG UP.“I will call the Social Security Office to verify this call. Thank you.” HANG UPSacrifice politeness to protect your social security number and other private information!About Our Guest:Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers. Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

Cathy Sikorski is an Elder Law attorney who has been a caregiver for multiple family members and friends in need. She's also the author of two books, including the Amazon Bestseller, "Who Moved My Teeth?", a practical and humorous guide to the basic legal and financial instruments that every adult should have in place.Cathy has shifted her traditional legal practice to build a new business. She is dedicated to informing and helping caregivers prepare financially for a future in which their own Social Security and retirement benefits might be lacking as a direct result of their time spent out of the workforce.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Cathy Sikorski is a practicing attorney dealing in elder law. She's been a significant caregiver for the past 25 years, and she's going to share that journey with us.   What You Will Learn in this Episode: Why every law firm needs to embrace an understanding of how caregiving has an impact on your employee’s lives, as well as your clients. How personal experience as a caregiver creates empathy for your clients The need for your frontline staff to understand that 90% of elder law clients are coming to you in a moment of crisis How to ease the anxiety of clients coming to you in crisis Why you need to know what caregiving resources are available for your own employees Why Elder lawyers need to educate their partners on EXACTLY what they do   About Cathy Sikorski Cathy Sikorski is a practicing attorney dealing in Elder Law. She has been a significant caregiver for the past 25 years. Cathy does presentations, seminars, radio programs, television, and podcasts. Her first book Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver was released by HumorOutcasts Press. Corner Office Books, a business imprint of HumorOutcasts Press released Cathy’s second book premiered as a #1 Amazon book Who Moved My Teeth?, a practical and legal guide for adults and caregivers. Cathy is a contributing author for the HumorOutcasts.com website. She has been featured on the Huffington Post, and AARP and is a SheSource Women’s Media Expert. Cathy has been recognized by financial, legal and aging organizations as a key educator and thought leader.   Links and Resources https://cathysikorski.com/Speaker/ Hiring & Empowering Solutions on Facebook www.hiringandempowering.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-hall

Join this episode of Eldercare Illuminated to learn what an elder law attorney or an estate attorney can do for you — and how to choose the right attorney for your situation. Host Lenore Tracey interviews elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski to get the inside scoop on the tools and documents these professionals use and when you might need them. Cathy also shares three important questions to ask when you or your loved one are selecting an attorney to work with.About Our Guest:Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers.  Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

Join this episode of Eldercare Illuminated to learn what an elder law attorney or an estate attorney can do for you — and how to choose the right attorney for your situation. Host Lenore Tracey interviews elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski to get the inside scoop on the tools and documents these professionals use and when you might need them. Cathy also shares three important questions to ask when you or your loved one are selecting an attorney to work with.About Our Guest:Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers.  Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

In this episode, National Director of ElderLawAnswers, Rebecca Hobbs, continues her conversation with Elder Law Attorney and author Cathy Sikorski on the Long-Term Care Crisis that Baby Boom and Gen-X clients are facing. Cathy and Rebecca discuss her book "Who Moved My Teeth?" a practical and legal guide for adults and caregivers. They also discuss how attorneys can help clients discover employer/employee benefits related to long-term care and chat about how Baby Boom and Gen-X women are still behind the 8-ball when it comes to finances as well as what can be done to help. Podcast Guest: Cathy Sikorski, Esq. | Author and Elder Law Attorney

In this episode of Eldercare Illuminated, host Lenore Tracey and elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski shed light on an enduring misunderstanding about Medicare coverage for skilled services.For years, Medicare recipients have been denied coverage for services, such as skilled nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, based on the notion that they have plateaued or there is a lack of restoration potential. For example, patients were told (and are still being told) that Medicare would no longer pay for physical therapy because there was no potential for improvement in their condition. Perpetuated for years, this notion has resulted in patients not getting needed services to which they are entitled and from which they can benefit.Cathy shares the facts and the strategies you need to dispel this myth and advocate effectively for your loved one. Listen and learn. Then check out additional information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (and print materials to bring with you) so you have all the information in hand if you need to get your loved one’s providers up to speed.1. Updated Publication from CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), because federal court found that 'virtually no effort' was made to promote the Jimmo vs. Sebelius settlement. https://www.cms.gov/Center/Special-Topic/Jimmo-Center.html 2. Frequently Asked Questions associated with the above publication: https://www.cms.gov/Center/Special-Topic/Jimmo-Settlement/FAQs.htmlCaregivers, you make such a difference in your loved one’s lives!About Our Guest:Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers. Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

In this episode of Eldercare Illuminated, host Lenore Tracey and elder law attorney Cathy Sikorski shed light on an enduring misunderstanding about Medicare coverage for skilled services.For years, Medicare recipients have been denied coverage for services, such as skilled nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, based on the notion that they have plateaued or there is a lack of restoration potential. For example, patients were told (and are still being told) that Medicare would no longer pay for physical therapy because there was no potential for improvement in their condition. Perpetuated for years, this notion has resulted in patients not getting needed services to which they are entitled and from which they can benefit.Cathy shares the facts and the strategies you need to dispel this myth and advocate effectively for your loved one. Listen and learn. Then check out additional information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (and print materials to bring with you) so you have all the information in hand if you need to get your loved one’s providers up to speed.1. Updated Publication from CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), because federal court found that 'virtually no effort' was made to promote the Jimmo vs. Sebelius settlement. https://www.cms.gov/Center/Special-Topic/Jimmo-Center.html 2. Frequently Asked Questions associated with the above publication: https://www.cms.gov/Center/Special-Topic/Jimmo-Settlement/FAQs.htmlCaregivers, you make such a difference in your loved one’s lives!About Our Guest:Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver. That was followed by Who Moved My Teeth? - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers. Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

In this episode of Eldercare Illuminated, host Lenore Tracey speaks with elder law attorney and humorist Cathy Sikorski.Cathy has been advocating for her clients as well as her own family and friends for many years. Today she is sharing expert strategies and tips to help you get what you need for your loved one. Whether it’s dealing with Medicare, other health insurance, your loved one’s assisted living or nursing home, or other providers of care and services, knowing how to get stuff done on your loved one’s behalf is an invaluable skill. Listen and learn from a pro: who to call, how to get involved, when to push, and when to back off.About Our Guest:Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir "Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver." That was followed by "Who Moved My Teeth?" - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers. Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

In this episode of Eldercare Illuminated, host Lenore Tracey speaks with elder law attorney and humorist Cathy Sikorski.Cathy has been advocating for her clients as well as her own family and friends for many years. Today she is sharing expert strategies and tips to help you get what you need for your loved one. Whether it’s dealing with Medicare, other health insurance, your loved one’s assisted living or nursing home, or other providers of care and services, knowing how to get stuff done on your loved one’s behalf is an invaluable skill. Listen and learn from a pro: who to call, how to get involved, when to push, and when to back off.About Our Guest:Cathy Sikorski has been a caregiver for the last 25 years for seven different family members and friends. A published author and humorist, Sikorski is also a practicing elder law attorney. Her legal expertise and sense of humor have made her a sought-after speaker where she tackles the legal issues that affect those who will one day be or need a caregiver (which is everyone).Cathy’s first book is a humorous memoir "Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial (killer) Caregiver." That was followed by "Who Moved My Teeth?" - a humorous and informative book with practical and legal tips for caregivers and baby boomers. Cathy maintains an active blog “You just have to Laugh…where Caregiving is Comedy…”.

This podcast is an interview with Cathy Sikorski, the author of "Who Moved My Teeth?" Cathy infuses the right amount of humor and lightheartedness into such topics as powers of attorney, advanced directives, managing medical bills and many other subjects.