Care Right Inc.

Seniors want to age at home, always have.....but how affordable and realistic is it?

My clients who are aging at home are paying a minimum of $30,000/month in 24/7 care, and twice that when you have 2 parents needing 24/7 care---

Ready to learn about our Care Right aging plans so YOU can make SMART decisions now?????

Message me, email me, or comment below. [email protected]

The Crushing Financial Burden of Aging at Home Families face soaring costs and mounting pressures in taking care of their loved ones. “I never feel truly free.”

Medicare open enrollment is right around the corner.

Robert Powell, CFP®, RMA® on LinkedIn: #medicare #medicarepartd #healthcare The upcoming Medicare Part D changes could affect your wallet as well as your health. Find out why. Via TheStreet https://ow.ly/OLSp50Tc3kq …

Family Caregivers:

In time, if you don't have an Aging Plan (message me to learn more), you WILL end up angry, resentful, bitter, exhausted, and you WILL have emotional and physical caregiver burnout.

An Aging Plan prevents caregiver burnout because we will facilitate your family meeting, help you understand caregiver burnout, how to prevent burnout by making sure you have enough care/supports in place for CURRENT AND FUTURE care needs. Plus, you will also have access to the digital Grab and Go so you can get all important docs, accounts, passwords, policies, etc. in order NOW, vs waiting until crisis mode.

My book can be a great conversation starter for you and your family.

Here is the link to my book, The Invisible Patient: the Emotional, Financial, and Physical Toll on Family Caregivers (Amazon--paperback and Audible):

The Invisible Patient: The Emotional, Financial, and Physical Toll on Family Caregivers: How to Plan Ahead and Save Time, Money, and Stress The Invisible Patient: The Emotional, Financial, and Physical Toll on Family Caregivers: How to Plan Ahead and Save Time, Money, and Stress

Thank you to our Grief Conversations podcast participants last week.

Everyone shared their loss story, gave ideas/suggestions on how to respond when someone lost a loved one, and how common responses "land" with someone in the throws of grief.

Grieving can be an incredibly lonely and isolating journey. Let's start "normalizing" these conversations. Every single person in the world, someday, will lose someone/the people they love.

Let's start the conversations now!

Here is the recording:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/LSaCKAuR6rQD9Ke47r9quG4Fs2q6mhZVdNabO6mLjI5FW5dmx2awpk844IgsYegU.zHP0q0GufdWOh6tc?startTime=1724189147000

Mary Lynch Jennifer Lind Brittany Lush Maryann Rozsas Udel

Time is running out!!!

Families who want to travel together, with your loved one with memory impairment, this Nov 30-Dec 7 cruise is for you!!!

While I have you/the family caregivers in educational sessions with me, your loved one will enjoy the adult day activity programming provided with the purchase of the cruise ticket.

My sessions are jam-packed with information all family caregivers need to know about aging, dementia behaviors, self-care, the landscape (and costs) of senior care, how to navigate dementia progression, still feel like you have meaningful time/visits with your loved one, and leave the cruise feeling restored, re-energized, and armed with the information needed to succeed in caregiving!

Here are the details!!

Caregivers Caribbean 2024 You’re invited to a Caregiver Conference in the Caribbean with senior care planning concierge and founder of Care Right Inc., Annalee Kruger. This cruise is designed to empower and re-energize caregivers, provide a safe and supported travel environment for seniors, and guide individuals and famili...

Forward-thinking financial advisors, this is for you.

By now, you are seeing your clients bring up topics like aging, caregiving, dementia, senior care, costs of care, worry about "what to do with mom", clients sharing they are missing work/stepping away from their business due to caregiving issues or mom's memory is getting worse and we're worried!!!

The Elder Planning Specialist certification program is for you!!

I co-created this program because of the massive opportunity you have to be more educated about these "human side" issues of financial planning, learn about aging, dementia, care, estate planning, and much more.

Value proposition:
1. Get educated in your clients' needs
2. Meet their expectations that you should know these things if you are going to work with an aging population
3. Differentiate yourself from advisors who are ignoring these issues
4. Develop a niche vs transactional or "general" CFP's
5. Makes your relationship with your clients more "sticky"
6. Prevents your clients from moving their portfolio to another advisor who actually does address these aging issues with their clients
7. The value of MAKING REFERRALS to those of us who are experts in aging, dementia, Care Right Inc. . The value of using me/Care Right is +30 years of career experience in all things aging, caregiving, dementia, senior care, family meetings, end-of-life (I am your aging guru) AND all of your clients need our Aging Plan----it complements the financial plan you put together and our Care Matrix project allows you to do a financial stress test for current/future care so you can adjust your financial plan accordingly (and look like a hero vs families ticked because you don't know what you don't know and didn't plan for their best outcomes)

This program is only offered twice a year and sells out every single time.

Here is the registration link:

FPA: Fall 2024 Elder Planning Specialist Program Created by Annalee Kruger and Bob Mauterstock, CFP®, co-founders of Plan4Life, LLC, and Robert Powell, CFP®, RMA, the Online  Elder Planning Specialist Program is a first-of-its-kind, 12-week online program designed to prepare serious financial advisers to meet the needs of their older clients. ...

7.

7 is apparently the typical number of crisis events--usually combinations of these-- (falls, ER/hospital visits, UTI's, wandering away from home, getting lost while driving and having the police call you, primary caregiver spouse taking ill or having a breakdown due to caregiving demands to someone who may or may not be very appreciative....BEFORE IT OCCURS TO FAMILIES THAT MAYBE THEY SHOULD PUT A PLAN TOGETHER.....WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS NOT SAFE, NOR SUSTAINABLE..... (and yes, again, capitalizing for effect :') )

If this is your family....what is your plan?

And yes, I try to post about the "what whens" NOT "what IFS" of aging to try to educate and encourage you to get a handle on "this aging thing" sooner rather than later.

Here to help if this message hits home.

92% of families are referred or find Care Right Inc. when in crisis mode---when family stress is high, care options can be very limited, and BIG decisions must be made fast..... believe me, in my 30+ year career helping families in these situations, I have NEVER had a family say, "gee, Annalee, I'm sure glad I waited until I was in dire straits to figure out what to do".

Home - Care Right Inc. Empowering Caregivers, Enhancing Senior Lives. We are national consultants that solve caregiver burnout no matter where you are in your aging, caregiving, and dementia journey. Get Started with an Aging Plan Empowering Care Through Knowledge Learn how to prevent burnout and avoid common mistakes in....

Do you have better outcomes when you plan? Like for vacations, education, career, wedding, retirement?

Then why wouldn't we plan for aging parents, prepare ourselves for what it means to be a caregiver, how caregiving WILL impact your career/life/relationships, understand dementia and how to cope and manage this disease, and have an outline of current and future care options AND those costs?

If this makes sense to you and you want to PROACTIVELY plan for the "what whens" of aging, message me.

If you're already in this journey and starting (or already) realizing you're in over your head, message me.

Caregiving CAN BE a more positive experience WITH AN AGING PLAN, and yes, I'm capitalizing for effect :-)

Listen to my 15 minute "Welcome to the Real World" video.

EVERY SINGLE FAMILY needs an Aging Plan + the digital Grab and Go!!!!!

video1703507272.mp4 Shared with Dropbox

Families tend to report what was helpful with our Aging Planning services are:

1. Neutral 3rd party facilitating family meetings
2. Conversations held that otherwise may not be held or family disputes when trying to facilitate their own family meetings
3. Learning about pros/cons/costs of aging at home
4. Outlining care options in advance vs waiting until you are in total crisis/ruling out facilities that are known poor performers or don't have the levels of care both parents likely need, parents don't have enough money to qualify for the care communities in their area, or realizing in advance that the location you live in does not have many care options
5. Peace of mind having names on waiting lists of care communities Just in Case
6. The digital Grab and Go so all family members get all of their affairs, documents, accounts/passwords, etc. in order AND communicated to their family members (vs having to spend $20,000 in emergency guardianship/conservatorship because parents didn't have legal docs in order, as an example)
Peace of mind making informed decisions
7. The Tools for Success---for those families who opt to DIY—the tours, their own advocacy, etc. vs retaining us to help with those needs​
Better understanding of dementia, chronic health issues and caregiver burnout risks
8. Family caregivers can now get their lives, careers, family, emotional/physical health back in order

Want to learn more? Or bring these services to your business for your employees? Message me

Imagine you get the call today that your dad had a massive stroke and he is the primary caregiver to your mother, who has mid-stage dementia (meaning, she's wandering, sundowning, agitated, paranoid, resists your dad when he tries to bathe her, has her days and nights mixed up, etc.).

You have a MAJOR project at work that needs to be completed and you've barely started it. Or, you have a MAJOR client that you are scheduled to meet with.

You need to ask for emergency time off and no idea how long you'll be gone.

You now need to get airfare to fly to wherever your parents live (usually $1,000)

You have kids still at home, 1 is special needs and requires a great deal of your time and attention.

What do your parents have in place? Do you even know? Do they have living wills, power of attorney, long term care insurance? Are YOU the power of attorney? Do YOU have these documents at your finger tips because SOMEONE will have to now be dad's decision-maker and WHO is going to take care of Mom?

If you're the financial POA, what is his bill paying method? How does he pay his bills? What are the accounts and passwords? Who is the financial advisor?

Mom cannot be home alone. Who is going to take care of her? 24/7 home care costs roughly $30,000/MONTH. Many memory care facilities are full with a waiting list. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN??

What conversations have YOU had as a family about the WHAT WHENS (not WHAT IFS) of aging? Are you 100% comfortable that you are prepared for such events?

For those who are already in this situation and for those who realize that this example could very well happen to you (none of us get healthier, stronger, more able-bodied as we age, so if you have aging parents, we need to talk).

Interested in learning more about aging planning and other family caregiver and workplace caregiver solutions? I'm sure by now, HR professionals are seeing their workforce missing work, being less engaged, taking FMLA for aging parents' needs.

Message me. Plain and simple.

Universal problems that Care Right Inc. solves:

• Adult kids get thrust into the role of family caregiving without any family meetings
• Seniors tend to fail at home vs thrive at home due to lack of planning and proper care at home
• Family dynamics deteriorate throughout the aging, caregiving, dementia journey when families do not have an aging plan, understand care options and care costs or understand the disease their loved one has (often, dementia). Families get along, until they don’t.
• Adult kids/primary caregivers are leaving the workforce in droves to manage or provide care
• Caregiving is impacting careers and finances when adult kids step away from their jobs, decline job promotions, take more menial roles at work because of caregiving demands
• Caregiver snowball. Caregiving feels manageable, until it isn’t
• Adult kids make knee jerk decisions (move parents in with them) to realize they are in over their head
• Families don’t live down the street from one another anymore. We have an aging nation and caregiver crisis. Adult kids are spending thousands of dollars a year in “rescue missions” every time their parents or in-laws have a crisis. This is a lot of missed work, missed deadlines, missed sales, and expensive to employers
• The emotional, physical, and financial toll on family caregivers is staggering

If this hit home for you and your family, or someone you know, let's talk. Message me.

Caregiving does NOT have to derail your lives.

I have been a virtual family caregiver/dementia/senior care consultant since I started Care Right in 2011. Prior to that, I was a social worker and executive director in CCRC's (continuing care retirement communities) for 22 years and every single day, had families in my office doing tours and having zero idea of what questions to ask/what to look for, how care was going to be paid, and spent hours educating families about dementia. That's why I started my own VIRTUAL consulting company--to help families all across the world with care decisions.

The core questions are:

1. Is what you're doing sustainable;

2. Are you 100% confident in making the right care decisions for your loved one;

3. Has caregiving derailed your career, finances, marriage, relationships, emotional/physical health. Are you losing sleep, feel like life is out of control, angry at siblings for not stepping up to help, resentful toward the care recipient, etc.

4. Does it make sense to keep doing what you're doing (likely spinning your wheels and dropping what you're doing every time there is another crisis/or you spend so much of your time and energy worried about if your loved one is safe and happy);

5. You already have a plan (meaning, you know the actual costs of care, how to care is going to be paid, your loved one is on several waiting lists, you are an expert in whatever your loved one's disease/diagnosis is (most of my families are in the throws of dementia and they have very little knowledge about the disease, how much it will cost, and how to plan for it and where the loved one should live--at home, in a care community and if so, where, since most families don't live near their aging loved one).

Most families are in crisis mode, burned out, low emotional bandwidth, very concerned about what to do when they schedule their consult call. 92% are in crisis mode and realize they now need a plan to manage their predicament.... and our ongoing guidance, support, education to help make sure the plan is implemented and adjusted as needs and health changes.

So then it's just a matter of deciding if putting a plan in place makes sense or wait until ongoing safety concerns or major injury and then move forward with a crisis plan. (most families want their aging loved ones to be safe, happy and have the best quality of life and care possible---the ONLY way to accomplish that is with an Aging Plan.)

And, our comprehensive aging plan also outlines all the information family caregivers need to have at their finger tips (estate docs, accounts, passwords, etc.).

Hopefully this helps give you an idea of what I do.

If this hit home and you want to learn more about any of the services or products we offer, message me, comment, or reach out at [email protected]

I should post this every single day...

People, listen up.

UTI's, if left untreated, can kill!!!
Urinary Tract Infection symptoms vary, but in the elderly, if your loved one is more confused or disoriented, becomes paranoid, starts falling, is lethargic, becomes more restless, hallucinates, complains of stomach or back pain, etc.... fairly sudden onset is USUALLY a UTI.

If untreated, you/your loved one can go septic AND DIE.

The symptoms are there, you HAVE to be educated about these things to prevent unnecessary falls/fall injuries, discomfort, and death.

Please, Like, Comment, Share this post. It really could save a life.

15 minute recording about mistakes I see families make, the value of an Aging Plan, what happens when a medical crisis occurs, the caregiver snowball and much more!

Mom and Dad are "fine", until they aren't. Then what?
Family caregiving seems manageable, until it isn't. Then what?

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/IlkmozBP8awXg0Xvt1EvJ2mvmQUqQbwkUAP-7WxgO9LRXL6rvjZBENIMQXKARQUj.obzM8ikDTEpfv0xR?startTime=1723403276000

If your family doesn't get along now, you won't magically start getting along when your parent has a medical crisis (stroke, fall injury, dementia/other progressive disease).

Want help navigating family dynamics when you are in the aging, caregiving, and dementia journey?

I'm here to help!!!! Message me or call me at 239.770.6322

Nation-wide virtual family caregiver/senior care/dementia consultant.

The more you know....

These States Don’t Tax Retirement Distributions Every penny from your nest egg counts when you’re retired

Don't think for a minute that loved ones at home or in a care community, even with dementia, don't appreciate cards from friends and family.

Did you know that many seniors read and re-read these cards with big smiles on their faces?

Their worlds get small as they age and lose mobility and independence. It is the "small" things in life that are HUGE for them.

Send the cards!!!!!!!

Saw one of my in-person advocacy clients in the memory care unit today. She was reading Christmas cards from last year and having the time of her life and commenting on how she knew them and how pretty the card itself was.

Again, send the cards!!!!!

For financial services professionals:
Why does dementia matter to financial planners? Your aging clients have different needs than they did in their early years. Now conversations need to transition to aging, long term care, helping make sure they are keeping active and engaged to ward off immobility and social isolation. And your clients who are middle aged are likely starting to see declines in their aging parents or are already caregiving to aging parents. Time and again, adult kids take early retirement, decline job promotions, jeopardize their careers because of caregiving and then find themselves in over their heads with caregiving demands.
Forward-thinking advisors will start asking caring questions, vs just discussing portfolios and the stock market. Questions to ask your clients can include: Are you a family caregiver? If yes, how is caregiving impacting your job, health, relationships? Are you noticing any changes in your health? Are you keeping active and engaged at home? Have you had any falls, concerning events at home, or hospitalizations? Are you able to manage your mail and paying your bills? Who is your trusted contact in case we have concerns as you age? Verifying your clients have estate documents in order is critical vs clients having to spend thousands of dollars in emergency guardianship or conservatorship legal fees if capacity becomes an issue. What conversations have you had as a family about aging, dementia, and care needs? Is there anything in your personal life impacting your health, finances, or ability to earn a living?
Forward-thinking advisors also use a collaborative approach with aging and dementia experts. How to introduce the collaborative team approach with your clients is: “I have your financial plan in good order, but just as important is a plan for aging, caregiving, and care needs. I’d like to introduce you to X via an email introduction” Addressing estate or tax planning is the same. Proper financial planning includes estate planning, tax planning, and aging planning. Referring clients to experts in these other areas is a true differentiator and adds value. Using a team approach shows you care about all aspects of your clients’ needs. Addressing the “human side” of clients’ needs and not shying away from these aging conversations is a wise marketing strategy.
Message me or comment below if you are interested in collaborating.

Thinking AND documenting AND communicating your end-of-life wishes is so important!!!!!!

August is National Make-A-Will Month! Do you have yours? Five Wishes is legal in most states, easy to complete and inexpensive. The pricing hasn't increased since it was started 25+ years ago! https://ow.ly/JQrt50SRvWk
-of-life

Saturday, Karen Ellenbecker, Founder & Senior Wealth Advisor at EIG, talk with Annalee Krueger, Owner/President of Care Right Inc., about family caregiving dynamics and an upcoming cruise for families caring for a loved one with dementia.

Sunday, listen to hear Karen Ellenbecker, EIG Founder & Senior Wealth Advisor, sits down with Mark Reiss, Owner/President and Licensed Funeral Director of Heritage Funeral Home, to discuss funeral planning options including preplanning, prefunding, and funeral trusts.

Miss a show? Recordings are available online (https://www.ellenbecker.com/radio) and as podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and Spotify

Have a listen on this radio show interview with highly respected Karen J Ellenbecker, owner of EIG, a comprehensive financial planning firm in Milwaukee, WI.

We talked about family caregiver burnout, why an aging plan is critical IF you want the best family relationship outcomes AND care outcomes. We also talked about the upcoming dementia-friendly with Elite Cruises and Vacations Kathy Smith Shoaf RN BSN

Join us on this dementia-friendly Caribbean cruise Nov 30-Dec 7.

While Kathy and her team have Mom in adult day care programming, I will have the family caregivers in educational sessions to help them recharge and feel restored.

Radio show link: https://moneysense.castos.com/episodes/family-caregiving-dementia-cruise

Learn more about the cruise details: https://www.elitecruisesandvacationstravel.com/caregivers-caribbean-2024.html

Alzheimer's & Dementia Weekly My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer's Caregiver Alzheimer's Association, Central/North Florida Alzheimer's - NewLifeOutlook Alzheimer's Association

Caregivers Caribbean 2024 You’re invited to a Caregiver Conference in the Caribbean with senior care planning concierge and founder of Care Right Inc., Annalee Kruger. This cruise is designed to empower and re-energize caregivers, provide a safe and supported travel environment for seniors, and guide individuals and famili...

Assume. That's what so many people do.

They "assume" they are going in for a simple procedure or a simple operation......and then they have a heart attack or stroke which they may or may not recover from.

Then what?

Here is the problem.

1. Most people don't have their Grab and Go information at their finger tips and/or they don't have their power of attorney/living will documents in place and end up spending THOUSANDS in emergency guardianship and/or conservatorship legal and court fees if capacity is lost

2. Family members have to step in and make care decisions (say you have to go to a skilled rehab unit or to a nursing home)

3. Finances--what can you even afford if care is needed....knowing that companion care can range $25-75/hour, depending on where you live. Do you have Long Term Care Insurance or some other financial solution plan to pay for out of pocket care costs? Do you have disability insurance? What does your insurance even cover? Dust off those old policies and see what you have for coverage

4. Pets--who is going to take care of Fluffy if you now need to go to a facility for care or your "outpatient" procedure landed you in the ICU for 2 weeks? Did you plan ahead and have someone take care of your pet, do they know their meds, their routine, their favorite toys, when they like to go for walks, who the vet is, where is the upset tummy emergency kit (I would hope anyone with pets would have pumpkin on hand...)

5. Mail--who will take care of your mail/your bills--who is your financial power of attorney and do they know your bill pay system--which bills get paid from which account, do you have everything set up on auto pay, what banks do you use, who is your financial planner, how do they log into your accounts and pay bills

6. Your house. Let's hope you can return home. Is your house safe? What needs to be done, whether temporarily or permanently, to be safe at home (stairs, steep drive ways, mail boxes at the end of the drive way and you can't walk that far, microwaves above the stove vs on the counter, steps in/out of the house, shower and bathroom safety, furniture height, bubbles in the flooring/carpet, etc.

7. Funeral arrangements. Why make your family have to plan your funeral when they should be given the courtesy of actually just being able to grieve you? Especially if you have certain scripture, songs, ceremony preferences, cremation, burial, etc....get your funeral arrangements done (and yes, I know no one wants to think of this but guess what, we are all going to die....so why not plan for that). Did you know surviving family members are so wrapped up in funeral arrangements that they can't really grieve until well after the funeral....when everyone else is back to work and their routine....and then the survivors feel alone and unsupported.

8. Family meetings. Talk about the "what ifs" of the "what whens" and let's put a plan in place just in case.... this is for not only those heading into surgery, but for all of us over age 18. All the people who died in car accidents or get badly injured in car accidents didn't wake up that day thinking their life/health/finances could be changed forever.

I know some of you may think I'm just always so morbid.....I'm not....it's just that 92% of my clients come to me in total crisis mode where they are totally blind-sided and overwhelmed with whatever life threw their way....and I help them sort it all out, make needed referrals to my curated network of professionals across the globe (think real estate professionals, estate attorneys, downsizers, insurance reps), and put an actual plan in place AND support the whole family along the way.

I'm passionate about trying to shed light on situations that I address with families all across the globe, every single day.....

If you want to learn more about any of our services---from white glove approach family caregiver/aging/dementia/senior care consulting to our DIY products or my book, The Invisible Patient: the Emotional, Financial and Physical Toll of Family Caregivers, feel free to contact me/my team.

If you would like to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consult, you can do so here: https://calendly.com/annalee-1/30-min-aging-plan-consulting-services-with-annalee

Annalee Kruger Care Right, Inc and Co-owner of Plan4LifeNow

239.770.6322

[email protected]

30-min Aging Plan/Consulting services with Annalee - Annalee Kruger

Why I send my newsletters with topics "all things aging, caregiving, dementia, real life in your face information" . I have a high open rate because the content I personally write hits home because it is real world content.

My topic: Death of the primary caregiver, now what do we do?

Here's a response from one of my readers:

Thank you for this. I was right in that zone for a year when all three of my parents had health issues and dementia diagnoses... I was flying cross country and learning legalese in three different states. I wrote the book I could not find to help families begin the conversation and find resources to tackle the legal, financial, medical and emotional aspects of caregiving. I am in the heart of the sandwich generation with three aging parents and five children. I am still doing it every day.

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-g3kx5-1682e9e

Long-Term Care Planning: Start the Conversation Now with Ed Wollman Preparing for the challenges of aging and caregiving can be overwhelming. It involves considering both your own future needs and the needs of loved ones who may require assistance. Emotional, physical, and financial aspects all play a significant role in this stage of life. Facing these challenges r...

Saturday, listen to hear Karen Ellenbecker, EIG Founder & Senior Wealth Advisor, sits down with Mark Reiss, Owner/President and Licensed Funeral Director of Heritage Funeral Home, to discuss funeral planning options including preplanning, prefunding, and funeral trusts.

Sunday, Karen Ellenbecker, Founder & Senior Wealth Advisor at EIG, talk with Annalee Krueger, Owner/President of Care Right Inc., about family caregiving dynamics and an upcoming cruise for families caring for a loved one with dementia.

Miss a show? Recordings are available online (https://www.ellenbecker.com/radio) and as podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and Spotify

I absolutely LOVE what I do....

because not only do I have the opportunity to consult with families across the globe to help them sort out care options, make informed decisions, understand aging, caregiving, and dementia, I ALSO take massive amounts of my time to curate other professionals and companies who I can refer my clients to and know they will be properly served in that needed capacity.

No money changes hands with these referrals.

It's important to me to know that a family will have their needs met.. because of RELATIONSHIPS I've taken time to develop, whether it's home care, financial services, realtors, travel needs, nurses, attorneys, etc.