Brookfield/Elm Grove Monthly

Freeman Brookfield & Elm Grove • Page 3 SEPTEMBER 2015 FOCUS ON SENIORS Kathy Schultz, CRTS (262) 336-8113 ̷Ǥ A Total Solution Offices Nationwide • Bonded & Insured Each Office is independently owned and operated. Senior Relocation/ Resettling • Estate Liquidation Organize/ Declutter • Clean Out • Online Auctions • Nationwide Network 245906001 • Personalized On-Site Event Coordination • Grand Ballroom can accommodate celebrations of up to 300 • Ceremony, Reception & Group Rooms • All-Inclusive Packages include: Centerpieces, Dance Floor & Head Table Décor • Book your event by December 31st, 2015 and receive a complimentary upgrade Y o u r H a p p i l y E v e r A f t e r B e g i n s H e r e . . . natalie.balistreri@brookfieldsuites.com www.BrookfieldSuitesHotel.com 1200 S. Moorland Rd. Brookfield, WI 53005 262.796.9123 = 243016005 Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Seniors participate in an exercise class on Aug. 25 at the Brookfield Senior Center. 241686018 Exercise From Page 1A Clay said exercise can help control weight, which can lead to decreased pain in the joints. "It also helps us sleep at night," Clay said. "People, especially seniors, say they don't sleep well at night. When they start an activity program of any kind, they have more positive sleep, which positively affects their life." Exercise also helps main- tain muscle mass, which Clay said we lose as we age. Maintaining muscle mass and strength in senior citi- zens can help decrease the chance of falling. Glenn said Wheaton Fran- ciscan Healthcare focuses on fall prevention as part of its involvement with the Brookfield Senior Center. Clay said 1 in 3 seniors will suffer a fall in their lifetime that leads to a significant change in their quality of life. "A fall for an older person can lead to a broken hip and, unfortunately, people die sometimes," Glenn said. "Even if you don't lose an ounce of weight, if you can prevent yourself from falling that's huge." Group dynamic Both Glenn and Clay urge exercising in a group, and advise conferring with one's physician before starting any exercise regimen. "Seniors don't change per- sonality, and some people like to do things by them- selves and some like to do it with a group," Clay said. "Within a group, the social aspect enhances the sense of well-being. It's kind of neat to see." The social benefit of exer- cising for seniors might be the most tangible result — not ripped abs or well- defined quads. Glenn said two breaks are scheduled in the Tuesday and Thursday exercise pro- gram at the Brookfield Senior Center. One is used for telling jokes, and the other is for resting and chat- ting. "It's very much a social hub in the senior center," Glenn said. "A lot of people look forward to just going to it. We've even had a few marriages over the years." The Brookfield Senior Center is on the Web at http://wi-brookfield2.civic- plus.com/ and can be reached by phone at 262-796- 6675. By Chris Bennett Special to The Freeman BROOKFIELD — Human beings excel at solving problems. It is in our nature to figure out how best to survive and thrive. If something is wrong, we devise a fix. If something can be done better, we refine the process and make it so. Our innate skill to adapt and improvise sometimes takes a hit as we age. As mental faculties diminish, the ability of the elderly among us to improvise and adapt does the same. "They may themselves realize, in some form, that something is not what it used to be," said Wendy Betley, Family Services manager at the Alzheimer's Association of Southeastern Wisconsin, located at 620 S. 76th St. in Milwaukee. "Having them be able to tell the difference between normal aging and something they need to talk to the doc- tor about becomes a struggle." Alzheimer's takes a toll According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, think- ing and behavior. Dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Association, is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. Memory loss is an example of dementia, and Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. Five million Americans are living with Alzheimer's right now, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Deaths due to Alzheimer's rose 71 percent between 2000 and 2013. The disclosure rate of Alzheimer's — those told by their doctor or caregiver they suffer from the disease — is at 45 percent, according to the Alzheimer's Association. For means of comparison, the disclosure rate of cancer is 90 percent. By the year 2030 — just 15 years from now — an estimated 72 million members of the baby boom generation will be at the age of risk for Alzheimer's. The baby boom gener- ation is defined as those born between 1946 and 1964. All boomers will be 65 or older as of 2030. The risk of Alzheimer's doubles every five years after age 65. According to the Alzheimer's Association, symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, eventually becoming severe enough to inter- fere with daily tasks. "Maybe they can't do their checkbook," said Jennifer McAlister, Family Services coordinator with the Alzheimer's Associa- tion of Southeastern Wisconsin. "Maybe they think they paid a bill when they didn't, or they maybe paid a bill several times because they forgot to write a check number in the ledger." McAlister points out that we all, some- times, lose track of a bill, or forget an indi- vidual's name. There is a key difference in response between one in possession of their faculties and one struggling with memory loss. "What we would be able to do is check what we did," McAlister said. "More often than not, a person with cognitive deficien- cies would not be able to catch they made a mistake." The talk If mistakes or lapses become more fre- quent and grave — for example, if mom for- gets to take her medicine, or dad can't drive safely — it may be time for a conversation. "Don't make the conversation scarier than it needs to be," Betley said. "If you're seeing concerns with a parent with their driving, you might want to start out by tak- ing them somewhere to see how they're driving." Using driving as an example, ride along with your parent or loved one and assess how they are doing behind the wheel. If a conversation about your loved one's condi- tion is necessary, it is important to have it early enough for that person to understand all or part of what is taking place. "The diagnosis itself we cannot change, but we can take some of the scariness away from it," McAlister said. "People can lead a very healthy, quality life even in the midst of a dementia diagnosis. We want to help peo- ple identify what that would look like for them." More resources are available through the Alzheimer's Association at http://www.alz.org. The southeast Wiscon- sin office can be contacted at 414-479-8800. By Chris Bennett Special to The Freeman BROOKFIELD — Whether you plan on dying with $10 or $10 million in assets, the importance of an estate plan cannot be stressed enough. "It can vary so much, from person to per- son and family to family," said attorney John Osinga with Osinga Law Offices, S.C., 13500 W. Capitol Drive in Brookfield. "It generally means some kind of plan in conjunction with other members of the family and pro- fessionals like an attorney to come up with an approach to the particular problem." Osinga said drawing up an estate plan is like going to the doctor. "The doctor sits down with you, maybe talks with your family a little bit and then you get the interchange going on," Osinga said. "Then the doctor says, 'OK, you've got this medical issue. Here are some different ways we can approach this.'" At that point, Osinga said, the doctor pre- sents options. Devising an estate plan is sim- ilar. Osinga will listen to the individual's per- sonal situation and family situation and work to develop a solution for all parties. "I tell people an estate plan is important for your personal security," Osinga said. It's important to ensure your kids or relatives aren't squabbling or fighting, because you've laid out who gets what. It more effectively wraps up your affairs and gets the property to who you want it to go to." Getting affairs in order According to the American Bar Associa- tion, 55 percent of Americans die without a will or an estate plan. Dying without an estate plan, which can consist of wills, pow- ers of attorney or trusts, means one dies intestate. At that point, the state in which the dece- dent died determines how any remaining assets will be distributed. If you die without an estate plan, the government decides what to do with your remaining assets. That means your adult children might need to slug it out in court through probate to get access to any assets. An ex-spouse might be able to claim a portion of any assets. Minor children might not receive the consid- eration you want. It is best to put an estate plan in place before dying. "I think it is extremely important, and I always break it down into two different sce- narios," Osinga said of creating an estate plan before death. Being incapacitated or disabled is, Osinga said, a vital consideration in estate planning. "Do you have plans in place for disability?" Osinga said. "Often times, the most impor- tant part of an estate plan is what it does if someone becomes disabled or incapacitated or incompetent." Dealing with disability or being incapaci- tated in an estate plan involves setting up powers of attorney for financial matters and health matters. Individuals are designated to handle affairs in the event one is incapacitat- ed or disabled and can no longer make deci- sions. The other scenario Osinga mentioned is addressing death and how any assets will be distributed. "How is that going to be handled?" Osinga said. "Who is going to be in charge of things, and how do you want things distributed — those sorts of issues." Where to start Before creating an estate plan, Osinga said he asks clients to go through some personal planning and decide what they want includ- ed in an estate plan. "It gives us an idea to discuss some of the major issues," Osinga said. "Should we have our son be the person in charge after our death, or our daughter?" At the very least, it offers a starting point for when he and the clients meet. "Sometimes they think, 'Oh, this is really simple,'" Osinga said. "But as they discuss things, they realize there is a third interest in the family business. When they come in they'll have questions, but I'll have a starting point." Osinga can be reached at 262-717-9020 or through his website at http://osingalawof- fice.com. Aging gracefully might require help Observe, talk to loved ones exhibiting difficulties as they age Planning for beyond tomorrow Estate plans direct assets after death How to get YOUR news in The Freeman The Freeman wants your community news! We will publish the happenings at your schools and community groups — as well as everyday items. But we need your help to get these announcements and pictures published. Submissions must be typed or emailed. No handwritten submissions will be accepted. Please send news items and photos to: news@conleynet.com

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