Lake Country This Month

TOTAL Mechanical donates $12K to Elmbrook Humane Society PEWAUKEE — TOTAL Mechanical made a $12,000 donation to the Elm- brook Humane Society on Wednesday. The donation was raised through pro- ceeds from this year's charity golf out- ing by the company. The contribution was made in honor of Valerie Sullivan, an employee that lost her battle to cancer. TOTAL Mechanical has been issuing donations from the outing in Sullivan's name since 2014, with this year's event taking place July 23 at Ironwood Golf Course in Sussex. The event saw over 100 employees, customers, vendors, friends and family members take part. "Giving back to local charities has always been a part of TOTAL Mechanical's culture and we look for- ward to continuing this annual tradition in honor of our friend Valerie," said Dennis J. Braun, presi- dent and CEO of TOTAL Mechanical. From left: Heather Gehrke, executive director of the Elmbrook Humane Society; Braun; and Anita Alfaro, development director of the Elmbrook Humane Society. — Freeman Staff FREEMAN & ENTERPRISE LAKE COUNTRY • Page 3A September 2016 251850005 By Chris Bennett Special to The Freeman DELAFIELD — You've spent your adult life working and accu- mulating assets, counting pennies and managing money with a long view of the day when you wake up and must no longer punch a clock for living. There is no magic switch to flip the day you retire that will con- vince you it is now a good idea to start expending the assets you built over the previous 40 to 50 years. Brian Behl, a wealth adviser with Bronfman E.L. Rothschild in Delafield, said it is a common issue among retirees. It speaks to a mind- set of saving vs. spending. "Many recent retirees are very frugal and very budget-conscious," Behl said. "For them to start spending down that money they have spent decades saving, it's a big psychological change." The notion of planning for life without a weekly or biweekly pay- check from a job or business does not need to be daunting, but it does require planning. With the proper mindset and sound advice, the process can be enjoyable. Retirees are now manag- ing assets acquired over a life of work, and ensuring the money doesn't run out before they do. In a perfect financial world, Behl said planning will take place prior to retirement that will enable retirees to pull money from their portfolio and have strategies in place to allow those assets to replenish. For example, it is not wise to become a financial hermit when you retire. One cannot place all of his money in low-yield investments and expect to keep up with infla- tion. One also cannot have all of his assets tied up in long-term investments when they need funds to live off of. "We'll work with them and dis- cover what are appropriate invest- ments, and what percentage of their portfolio can they distribute each year to have it last all the way through retirement and not run out of funds early," said Behl, who holds industry certifications as a certified financial planner and chartered retirement planning counselor. Financial and physical health Behl said a key point touched on by many as they near retirement concerns health care. "Health care is the most common question we get, even from people five to 10 years out from retire- ment," Behl said. "They know it's going to be expensive, and they're wondering how they're going to pay for it." Many studies have shown that an average couple, retiring at age 65, will need about $250,000 for health care expenses in retirement. "That's kind of a challenging number for a lot of people," Behl said. "It's something that needs to be budgeted for and accounted for when we're reviewing your overall cash flow needs." Long-term care is a pivotal piece to be considered when examining health care needs in retirement. "Depending on someone's situa- tion, does it make sense to pur- chase insurance or self-insure?" Behl said. "Every situation is dif- ferent." Behl said different types of long- term care insurance exist, and some policies are designed for those with bigger portfolios. Estate planning and the disposition and disbursement of assets upon death must also be considered. "What we're seeing is many peo- ple created a will when they had a young family with small children 30 years ago," Behl said. "Now, the document should have a different priority. It used to be to protect kids and name guardians. The focus now should be on distribut- ing assets and the mechanics of how that will occur." Behl recommends involving adult children at a level that is comfortable for the retiree or soon- to-be retiree. Children often won- der if they will need to support their parents in retirement. "The way we look at it, the chil- dren need to know what the par- ents want them to know," Behl said. "From the kids' perspective, we think they generally want to know that their parents have a plan and that they're working with a trusted adviser who is guiding then through the various deci- sions. If their parents believe they may need to have their children help support them, it is better to have that discussion earlier than later." Behl can be reached at 262 326- 6090 or at brian.behl@belr.com. By Chris Bennett Special to The Freeman SUMMIT — Falling might not seem like a big deal to a generation raised on jokes made by guys like legendary crooner and Rat Pack icon Dean Martin. On his hit CBS variety show in the 1960s, the cooler-than-cool Mar- tin once joked he got so drunk the night before that when he fell down he missed the floor. Falls are funny in the context of a comedy routine. Falls by a senior citizen trying to remain indepen- dent and enjoy a reasonable quality of life are no laughing matter. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of Americans aged 65 and older falls each year. Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall. An older adult dies from a fall every 19 minutes. As a result, falls lead to more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including over 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths. The CDC reports that in 2013 the total cost of fall injuries reached $34 billion, and may reach $67.7 bil- lion by 2020 as the population con- tinues to age. According to the Pew Research Center, roughly 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 today. Another 10,000 will cross that threshold every day through 2030. Members of the baby boom generation are loosely defined as those born fol- lowing World War II between 1946 and 1964. The population is aging, but the baby boomers are not going gentle into that good night; they are, to quote the poet Dylan Thomas, rag- ing against the dying of the light. That means the generation is staying active longer as life expectancies continue to rise and health care continues to get better. As a generation, the baby boomers are also fairly wise regarding self- care. "Falls carry a great risk," said Diane Lorenz, a senior physical therapist at Aurora Medical Center Summit, 36500 Aurora Drive in Summit. "Many of the patients we see here in our Physical Therapy department have had falls of have a fear of falling." Increasing awareness The Stepping On program aims to increase fall awareness and prevent falls among senior citizens. The evi- dence-based program is designed to reduce falls and build confidence in older people. Participants in a Stepping On workshop meet two hours a week for seven weeks in a class that is engaging and safe, and encourages mutual support. Stepping On is held at numerous sites throughout the greater Mil- waukee area and southeast Wiscon- sin. In Lake Country, Aurora Medi- cal Center Summit and the Oconomowoc Area Senior Center at 210 S. Main St. in Oconomowoc facilitate the class. Aurora Medical Center in Sum- mit is taking steps to build on the success of Stepping On and keep engaging seniors with the launch this fall of its Summit Senior Breakfast Club. Trish Golden, community bene- fits coordinator at Aurora Medical Center Summit, said the program will consist of more than bagels and coffee. "It is a program that will bring people together on a monthly basis in addition to learning various top- ics to keep older adults engaged in their communities, develop friend- ships and to live well," Golden said. "There is definitely a social aspect to the program. Having people engaged in the community is very important." The Aurora Medical Center Sum- mit Senior Breakfast Club will meet Oct. 4, and discuss the latest developments in breast cancer screening. The event starts is from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. in Draper Hall at Aurora Medical Center Summit. Aurora Medical Center Summit's Senior Breakfast Club will meet from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Nov. 1 in Drap- er Hall and engage in a discussion on understanding diabetes. Decem- ber's meeting of the breakfast clu will focus on healthy holiday cook- ing for those with diabetes. To register for any of the Aurora Medical Center Summit's Senior Breakfast Club events, call 888-863- 5502. Pewaukee Chamber welcomes Lustrous Beauty Studio PEWAUKEE — The Pewaukee Chamber of Commerce presented Lustrous Beauty Studio with a plaque wel- coming it to the organization during one of its recent Biz After Biz events at the Marcus Majestic Theatre. The business specializes in makeup artistry, skin care and waxing. Pictured from left to right: Pewaukee Chamber of Commerce President Nancy Waters; LearningRX Owner and Pewaukee Chamber Board of Directors Chair- man Kevin Pasqua; Johnson Bank Branch Manager and Chamber Ambassador Chair Lisa Oman; Walcheske & Luzi Partner and Chamber Board of Directors Vice Chair Scott Luzi; Lustrous owner Kelly Schubel; Cham- ber Board member Rick Appleby and his wife Diane Appleby. — Freeman Staff Preparing for life after work Plan today for all your tomorrows Stay healthy by avoiding falls Local programs aim to help people stay steady on feet Submitted photo

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