Where Do We Find the Resources to Successfully Age in Place? 

Episode description: 

As we kick off National Aging in Place Week, surveys tell us that an overwhelming majority of older adults want to remain in the comfort and security of their own homes for as long as possible. But many families are not equipped with the resources and expertise to accomplish this goal. In today’s episode, the Executive Director of the National Aging in Place Council, Tara Ballman, talks about her organization’s mission to provide families and caregivers with the education and tools they need to age with grace and dignity. Tara, who first appeared on 45 Forward last year, will describe how NAIPC has grown since its inception into an active nationwide network of experts in health care, financial services, elder law, Medicare and Medicaid, home design, home care, assisted living, and dozens of other fields—virtually every area of expertise that families might need to age in place, whatever place that might be at later stages of life. And along with Tara, I’m privileged to welcome today another widely recognized member of NAIPC, Amy Miller, the Founder of Our Family Encounter. Tara, who has worked in the aging services field for almost two decades, is co-author with 19 other NAIPC members of the Council’s just-published first book, “Aging In Place Conversations: What Industry Experts Have to Say.” Amy, who is one of Tara’s co-authors, is also the author of “Last Life Lesson: A Guide for Seniors and Their Families,” which provides a breakdown of the decisions and documents needed to age with confidence and purpose. Together, Tara and Amy will tell us the book’s impressive array of resources and commentary,  including NAIPC’s “Five Pillars of Aging,” as well as the organization’s online toolkits, YouTube TV channel, events and practical advice. Just as many of us made a plan to go to college (and then put our kids through college), we should have a plan for our aging years—a plan that need to be just as detailed, and just as commonplace, in our society.

Guest descriptions:

Tara Ballman is Executive Director for the National Aging in Place Council, an organization dedicated to providing seniors with the education and resources they need to comfortably age in the lifestyle and community of their choosing.  Having worked in the aging services marketplace since 2003, Tara is an “Aging Services Connector,” passionate about educating and connecting seniors and their families with products and services that help make aging easier—as well as connecting and supporting the professionals who serve older Americans.  She is responsible for overseeing 14 NAIPC chapters and more than 400 members across the country, creating a dynamic network of experts and resources in more than 50 key service areas.

Amy Miller, the Founder of Our Family Encounter, has developed a comprehensive program to “encounter,” or come alongside, families and solos to prepare for end-of-life decisions.  She is also the author of “Last Life Lesson: A Guide for Seniors and Their Families,” which is designed to meet the needs of the “forgotten middle older adult who wants to remain in their home while receiving care from their loved ones. Amy promotes creating family caregiving agreements so loved ones can be paid to care and house loved ones. She is developing a “well check sensor” to help her clients and families and has collaborated with other members of National Aging in Place Council on a book, “Aging in Place Conversation: What Industry Experts Say.”

Contact: taraballman@gmail.com

                Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taraballman

                Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraballman/

               Twitter: @taraballman

   amy@ourfamilyencounter.com

               Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Our-Family-Encounter-100746308061912

   Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ourfamilyencounter/

            Our Family Encounter website: www.ourfamilyencounter.com

National Aging In Place website: https://ageinplace.org/