Elder Care Firm June 2017

Plan. Protect. Preserve.

OFFICES: Brighton | Bloomfield Hills | Livonia | Novi

DADS AND GRADS

A Tribute to My Father

Last month, I shared a bit about my mom and the amazing influence she’s had on my life. This month, I want to pay tribute to my dad, especially with Father’s Day in June. My father, James Berry, is an intelligent, caring man and someone I greatly admire. My dad is a professor of psychology, and he has incredible passion for what he does. As far back as I remember, he has encouraged me to pursue my intellectual ambitions. I am the type of guy who loves to learn new things, and I give a lot of credit to my dad for that. Even when I was young, he spoke to me as an equal and let me ask any question I had on my mind. As an undergrad, I studied both finance and psychology (thanks, Dad!). I may not be Dr. Freud, but I am curious about what makes people tick. And with my parents living four houses down the street, I have an expert just a short walk away. I’ve actually become an adjunct professor myself, and any time I’m teaching, I understand why my dad was so devoted to it. One of the reasons I wrote my book, “The Caregiver’s Legal Guide to Planning for a Loved One With Chronic Illness,” was because my dad always had a book idea on his mind, so I wanted to carry that torch, just like I did with teaching. Just like him, I consider myself a teacher and educator. It wasn’t just in the classroom where I felt the inspiration of my father. He was also my coach for many sports growing up, and he never hesitated to take the long drive to camps or away games. My love for basketball came from him, and I would visit the gym with him on Fridays

to shoot hoops and watch him play his weekly game. I always asked when I would be old enough — or good enough — to join them. My dad promised me that as soon as I was taller than the shortest guy on the court, I would be allowed to play. The first day that happened is one I’ll never forget; it was a rite of passage. Speaking of rites of passage, high school graduations will be happening this month. And before the start of college, there’s an important legal matter that should be addressed. Once someone turns 18, they need to give their parents power of attorney if they want to have access to

documents like medical records. This can seem like a trivial detail, but it can prove crucial in the event of an emergency. I urge you to discuss with your adult-age children, before they head off to school, the need for a medical and financial power of attorney.

Here’s wishing everyone a safe and happy graduation season.

– Christopher J. Berry

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Audiobooks Inspire a Love of Stories in All Ages SUMMER READING FOR BUSY FAMILIES

Summer reading lists are always popular, but most families rarely have time to have dinner together, let alone sit still reading for hours. Luckily, the ever-growing popularity of audiobooks means you don’t have to wait for school to start again for your kids to get back into literature. Here are a few great audiobooks you can introduce to your family this summer.

FOR FAMILY BONDING “Half Magic” by Edward Eager, read by Words Take Wing

A beloved family favorite since it was first published in 1954, “Half Magic” tells the story of siblings Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha, who discover a magic wish-granting coin. They soon realize the coin only grants half of what they wish for, and an unplanned vacation to the Sahara, followed by chaos in King Arthur’s court, is just a one of the hilarious misadventures this family must overcome together.

FOR THE LONG ROAD TRIP “The Bad Beginning” (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket, read by Tim Curry When a terrible fire destroys the Baudelaire mansion, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny find themselves orphans and are sent to live with the terrible Count Olaf. Convinced their awful new guardian is only after their fortune, the Baudelaires must use their intelligence and skills to stick together and (maybe) overcome their sad circumstances. Fans of the Netflix series will love to hear the story that started it all! Who knew such an unfortunate series could mean fun for the whole family?

FOR SOMETHING ENTIRELY NEW “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown, read by Kate Atwater

When lonely robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she finds she’s trapped on a wild island. Struggling to survive and befriend the island’s hostile animal inhabitants, Roz must eventually face her mysterious past, which threatens to tear her home apart. This brand-new book is a stunning tale about the environment, technology, and the wonder of being alive.

These are just a few of the many titles your family can enjoy this summer. Find even more by visiting Audible.com or checking the audiobooks catalogue on iTunes.

ALWAYS THERE TO HELP Spotlighting Lisa Lukkari

One trait we look for in our team members is intellectual curiosity. Lisa Lukkari has that quality in spades, and that’s one of the many reasons why she’s been such a good fit here. “One of my favorite parts about working here,” Lisa says, “is taking part in our workshops. I love being able to learn new ways to help people plan their estates and get the care they need.” “I actually have a very personal connection to the work we do here,” Lisa explains, “because my father is elderly, and I want to provide the best possible care for him.” She has the same passion for offering great advice to our clients. “Everyone here is amazing to work with,” she notes, “and I feel lucky to have found this firm.” Lisa is often the first point of contact clients have with our legal team, and she thinks of herself as a welcoming host introducing clients to The Elder Care Firm family.

Outside of the office, Lisa loves spending time with her husband, Jeff, and their three dogs. “We just moved into a new home,” she says, “and we are currently renovating our previous home to get it ready to sell. It’s been a long process, but a very exciting one.” Her two children are grown up now — her daughter, Laura, lives in Lansing; and her son, Jeff, resides in Florida — but she still cherishes any chance she gets to see or speak with them. Another of Lisa’s missions is fighting cancer. “The disease has touched my family,” she reveals, “so it means a lot to contribute in any way that I can.” To that end, Lisa has twice done the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, a sixty-mile walk to fund breast cancer research. Her passion for helping others doesn’t stop when she leaves the office, and we’re lucky to have her on our team.

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Preparing for Tomorrow Today

According to Genworth Financial, one of the leading long-term care insurance providers, the cost of long-term care has risen steadily over the past 13 years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Most people associate the phrase “long-term care” with nursing homes, but there is a wide variety of long-term care options. When planning for the future, factoring in the potential cost of long-term care makes a huge difference. When you’re healthy, it’s easy to overlook the fact that you could, one day, become ill or incapacitated. Not considering the possibility, though, can wreak havoc on your savings. Genworth’s Cost of Care survey identified five main styles of long-term care: homemaker services, home health aide services, adult day health care, assisted living facilities, and nursing home care. The prices of all five categories have increased over the past five years. Because of this growth, when you plan for long-term care, you need to assume prices will continue to rise. Even with the steady escalation of long-term care costs, you still have a variety of payment options at your disposal. It’s important to note that Medicare does not pay for long-term care. There is long-term care insurance, but it can be pricey. In Michigan, you can use Medicaid planning to protect your assets. The Rising Cost of Long-Term Care

At the same time, you can qualify for benefits to pay for care. Veterans and spouses of veterans also have specific benefits available to them.

Paying for long-term care is a complex, stressful process. Without a qualified attorney with experience planning for the possibility of long-term care, you may end up in a situation where your assets and savings are in jeopardy. Falling ill or suffering a serious injury is dismaying enough as it is. The last thing you need is to couple this distress with financial insecurity. Proactive planning while you’re healthy is the best way to ensure that you’ll have access to the long-term care option of your choice.

DAD’S WHISKEY BURGER Chris’ Paleo Corner:

Thank You! For us to be able to help family and friends just like you, we depend on referrals. Thank you to the following people for your support!

Celebrate Dad all month long with a burger he’s sure to love!

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS: • 4 (6–6 ½ ounce) hamburger patties • ¼ cup whiskey • 3 garlic cloves, chopped • 4 strips bacon • 8 thick slices American cheese 1. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove and cool. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat. 2. In a large skillet, combine olive oil and bacon fat, then add onions. Cook over low heat. Add salt and turn onions often for 30–40 minutes until caramelized.

• 2 large Vidalia onions, peeled, cut in half, and thinly sliced • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat • 1 teaspoon salt • 4 hamburger buns (optional) 15 minutes, then flip and marinate another 15 minutes. 4. Grill burgers over medium-high heat until cooked to desired doneness. 5. Add two slices of cheese to each burger in the last minute of grilling. 6. Put hamburgers on buns, then top with a large spoonful of caramelized onions. Top with bacon.

Deborah Barone

Bryan Bradford

Rick Solecki

Danielle Villani

3. Place whiskey and chopped

garlic in a shallow dish and add hamburger patties. Marinate for

Recipe inspired by Mantitlement.com.

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INSIDE this issue

Dads and Grads PAGE 1

Audiobooks Your Family Will Love PAGE 2

Meet Lisa Lukkari PAGE 2

Preparing for Tomorrow Today PAGE 3

Dad’s Whiskey Burger PAGE 3

We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Theater PAGE 4

WE’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER THEATER Jaws and the Rise of the Summer Blockbuster

FOR MANY, SUMMER IS A GREAT TIME TO GET OUTSIDE AND SOAK UP THE SUNSHINE. For thousands of others, summer is a season littered with bone- rattling explosions, labyrinthine superhero crossovers, and cute, catchphrase- spouting animated characters.

hero … [and] follow by natural law.”

But, in fact, “Jaws” is as indebted to timing and marketing as to the titular prehistoric fish. Before its release, Universal already smelled blood in the water,

All this is just to say that summer blockbusters are a big deal, raking in billions of dollars each year.

But it wasn’t always this way. Back in the early ’70s, ticket sales consistently flagged during the summer months. After all, who wants to sit inside on a beautiful day when you could be basking by the water? All that changed when Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” hit the screen on June 20, 1975 and sent every beach bum scrambling out of the water and into theaters. You can try to pin the movie’s enormous success — grossing $470 million worldwide — on its thrilling story, and certainly that was part of it. As “Financial Times” writer Nigel Andrews puts it, “Jaws” gave Spielberg “the template for the perfect blockbuster. Create a colossal baddie … and a colossal

giving three times the usual number of interviews during its shooting. They

went on to give a preview at Long Beach, with executives Lew Wasserman and Sidney Sheinberg tape-recording the audience’s reaction. These tapes were part of “an unprecedented $700,000 dollars’ worth of TV advertising,” according to Andrews. Nowadays, you can’t throw a beach ball in June without hitting some spandex- clad superhuman. But, even as the trailer for “Transformers 15” comes on, we’re not complaining. We’re too enthralled by what’s happening on screen.

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