Sheppard Law Firm - February 2022

Sheppard Law Firm - February 2022

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Finding Inspiration Why I Value My Family, Team, and Clients

My parents have been happily married for 55 years. They are an inspiration to me every day, but on Valentine’s Day, I can’t help but look at them and think about all they have been through together. I look forward to cultivating a love like theirs, and they are a wonderful example for me, my girls, and our whole family. It’s been powerful to see their love grow through the years, especially when I experienced adversity. I moved to Florida from the Midwest eight years ago for a fresh start. My husband of 25 years had just passed away, and the sunshine was exactly what I needed. I began at Sheppard Law Firm at the same time, and I have been here ever since. I can think of no better place for me. I truly love what I do every day. I wear several hats at the firm. My first role is to do asset alignment, which is when I align a client’s assets to the estate plan they have worked with their attorney to create. I often ask many questions while working with my clients, and while that can be confusing at

I also do a lot of work bridging between the partners and the rest of the staff here at Sheppard Law Firm. I often assist Craig Hersch as his right hand, taking the “big picture” concepts he and the other partners envision for this firm and translating them into tangible steps for the rest of the team. I care deeply about the people I work with and coach. (I’m also a strategic business coach who specializes in team management and coordination.)

After nearly a decade, I continue to love the work I do. I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, and I can’t wait to continue helping my team be the best they can be and supporting our clients through asset alignment.

As for my Florida life, I was right — Southwest Florida is just

first, my clients come to understand I need to gather as much information as I can to ensure their assets are properly aligned

where I need to be! I live close to my two daughters, Brittany and Catie, and I

love spending time with them. Catie is married to Chris, who has become like a son to me, and together, they have a little girl and my first granddaughter, Lucca, whom I just adore! She has the brightest, bluest eyes, and I just can’t get enough of her. I can’t get enough of my whole family, really! They are my true inspirations.

with their estate plan. I enjoy seeing that moment when they realize how much peace and value this will bring to their families.

Knowing that they understand they have a proper estate plan is important to me, as someone who has actually utilized an estate plan and experienced the comfort of knowing we had the right plans in place. I understand what grieving families are going through, and I can provide insight into what clients’ families will want and need to know.

It’s an honor to serve each of you and to do so with a wonderful team and family supporting me.

–Maria Reimer

1 (239) 265-9779

FEBRUARY 2022

The Importance of a Good Night’s Rest Quality Sleep Promotes Healthy Aging

Sleep is an essential part of our lives, but it becomes even more important as we get older, as it’s a necessity for healthy aging and staying energized. Ideally, everyone should sleep between 7.5–9 hours a night, but as we get older, this becomes

Eliminate unhealthy substances. Limit your intake of caffeine and sugar throughout the day — especially right before bed — for better rest. It’s also best not to drink anything about an hour before bed, so you don’t wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and disrupt your sleep. Regulate your sleep schedule. Keeping the same schedule for sleeping can reap immediate benefits. You will notice increased alertness during waking hours as well as enhanced memory and attention span. You may also start to feel tired around the same time every day, ensuring that you will actually go to sleep right on schedule. It can take time and patience to adjust to new habits to improve sleep, especially for the elderly. It won’t happen overnight, but the benefits that come with a better night’s sleep will have you feeling younger and healthier than ever before. If anything, you will feel more engaged and happier throughout your daily life.

much harder to achieve. Health complaints, minor disturbances, and a decrease in melatonin levels make it difficult for seniors to get a full night of sleep, which can cause irritability and fatigue.

In order to combat these disturbances, here are a few things you can do to ensure you get enough sleep during the night.

Build an active daily routine. Outdoor exercise and general movement every day is good for your body, but being outside and absorbing sunlight can balance and optimize your melatonin levels, which can help you fall asleep easier. On top of exercise, try weaving protein-rich snacks and meals into your routine. Foods like light meat and nuts can improve sleep quality, and dairy foods contain tryptophan, which is a sleep- promoting chemical.

Y o u r H e a r t S

Every year, our team at the Sheppard Law Firm is humbly reminded that one of our cornerstone attorneys was just 25% of an artery blockage away from not being with us. In September 2019, Craig Hersch underwent emergency triple bypass surgery, repairing arteries that were 75%, 80%, and 90% full. The one that was 75% full could have killed him instantly if it had fully clogged. How This Test Could Save Your Life

Contact your doctor today to learn more about a cardiac calcium scoring test and to assess your risk for heart attacks or cardiovascular diseases. It just may be the single most important action you take today.

We leave you with a few more tips on living a heart healthy lifestyle that you can start applying to your life right now.

Today, Craig is healthy and active again, but his story serves as a poignant reminder as we enter American Heart Month: get tested.

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Eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

There is one test that Craig could have taken prior to his bypass surgery that could have lessened the seismic brush with death. While traditional cardiac health tests can be useful to measure heart health, a cardiac calcium scoring test can assess a patient’s risk level for heart attacks. This an extremely valuable test that can help you and your doctor determine your threat level and potential treatment intervention that may be needed. The cardiac calcium scoring test does exactly what it sounds like — it provides a threat level score based upon the amount of buildup in your arteries. To scan for such a score, you may be asked to hold your breath for 20–30 seconds, which is the length of the entire scan. Overall, this test will take just 15 minutes. 2 floridaestateplanning.com

• Consume lean proteins, whole grains, and colorful fruits and vegetables.

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Exercise daily.

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Limit alcohol consumption, and don’t smoke.

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See your doctor for regular heart exams.

P.S. Share this article with a friend or family member to help save more lives!

WhenMom Suffers FromDementia’ Cognitive decline can be a scary prospect for families. This month, attorney Craig Hersch provides readers with three ways they can protect their loved ones and estates during this experience. The full version of his 2021 Sanibel Island Sun column, “When Mom Suffers from Dementia,” can be found at FloridaEstatePlanning.com. Attorney Craig Hersch Provides Guidance to Prepare for Cognitive Decline

As E*Trade, Vanguard, Schwab, Fidelity, and other low-cost platforms proliferate, many clients don’t engage a personal financial advisor. These clients are perhaps the most vulnerable when cognitive ability declines. Yes, low-cost platforms are less expensive than a typical financial advisor, but at what cost? When a client loses the capability to manage his own portfolio, will inaction lead to major loss? Beware of Predators Several years ago, a client’s son came to visit me, concerned about his father, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. The client’s wife and mother of his children died some time ago, but the client had entered a new relationship with a woman whom the children were suspicious of. She professed great love for the client, and he wanted to transfer his home and several financial accounts to her.

Release From Confidentiality First, it is imperative that my client execute a release from confidentiality, so members of my staff and I may interact and share information with loved ones. Without such a release, we are prohibited from sharing confidential information, which includes most, if not all, of a client’s file. Some clients are reluctant, so I advise them to provide copies of important documents like the durable power of attorney, health care surrogate, and living will to their loved ones. Otherwise, they wouldn’t know that the documents even exist or what powers and direction they convey. Financial Information Second, share financial information. This is perhaps the most delicate for clients to share with their adult children. There could be valid reasons for nondisclosure, but if there aren’t, then perhaps once one retires, they might consider sharing, at a minimum, who their financial advisor is, and how to get in touch with them.

We investigated the woman and found out that she had eight prior marriages, all to men with Alzheimer’s!

The danger of instituting an action — most likely a guardianship action — is that the individual has lucid moments during the hearing and the judge denies the order. The individual might then take vengeance against the family members who were just trying to protect them.

This Valentine’s Day, forget the entree! Surprise your honey with a delicious chocolate treat!

INGREDIENTS

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1 tsp vanilla extract

• • •

1/2 cup half-and-half cream

Fresh fruit of your choice Shortbread cookies Large marshmallows

2 tbsp honey

9 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

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Referrals are the lifeblood of our office. If you had a tremendous experience, please do share it as a five-star Google Review, adding a few words as a description. It takes less than a couple of minutes. We appreciate our clients so much and hope that our new clients are just like the ones we commonly attract. You can also leave us a review at FloridaEstatePlanning. com/review.

DIRECTIONS 1. In a sturdy saucepan over low heat, combine cream and honey. Stir until mixed thoroughly and heat until warm. 2. Add in chocolate, stirring until melted. 3. Stir in pecans and vanilla.

4. Transfer to a fondue pot or a slow cooker to keep warm. 5. Serve with fruit, cookies, and marshmallows of your choice.

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9100 College Pointe Court Fort Myers, FL 33919 (239) 265-9779

INSIDE this issue

Meet Our Passionate Employee, Maria Reimer PAGE 1

Quality Sleep Can Promote Healthy Aging PAGE 2

An Annual Reminder That Saves Lives PAGE 2

Protect Your Wishes From Cognitive Decline PAGE 3

Chocolate Pecan Fondue PAGE 3

Humpback Whale Saves Scientist PAGE 4

The best compliments we receive are your referrals. When you refer us to your loved ones, we do all we can to exceed expectations.

T h e Humpback Whale Saves Scientist In the movie “Castaway,” we see a whale notifying Chuck Noland of a nearby ship. The whale continuously sprays him with water to get his attention. Although this is a fictional story, what happened in “Castaway” isn’t just movie magic. There are real-life stories about whales helping people in need. In 2018, a marine biologist, Nan Hauser, was swimming in the waters off the Cook Islands when she noticed a 50,000-pound humpback whale near her. For 10 minutes, Hauser swam around the whale while it nudged her with its head, bumped her with its belly, and swiped at her with its fins. At first, Hauser thought the whale was trying to attack her. But actually, it protected her from a 15-foot- long tiger shark on the other side of the whale. Hauser told the Daily Mirror, “I’ve spent 28 years underwater with whales and have never had a whale so tactile and so insistent on putting me on his head, belly, or back, and most of all, trying to tuck me under his huge pectoral fin … I was sure that it was most likely going to be a deadly encounter.” Hauser didn’t know the whale

wanted to protect her until she returned to her team’s research vessel. This is when she noticed the tiger shark creeping nearby.

This isn’t the first time a humpback whale has intervened to help another creature. In fact, the humpback’s altruism has been well- documented over the years to show how they benefit other species at their own cost. In 2009, Robert Pitman took a photo of a humpback cradling a seal while rolling out of the water. The whale had protected the seal from a group of killer whales. Pitman, a marine biologist, has analyzed 115 interactions with humpback whales and concluded that they will travel long distances in order to prevent killer whales from attacking, regardless of what type of animal the killer whale is pursuing. Whether this behavior is out of instinct, accident, or altruism, they have saved the lives of many aquatic animals and people. They are the heroes of the sea!

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