On Monday, April 15, five local experts will answer frequently asked questions during the free Morning Pointe Foundation’s free Caregiver Café discussion, “How to Make Tough Decisions for Your Aging Loved One.”
The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Lexington City Church, at 410 Sporting Ct #3560 in Lexington. The session will take place on the second floor. Family members of aging loved ones are invited to join the discussion. It will cover top questions in areas of financial planning, Medicaid and Medicare, veterans benefits and geriatric care.
Questions answered during the event include, “What legal documents do I need my parents to sign in order for me to take care of them?”, “How do I qualify for Medicare or Medicaid?”, “Can a veteran still qualify for VA benefits if they did not serve in combat?” and, “How can we recognize the signs that our loved one with dementia requires more care?”
“We are so blessed to have each of these panelists with us – each one is strong in their area of expertise,” said Miranda Perez, Morning Pointe Foundation executive director. “Putting all of them together makes for a wonderful opportunity to cover so many questions families may have as their loved ones age. If you have an aging loved one, or you are aging yourself and just want good, sound advice on these topics, I encourage you to come, listen and ask questions. I am sure everyone will leave with some takeaway that will be relevant to their situation.”
Meet the Experts
Dr. Christian Furman is the medical director of geriatrics for the University of Louisville Trager Institute Optimal Aging Clinic. She recently completed a Health and Aging Policy Fellowship in Washington, D.C. A professor of geriatric and palliative medicine, Furman holds the Margaret Dorward Smock Endowed Chair for Geriatric Medical Education at the University of Louisville. She is board certified in both geriatric medicine and hospice and palliative medicine and is a past Chair of the American Directors of Geriatrics Academic Programs Board for the American Geriatrics Society.
Chelsea Miceli is program manager for the University of Louisville Trager Institute of Optimal Aging. She has a master’s degree in social administration (social work) and is a Certified Community Health Worker. She serves on the Board of Directors for Kentucky Voices for Health. Her experience includes working with a wide array of populations and organizations and has extensive knowledge of geriatric care.
Michael Ayersman is an insurance broker with MEA Senior Solutions who educates Central and Eastern Kentucky about Medicare and Medicaid. He specializes in Medicare Advantage, prescription drug coverage, medical supplement, hospital indemnity, life insurance and dental and vision plans.
Mali Covington is director of senior living partnerships at Patriot Angels. The company helps veterans and their spouses apply for the VA benefit Aid and Attendance. She is passionate about helping America’s heroes pay for their care.
Amy Dougherty is an attorney with Bluegrass Elderlaw, PLLC, and Bluegrass Fiduciary Services, PLLC. She focuses her practice on elder law, special needs planning and estate planning. She assists older persons and their families with wills, trusts, POAs, advanced directives and the planning needed to qualify for Medicaid long-term care. Dougherty also advocates for clients before the Medicaid agencies. She is admitted to practice in the Eastern District of Kentucky, the Western District of Kentucky, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Moderating the discussion will be Jessica Byers, licensed occupational therapist and area clinical coordinator with The Weston Group. Her focus area of practice is in geriatrics, especially dementia, and she is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and a Certified Montessori Dementia Care Professional. Byers also has a master’s degree in mental health counseling.
More About the Event and Foundation
Tickets are not required for Caregiver Café. Coffee and desserts will be available before and after the discussion.
The Morning Pointe Foundation offers its Caregiver Café educational series as a free service to the community each spring as part of its mission to provide caregiver support programs. The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living founded by senior healthcare entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and J. Franklin Farrow. In addition to the caregiver support, the nonprofit sponsors educational awareness events and funds scholarships to advance the care of seniors throughout the Southeast.
Founded in 1997 by Vital and Farrow, Morning Pointe Senior Living owns and operates 38 assisted living, personal care, and Alzheimer’s memory care communities in five southeastern states: Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and Indiana. Morning Pointe’s 39th community, Morning Pointe of Danville Assisted Living, is under construction and expected to open later this year. Local Morning Pointe communities are located in Lexington, Frankfort, Richmond and Danville.
