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Live Healthy Longer with Dr. Jim
CAN YOU LIVE AT HOME “INDEPENDENTLY” AS YOU GROW OLDER?
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75% of older adults want to continue living in their home – but as we age, “Health’ becomes a challenge. Let’s face it – Heart Disease and Cancer sneak up on us. Often, Dementias like Alzheimer’s are not far behind. But Dr. Jim Polakof has Good News for you! Join us in his podcast interview with a leading Independent Living expert, Todd Treml the CEO of Touching Hearts at Home.
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Understanding Aging in Place
Speaker 2Welcome to Live Healthy Longer with Dr Jim . Since many of our listeners are Gen Xers and Baby Boomers , we realize the ability to continue living at home as you get older is a very important topic and one we will cover in this episode . Topic and one we will cover in this episode . This podcast is supported in part by Amazon Books . Their slogan is everything from A to Z . I'll have some great reading recommendations for you at the conclusion of this episode . So now here's our host , healthcare specialist author and very popular podcaster , dr Jim Polakoff .
Speaker 3Yes , this is Dr Jim Polakoff . Now , if you're in your 50s or 60s , you might wonder what lies ahead as you age or you might already be there , concerned about living independently in your own home . You might be open to downsizing , but living in the facility for older folks is slightly not on your bucket list . Aarp recently conducted a study that reveals 75% of older adults want to continue living in their single-family home . However , as we age , our health often takes a toll . According to the National Council on Aging , nearly 95% of adults 60 and older have at least one chronic health condition , while some 80% of seniors are plagued with two or more .
Speaker 3So let's face it heart disease , cancer , diabetes . They can sneak up on us , and often dementias such as Alzheimer's are not too far behind . So is moving into an assisted living facility unavoidable , or is there a way to affordably remain independently in your own home ? Well , I have answers for you , Because my guest for this episode is a leading expert in the field of independent living . Todd Trammell is the Chief Executive Officer of Touching Hearts at Home . His company is known for their compassion in offering an array of home care services for seniors , and they can be provided in a few hours a day or , if needed , around the clock . So welcome to Live Healthy Longer , Todd Jim thank you for having me today .
Speaker 1I appreciate it .
Speaker 3Well , it's our pleasure . This is a very important subject , particularly for a good portion of our audience . Now I understand your home care company has over 60 franchise locations throughout America , Of course , and you're on your way to soon expand it to all 50 states , which is impressive . So let's begin by talking about the origins of Touching Hearts at Home . I believe your founder , Renee Peterson , had a personal motivation to help older adults live independently .
Speaker 1Jim , that's correct . What a lot of people don't know is that Renee , prior to being in home care , owned two Mary Maids franchises , and so she fell in love with the franchise model and you know proven operating systems , and so she started actually a business called Pairing Companions in 1996 . She saw this need for seniors that wanted to age in place and live and have a very compassionate life living at home , as the aging population , as we know , has just continued to grow every single year . She ran that business for 10 years and finally , by 19 , excuse me , 2006 , she decided to change the name to Touching Hearts and begin to franchise the model .
Speaker 3I like that name Touching Hearts . It really has a poignant feel to it .
Speaker 1Yes , Wonderful name . We love it , and so we've successfully been able to franchise the model now for the past 18 years and , as you said , we have nearly 70 locations now .
Speaker 3Oh , 70 . Okay , so you are growing very quickly . We are .
Speaker 3Now let's get to the term independent . You know it's got somewhat of a sacred connotation . You know it's got somewhat of a sacred connotation , and there's a famous quotation that I looked up the other day that says freedom is the will to be responsible for ourselves . So it's somewhat of an irony that , even though we're social creatures by nature , as I mentioned in my opening , 75% of older adults prefer to live independently in their own homes . So in your opinion , todd , is this a desire to remain free that has its roots in this need ? Jim ?
Speaker 1very much . So you know , there's this large percentage of our population , an aging population , that do exactly what you say or want exactly what you said , which is they want to age in place , live at home , and they don't particularly want to go into facilities , which is traditionally kind of how we were raised . But what independent living means , or what aging in place at home really means to them , is staying in a very familiar place and a very comfortable place . For them , it means staying connected to their families and their communities that they've been around for most of their life , and so that gives them a sense of control , and that's vitally , vitally important . It doesn't disrupt their day-to-day routines and this is where their memories are at . Their memories are in their home , and so if we can give them an opportunity and an avenue to age in place , live at home , and we can provide care , I think everybody wins .
Speaker 3And , as I understand , when providing care , you can do it on a short basis , a few hours a day or , if necessary , 24 hours around the clock . So , regardless of the individual situation , you can provide the care that they need for the time that they need .
Speaker 1Absolutely so . We provide specific hours during the week , certain amount of hours during the day . We have clients that are what we call 24-7 , so around the clock home care , and we actually have live-ins as well , where we have our caregivers that are actual live-ins . So a variety of different kind of service lines and care plans that we provide .
Speaker 3All right . So on the flip side , as we age , we encounter health issues , obviously . That's another statistic that I quoted earlier in my introduction . So there's another need that's required , namely assistance . So can you discuss the challenges as we grow older that we face , and it's particularly trying to live at home on our own , independently ? I mean certainly housekeeping comes into play . Cleaning your home obviously , is increasingly difficult as you get older . How does Touching Hearts to help seniors address this challenge ?
Speaker 1Yeah , so we primarily are what we call a non-medical based care , in-home care plan or company . So what that means is what you're describing is the foundation of what we do is companion care . Companion care is a very broad topic for us , but essentially what it means is anything sort of non-touching , so friendly conversations that we're having , transportation that we can provide , running errands , light meal prep is something that's very important . All of these things are critically important . We also then move into another category of service that we call personal care . Now we're able to Jim ,
Origins of Touching Hearts at Home
Speaker 1help with mobility , help with med managements , bathing , toiletry , these types of things that are critically important to our seniors , and so we're able to provide all of these services and functions for those again living at home .
Speaker 3Well , let's take a look at some of these a little bit more closely . Food preparation Obviously you know , I'm sure , that your caregivers aren't going to be preparing gourmet meals , but obviously for seniors it gets more laborious as we age . So what does this actually mean ? I mean helping put together food during the day , if you come for a few hours , perhaps dinner at night that they could just reach into the refrigerator and pull out and microwave , or whatever the case might be . Give us a description of that .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's really Jim , it's all the above , and so it really starts with understanding the needs of the client . So when we go in the home and we do assessments prior to actually putting together our care plans , we want to make sure we understand the kind of foods they like to eat when they eat , and so we will help with going out and shop for those groceries , bring those in , and we want to make the kind of meals that they enjoy , not the meals necessarily that we think they should eat , and so that's part of the independence , and so our caregivers are wonderful at preparing meals . They could be very simple lunches , as you said . It could just be prepping food for later on for them to eat , reminding them to continue to eat at the right hours of the day . These are all very , very important .
Speaker 3I think you just hit on it . I mean , sometimes , as seniors , you know , really , I've noticed some of the , shall we say , older people that we're familiar with . They forget when to eat or they're not eating nutritiously , and so I'm assuming your caregivers help them in terms of nutritional advice as well . Yeah , 100% .
Speaker 1It is really the full-on training that our caregivers get to adapt to each of those specific needs with that client they have .
Speaker 3Now you mentioned transportation , obviously . One of the songs that when I was preparing the interview , I just recalled the Beach Boys song I Get Around . I mean , many of our seniors were young and used to dance to I Get Around and other Beach Boys songs . But you know , as aging progresses , things like running errands , getting the medical appointments , shopping , are all these things in the ballpark of the caregivers , what services they provide .
Speaker 1Yes , touching Hearts at Home does transportation . We do provide opportunities to run errands . We will drop off our clients for doctor's appointments , we will , you know , and the senior not able to perhaps drive is a big loss of independence .
The Value of Independent Living
Speaker 1It's very important . But when they can participate with us and we can do transportation , types of transportation services for them are really , really important and it's a sense of freedom and independence . And so all those things that have to do with transportation are things that we do as a brand , as a company .
Speaker 3Well , and I think it's very important to underline the fact one of the things that I noticed in terms of medical appointments , for example , there are buses , many communities have , that pick up seniors and take them to their medical appointments , but then you find them having to get there way early , sit around for hours sometimes and then another few hours waiting for the bus to come back to pick them up . Being able to have somebody drive in their own car , that's going to make a huge difference and I assume that's a transportation feature you offer .
Speaker 1Very much so . Again , you hit it on the head . Being able to accommodate the client in terms of where their life is at right now , the time of their appointments , making sure that you know we're punctual in doing all these things on behalf of our client , is exactly what we do at Touching Hearts at Home .
Speaker 3Well , good . So one thing that concerns me , and I've been looking at these studies the past year and I do have a great deal of empathy and we're not really sure what to do about it or how to address it as a nation these days . But a recent survey on aging found that one-third of people between the ages of 50 to 80 feel lonely and nearly as many feel isolated . So unquestionably there's a great need for companionship . Can you get into that a little bit ?
Speaker 1yield for a great need for companionship . Can you get into that a little bit ? Yeah , again , companionship as a service line for us is core to what we do , and let's just kind of talk about the non-medical companionship side of the business . What does that look like ? So when we go in , we want to really get to know our clients . Obviously , our caregivers build incredible relationships with them . And , jim , when we talk about being able to be with a senior and deal with these issues of loneliness , we're talking about simple things like friendly conversations . It may be streaming movies together , it may be looking at old photos , it could be all the things we described about meals and prep and all that sort of thing . It's it's working on crafts and hobbies together . It's spending time with them and we build these incredible relationships . Seniors love playing games and love playing cards and it's stimulating and those are the things that we do to really help fill that gap and do what we can from a loneliness perspective , and I love what we do in this category . It's . It's very , very life-changing .
Speaker 3Well , that's good to know because , I mean , this is a growing problem in America . It's unfortunate , but it's definitely growing , and particularly with the aging population and one spouse passing away and the other sometimes . I just remember my dad 10 years of being a lonely person . We tried to do the best we could , but being lonely since my mother passed away and those are very agonizing times . We tried to do the best we could , but being lonely since my mother passed away and those are very agonizing times . And having that relationship , having that companionship , I know , can make a big difference .
Speaker 3Now , talking about studies , in January 2025 , there was another study and I think this is a more serious thing . Obviously , you can deal with heart disease in terms of medication , and diabetes , the same way , many of the ills that seniors face , but getting into dementia , the study that I read stated that seniors the age of 55 and older have a 42% increased average risk of developing a dementia in their lifetime , such as Alzheimer's , for example . This is much higher than we previous thought . So it's a tough challenge and even for , I would imagine , a skilled caregiver , but this is something you address as well the dementia factor , correct it is Jim , it is .
Speaker 1I'll put dementia and Alzheimer's in this category . And first of all , we recognize the big need for this type of care and it's specialized care as well and so our caregivers are trained in these areas to be able to address the very unique needs of the dementia client , and so they're trained to deal with the client on a very physical , emotional and cognitive support basis . So we understand what we're doing in terms of our service and support and we use positive reinforcement . These things , when you're dealing in dementia , are critically important because we know how challenging it is . We have a number of resources that we use nationally as an organization to help train our caregivers . These are the best of the best in terms of the resources and training in the industry .
Speaker 1You know , people like Tipa Snow and others have been a big part of our learnings throughout the process . But let's not forget one other thing that has to do with with dementia specifically , with dementia specifically , and that is the challenge that the families have , because oftentimes they're the ones that are also dealing with supporting their loved one with dementia , and so we also offer respite , and respite is important because it gives that family some time to sort of take a deep breath and get a break , and so Well , that's very
Home Care Services Overview
Speaker 1important . Again , we look at the dimension . Alzheimer's side is a critically important part of what we do so let's get around to .
Speaker 3You mentioned your . Your caregivers are well-trained . How do you go about selecting your caregivers ? I think that's obviously that's going to be a big question on any older adults mind .
Speaker 1Yeah , there's no service without caregivers . I mean , caregivers are the lifeblood of the business and they do incredible work . They're very purpose-driven people and they're a lot like our franchisees that actually run these businesses . So , when we're looking to recruit and select caregivers , we do the fundamental things that are important in terms of looking at things like applications , doing background checks , kind of assessing their experience levels , all those things you know in terms of background and skill sets , but what we're really looking for beyond that , then , is compassionate people that have empathy . That clearly has to be one of the most important things that we're going to look at , because you have to have good communication skills , you have to be reliable and punctual you have to but you really have to have the compassion , the empathy for our client .
Speaker 3You have to really care about the individual , correct ?
Speaker 1You have to build these relationships and so you know I just described the ideal candidate . We're looking for somebody that can cover all those things and , from you know , in different states there's different licensing that we have to deal with as well , so we need to make sure that we're checking certifications . But by and large , it's really about the heart . It's really about looking at them as a human being and saying do you love this and can you get passionate and behind the mission of taking care of seniors or disabled individuals ?
Speaker 3Right , because I would imagine it could be very frustrating sometimes for caregivers . I mean , let's face it , even with those that suffer from a bit of dementia , you have oftentimes the anger that a senior will express and that sort of dealing with the capacities and certain health issues . That's got to be putting a lot of stress on your caregiver . So it's got to be that down deep compassion that they have correct .
Speaker 1It really is Again , seeing the amazing caregivers in our business , thousands of caregivers in our network . They have a huge heart , they have incredible patience and they love what they do . They absolutely have gotten behind this as a purpose-driven work for them and we absolutely love that . So when we find those individuals , they're absolutely amazing people .
Speaker 3Well , good to hear . Well now and I know many of my listeners are sitting back saying , God , this sounds wonderful . But let's get to the elephant in the room , which is affordability . That's what people are probably saying Well , how much is it going to cost me ? Now , we all know that seniors face a limited income challenge . Some obviously have a lot put away , but there are those who are , you know , trying to get by on Social Security and maybe a few dollars in savings . So , in terms of cost , I understand that you offer different care plans , so there's just not one size that fits all . Can you talk about that a little bit ?
Speaker 1Yeah , so there's a couple of sides to this . One is the care plan that we put together can certainly be adapted to someone's budget or be adapted to the needs of that particular client . So that could range from , you know , a few hours a day , several hours a week or , depending on you know , if they need more . So that's one side of it , so we can adapt a care plan based on those things . When we get into cost , it's an interesting thing , jim , because primarily in a business like ours , it's mostly private pay .
Speaker 1But what I want to point out also is that we are incredible supporters of the VA , and the VA is also a pay source that we're now seeing more and more of every single day . There are so many veterans that need the kind of service that we provide that simply don't have access to it today because maybe those markets are underserved with home care , and so we work very closely with the VA . That's a category of pay that really assists those veterans . We also do LTC , which is long-term care plans , and many of our seniors have that in place already , so we can help work through those processes . Many of our seniors have that in place already , so we can help work through those processes and then , you know , from time to time we'll also we have franchisees that service Medicaid clients as well , and so there's
Addressing Senior Loneliness
Speaker 1a whole list of them . But I think the message here from us is we can be very flexible and adapt different care plans to the needs of the client .
Speaker 3And I would imagine that you could also advise potential clients or prospective clients in other alternatives . I mean , there are things such as reverse mortgages that you can look at . I'm assuming that you are equipped to give a potential client , shall we say , all the information they need to make it as affordable as possible . Yes , sir , absolutely Well . That's good to hear . Now we'll move to another area which you know many of baby boomers . We have a large audience of baby boomers and Gen Xers and , of course , they've been able to put away savings . They've had a fairly good life economically and with the idea that 75% of seniors adults , as we get older , want to remain at home , I would think that purchasing a franchise would be a terrific investment , and that's why , obviously , with home care skyrocketing , can you talk a little bit about your franchise program ? Some of our listeners might be interested in that aspect of it .
Speaker 1Yeah , Well , thank you for that . First of all , we believe that I believe and we believe that franchising is a great business model by which to go into business , whether you've been a business owner or not in your lifetime . What franchising does is it allows someone to come into a business , invest in a business and already have a proven operating system in place , with all the benefits of things like buying power , training and support , operational support . You have the rights to do business with a national brand . All these things are significant advantages to joining a good franchise , which we are one of them .
Speaker 1Selecting home care specifically is a great move because when you look at the industry , there are very few industries that you can look at today to say we are looking at Jim , 20 to 30 years of straight growth . The statistics don't lie With the aging population . We know how many seniors turn or how many people turn 65 every single day , and so there is a trajectory of growth in this category that will not stop for quite some time . Our particular franchise is also very affordable . You can get into our franchise . The high-end investment in our franchise is just under $100,000 . It's an office-based or agency-based business , so there's no assets to buy . It's very simple . It's not seasonal , so it's not like you're out there buying inventory and running a retail business , so that in itself is very attractive to people . And lastly , we have a great track record . You know we've been in franchising now for 18 years . We have seen tremendous year-over-year growth in our franchise itself and we're seeing great interest in it right now with our growth .
Speaker 3So I'm assuming which some will be very interested in that obviously you provide training for your franchises . You know people might say well , I really don't know anything about the home care business . I might be getting older and I understand the need for it , but I don't understand how I would operate a business . You give them training for this .
Speaker 1Yes , yes , the most important thing about understanding a franchise and what are the decisions of getting into and investing , is what I would call the support systems . So a franchisee gets trained on every aspect of how to run this business . We're with them every single step of the way through the training process , and training isn't something we just did . It's something we actually do , meaning that it goes on and on and on , because , as you can see and as we've talked about today , with different needs whether it's Alzheimer's , dementia or other things , technology coming into the marketplace we're constantly training , and so our candidates that become franchisees don't need previous experience . They can come in and we will teach them everything they need to know about how to operate successfully at Touching Hearts at-home franchise .
Speaker 3Well , wonderful . Now , I'm someone who comes from a marketing background as well . I'm assuming you provide them marketing support .
Speaker 1We do . We like to say that we're really their marketing department , and so we provide them everything from websites to the ability to set up all their social media platforms , digital assets for every sort of need in terms of advertising and marketing seasonal advertising .
Supporting Clients with Dementia
Speaker 1We have a huge marketing toolbox that our franchisees can access , and not the least of which is a marketing team here at our home office in Minneapolis that they can rely on for regular , ongoing support at any time .
Speaker 3Well , it sounds to me just to sort of recap it it's something that you know , it's an affordable investment , you don't need prior experience because of the training program and you're Todd . This has been a very enlightening interview . I think you've shined the light on things , that there are so many questions out there , and I think you've helped answer some of those . Of course , we probably just scratched the surface . There's so much more we need to know , so I'm assuming that , for those who are interested , they want to learn more about Touching Hearts at Home , come to the website , which is touchingheartscom .
Speaker 1Yes , touchingheartsathomecom , you can enter into our website On what I would say the family side or the client side . You'll be able to access all of our locations from there to find a location that's nearest to you and , as well as the services that we provide , in that marketplace , again , we have wonderful franchisees . I don't want to miss the opportunity to talk about how incredible our franchisees are . As a franchisor , we're supporting them , but in the marketplace , they're the ones that are providing this incredible compassionate care , and so if you have interest in looking at us from an owner , from an ownership standpoint or a franchise investment standpoint , you'll also find links on our website to own a franchise and we can have more discussion with you about that as well .
Speaker 3I want to thank you so much for joining us , enlightening us and it's touchingheartscom . I'm going to be right back with my essential nutrition tips for aging bodies .
Speaker 2Touching Hearts at Home offers an array of services for seniors , people living with medical conditions or disabilities , as well as those transitioning from hospital to home . You can learn more about living at home independently , as well as Touching Hearts Home Care , by visiting their website , touchingheartscom . You can find information and many other great podcasts directly on our website jamespolakoffcom . That's jamespolakoffcom . Again . That's jamespolakoffcom . Again . That's jamespolikoffcom . Now let's turn to a great book about enjoying healthy life as you grow older .
Speaker 2Live Healthy Longer with Dr Jim is written by our very own Dr Jim Polikoff . Leading experts proclaim that Live Healthy Longer with Dr Jim is the most comprehensive and meaningful health , wellness and longevity book published this decade . But remember , you need to add With Dr Jim to the title , but don't take our word for it . Check it out on Amazon and look at all the terrific reviews . Again , you can find Live Healthy Longer with Dr Jim on Amazon . Also , for those cosmetic surgery fans , the Real you Only Better is a great read . You'll be fascinated by a deep look into the pros and cons of cosmetic surgery . Plus , if you love golf and romance , then Love in the Pines is a must-read book for you . You'll find these captivating books on Amazoncom and on our website jamespolikoffcom . Now back to Dr Jim .
Speaker 3I once again wish to thank Todd Kreml for his enlightening information about aging independently at home , and be sure to check our website out for further information about his company , touching Hearts . Now let's turn to the highlights of my nutritional tips . First , we really need to embrace the fact that , with aging , our bodies undergo various changes that are going to impact our overall health and well-being . Thus , the foods we eat become all the more important . As we age , our metabolism tends to slow down , which is why one must pay close attention to the quality of nutrients we consume . More than ever , we require a balanced diet which are rich in vitamins , minerals , fiber and , of course , protein . We need these because we need to support our overall body functions and to prevent illnesses , and keep in mind that our aging bodies experience a decrease in muscle mass and bone density , which , of course , leads to a higher risk of falls and fractures . Yes , aging underlines the importance of consuming adequate protein and calcium-rich foods . In fact , it's time we take a look at superfoods , so here are a few on my list .
Speaker 3Let's begin with berries . Berries provide a one-stop nutrition because they're high in fiber , vitamin C and antioxidant flavonoids . Plus . Fiber in the berries keep us regular and protect against disease . Dark leafy green vegetables that's right like kale , arugula , broccoli and spinach , which are also high in fiber . Plus , they're heart healthy and , at the same time , boost muscle function . Also , instead of side effects of red meat , seafood is a much better choice . For example , salmon , tuna and trout will provide you your needed protein in a much healthier form .
Speaker 3And one of my favorite superfoods are avocados . A Harvard study found that those who ate at least two servings of avocados each week had a lower risk of developing heart disease . And the list of superfoods goes on beyond what I've stated . There is so much more you really need to know about the important nutrients
Caregiver Selection and Training
Speaker 3to eat , particularly as we grow older , so I suggest you read my latest blog Essential Nutrition Tips for Aging Bodies . Simply come to our website , jamespolikoffcom . This is Dr Jim Polikoff , with my sincere thanks to you for joining me once again , and remember a new episode of Live Healthy Longer is available each and every Wednesday . In the meantime , my wishes to you for a healthy , happy , long life .
