Power of Partnerships

In this episode of Walks with Mom, host Kimberly Akers is joined by her business partner, Kris Keller of Amada Senior Care in the Phoenix East Valley, for a real and engaging conversation centered on the power of partnerships. What began over 11 years ago as an unexpected step into senior care has evolved into a successful, debt-free business rooted in trust, shared values, and a passion for helping families navigate aging. Together, they bring both professional insight and personal experience to the table, making this episode a must-listen for anyone thinking about senior care planning and family caregiving.

The conversation dives into the realities of aging parents, even when navigating long-distance caregiving. Kris shares her experience of having a mom living out of state and the challenges that come with staying connected, managing time differences, and planning ahead. A powerful moment unfolds as they discuss a family meeting with a financial advisor—highlighting the importance of financial planning for seniors and understanding the true cost of care. This episode opens the door to honest conversations around elder care, preparation, and the decisions families often avoid, offering clarity, connection, and practical insight for the journey ahead.

Come with us as we explore what it means to navigate these years with our aging loved ones.

So grab a cup of coffee—or maybe a glass of wine—subscribe, invite your friends or family, and join us for Walks with Mom.

Special thanks to our Sponsor Amada Senior Care Mesa serving families and seniors in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa, and the surrounding East Valley area. Accredited VA Provider (NPI # 1558048199) and Trusted resource for Long-Term Care Insurance Claims

Compassionate, personalized in-home senior care starts here – contact Amada Senior Care Phoenix today by phone at (480) 418-5422 or visit us online to get started and give your loved one the support, dignity, and independence they deserve.
www.amadaseniorcare.com/mesa-senior-care

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Aging is not for the faint of heart. I'm Kim, a Proud Generation Xer, and I'm here with my baby boomer mom Karen. Together, we'll tackle the tough but necessary conversations, share the hilarious and sometimes embarrassing moments, and open up about the stories that truly touch the heart. Come with us as we explore what it means to navigate these years with our aging loved ones. So grab a cup of coffee or maybe a glass of wine, invite your friends and family, and join us for Walks with Mom. Well, welcome back. Welcome back. This is Walks with Mom. I am Kim, one of your hosts, and I am with my mom.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

And I am Karen, and I am from the baby boomer generation.

SPEAKER_02 0:53

Yes. And we are joined by Chris Keller, who is actually my business partner at Amada Senior Care here in the Phoenix East Valley area. Woohoo! Well, thank you for inviting me. This is Well, thank you. We, you know, we created this podcast so both generations can start having some conversations around, you know, the realities of aging. You and I see that all of the time when we're dealing with our clients and their families. But I just wanted to kind of go back in time a little bit with both of you. Do you remember about 11 years ago? This was about in 2014, we started having a conversation about investing in a senior care business.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

And I'm going, what? That's not anything in our backgrounds. I said the same thing. What? We were teachers. You had worked at a business, but senior care? No.

SPEAKER_02 2:02

No, nothing. I think it's very same. We're just educating people. And instead of dealing with, you know, teenagers who are growing up and having pubescent issues, we're now just dealing with aging issues. Yeah. Particularly me. Yeah. No, we were not going to say you. But, you know, um, I think Chris and I want to thank you because at that time, you know, in the uh to invest in a business, we didn't have the liquid funds, and you supported us. You believed in us, and then we were able to pay you off. And then we had some funds available for you from you. And the business was able to pay off. And now we are debt-free. We are. That is so exciting. It's so exciting. And we are now 11 years strong here in the Phoenix and East Valley area. I would say you ladies have been successful. Aw, but thank you. Thank you. We really truly love what we do. We love enriching lives. Uh, but Chris and I also have similar stories, but a little bit different. We both have aging parents. Yes. So I, though, am a little bit different. My mom is here and she lives with me. But you are one of those where your parents live out of state or your mom lives out of state. So tell me where mom lives and where, like, where is she living now?

SPEAKER_00 3:31

So my mom lives in Michigan, um, which is where I'm from, and my whole family's from there, and my whole family lives back there, except me and my two kids. So you're the black sheep. Yeah. Just kidding. Yes, I am. But I have two sisters, um, one who lives very close to my mom, and they're both married and both very supportive um son-in-laws. So my mom has a very good support system back in Michigan, and she knows that I will be on a flight at any moment in time that she needs. Yeah. But it is hard to be at a distance.

SPEAKER_02 4:07

Just like what are the name one challenge being at a distance, do you think?

SPEAKER_00 4:13

Time change for one. That sounds kind of silly, but you know, she's going to dinner when I'm just coming home. And it's it's just sometimes it's hard to connect with her because um I'm getting ready to watch a movie at night and she's getting ready to go to bed, or I just get up in the morning and she's going to lunch. So it sounds kind of silly, but really the time change is different for us. That makes perfect sense. Luckily, my mom stays up late, so I can call her late at night.

SPEAKER_02 4:42

Yeah, and you're not an early morning person. So I know that about you. So getting up early to talk to your mom is probably not in the cards either. Okay. Well, the I know that even though you're my business partner, we could definitely talk about all Amada senior care related, but you had something that actually your mom actually prompted a couple of months ago, and of you and your sisters. So can you kind of tell us, tell the audience? And I don't think I've clued in mom to this as well.

SPEAKER_00 5:17

Well, my mom, she is a planner, and she um got it that she just wanted her, so she's got three daughters. She wanted her three daughters to meet her financial advisor. And I think she just, when the time comes, she just wanted us all to be familiar with each other so we felt comfortable interacting and connecting and trying to figure out, you know, what what needed to be done. So being that I am also out of town, um, that was a little bit of a challenge to figure out when we could do that when I was at home. And it ended up that that didn't work out. And so we actually just did a FaceTime with me, which turned out just, you know, just fine. You you you make things work when you when you live out of town.

SPEAKER_02 6:01

Okay. And so, so give me, give me a visual here. So are all of them in one room and you're the one kind of on this virtual? So the financial advisor, your mom, two sisters, are the son-in-laws there? No, it's your two sisters. Yeah, just the kids. The kids are are all this. And so who kind of led this conversation? The financial advisor or your mom? Or both?

SPEAKER_00 6:28

I mean both. You know, my mom. My mom's a talker, so it was both. Um, but I think um, so the in advance, the financial advisors had sent us example of statements, not my mom's information, because my mom was pretty adamant that she she didn't want to share how much money she had, but she just wanted us to meet her advisors. So we had examples of what financial statements look like, um, which I think was good because I really don't know, you know, it's not a conversation I've had with my sisters either. Like, what type of investing have they done? What what type of financial planning have my sisters done? So I don't even know if they really knew about investments and that sort of thing.

SPEAKER_02 7:14

So it was it was eye-opening. So the the financial advisor gives some example of statements. And then was there some type of PowerPoint? Was there some type of it was just kind of a meet and greet?

SPEAKER_00 7:27

It was more of a meet and greet, just so we knew what they look like, felt comfortable calling them when the time came. And I mean, that was really because she really didn't want to share, which she didn't want to share how much money she has.

SPEAKER_01 7:42

So did she share or did the financial advisor share what type of investments they are? Because there's very many different types and degrees of risk in investments.

SPEAKER_00 7:55

No, so it really didn't have to do with that. It more had to do with mom's well-prepared. Because me coming from this business of home care, she um she moved out of her two-story home with the basement, laundry in the basement. And she moved into an independent living. And that was her choice. Yes, very much her choice. That was her choice. Yes. Um, very much her choice, and she moved into this independent living. Which my mom absolutely loves it there. Why does she love it? I know we're going on a little tantrum, but but it um, well, my mom is super social and she can just walk out her room and she can go down and play cards, she can go to the entertainment, she doesn't have to cook anymore.

SPEAKER_01 8:41

Which is hard if you're cooking for one person, yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

Yeah. So um, she loves just going down and eating with other people. She's got a group of friends that she plays cards with and games with. That's one of the reasons why communicating with my mom, I can't call her when she's down playing games every night.

SPEAKER_02 8:57

Because she's out socializing.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

She's out socializing, yes.

unknown 9:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:02

Yeah. So going back, you guys are in this conversation and you're from the industry. And I know that your mom, you know, she didn't share the exact numbers, but you told me that you asked, Does my mom have enough if she wanted caregivers in the home?

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Yes. Because, you know, you you kind of try and get a feel for what your parents have. Well, I guess because in this industry that I'm in, you want to know, is my mom prepared? And then you look at the way that you were raised, which it was, it was very comfortable. It was just, you know, blue-collar, middle class upbringing. But then you I see my mom who's um, she loves to go to the thrift shop, she loves to barter, she she really doesn't go shopping and buy new clothes. So you're like, how much money does my mom really have? Can she afford when the time comes caregivers to come into the home to help with, you know, getting her in the shower or help her with transferring and all that, all that we do? And she would tell me yes. But what but the value of money and what is enough, you know, I didn't wasn't confident that she knew if she could handle she was so frugal.

SPEAKER_02 10:21

And you were you weren't confident that she understood how much it is going to cost. Yeah. Right. Obviously, it it depends on the cost due to the level of care. Right. Right.

SPEAKER_01 10:34

And I do know sometimes, even when you're in, say, assisted living, you need more care than they provide theirs. So people hire hire us.

SPEAKER_02 10:44

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:45

Yeah. For meditation care. Yeah. Our caregivers are going into assisted living or memory care and complementing whatever care is provided by that facility or that community. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so the financial advisor, when you ask him this question, what is his response?

SPEAKER_00 11:03

Yeah, I mean, he said that your mom is upset. Your mom is fine. I'm like for 12 hours a week, four hours a day. Or what if she has to go into 24-7? She needs 24-7 care. Because I know my mom would like to, even though that's not her home that she was had for 50, 55 plus years, she would like to age a place there. And um yeah, when I said, well, how about if she needs 24-7 care now? And he's like, she'll be fine. Which to me is just gives me confidence that we can do the best that we can to keep my mom where she wants to be.

SPEAKER_02 11:40

So you can help so you have now the knowledge that you can help fulfill her goal as safe as possible. Yes. Right? Yeah. Or be able to make those transitions to an assisted living or memory care should that uh need.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

And I see that the conversation occurred so that you know what your mom wants. It's not like you're gonna have to guess at some point what to do with her. You uh you know that if she is incapable of making the decision anymore, you know what she wants.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

Yeah, and we also know if she needs to go into assisted living, like which one she would want to go into. But this is part of because my mom was the caregiver for her parents and my dad's parents. So she has done that transition of helping seniors. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

But then she's she's sharing that information to you guys when I say you guys, you and your sisters. So you'd know what to do, or you know, hey, this is kind of what mom wanted. Yeah. Even if mom can't vocalize or something like that. I just absolutely love this. Now, what do you think that I love that your mom was forward thinking? What do you think the financial advisor? Do you think this was common for him to have these multi-generational conversations, meeting the adult children?

SPEAKER_00 13:02

I don't, I don't know for sure, but it didn't sound like something that he typically has done. So it wasn't a norm. Right.

SPEAKER_02 13:09

Right. Yeah. Yeah. And why do you think that that's not the norm? Or do you think it should be the norm?

SPEAKER_00 13:16

I mean, I think it was I think it was good just for my sisters and I to be in the same room and to hear the same the same thing. And um I think it was also good for it's a learning too for my family. Like, look what we had growing up and look what my mom, we don't know exactly, but what does my mom have now? And she has planned, she has invested, she's used her money wisely. So I think as my sisters and I are going into this this phase, like, are we planning? And are we are we gonna be in the same position as my mom if we're if we're planning?

SPEAKER_01 13:59

I I can see it would be really scary for your generations not to know that your parents have enough to take care of themselves if needed. And so then, of course, then you're gonna feel sandwiched in that you're going to have to be taking care of your parents when you're wanting to be loving grandparents. Dun dun dun.

SPEAKER_02 14:25

That's why they call us the sandwich generation. Yeah. So I think that's where, you know, it would be nice that these conversations happened all the time. That it was just part of the norm. And I actually like at first when you told me that your mom didn't share the exact numbers. At first I was like, well, why didn't she? But then on one hand, I was like, well, okay, she's still creating some autonomy, right? Yes. Yeah. And and she's she's creating some autonomy, like, hey, I am still in control, but I am sharing this portion of it with you to help me age, to help you also have a peace of mind and also make some decisions or help guide me if that needs to be.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

I and I think that is so true, having that autonomy, like you already have to give up things as you age sooner than you want, or that you expect. And I think this is just one piece of independence still.

SPEAKER_01 15:25

Well, I can see that from one side, but then I actually have had Kim visit with the our financial advisor with me. And I think she's forgotten how much I have.

SPEAKER_00 15:41

All I want to know is do you have enough? Do you have enough? Do you have enough?

SPEAKER_02 15:44

Well, and then I think that's where to us it's just easier for Chris and I because we are in, you know, we know numbers. And that's where I'm going to ask my generation, educate yourself with numbers. Educate yourself, how much does it cost for care in the home? Um, what are the levels of care? What are approximate costs for 12 hours a week to 20 hours a week to 40 hours a week to 24-7 in the home? Right. And then what is the cost of, you know, what is an average cost of an assisted living, of a memory care? Um, and so you can start to have those conversations with your parents' financial advisors.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

And just knowing everything's going to become more expensive. Yep. But um, you you have a baseline to start thinking about and planning. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:31

But then it also comes down to, okay, well, what if your parents don't have enough money for any of that? Then what's your plan? Yeah. Then as a family, can you come up with a plan of we've talked about before, like you need to gather your tribe. Yes. So is it neighbors? Is it grandchildren? Is it, you know, because you can't always 100% count on your kids because sand sandwich generation. You might not have a close relationship with your kids. They might live far away.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Well, and I have a very aged friend in her 90s that her daughter is caregiving for the son-in-law, the daughter's husband. The daughter's husband.

SPEAKER_02 17:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:10

My friend is kind of dependent on her granddaughters as her tribe.

SPEAKER_00 17:15

Yeah. And that that I my I have some niece and nephews who are very helpful too with my mom. So that's nice. Yeah, that is nice.

SPEAKER_02 17:24

Gather your tribe. So I think I'm not a financial advisor. So this is a disclaimer. I am not a financial advisor, but I just think it would be so worth it for financial advisors to encourage these conversations because A, now, you know, you have met each other. But if you or your sisters didn't have a financial advisor, when there is an inheritance or a legacy left, like there's some automatic trust built in, right? Yeah. Or there's a relationship that's been built. And so they're not taking that generational wealth to another financial advisor. I just think that that is that's a great marketing tool for that. Yeah, marketing tool. Like financial advisors should be encouraging these conversations between the generations. And I love it that again, I'm gonna go back to, I love that your mom didn't share it, you know, uh the exact number. Yeah, totally fine. But at least there was a, you met the financial advisor, you feel confident that she has enough right to live comfortably for you guys to make decisions that in her are in her best interest to that happen. Were you gonna say something initiated the conversation?

SPEAKER_01 18:43

I because I can just see how much tension would build if the generation X is trying to be proactive, trying to be prepared, and my generation, which I think happens more than not, is resistant. They and here again, they don't want to lose that autonomy. That is important, but yet the conversation is important to help both generations be prepared. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:15

So from your generation, if you could give two suggestions to, you know, peop your peers. Um, because I think you thought this was pretty interesting that that her mom brought the conversation. And I do think it is up to my generation to initiate it. Oh, wait, so you're saying your generation should take ownership to initiate the conversation.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

Uh-uh. I like it. Unfortunately, yes. But while we're able, uh because there is gonna be a point, most probably, that I won't be able to initiate such a conversation. Either I'm not either physically able or maybe I'm just not mentally able either to understand anymore. And so then it's gonna leave it to you and your sister to all of a sudden try to figure out things. Yeah. And that is a horrendous responsibility. So yes, clue your kids into you know what you have. You don't have to be specific in amount, but who is handling it and that you have sufficient funds.

SPEAKER_02 20:27

Yeah. So you you would advocate for them to meet the financial advisor. Mm-hmm. Yes, I would. Okay. So those of you that are listening or of the baby boomer generation, your um next assignment is to start that conversation and initiate that conversation. So call your financial advisor and get a meeting on the books to meet there. Yeah, the adult children. Um, I think it just gives us my generation, your generation, our generation, a peace of mind. A peace of mind and helps us to plan along with you what's going to be needed. Yeah. Well, if you have found that this has been helpful, please go ahead and share this episode with uh either a family member, share it with a coworker who's going through um, you know, aging with their parents, you know, anyone. I think you anywhere there's somebody going through some aging with their parents or aging issues with their parents. So share this episode. Also, like us, give a comment on walks with mom, and we will see you on the next walk.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

This is Karen, and I just wanted to say thank you for spending some time with us today. Please come back for more laughs, more connections, and more real life moments between these two generations. See you on the next walk.