Collin County Living Well Magazine March-April 2021

STAND OUT WITH THE EMINENT CHOICE IN HEALTHCARE

Pain Management • Sports Medicine • General Surgery

Spine Surgery • Orthopedic Surgery • Neurosurgery

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery • Total Joint Surgery

Foot & Ankle Surgery • Hand Surgery

Gynecological Surgery • Plastic Surgery

ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY

Orthopedic surgeons and the medical staff at Eminent Medical Center are excited to offer Zimmer Biomet’s ROSA Knee System, which helps surgeons personalize surgical procedures for their patients.

When you need top quality parts and service, look to Plano Power Equipment.

To keep your equipment in top shape, you can count on Plano Power Equipment’s retail parts sales and ser vicing of Toro-brand equipment using genuine Toro® parts.

Plano Power Equipment

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

WOMAN POWER

The emerging practice of Elder Law is about empowering seniors by providing compassionate, educated knowledge on issues of housing, fiancial, well-being, healthcare, and the ultimate disposition of assets, enabling people to plan for the future with age, grace, and dignity. It probably comes as no surprise that women are well suited to this type of law.

The all-female lawyers of Leu & Peirce are uniquely qualifid to practice Elder Law. Possessing empathy, kindness, and a wealth of knowledge on a range of issues facing seniors, the fim’s namesakes, Lori Leu and Erin Peirce, have built a fim where genuine concern for clients is evident. Indeed, making a positive impact on families is what motivates the Leu & Peirce team to bring compassion and love to their jobs in a way often unseen in a typical law offi.

“With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day through the year 2029, there are a lot of people out there who see the growing senior population as an easy target,” says Peirce. “As a result, seniors and their families are often given incorrect information that benefits the person offering the services more than the seniors.” Leu & Peirce strongly believes that arming yourself with accurate information can help ward offthose seeking to profit from the aging Baby Boomer generation.

Turn to page 8 to discover how the attorneys at Leu & Peirce are helping seniors and their families navigate the legal, fiancial, and health-related challenges associated with aging.

Trial attorney turned journalist Megyn Kelly is another woman aiming to make a difference. Before a career as a news anchor, Kelly was well on her way to making partner at a prestigious fim. Instead, Kelly ditched the courtroom for the newsroom and became a formidable journalist who wasn’t afraid to ask tough questions.

Now Kelly is taking the next step. Last year she launched her own media company, Devil May Care Media, which produces her unfiltered podcast The Megyn Kelly Show. Billed as “your home for open, honest, and provocative conversations with the most interesting and important political, legal, and cultural figues today. No BS. No agenda. And no fear,” it’s Kelly’s way of setting a fresh course with unlimited potential and freedom from corporate agendas. Learn more about her compelling venture on page 24.

Based on these talented, motivated women, it’s no surprise to learn that women are shaping the economy and business world. We explore this evolution in the article “The Buying Power of Women,” by examining the impact females are making as America’s biggest consumers. Statistics reveal the crucial role women play in the economy and businesses are fially taking notice.

On that note, take a moment to check out all the impactful content in this issue.

Be well!

Living Well

MARCH/APRIL 2021

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SCHEDULE

Dr. Jason Tinley, MD is a minimally invasive, board certified, orthopedic spine surgeon. He specializes in spine surgery, including spinal stenosis, cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy, minimally invasive cervical and lumbar spine surgery, cervical artificial disc replacement, and microdiscectomy.

Dr. Jason C. Tinley is committed to excellence by pledging to provide the highest quality spine care possible. Along with the treatment of immediate or chronic problems, he strives to integrate the doctrine of prevention in all treatment plans with the goal of alleviating possible future difficulties. Dr. Tinley has become a leader in instruction and research in disc replacement and has a passion for optimizing spine surgery outcomes through development and utilization of new techniques, research and materials.

“Dr Tinley is a leader in the field of spinal surgery. His technique is excellent, but he does not rush to pursue surgery. Very good at explaining your condition and allowing you to decide a course of treatment.”

—RANDALL W.

“My experience with DFW Center for Spinal Disorders was excellent. Dr. Tinley and his staff are attentive and compassionate. My surgery went better than I could have ever expected, and I am now pain free!”

—BARBARA K.

Dr. Jason C. Tinley

Board Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon

CompassionateADVOCACY

Photography by EM Corporate

Leu & Peirce, PLLC is a boutique Elder Law fim in Plano, Texas, whose mission is to provide premium, compassionate, and dignifid services to their clients. The Leu & Peirce team helps seniors and their families address issues of housing, fiancial well-being, healthcare, and the ultimate disposition of assets, enabling clients to plan for the future and age with grace and dignity.

After consulting with the attorneys at Leu & Peirce, clients leave with knowledge on preparing for long-term care, qualifying for public benefits, including Medicaid, SSI, and Veteran’s benefits, as well as probate, guardianships, and estate planning.

The emerging practice of Elder Law is about empowering seniors. Instead of focusing on a type of law, Elder Law attorneys focus on a type of client: seniors, individuals with disabilities, and their families. The Elder Law attorneys of Leu & Peirce have experience with the variety of complex issues seniors face, including guardianships for people who are incapacitated and cannot protect themselves, long-term care planning and public benefit options to safeguard against fiancial ruin, estate planning to ensure proper assistance with fiancial and healthcare decisions and that wishes are honored after death, and assistance with probate administration after a loved one dies. Uniquely, Leu & Peirce also handles a variety of contested matters, defending seniors against elder exploitation and abuse during their lifetime through contested guardianships and supporting their last wishes in Will contests after they pass.

The attorneys and staffof Leu & Peirce know when they come to work every day that they will have the opportunity to help someone who is in crisis, trying to assist a senior or disabled loved one, but unsure of the help needed. Making a positive impact on these families is what motivates the Leu & Peirce team to bring compassion and love to their jobs in a way often unseen in a typical law offi.

When you walk into the Leu & Peirce officesyou can quickly discern a difference. There is an inviting warmth that instantly makes visitors feel like welcome guests in someone’s home. You enter the doors and are greeted by the friendly faces of Rhonda Connolly, Michaele Hayden, Lori Moore, Brenda Moore, Melanie Simmons, Cindi Stevens, and Amy Wilson. They invite you into their home-away-from-home, offer you a cup of coffee, and chat with you like a good friend. But that is only a small part of why clients feel comfortable bringing their family concerns to Leu & Peirce. Lori, Erin, Lauren, and the newest attorney, Brandi Binkley, radiate empathy and genuine concern for their clients.

Lori Leu began practicing law in 1987 in her home state of Kansas and neighboring Missouri following her graduation from Kansas State University and Harvard Law School. Lori moved to Dallas in 1989 and continued practicing commercial litigation and telecommunications law. As Lori’s family grew, however, so did her dissatisfaction with her law practice. She began attending Perkins School of Theology at SMU and over time realized that the best way for her to make a difference for others was through the practice of Elder Law. So, in 2008, Lori took a chance, changed her focus, and began devoting her practice to serving seniors and their families.

Lori is honored to be one of the few attorneys in the country to carry the title of Certifid Elder Law Attorney (CELA). Frequently referred to as the “gold standard” for Elder Law and special needs practitioners, the CELA certifiation requires an attorney to have focused on the Elder Law/special needs fild for several years, as well as passage of a rigorous written examination. “Lori’s dedication to learning, her ability to think outside the box, and her proficiecy in Elder Law issues inspires us every day. We are proud to be part of such a fabulous team,” says Erin.

Erin Peirce, proud graduate of Texas A&M University and the South Texas College of Law and a founding shareholder of Leu & Peirce, boasts, “I feel honored to have the opportunity to help seniors and their families.” Practicing Elder Law is both a career and a passion for Erin. Her experience as a litigator brings a unique perspective to the Elder Law fild, enabling her to advocate for her client’s rights and defend against elder abuse and exploitation. Erin provides her clients with counsel that is both compassionate and effective, even in difficult and contentious situations. Erin is an active member in the legal community, having served as president of both the Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Collin County Bar Association and the Estate Planning Council of North Texas. Erin has also chaired the Alzheimer’s Association, Grandscape Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Practicing Elder Law is about protecting seniors and those with special needs, as well as bringing peace and resolution to families trying to care for their loved ones.

Prioritizing the needs of the community has been a cornerstone of the firms culture and integral to its growth.

LAUREN OLSON

ERIN PEIRCE

Lauren Olson, the fim’s newest partner, began practicing with Leu & Peirce in 2013. As a Plano native and graduate of Saint Louis University and SMU Dedman School of Law, Lauren is grateful for the opportunity to give back to seniors in the city she has long called home. Before attending law school, Lauren was a member of AmeriCorps, serving as a social worker for adults with disabilities. That same spirit of service permeates Lauren’s approach to Elder Law. “Practicing Elder Law is about protecting seniors and those with special needs, as well as bringing peace and resolution to families trying to care for their loved ones,” Lauren explains. Lauren serves the legal community as a member of the Board of Directors of the Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Collin County Bar Association and the Estate Planning Council of North Texas.

In addition to providing compassionate advocacy for their clients, the Leu & Peirce attorneys educate and empower the community on Elder Law issues. “Many adult children do not know the issues they will face when a parent becomes ill or injured,” says Lori. “ Those in the Sandwich Generation are often so busy with the daily demands of raising children that they don’t have the time to educate themselves on situations they have

Sadly, there is a lot of misinformation given by “professionals” who are misguided or uninformed. “With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day through the year 2029, there are a lot of people out there who see the growing senior population as an easy target,” laments Erin. “As a result, seniors and their families are often given incorrect information that benefits the ering the services more than the seniors.”

Leu & Peirce strongly believes that arming yourself with accurate information can help ward offthose seeking to profit from the aging Baby Boomer generation. Therefore, the attorneys speak as often as possible to community organizations, caregiver groups, and associations of attorneys and other professionals who may not be aware of the ecting aging clients.

“Education and community outreach are key to our practice,” says Lauren. “Prioritizing the needs of the community has been a cornerstone of the fim’s culture and integral to its growth.” To maintain their mission of education, all of the attorneys at Leu & Peirce are members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a preeminent national organization of attorneys focused on working through the legal problems of seniors and people with disabilities.

Leu & Peirce is also devoted to causes that are important to their clients. As a long-time supporter of the Dallas & Northeast Texas Alzheimer’s Association, Leu & Peirce participates in the Speaker’s Bureau and fundraising events throughout the year. Leu & Peirce is also a proud supporter of the Wellness Center for Older Adults, which provides health, counseling, and social services for seniors throughout Collin County. Lori serves as the Board Chair and the Leu & Peirce team participates in fundraising activities for the Wellness Center.

The attorneys of Leu & Peirce share the common goals of making a difference in the community and providing compassionate, dignifid, and premium legal advice to those who need it the most. Their dedication to the community and unique understanding of the complex legal issues families face make Leu & Peirce an exception to the rule in the legal world. Each member of Leu & Peirce has found her calling in devoting her time and talents toward serving North Texas seniors and their families, and is honored to have the privilege to serve and help our population of elders as they age with peace of mind and clarity.

LORI LEU

Tips for Dealing with Spring Allergies

Courtesy KEY-WHITMAN EYE CENTER

Spring in North Texas can be especially brutal for allergy sufferers. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Dallas ranks 19th in the nation for the most challenging places to live with spring allergies, although this year’s ranking is an improvement from last year’s no.7 rank.

Spring allergies can cause sneezing, runny nose and nasal congestion, as well as dry, red, itchy, burning or even swollen eyes. These symptoms are more than irritating; they can be downright painful.

How allergies affect your eyes

When the conjunctiva (mucous membrane covering the whites of the eyes and lining the eyelids) comes into contact with allergens such as pollen from grasses, trees and weeds, the immune system senses a threat and antibodies are developed that release histamine, causing watery, itchy, red eyes.

In addition to seasonal allergies, many people suffer from perennial allergies, which may be caused by dust, mold, pet dander, air pollution, cosmetics, perfume, medication or smoke. If you aren’t certain of the cause of your eye allergies, ask your doctor for an allergy test to determine the source of your discomfort.

EYE CARE TIPS FOR DEALING WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIES

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, follow these eye care tips for relief from your symptoms:

• Apply a cold compress. If your eyes are puffy or swollen from allergies, a cold compress can provide temporary relief.

• Stay inside and keep your windows closed on high pollen count days. Local weather services provide daily pollen counts. When pollen is high, avoid being outside as much as possible. Typically, pollen counts tend to be higher midmorning and early evening.

• Wear eyeglasses or sunglasses to block pollen from your eyes. When you do go outside, eyeglasses or sunglasses can provide an extra shield to protect your eyes from allergens that may be in the air.

• Practice proper contact lens care. Contact lens wearers may experience more allergy symptoms due to allergens becoming trapped behind the contact lens. Lenses should be cleaned thoroughly and changed regularly. Do not share contact lenses or cases with others.

• Wash your hands and hair frequently. In the same way your hands can spread germs, they can also spread allergens, and if you spend much time outside during the spring, pollen and other allergens may become trapped in your hair.

• Avoid rubbing or scratching your eyes.

Consistently rubbing or scratching your eyes may lead to more serious eye problems or a damaged cornea. Purchase over-the-counter eye drops, or ask your doctor for prescription eye drops to help relieve dry or itchy eyes.

• Change your bedding frequently. Allergens can stick to your bedding, further irritating your eyes.

Remember that some eye conditions—dry eyes or pinkeye, to name a few—are not caused by allergies, but may be confused with allergies.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of eye allergies, only your doctor will be able to tell you if your symptoms are in fact caused by an allergic reaction. Schedule an eye exam today to ensure your symptoms are not caused by an infection or more serious problem.

Common types of allergic eye conditions

Allergic conjunctivitis or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis:

Ths is the most common allergic eye condition, and it is typically associated with seasonal allergies or hay fever. The release of histamine can cause common eye allergy symptoms, including itchy, red, burning, watery or swollen eyes. Topical antihistamine drops, decongestants and mast-cell stabilizers are common treatments for allergic conjunctivitis.

Atopic keratoconjunctivitis:

Primarily affecting adolescent boys, this condition involves inflammation in the conjunctiva and the cornea. Symptoms include itchy, red patches on the eyelids, scaly or crusty skin on the eyelids, heavy discharge or sensitivity to light. If not properly managed, this condition could lead to permanent scarring of the cornea from rubbing and scratching.

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis:

Though less common, this spring eye allergy condition causes the eyes to become itchy, sensitive to light and can even cause eyelids to feel heavy or droopy. Improper treatment may lead to impaired vision. A short-term, low-dose prescription of topical steroids has shown to be the most effective treatment for this condition.

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From left to right are: Leslie Pfei er, M.D.; Anita Jacob, O.D.; Kimberly Warren, M.D.; Sadaf Razi ElHa ar, O.D.,; Faisal Haq, M.D.

DFW Wound Care Center is a group of wound care specialists in all of the DFW area. They are fellow trained surgeons, and board certified in wound care and reconstructive surgery. All physicians have also completed an intense residency and fellowship in the area of limb salvage, and foot and ankle surgery. When it comes to wound care and limb salvage, DFW Wound Care Center has the knowledge and experience to successfully treat your condition. As a result, patients from all over the country seek to be treated by DFW Wound Care Center.

Whether caused by diabetes, infection or disease, any wound that will not heal can be very serious. If you are experiencing a wound or ulcer that will not properly heal, our wound care center can provide a range of expert treatment options best in each case. We offer non-surgical and surgical treatments for:

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PLANO CLINIC 5804 Coit Road, Ste. 100 Plano, TX 75023

LEWISVILLE CLINIC 502 N. Valley Pkwy., #2 Lewisville, TX 75067

IRVING CLINIC

6161 N. State Hwy. 161, Ste. 320 Irving, TX 75038

DESOTO CLINIC

714 N. Hampton Rd. De Soto, TX 75115

JOSHUA WORLEY, DPM | REZA MOBARAK, DPM, FACFAS, FAPWCA, FAPWHC | MITCH WILLIAMS, DPM

The

How Women Shape the Economy and Business World

Buying Power Women of

By KIMBERLY BLAKER

Women today account for or influence 70 to 80% of all buying decisions. The ‘female economy’ was estimated by Forbes in 2017 to be worth $18 trillion, and continues to grow. These statistics reveal the crucial role women play in keeping the economy aflat— in good times and in bad.

As a result, many businesses have taken heed. Still, plenty of industries and companies remain behind the times when it comes to treating women as major consumers. They fail to see the power this segment possesses.

For example, most women can attest to occasions when their gender has negatively affected the service and attention they received. Additionally, women are still taken advantage of because of their lack of or perceived lack of knowledge in certain industries.

Women, however, have become increasingly educated consumers, and businesses that don’t recognize this are learning the hard way. Many women, offended by these biases, walk away from a purchase and go elsewhere, demanding to be treated with respect.

Advertising and marketing specialists are

also catching on. Advertising that stereotypes women and marketing explicitly geared to male audiences don’t sit well in the minds of women today. Stereotyping and the absence of recognizing women as potential consumers for traditionally male products are off-arget, offensive, and fail to give these large consumers the information they need.

HOUSE AND HOME

Women today account for well over half of the spending on household goods and personal items. That’s because they take more interest in shopping for these items, especially non-essentials. Women control most of the expenditure not only on décor, linens, and kitchen gadgets, but furniture, cabinetry, carpeting,

lighting, and more.

Furthermore, women play a signifiant role in the purchase of real estate, the biggest investment most families make. According to a report by Lending Tree, in analyzing data from the 2017 American Community Survey, about 22% of single women are homeowners, as opposed to only 13% of single men being homeowners.

Married women also markedly influence real estate decisions. According to David Powers Homes of Houston, Texas, couples ultimately agree on the purchase together. Yet research conducted by the company found women make almost 80% of the home-buying decisions in the company’s $180,000 to $500,000 price range.

When buying a home, men and women

each look for certain features. Women are most concerned with flor plan and design and how these factors will accommodate their lifestyles. Specificfeatures of importance to women include large closets, kitchen space and design, space needs, and overall comfort. Men focus mainly on technology, energy-efficicy, and garage functionality.

Probably one of the most under-recognized areas of women’s buying power, however, is in the tool and home improvement industry. With the surge in do-it-yourself remodeling, women have fast become one of the big spenders in tool departments and home improvement aisles. Kimberly Stevens, a staffreporter for The Wall Street Journal, explains, “We’re talking buzz saws, routers and power sanders.”

The growth of female tool shoppers isn’t minimal, Stevens points out. A survey by the Home Improvement Research Institute, found women have been outpacing men in their involvement in do-it-yourself projects since at least 2000. According to a female industrial designer at Porter-Cable of Jackson, Tennessee, as reported by Daily Gist, “Women are using these tools on a regular basis.”

What’s also increasing female tool sales is the signifiant increase in women working in the construction fild, which has nearly doubled over the last 15 years.

HEALTHCARE

Women’s voices are gaining prominence in the healthcare industry, as well. Women make at least two-thirds of the healthcare decisions in US households, according to Amy Ertel Bellcourt, vice president of corporate communications for MVP Health Plan. So healthcare systems are paying particular attention by improving maternity wards and focusing a portion of their marketing on services affecting women.

TRAVEL

Women are equally important to the travel market. They now make 70% of all travel decisions. They’re the larger clientele of adventure travel. But business travel has also seen marked growth by females. Women make up nearly half of all business travel, according to research by Judi Brownell, Ph.D., professor of Cornell University’s Management & Organizational Behavior Program.

Over 75% of women traveling on business are college-educated and abler than men to articulate their needs. They participate in more leisure activities while traveling on business. They’re also much more likely to order room service while traveling alone. For these reasons, they have a signifiant impact on this industry.

INVESTMENT

While the percentage of women who own stocks still lags behind men, ample research has found women make better investors. In 2017, Fidelity Investments reported after analyzing more than 8 million clients that when it comes to the return on investments, women outperform men.

AUTOMOTIVE

Another area where women play a crucial role is in the automotive industry. “Women,” according to a report by the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence, “are not only becoming more influential in deciding what car to buy, they are also taking over the traditionally male-dominated responsibility of maintenance and repair.” Women make up between 65 to 80% of auto repair and service shop customers. Women are also responsible for almost half of new car sales and slightly over half of the used-car sales, according to Art Spinella, of CNW Research. Women influence 80% of all transactions. Not to mention, says Ford Motor Marketing, 95% of women have the power to “veto” an automobile purchase.

What women want from this industry, experts say, is not to be treated differently. They want to be treated with respect. “Women ask more questions, inquire about details, and are more willing to look under the hood, or check out parts,” says Diane Hohman, an automotive aftermarket consultant in Herndon, Virginia. So they’re beginning to get the respect they deserve in this market.

SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Women are not only spending increasing amounts on clothing but on entertainment and electronics.

Furthermore, the women’s sports apparel market is valued at $26.8 billion, nearly a third of the total sports apparel market of $80.1 billion as of 2018, according to the Euromonitor International. In fact, an unexpected 45% of NFL fans are now women according to the NFL’s 2017 estimate.

What this all boils down to is two-fold. Being America’s biggest consumers, women not only keep the economy from becoming stagnant during times of stability. They keep it from collapsing during a recession. Ths means women are gaining the upper hand in the way the business industry treats them. Women aren’t demanding preferential treatment, but they do expect equal treatment and respect.

With the surge in do-it-yourself remodeling, women have fast become one of the big spenders in tool departments and home improvement aisles.

Orthopaedic Spine

Surgeon

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Specialist

Orthopedic Spine Surgeon

At North Texas Orthopaedic & Spine (NTOS), patients of all ages are given the focused, individualized care they need in order to live fully and comfortably. The team at NTOS has a high level of expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions involving the spine, joints, and bones.

Patients appreciate the practice’s ability to educate them thoroughly about their conditions and give them the tools that they need to take control of their well-being. Whether the patient is an athlete with an injury or someone who has a long-term condition that affects their daily life, the NTOS team works alongside them to get them back to a full, active life. NTOS offers treatment for shoulder pain, tennis elbow, torn ACLs, sciatica, carpal tunnel, herniated disc, scoliosis and more. These and other conditions can get in the way of your work, hobbies, and general enjoyment of life.

VUDHI SLABISAK, MD

JOSH FERRELL, DC

OLABISI OGUNRO, DO Hand Surgeon

JAMES STANLEY, MD

BRUCE MARKMAN, MD

Orthopaedic Surgeon & Sports Medicine Specialist

CHARITY OGUNRO, MD Hand & Orthopedic Surgeon

STEVE HONG, MD Interventional Pain ManagementSpecialist

RAHUL BANERJEE, MD Orthopaedic Surgeon

PLANO

4090 Mapleshade Lane, Ste. 100 Plano, TX 75093

DALLAS

1130 Beachview St., Ste. 100 Dallas, TX 75218

DALLAS

3670 West Wheatland Rd. Dallas, TX 75237

FRISCO

7589 Preston Rd., Ste. 500 Frisco, TX 75034

MCKINNEY

4833 Medical Center Dr., 6E McKinney, TX 75069

KAUFMAN

874 Ed Hall Dr., Ste. 100 Kaufman, TX 75142

ODESSA

1030 North Grandview Ave. Odessa, TX 79761

TYLER

1305 Doctors Dr. Tyler, TX 75701

•Sta ed by 2 Licensed, Doctors of Audiology

•Hearing Aid Fittings, Maintenance and Repairs

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•Evaluation Period On All Hearing Aids

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•30 Years of Experience

“Hearing Services of Mckinney is my #1 place to go for my hearing loss needs. Caring and dedicated professionals with many years of experience working daily to meet your needs” . –Terry G. Bo x, R etired Collin County Sheri˜

Other times available by appointment

How Prevalent is Hearing Loss in America?

By ELIZABETH BRASSINE, AU.D.

How prevalent is hearing loss in America? You may be surprised! Nearly a fih of all Americans 12 years or older have enough hearing loss to make communication difficult, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers and published in the Nov. 14 Archives of Internal Medicine.

The fidings, thought to be the fist nationally representative estimate of hearing loss, suggest that many more people than previously thought are affected by this condition. The study was led by Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

This gives us the real scope of the problem for the first time and shows us how big of a problem hearing loss really is,” Lin says. The moral of the story is that it’s a good idea to have your hearing tested throughout your life. See an audiologist today and stay connected.

Using the World Health Organization’s defintion for hearing loss (not being able to hear sounds of 25 decibels or less in the speech frequencies), the researchers found that overall, about 30 million Americans, or 12.7% of the population, had hearing loss in both ears. That number jumps to about 48 million, or 20.3%, for people who have hearing loss in at least one ear. These numbers far surpass previous estimates of 21 to 29 million.

Hearing loss prevalence nearly doubled with every age decade, with women and blacks being signifiantly less likely to have hearing loss at any age. Lin and his colleagues aren’t sure why these groups appear to be protected. However, he notes that the female hormone estrogen, as well as the melanin pigment in darker skin, could have a protective effect on the inner ear.

In the meantime, Lin says, the new numbers greatly impact the work he and other researchers are doing on hearing loss and its consequences, which, according to previous studies, include cognitive decline, dementia, and poor physical functioning. Lin’s research also looked at a link between hearing loss and the risk of falling in middle aged-adults and the elderly. They found that hearing loss triples the risk!

Another link that exists is between diabetes and hearing loss. According to the American Diabetes Association, it’s estimated that 25.8

million Americans (children and adults) have diabetes—that’s 8.3% of the population. There are certainly many complications from diabetes that are well known such as heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, stroke, high blood pressure and peripheral neuropathy. However, one of the most common and yet least understood and diagnosed complication of diabetes is hearing loss. In a 2008 study, it was found that diabetics have approximately a 30% higher incidence of hearing loss than patients with normal blood sugar. Over 50% of those participating in the study showed a high frequency hearing loss, which is one of the most common types of hearing loss and the type effectively treated with hearing aids. The study also showed a correlate between pre-diabetes and hearing loss.

Diabetes can lead to nerve damage. Neuropathy occurs when high blood sugars cause chemical changes in nerves that impair their ability to transmit signals. Hearing also depends on nerves of the peripheral auditory mechanism. It’s believed that over time high blood glucose levels damage these nerves diminishing the ability to hear. High blood sugar is also known to damage vascular systems. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the ear similar to the retina. The structures of the ear have a delicate blood supply, which is susceptible to disruption due to diabetes. Ths interruption can result in damage to the sensory structures of the ear, therefore causing or contributing to hearing loss.

Finally the study looked at the link between how long someone has lived with diabetes and the severity of their hearing loss. Specifially it was found that 75% of individuals who had diabetes for more than eight years experienced a moderate to severe hearing loss.

So, if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes or is classifid as pre-diabetic, it’s important to have your hearing screened. If a hearing loss is suspected, a full hearing test would be recommended. Contact your audiologist today.

PHOT0 BY LECREUSOIS

Trial attorney turned journalist Megyn Kelly faces the future with a devil may care attitude.

By SONDRA BARR

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Before her stint as a news anchor, Megyn Kelly was a trial lawyer at a prestigious fim on her way to making partner. A rigid career path with a predetermined conclusion, she realized it lefther woefully unfulfilled. Now the lawyer turned journalist is breaking free of legacy media. Setting a fresh course with unlimited potential and freedom from corporate agendas, she’s fially serving up the news––her way.

For 50-year-old Kelly, podcasting is the natural progression from years spent anchoring news shows across multiple networks. Last year she launched her own media company, Devil May Care Media, which produces her unfiltered podcast The Megyn Kelly Show

Since launching her podcast, the show has consistently ranked in the top 10 in the news commentary category on Apple and Spotify. Billed as “your home for open, honest, and provocative conversations with

the most interesting and important political, legal, and cultural figues today. No BS. No agenda. And no fear,” guests have included Alan Dershowitz, Mark Cuban, Candace Owens, and Glenn Greenwald.

“I wanted something that would tip the hat to where I am in the media spectrum. The whole saying is ‘ The devil may care, but I do not.’ What I’m trying to telegraph is nobody’s going to tell me what to say anymore because I don’t care. If you don’t like it, I don’t really care. You don’t have to listen. Go fid another podcast,” she explained to writer Nate Eaton last year.

The veteran journalist’s reason for entering the podcasting fray after departing NBC in 2019 is simple, “Legacy media is dying a very slow death,” she told the Daily Caller’s Shelby Talcott. “ These are all money-making engines. They’re not there as a public service.”

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I had this little voice in me saying,‘I am more interesting than this. I am more interested than this.’

“ The media gets paid to get eyeballs, right? To get you viewing them. And the way you do that is to stoke outrage. That’s why whenever you turn offthe television from cable news, you feel pissed off. You may not even know they’re doing it to you, but that’s what they’re doing to you. It’s one of the reasons I wound up leaving.”

It’s not the fist time Kelly has turned her back on something that she didn’t perceive as fulfilling and transparent. After graduation from Albany Law School, where she was a member of the student senate and edited the law review, she embarked on a career in corporate law. By age 33, Kelly was representing high-profile clients including credit bureau Experian for the international law fim of Jones Day. On track to becoming partner, Kelly excelled in the fild but wasn’t inspired.

“I had this little voice in me saying, ‘I am more interesting than this. I am more interested than this,’” Kelly told Vanity Fair’s Evgenia Peretz for a 2016 cover story.

Armed with gumption, charisma, and the doggedness that would come to defie her as a journalist, the experienced trial attorney turned her sights on becoming a newscaster. While still practicing law, Kelly took a reporting class and completed an internship at a local Chicago station. She then put together a sample reel with a friend to present to television stations in the hopes of securing a newscaster spot.

As they say, one thing led to another and her tape landed in the hands of Fox News Washington-bureau chief Kim Hume, wife of Fox News anchor Brit Hume. From there, it eventually hit the desk of Fox News chairman Roger Ailes. He recognized her star power. Kelly’s career ascent was fast and furious.

“I could have kept doing [law], and I think I was in what my sister-in-law calls my ‘zone of excellence,’” Kelly explained to Peretz. “But I chose a different path, and I made a big fiancial sacrificewhen I fist started, and wound up getting into what she calls my ‘zone of genius.’”

Her years as a trial attorney served Kelly well as a news anchor. Quick on her feet, her verbal sparring skills are fiely honed. Kelly regularly took guests to task on her popular live evening news show on Fox, The Kelly File, and elsewhere. She also wasn’t (and isn’t) afraid to ask tough questions, as well documented when she served as a moderator for the 2015 Republican presidential debate.

“She takes no prisoners and takes no BS,” veteran newswoman Katie Couric has said of Kelly. “And I’ve noticed that she’s a really good listener. Sometimes the tendency is to go down a laundry list of questions and to not say, ‘Wait a minute.’ It requires you to think on your feet and to take the conversation in a totally different direction.”

Campbell Brown, a former CNN prime-time host, said this about Kelly: “She doesn’t talk down to her audience. There is none of the sanctimonious, condescending attitude. And, frankly, none of the hate. I think people are sick of these primetime chest thumpers characterizing the other side as evil.”

The No. 1 thing I wanted to do was control my own editorial.

To not be doing anyone else’s bidding…

It’s the chest thumping that Kelly avoids in her podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show. “ The No. 1 thing I wanted to do was control my own editorial,” Kelly told Th Journal. “To not be doing anyone else’s bidding, not having the pressure of corporate overlords over me, that means one has to be entrepreneurial.”

Kelly’s careers, both as a lawyer and news anchor have created a strong desire to fially be able to control the discussion. Freely exploring a wide range of topics without the pressure of someone else’s editorial agenda is something that Kelly has long wanted to fully embrace.

“ There’s no way, when people sort of understand what’s happening in the digital world and how forward-looking it is and how much more meaningful and substantive it is, and how much more honest you can be here, that they would choose the other model [cable news],” Kelly told the Daily Caller, adding “younger viewers are leaving” traditional media “in droves.”

As to why people should tune into her podcast, she said to Eaton, “I think I have a unique approach to delivering the news. I understand how to do it so that it’s informative but also entertaining. The listener is having fun, learning and walking away knowing what’s happening in the country but not having to work too hard for it. I also think what’s different with me now versus the past several years is I’m unbridled. I don’t have to answer to anyone other than myself, my conscience, and my audience. That’s enabled me to go places where I otherwise couldn’t go. I own the show.”

MEGAN WITH HUSBAND DOUG BRUNT.

PHOTO: FACEBOOK @MEGYNKELLY

The Buddy System

Courtesy DANNEL FUNERAL HOME

How many of us remember as little children being told “hold my hand while we cross the street” or “don’t go out there all alone”? These words of advice will stay with us our entire lifetime. I see husbands reach for the hand of their wife when crossing a street, not so much for safety but for the purpose of subliminally suggesting “you will be fie because I am right here”. As a Boy Scout, while working on our swimming merit badge we were told if you ever go out into open water always follow the buddy system. There should always be someone nearby in case you get in trouble.

As we grow and mature something mysteriously happens to us though. For some reason a large number of us feel as if we no longer need help (or at least are not supposed to ask for it). Society has somehow caused women to feel as if they should be independent and strong willed. As men, we develop the idea that we are never supposed to ask for directions or read instructions. I can personally attest to the fact that this is not accurate as I can easily become lost in a shopping mall and have the most difficult of times assembling even simple items. When something bad happens in our lives we naturally tend to want to shut down and isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. Ths is your mind’s defense system kicking into action. It is similar to an ostrich burying its’ head in the sand to hide. Everyone sees the ostrich, but since he cannot see them they must not exist. We all know how offbase that theory is, but believe if we hide our grief and sorrow; no one will know we hurt. Ths is terribly unhealthy as grief shared is grief diminished. Grief not acknowledged will only grow and ultimately lead to depression which will in turn manifest into a number of other unhealthy conditions.

When we learn of another person’s loss, we instinctively feel the need to do something to help ease their pain. The problem with grief is that most people feel awkward and unprepared in how to go about

helping. The worst thing we can do is to avoid that person because of our own lack of confidece. Ths causes the person who is grieving to believe something is wrong with them for feeling sad. Ths feeling tends to cause the grieving person to want to rush through any type of memorial for the one who has died. Some people will try to avoid any acknowledgement that death has occurred at all in an attempt to get their life back to normal as quickly as possible. That never happens because the grieving person’s life cannot be the same again as there will always be a void where the person who died previously occupied. A healthy end result for a grieving person is the fial phase of grief; reconciliation. When the grieving person can accept that their life will be different because of the loss, but that different life will be ok, they have truly healed. Ths cannot be reached alone.

It is important to be the buddy for someone who has lost someone they love. Just telling that person you are sorry for their loss can open a door for conversation. The one thing every person who has lost someone wants to talk about is the person who has died. Allow them to tell the story of that person. In a way, this is allowing them to openly acknowledge that the person is no longer here and this will gently move them through the denial phase of their grief. Help that person fid others who can relate to their loss. Maybe you have a friend who lost their spouse that can be introduced to the one who has just lost their spouse and they can share common feelings and listen to one another’s story. Grief support groups are also great ways to help a person move through the grieving process. The common thread to healthy recovery is being around other people. If you have lost someone close to you please do not shut down and attempt to fid healing from within. If you know someone who is hurting from the loss of a loved one, be their buddy. The buddy system worked well for us all in our early phases of life. It will serve us all well in the end.

Heroes Among Us

Mandy Searcy quietly saves lives during the COVID pandemic.

By SONDRA BARR

Quiet heroes are toiling behind the scenes in times like these. As an unprecedented pandemic rages across the globe, the afflted and their families are fiding solace in the efforts of countless unsung medical professionals.

COVID has proven to be a test, beyond just that of negative or positive; it’s also a measure of the extent of human compassion, particularly when it comes to frontline healthcare workers, doctors, and nurses. And, while there’s no denying that the medical community has stepped up to the plate in the fiht against COVID, there are extraordinary standouts whose passion to serve truly sets them apart.

As the patients of Bent Tree Family Physicians attest, certifid medical assistant Mandy Searcy belongs in that rarefid group. The praise bestowed upon Searcy also comes from the medical professionals she works with daily.

“Quiet management of COVID behind the scenes is what this story is. Most of the COVID care and most of the people who are reassured—and many that were saved—was from Mandy’s direct intervention,” explains Dr. Guy Culpepper, founder of Bent Tree Family Physicians. With 16 providers and dozens of employees, Bent Tree’s legacy providing exceptional care is well documented in the area.

“To me, Mandy represents all those officnurses across the country who’re quietly saving lives,” says Culpepper, who’s been in family medicine for 33 years. For the past 18 years, he’s witnessed Mandy’s dedication to her job, which has only intensifid in the face of COVID.

In early March of last year, when whisperings of a deadly virus rapidly evolved into full blown headline news, Culpepper and the staffat Bent Tree realized COVID would be an enormous local concern. At the time, some Bent Tree patients were already exhibiting signs that would soon be recognized as signature COVID symptoms.

“Mandy took testing on as her mantle,” explains Culpepper. Between the two of them, they researched COVID tests, including how to perform them, where to purchase them, and the labs best qualifid to analyze the tests.

While some members of the Bent Tree team were understandably uneasy about swabbing patients for the test, Searcy was unfazed and volunteered to take on testing efforts.

“ Those early weeks, we saw a lot of sick patients before we knew how serious it is,” says Searcy. “Some would be so sick they’d literally be laying in their back seat with their spouse driving them.”

“In the early days of testing, we had no PPE because we’re a family practice offi. We just had surgical masks,” says Culpepper. Gloves were also in short supply.

The solution: “Mandy went to a farm goods store and bought elbow length gloves for birthing calves because they were the only gloves we could get,” continues Culpepper.

While they’ve since secured the proper PPE, in the early days of the pandemic, from the parking lot of Bent Tree’s Frisco offi, you’d fid Searcy testing people in all sorts of weather wearing gloves, a raincoat, surgical mask, hairnet, and goggles purchased from Lowe’s.

“I watched her go outside in 104 degrees, in the rain, in the cold, day in and day out, so that people could count on her,” says Culpepper.

“ That kind of energy early in a process is astounding and remarkable, but then the stamina to keep it up Saturdays and Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day, that’s extraordinary.”

After being tested by Searcy, Randy Hayslip has this to say: “Mandy was very comforting and proactive, while exceeding my expectations for COVID care. She exhibited a professional charisma that promoted an understanding and care for the patient. Her responsiveness and instructions during the COVID test were as amazing as her follow up.”

At the end of each day, Searcy rushes samples to FedEx to get them overnight shipped to a lab. Meanwhile, her nights are spent calling patients with the results.

“You don’t get back a positive COVID and then just sit on it during the weekend and wait to call the patient back Monday like with high cholesterol,” says Culpepper.

Unlike most testing centers, Searcy doesn’t just call a person, confim a positive result, and hang up. “Mandy has without doubt saved lives by listening to their breathing patterns on the phone and instructing which ones to go to the ER, which ones to come to the officfor oxygen or chest x-rays, or we’re able to intervene early with steroids or antibiotics for secondary infections that wouldn’t have been treated,” says Culpepper.

“She is what I call a super nurse with Nordstrom-class customer service,” says Jill Kempa, whose 42-year-old son had COVID symptoms in March. “I called Dr. Culpepper’s offi, talked to Mandy, and she said, ‘I have three tests left, I ill save one for him.’”

Searcy called back Sunday at midnight to inform Kempa that her son tested positive. From there, Searcy called Kempa’s son daily for the next two weeks to monitor his breathing. The third week, she recommended he go to the emergency room for a chest x-ray that uncovered pneumonia. After he pulled through, Kempa went to Bent Tree to personally thank Searcy for saving her son’s life.

“She goes above and beyond for all her patients, not just my son,” exclaims Kempa.

Ths sentiment is echoed by numerous Bent Tree patients, including Denise Delashaw, who says, “Mandy is a selfles medical angel and is the most caring, authentic person I have ever met at any doctor’s offi. She always goes above and beyond and actually checks up on you after any issue you may have. Love her! She was taking care of a huge line of patients in the 100-degree heat, dripping wet, and still had a smile on her face!”

Meanwhile, Debbie Brandenburg says, “Mandy is so caring and kindhearted to everyone. Since COVID, she has only worked harder and dedicated herself to helping us and others. She has put her own life on the line to serve others in testing for COVID and provided sincere empathy during very stressful times. Mandy is the prime example of putting others before self.”

More than 10,000 people have been tested by Searcy. Over 1,500 have tested positive. Ths has amounted to over 30,000 phone calls, including many that serve as stark reminders of the severity of the virus.

“One of our beloved patients was one of the fist ones Mandy tested,” explains Culpepper. At the time test results were taking five days and while the patient was waiting on his positive test, Searcy insisted he go to the hospital after listening to his labored breathing and distinct cough. Two emergency rooms refused to admit him. The man, whose wife was also in a hospital suffering from COVID never got the chance to answer Searcy’s last text to confim he was admitted. She found out later that he was intubated soon after and a week later he died in the ICU.

“I could have been the last person he talked to. It was heartbreaking,” says Searcy, who admits that getting praise is hard to accept for a job she feels called to do.

To schedule COVID or antibody testing at Bent Tree Family Physicians’ Frisco location at 3550 Parkwood Blvd, Ste 600, Frisco, Texas, visit www.benttreemd.com or call (972) 377-8800.

“To me, Mandy represents all those office nurses across the country who’re quietly saving lives.”

—DR. GUY CULPEPPER

“She is what I call a super nurse with Nordstromclass customer service.”

—JILL KEMPA

“She was taking care of a huge line of patients in the 100-degree heat, dripping wet, and still had a smile on her face!”

—DENISE DELASHAW

Diane S. Litke, MD Diplomate American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Dr. Litke is a passionate artist, both in her spare time and as an orthopaedic surgeon. At L&W Orthopaedics, she approaches every orthopaedic problem with an eye toward restoration of function and mobility. With a deep knowledge of the inner workings of the body’s most active and important joints, Dr. Litke is able to repair most hip, knee, and shoulder problems, giving her patients the freedom to move again. Assisting her skilled hands, she uses the latest state-of-the-art robotic equipment for accuracy and precision, delivering a powerful combination of experience and technology to all of her patients.

Dr. Litke earned her medical degree at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She went on to complete her orthopaedic residency at the University of South Carolina in Columbia South Carolina. She is certi ed by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, and is a Fellow of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery and a Fellow of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons. Dr. Litke is a liated with the Methodist Richardson Medical Center, where she is the director of the joint program. When she’s not working, Dr. Litke enjoys photography and ceramics.

Please call 972.498.4791 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Diane S. Litke, MD

What are Dental Implants?

Courtesy ALLEN DENTAL CENTER

Believe it or not, some folks don’t understand what dental implants are, how they work and why they are so helpful. A dental implant acts just like a real tooth root, maintaining complete stability of the attached tooth or teeth and stimulating the surrounding bone so that the bone maintains its volume. Dental implants are often the most conservative tooth replacement option and can be a better option than complex dental work to try and save a tooth where the tooth is already highly compromised. The actual implant is a small titanium screw that replaces the root of the missing tooth or provides an anchor for a full arch case. After the implant is integrated into the bone, we can place a tooth on top of it and allow you to begin feeling confidet again and chewing normally.

Why would anyone want to get dental implants? Something that can help aid you in your decision between a Dental Implant and any other dental procedure is that you will most likely want a solution composed of 5 things: natural looking, comfortable, easy to maintain, healthy for your mouth and a great value. Imagine a smile that is pure, clean and allows you to beam with confidece. Imagine a smile that allows you to brush and flos normally. Imagine a smile that will not require return visits to the dentist to maintain and replace expensive appliances. Dental implants are a great option for each of these ideal solutions.

Gone are the days of teeth flpping around in your mouth! Dental implants can secure most dentures, and that’s life changing. Most of us like being social and the most common thing we do is eat together. That’s reason enough to make sure your teeth are secure, not to mention being able to eat the food we enjoy. Additionally, a single tooth implant might be used to preserve the surrounding teeth by avoiding a cemented bridge. When we do bridges, we have to treat the teeth on either side of the missing tooth. In trying to restore missing teeth, we would love to keep the others healthy too.

What worries the average person about getting implants? You can be sure almost everyone can benefit from implants. It’s a rare case that we can’t help someone. Maybe it might be between $3,000 for a

single tooth and $50,000 for an entire mouth reconstruction. There are affordable ways, including special fiancing, that could bring the cost down to $56 a month for a single tooth and $390 for one full arch. Ths is all subject to credit approval and a down payment, but it gives a proper perspective to those who are considering this.

Another possible misconception is that Dental Implants could be painful. Most of the time getting implants is not nearly as uncomfortable as people imagine. There is a lot of planning put into the surgery ahead of time so that the actual procedure is quite simple.

The Allen Dental Center has been performing many dental services for decades, but implants are at the top of the list. We even have the Dallas Implant Institute conducting continuing education classes out of this facility with our doctors as the instructors. In other words, our dentists are getting to teach other dentists how to be successful at placing implants.

Implants can and often last a lifetime. It is important to fid a dentist who knows how to help you get the successful results you deserve. Allen Dental Center is offering a free consultation with necessary x-rays and are currently looking for certain cases that we can use for teaching classes.

Are Dental Implants right for you? Ask yourself these questions:

• Are you missing one or more teeth and would love to have a complete smile once again?

• Do you currently have any other kinds of tooth replacements such as: dentures, bridges, flppers, etc. that aren’t providing the comfort or convenience you desire?

• Have you or are you experiencing any mouth injuries, decay, gum disease?

• Are you embarrassed about your teeth and your smile?

• Would you love to fially have a healthy, beautiful smile?

If you said yes to one or more of these questions, then you are likely a good candidate for dental implants.

Southwest Foot & Ankle Center is a respected group of board certified foot and ankle surgeons. They are fellow trained surgeons, and board certified in wound care and reconstructive surgery. All physicians have also completed an intense residency and fellowship in the area of limb salvage, and foot and ankle surgery. The team at Southwest Foot & Ankle Center strive to make each patient’s experience personable. Our outcomes are of perfection and meticulous in surgery. As a result, patients from all over the country seek to be treated by DFW Wound Care Center.

Invasive Surgery

Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis) Stem Cell Therapy

Neuropathy

Toenails

Custom Orthotics & Braces

Laser Therapy for Pain, Swelling, Arthritis, and Wounds

Andrew Chambers, M.D. Orthopedic Surgeon

Dr. Chambers is an orthopaedic surgeon at Dallas Orthopaedic Joint Institute who specializes in joint replacement surgery. He received extensive training in joint replacement surgery during his fellowship at Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital, which was voted as the top hospital in the United States. Dr. Chambers has implemented the techniques learned at Harvard Medical School into his own practice and offers minimally invasive total hip / knee replacement, partial knee replacement, revision surgery for malfunctioning, loose, and infected joint replacements, arthroscopic surgery of the hip and knee, and revision of failed and recalled metal-on-metal total hip replacement implants. Dr. Chambers focuses special attention on surgical techniques for rapid recovery after total joint replacement which allow his patients a more predictable and earlier return to home and an active lifestyle.

Dr. Chambers is pleased to offer the MAKOplasty Robotic-Arm Assisted partial/total knee and hip replacement. The MAKOplasty procedure is changing the way joint replacement surgeries are performed by providing each patient with a personalized surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and unique anatomy using a CT-based 3D modeling. The robotic arm technology allows for extremely precise placement of hip/knee components with potentially less soft tissue injury than traditional joint replacement.

Dr. Chambers is a Texas native and grew up in Houston, Texas. He attended medical school at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and completed residency at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. He then completed a fellowship in joint replacement surgery at Harvard Medical School. In his free time, Dr. Chambers enjoys traveling with his wife, Christine, and spending time with friends and family. He is an avid sailor and enjoys participating in sailing races on the local lakes in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Dr. Chambers practices at Methodist Dallas, Charlton, and Richardson Hospitals. To schedule an appointment please call or text 469-747-0382.

METHODIST DALLAS MEDICAL CENTER

221 W. Colorado Blvd., Pav II, Suite 431 Dallas, Texas 75208

METHODIST CHARLTON MEDICAL CENTER

3430 W. Wheatland Rd., POB 1, Suite 216 Dallas, Texas 75237

469-747-0382

469-405-0135 FAX dallasorthojoint.com

faking it

By RICK FERRI, CFA

Rick Ferri, CFA, is the CEO of Ferri Investment Solutions, an as-needed hourly fee investment adviser. He has 30 years of experience in the investment industry as a financial consultant and portfolio manager. Visit www.RickFerri.com for information or listen to his podcast at www.bogleheads.podbean.com.

Real investment advisers are rare. These are lone fiuciaries who earn a living by providing fiancial advice for an hourly or fied-fee and have no conflits of interest with how they are paid. The rest of the industry is faking it. These are people who encourage you to buy the products they’re paid a commission to sell and encourage you to hire their fim to manage your portfolio, while you pay them an ongoing asset under management (AUM) fee.

There are over one million people in the US who call themselves investment advisers, but strikingly few are paid solely for advice. Brokers from large Wall Street fims say they are advising you, yet that’s only within the realm of the products their company offers for commissions and fees. Many fiancial planners have a certificate hanging in their officethat says they plan for your future, but their actual job is to sell insurance, mutual funds, and portfolio management services for the companies they work for.

It’s hard to fid an adviser who only advises and is paid only for the advice they give. If you don’t count all the people selling something, and only count those who are paid to provide information and recommendations with no conflit of interest, the number of fiuciary advisers drops to a tiny fraction of the industry. In fact, I doubt there are more than a couple of advice-only advisers within 100 miles of your home.

Why is this the case? Simple. It’s much more lucrative to advisers to sell products and AUM-based portfolio management services than to get paid an hourly fee for providing unbiased advice. I know this because I have 33 years in the adviser industry on three different sides.

My fist 10 years was as a broker for two different Wall Street fims. Brokers take home a percentage of their production, which is how much money they take in from product sales. The size officethey’re assigned is also a factor in their production, as is the title they’re allowed to use. Sell more, get more.

That didn’t suit me, so I founded a low-fee investment management company in 1999 that I ran for nearly two decades. Clients put their money under management with my fim and paid ongoing AUM fees. Ths eliminated commission sales but didn’t eliminate my recommendation to hire our company and pay me each quarter.

Now I’m paid to give advice—only advice—and it’s a different world. I don’t have to sell anything or bring in assets under management. I can advise people based on my experience and knowledge without being encumbered with conflits of interest. I’m paid like you would pay your CPA or attorney.

It’s an odd change because I found myself telling clients not to do many things I may have said to do in the past. It’s not that I was dishonest in the past, but it became crystal clear that getting paid commissions and AUM fees absolutely influenced what I said. Most advisers selling products and AUM services will deny it, but it’s true for them also. There is no way around this human bias. Where do you fid an hourly adviser? Here are a few ideas. Try the Garrett Planning Network, www.garrettplanningnetwork.com. It’s a small organization of advisers who do advice-only work. You could also try NAPFA, www.napfa.org, but you’ll have to search hard because there are a lot of AUM advisers there. Lastly, visit XY Planning Network, www.xyplanningnetwork.com. Again, you’ll have to search hard because a lot of those advisers want other than advice fees.

Unify Steps to Your Family

By GEORGIA SMITH-LYLE, MA, LPC-S

When a family works together as a “team” there is unity.

In today’s world, we are facing so many changes! There are changes in the way children are educated, job related changes for a mom or dad, changes in the way we approach doctor visits, changes in our economic and political system, and changes how we gather together just to name a few. I have had the opportunity to counsel families for approximately twenty years now. Ths past year, I have observed and counseled families that have had an “extreme” shiftin the way they function together inside and outside the home. Ths is not new “news” to any of us reading this article. The question I’ve been asking myself for these families, adolescents, children and couples is “how can I help them to stay connected, feeling safe and secure in their home, continuing to experience a depth of unity that encourages emotional growth and optimum personal development and fulfillment.” There is a need to unify the family in such a way that brings the best out of each member of the family. I would like to suggest the following concepts and ideas. They are not new concepts…there are the same ones that have existed since man was created, however we are fiding the need to implement these concepts more than we have ever before.

CONCEPT NO. 1

When a family works together as a “team” there is unity. When there are changes in the family and outside the family that cannot be controlled, fear, depression and anxiety can occur. A family that works together as a team will fid time for each other to communicate with each other openly, respectfully and willingly. When children feel important and have a place other than their friends to speak to, they feel safe and understood. Parents who have developed the team concept that brings unity from the beginning (which starts with relationship between mom and dad) are already ahead of the game of family unity. If you have not done as much as you would like or need more help, it is not too late to begin. Start with family time together. Start with open conversations on what everyone is thinking and feeling about the world of their own family and the world outside the home. Communicate respectfully, validating a thought or feeling even if you do not agree, and make time to have fun together. Be creative in spending time together and as a team unit.

CONCEPT NO. 2

Decide what your value systems are as a family and even openly discuss them. Even though you are each an individual, mom and dad or single parents have been given the opportunity to be responsible for the core moral development for the family and each child. The child will eventually decide for themself what they will implement in their own families when they leave home, but at least parent(s) have given them a baseline to begin with. Is your baseline core value system positive and foster unity, caring for others or is it selfish, rude and abusive? Good parent(s) will ask themselves this question and always want to improve for the sake of the team (family).

CONCEPT NO. 3

The family will learn from each other and more by actions than by what is said. If you believe something to be true to a core moral value, but your actions are contrary to that belief, the team (family) will not feel as secure and will have trouble believing the family is truly a secure place to grow and be yourself. In other words, the actions go against what the core moral value system is therefore, may be based on untruth. Ths concept is not about being perfect in all actions towards self or others in the family…it’s about being honest with heart of humility, willing to change and bend for the betterment of the team (family).

If these three concepts are implemented, I truly believe what we are experiencing in todays world (in family and outside family) will foster more peace, security and love in the family. Ths in turn will have a positive effect upon our society. The whole of society is only as good as the parts (the family and each individual in family). There are no guarantees as we each have choices to make, however not trying to implement positive core values and safe interactions in the family will be like starting on shaky ground and sinking sand in my professional and personal opinion.

Georgia Smith-Lyle is in private practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas providing counseling for children, adolescents, adults, marriage and family. She has authored two books and is a public speaker. Georgia may be reached at 469-855-0256 or via email gpsmith7@aol.com. www.counselingbygeorgia.com.

GREGORY D. ROBERTS, M.D.

FACIAL PLASTIC SURGEON

At Roberts Cosmetic Surgery Center, Dr. Roberts specializes in facial cosmetic medical procedures, including the “scarless” face lift, endoscopic brow lift, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, otoplasty, chin and lip implants. For over 20 years, Dr. Roberts has focused his surgical specialty on the face, but he also performs minimally invasive cosmetic medical procedures, such as BOTOX® and dermal filler procedures. Dr. Roberts is dual Board certified by both the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as the American Board of Otolaryngology | Head and Neck Surgery.

Dr. Roberts personally performs all surgical procedures, BOTOX® and filler procedures. Laser and resurfacing procedures at Roberts Cosmetic Surgery are performed by a certified and licensed aesthetician, while his support staff endeavors to provide optimal patient care.

“There’s a tremendous amount of satisfaction that comes along with my work,” Roberts says. “Seeing patients get positive results from their procedure, as well as seeing their renewed confidence, and then hearing the reaction of others in their lives is very fulfilling.” Dr. Roberts’ procedures are performed at an AAAASF certified facility near George Bush Tollway and Preston Rd in Dallas suburb, Plano, Texas. Read more here about what his patients say about him. View more before-and-after photos and review additional information at RobertsCosmeticSurgery.com.

To schedule a consultation, call (972) 608-0000.

5144 Village Creek Dr. Plano, Texas 75093 (972) 608-0000 robertscosmeticsurgery.com

THE “SCARLESS” FACE LIFT

Nationally-known facial plastic surgeon Dr. Gregory D. Roberts has refined a face lift technique, known as the “scarless” face lift, which allows patients to recover from surgery with virtually no visible scarring. The “scarless” face lift involves a series of surgical methods and meticulous precision that can help restore more natural, youthful facial features with virtually imperceptible signs of surgical intervention.

“My one guiding principle is that your cosmetic surgery looks natural,” said Dr. Roberts. “You should look refreshed and well-rested, never pulled.” Dr. Roberts takes the time necessary to meticulously place and close incisions, ensuring that his patients’ incisions are virtually invisible, as well as helping to minimize bruising and quicken the healing process.

Many of Dr. Roberts’ patients also find pleasing results with a non-surgical face lift alternative known as a Liquid Face Lift. Revolumizing the face with a Liquid Face Lift can be done alone or in conjunction with a face lift to restore natural, youthful volume and contours.

DR. ROBERTS’ PATIENTS LOVE THEIR RESULTS!

KM contacted Dr. Roberts after viewing some of his online images. During her consultation Dr. Roberts recommended upper and lower blepharoplasty (eyelid lifts) as well as a mini face lift. “I inherited drooping eyes from my dad, sagging jowls from my mother. But Dr. Roberts has completely changed that for me. Now I get comments even from strangers about how good my skin looks. Only my close friends know what I’ve had done, but I feel dramatically different. It’s helped my confidence and I’m definitely more comfortable when I’m face-to-face with people.”

At 51, JT worked to stay in shape but couldn’t stop the natural signs of aging. The sagging in her neck and jowl area started to bother her so much she no longer wore her hair off her face. “I feel young and wanted to look more youthful,” she said. After a mini face lift, she’s thrilled with the results. “Not one person has said, ‘Did you have a face lift?’” she said. “But people do tell me how pretty my skin is. I didn’t want to overdo it, and what Dr. Roberts did is perfect. Everyone in his office was attentive, helpful and supportive. I’d definitely do it again.

At 53, JR, below, had a face lift, endoscopic brow lift and lower blepharoplasty performed in one procedure. “Before the surgery I looked tired and my jowl area and the skin around my mouth sagged,” she said. “Dr. Roberts spent a lot of time explaining everything and answering my questions. After surgery, I was wearing a ponytail two weeks later and attended a work conference a week after that. No one could tell I’d just had surgery! To me, it’s so natural. I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Roberts and his staff.”

Livingwell

TOP LAWYERS 2021

TOP LAWYERS 2021

In this special editorial section, the lawyers are listed in alphabetical order and by ad size. To learn more about the lawyers and their specialty, you can visit their websites provided. Their information presented in Living Well Magazine is not legal advice, nor is the Top Lawyers Section a legal referral service.

Thoughout the year, readers and clients nominate attorneys they feel are great candidates for the Top Lawyer recognition by Living Well Magazine. Not all lawyers nominated opted to participate in this paid Top Lawyers Section. While we strive to maintain a high degree of accuracy in the information provided, we make no claim, promise or guarantee about the accuracy of the information provided to us. Hiring an attorney is an important decision that should not solely be based upon advertising or the listings in this magazine.

Take your time and focus on fiding an attorney that has dealt with your specific legal issue. You can usually fid out basic information about any attorney you’re interested in online. Their websites generally list their specialties, where they went to school, and how long they’ve been practicing. The Dallas Bar Association and Collin County Bar Association are other great places to research information. Once you’ve narrowed down your search, make an appointment with any attorney you’re interested in and set up a consultation (fid out if a fee is involved for the consultation). Be sure and take your questions with you to your consultation that are specific o your case.

ASHMORE LAW FIRM, PC

(214) 559-7202 www.ashmorelaw.com

The Ashmore Law Firm is a family-owned and operated, full-service boutique law fim that has been serving the community for over 30 years. The fim was established in 1987 by Retired Probate Judge Joseph E. Ashmore, Jr. and his son, Attorney Gary Ashmore. Attorney Lori Ashmore Peters, Joe’s daughter and Gary’s sister later joined the Firm in 1996.

Thoughout the years, the Ashmore’s have grown the fim to include a team of attorneys and support staff hat follow the Ashmore philosophy that every client is important and gets the personal touch needed for each and every case. Our mission is to provide quality and personalized legal representation to each of our clients.

Our philosophy has always been focusing on the individual needs of our clients and the unique details that each situation presents. We have attorneys with varying backgrounds and areas of expertise from Probate (Will Contests, Trust Litigation), Estate Planning and Guardianships to Family Law, Divorce and Child Custody to Business Matters, Civil Litigation and Personal Injury.

“When you meet with the Ashmore’s, you instantly feel comfortable and welcome. From beginning to end, they make you feel like you have found a legal home.”

“When I was concerned about my mom and her memory loss, Lori treated my mom like she would her own.”

We are here to provide you with outstanding, personalized legal service so that you can concentrate on living your life, not dealing with legal issues. When you work with The Ashmore Law Firm, you are working with attorneys that are passionate about going above and beyond for you. We believe that we can offer you the best possible legal counsel within our community. You get the best of both worlds, a high level of service that the big law fims provide, with the individualized attention of a smaller practice.

ROBIN FORSYTHE

Attorney Robin Forsythe’s estate planning practice focuses on helping families enhance their lives today and secure their futures tomorrow. She excels in guiding her clients through the often-confusing maze of fiancial and legal decisions to create plans that ensure the well-being of their families and the accomplishment of cherished family goals. Her considerable legal expertise includes family protection, wealth preservation, pet planning and values-based planning as well as planning strategies for unmarried couples and divorced individuals. Whether you are married or single, with a traditional family or blended one, just starting out or looking back on a life well-lived, Robin will help you craft a lan that achieves your goals for your loved ones today and for years to come.

Robin started her career as a Special Investigative Agent for the Kentucky Department of Revenue after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Kentucky State University with a bachelor’s in Business Administration with an Accounting Emphasis and a Minor in Finance. There she investigated Criminal Tax Fraud in both individuals and businesses. She also performed joint investigations with local, state, and federal law enforcement bodies and sat on multiple task forces. Robin attended law school part time while working for the state and graduated from Northern Kentucky University’s Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 2014. She worked for Toyota North America for four years in their accounting, supply chain and sales departments working on large projects including moving the supply chain function to the United States from Japan and leading their Annual Plan for North America. In 2018 Robin and her husband moved back to Texas and Robin joined a Dallas based CPA fim providing Tax Controversy services to clients struggling with IRS issues. In 2019 Robin set out on her own to provide clients with flat fee-based practice for Tax Controversy and Estate Planning.

Robin’s love of Estate Planning started in her undergraduate career knowing how difficult life can be when a family member dies without a will or even any clear instructions. Her own father passed when she was a senior in high school and saw the rift t can create in families. Robin knows the value of planning for a death or incapacity in your family. Your kids, pets, friends, and family need clear instructions from you to see your dreams, goals and ideas through.

Robin lives in Princeton, TX with her husband Cory and 3-year-old daughter Taylor. She’s also the loving owner of a corgi cross, Chewy, a corgi Hamilton, and an Appaloosa horse named ‘Appyness. Robin is an avid Tennis player and dressage rider.

Livingwell

TOP LAWYERS

2021

ROBIN WITH HER HUSBAND CORY, DAUGHTER TAYLOR AND HORSE ‘APPYNESS

DEANDRA M. GRANT

3300 Oak Lawn, Ste. 700 Dallas, TX 75219 (972) 943-8500 www.HamiltonGrant.Lawyer

Attorney Deandra M. Grant leads Hamilton Grant’s North, East and Central Texas offices.he is an international speaker on DWI law, science and trial skills. As the author of the annually updated Texas DWI Manual, she is viewed by her peers as being a leader in her fild. Deandra understands the science behind alcohol absorption and elimination rates and can use this knowledge to competently defend you.

Deandra was included in the list of Super Lawyers® for 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Super Lawyers® is an attorney rating service that is nationally recognized throughout the

PHOTO

legal community. The list represents no more than 5% of the attorneys in Texas. She is also AV® Preeminent ™ Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, which is the highest rating an attorney can achieve. She was given the AV® Rating for her outstanding professional achievements in the fild of DWI law and her contributions to the legal community. She’s also received the highest rating of 10.0 by both AVVO and Justia.

Deandra graduated in 1990 from Trinity University in San Antonio with a B.S. in Business Administration. She earned her law degree from the SMU School of Law and was licensed by the State Bar of Texas in 1993. Having spent her last year of law school as an intern with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Offi, she began work there as an assistant district attorney in January 1994.

Deandra’s tenure as a prosecutor focused on DWI prosecution. Upon leaving the DA’s Offi, she opened her own criminal defense practice. Over the last 27 years she has represented hundreds of Texans charged with criminal offenses, including DWI, violent felonies and sex crimes. As a former prosecutor, she knows fisthand how to counter the prosecutor’s evidence and strategy.

Deandra has spent hundreds of hours in training courses and programs related to DWI defense and has completed the certifiation course to administer standard fild sobriety testing (SFST), the same National Highway Traffic fety Administration training course that teaches police offics nationwide how to identify drunk drivers during traffictops. She has also completed the SFST Instructor course and taught the SFST practitioner course to other attorneys. In 2008, she completed coursework on DWI forensic blood and urine testing.

In 2011 she received a certifiate from the American Chemical Society in forensic chromatography. In 2012 she became a member of both the American Chemical Society and the American Academy of Forensic Science. Deandra earned the ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist Designation in 2015. In 2016 she completed both a Graduate Certifiate in Forensic Toxicolog y from the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine and a Master in Pharmaceutical Science - Concentration in Forensic Science from the University of Florida’s College of Pharmacy. In 2019 she joined the faculty at Axion Labs as an Assistant Chromatography Instructor.

Deandra is a former board member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. She is a Charter Member and former president of the DUI Defense Lawyers Association. Currently she serves on the board of the Dallas Women Lawyers Association and in 2022 she will begin serving a term as president of the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

On a personal note, Deandra is a wife, the mom of two and has 5 rescue dogs. She spends a great deal of time working with dog rescues and is Vice President of Living the Doxie Dream Rescue & Sanctuary, located in Royse City, Texas. Deandra is a self-proclaimed “wine snob” who collects wine. She also loves to paint and you can fid many of her paintings on the walls of Hamilton Grant’s 9 office

LAWYERS

LEU & PEIRCE

ELDER LAW, ESTATE PLANNING, PROBATE, GUARDIANSHIP, PUBLIC BENEFITS PLANNING

As partners at Leu & Peirce, PLLC, a preeminent Elder Law fim in Plano, Lori Leu, Erin Peirce, and Lauren Olson are committed to providing quality, compassionate, and dignifid services to their clients. Their boutique practice focuses on protecting seniors through estate planning, long-term care decisions, public benefits eligibility, including Medicaid and VA benefits, probate administration, heirship proceedings, Will contests, and guardianships.

Lori Leu, a Certifid Elder Law Attorney (CELA), graduated from Kansas State University and Harvard Law School. After practicing commercial litigation and telecommunications law, Lori attended SMU Perkins School of Theology and, in 2008, realized her calling of serving seniors and their families through the practice of Elder Law. Lori grew up in a small town in Kansas and raised her family in Plano.

Erin Peirce graduated from Texas A&M University and South Texas College of Law. Erin was raised in Houston and moved to Dallas in 2007. Prior to joining Lori Leu in 2011, Erin practiced commercial litigation, which now enables her to advocate for her client’s rights and defend against elder abuse and exploitation in the Elder Law arena.

Lauren Olson began practicing with Leu & Peirce in 2013. Lauren is a Plano native and graduate of Saint Louis University and SMU Dedman School of Law. Lauren’s background as a social worker and member of AmeriCorps forms the foundation of her compassion and mission to help the community and the families served at Leu & Peirce.

The experienced and talented team at Leu & Peirce is devoted to empowering seniors and their families with advice on issues of housing, fiancial well-being, healthcare, and the ultimate disposition of assets, enabling their clients to plan for the future and age with grace and dignity. Along with their dedicated support staff, Lori, Erin, and Lauren focus all of their energy on making the legal aspects of aging easier for their clients. The emerging practice of Elder Law encompasses a variety of legal challenges experienced by seniors and their families, as well as those with special needs, and the attorneys at Leu & Peirce are committed to serving the unique needs of each client.

EARSA R. JACKSON

FRANCHISE & DISTRIBUTION, LITIGATION

Earsa Jackson is a dynamic leader with more than 22 years of experience practicing law. Chair of Clark Hill’s Franchise & Licensing team and the fim’s Diversity Committee, Earsa enjoys helping individuals and companies expand through franchising and licensing models. She regularly structures franchises and assists franchises with ongoing transactional needs in addition to handling business and commercial litigation matters.

She is the Chair of the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) Diversity Institute and was honored to receive the 2019 IFA “Ronald E. Harrison Diversity Award” at the 59th Annual Convention, an award that recognizes businesses and individuals who have made signifiant contributions to diversity in franchising either within their own franchise organization or within the franchise community.

Earsa has written and spoken extensively on franchise issues and is a member of the Governing Committee of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising and a former Director of the

901 Main St., Ste. 6000 Dallas, TX 75202 (214) 651-4300 www.clarkhill.com

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Division for the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising. She has been recognized among Best Lawyers in America and Who’s Who Legal. She is the co-author of Franchise and Distribution Law Developments 2016 She is an associate editor of the Franchise Law Journal.

She enjoys spending time with her husband of 25 years and their children as well as travelling.

About Clark Hill

Clark Hill is a multidisciplinary, international law fim that provides innovative legal solutions and client-service excellence worldwide. Its work is guided by its deeply held shared values, including practicality, entrepreneurship, mutual respect, diversity, ethical behavior, and a commitment to client and community service. Some of its signature practice groups include banking & fiancial services; corporate law; cyber security, data protection & privacy; labor & employment; litigation; real estate and tax & estate planning. Learn more at clarkhill.com.

212 East Virginia St. McKinney, TX 75069 (214) 789-4735 www.softdivorce.com

PALMER LAW GROUP, PC

In court and out of court, Dana Christian Palmer, works to get families through the divorce process in the healthiest way possible. Mr. Palmer has received the Avvo.com 10.0 “Superb” rating for 2020 and numerous awards including “Best Family Lawyers in McKinney” for 2020 from Expertise, “Top 10 Family Law Attorney in Texas” from Attorney & Practice Magazine in 2019 and 2020, and “10 Best Attorneys” from the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys yearly from 2015 to 2020. Dana and the Palmer Law Group have handled thousands of family law cases with issues that include multimillion dollar property disputes and extremely hard child custody cases. Palmer Law Group is equipped to succeed at trial with the hardest cases, but they avoid court and get healthy results via negotiations more often than not. For clients who want healthy solutions, Palmer Law Group wants to end the fihting—even if they have a hard fiht. SoftDvorce.com®

Divorce Doesn’t Have To Be So Hard!®

JONATHAN RAWLINS

Rawlins Law Firm, LLC represents individuals across the state of Texas. Our fim specializes in providing representation to individuals and companies helping recover Diminished Value on their automobiles.

When your personal or company vehicle is involved in an accident and subsequently repaired, it will have an inherent lost value due to the loss history on the vehicle. When another person’s negligence causes the accident, you have the right to recover the lost value directly from that person’s insurance company.

Get in touch with us to set up a consultation to inquire whether our services are right for you. We at Rawlins Law Firm know that fiding the right attorney to represent you is a choice not to be taken lightly. That’s why we offer free consultations to walk you through your needs, the scope of your goals, and your budget.

The Vogt Duff aw Group is a law fim serving Collin County families and small businesses with their estate planning and business planning needs. Candace Vogt and Sarah Duff hare a passion for helping individuals and families achieve their goals through customized wills, trusts, and business plans.

“Our goal is to serve the specific eeds and goals of individuals, families, and family businesses. Each client is unique.” Candace and Sarah believe every estate plan and business plan should be specially designed only after getting to know the client. The fim is committed to creating strong, comprehensive plans that are efficit and understandable.

VOGT DUFF LAW GROUP

Candace began her law practice in Alabama after graduating from Vanderbilt Law School in Nashville. While in Birmingham, Candace practiced with a large local fim and taught law school classes focusing on estate planning and property law. She later moved to Texas with her family and worked with a non-profit based in the Metroplex before returning to the practice of law. Candace branched out to solo practice five years ago with an emphasis on estate planning and planning for small family businesses.

Sarah, a native Texan, began her career in civil litigation in Dallas before transitioning to solo practice focusing on estate planning, probate, and guardianship. A graduate of Austin College and Texas Tech University School of Law, Sarah is a five-year recipient of the Texas Lawyers Rising Star designation. Sarah previously served as the Chair of the Collin County Bar Association’s Estate Planning and Probate Section and the Chair of the McKinney Chamber of Commerce women’s group.

When not spending time with clients, you can fid Candace and Sarah serving their respective churches or spending time with their children and extended families.

CRAIG

W. WATSON

ESTATE PLANNING, PROBATE, ELDER LAW, GUARDIANSHIP

Craig Watson’s legal practice focuses on the areas of estate planning, probate, elder law and guardianship matters. He serves clients with large taxable estates as well as small non-taxable estates. His estate planning work includes the preparation of simple Wills and Revocable Trusts as well as complex estate plans involving By-pass Trusts and Marital Trusts. Craig also designs estate taxsensitive plans that include charitable trusts, life insurance trusts, educational trusts, LLC’s and family limited partnerships. Craig’s probate practice is similarly broad and may include anything from probating a small estate all the way up to preparing and filing a federal estate tax return for a large taxable estate. As an elder law attorney, Craig handles nursing home Medicaid qualifiation, guardianships, wills, powers of attorney and medical authorizations for elderly clients.

Craig is a member of the Special Needs Alliance, a national, invitation only organization of attorneys committed to serving the legal needs of disabled individuals. Craig is certifid as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, which is recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Texas and Grayson County Bar Associations. He graduated from SMU School of Law in 1989 with a Juris Doctor degree. Prior to that, he practiced as a CPA in Dallas for four years after graduating with a degree in Accounting and concentration in Finance from Baylor University in 1982.

Craig is married and lives on a farm west of Sherman where he raises cattle.

Dear Olivia,

My grandmother has been referred to hospice, but she does not seem to be in the dying process. She has long-standing health issues that have gotten worse over time, and she needs help with most activities such as dressing, bathing and meals, but we feel that everyone is giving up on her. How does the doctor know when someone is “ready” for hospice? We know she is getting older, but we don’t want to rush into a decision like this.

~Not Ready to Give Up

Dear Not Ready to Give Up,

We at VNA get this question quite a bit because the doctor’s decision to make a referral to hospice is not always a clear one, and often times may be confusing for the family. What Medicare (who launched the hospice benefit in the United States) says qualifies a patient for hospice is a prognosis of six months or less. There are many diagnoses that may qualify a patient for hospice, but the six-month prognosis must also be present. Based on the patient’s

OLIVIA ROGERS

history, diagnosis, contributing health problems, recent hospitalizations, recent changes in level of assistance needed and various other factors, the physician will determine if a patient could benefit from hospice support. Surprisingly, hospice is best when started before a patient is transitioning or actively dying. This is because hospice is made up of a team of providers including the hospice doctor, RN case manager, social worker, chaplain, home health aide and therapy providers. If there is adequate time (perhaps months rather than days), the best plan of care can be established and comprehensive care delivered. Hospice is not intended to manage crises only, but also to help manage all of the complex decisions and stressors that accompany a loved one’s illness. Once the doctor determines the patient’s overall condition is appropriate for a hospice referral, then the family will be presented with this option and would choose a hospice provider. VNA has been delivering hospice care since the program started, and we can help answer any other questions you may have.

VNA Hospice Care

~Olivia

VNA Hospice Care focuses on living life to its fullest and treating you with the dignity and respect you deserve. As a nonprofit, our bottom line is patient support and care provided by our highly qualified staff.

VNA Care Choices

Following the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, patients and their loved ones have many questions about the best course of action. VNA Care Choices provides supportive care services in the home while continuing treatment with your current physician.

Olivia is a leading voice in health care and senior services and the Chief Nursing Officer of VNA Texas. vnatexas.org

Palmer Law Group, P.C. is a family law, estate planning, and probate law firm that provides legal advice, negotiation, and litigation services to individuals and families who want healthy family relationships; and, for families who want good ways to protect their families and pass their legacy on to their loved ones. CALL (214) 789-4735 TO SCHEDULE YOUR CONSULTATION.

Telephone consultations are available for $197.00 for up to 1 hour. Zoom and in-person consultations are available for $297.00 for up to 1 hour. In-person meetings are available but only by appointment due to Covid-19.

Palmer Law Group, P.C. is a proud member of the SoftDivorce. com©, HardDivorce.com©, PhysicianDivorce.com© and HealthyEstatePlan.com© networks.

PALMER LAW GROUP

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–DANA C. PALMER