Healthcare Redefined: Advocating for Aging Adults and Their Families

About Healthcare Redefined: Advocating for Aging Adults and Their Families

Welcome to Healthcare Redefined: Advocating for Aging Adults and Their Families, where we empower families to navigate the complexities of aging and healthcare. Presented by Your Nurse Advocate Consulting, we share real stories, expert advice, and practical tools to help you and your loved ones confidently navigate aging with dignity. We explore topics like creating collaborative care plans, demystifying Medicare, handling healthcare crises, and preparing for the future. Join us as we transform uncertainty into understanding.

Publisher

Pam Dunwald & Linda Kritikos

Category

education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Aug 2025

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

23 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Medicare Changes for 2027

   In this episode of Healthcare Redefined: Advocating for Aging Adults and Their Families, Pam Dunwald and Linda Kritikos welcome Medicare advisors Wendi Schoonover, owner of Integrity Insurance Group, and Kevin McGuire, owner of Tailored Health Designs, to help families prepare for the 2027 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. Medicare plans and costs can change from year to year, and choosing coverage based only on last year’s experience, a friend’s recommendation, or the monthly premium can lead to surprises. Wendi and Kevin explain Medicare enrollment periods, Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap supplements, Part D prescription drug coverage, provider networks, and the questions you should ask when reviewing your Medicare options. The conversation also explores what Medicare beneficiaries and family caregivers should watch for as 2027 approaches, including prescription drug formularies, premiums, deductibles, copays, prior authorizations, provider networks, and changes to plan benefits. Pam and Linda discuss why you should compare your total yearly healthcare costs instead of focusing only on the monthly premium, review your medications and doctors every year, and consider travel or living in more than one state when choosing coverage. Wendi and Kevin also explain why you should read your Annual Notice of Change and how a Medicare advisor or broker can help you understand your options. The goal is to choose Medicare coverage based on your own healthcare needs, medications, doctors, budget, travel, and lifestyle—not someone else’s experience. Key Moments: 00:00 — Why You Should Prepare for Medicare Enrollment Early Waiting until Medicare Annual Enrollment to start thinking about your coverage can make it harder to carefully compare your 2027 Medicare options. 03:31 — What to Know Before Choosing a Medicare Plan Wendi and Kevin explain why reviewing your coverage and seeking qualified Medicare guidance is important instead of relying on advice from friends, family, or social media. 06:25 — Medicare Annual Enrollment vs. Open Enrollment Kevin explains the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 through December 7 and how it differs from the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January through March. 08:13 — Turning 65 and Enrolling in Medicare Wendi explains the Initial Enrollment Period, Social Security enrollment, employer coverage, Part B, and the six-month Medigap open enrollment period. 14:28 — A Common Medicare Annual Enrollment Mistake Why deciding not to review your Medicare coverage can leave you unaware of changes to premiums, deductibles, drug coverage, and other costs. 21:07 — Comparing Your Medicare Coverage Options The conversation breaks down Original Medicare with Part D, Original Medicare with a Medigap supplement and Part D, and Medicare Advantage. 23:59 — Understanding Prescription Drug Formularies How Medicare drug plans determine covered medications and how deductibles, copays, drug tiers, and formularies can affect prescription costs. 27:04 — Medicare Supplement vs. Medicare Advantage Kevin and Wendi discuss differences in premiums, out-of-pocket costs, provider networks, prior authorization, flexibility, and how you use healthcare. 30:19 — What a $0 Premium Medicare Advantage Plan Means A zero-dollar premium means you do not pay an additional premium for that Medicare Advantage plan on top of your Part B premium; it does not mean all healthcare is free. 32:12 — Medicare Coverage for Snowbirds and Travelers What to consider about provider networks, routine medical care, emergencies, prescriptions, and coverage if you travel or spend part of the year in another state. 34:48 — What to Watch for in Medicare Plans for 2027 Medication coverage, formularies, premiums, deductibles, copays, prior authorizations, provider networks, and extra benefits are all areas to review. 37:04 — How to Review Your Prescription Drug Coverage Bring an accurate medication list that includes the drug name, dosage, and form, and check whether your pharmacy is in-network or preferred by the plan. 41:01 — Don't Throw Away Your Annual Notice of Change Wendi explains why you should read the Annual Notice of Change you receive from your Medicare Advantage or standalone Part D plan before Annual Enrollment. 42:22 — Look Beyond the Monthly Medicare Premium Consider how often you expect to use healthcare, along with planned procedures, dental needs, medications, copays, and other costs when estimating your yearly expenses. 46:08 — Helping an Aging Parent Choose Medicare Coverage Adult children can help an aging parent understand Medicare choices while making sure the parent has space to be heard and stay involved in the decision. About Wendi Schoonover Wendi Schoonover is the owner of Integrity Insurance Group and an Air Force veteran who began her healthcare career as a medic. After leaving active duty, she worked in home health and as a medical assistant before entering the insurance industry. Wendi has worked in insurance since approximately 2002 and has focused specifically on Medicare for nearly 13 years. She helps clients understand their Medicare choices and emphasizes education, careful plan review, and choosing coverage based on each person’s individual circumstances. Website: Integrity Insurance Group (https://www.iigtulsa.com/) LinkedIn: Wendi Schoonover (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendi-schoonover-051125370/) About Kevin McGuire Kevin McGuire is the owner of Tailored Health Designs. He began his healthcare-related career working with electronic health record software specializing in dialysis clinics, which introduced him to Medicare. He later worked in the call center of a national insurance carrier before starting his own business approximately six and a half years ago. Kevin helps clients evaluate Medicare options by considering their healthcare use, medications, providers, costs, and personal preferences. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Medicare Annual Notice of Change (https://www.medicare.gov/basics/forms-publications-mailings/mailings/costs-and-coverage/upcoming-plan-changes) 1-800-MEDICARE (https://www.medicare.gov/about-us/contact-medicare) Social Security for Medicare enrollment (https://www.ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up) As always, for more support, join us for our weekly free newsletter "Senior Saturday." (https://your-nurse-advocate-consulting.kit.com/64e6374328)  Your weekly dose of tips, strategies, support, and education to help you best care for your aging loved ones. — Contact Pam Dunwald & Linda Kritikos | Your Nurse Advocate Consulting: Website: YourNurseAdvocateConsulting.com (http://yournurseadvocateconsulting.com) Facebook: @Your RNAdvocate (https://www.facebook.com/YourRNAdvocate/) Pinterest: @YourNurseAdvocate (https://www.pinterest.com/yournurseadvocate/) Instagram: @YourRNAdvocate (https://www.instagram.com/yourrnadvocate/) LinkedIn (https://ww...)

2. 

   14 Sept 2026

   Non-Medical Home Care with BrightStar

   In this episode of Healthcare Redefined: Advocating for Aging Adults and Their Families, hosts Pam Dunwald and Linda Kritikos welcome Diane Vitolka, MSN, RN, owner, president, and Director of Nursing at BrightStar Care of Central DuPage-Wheaton, for a practical conversation about aging in place and non-medical home care. For many aging adults, staying at home means maintaining independence, familiar routines, social connections, and quality of life. But as needs change, family caregivers may find themselves trying to manage work, children, appointments, medications, meals, personal care, and safety concerns all at once. Diane explains how professional home care can work with families to provide the extra support an aging loved one needs without taking away their independence. Pam, Linda, and Diane break down the difference between non-medical home care and Medicare-covered home health, signs that it may be time to bring additional help into the home, and why families should explore caregiving support before a crisis occurs. They also discuss caregiver burnout, fall prevention, dementia care, caregiver continuity, and what families should look for when choosing a home care agency. Diane shares how even a few hours of support can give family caregivers peace of mind and help an aging parent become comfortable accepting more assistance. Most importantly, families are reminded that asking for help does not mean giving up on caring for someone you love. The right home care support can make it possible for family members to remain a daughter, son, spouse, or loved one while helping the aging adult stay safe and comfortable wherever they call home. Key Moments: 00:00 — Aging in Place with Safety, Dignity, and Support Pam and Linda introduce how non-medical home care can help aging adults remain safely and comfortably at home. 02:07 — Meet Diane Vitolka, MSN, RN Diane shares her 38 years of nursing experience, background in home care, and journey to becoming an owner of BrightStar Care. 03:43 — Why Aging in Place Matters to Older Adults Familiar surroundings, routines, independence, neighbors, and memories can make remaining at home deeply important. 05:43 — Home Care Doesn't Mean Losing Independence Diane explains how caregivers work alongside aging adults rather than taking over their routines or decisions. 08:25 — Non-Medical Home Care vs. Home Health Learn the important difference between ongoing non-medical home care and episodic, skilled home health services. 11:26 — Reducing Family Caregiver Stress and Burnout Home care can provide family caregivers with practical support, respite, and peace of mind when they cannot be there. 13:28 — Don't Wait for a Caregiving Crisis Families often call from the emergency room, but starting conversations about home care earlier can make the transition easier. 16:26 — Why Caregiver Consistency Matters Continuity of care, communication, and warm introductions can help aging adults become comfortable with caregivers in their homes. 20:31 — Signs Your Aging Parent May Need Help at Home Falls, hospitalizations, poor hygiene, weight loss, missed medications, memory changes, and loneliness can signal a need for additional support. 23:00 — The Risks of Waiting Too Long for Help Waiting until safety or dementia concerns become severe can make accepting home care more difficult and limit your family's options. 25:11 — How to Talk to Your Parent About Home Care Approaching the conversation with concern, respect, and honesty can help an aging parent understand why additional support benefits the whole family. 26:42 — What to Look for in a Home Care Agency Diane discusses nurse oversight, caregiver training, responsiveness, reliability, safety standards, communication, and quality of care. 35:31 — Supporting Aging Adults Living with Dementia Consistent routines, individualized care plans, caregiver education, and dementia training can make home care safer and less stressful. 40:12 — Caregiver Guilt and Asking for Help Family caregivers need care, too, and bringing in outside support can help prevent exhaustion and preserve the family relationship. 43:01 — Making Aging in Place Work for Your Family Home can mean a private residence, a family member's house, or assisted living, and flexible support can help fill caregiving gaps wherever your loved one lives. About Diane Vitolka: President & CEO | Director of Nursing & Compliance Prior to arriving at BrightStar in 2013, Diane served in multiple management roles both in the hospital and home setting over her 33 years in Nursing. She previously served as BrightStar Care Director of Compliance, responsible for departmental analysis related to productivity, staff process improvement, and client satisfaction, resulting in improved patient outcomes.  This required a restructuring of all internal processes and direct involvement in process improvement initiatives to increase Home Health Compare, Staff and Customer Satisfaction Scores.  Diane then moved into the role of Director of Nursing and Compliance, bringing her extensive regulatory knowledge and compliance with process improvement to take positive patient outcomes to the next level of clinical care from BrightStar to home and/or facility.  As of August 2022, she is a proud co-owner of the BrightStar Care Wheaton franchise. Diane is most passionate about family-centered care, Dementia care, and the concept of ‘aging in place’. She loves the fact that she is able to make a significant difference in the lives of clients by helping them stay safe and healthy wherever they reside. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: "11 Signs Your Aging Parent May Need Help in the Home" (https://your-nurse-advocate-consulting.kit.com/1883219aff) Checklist GUIDE Program (https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/guide) BrightStar Care (https://www.brightstarcare.com/) Aging in Place Safety: A Simple Family Checklist (https://yournurseadvocateconsulting.com/2026/07/aging-in-place-safety-a-simple-family-checklist/) As always, for more support, join us for our weekly free newsletter "Senior Saturday." (https://your-nurse-advocate-consulting.kit.com/64e6374328)  Your weekly dose of tips, strategies, support, and education to help you best care for your aging loved ones. — Contact Diane Vitolka: Website: BrightStar Care Central DuPage-Wheaton (https://www.brightstarcare.com/locations/central-dupage-wheaton/) Diane Vitolka on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-vitolka-2449804b/) Contact Pam Dunwald & Linda Kritikos | Your Nurse Advocate Consulting: Website: YourNurseAdvocateConsulting.com (http://yournurseadvocateconsulting.com) Facebook: @Your RNAdvocate (https://www.facebook.com/YourRNAdvocate/) Pinterest: @YourNurseAdvocate (https://www.pinterest.com/yournurseadvocate/) Instagram: @YourRNAdvocate (https://www.instagram.com/yourrnadvocate/)

3. 

   17 Aug 2026

   Plan B: Assisted Living - Part 1

   Many families begin with the same goal: helping an aging parent remain safely at home for as long as possible. But what happens when frequent falls, memory changes, medication mistakes, or increasing care needs make aging in place no longer the safest option? In Part 1 of this Healthcare Redefined: Advocating for Aging Adults and Their Families conversation, hosts Pam Dunwald and Linda Kritikos focus on an essential part of planning for aging in place: having a thoughtful Plan B. Joined by nurses Dani and Dorsey, who have experience working in assisted living, Pam and Linda explore the warning signs that additional support may be needed, what assisted living really provides, and how it differs from independent living, memory care, and skilled nursing care. Pam, Linda, Dani, and Dorsey also discuss what daily life can look like in assisted living, including help with activities of daily living, meals, housekeeping, medication management, social activities, and safety. They explain why families need to be honest about memory loss, behavior changes, and care needs during an assisted living assessment, as well as common misconceptions about one-on-one care and resident independence. The conversation also breaks down assisted living costs, including room and board, care levels, assessments, and possible add-on services. Part 1 gives families practical information to begin evaluating assisted living as a Plan B before a crisis happens, while Part 2 will continue the conversation with senior living placement services and what families should know before using them. Key Moments 00:00 – Why Every Family Needs a Plan B for Aging in Place Planning ahead helps families avoid rushed decisions when a health crisis, frequent falls, or changing care needs make home less safe. 03:19 – The Warning Signs That Home May No Longer Be Safe Recognizing weight loss, medication mistakes, confusion, poor hygiene, missed appointments, trouble with daily activities, and other signs that more support may be needed. 06:44 – When Safety Becomes the Tipping Point How frequent falls, toileting challenges, medication problems, and caregiver burnout can signal that assisted living may be a safer option. 08:30 – 11 Signs Your Aging Loved One May Need More Help A closer look at falls, isolation, poor nutrition, medication problems, neglected home care, and other changes families should watch for. 10:25 – Why an Honest Assisted Living Assessment Matters How nurses look at the whole picture—including health, daily needs, the home environment, and family input—to determine the right level of care. 11:54 – What Families Sometimes Minimize or Hide Why downplaying memory loss, confusion, wandering, or behavior changes can make it harder to find the safest assisted living or memory care setting. 13:43 – What Assisted Living Is—and Isn't Understanding the daily support assisted living provides and how it differs from a nursing home or skilled nursing care. 19:12 – What Daily Life Looks Like in Assisted Living How meals, personal care, housekeeping, activities, social engagement, and daily routines can support safety while preserving independence. 23:21 – Common Misconceptions About Assisted Living Why assisted living does not provide one-on-one care and why residents maintain the right to make choices about medications, showers, activities, and other parts of daily life. 27:30 – Why Family Involvement Still Matters How families and assisted living staff can work together when a loved one refuses care or experiences changes in health, memory, or behavior. 28:34 – Independent Living vs. Assisted Living vs. Memory Care How different senior living options provide different levels of support, supervision, and safety based on your loved one's needs. 35:02 – Understanding Assisted Living Costs Breaking down base rates, room and board, care levels, assessments, and how a resident's individual care needs may affect monthly costs. 39:40 – What's Included—and What May Cost Extra Questions to ask about meals, housekeeping, laundry, pet services, family meals, and other possible assisted living add-on costs. 42:16 – Coming Next: Free Senior Living Placement Services Pam and Linda wrap up Part One and preview Part Two, including how senior living placement services work, what “free” really means, and who pays for these services. Resources Mentioned in This Episode "11 Signs Your Aging Parent May Need Help in the Home" (https://your-nurse-advocate-consulting.kit.com/1883219aff) Checklist Hiring a Private vs. an Agency Caregiver (https://your-nurse-advocate-consulting.kit.com/a8708f7a07) Plan B: Choosing an Assisted Living Community Guide and Checklist (https://your-nurse-advocate-consulting.kit.com/4f7e45c54a) Aging in Place Safety: A Simple Family Checklist (https://yournurseadvocateconsulting.com/2026/07/aging-in-place-safety-a-simple-family-checklist/) As always, for more support, join us for our weekly free newsletter "Senior Saturday." (https://your-nurse-advocate-consulting.kit.com/64e6374328)  Your weekly dose of tips, strategies, support, and education to help you best care for your aging loved ones. __ About Dani: Dani, RN, has more than 10 years of nursing experience across hospital care, long-term care, and assisted living leadership. As Director of Nursing at Archwood Senior Living in Salem, Wisconsin, she specializes in resident assessments, medication management, individualized care planning, and helping families navigate the transition into assisted living. Dani is passionate about educating families so they can make informed decisions before a healthcare crisis occurs. About Dorsey Stanley, RN: Dorsie Stanley, RN, is the Executive Director of Archwood Senior Living in Salem, Wisconsin. With nearly three decades of nursing experience, she has served in leadership roles including Director of Nursing and Executive Director in senior living. Her expertise includes assisted living operations, memory care, quality improvement, resident safety, and helping families understand the care options available for aging loved ones. She is passionate about preserving residents' dignity, independence, and quality of life through compassionate, person-centered care. — Contact Pam Dunwald & Linda Kritikos | Your Nurse Advocate Consulting: Website: YourNurseAdvocateConsulting.com (http://yournurseadvocateconsulting.com) Facebook: @Your RNAdvocate (https://www.facebook.com/YourRNAdvocate/) Pinterest: @YourNurseAdvocate (https://www.pinterest.com/yournurseadvocate/) Instagram: @YourRNAdvocate (https://www.instagram.com/yourrnadvocate/) LinkedIn: Your Nurse Advocate Consulting (https://www.linkedin.com/company/your-nurse-advocate-consulting-llc/) YouTube: Your Nurse Advocate Consulting (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46HzUJuFi7Ai2Q6WWSYrrg)

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