Each week on “Caring for Seniors,” our hosts sit down with those who are hard at work in the community, making sure our elders are properly cared for. This week, David Stieglitz and Adrienne Houghton talk to Kandice Jacobs Robinson from Kandice Jacobs Creations.

Kandice Jacobs Creations provides end-of-life care and pre-planning advisory services, as well as self-care and empowerment products, to treat the emotional discomfort associated with making such overwhelming decisions.

To learn more, visit https://www.kandicejacobscreations.com.

Short Company Description: Kandice Jacobs Creations provides end-of-life care and pre-planning advisory services, as well as self-care and empowerment products, to treat the emotional discomfort associated with making such overwhelming decisions. I have chosen to turn my own painful experiences of loss & caregiving journey of the past five years into passionate pursuit of purpose and fulfillment of my calling to, “Equip the chronically ill, caregivers and the bereaved to still live life abundantly & leave a lasting legacy.” One way KJC has successfully delivered value, for the past five years – to this far too-often forgotten target group – is our annual life-planning conference. At this comprehensive conference, slated for Oct. 7th – 9th, industry professionals – through workshops and a panel discussion – address such topics as: dementia education, caregiver and grief support, elder care legal matters, life insurance, funeral pre-planning, and more. Having a business model based on social entrepreneurship, we are actively engaged in disrupting the at-need only approach to end-of-life care and pre-planning decisions and creating a supportive infrastructure for the chronically ill, caregivers and grieving families. Therefore in Feb. 2020, as CEO of KJC, I joined Dr. Philip Tipton, neurologist – as co-host of Long Live the Brains Podcast which gives its followers a 360 degree look at what neurodegenerative diseases are and how they affect the lives of patients and their loved ones. Finally, later this summer, KJC looks forward to expanding upon our Lasting Legacies Care Package — branded by color, to bring awareness to specific illnesses and to uplift the 53 million U.S. caregivers, the chronically ill and bereaved.

Give a brief description on what you would like to discuss on the show.: I am happy to discuss the importance of making end-of-life care & pre-planning decisions prior to the advent of life-limiting or terminal illness or any myriad of other subtopics relevant to caregivers of those living with dementia & Alzheimer’s disease (e.g., specific challenges relevant to Sandwich Generation caregivers and how to overcome them — as July is Sandwich Generation Month; approaching senior loved ones you suspect to have developed dementia; self care for the caregiver and practical tips for addressing such mental health challenges as caregiver burnout and anticipatory grief, etc.)

What makes your company unique?: I am a Florida licensed funeral director & embalmer, military spouse, mother and caregiver for my father, who is living with dementia. As a result, I am a bonafide member of the Sandwich Generation. Thus, I am my consumer. Because I am intimately acquainted with the lifestyle, needs and challenges unique to caregivers, five years ago I launched Kandice Jacobs Creations (KJC), through which I have developed the Lasting Legacies program & product suite — a suite of programs and products aimed at practically & meaningfully meeting the specific needs of caregivers, the ill & bereaved.

How did you get your start in the industry?: Following completion of my formal education & specialized training in mortuary school, I got my start in the end-of-life care (most specifically death care) & pre-planning industry via my internship with Ponte Vedra Valley Funeral Home, Cemetery & Cremation Center in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. The start of my work in caregiver advocacy began with my work with The Walk To End Alzheimer’s.

How is your business handling the COVID situation?: Last October, instead of cancelling our 4th annual Lasting Legacies Life-Planning Conference, we took this event virtual understanding the absolute vital importance of addressing end-of-life care and pre-planning topics during the height of the pandemic. Then, earlier this year, KJC relaunched its Lasting Legacies Blog with a special series, to meaningfully address the grief of the masses — who have been left reeling from the onslaught of deeply, personal losses over this past year of the COVID-19 pandemic. This October, we are planning a hybrid event for our annual life-planning conference.

What advice would you give to someone just getting their start in the industry?: I would advise becoming as educated about this industry and the unique population it serves as possible — from formal training and education, to staying abreast of current events and related topics, and volunteering with organizations such those represented within The Caregiver Coalition of Northeast Florida.

What’s your favorite way to get involved in the community?: I currently serve as a caregiver advocate with The Caregiver Coalition of Northeast Florida (formerly known as The Dementia Care & Cure Initiative Task Force under the leadership of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs & ElderSource). In addition, I have made myself available to present talks on end-of-life care and pre-planning in conjunction with Community Hospice faith-based initiatives and at the specific invitation of various faith-based groups. Each year, I look forward to raising money for The Alzheimer’s Association and serving as co-captain of our Walk To End Alzheimer’s Team — Team Memory Warriorz. For two of the years I’ve participated, I’ve been blessed to have my father walk with me. Finally, I have been actively involved in working with youth through my local congregation for the past 20 years.

Each week on “Caring for Seniors,” our hosts sit down with those who are hard at work in the community, making sure our elders are properly cared for. This week, David Stieglitz and Adrienne Houghton talk to Carol Chiang from Evolving Homes.

Evolving Homes teaches people how to Age-in-Place successfully through home safety assessments and promoting a positive aging lifestyle.

To learn more, visit https://evolvinghomes.com.

Short Company Description: Many people want to be able to stay at home as they age but have no idea how to do it. We teach people how to Age-in-Place successfully through home safety assessments and promoting a positive aging lifestyle. We design optimal environments to make spaces that maximize our potential to function at home.We project manage the ordering of products and installations so that everything goes smoothly and is hassle free. We also help caregivers understand options for support and help them choose what makes the most financial sense.

Give a brief description on what you would like to discuss on the show.:

1. Recognizing that if older adults plan ahead, they will have a lot more options for the future.
2. Recognizing the importance of exercise as medicine to promote positive aging.
3. Recognizing the value of having expert guidance when remodeling a space. Eg) It can be very frustrating for people to put $25,000 into a bathroom only to realize that they will need to put more money into it because they had not considered the need for accessibility options beforehand.
4. Discussing how to talk about the necessary adjustments in the home with your loved ones in an uplifting and positive way. (Avoiding fear-based discussions)

What makes your company unique?: There are lots of handyman companies who can put up grab bars quickly and inexpensively. That is a much needed service for families trying to take care of the situation ASAP. I’m focused on the long-term investment of safety and security in the home so clients can Age-in-Place and increase the value of their homes. I specialize in creating beautiful spaces where the grab bars blend into the environment. I use clinical reasoning to determine the ideal placement of grab bars for that particular person. The more customized we can get, the better the outcome.

How did you get your start in the industry?: Worked at Brooks Rehab with traumatic injuries. My passion has always been how they can be independent at home so when bought a home health company, moved to that. Medicare started to cut reimbursements about 5 years ago and I no longer had the time to really work on home modifications that they really needed help with. Patients were also coming home with nothing set up yet because there is no one to come to the house to assess the space before discharge. I started EvolvingHomes to give families options

How is your business handling the COVID situation?: I do as much intake of information over the phone including reviewing pictures and video families send me prior to the visit. I am vaccinated, wear a mask during the consultation and maintain a 6foot distance when possible.

What advice would you give to someone just getting their start in the industry?: Talk to manufacturers and constantly research new ideas and solutions that can help your clients. Find out if they have had problems with installation or issues w use so you can problem solve around it. Think outside the box as much as you can. Trying solutions out on yourself is a great way to really understand how a product works and if it does what it says it should.

What’s your favorite way to get involved in the community?: I have so many community projects that were put on hold because of covid that I would love to bring back. I don’t believe in just living your life. I want people to thrive in life and a big part of aging well is having meaningful interaction with your community and having shared experiences to bond over. I was approved to run a local chapter of Cycling without age which pairs volunteers with rickshaws to get wind in the hair. I would love to start a chapter of Repair cafe where you bring old appliances to be fixed instead of tossed in a landfill.