Color is a communicator.  It creates a response without conscious awareness.  With the addition of color we can expand our potential and our personal dynamics. It expresses the way we think and feel, and it reacts back from the environment, raising and lowering our spirits.  Color is a part of everything, and it can bring us joy, depression, peace or ambivalence.  Color has subliminal power.  Color psychology is based on three responses: emotional, behavioral and physical.  Other influences on color preferences are religious affiliation, geographic location, socio-economic background and age.

Bottom line is-have fun with color.  Think beyond the beige, white and grey, though they can work well with splashes of color or by layering with different textures and forms.  This is an amazing year for fresh new colors and fabrics that complement them.  There are phone apps that will match the exact color you are looking for.  There are so many options it can be overwhelming to the average eye.  To narrow your choices down for walls take a color you love from a piece of art, an area rug or a fabric you want to use in the space.

Some of the hot colors for 2012 include blues, greens, neutrals and reds.  All of the fashion and shelter magazines are touting Tangerine Tango as “the color we should all embrace”.  A little bit of that goes a long way!!  We are also seeing the retro influences of the ’60s, updated of course with mustard and teal returning to the spotlight.  Let’s explore options we can live with for a few years and not get tired of so quickly.  Sherwin Williams paint fan deck shows us in the blue family we have Azure, Cobalt, Cerulean (what is more royal than blue)?  Their green menu consists of Lettuce, Forest, Foliage, Canopy, Cash and Camouflage.  Neutrals provide us with Wheat, Pear, Kaki and Cream. Reds come in several fabulous tones, not too blue and not too orange.  It makes a statement and can work with a classic country house or a sleek city loft.  Accent it with animal prints, leather and velvet for a super sexy look.

There is no right or wrong when selecting color for your environment. When you enter a room you should feel good and want to stay.  It’s the same a putting on an outfit and being aware of how confident and in control you are. No matter how big or small the space it can be dynamic!

In 1989, my husband and I bought our first house.  Like many first time home buyers, we were young and this was the first major purchase we were making together.  The actual house itself was small but what it represented was enormous; the future with all its infinite possibilities.   We felt such a sense of accomplishment, pride, and excitement that to this day, I can still remember the conflicting feelings of joy, nervousness, and the weight of responsibility.  Our Realtor® followed up with a thank you card and a bottle of wine which we shared in our first new home.

A lot has changed in the past 23 years but people are still buying homes to begin their lives together and experiencing the awe that accompanies such an enormous commitment.  While some things remain constant, other things have been moving at warp speed including technology.  The advent of technology has revolutionized everything including how we communicate with each other to how we conduct business.

For the most part, advances in technology have been greatly beneficial in the personal and business spheres.  Services such as the internet, email, websites, social networking, and hardware such as Smartphones, tablets, and laptops have made the world smaller and communicating with people that much easier.  However, high technology has not come without a cost.

Technology can reach a large group of people efficiently and disseminate information at rates of speed previously unknown but the loss of the “personal touch” makes this communication generic, cold, and impersonal.  On the business level, loss of the personal touch can translate into loss of clients and/or referrals.  Everybody wants to feel special and important and   regardless of how small or large the transaction, clients want to feel their time and money matters to whomever they choose to do business with.  As the perceived value of their business increases, so should the tangible appreciation of their business be rewarded.

While technology has made it quicker to communicate, it often fails to convey true sentiment.  An email or text saying, “Thank you for your business,” doesn’t truly reflect appreciation nor does it encourage future transactions.  In the past, the best and sometimes only way to show appreciation was to send a card with enclosed photos or a small gift.  In 2010, according to the Greeting Card Association, “Giving a greeting card creates a lasting impression and an emotional bond between the sender and the receiver.”  In one national study, nearly one-third of respondents said they kept special cards that they received “forever.”

However, in a world that is moving so quickly, time is often an issue for many aspects of life and sending a card is no different.  The time and effort required to find the perfect card, personalizing it the best you can, finding a stamp, addressing it, and getting the card to the post office can be daunting.  In comparison to high technology, which requires little to no effort, sending a real card can seem to be an overly lengthy process and antiquated.  Companies like SendOutCards, Hallmark, etc. is where high technology with the personal touch comes into play; not only can you find the perfect card online, you can use technology to your advantage to upload or find photos and logos.  Existing written sentiments can be kept or rewritten entirely for a customized, heart-felt message.  Best of all, once you press “Send,” the personalized card is printed, stuffed, stamped, and mailed within 24 hours.

We all get mail on a daily basis but sadly, most of it is comprised of bills, flyers, and junk. Personal touches and technology do not have to be at odds.  By combining the benefits of high tech and adding that personal touch, sending a tangible and heartfelt card can be easy and it makes somebody feel special when they open their mailbox.  From a business standpoint, that may just mean the difference between a one-time sale and a life-long client.

Donna Rooney is a Senior Manager with SendOutCards.  Please feel free to send a free card to someone who needs to know how much you appreciate them on Donna’s website by going to www.SendOutCards.com/94774 or by contacting her directly at: donnakrooney@gmail.com

(713) 202-0786.

Part 4 of 4

What Are the Costs of Care?

The is the fourth part of a series concerning issues facing many people when considering long term care for senior loved ones.  The previous segments addressed how one decides that caring for a senior loved one is no longer optional and what types of care are available.

The task of evaluating professional options for care may seem quite daunting.  It is, but you can find help.  Revisiting the discussion of the experience the geriatrician that you selected offers you one avenue for help.  Also Geriatric Care Managers are professionals skilled in exactly this sort of evaluation process.  You can search for one near you www.caremanager.org.  As well there are organizations for on-line matchmaking for you and a community such as www.aplaceformom.com.  They know the communities from personal visits and can get you pointed in the right direction based on care needs and family budget.

The big questions still looms.  How does one pay for the care?  Long-term care is far from inexpensive, but the alternative of perhaps seeing your loved one cited on the electronic billboard can be a strong counter-argument to care costs.  The cost for in-home professional care averages $10-$20 per hour.  Some negotiation can be effected for 24-hour care.  Adult Day Care runs $50-$80 daily.  Assisted living costs vary: $2,000-$8,000 monthly depending on the care needed and the specialization of the community.  Skilled nursing facility costs run $6,000-$9,000 monthly.  Medicare may pay for some short-term rehabilitation costs in a skilled nursing facility, but covers no cost for long-term care in any setting.  Medicare will also pay for in-home Home Health services, but not the non-medical home care costs.  For the most part these costs are paid directly by families.  Also Medicare does provide funding for Hospice Care.  As you would expect Medicare does provide coverage for most services at a hospital.  If there is veteran status of your senior, either as self or spouse, then the Veterans Administration has a program called Aid and Attendance that may provide anywhere from $1,000-$2,000 monthly dependent on cost of care and financial need.  See the VA web site at www.va.gov.   Some of your senior loved ones may hold long term care (LTC) insurance policies.  These policies are designed for exactly this kind of need.  However, many older LTC policies were written when there really were only “nursing homes” available.  When you investigate your loved ones paperwork you may want to consult a professional such as attorney or your own insurance agent to verify coverage concerns.  At a minimum call the issuing company to get clarification.  By the way, those of you gasping at the care costs cited might want to consider purchasing a LTC policy for yourself.  Many families decide to sell their senior loved one’s property to help pay for care.  Often the house has full equity value since the mortgage has been paid.  Indeed, it has probably enjoyed a dramatic rise in value since purchased.  Thus, the asset base created from the sale may last a long time.  This is a good option for those would have only one surviving spouse living at that former homestead.  If both of the senior couple are still living you can still exercise the property sale option, but you must realize that one person may not require care.  They could potentially move in with you or another loved one. Additionally, there are some assisted living communities that can accommodate a couple.  As with most anything else there is an increased price with two people involved.  A final payment option rests with Medicaid funding.  This is heavily based on financial need.  Frequently, all assets must be liquidated prior to application for the approval process.  Generally, there is a significant waiting list for care provision from authorized Medicaid providers.  You should check with your local county or state officials.

Care considerations can appear overwhelming.  Remember to approach your fears for the safety and well-being of your senior loved ones in deliberate fashion.  It is always important to consider what is best for the loved one in need.  Emotional and financial considerations may impact your progress, but progress itself is very important.  The most significant lapse in the entire process occurs when loved ones know that a problem exists, but avoid taking any action to help the situation.  Family meetings may prove necessary.  Discussion of that subject requires an entire saga of its own.  Suffice to say that the well-being of the one in need should be paramount in any deliberations.   Just remember that electronic billboard, “Searching for missing elderly…’ and keep that from becoming your loved one.

The author, Steve Andriko, has been involved with care for seniors, both health-related and long-term for a couple of decades.  He currently performs a marketing assignment at a specialized memory community.

Steve Andriko

steve@barton-house.com

281-313-2500

I’ve spoken and written often over the years about that elusive concept we call luck, how different people think and act based on the notion and how some, surprisingly or not, rely upon it to a greater or lesser degree for their success in life, career, finance, and relationships.  Not me.  I’ve always held firm to the conviction that luck is not accidental.  Rather, it’s the product of the collective decisions we make and actions we choose to undertake.

Yet, as I reflect in writing this piece in the week leading to Mother’s Day, it’s dawned on me that there just may be some exceptions, all be they rare.  How do I know?  I have experience.
You see, it was pure chance that led to our introduction in Southern California so many years ago.  We’d both been invited by a mutual friend for a quick lunch break from work at some new taco place on Indiana Avenue called Taco Bell.  The girl seemed nice.  She was cute.  Long, sandy blonde hair.  Big brown eyes.  Lunch was brief.  We chatted a while as we ate and headed back to work.

We saw each other around the workplace fairly often over the coming weeks.  I was attracted, but seeing someone else.  She was dating, too.  Seems all my buddies had lined up, providing her with a steady stream of invitations and a full calendar.  As for she and I, we’d occasionally grab a cup of coffee together in the morning and began to become friends.

She was patient too, but evidently only to a point.  After a few months, she was apparently ready for change and invited me to a party with her.  I was a bit surprised and considered carefully.  We were friends.  Did I mention she was very cute?  I was no longer seeing another.  What the heck.

That was 41 years ago and in 38 years of marriage we’ve experienced a lot together.  Including births and adoptions, Debi and I have raised five children.  While we’ve had many wonderful times in our life, we’ve also experienced heartbreaking losses in our family.  My career…  It led to a seemingly endless stream of relocations to a new city or state, on average every 2 ½ years.  Those moves came with “built-in friends” for me because of my work, but challenges for her.  For Debi it meant starting over each time, while at the same time helping our children through that same emotional process.  Again.  And again.  And because my extensive travel schedule, she often carried the burden of parenting alone for days, sometimes weeks at a time.  For many couples, any one of these alone might have placed a serious strain on their relationship.  But not ours.  Debi remained steady, committed.

She’s an accomplished businesswoman as well.  And in the early mornings as we talk about the upcoming day over a cup of coffee it’s clear to me she cares about her employees and customers with that same selfless commitment and makes the time to listen to and understand their needs.  I expect her success is largely the result of those same attributes.

She’s incredible.  To our family, she’s the glue.  Imagine.  It was that chance circumstance that led me to the right one… the first time.  Rare.  That has to be luck.

You know, as I close this writing it also occurs to me.  Those same attributes I see in my life partner, one should realize in their financial partner… their advisor.  Regular communication.  Listening to and understanding your needs.  Steady and committed.  Taking action when necessary.  Putting your interests first.  Caring.  Your financial glue.

Is your advisor your glue?  If not, make a point to find the right one for you.  You owe it to yourself.  But don’t leave this one to luck.  That kind of luck is rare.  How do I know?  I have experience…  I’m a lucky guy.

Timothy J. Sullivan, Sr.
President, DSA Financial Group, Inc.

DSA Financial Group, Inc.        281-823-5171        www.DSAfinancialgroup.com       

NO BANK GUARANTEE | NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE All Securities and Advisory Services provided under the name DSA Financial Group, Inc. are offered through Investment Professionals, Inc. (IPI), a Registered Broker/Dealer & Registered Investment Advisor and member FINRA & SIPC. Customers working with DSA Financial Group, Inc. will be dealing solely through IPI with respect to their investment, brokerage and securities transactions. IPI does not offer or provide legal or tax advice. Please consult your attorney and/or tax advisor for such services. The products offered by Investment Professionals, Inc. are not insured by the FDIC, the NCUA or any other agency of the government, are not deposits or other obligations of a bank or guaranteed by a bank and involve investment risks, including possible loss of principal amount invested.

Sometimes when I’m out driving and I notice someone walking down the road with a bag of belongings on their shoulder or see them soundly sleeping under a bridge, I automatically feel sorry for them and assume they have fallen on hard times.  What if that’s not the case at all?  What if they are happy living a simple life?  It really makes me think about the times that I’ve been so stressed out that I wished I could just disappear and not have any responsibilities at all.  I love my family and friends dearly and I know that realistically for me that is not an option.  I do think however, that there is a way to live a simpler life and be happy.

I have a friend whose mother is ailing and now receiving hospice.  She has a very close relationship with her mother and is constantly pulled in different directions between worrying if she is spending enough time with her mom in her final days and her normal routine of family life and all that it entails. It is a very profound feeling of responsibility.  The other day she was sitting in her car crying (I call it cleansing), she looked down and saw a dandelion and wondered why is there never time to just pick it and blow the  furry seeds into the wind?  It reminded her of when she was a young girl and would take such pleasure in this simple act.

Makes me think that maybe the person sleeping under the bridge is closer to getting it right than I.  At least they have the freedom to enjoy the simple things. They are probably more in tune than most of us.  I wake up each morning with a list of things to do and at night when I survey what actually got accomplished, I realize most of what I did were things that I had done out of necessity not pleasure.  There has to be a balance otherwise you can’t see the real value in finishing that list each day. And maybe it’s the simple acts that will help me get through my day.

There is no denying that there are a lot of homeless people out there and for many different reasons, but I’m just saying what if some of them are living the life that they want to live.  What if the worry of a house payment and car note is too much pressure?  Some people are happy just to have a place to lay their head and a little something to eat.  It sounds tempting at times.  To live this way would be impossible for me and I realize it to be so.  But lately I do find myself thinking I’m going to evaluate my life a little more.  I don’t know why people are naturally drawn to doing things in a complicated manner only later to find out it could have been done an easier way.

I’m laughing at myself because now I’ve got to decide which things will take a backseat so that I’m a happier me and that alone stresses me out. Someone save me a spot under the bridge tonight!

Ingredients

2 slices bread
2-3 tablespoons Green Goddess Herb Pesto (recipe below)
2 slices mild white cheese like mozzarella
handful fresh baby spinach
¼ avocado, sliced
2 tablespoon goat cheese, crumbled
olive oil (and butter if you’re so inclined)

Directions

Spread about 1 tablespoon of Green Goddess Herb Pesto onto each slice of bread (2 tablespoons total, but if you’re sensitive, go light, the pesto is STRONG).

On one slice of bread, add 1 slice of cheese, sliced avocado, crumbled goat cheese, spinach, second slice of cheese, then top it with second slice of bread. Press together gently.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium low heat. (If you want to use butter, add it to the oil and let it melt). Add the sandwich to the oil and cook until bread is golden brown. Press down on the sandwich lightly, then flip the sandwich over and cook until second side is golden brown.

Green Goddess Herb Pesto

Ingredients

1 clove garlic
1 (or 2 if you’re ballsy) anchovy fillet (in oil)
½ small shallot, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
handful chopped fresh Italian parsley
handful chopped kale
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped chives
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Pulse garlic, anchovy, and shallot in food processor until chopped. With the food processor running, add lemon juice, parsley, kale, tarragon and chives. (It won’t process very well yet, don’t worry).

Very slowly drizzle in olive oil until kale and herbs get sufficiently chopped and everything is the consistency of a pesto. You may need more or less of the olive oil depending on how big a “handful” of herbs is to you. You can also turn off the food processor and push herbs down the side of the bowl with a spatula every once in a while.

Season to taste with salt and pepper (You probably won’t need too much salt if you used 2 anchovies).

(This makes a lot, but you will use it all for other things. We added more olive oil to make it back into a salad dressing.)