Please don’t throw things at the messenger, but, if you haven’t already noticed, the holidays are fast approaching.  Each year come January, the Assisted Transitions’ phones have been busy with adult children having experienced eye-opening holiday visits with their aging parents.  Laurie and I try to advocate to our clients that an ounce of preparation allows for better outcomes than those times when we behave reactively.  Having current information about finances, housing, and safety measures specific to older adults can really ease these often emotionally challenging conversations.

A great way to prepare yourselves is this informative session coming up next week at Salmon Bay Community Lending in Ballard.  The entire team at Salmon Bay strive to educate their clients while finding the right (hear ethical, appropriate and sustainable!) options for each individual client.

November 18
Estate Planning - Wills, Trusts and Probate: Nuts and Bolts
Peter Cowles, Attorney

You’ll learn what’s required for a Will. We’ll discuss personal representatives, guardians and trustees.  Other estate planning techniques will also be reviewed.  Powers of Attorney, Living Wills and Community Property Agreements will be covered. When you leave you’ll be familiar with the general estate planning considerations.

To reserve your spot for this presentation, email colleen@salmonbaylending.com.

PLEASE let us know any requests for other topics (aging parent issues or other!) that you would like more info about before your family conversations occur over holiday visits.  We will do our best to answer them out of our knowledge or find the expert who can!  Just click “comment” below.

Yesterday, in a very informative and eye-opening exercise on the Today Show, Matt Lauer and co-host Meredith Vieira were taken through an experiential demonstration of the Xtreme Aging training.  The corn kernels in Meredith’s shoes sounded painful!

The Xtreme Aging training is a series of sensory adjustments ~ sound, sight, touch, etc. ~ which all help shed light on being inside an aging body.  This then informs participants in how to best adjust to engaging with elders in both personal and professional situations.  Their main goal, taken directly from the Macklin Intergenerational Institute website is that “Renewed tolerance, kindness, patience, and compassion are gained as each trainee experiences instantaneous aging.”

As Laurie and I, along with our wonderful team, assist more and more seniors with their transitions we are continually gaining tools and ideas for making these times as comfortable, worry-free and dignified as possible.

Click here to view the Today Show segment.
The Macklin Intergenerational Institute produce this workshop.

After you’ve viewed this footage we’d love to know your thoughts.  Especially if you even TRY OUT the exercise by yourself or with your loved ones.  Just click on “leave a response” below.

Along with the other charities we love, Ruby Room has always held a special place in our hearts…being the fashion-loving ladies that we are! More importantly, we understand the importance of self-esteem building opportunities in a girl’s teen years and Ruby Room, along with their Youth Council, do much to foster confidence in the young ladies of our community. Ruby Room believes that the young women in our community need the tools, resources and skills that our Youth Council Volunteer & Learn Workshops provide, to become strong and effective women in the future.

We have been able to pass along many of our client’s no-longer-needed gowns to this worthy cause. You can do the same - just think of those bridesmaid gowns that you only wore once. Just give Ruby Room a call (206-439-7575) and they’ll be glad to take them off your hands.

4th Annual Fashion Faux Pas to Fashion Fabulous Show

Saturday, September 6, 7-11 pm
The Paramount Lobby (911 Pine Street)

General Admission: $25
VIP Front Row Seats: $50
TICKETS ARE GOING FAST!

$50 VIP tickets receive front row seats to the runway show, complimentary beverages, a VIP bag filled with exclusive offers, $25 towards any auctioned gown, special goodies, and your very own Ruby Room wine glass.
Click here to buy your tickets now!

This unique event showcases talented, local fashion designers who create one-of-a-kind gowns from dresses that were donated to the Ruby Room, but weren’t useable. The newly constructed gowns will be auctioned off during the runway show.

This year’s designers include: House of Alidoro, J. Ashley Sellen Couture, Lucky Find Clothing, MAC Designs, Sabrina Couture and Tiffany Miller.

Enjoy hors d’ouevres, cocktails, a silent auction and live entertainment by our favorite drag queen Chincilla Von Schwamp and, in Annie’s outspoken opinion, undoubtedly one of the coolest fundraising auctioneers on the Left Coast, Laura Michalek.

Tickets are going fast, so get a group of friends together and buy tickets now!
Can’t make the event but still want to donate, visit the Ruby Room website.

About the Ruby Room:
The Ruby Room is a local non-profit that provides formal gowns and
accessories to teens who are unable to purchase their own dance attire.
Your support helps us create memories that will last a lifetime for teens in financial need.
Ruby Room
PO Box 80612
Seattle, Washington 98108
(206) 439-7575