Empty Nest April 2022 by Appen Media Group

Appen Media Group

April Special Section

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Connecting generations: Escaping the USSR Brought to you by - Village Park Senior Living Village Park Senior Living is the home of brilliant minds including doctors, educators and even survivors of war. In light of current events in Ukraine, we spoke with one WWII survivor who also escaped the aftermath of Soviet oppression. Village Park resident Lilo Townsend shared her inspirational story of resilience. Her experiences evoke feelings of hope for the future. Frau Lilo grew up in Germany during World War II. Her parents were humanitarians and aided prisoners of war. Lilo’s father was eventually taken to a concentration camp for opposing Hitler. He was released after the defeat of the Axis power however, this traumatic event was only the beginning. Frau Lilo’s hometown of Bad Elster, fell under the jurisdiction of Eastern Germany. After the war ended, it was taken over by Soviet soldiers. From that moment on, she constantly had to look over her shoulder. Frau Lilo remembers the day her family was forced to leave their house. Soviet soldiers only gave them three hours to grab whatever they could. Lilo was lucky enough to have another place to go, but that moment haunted her family. Lilo’s mother was never able to drive past that house again. “It was too painful,” Frau Lilo said. Every day was painful under Soviet oppression. Frau Lilo says she couldn’t go out alone, especially at night because of the potential to be attacked. Lilo de-

cided it was time for a change and she had to escape. She knew she could not tell anybody about what she was thinking. If she told the wrong person, there was a risk of being caught. “These were dangerous times,” she murmured. “One had to be careful of what they said and to whom they said things to.” In an impulsive decision, Lilo snuck on the back of a boxcar heading to West Germany. In doing so, she risked the ability to see her family and a possibility of being sentenced to prison. She hid behind furniture and whatever else could be used to cover her in the boxcar. She was almost caught, but as Frau Lilo says, “Almost, is not catching.” After several hours in the boxcar, Lilo emerged in West Germany. Her actions positively shifted the trajectory of her life. She later met her husband and moved to the United States. The couple had two children and Lilo continues to inspire them every day with her independence, resilience and joyful demeanor. Lilo’s courageous actions prove there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Although she faced countless conflicts in her early adulthood, she now enjoys a serene and active lifestyle. Lilo’s testimony is riveting and continues to connect even in today’s current events. Everybody’s story has a purpose, and we are honored to share them. We encourage you to read more

Bungalows & Cottages City Homes Independent Living Assisted Living Memory Care Village Park Milton 555 Wills Road Alpharetta, GA 30009 470.509.4557

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about Lilo’s story and other members of Village Park Senior Living by visiting our blog at www.villageparkseniorliving.com.

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I have acne – Do I really need a Dermatologist? Brought to you by - Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta From every brick and mortar mall to mobile marketplaces to magazines in the grocery aisle, advice and solutions for better skin health abound. But for brighter, clearer skin, there is still no substitute for a dermatologist. What the online retailers and magazine articles have in common is a relatively limited supply of ingredients to help your skin. As much as we might wish that an over-the-counter make-up, toner, concealer, or wash could be a skin cure-all, acne is a condition that often extends below the surface where only prescription medications can reach. There has been progress in our ability to treat acne with over the counter ingredients. In 2016, adapalene became the first medication since the 1980s to be approved for over the counter use in fighting acne. Adapalene is a retinoid, which as a class is the mainstay of most acne therapy. The fact that a formerly prescription-only retinoid is on the market has increased the ability of patients with very mild, shallow acne to self-treat effectively and avoid a trip to the doctor. Along with benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid and sulfur, retinoids can remove superficial oil, decrease oil production and inflammation and often lead to unclogged pores and a reduction in shallow acne. Most of these ingredients can lead to problems with dry, peeling skin when overused, so either online research or a visit with a dermatologist is still usually necessary to use these products effectively. For deeper and more severe acne, over the counter topicals are rarely sufficient. As a dermatologist, I get frustrated when commercials show photos of people with severe acne obtaining clear skin with the use of over the counter products. A disclaimer often reads that the results “may not be typical.” What the disclaimer does not mention is that wasting time on these products can cost patients precious months or years when they could have been on appropriate therapy. Patients whose severe acne goes undertreated and uncontrolled often develop scars that are either life-long or cost thousands of dollars to microneedle and laser away. Severe acne may not be a “skin emergency” but it is an issue that needs to be quickly addressed because prescription medication is avail-

able that can beautifully clear acne and prevent scarring. An important principle is that it is much easier to prevent scarring in the first place than it is to address scarring after it has taken place. How do you know if your acne is severe? Because scarring is the complication we are most commonly trying to prevent, the important question is: are you developing any scars from your acne? If the answer is yes, then your acne should be promptly addressed by a professional. If your acne does not seem to be causing any scars or permanent blemishes, then you are probably safe to continue trying over the counter remedies, with the caveat that some inflamed acne lesions can lead to delayed scarring that is not visible in the first months after they resolve. Your dermatologist has an amazing array of tools and strategies not available by magazine. For females, medication that blocks certain androgens can help with hormonal and jawline acne. Topical dapsone can treat inflammatory acne. Many clogged pores and excessively oily complexions need prescription-strength retinoids, stronger than the adapalene currently approved for over the counter use. Topical and oral antibiotics help control bacteria. And the list of therapies goes on. For stubborn, resistant, severe or chronic acne, isotretinoin (known commonly as Accutane®) really is a wonder drug. It gets a bad rap because it is powerful, has side-effects and has been the subject of lawsuits, but properly used it is the most effective medicine available and can completely cure acne. With other medications, the strategy is to clear one’s acne until the patient grows out of the acne on his or her own. With isotretinoin, five to seven months of therapy often leads to a complete cure. If you or a loved one struggles with acne or any dermatologic complaint, consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. Dr. Brent Taylor and Kathryn Filipek, PA-C are delighted to help you achieve your skin care and skin health goals. Dr. Taylor is a Harvardgraduate, a board certified dermatologist and vein care expert, and fellowshiptrained Mohs surgeon. Kathryn Filipek has greater than 15 years of dermatology experience with expertise in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology including fillers, Botox®, sclerotherapy and, of course, designing customized acne treatment plans.

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Where’s The Best Surgeon? Brought to you by - Jay Looft, Senior Source Solutions We are in California for a couple of weeks while my wife recovers from surgery, and God-willing, she is recovering well! In the beginning, our search for the best surgeon didn’t start in CA. After much research, and getting to know the small community of surgeons that perform this type of surgery, we knew her best odds for a great outcome were in Orange County, CA. What happens if you need an out–oftown surgeon? I’m not saying we don’t have top surgeons in Atlanta, because we absolutely do. Many people travel to Atlanta for procedures at one of the large metro-Atlanta health systems. We have the CDC in our “backyard”, for goodness sake, so I’m not advocating to always travel for a surgery. But, because of this recent experience, I believe it’s important to “take a minute” and research your health condition. Some things to research are the rarity of your health condition, the types of treatment, and getting to know the Associations or the “communities” around your health condition.

PROVIDED

Once you find the best surgeon, will they take your Medicare insurance? You can’t always know if the surgeon you’ll need to use in the future takes your Medicare insurance, but there is a way to measure your plan’s network flexibility. If you are on a Medicare Advantage plan, generally PPOs offer more doctor

choice with national coverage. If you have Original Medicare paired with a Medicare Supplement, you also have a lot of flexibility with the freedom to use any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare. What type of plan do you have? Do you know what type of network your Medicare

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6 | April 2022 | AppenMedia.com

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Dixie makes a move Brought to you by - – Inspired Living When Dixie began to lose some joy in her heart, she knew it was time for a change. She had been living on her own for years and began to find it hard to manage a house on her own. She had family close by that would come over and help and she was grateful for that. However, she would often find herself sitting at her kitchen table alone, sipping coffee and looking out the window. Dixie began to lose her spirit and now sits and wonders where it went. It was becoming hard for Dixie to manage around the house. Things like getting in and out of bed, dressing, and cooking, where more challenging and took a lot more time. She often would sit and not do things in fear of making more work for herself than she could handle. She just didn’t feel like herself anymore. That is when she decided to have a talk with her daughter. She was unsure as what to do yet she needed help. She wanted to continue to live happily for as long as she could for her grandchildren. Her daughter suggested they look around Alpharetta to see what options there were. They considered a home health aid which would help Dixie feel more confident about getting tasks done every day. That was a good option, however, it was the lonely times that she was also concerned about. They toured a couple senior living communities not knowing what they should really be looking for. Those were also a good option however the rooms were very small, and Dixie still wanted to maintain some independence. Then they visited Inspired Living. They were greeted by smiling faces and warm hellos as they entered. The community was bright and clean, elegantly decorated with delightful local touches, and felt happy. Inspired Living had everything Dixie was looking for. A large apartment home that she could decorate as her own with photos of her grandchildren. A lot of things she could do every day and friends to do them with. She was able to get personalized assistance on her terms for the things that made her nervous doing alone. Her family also got peace of mind that Mom was not only safe but happy. As we often hear in senior living communities, Dixie wishes she had made this move sooner. If you are curious about how Inspired Living can help you, please give them a call at 470.509.5995 or visit www. inspiredliving.care.

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We’ll help you find a plan that’s right for you Brought to you by - Al Cohn, 1MedicareUSA Turning 65 soon? Medicare is complicated. But it doesn’t have to be stressful. The 1MedicareUSA educational session is designed to help you understand the basics. It will help you navigate the different parts of Medicare, understand what is and isn’t covered and decipher the differences and similarities in Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement. You’ll also learn about prescription drug coverage. After you attend this educational session, we can help you with any Medicare-related questions specific to your situation. When do I first enroll in Original Medicare? You have a seven-month enrollment period to sign up for Original Medicare (Part A and/or Part B). This is called your initial enrollment period, and it

starts three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birth month and concludes three months after the month you turn 65. Questions to ask yourself prior COHN to attending. What works better with your budget? Lower monthly premiums or lower medical expenses? How often do you see your doctor(s)? Do you have any chronic disease? Are you comfortable with a limited selection of doctors? To reserve your seat, call 404-551-4274. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or federal Medicare program.

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2650 Holcomb Bridge Rd. Alpharetta, GA 30022

2301 Holcomb Bridge Rd. Roswell, GA 30076

115 Norcross St. Roswell, GA 30075

Tues, May 10 • 6:30 p.m. Sat, May 14 • 10:30 a.m.

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Taking equity. Taking risks. Taking it easy. Brought to you by – Ansley Atlanta, Craft Dolan Team Empty Nester. We have a pair of doves who come every year to make their nest safely in a corner under our covered patio. We love to watch them build the nest and take turns keeping the eggs safe and warm, and then finally hearing the tiny chirps. We don’t even mind (much) waiting until the nest is empty to take down the outdoor curtains and wash all the…ahem… bird poop…that is inevitably a part of hosting this little family. Sometimes it seems that our own kids, now both in college, flew the nest in as short a season as the baby doves under the patio. Honestly, we are really enjoying being empty nesters. Having (mostly) independent adult children is awesome and the freedom to come and go without worrying about the kids is liberating. We have a lot of clients who are in the same season of life and are considering making changes. The 6-bedroom house on a finished basement with room to play in the back yard has beds that seem to never need the sheets changed and the pool table sits mostly unused. But how do you reconcile downsizing in square feet, but not in price point? It’s a common question and it’s all about priorities. Do you envision more travel - to see the world and see future grandkids? A smaller home on less property is much easier to “lock and leave” than 5,000 square feet on an acre. Is there an end in sight for commuting to office or airport, even if only a few times a week? In that case, mountain, beach and lake properties can be super appealing. Is a big home that is largely unused starting to feel like a money pit for utilities and repairs that is only getting more difficult to manage? An upscale townhome with an elevator may feel expensive, but the cost of ownership will likely plummet and community dues may also pay for exterior maintenance, landscaping and more.

ISTOCK

Empty nesting is exciting and is the perfect time to revise your priorities and look at your options. Spring of 2022 brings the added bonus of a vibrant real estate market and the opportunity for many people to take advantage of huge equity gains. Perhaps it’s time to let

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a new family build their own memories in your newly empty nest as you fly off to new adventures. There are lots of options. Please talking with us about your dreams and goals; we love helping make them reality.

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