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VanDyckLaw
VANDYCKFIRM.COM
QUARTER 2 2021
AND CHOOSING TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO Finding Your ‘Why’ Every morning before work, I do a workout on my Peloton in my home gym. Hanging on the wall, next to my Peloton, is a poster of one of the people I admire most in the world: Eliud Kipchoge. For those of you who don’t know who he is, Eliud Kipchoge currently holds the record for fastest marathon time in the world. Officially, his record for running 26.2 miles is just over two hours. That means he’s running each consecutive mile of the marathon in less than five minutes on average — which is insane! But I digress. Below the picture of Eliud Kipchoge on this poster is a quote from him, which reads: “Passion is a choice. You need to choose to be great. It’s not a chance. It’s a choice.” Reading that quote each morning has really helped me take that sentiment to heart. It helps me remember that each of my actions, as well as my mindset while going about those actions, is a choice. I can choose to do something to the best of my ability, or I can choose to do it half-heartedly or not at all. So, each morning, I choose to live out my passion. I do that by doing something I call “remembering my why.” That “why” is my passion: why I do the work I do on a daily basis. I tell lots of people, including my own children, that finding your “why” is instrumental in accomplishing anything worthwhile. For example, maybe it’s your goal to become more healthy so you can spend more time playing with your grandchildren. Whatever that goal is, you have to keep it in the forefront of your mind if you want to achieve it. “If you don’t know your ‘why,’ it leaves you living and working in a rut. You go through the motions for their own sake and largely without any sort of passion or drive.”
If you don’t know your “why,” it leaves you living and working in a rut. You go through the motions for their own sake and largely without any sort of passion or drive. I can personally attest to that fact. When I worked as a product liability attorney, I was operating without passion. My work was my work, but I didn’t feel any sort of special way about it. That’s not to say product liability attorneys can’t feel passionate about their work; it just wasn’t for me. When I got into estate planning and elder law, however, I discovered that I had a passion for the work I did on a daily basis. I found that working with families in crisis ignited my passion for my work. Then, after my father was diagnosed with dementia, I began to appreciate my work on a more personal level. I could understand and empathize with clients. Now, when I go to work, I understand my “why” more than ever. So, every morning when I hop on my Peloton, and I read those words from Eliud Kipchoge, I’m grateful knowing that I’ve found my “why.” My job makes it easy to choose to be passionate about everything I do, because it’s all about helping people when they most need it in the best way I know how. If you feel like you’re still searching for your “why,” don’t worry; it’s out there! -Fiona Van Dyck
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WHY LAUGHTER IS GOOD FOR YOU Laugh More, Age Less
Scientists have long known that laughter can be therapeutic and help us live longer. It has been shown to reduce wear and tear on our bodies and improve our relationships. A Norwegian study found that those who prioritized humor were more likely to live past 70 than those who didn’t laugh often. At a biological level, laughter can reduce tension in your muscles and activate a powerful stress-relief response from your brain by releasing dopamine. Just one chuckle may even improve your breathing and heart function! In fact, laughing can work wonders for the heart. One study showed that laughter therapy helped reduce the blood pressure and cholesterol levels of its participants. Their blood circulation improved, too. Studies have also found that regular laughter can help strengthen your immune system, and it has long-term benefits for those with respiratory conditions.
In addition to your body, laughter is also good for your social life. (And we don’t mean that people will want to spend time with you if you have all the good jokes!) Throughout history, laughter has been an evolutionary sign of understanding. When there are language barriers, laughing together can create camaraderie and a tighter bond between people of different cultures. The dopamine release that comes with laughter aids in stress relief and creates powerful memories that can improve your mood and strengthen friendships. Of course, laughter has its downfalls, too. Laughing at someone else’s expense is detrimental to their health and can harm your relationships. So, stick to light jokes and actively seek shows, cartoons, or people who make you laugh. You’ll feel good, and your body will be pretty happy, too.
As we age, we’re told to wear sunscreen, eat more vegetables, take vitamins, and even walk more — all in hope that our internal clocks will slow down and we will age better. But something as simple as laughter could actually be one of the easiest ways to slow the ticking clock of aging.
What ’s Coming Up
AT THE VAN DYCK LAW EDUCATION CENTER
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP Dates: April 13, April 27, May 11, May 25, June 8, and June 22 Time: 10–11 a.m. At Van Dyck Law, we know it’s not just health care professionals who care for people suffering from dementia. This support group is for all the family members, the impromptu carers, and anyone else who is in regular contact with someone with dementia. We know just how hard it is to grapple with a loved one who has dementia, and we want you to know you’re not alone in that struggle. This event is also virtual for now. If you have any questions or concerns about the subject material of these offerings from the Van Dyck Law Education Center, or you just want to know how to sign up, check our website at VanyDyckFirm.com or reach out to Leslie@VanDyckFirm.com. We look forward to seeing you in the coming months, even if it’s over a computer screen!
Over the next three months, there will be plenty of opportunities to learn valuable information from the Van Dyck Law Education Center. While our class offerings for this quarter aren’t as plentiful as they have been in previous months, we believe the classes we do offer can positively impact a wide variety of people. So, if you’re interested in what’s going on at the Education Center, read on.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA SEMINAR Dates: April 27, May 4, May 18, June 1, and June 15 Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This seminar is specifically designed to benefit CALAs, LHNAs, ADCs, nurses, social workers, and certified case managers. It’s a required class for those who want to obtain a Certified Dementia Practitioner Designation, and it will count as eight CE hours to that end. Like many of our Education Center events recently, this event will be held virtually.
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Like all major life changes, having a loved one fall ill and need serious medical care can happen suddenly. Would you be ready to find them quality nursing home care if they needed it? It’s a stressful, draining process trying to figure out just how you’re going to pay for long-term care, especially since in 2017, the average annual cost of a private nursing home room was $97,455 a year! It’s only gone up since then. Now, one option for paying for a nursing home is through Medicaid, the federal program that helps people with limited incomes afford medical costs. However, the qualifications for Medicaid vary from state to state and are endlessly complex wherever you live. As we continue, we’ll explain some of the obstacles associated with qualifying for Medicaid. Of course, it makes sense that to qualify for Medicaid, your income would need to be below a certain level. The total value of your assets also cannot surpass a certain level, either. That asset value threshold is called the Individual Resource Allowance, and it is almost always incredibly low — usually at around $2,000. In many cases, however, homes and automobiles are exempt from the allowance. Don’t Try It by Yourself! Navigating the Complex World of Qualifying for Medicaid
The applicant’s spouse can only keep half of the couple’s assets, up to $128,640, a figure that is known as the Maximum Community Spouse Resource Allowance. So, if a couple has this maximum amount of assets, they’ll have to “spend down” those assets until the applicant has just $2,000 and their spouse has $61,800. However, if you have more assets than the maximum, you could run into more problems if you try to give some of them away. You might violate the Transfer Penalty Rule, which could disqualify you from receiving Medicaid altogether. Now, this overview of qualifying for Medicaid is far from exhaustive, but it should give you an idea of how difficult it is to qualify without expert help. Luckily, the Van Dyck Law legal team can answer any questions you have about your specific situation. Call today at 609‑580-1044 or email Info@VanDyckFirm.com.
If the person in need of Medicaid is married, the rules surrounding the Individual Resource Allowance become even more complicated.
Inspired by TheSeasonedMom.com Spring Vegetable and Chicken Pasta Bake
EDUCATION CENTER EVENTS IN BRIEF There are two events offered by the Education Center, on several different dates, over the next three months. Both will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA SEMINAR Dates: April 27, May 4, May 18, June 1, and June 15 Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This seminar is designed specifically for health care workers and will count as eight CE credits toward becoming a Certified Dementia Practitioner. CIRCLE OF FRIENDS DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP Dates: April 13, April 27, May 11, May 25, June 8, and June 22 Time: 10–11 a.m. This event is for anyone who is not a health care professional, but who is caring for someone with dementia in some capacity and wants to meet with others in the same position.
Celebrate spring with this easy, tasty, herb-packed pasta bake.
INGREDIENTS • 1 cup cooked chicken, diced • 1 14-oz can artichokes, drained and quartered • 1 cup fresh asparagus pieces • 1/2 cup carrots, grated • 1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth • 1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped and divided • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided • 2 tsp minced garlic • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 425 F and grease an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In the prepared dish, stir together cooked chicken, artichokes, asparagus, carrots, uncooked pasta, chicken broth, half the chives, half the parsley, garlic, salt, and 2 tbsp Parmesan. 3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. 4. Uncover and stir. At this point, check the pasta to make sure it is al dente. If it’s undercooked, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is tender. 5. Remove from oven and garnish with remaining Parmesan, chives, and parsley.
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707 State Road, Suite 102 Princeton, NJ 08540 VANDYCKFIRM.COM | 609-580-1044 Inside 1 2 Finding Your ‘Why’
The Easiest Anti-Aging Tactic? Laughter Upcoming Events at the Education Center
Navigating the Complex World of Qualifying for Medicaid Spring Vegetable and Chicken Pasta Bake Education Center Events in Brief
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The Truth About Essential Oils — Are They Safe?
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Are They Really Safe? THE TRUTH ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS
If you’ve ever visited a spa or tried a “natural” perfume, then you’ve probably been exposed to essential oils. These fragrant oils are derived from plants and have become a fad among health nuts, yoga practitioners, and even chefs. Many devotees believe that a few drops of oil added to a diffuser, mixed with food, or rolled onto the wrist can do just about anything, like reduce anxiety and ward off the common cold. In 2019, the global essential oil market was valued at more than $7 billion, and sales are expected to soar above $14 billion by 2026. But there’s a catch: Some doctors now warn that essential oils are not a panacea — and they’re not as safe as they seem. WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY? According to Rose Ann Gould Soloway, a clinical toxicologist at the National Capital
Poison Center, essential oils can be safe and beneficial. However, they have harmful side effects when misused. Many oils can cause rashes and even poison users if they’re swallowed or rubbed directly onto the skin. In addition to this, incorrectly breathing in an essential oil can cause pneumonia. HOW ARE ESSENTIAL OILS MISUSED? When it comes to essential oils, there are two big mistakes people might make: They either overuse essential oils with their children or they apply them the wrong way. When essential oils are concerned, proper application and amount can make a life-or-death difference. Nutmeg oil, for example, tastes delicious in food but can cause hallucinations and even comas when mishandled, and eucalyptus oil, which can soothe a cough, can also cause seizures if ingested. Another example is sage oil; it
has beneficial applications, but even small amounts can make a child very ill.
HOW CAN YOU USE OILS SAFELY? If you use essential oils or oil-based products, it’s vital that you follow the instructions that come with them and keep bottles of pure oil locked away from your kids and pets. When you’re using oils topically, dilute them with a barrier substance like a non-essential oil, lotion, or aloe jelly; and when you’re inhaling them, use a waterless or water-based diffuser. Finally, when in doubt, do your research! The American Botanical Council’s HerbalGram journal, AromaWeb.com, and databases like ScienceDirect and PubMed Central are great resources. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital also offers an expert safety guide for using oils on kids.
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