My stepfather, Andy, was a naturopathic physician. He was really old school. His services were not covered by Medicare or insurance. Many of his patients paid him in “in kind” or in monthly installments. He was also old school in that he actually did home visits.

One story was particularly interesting to me. He had a patient that lived out in the country. The patient had really bad back problems. He would get down in his back, so bad that he could not make it to town. Andy would drive out to his home, sometimes in the middle of the night, to help relieve his pain either by an “adjustment” or some type of homeopathic medication.

Andy quickly discovered that part of his patient’s problem was that he had a very bad bed. The bed was making the back problem worse. The bed was old, it bowed, and provided virtually no support for the gentleman. Andy continued to urge him to get a new bed, but to no avail. Instead, he chose to pay Andy to come out to see him, to fix his back, and to live to another day when it would start hurting again and he would recall Andy. The gentleman proclaimed he could not afford to buy a new bed.

I specialize in life care planning. Life care planning involves working with families that are facing aging or chronic health issues. Our goal is to help our clients stay at home for as long as possible. We help them find services to make that happen. If our clients have to transition to some residential setting, we want to be sure that they find the right place, that they have resources to pay for it, that they get good care, and that someone is always advocating for them.

My mentor, and indeed the inventor of this philosophical approach to elder care, is Tim Takacs. I have learned a lot based on Tim’s model of providing good care for people. When I first heard Tim speak about this model of caring for people, I remember getting goose bumps. It was exactly what I was looking for.

Part of the hurdle that we run into is trying to get people to take care of themselves now. One of the mantras from Tim Takacs is “spend your money now to take care of yourself now.” It is really a profound statement. By taking care of yourself and spending money now, you live a much more healthy life. You live in better accommodations. You avoid, reduce or eliminate some of the aging issues. You become less of a burden on yourself. In the long run, you will even save your resources by eliminating or reducing your time in long term care.

This is contrary to a lot of the upbringings of many of my clients. They grew up with the mentality to save for a rainy day; put all of the money into the farm; provide for later generations. It was even, put away money through insurance in case something bad happened.

It is really important that we take care of ourselves now. Sometimes that means investing in something that pays back to needed dividends: Take care of yourself. Buy the new bed. Go to the doctor. Get some type of plan in place. Access and allow assistance that keeps you out of the nursing home.

Through Tim’s model of life care planning, it has been my joy to work with families in helping them take care of themselves now, so that they can stay as independent as possible.

Let me go back to Andy’s patient. I do not remember exactly what happened, but eventually the gentleman ended up in a nursing home due to back related issues. I do not recall if he broke a hip or what, but I know at some point he was unable to stay at home any longer. Andy was disappointed because he really felt like if he would have just taken care of himself, he could have stayed at home much longer.

The irony is that after the gentleman died, we found out that he was worth over a million dollars. For whatever reason, he would not shell out just a little bit of money to get a new bed and take care of himself. As a result, his time in the nursing home came earlier and was longer than necessary.

Do not forget, now is the time to spend money on yourself to take care of yourself now.

Randy Clinkscales of Clinkscales Elder Law Practice, PA, Hays, Kansas, is an elder care attorney, practicing in western Kansas. To contact him, please send an email to [email protected]. Disclaimer: The information in the column is for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Each case is different and outcomes depend on the fact of each case and the then applicable law. For specific questions, you should contact a qualified attorney.

A nutrition colleague described an email which was sent after Thanksgiving to everyone in her office: “There are three types of pie and a can of whipped cream in the fridge! Pumpkin, apple, and pecan– please help me get rid of them!!”

This is what’s being called “food dumping.” Like most people, I’ve been guilty of food dumping, and I’ve also been the victim.

Food dumping is when you bring party leftovers, unwanted food gifts or holiday treats into the office break room. No matter why it’s there, it seems most office break rooms are filled with food this time of year.

First, I guess we should congratulate my friend’s co-worker and all “food dumpers” for realizing that they really don’t need all that extra food sitting around their house. But this doesn’t encourage or help anyone in the office to eat more healthfully.

OK, I don’t want to be a real humbug about this and say that no one should have special holiday goodies. Being realistic, I know it’s going to happen. What can you do if you really are trying to be more healthy this time of year?

Here are a couple of thoughts to help you take control of the situation:

• Encourage a “no dumping” policy at the office. If people do want to share special recipes or treat, perhaps set up a schedule or calendar of when each person or department is welcomed to bring something. This may eliminate the overflowing trays and possible waste.

• Out of sight and out of mind. If coworkers must bring candies and cookies, ask that they be covered in an opaque container.

• If the snacks and goodies sitting around the break room are just too tempting for you, control your own behavior by trying to avoid that room altogether.

• If your co-workers aren’t on board, at least you can control your office and your desk. Have healthy snacks in your desk so you won’t be starved and tempted when you see a large plate of treats hanging out by the copier.

• Start your day off right with a healthy breakfast so you won’t be as tempted as you might be when you head for the second cup of coffee. Keep the breakfast light and healthy so if you do want to snack there will be a place for it in your healthy diet.

• Keep a pair of exercise shoes in the office to take walking breaks.

One more thing, I couldn’t let the idea of food sitting around go without mentioning some food safety issues:

Perishable foods should be kept at room temperature for no more than two hours. If it’s out longer than that the food should be pitched.

Label foods with ingredients—especially nuts and gluten—for those with allergies and intolerances.

Label foods with dates, too. This will eliminate “mystery foods” in a couple of days. Most perishable items, even when kept properly refrigerated, should be tossed after four days.

There may be other options instead of food dumping. Could you share food gifts with charitable institutions, senior centers or assistance centers that may not have any treats? Unfortunately, due to food safety issues, many may not be able to accept homemade or opened food items.

If all else fails, spread the cheer throughout the year. Consider which break room foods would freeze well for later when they can be appreciated and enjoyed.

Linda K. Beech is Cottonwood District Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.

Courtesy of DaveRamsey.com

Do you ever feel like you’re in a chronic cash crunch? That can put a real damper on your days, and take the hope and expectation out of a new year.

But if money tops your list of New Year’s resolutions, you’re in luck! Research shows you’re on the road to success. According to Fidelity Investments, 56 percent of people who resolved to improve their finances last year did just that. Better yet, 83 percent said last year’s financial resolution is an ongoing event instead of a one-time goal. Who knew change could be so exciting?

Put those resolutions into action — and get a leg up on your happy New Year — with these five money hacks.

1. Use Cold, Hard Cash
Lots of folks choose plastic over cash for everyday purchases, and research shows that can lead you to spend more. Why? According to a Journal of Experimental Psychology study, parting with cash really is sweet sorrow. Plastic simply doesn’t tug at your emotional strings in quite the same way.
So, put a little more pain back into your purchases. Use envelopes to divvy your dollars up across everyday budget categories. You might have one for groceries, restaurants, entertainment, clothing, and pocket money.

On payday, fill your envelopes with the cash you budgeted for each category. When an envelope’s empty, the spending stops for that category until your next paycheck. It’s that simple!

2. Give Impulse Buys a 30-day Notice
You went to the store for one thing, and somehow ended up with a cart full of stuff. Sound familiar? If so, join the crowd. A recent study found five in six Americans are impulse shoppers.

We all know it pays to sleep on a big money decision overnight. But what about smaller purchases that crop up throughout the month? Why not add them to your wish list and wait 30 days? That gives you a chance to work them into next month’s budget. And who knows? That can’t-live-without item you had your eye on just might be on sale by then.

3. Ignore Interest Rates when Paying Down Debt
Want to put a big dent in your debt this year? You might be tempted to grab debt by the jugular, and attack the biggest interest rate first. But it takes more than math to win. According to Fidelity, the number one reason people stick to a money resolution is because they’re encouraged by their progress.
That’s where the debt snowball comes in. Here’s how it works: List your debts in order by outstanding balance, and attack the smallest one first. Once you knock it out, roll that cash over to your next debt, working your way up to the biggest of the bunch. You’ll build momentum — and motivation—as you watch your debts disappear and your cash grow!

4. Go Roth with Your 401(k)
These days, most full-time workers have access to a 401(k) through their employer. This is a great way to save for retirement, because it enables you to make pre-tax contributions for your future.

What you may not know is many employers offer a Roth 401(k) option, too. According to a Willis Towers Watson study, 54 percent of large and midsize companies do, yet only 10 percent of employees take advantage. That means lots of folks are missing out on tax-free growth.

And now, any pretax match dollars your employer puts in can be converted to a Roth. That’s means even more opportunity for tax-free growth. Just keep in mind that you do have to pay taxes on any money you convert. An investing professional can show you how it works, so you can weigh your options and choose the strategy that’s right for you.

5. Take Advantage of Free Financial Education
It’s no secret that money issues can cause big-time stress. According to the American Psychological Association, 72 percent of adults worry about money, and 32 percent say money woes stand between them and a healthy lifestyle.

This stress can distract you on the job, too. It’s hard to get work done when you’re preoccupied with money problems. No wonder almost 90 percent of employers surveyed by Aon Hewitt had considered implementing a financial wellness program.

If your company offers this benefit, don’t miss out. It’s a great way to learn how to manage your money, and plan for the future. That’s something everyone can feel good about!

—Used with permission from DaveRamsey.com