Mini-Series: Episode #1 Caregivers Protection: Protect Your Finances and Rights While Caring for Someone

0:00You motivated, you motivated, you win and win it, you know they ate it, all of fear, fear, she, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, she, whoo, that girl from a west side girl, west side girl, west side girl, to a east side girl, she, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, you are now listening to the fierce female network. Welcome, welcome, welcome to the fierce female network, I'm your host, fierce, messing that today is Friday, Friday, Friday, Friday, Friday, Friday, baby, it is for real, Friday, all up in here, up in here, up in here.

1:07It is May 1st, 2026, it is 8 p.m. on this interesting time zone, and 9 p.m. on the eastern standing time zone, you knew what I'm going to say up in here. The eastern standing time zone is the time zone, there are rocks, my socks off, honey, you know I got to push it up to the ATL, to my home team. Must give a shout out to my team, fierce nation, international, the heart is working team on the planet. They're Mason, Kenya, Zimbabwe, east and west after the UK and Germany, and my honorary member India, Karan Bhattani. So listen on today, on for real Friday, we're going to get real, real up in here. Listen, it's not going to be any takers on today. This is the mini series for caregiver's protection, caregiver's protection. So listen, going to get down and dirty wooded on today, going to just tell you guys the heart, neck it, truth, all up here. So listen, it is for real Friday, and so I decided to do a mini series on caregiver's protection because, you know, I've been in a realm of caregiving for a long time, a long, long time.

2:10So even during the sense of time when I was not being a caregiver, I still was doing a show about caregiving. You guys have heard me talk about Charles, Christopher Charles Cheney, who wrote a number one bestseller. His mama peaches in me, mama peaches in me. We did a show together for a couple of months. He was my co-host, he was a co-host for a while, and he would do some commercials because he had his training. He took care of his mom. Many, many years ago, she's gone on to glory. She had Alzheimer's, and so he took care of her, he quit his job, and took care of her, of course, full time because that is a full time duty when someone has Alzheimer's or dementia. So listen, I'm doing a mini series of caregiver's protection. I'm going to get on down with it. And the reason why I wanted to talk about caregiver's protection, because caregivers need to protect themselves. Whether you're being a full time or a part time caregiver for a loved one, a family member, doesn't matter who it is, you need to protect yourself.

3:10You can get into some sticky situations when it comes to being a caregiver. And so I want to tell you this, I want to talk about it this time, because I just come out of a long stand of caregiving. And you know, when you're in the home with someone, you got to make sure. And the reason why I'm talking about it, because the experts and the consultants had shared with me, make sure you take notes. Now, when I was a caregiver before my husband, of course, I didn't take notes. I didn't have to take notes, because I was his wife. I knew what he was eating. I knew what time he was eating. And I noticed me sound really basic, and a lot of caregivers do not take copious notes. But other doctors share with me to make sure you write down everything, write down everything. And so I did. I wrote down every single meal breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. And I would always do that every single day. And as a matter of fact, I still have all the tablets of everything that the person ate.

4:10And also, even if they do not eat their meal, you know, sometimes a person they don't want it. Maybe they don't have an appetite one particular day. You got them put down. You fixed the meal, but they didn't eat the meal. Or maybe they ate it later. You need to put those notes down. If you're administering medication, you need to put down the medication that you, what time you gave them in medication. If it's eight o'clock in the morning, if it's nine at night, you know, there's a lot of different times. You got medication for morning afternoon meds. Then you got bedtime meds. Make sure you write them down. And so that's what I did. That's what it did for every single thing that was done. Sometimes you have things that you have to do that you maybe should someone else should be doing. And this instance, the patient was developing fungus on their feet. Now, this is something that really disturbed me because it was spreading throughout the toenails and it was just really getting bad. And the person that was over the person never said they need to go to a podiatrist and they never took the person to a dent. Now, this is something.

5:15Your patient always should keep their appointments whether it's eye doctor, dental or podiatrist. She never got an opportunity and I would always ask and encourage you need to get to the dentist. You need to go to the dentist. But she did all those years, she never got to the dentist. I was very disturbing to me. That's very disturbing. And so I couldn't take it when it came to the podiatrist. And so I was going to go to the podiatrist. So we went, of course, she had to have a nail removed. She had to have her nail removed. The ointment in the store does not work. And he said, you know, you can't just throw a slap on the ointment. This nail has to come off. So you've got to make sure and reason I'm sharing these different scenarios. These are real scenarios I'm not making this up. You've got to write it down because you never know what's going to come up afterwards. And so the Alzheimer's foundation has a policy that they passed three years ago. Three years ago, and it has to do with caregivers because a lot of caregivers were working. Of course, a lot of hours spending money out of their pocket.

6:21Now, this was three years ago. This policy was passed. And they found that caregivers were spending between $10,000 and $12,000 out of their pocket to take care of a friend, family, member, or whoever. And that happens when you love somebody, you do come out of your pocket. You know, I've had this experience where I came out of my pocket, right? And you don't really think to ask about it back then, but later on it then money adds up. Y'all, even when it comes to meals, if you're spending money for meals, you got to get that back. Sometimes people have the understanding that they don't want to pay for meals. Now, I had an instance where I asked, I wrote down a list. Now, this is real story. This really happened. I wrote down the list. I said, here are the items to get for the meals. And you know, they did. They came back with a box, a box. I'm talking about a box that you would a commodity box where you get fruits and vegetables. Well, that's not the list that I gave the person. And, you know, I was standing there with my mouth hanging. I was frozen with my mouth hanging open because I'm like, the list that I give the person is items that you come from, jewels, whole foods.

7:24And they come back with a commodity box. I'm like, what am I supposed to do with that? So you know what I did? I started just getting what I needed from whatever sort that the person wanted to come from. That's what I would do. And so different complaints would come up. I says, well, enough of this. I would get up, you know, it's seven o'clock in the morning, go down to jewels, first time wherever and go get it and come back. Now, I wasn't reimbursed for that. You know, and bless her heart. She would give me money back when she could. But then when things started to turn get bad, she couldn't remember to give me the money back every time I would go. So listen, you've got to write that down. You got to write those things down because when you're in the thick of it, you're not thinking to get those money back. But guess what? When it's all over wet, guess what's going to happen? You're going to be so exhausted, so tired, and all these things you're taking care of, you've got to turn to somebody and say, hey, we need to go through this. And this is what the bill is, you know, what I'm saying? So you need to do that. And then other nurses that came in and they said, well, you're here full time. You need to be getting paid for what you're doing.

8:30And they would even say, you know, the medication that this person is on, you are entitled, you're entitled, but that never happened. So listen, that's why I'm doing care, giver protection. Even when I was asked to do, um, take the person to whatever they need to go to way out in the suburbs and we're doing this in a lift, right? You know what I mean? That comes to 50 and $55. So listen, $50 here, $50 there. It adds up over a certain period of time if you're there, maybe three, four years, whatever the time, it adds up. So you got to keep yourself protected. All timers foundations found that people were coming out of the pocket $10,000 and guess what? There was nobody to reimburse them. So that's money. They're coming out of the pocket because the patient needs their items. They need different things. You know, they need their meal. They need Medicaid. They need different things. So listen. Now, I'm not saying that I did that all the time. Of course, there was other individuals in place to do different things as well. But if you're in the home 24, seven things come up just like all timers of foundation said to me, you know, you've got to keep all extras, you know, all extra.

9:41So the my little space that I had, they said, keep three, four, five different toothbrush. You got to keep all these different extra toothpaste. You've got to keep extra everything, you know what? Because sometimes the person says, I can't find this. You got to run and go get it right away and give it to him. So you've got to keep these notes copious, copious notes. So other doctors had already told me keep copious notes right everything down the consultants and the different individuals. You've got to have resources in place. You've got to have resources in place when things will come up two o'clock in the morning, three o'clock in the morning. I will call the master consultants and they will consult me on what's going on. So listen, and that was all, you know, that's what I would do all the times or different other individuals. Because sometimes you don't want to wake people up at two or three in the morning. And so now the master consultants, that is their duty, that's their job. They're there, awake, stand the guard. I'm telling you, they answer that phone first ring. They're on the telephone. So listen, you've got to have that. And on the cover art and got my music. I'm going to play some music in just a moment. So on the cover art, you'll see where it has on there.

10:50Elmhurst Hospital. Now this was a duty. I was asked to do to take them for testing. And it was way out in no man's land. And we did this with a left a lift right nothing back then. I think it was like $55 you know for that particular right. And so you've got to make sure that you stay on top of it and be reimbursed for what you're doing. So listen, if you are caregiver, make sure, make sure, make sure that you're keeping track of what's going on. And my dear friend Sage, my dear friend Sage, she was power of attorney. And she still was power of attorney for three different members in her, her family. And so she does a very great job, very great job at what she does. And she's really good of sharing information. Now her individuals have different maladies and different diagnosis other than dementia. So this is just sharing with you. You've got to protect yourself. And your own personal finances, protect your personal finance. So listen, I got some music that's coming up. I got some music that's coming up for you right now. So listen, I want you guys to take a listen to this. This is great song. This is shrimp and noodles shrimp and noodles.

11:59I don't like that he doesn't do it again. I'm sick and tired of running even if you knew my story, you be making assumptions. I'll keep the flavor intact. I need the city on my back before I run the whole map. I keep the beat under attack the way I make it a slap. I'm eating pretty itty bitty but the portions is fat chasing endorsement attacks putting force in the facts.

13:13And I'm pushing the back and thought I knew the whole atmosphere. So listen, this is what you want to see. No, you scared to take that leap. Just don't be afraid. Come and lie with me. I'll give you more than just that piece. No, this piece can make you break away. Don't play, don't play. It broke me down. It blew up in my face. It's closing. It's a brand new start. I'm throwing. All you knew me back when I'm alone. Can't trust nobody. I already tried it. It's crazy. I'll soon as you alive. You can't decide. So let's get to take your life and hostile. And every trend in topic is trying to hit the trifle. I think I cut a little too deep. My mind stuck in limbo from Tunisic and I can two weeks. My set up is sheep. It got me losing all of my sleep. So try me. I thought I'd get a loaf when they sign me. I find me addicted to penny pension. Exciting intervention needs some seasons till my vision don't surprise me.

14:16Take all my inhibitions. I'm tired of these systems and these rainbow Christmas trying to outside me. Come and fight with me. I got some issues you want to see. No, you scared to take that leap. Just don't be afraid. Come and lie with me. I'll give you more than just that piece. No, this piece can make you break away. Don't play, don't play. Tell me what you see. I'll tell you what you see. Do you live in my life? I'll be back. Do you live in my life? Do you live in my life? I'll tell you what you see.

15:22I'll tell you what you see. Do you live in my life? I'll tell you what you see. Do you live in my life? I'll tell you what you see. Do you live in my life? I'll tell you what you see. Do you live in my life? I'll tell you what you see. I'll tell you what you see. I'll tell you what you see. And you cannot be afraid to call 911. And I was given wrong and bad information that not to call 911 so often that we'd be in trouble

16:26for calling 911. And so that's just what being trouble. And so one time when the person, she felt like, of course, I called 911. And they said, listen, you know, and I talk to the police, but I talk to everybody. Talk to the fireman, they would always say, never ever be afraid. Call us as many times as you need to. There is no need to be afraid. You're not going to get in trouble. You call no one's getting in trouble for calling when you're in need. And someone has, you know, failed. And you need to get them up. You call us many times. And that's what they would say. Call us many times as you need. And so listen, guys, keep notes. I can't say this enough. Keep notes, keep notes, keep notes, keep notes. Because at the end of the row, when everything is all what you're going to need to rely on your note because of a span of years, you're not going to remember everything that happened. You've got to write it down. Listen, let me tell you something. And I'm a, I'm a evangelist. I'm a preacher. So I've got prayer notes 20 years back. I know y'all laughing at me, just you listen. You laughing at me. I take requests, you know, my whole years

17:28of being a minister. I write it down. Somebody would call what a prayer request. I'm writing it down. And I still got the notes. Still got all the journals, all the notes. The day that they call the actual prayer and when the prayer was answered, got it all written down. So, you know, taking notes is easy for me because I've always done that. So take notes. You got to protect yourself. So listen, I, you know, about here it's been Stone Cold Bless. It's always, it is peace, love, and soul. You motivated, you motivated, you winning winning. You know they hated it. I love fear, fear, she, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, she, whoo, that girl from a west side girl, west side girl, west side girl, west side girl, east side girl, she, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear,