November Aging in Atlanta event informs on health, estate planning and more

Thursday, Nov. 9, marked the AJC’s fourth Aging in Atlanta community event of the year. Kroger was the presenting sponsor.

Gwinnett Technical College hosted the event, where attendees learned about health, estate planning and maintaining connections.

Host Alexandra Offor asked questions as attendees enjoyed a meal and participated in a Q&A. They also had a chance to win prizes, including gift cards from Kroger, Starbucks and Mastercard, and tickets to “The Nutcracker.”

Kaiser Permanente, The Estate and Asset Protection Law Firm, Georgia Relay, Sonder Health Plans, Clover Health, AARP and Visiting Nurse Health System were on hand to chat one-on-one with attendees ahead of the panel.

Our panelists were Deanna “Dee Dee” McEwen, Pharm.D., a pharmacist with Kroger Health, Atlanta Division, Lateefah Watford, Doctor of Psychiatry - Kaiser Permanente, Shannon Pawley, J.D., LL.M attorney & CEO at The Estate & Asset Protection Law Firm, and Nakia Vaughn, Medicare Advantage sales specialist - Kaiser Permanente. Nicole Williams, journalist and senior manager of partnerships for the AJC, also participated in the panel.

McEwen answered questions about medication adherence and missing doses, using coupons versus insurance for prescriptions, taking supplements, and getting flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

Watford addressed Seasonal Affective Disorder, getting help for depressive symptoms and anxiety, socializing and maintaining connections, resources for excessive alcohol consumption, and the importance of STD testing.

Pawley discussed essential estate planning documents, misconceptions about wills, trusts, common estate planning mistakes, whether it’s ever too late to begin estate planning, whether people who aren’t wealthy need estate planning, and steps for leaving assets to non-family members.

Vaughn talked about the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, and the differences between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans.

Williams discussed the AJC’s award-winning Everyday Heroes project, and shared the stories of some of the stand-out community heroes over age 50.

For additional information about healthy living, things to do and more, look for Aging in Atlanta special sections in Sunday editions of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the following dates: