006: Brandon Jarnesky of United Construction Group wants to help Tutu Make Her Home Safer
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
Release Date: 09/04/2024
048: Season 1 Finale: The Best of Taking Care of Tutu!
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
Mahalo for joining us for the Season 1 Finale of Taking Care of Tutu! This finale episode is a look back at the conversations that mattered most, from sharing legal insights and Medicaid guidance to caregiving support and tales of community heroes. We recount the Top Episodes of Season 1, revisiting the moments that resonated most deeply. As we wrap up this year, our Team remains committed to our mission: Season 2 of Taking Care of Tutu will build on the foundation we created by growing our legal and caregiving knowledge, along with our community partnerships that inform, empower, and uplift....
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047: What Does a Trustee Do, Exactly?
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
This episode was requested by our front office team, because it’s one of the most common questions we get at Obenauf Law Group. What is a Trustee supposed to do? In this episode, Meg walks listeners through what to do when you’ve been told you’re the trustee of someone’s trust and that person has passed away. We break down the first critical steps trustees must take, the documents needed, the responsibilities involved, and the overall process from start to finish. Whether you’ve been prepared for the role or blindsided by it, this episode provides a clear, compassionate roadmap to...
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046: The Mission of Civil Air Patrol on Maui – Cadets, Emergency Response & STEM for Local Schools
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
Guest: Darryl Ng, Civil Air Patrol – Maui In this episode, Meg speaks with Darryl Ng of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) about the incredible programs CAP operates on Maui—from youth training to emergency response to STEM education for local teachers. They also discuss the upcoming Wreaths Across America event honoring veterans at Makawao Veterans Cemetery on December 13, 2025. In this episode, you will hear about: 1. STEM Programs for Cadets Maui cadets participate in hands-on STEM activities including building rockets, drone training, and monthly aerospace education sessions. 2. Adult...
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045: Supporting Loved Ones with Alzheimer’s & Dementia — A Conversation with Cindy Fowler of the Alzheimer’s Association
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
This week on the Taking Care of Tutu podcast, we team up with Cindy Fowler, Program Manager for Kauaʻi and Maui County with the Alzheimer’s Association Aloha Chapter. With a background in physical therapy and years of working with kūpuna in home health, Cindy brings deep professional and personal experience to the conversation—including caring for her own mother and father-in-law through dementia. Cindy and her “Care Bears” offer individual consultations for caregivers to troubleshoot real caregiving challenges, such as refusing to shower, resistance to adult daycare, or insisting on...
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044: REPLAY: Chelsea Fernandez and the Importance of Connection for Maui Veterans
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
Aloha and welcome back to Taking Care of Tutu. Today is Veteran’s Day, and in recognition of that, we’re replaying one of our favorite episodes — a conversation with Chelsea Fernandez, a U.S. Army veteran who’s dedicated herself to supporting other veterans right here in Hawai‘I, especially younger veterans from more recent conflicts who were not aware of the resources available to them through the VA. She’s also the founder of Na Koa Kahiko Wahine, a women’s veteran’s group that she founded 11 years ago. She does a massive amount of volunteering, and those efforts are focused...
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043: A Medicaid Detective Story: Unravelling a 23-Year-Old Deed Mistake
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
In this deeply personal episode, Meg sits down with Heritage Hall (name changed for privacy), a client who bravely agreed to share her family’s story—an anonymous conversation from a small island community about love, caregiving, and a legal mystery decades in the making. When a 98-year-old family matriarch needed 24-hour care, her family faced the daunting $15,000-a-month cost of a nursing home and turned to Medicaid for help. But the application was denied because the State said she owned hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets—money the family knew didn’t exist. What followed was...
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042: When a Joint Trust Isn’t the Best Idea
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
In this episode of the Taking Care of Tutu podcast, we break down some of the frequently asked questions from last week at our law firm, which turned out to be different versions of a central question: Should married couples always have a joint trust? Spoiler alert — not always. Meg shares three common situations where a joint trust might actually create more problems than it solves. From blended family dynamics to costly income tax consequences and asset protection concerns, she explains how the right trust setup depends on more than just emotion — it’s about strategy, clarity,...
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041: Tutu Makes a Funeral Plan
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
It’s not something we really want to think about, but it is something we all need. Our guests this week, Renie Menor and Raji Gaskin of Nakamura Mortuary and Maui Memorial Park, teach us about stress-free funeral planning. With Renie's extensive 15-year background in pre-planning and sales, paired with Raji's expertise as a funeral home manager and licensed embalmer, this discussion offers a compassionate and informed exploration of pre-arranging funeral services. We cover veterans’ benefits, unique requests for cremated remains, and the critical importance of being proactive about...
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040: How Nā Hoaloha Helps Tutu Live Independently with Care and Connection
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
Picture this: a small act of kindness, a simple meal delivered to someone in need, evolving into a 29-year legacy of community service. That's the story behind Nā Hoaloha, a nonprofit organization on Maui dedicated to enriching the lives of older adults. In this episode, Meg is joined by King Van Nostrand to unravel the offerings of Nā Hoaloha. With services ranging from friendly visits and medical transportation to grocery deliveries and lawn care, this volunteer-driven group has tackled isolation among seniors by building bridges of friendship and independence, supported by over 400...
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039: Maui Food Bank's Pursuit of a Hunger-Free Maui
Taking Care of Tutu - Navigating Estate Planning and Probate with Aloha
From a post-wild fire Lahaina’s market to mobile grocery trucks traveling into underserved areas, the Maui Food Bank is reimagining food assistance for Maui residents. In this episode, Meg welcomes Lisa Paulson, Executive Director of the Maui Food Bank, to explore how their programs are meeting urgent community needs. You’ll hear how the Food Bank’s unique distribution system — including being the only food bank in the United States to transport food by boat — has scaled rapidly since the fires, and how they’ve innovated with summer food programs, school partnerships, and direct...
info_outlineLast week we learned about decluttering tutu’s home and organizing to establish safer living spaces. But what if the home needs modifications?
Brandon Jarnesky of United Construction Group is on the podcast this week to teach us some of the most common modifications he sees homeowners make in order to ensure the home is safe and accessible for seniors. We’re talking about widening doorways on older homes, adding bathroom features to enhance safety, and eliminating or accommodating uneven surfaces and steps. Brandon shares his passion for helping our community as a builder and an employer helping local families stay in Hawaii.
This episode is packed with tips about ADA-compliant construction and effective home modifications for our kupuna and their families.
Resources from this Episode
United Construction Group: ucghawaii.com
808-450-6588
Instagram: @unitedconstruction_group
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Episode Credits
If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.