Category Archives: Motherhood

We are a Family of Three Generations Living Under 1 Roof

Let me help you transform your home into a comfortable, safe, accessible and beautiful
space that you can call home for many years. Why not invest in your current residence
instead of paying for a retirement village or assisted living?
Your future begins now!

As an expert in Universal Design and Living in Place design, I have the education and experience to help you achieve your goals. I am the only Interior Designer in the Wichita area who is a Certified Living Place Professional (CLIPP) and a practitioner of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). My specialties include multi-generational design, and I always anticipate the changes that life may bring to your family when working on your design plan. My ultimate goal is to create a space you and your family will love to call home today and tomorrow.

OUR STORY

After a 30-year career in a retail design company,  I started my own design firm called “Designs for Life.” The tagline “Interiors Designed for the Way You Live … Today and Tomorrow” reflects that a well-designed home should be able to adapt to life’s changes. 

My family should be the Poster Children for the Living in Place design movement. We are a family of three generations living under one roof. My late husband, Jim, and I were in our late 60s with a few health issues; we both enjoyed our work and had no plans to retire. Our son, Bryan, was diagnosed with ALS 20 years ago. He has increasing limitations with mobility and independence. My mother, Dot, who just celebrated her 97th birthday, remains active in helping us care for one another.

It became apparent that we would need to find a home to renovate to help us all live our best lives. Completing our new home was the most daunting and satisfying project of my career. I always prided myself on my ability to meet the needs of my clients. My personal experiences and newfound knowledge allow me to provide so much more.

We are replacing the outdated “Aging in Place” design with a proactive “Living in Place” approach. By discreetly incorporating long-term adaptive features into everyday decor, homes can be prepared for expected and unexpected life changes. The goal is to provide everyone with a comfortable, safe, and accessible home that can support them through any injury, illness, or age challenges. The Living in Place Institute helps eliminate the stigma of “Aging in Place” and allows people to embrace the inevitable life changes while still living independently in their own homes.

Vicki Flores, a Living In Place Pro, has mastered creating homes that exude beauty, safety, and comfort. With her exceptional skills and expertise, she transforms living spaces into havens that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also safe and practical. Give your home the touch of Vicki’s magic and experience the joy of living in a place that is both beautiful and function

Hospice and ALS

Most people actuate HOSPICE with end of life.  In most cases hospice care givers come into a patient and their families lives when the diagnosis is terminal and the patient has around 6 months until end of life. The purpose of hospice is to make “end of life” more comfortable for the patient and their loved ones. Frankly, most families wait too long for this service because they don’t want their loved one to think they are giving up on them or admit that they are actually facing the end of their life.

We waited too long to call hospice when my dad had terminal cancer and  chose not to have treatment because no medical person suggested it to us. I had gone pick up some meds for him and found myself facing a Hospice office. I went in not knowing what to expect and came out with an appointment to visit us the next day. They came with a hospital bed and all the essentials for his care and set up in the family room. Someone was with the family most of the time and were a phone call away. He died  two weeks later. How I wish we had taken advantage of this months earlier.

HOSPICE and ALS

My experience with Hospice is much different today. My son has ALS. He as been living with it for nearly 20 years. He has been in hospice for 3 years and we both are so thankful that we made the call.

ALS is a fatal disease as you are all aware. There is no cure and there is no treatment. There is also no timetable for end of life. A PALS can go on hospice as soon as they are diagnosed. Our Phoenix Home Health and Hospice in Kansas provides all equipment delivered by Broadway Medical and set up in our home. A nurse visits us at least once a week and has a physician available for her to call and they provide all his ALS meds. (Much better than your Neurologist giving you a diagnosis and telling you to go get ready to die?)  A bath aid comes twice a week. This compassionate group of people have an essential place in our daily lives.

You may have heard that to be on Hospice, the patient needs to sign a DNR. That can be revoked at any time by the patient or his legal medical representative. Bryan has gone to the hospital by ambulance twice since being on hospice  Each time his hospice nurse came to sign a waiver that he was off hospice so he could be treated. When he was released he was signed back in. This is one of the few benefits we as PALS and CALS are offered at no charge. They work together with the ALS local chapter in my area.

As a mother and caregiver, I m asking you to use this valuable aid available to you without cost. Many still say “It’s not time yet or I don’t want my pal to think  I’m giving up on them”. You are taking this advantage of a benefit to make all your lives easier for however many months, years, or decades, you fight this horrible disease.

If you have questions or concerns or just want to talk, leave me a message here and I will be happy to help in any way that I can.