When the Elephant’s in the Room, Serve PIE
Would you rather listen? Press ▶️ below for the audio recording.
There’s this Elephant. You know, the One in the Room? He’s big and he is daunting. Call him Healthcare, or Aging, or Solo Aging (or talking, or planning, or building your MicroBoard or team).
Another expression is an oldie but certainly applicable here: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” One bite at a time and using The Pie Model™.
How do you begin to work on something that may seem big or daunting or overwhelming at the onset? And once you have started how do you know you've covered all your bases? If you remember something and wish to go back and check or add, how do you quickly find it?
Aging, navigating healthcare, crisis management: There. Is. So. Much.
I don't blame anybody for staring at all that may lie ahead and emoting a baleful sigh when they are dealing with the topics of Aging. Whether you are person, patient, professional, it's a big topic!
What if I told you that the remedy involved PIE?
What if this PIE, this framework was customizable to you, or someone you are working with?
What if you could have guides that could be used for thinking, talking, planning, delegating, and teams work?
Plenty of people allow the enormity or complexity to stop them in their tracks. Some have their heels dug in before they even begin and others get bogged down by the thought of it all. The Pie Model™ can help you by slicing the whole pie up into six manageable pieces: Medical, Legal, Financial, Insurance, Housing, and Support.
Let's say that you're sitting down as a person or patient to assess where you are in a situation and to think about what remains to be done in the way of preparation for the future. This is in keeping with my mantra
“We can all have a say in how things will go and where we’ll end up,” so I say good for you!
When you use the pie and its six categories or slices it is more manageable, the one-bite-at-a-time elephant idea. After a while you have finished the slice or you may find that one has largely been digested (pun intended) and you can move on to another. Or you might be tackling or tasting bites of two or three slices at a time. With The Pie Model™ you can easily find your slice and chomp down.
Ah, the feeling of satisfaction that comes after finishing a piece of PIE! Not to mention praise from others who have tasted your pie or the peace of mind for those with whom you have shared PIE. (I call that Piece of Mind).
It was a high honor for me recently when I was contacted by someone who had heard about me and The Pie Model™. They were seeking a framework, a process, a path to help them in their development of their personal and custom plan for healthcare in aging. I was only too happy to explain that her mission, her goals, were the very reason for PIE’s creation. I added that soon some tools would be coming her way to make any personal or professional application a breeze – “PIE in Practice”, or “PiP Guides” as I call them are coming out of the oven soon. For now she could go ahead and get started with the information and in addition to the freebies already available on my website.
That’s when she confided that she also works in senior care, and wanted to use The PIE Model™ to help carry the mission to others. Yes (!), we can make that happen.
Let’s say you are a professional and getting to know a client, say, in an intake situation. Intakes and assessments are where PIE can truly shine, covering the pieces to make sure that presenting issues are captured, along with another important part: what has been completed or done right? (Celebration, a Win, a W! I love to acknowledge a Win any time we have them because that is motivating). A la Mode, if you will.
Perhaps your role lies in care management for a new client and you need to assess. Use the PIE pieces to capture presenting issues or to create goals, with action steps and due dates.
Individuals and clients love PIE too, as this framework lends itself for orderly thought, sparks and supports conversations by topic, and tracks to ensure nothing is missed.
I tell ya, a lot of good can come out of having PIE - by yourself, or sharing PIE with others!
No matter where you are in your process, whether it is thinking, gaining information, supporting decisions, determining Next Steps, delegating, or creating a team, this model meets you where you are and illuminates the pathway. Don’t forget to celebrate, mark your accomplishments (aka “check off the W’s”).
This model can be adopted for a wide range of uses: assessing a situation or becoming more proactive. instead of reacting to issues as they arise, The Pie Model™ gives us a structure to anticipate, assess, and address them proactively.
The idea is simple: don’t just react—anticipate, assess, and act. The PIE Model offers a clear structure for proactive planning. For example, with a newly diagnosed client a care manager might ask:
What’s happening medically?
Are legal documents up to date?
How will care be funded?
What insurance benefits apply?
Is housing still a fit?
Who’s in the client’s corner to help?
Let's just make it all easier, shall we?
How about starting your day, your task, your work with organization made easier and get on with things? How about using a tool, an approach, a format that turns arduous into easy, and orderly? A practical process to make your planning, assessment or execution a matter of “What’s next?” and then walking through. A customized Step by Step to fully encompass what is needed for your desired end game.
Are you a person or patient planning your next steps? Are you a carer, manager who is meeting with and assessing a client? Are you someone who needs an easy way to track matters, especially if you are working with others or with your team? Are you an adult child of an aging parent who is working to create or shore up a plan or situation, and wish to ensure that all is considered and the parent has their say?
I am reminded of the serendipity that PIE can be for Professionals, Individuals, Everybody!
Go ahead, take a bite. Learn more about The PIE Model™ here. Download a freebie (the Peace of Mind Checklist, your first taste of PIE).
Join the Community and be the first to know when new tools and services are ready for the tasting. Get discounts on tools, guides, bundles, and special offers including my 1:1 consulting (Let’s share some PIE!).
Try it, this PIE Model™, try one slice. My hunch is you will be back for more.
We started out this post referencing the elephant. We associated it with all things big and looming. Let us end now with another elephant adage and gain its wisdom:
“Elephants never forget.”
Why? Elephants have impressive memories, to recognize herd members, distinguish dangers, and to remember important locations. Their exceptional and long-lasting memory is crucial for survival and social bonding. We humans can appreciate that.
If given the opportunity I’ll bet elephants might like to try some PIE.
Nancy Ruffner is a patient advocate who provides strategy for aging, solo aging, and healthcare navigation. Nancy consults with clients in a triage fashion, offering one-hour consultations toward a deeper understanding of “how stuff works” in eldercare, or find your path. Schedule your 1-Hour session now, without obligation of commitment or continuing costs. nancyruffner.com.