All Things Seniors: A Podcast For Caregivers

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Latest Episodes:

S2E26: 70 to 100 in a blink - Lifestyle Planning: 5 Key Principles to Aging Well Apr 23, 2021

Did you know that in 2018 the number of people older than 64 surpassed the number of children under five years old? It was the first time in history that this was the case. The timing of this change, though, varied significantly between countries.

In higher-income countries with low fertility rates and longer life expectations, it has been shifting for decades. Take the United States, for example, where the under-fives were already outnumbered by those older than 64 in 1966; in Spain, it was 1970; in South Korea, it was 2000. For many countries, this crossover point is yet to come. In India, for example, it is projected to be 2028 and 2036 in South Africa.

In low-income countries with high fertility rates and a lower life expectancy, this point is still many decades away. For example, in Nigeria, under-fives will outnumber those older than 64 by 2087.

As the number of older adults grows around the world, aging people need seniors advocates. Today we have one such advocate with us who has been doing this awe-inspiring work for decades, Barbara Kirby.

After 15 years of caring for her parents with complex health issues, Barb recognized the gaps and barriers in services for seniors and their families. Thus, she chaired and co-chaired the family council in her dad's care home for over ten years; subsequently, she became a board member of advocates for care reform.

Before her parents passed in 2019, she started SeniorsAdvocate.ca in 2009. Its mandate is to treat older people with respect, provide all options to make informed choices to live as they choose, and ensure they and their caregivers have support when they need it most.

Focusing on planning, navigating, and management, she has published numerous articles and authored multiple books. She is a trainer, public speaker, and change agent.

Topics:

What 'to be an advocate for an older adult' means
What she means by many faces of advocacy
What are the signs of caregiver abuse and how to prevent it
Her concept on lifestyle planning over financial planning
The five basic principles of living well in later life
On continuing to educate yourself
On being prepared to take action
On refraining your thought
On self-aware
What radical collaboration is
On knowing who we are and what our values are
On investing time to learn more about your loved ones
On building a support network
Who can be an advocate
On sharing the responsibility with others
Why working through these support networks is essential to an elder
Her tips for the listeners

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Barbara's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/seniorsadvocate/
Barbara's Website: www.SeniorsAdvocate.ca
Barbara’s Twitter: @SeniorsAdvocate
Barbara's Facebook: www.facebook.com/seniorsadvocate.ca

Barbara's Book: Life Planning, Support & Advocacy for Seniors & their Families: https://store.seniorsadvocate.ca/books/life-planning-support-advocacy-for-seniors-their-families.html

S2E25: Elder Care Made Easier - Lessons for Caregivers Apr 16, 2021

Did you know that nearly 25% of all households are providing care for the elderly? Although you may be willing to help, you may find unexpected challenges in doing it. Matters you never thought about are now your responsibility: healthcare, housing, financial, legal matters, day-to-day issues involving nutrition, and personal safety. With these, you may find yourself worried, overworked, and exhausted. Listeners, being primary caregivers, can relate to this.

Today, we have with us Dr. Marion Somers, a leading Geriatric specialist. Over the past 45 years, she has helped thousands of individuals and their families struggling with these matters.

Topics:

10 Steps of Doctor Marion to Help You Care for an Aging Loved One
On using the personal pronoun I
The importance of listening
Her experience with her father and putting safety first
Improving the lifestyle and simple examples
Making life easier with adaptive equipment
Managing financial issues
Taking care of legal matters
Mobility in disability
Finding the suitable housing
Learning to let go
Her experience on letting go that changed her life

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Dr. Marion's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmarionsomers/
Dr. Marion's Website: http://drmarion.com/
Dr. Marion's Book: Eldercare Made Easier: Doctor Marion's 10 Steps to Help You Care for an Aging Loved One: https://www.amazon.com/Elder-Care-Made-Easier-Marions/dp/1886039801
Mary Sue Wilkinson's Season 1 Episode 9 : https://www.seniorspodcast.com/2020/02/episode-9-the-power-of-music-in-dementia-care/
Tim Ihrig's Season 1 Episode 13: https://www.seniorspodcast.com/2020/02/episode-13-palliative-care-being-alive-vs-living-a-life/

S2E24: Essential Planning for Solo Agers Apr 09, 2021

Did you know that over 50% of people over 60 years old in Asia and Africa live in extended family setups? This number is approximately 40% in Latin America and the Middle East. Meanwhile, in North America though, that's only 7%. In North America, people over 60 living as a couple is close to 50% while those living solo ager or those living by themselves are over 25%.

Living alone brings its own unique sets of challenges and needs. What are these challenges and needs? To talk about these and more about living solo among the elderly, we are happy to have Dr. Sara Zeff Geber with us. She is an expert on this subject and a world-renowned speaker.

Dr. Sara is an author, speaker, and retirement coach. She has a soft spot for solo agers that inspired her to write her book Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers, published in 2018 and was selected as a Best Book on Aging Well by Wall Street Journal. Dr. Sara was named an Influencer in Aging and is also a regular contributor to Forbes.com.

Topics:

What solo aging is and how she got into it
The three-legged stool
How the solo ager needs are different from others
How a solo ager should plan
What to do seeing somebody who is in denial
On expanding social network
On planning for social network security
How a solo ager finds a reliable person
Pros and cons of aging in place
The purpose that solo agers seek
Her tips to the listeners

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Dr. Sara's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarazeffgeber
Dr. Sara's Twitter: @LifeEncore
Dr. Sara's Website: www.LifeEncore.com
Dr. Sara's Email: Sara@LifeEncore.com

Did You Know Segment: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/03/10/older-people-are-more-likely-to-live-alone-in-the-u-s-than-elsewhere-in-the-world/#:~:text=In%20the%20U.S.%2C%2027%25%20of,5%25%20of%20seniors%20live%20alone

S2E23: Becoming a Badass Advocate Apr 02, 2021

Did you know that the population of seniors, ages 65 and older, in Canada will grow approximately 70% over the next 20 years? While the older seniors, ages 75 and older, will grow at an even faster rate of 100% over the next 20 years, which is a steep increase in the number of seniors. With this information at hand, there is a need to improve care and advocacy for seniors in Canada and internationally to get more attention towards the subject.

Fortunately, today we have Erin Galyean, author of the book Badass Advocate to give more inputs on stepping up care and advocacy for seniors. Erin is a pharmaceutical trainer, professional speaker, a published author, and above all, she is an experienced family caregiver.

Erin has cared for and lost two of her loved ones. In 1997, Erin lost her father Mike to Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and in 2018, she lost her sister Meghan to rare lung disease. These heart-breaking life events, combined with her professional caregiving experience, taught her how to advocate for a patient effectively.

Due to her life experiences, Erin's vision in life is to share her knowledge with others — people like us — so that we can learn from her experience and become badass advocates for our loved ones.

In her book, she shares eight strategies for advocating for a patient who is either homebound or hospitalized. This interview will touch-base on some of those.

Topics:

On building a support team
The role of Director of Delight
Other unique roles that they came up with
The role of a Meal Train Organizer
The role of a VP in Communications
On asking 'strong' questions
What she means by being persistent and respectful from the caregivers perspective
On giving pushback and asking for a second opinion
The source of fatigue for caregivers and ways to avoid it
What she means by letters of love
What are the do's and don'ts while writing these letters
Her take on living behind in unexpected gifts
Her two tips to the listeners to make them better caregivers

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Erin's Instagram: #BadAssAdvocate
Erin's Twitter: @BadAssAdvocate
Erin's Website: www.BadAssAdvocate.com
Erin's Facebook: www.facebook.com/BadAssAdvocate
Erin's Email: Erin@BadAssAdvocate.com

Did You Know Segment: https://www.cihi.ca/en/infographic-canadas-seniors-population-outlook-uncharted-territory

S2E22: Top 5 Tips for Caregivers from Season 1 + 1 Bonus Tip Mar 26, 2021

In this episode, Rafiq will share five essential tips he learned from all the episodes in the first season that helped shape caregivers into becoming better caregivers to their loved ones. He will give a bonus tip for caregivers to enhance their knowledge on providing care to the elderly. He will share snippets of the particular episodes where those tips or recommendations came.

Tip 1:

Teepa Snow's Episode 6

Title: Using A Positive Approach To Dementia Care

Link: https://www.seniorspodcast.com/2020/01/episode-6-using-a-positive-approach-to-dementia-care/

Tip 2:

Mary Sue Wilkinson's Episode 9

Title: The Power Of Music In Dementia Care

Link: https://www.seniorspodcast.com/2020/02/episode-9-the-power-of-music-in-dementia-care/

Tip 3:

Judy Cornish's Episode 10

Title: Preserving Dignity In Dementia – the DAWN Method

Link: https://www.seniorspodcast.com/2020/02/episode-10-preserving-dignity-in-dementia-the-dawn-method/

Tip 4:

Debra Hallisey Episode 16

Title: “Caregiving Changes Relationships”

Link: https://www.seniorspodcast.com/2020/07/episode-16/

Tip 5:

Samantha Rodeck Episode 19

Title: Transportation For Seniors & Its Role In Purposeful Aging

Link: https://www.seniorspodcast.com/2020/07/episode-19/

Topics:

What people understand on sharing vulnerability
His take on “Someone who is singing with you or to you is probably not there to hurt you.”
Mood management
On the part of the caregiving journey when our relationship diminishes
On encouraging people to continue walking
Bonus tip that he learned being a family caregiver

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
All Things Senior’s Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4EpFqgau5hrQ3dHc5wCLM7?si=ZscY-NknSrGrE170PfA5LA
All Things Senior’s iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/all-things-seniors-a-podcast-for-caregivers/

S2E21: Guidance for Caregivers - Moving Later In Life and It's Unique Challenges Mar 19, 2021

I have four facts to share with you today: First, did you know that every day in North America, over 10,000 people turn 65? Second, seniors tend to rent as they age. 83% of seniors up to the age of 79 own a home, but when they enter the age category of 80+, the ownership statistics go down to 63%, a 20% drop, people tend to like to rent more when they age over 80. Third, 60% of seniors say that they have more things than they need and a whopping 75% say that the amount of these things that they own makes them reluctant to move. Lastly, a study found that seniors who moved as part of their retirement plan were happier than those who stayed put. And, seniors are most happy when they move to short-distance near their family and friends.

Moving later in life has its unique self-challenges. We are fortunate to have a guest with us today who is an absolute expert on this subject, Lisa Sinnicks. She is the owner and managing director of The Seniors Moving Company.

Lisa has over 25 years of experience in seniors housing. Her profession revolves around the following topics: physical and emotional health, conflict resolution, loneliness, isolation, effects of grief and loss, and many such things.

It is a hefty chat about moving later in life in this episode and its challenges and the things to consider. Join us!

Topics:

What are the common mistakes that people make in moving
Why people think of moving and their considerations
Making the whole process more positive and simpler
How she coaches caregivers to take this at face value and appreciate their feelings
Challenges she sees during moving
When is the good time to start the discussion
Where to start moving
Her tips to the listeners

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Lisa's Instagram: #TheSeniorsMovingCompany
Lisa's Website: www.SeniorsMovingCo.com
Lisa's Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSeniorsMovingCompany
Lisa's Email: Lisa@SeniorsMovingCo.com

Did You Know Segment: https://www.seniorlifestyle.com/resources/blog/infographic-upside-downsizing/

S2E20: No one wants Isolation. 5 Strategies for Connected Aging Mar 12, 2021

Did you know that over 25% or 1 out of 4 Canadians will be over the age of 60 by 2036? Did you know that 80% of retired Canadians have a fixed income with approximately 27,000 dollars for the median income?

With these facts in mind bundled with the sub-standard system for long-term care for seniors and shortage of retirement homes, there is a need for a lot more work for seniors. Caregivers also play an essential role in this as companions of their loved ones in their old-age journey.

Today, we have with us Sue Lantz to discuss this and more. Sue is the founder and managing director of Collaborative Aging, a creative consulting firm supporting individuals, organizations, businesses, and communities to improve and expand the "options" for aging in place.

Sue is a passionate advocate for resourceful and grassroots housing, healthcare, and neighborhood solutions connected to inclusive communities. She is a trusted policy expert and voice for seniors and people with disabilities.

Sue has worked over many years in Canada to generate innovative designs for home care and housing alternatives to institutional living.

She regularly speaks about empowered aging, including housing options, building stronger social connections, and supporting healthy and balanced caregiving.

Topics:

What Collaborative Aging is and what she does
Why she started this work
What she means by boomers need to step up and co-design the solution and contribute
The Five strategies that refer to the perspective of the caregiver
When is the right time to move in housing choices
Different housing options
How to make a change and planning to move
Her thoughts on mixed generation housing
On having a support
About her latest book -- Options Open
Her tips to make the caregiver's life better

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Sue's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-lantz-8b700a5/
Sue's Twitter: Sue_Lantz
Sue’s Instagram: #OptionsOpenGuide
Sue's Website: www.CollaborativeAging.com
Sue's Email: Sue@CollaborativeAging.com

Did You Know Segment: https://www.tvo.org/video/the-future-of-senior-care

S2E19: Green Burials and Funeral Arrangement Insights Mar 05, 2021

Death is inevitable. However, talking about death and dying are uncomfortable or upsetting, much more challenging to talk about someone we dearly love, and all the more if we talk about death while that loved one is still living. Study shows that having conversations about these subjects within families and communities can help the caregivers prepare emotionally and financially. There is so much to prepare for the death of a loved one. Among these are preparing for the funeral, expenses, wills, and others. These preparations sometimes get too much emotionally and mentally for the caregiver to bear. Getting an expert to help out during this grieving time is necessary.

Today, we have invited someone who can guide us to make this whole process less painful, Richard Rosin. Richard has been in the funeral industry for over 36 years, three decades, and more. He shares his knowledge and expertise to plan green burials, cremations, and funeral events. He also shares the importance of discussing pre-planning and presenting educational seminars.

Richard is a wonderful man who gives back to the community through the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra and Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. He also helps fundraise for various not-for-profit organizations.

Topics:

What is the role of a funeral director
Why family needs a funeral director
On having most funerals in the funeral homes than in homes
The start of the funeral industry
On having a conversation about pre-planning
Some challenges and questions that families still have around the funeral time
His advice in making conversations less painful
The process for families of doing funeral by themselves
What green burial is
What he learned from green burial
Going green burial financial-wise
How should families manage the digital assets
How to circumvent these challenges
The STEP Organization
How have the funerals been during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic
His two tips to the listeners to make the whole process less painful

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Richard's Email Address: richard@richardrosin.ca
Richard's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardRosinFuneralDirector/
Richard's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-a-rosin-39b74943/
Richard's Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardRosin8
Richard's Website: https://www.richardrosin.ca/
STEP: https://www.step.org/

S2E18: Hey Caregiver, Don't Worry About Being Judged! Feb 26, 2021

Fact check! Did you know that the elderly are the fastest-growing age group? And did you know that only less than 4% of people over Sixty-Five years old are in nursing homes? In today's world, we get these stats all the time, right! We have the information and the data. However, elderly care and caregiver challenges were little known facts in the 90s, and having the foresight in the 90s of this upcoming silver tsunami is something.

Our guest today, Denise Brown, launched caregiving.com. It is an online community that started way back in 1996, having one of the largest libraries of caregiving stories where caregivers find consolation in their reflections and confidence in the contributors' advice. She also started her education and support programs on The Caregiving Years Training Academy, Caregiving Consultant Training Program, and Healing Our Way.

Topics:

Denise backstory and what prompted her to start home care
On building a support system around you
What The Caring Question Project is
Her suggestion on asking for help
Her experience towards older adults on technology adoption
Why do we need these caring questions
Her take on online support group
Examples of caring questions to ask family caregivers
What stops people from asking these questions
What would she change in the current system
Her tips to the listeners to make their caregiving journey easier
What are courses that people can take to become better caregivers

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Denise's Website: www.CareYearsAcademy.com
Denise's Email: Denise@CareYearsAcademy.com
Denise's Twitter: @DeniseMBrown3
Denise's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denise.brown1

Denise's Latest Project: The Caring Question Project

https://caring.substack.com/

Did You Know Segment: https://agingresources.org/interesting-facts-about-older-adults/

S2E17: Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Support As We Age Feb 19, 2021

Did you know that 40% of caregivers are in high-burden situations? Older caregivers who are above seventy-five years old provide over thirty hours of caregiving work a week. Primary caregivers of people with dementia spend an average of nine hours per day, providing care. It truly is a lot of hours! A lot of tired burned out caregivers indeed. Thus, caregivers need help! They need guidance and a support system around them all the more.

Today, we have with us someone who has been helping families since 2004 and has a tremendous experience in the field of caregiving, Stephanie Erickson. Stephanie, author of Plan for Aging Well, was born and raised in California. She has a Masters Degree in Social Work and a certified Alzheimer's Disease Treatment Specialist with a license in Quebec and California.

Stephanie is passionate about sharing her experience and knowledge. She also encourages others to take control of their health. Add to that she is an advocate on behalf of vulnerable populations.

Topics:

On Stephanie's TEDx talk
Why words are powerful
What team caregiving means
The concept of team caregiving
Things that people can do remotely
What emotional support means
Her thoughts on the medical system in the future
On spreading the message to change life
Her advice on documentation
Her advice to the listeners on elder abuse
On looking at the baseline behaviour with our loved ones
What we should do if we see a sign of an early dementia
What to expect in her book -- Plan for Aging Well

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Stephanie's Website: www.StephanieErickson.ca
Stephanie's Email: stephericksonassistant@gmail.com
Stephanie's Twitter: @FamCareExpert
Stephanie's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stephanie-Erickson-Media-Commentator-Family-Caregiving-Expert-115638081801824
Stephanie's Book: https://amzn.to/2M4gOIq

Did You Know Segment: https://www.caregiver.org/caregiver-statistics-demographics

S2E16: Increasing Family Harmony While Caregiving Feb 12, 2021

Now, let us talk about facts concerning caregiving in society today:

Number 1: Did you know that an estimated 50 million-plus people in North America are caregivers for a family member or a loved one?; Number 2: Approximately 75% of caregivers are women who may be spouses, partners, siblings, children, or neighbours even.; Number 3: About 15% of caregivers care for two or more people, right, so that is an even bigger job.; Number 4: Although men were traditionally not in the role of family caregivers, that trend is changing, for example, about a third of people with cancer are cared for by a man, this group may have to take on tasks which they have never performed before like things like laundry, shopping, cooking, which are a different set of skills needed.; Number 5: 85% of caregivers found the satisfaction of caring for the loved one to outweigh the disadvantages, but 10% found caregiving to be a burden that is a challenge for sure.; Lastly, Number 6: caregivers report higher levels of insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, poor appetite, and even depression, that is higher compared to non-caregiving counterparts.

Challenges of caregiving evolve through time. Some emerging concerns not imminent before are here today, which adds to the many challenges of caregivers. It includes males shifting roles as a caregiver. It can be reduced to a certain extent if there is harmony in the family. Caregiving matters need to be talked about to make meaningful conversations happen. Caregiving is not easy, which is why we have experts on the subject today to guide us and help us make this happen.

Today we have with us Dr. Amy D’Aprix. She is an internationally renowned expert on lifestyle issues related to ageing, caregiving, retirement, and family dynamics. She is a life transition expert, social entrepreneur, coach, speaker, author, and consultant to North American organizations in ageing and financial services.

Topics:

What essential conversations mean and when should it happen
What kind of conversations you should have to better prepare as a family
Caregiving: planned or decided during the crisis
Reasons why there is no essential conversation happening
Obstacles to these conversations
What to consider to determine who should be the primary caregiver
How caregiving tests relationships
Her advice on reaching out to others for support
What facing life transitions with grace means
Who should be involved in these conversations
Tips on caregiving for the listeners to make life easier
Action items for the listeners
Her Caring Cards and Life Memories Journal

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Dr. Amy's Website: www.DrAmy.life
Dr. Amy's Email: Amy@DrAmy.life
Dr. Amy's Twitter: @DrAmyDAprix
Dr. Amy's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dramydaprix
Dr. Amy's Conversation Cards: https://store.dramy.life/collections/frontpage/products/caring-cards

Did You Know Segment: https://www.oncolink.org/support/caregivers/resources/did-you-know-facts-about-caregivers

S2E15: Dementia Tips For Caregivers Feb 05, 2021

Did you know that 60% of people with dementia will wander? Anyone who has memory problems and can walk is at risk for wandering. It is risky for dementia patients because they may not remember their name or address and can become disoriented even in familiar places. It is just one of the many potential risks and challenges a caregiver has to work around while caring for a loved one with dementia.

Today, we have Karen Tyrell, a dementia expert, who has over 25 years of experience on this subject, to share her knowledge about dealing with dementia and the risk of wandering among dementia patients. She will also talk about some tools that will benefit caregivers to provide better care to their loved ones with dementia.

Karen is a dementia consultant, educator, and author. She is the CEO of Personalized Dementia Solutions Inc. Karen shares her expertise through speaking engagements and conducting dementia workshops for both families and frontline staff. She also facilitates weekly online family caregiver support groups working one-on-one with family caregivers to provide emotional support and creative solutions to alleviate everyday challenges associated with dementia.

Topics:

What dementia detective means
What PHATCS is
Why using therapeutic reasoning is beneficial
Examples of therapeutic reasoning and becoming creative
Her work focusing on wandering
Possible reasons why people wander
What to do when a person is wandering and lost
Her advice for caregivers on wellness
The importance of self-care
What we can do to remain healthy
The five regions of the brain and game exercises-
Her tips for caregivers to make life easier
Her action item for the listeners

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Karen's Website: www.DementiaSolutions.ca
Karen's Email: info@DementiaSolutions.ca
Karen's Twitter: @Dementia__Help
Karen's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenTyrell
Karen's Book: https://amzn.to/3t6nWVo

Did You Know Segment: https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/stages-behaviors/wandering

S2E14: Navigating Dementia Through Grief and Guilt Jan 29, 2021

Did you know that women have a higher risk of dementia? Nearly twice as many women have Alzheimer's disease as men. Alzheimer's disease also worsens more quickly in women.

Also, did you know that heart disease can raise the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease? Other conditions that cause heart disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and deficient diet are all links to a higher risk of getting Alzheimer's disease.

Whatever the gender or the cause, once dementia (Alzheimer's disease) happen, it forces families to change their lifestyles. Dementia is always a very stressful and worrying time.

Today, we have with us someone who live this life, walk this path, learn from her experiences, and now she has made her life mission to help others with dementia families who are going through this journey, Vicki Tapia.

When Vicki's parents were both diagnosed with dementia within a few months of each other, she became their caregiver. Out of that experience came her first book "Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia." What began as a journal to help her cope with the many challenges her family face, morphed into a roadmap for others.

Her work shares encouragement, insight, and lessons learned along the way. It is named one of the "Best Alzheimer's Books Of All Time" by Book Authority. Vicki's memoir brings hope to those whose lives had been intimately affected by dementia, letting them know that they are not alone.

She's also a founder and a director of the non-profit AlzAuthors, an evergrowing global community of over 250 authors united to light the way for others with the vision to lift the silence and stigma surrounding Alzheimer's and other dementias through sharing of personal stories.

Topics:

Her life when her parents both diagnosed with dementia and becoming a family caregiver
What "Graduate of the dementia caregiver school of hard knocks" means
Her tips to the listeners on redirecting the conversation
Situation with her mom on redirecting the conversation
On protecting the love ones valuable
Her advice to caregivers on having dark moments
Her fear for her future on having dementia
Things she did to make sure it doesn't happen to her
On convincing the love ones to go for an evaluation
Her approach to making her mom move into her own home
Her tips with the listener to make their life easier as dementia caregivers

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Vicki's Website: www.AlzAuthors.com
Vicki's Email: VickiTapia@gmail.com
Vicki's Twitter: @vicleetap @AlzAuthors
Vicki's Facebook: www.facebook.com/SomeBodyStoleMyIron
Vicki’s Book: Some Body Stole My Iron

Did You Know Segment:

https://www.healthline.com/health/alzheimers-facts

S2E13: Shifting Dementia Care from Crisis to Comfort Jan 22, 2021

Did you know that there are over 10 million new cases of dementia every year? That is one new case of dementia every three seconds or so. By the time you will be finished listening to this episode, that will be close to a thousand new cases of dementia worldwide. That is scary! It is not a country-specific challenge but a worldwide phenomenon.

It is a fact that there is no cure for dementia. However, some great minds are playing their part to make a dementia caregiver's journey relatively tolerable. One such advocate is Lori La Bey.

Lori is a change agent from Minnesota known around the world when it comes to dementia care. Recognized by Oprah, Maria Shriver, Dr. Oz, AARP Minnesota, and the National Institute of Dementia Education who all recognized her cutting-edge approach to shifting global dementia care from crisis to comfort.

Her mother has lived with dementia for 30 years. Lori left the long successful career as a residential realtor and launched Alzheimer's Speaks, advocacy in a multimedia company that gives voice to all, including those living with dementia.

Her mission is to educate, raise awareness, shift perceptions, and to share resources with families and professionals regarding all forms of dementia and caregiving.

She is also the co-founder of Dementia Map, a global dementia resource directory.

Topics:

On dementia is a global problem that needs to be address
What made her became the new Alzheimer's expert
Her transition from realtor to an Alzheimer's expert
On people with dementia that are in denial
What "Shifting dementia care from crisis to comfort" means
Why she created Your Memory Chip
How listeners can apply the journal tools in her website
On accepting dementia from a different point of view
On asking ourselves what lessons in the pain that we go through
What "Are we going to be the next to forget or to be forgotten" means
What Betty the bald chicken is and how it relates to us

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Lori's Website: www.AlzheimersSpeaks.com
Lori's Email: Lori@AlzheimersSpeaks.com
Lori's Twitter: @alzspks
Lori's Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlzheimersSpeaks
Lori's YouTube: www.YouTube.com/user/AlzheimersSpeaks

Free Educational Training Videos:

Dementia Chats Webinar: “https://www.alzheimersspeaks.com/dementia-chats-webinar”

Did You Know Segment:

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia

S2E12: Tips for Caregivers - Pets, Assistive Technology, & Conversations Jan 15, 2021

Did you know that according to the 2019 University of Michigan National poll on Healthy Aging, 55% of participants age between 50 and 80 own at least one pet and majority of these older adults felt aging was easier, both physically and mentally, because of their pets? Approximately 80% participants said pets reduce their stress. Also, over 25% of pet owners reported that their pet's needs take priority over their own health needs.

These stats and more prove that pets play a very important role in the lives of older adults. So what are the impacts of losing a pet for older adults? How does it affect the purpose and activities in their lives? How can we as caregivers help and communicate with our loved ones during that tough time?

To discuss this and many other topics about our communication with our loved ones, let's have an expert on the subject of caregiver relationships, Debra Hallisey. Debra's most important role these last five years is being her mother's caregiver. She lost her job due to caregiving issues and as a result she founded Advocate for Mom and Dad.

Her mission is to support and educate family caregivers primarily in 3 ways;

Number 1, through her blog www.advocateformomanddad.com which is filled with information to help answer the questions where do I start? what do I do next? kind of things.

Number 2, in her book, Your Caregiver Relationship Contract she explains how to say yes to help and how to create a support network for yourself and your loved one.

And number 3, Debra also consults with family caregivers helping them to navigate the minefield of new family dynamics.

Topics:

On her nomination for Caregiving Visionary Awards 2020
What she means by “growing old is not for the faint of heart and it needs careful planning”
What she means by elder orphan
On older loved ones that are reluctant to share sensitive information
Why relationship is really important
Her thoughts on bringing professional consultant or a caregiving company
How to convince our loved ones to use technology
Figuring out what self-care looks like for a caregiver
On finding new and different ways to keep us going in terms of self-care
Her tips to caregivers to make their lives easier

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Debra's Website: www.advocateformomanddad.com
Debra's Email: hallisdl@gmail.com
Debra’s Twitter: @advocatemomdad
Debra’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/advocateformomdad

Debra’s Book: “Your Caregiver Relationship Contract: How to navigate the minefield of new roles and expectations” - www.shorturl.at/hBIU4

Did You Know Segment:

https://people.com/pets/poll-pets-make-aging-better-senior-citizens/

S2E11: Creative Care, for the Elderly with Dementia Jan 08, 2021

Did you know that worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year? Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older adults worldwide. Not only it impacts the life of a person affected by dementia it can be overwhelming for the families especially their caregivers.

Physical, emotional, and financial pressures can cause great stress and support is required from health, social, financial, and legal systems from governments and organisations. One such organisation is TimeSlips which provides support to caregivers and families of people suffering with cognitive challenges like dementia.

Today, we are very fortunate that we have Dr. Anne Basting, founder of TimeSlips. Dr. Anne is a leader in transforming aging and elder care. Also, she is the recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant.

Dr. Anne is the founder of the non-profit TimeSlips which implements her innovative approach to memory care. She is the author of three previous academic books and the new book "Creative Care: A Revolutionary Approach to Dementia and Elder Care."

She is also the Founding Director of UWM's Center on Age and Community. She was also featured in the PBS documentary The Penelope Project in 2011.

Topics:

What she means by creative care
On creating positive experiences
Structure of adopting her new approach
On building memory and creating new connections
Storytelling in present moments
How she came up with this approach
How her approach is helping the community
How our relationships are emotional
How her work is helping her family as well
Her tips to the listeners and what they need to do to make their caregiver journey easier
How human being connects through storytelling
How she came up with TimeSlips
Free resources that people can use from their website
Her action item to the listeners to bring the meaningful change in their caregiver role

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Dr. Basting’s Website: www.TimeSlips.org
Dr. Basting’s Email: Anne@TimeSlips.org
Dr. Basting’s Twitter: @TimeSlipsCreate
Creative Care: A Revolutionary Approach to Dementia and Elder Care: https://amzn.to/3j2TVj2

Did you know segment:

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia

S2E10: Dementia Care and Social Isolation - Tips and Tricks Jan 01, 2021

Did you know that for most people a routine is pleasant and useful to keep us grounded during the stressful time?

For those with dementia, routines are key components of staying healthy. Typically, people with dementia have trouble forming new memories and learning new information. For them, routine and repetition are critical to function. While they can learn new things, it is very difficult and takes much longer.

A good routine includes consistent sleep and wake times, hygiene, meal times and key activities. The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted much of these. Disrupting the routines of those with dementia creates a lot of stress for someone who cannot track information. This may lead to an increase in confusion and memory issues. The good news is that this is most often temporary and can stabilize once people get back to the routine.

To discuss these and many other Alzheimer's and dementia related matters, let's start our chat with Teepa Snow. Teepa is an occupational therapist with 40 plus years of clinical and academic experience. She presents with extraordinary expertise and humor to audiences, large and small, throughout the world.

Her company Positive Approach to Care was founded in 2006 and provides online and in person education and products.

Topics:

How pandemic affects the Alzheimer's community
Why social isolation is devastating
How the PPE affects the approach to people with dementia
On creating new routines in using PPE
On learning the tone of your voice
On using online resources
What she means by helping through spiritual connection
What challenges she see during lockdown
On using technology
The challenge of hearing loss
How we can identify people with hearing loss and give some support
What she mean by Assist to sit

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Teepa’s Website: www.teepasnow.com
Email address: pollyl@teepasnow.com
Twitter: @teepasnow
Instagram: teepasnows_pac
Facebook: www.facebook.com/teepasnow.dementiaexpert
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/teepasnow

Did you know segment:

https://www.lifespan.org/lifespan-living/caring-someone-dementia-during-coronavirus-pandemic

S2E9: Aging In Place: Home Modifications - Causes and Effects Dec 25, 2020

Did you know that according to a 2020 Aging in Place report, 86% of baby boomer homeowners in Canada's key metro areas want to live in their current home for as long as possible? Thirty six percent of those are likely to move. So, why do people feel that they will be compelled to move?

Almost half of the survey participants referred the reason to be their mobility or their ageing needs—things like elevators are now required. Also, a large portion used safety as their reason for moving. Place of living has huge impact on the quality of life.

Let's have our today's chat with an occupational therapist whose mission is to help people age in place, Marnie Courage. Marnie is the owner of Enabling Access Inc., an occupation therapy company which she established 15 years ago, with an executive certificate in home modification from the University of Southern California.

She sets on the Canadian Home Builders, Home Modification Council, and The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapist Home Modification Task Force.

Marnie stablished Aging in Place Manitoba to support people living with disabilities and those wanting to age in place. She is a dynamic public speaker and educator presenting in her field Canada-wide.

Topics:

What aging in place is
What are the types of modification
On changes in the mobility dynamics of the family
What age-friendly communities are
On her role as an occupational therapist
The modification she usually sees people doing
On people who are afraid of making changes
On how to make the house more visitable
How she helps people change those attitudinal barriers
On rephrasing the sentence of limitation in a conversation
What she sees in terms of accepting technology
On people who are resistant technology
Her tips to listeners on how to start modification
The aging in place they have in her company

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Marnie’s Website: www.EnablingAccess.ca & www.AgingInPlaceMB.ca
Marnie’s Email: Marnie@EnablingAccess.ca
Marnie’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marnie-courage-439844b/
Marnie’s Twitter: www.twitter.com/enablingaccess
Marnie’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/enablingaccessinc/
Marnie’s Facebook: www.Facebook.com/enablingaccess/

Did you know segment:

https://sothebysrealty.ca/insightblog/2020/03/04/2020-generational-real-estate-trends-report-aging-in-place/

S2E8: Healthcare At Home Dec 18, 2020

Did you know that baby boomers represent nearly 20% of the American and close to 30% of the Canadian population? By 2030, all baby boomers will be older than 65. Most people want to age in place (i.e. they want or they love to continue living in their homes).

But for many older adults, the decision of ageing in place comes with it's own challenges like transportation needs, limited socialization opportunities, meal preparation help, or medication reminders. There are many needs that still need to be served. To understand how to circumvent these challenges, we have today with us Merrily Orsini.

Merrily is considered a thought leader in the in-home care industry and is evolving numerous organisations providing insight and advice. She is a leader in the Help Choose Home Initiative where she is a podcast creator and host. She focuses on educating how and when to choose health care at home.

Merrily won a lifetime achievement award in business at the 2017 Stevie Awards for Women in Business and she also guards the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1996.

She was recently Chair of the Private Duty Homecare Association of America and has served on the boards of The National Association for Home Care and Hospice and The National Association of Geriatric Care Managers now Aging Life Care Professional.

Topics:

Why aging in place is important
Her tips when considering a home care partner
How COVID-19 changed the perspective of families about home care
The challenges the dementia family face from an ageing place perspective
The myths and misconceptions in the home care industry
On educating the community that home care makes the age in place experience better
Why she started her podcast
Her tips to family caregivers on how to lower the hospital readmission
How to help people in addressing one of the difficult conversations about end of life care or palliative care
Her advice to caregivers on how to become a better version of themselves
Her action item to the listeners

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Merrily’s Website: www.HelpChooseHome.com
Merrily’s Email: Merrily.Orsini@corecubed.com
Merrily’s Twitter: @MerrilyO
Merrily’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Helpchoosehome

S2E7: Memory Cafes, and How They Assist Dementia Families Dec 11, 2020

Did you know that barring a medical breakthrough, the number of people aged 65+ with dementia may nearly triple by 2050? It means there will be more need for dementia care.

On the other hand, according to a 2020 survey of primary care physicians, nearly half of those physicians say that the medical profession is not prepared to meet this increased demand. Bottomline is, there is a huge gap between the need for dementia care and what our current medical system is offering.

To fill this need, various community-led initiative are emerging across the globe. One such initiative is Memory Cafe Directory, and we have with us today Dave Wiederrich. Dave is the owner and operator of MemoryCafeDirectory.com, a global directory of all memory cafes.

Memory Cafes are dementia-friendly outings for people living with any cause of dementia or other cognitive impairments along with their care partners.

Topics:

What memory cafe is and how it works
How he came up with the idea of creating a directory for the memory cafes
On finding memory cafe at one centralized place
How the consistency and accuracy of the data works
How memory cafes play a big role for the caregivers
What memory care was intended and purposely designed for
How people in memory cafes share their interpersonal challenges
Feedback from the people who visit the memory cafe
How to attend the memory cafe
What they do in the memory cafe and what their activities are
His action item to the listeners
The resources of memory cafe that he continues to add

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Dave’s Website: www.MemoryCafeDirectory.com
Dave’s Email: Info@MemoryCafeDirectory.com
Dave’s Instagram: @MemoryCafeDirectory
Dave’s Twitter: @MemoryCafes

Did You Know Segment:

https://www.alz.org/news/2020/primary-care-physicians-on-the-front-lines-of-diag

S2E6: Helping Parents When They Refuse Help Dec 04, 2020

Did you know that there are over 6.5 million Canadians over the age of 65? Our older adults and loved ones have some unique needs and evolving challenges. They need advocacy, they need a voice, they need a change in elder care system. A change in the mindset that enables and empowers our seniors in our communities.

Let's have an insightful chat with someone who has been in the elder care industry for over 30 years now--Joy Loverde. Joy has a reputation for being a path carver and a visionary when it comes to active ageing.

Knowing that planning is a key factor in creating a quality of life, Joy wrote "The Complete Eldercare Planner.” Six editions later, this trusted resource remains a bestseller in its category. The American Medical Association says it's the best book we have seen.

Her latest book, "Who Will Take Care of Me When I'm Old?" is also making headlines. This book is an exceptionally worthwhile read says The American Society on Ageing.

Joy's work has taken her to every quarter of the world where she has personally interacted with thousands of family members as well as the professionals in the field of ageing.

Joy is frequently in the news. You may have seen her on the Today Show or read about her in the Wall Street Journal. In this episode, Joy is looking forward to sharing her strategies for the second time on the show.

Topics:

Her thoughts on what the caregivers go through as they take this new role
How to help when the patient refuses help
What's the secret sauce to successful caregiving
When a caregiver should start their training
How the relationship changes between the family caregiver and the loved one and how to cope with it
Example of parenting your parent
On bringing some other influencer
How caregivers can go forward and ask for help
Her self-respect tips to the caregivers
How she approaches a person with dementia
What her thoughts are on guilt in caregiving
On Rafiq's spiritual of souls and connection

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Joy’s Website: www.ElderIndustry.com
Joy’s Email: JLoverde@ElderIndustry.com
Joy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyloverde/
Joy’s Twitter: @JoyLoverde

Did You Know Segment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXBAg5i-0PM&list=PL-KJWta_eCkKxktRPXu9LwpVx4_HFLkUT&index=12

S2E5: Who Will Take Care Of Me, When I Am Old Nov 27, 2020

Did you know that a baby boomer is a person who was born between 1946 and 1964? This group represents nearly 20% of American and 30% of the Canadian population. By 2030, all baby boomers will be older than 65 and many won't have a family caregiver to help them take care of themselves.

Question is, who will take care of them when they are old? Yes, there are government programs that provide healthcare and other support but there has to be a change in the mindset that enables and empowers older adults in our communities.

How about we discuss this subject and have a heart-to-heart chat with someone who has over 30 years of experience in elder care industry? Joy Loverde has a reputation for being a path carver and a visionary when it comes to active ageing.

Her latest book, "Who Will Take Care of Me When I'm Old?" is also making headlines. This book is an exceptionally worthwhile read says The American Society on Ageing.

Joy is frequently in the news. You may have seen her on the Today Show or read about her in the Wall Street Journal. In this episode, Joy is looking forward to sharing her strategies as you journey toward the future and what's next for you.

Topics:

Why she’s doing what she’s doing
What inspires her to do her work
The 2 challenges she sees older adults find themselves in when in an unplanned situation
How the caregiver industry is losing workers
What she will change in our society
On people who are resisting technology
On multigenerational families
What intergenerational is
On creating that family dynamics around the world
How to overcome the fear of making new connection
Her thoughts on LGBTQ elders and where they can go
Her tips to the listeners who are still struggling in communicating in another language
On having resources that are available
On protecting older adults in the future
Difference between patient advocate and people's advocate
On her book "Who Will Take Care of Me When I'm Old?"

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Joy’s Website: www.ElderIndustry.com
Joy’s Email: JLoverde@ElderIndustry.com
Joy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyloverde/
Joy’s Twitter: @JoyLoverde

Did You Know Segment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXBAg5i-0PM&list=PL-KJWta_eCkKxktRPXu9LwpVx4_HFLkUT&index=12

S2E4: The Energetic Caregiving - Sustaining Energy To Give Care Nov 20, 2020

Did you know that there are currently over 75 million unpaid caregivers in North America? Mostly, family caregivers of individuals who want to be able to care for themselves. Being a caregiver is arguably the hardest job in the world. What's the secret to being an excellent caregiver? Self-care—put your oxygen mask on first, show up for your self—so that you can show up for others.

In this episode, we discussed caregiving with Dawn Renee. She is the founder of Traveling Caregivers, a grassroots faith-based organization that operates in a holistic way. Dawn is a pioneer of holistic caregiving, integrating herbal medicine, Ayurveda, and energy work, along with emotional guidance.

Dawn has been a live-in caregiver and health coach for almost 15 years and knows that caregiving for others can easily take you away from yourself. She is passionate about helping other caregivers with their journey.

Topics:

What got her into caregiving
On her first experience as a caregiver
What made her stop doing a thing that made her happy
Her morning routine
How Traveling Caregivers came about
What holistic caregiving means
What plant-based healing is
Her advice to listeners from a plant-based healing perspective
Her tips on how to become a better caregiver

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Dawn’s Website: www.TravelingCaregivers.com
Dawn’s Email: Dawn@TravelingCaregivers.com
Dawn’s Instagram: @TravelingCaregivers
Dawn’s Twitter: @TravelingCare
Dawn’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TravelingCaregivers

S2E3: Abuse, Social Isolation and Belonging Nov 13, 2020

Did you know that there are over 6.5 million Canadians over the age of 65? Almost 11 thousand of those are over the age of a hundred. Our older loved ones and community members have some unique needs and evolving challenges. They need advocacy and they need a voice.

In this episode, we have two such experts representing their organisations whose work over the years have proven pivotal and has helped older adults not only in Canada but around the world.

First, let me introduce Gregor Sneddon. Gregor is the executive director of Help Age Canada. He's passionate about social justice and working with the under privileged and marginalised. His many years working with older people inspires him to help them find a voice. Since 1975, Help Age Canada has been working for older persons and helping them overcome poverty, claim their right, challenge discrimination, and lead a dignified, secure, and healthy life.

Help Age Canada is a founding member of Help Age International and is part of a global network of organisations operating in 85 countries. Help Age Canada’s mission is to work in partnership with others to improve and maintain the quality of life of vulnerable older persons and their communities in Canada and around the world.

My second guest is Laura Tamblyn Watts. She is the president and CEO of CanAge. Laura is a lawyer, advocate researcher, and media commentator. Her work focuses on law, ageing abuse, accessibility law reform, governance, and knowledge mobilisation. She has served as Chief Public Policy Officer at the Canadian Association of Retired Person for the past two years and national director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law. She currently teaches at the University of Toronto where she is also a fellow of the Institute for Life Course and Aging.

CanAge is an independent non-profit advocacy organisation which educates, empowers, and mobilises people on the issues that matter most to older Canadians.

Topics:

What CanAge is and what they do
What Help Age Canada is and their work
Laura's thoughts on COVID-19
The infection control in affecting COVID-19
What Laura will fix in the system
How Gregor's organisation is helping older adults in this time of isolation
The isolation and loneliness in Canada
The effects of loneliness in people
Why isolation and loneliness is also a pandemic
Laura's thoughts on the financial aspects of home care
Different kinds of legislation to make the change
On the bigger questions like the value of life
How to help older adults who go are going through hearing loss
What Gregor sees in people reporting elder abuse
Gregor's tips to caregivers who want to become better version of themselves
Laura's tips to the listeners

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Laura's Website: https://www.canage.ca/

Laura's Email: laura@canage.ca

Laura’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-tamblyn-watts-a8ab61/

Laura’s Twitter: @ltamblynwatts

Gregor's Website: www.HelpAgeCanada.ca

Gregor's Email: gsneddon@helpagecanada.ca

Gregor's Instagram: @HelpAgeCanada

Gregor's Twitter: @HelpAgeCA

Gregor's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helpagecanada

Did You Know Segment:

www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000501

S2E2: Hard Of Hearing Community, and Their Caregivers Nov 06, 2020

Did you know that over 400 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss? By 2050, that number would be over 900 million people! Hearing loss may result from genetic causes, infectious diseases, exposure to excessive noise, and ageing among other reasons. Whatever the cause are, hearing loss has functional, social, emotional, and economic impacts on an individual. From the frustration of the inability to communicate to feeling isolated, the hard of hearing community lives a challenging life to say the least.

There are many organizations and individuals who work tirelessly to ease some of these challenges. One such tireless advocate is with us today, Alle Rhames. Alle has been advocating on behalf of the hard of hearing community for over a decade now. She has a Masters in Counselling Psychology and focused on seniors and the Alzheimer's community. She helps people find balance between health and living. She believes in experiencing life no matter what avenue it takes us.

Topics:

How Alle started
What Meniere's disease is
Why isolation promotes depression
On losing the sense of communication and connection
The challenges the hard of hearing community faces
How it affects their safety
How it affects their employment opportunities
What her work and organization does and its impact on people’s lives
What captioned telephone is and how it has changed people’s lives
Support group she has created
How a caregiver can help their family members or patients who are going through hearing loss
Her tips to listeners on how to protect their hearing
Her action item to the listeners

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Alle's Website: https://www.oeius.org/profile/allerhames
Alle's Email: Alle.Rhames@oeius.org
Alle’s Instagram: @AlleWeldy
Alle’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watch/captel

Did You Know Segment:

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss

S2E1: How this show has changed my life - Host, Rafiq Punjani Oct 30, 2020

Welcome to season 2 of our show! I am feeling so humbled. When we started season 1, we didn't know we’ll call it season 1 because we didn't know there will be season 2.

We were not sure how our listeners will take the concept, how they will listen to it, and how they will engage with it.

But the way we have been getting some of the most loving messages, it's heart warming when you see that your work has been able to help others. And not only here in Canada as the show has been listened to in over 35 countries!

Topics:

Why he started the podcast
What he learned from the guests on the show
How the podcast has helped him personally
What to expect in season 2 and the upcoming episodes

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Episode 24: Season Finale, Highlights of Season 1 Apr 24, 2020

Did you know that our podcast is now listened to in 30 countries? When we started the “All Things Seniors” podcast, I never imagined that our efforts of creating the show will be accepted so positively around the world and that we will be given so much love and support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Topics:

Rafiq's backstory and how he came to where he is today
How the “All Things Seniors” podcast came about
How the podcast made him a better caregiver
Things he learned from the guests on his show
What's next for the podcast

Links:

Rafiq's Email: rafiq@seniorspodcast.com
All Things Seniors’ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors/

Episode 23: COVID19 - It's impact on Financial and Psycho-Social Health, for Seniors and Caregivers Apr 17, 2020

Did you know that although coronavirus (COVID-19) is primarily a health challenge, its impacts on financial markets is very significant as well? On one hand, global death toll has gone over 100,000 people and on the other hand financial markets have gone down by over 30 percent. To address the elephant in the room, I decided to invite a health and financial expert over.

In this episode, we’ll talk about the deep impact the pandemic has on people's retirement savings and cash flows. To help us figure things out, we have Doug Buss with us today. Doug has over 33 years of experience and is considered a veteran in the financial industry. Doug works with over 1,200 families and has been on the podcast before.

To cover topics related to elderly care and the role of caregivers, we have Taz Lakhani with us today. She is the director of care for Right At Home - Greater Winnipeg Area. She has been in the industry for over 15 years now. Taz works with various community organisations and lots of families who are dealing with dementia or various other elderly challenges. She's working at the grassroots level.

Topics:

How coronavirus affects older adults especially on the health side of things
What to do to prevent the spread of the virus
Difference between social distancing and social isolation
On utilising technologies
The impact of the pandemic on older adults from a financial perspective
Taz's thoughts on what caregivers should be doing at times like these
What Taz sees in the community right now
How Doug helps some of the families he’s working with in terms of retirement savings loss
What Taz sees while working in the community of people with dementia
Taz's advice to caregivers to make this journey easier for them in times like these
Doug's tips to caregivers in terms of finances
Their advice on what caregivers should do

Links:

Zoom: https://zoom.us

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com

Taz's Company Website: https://www.rightathomecanada.com/winnipeg

Taz's Office Contact: 2043185554

Doug's Company Website: https://www.yourstylefinancial.ca/

Doug's Office Contact: 2042276395

Doug Buss' Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/episode-2-how-much-do-i-need-for-my-retirement/id1490462770?i=1000459492474

Teepa Snow's Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/episode-6-using-a-positive-approach-to-dementia-care/id1490462770?i=1000460272808

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Doug's Company Website: www.yourstylefinancial.ca/

Doug's Book: www.yourstylefinancial.ca/bookpurchase

Doug's Facebook: www.facebook.com/yourstylefinancial/

Doug's Twitter: https://twitter.com/dougbuss

Doug's Email: doug@yourstylefinancial.ca

Office number: 204.474.2929

Tazz's Website: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

Taz's Email: Taz@RAHWinnipeg.ca

Taz’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RightAtHomeWinnipeg

Did You Know Segment:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Episode 22: Entrepreneurship as Retirement Career Apr 10, 2020

Did you know that a 50 plus year old startup founder is almost 3 times more likely to have a successful business compared to a 25-year-old startup founder? I would have thought that due to positive stats like that there would have been more and more support to grant fundings available to this older entrepreneur group but no, we don't see that.

However, there are great people in our society who see the need for that kind of support for older entrepreneurs and they take action.

One such awesome person is with us here today, Wendy Mayhew. Wendy is an author, educator, and entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience. Her most recent businesses are "WISE - Seniors in Business" and "WISE 50 over 50 Awards.” WISE - Seniors in Business was formed to change how older entrepreneurs are perceived and to guide older entrepreneurs in deciding if entrepreneurship is for them.

Wendy has quickly became Canada's leading expert on older entrepreneurship. She has an extensive research in understanding the challenges. She is a sought after speaker and workshop facilitator of many business organisations. Now, she's starting to realise the importance of serving this newest group of entrepreneurs.

Topics:

Why she created the WISE 50 over 50 Awards
Who decides who is going to receive the award
The biggest challenge of older entrepreneurs
What she sees people use as an alternate option
On finding different avenues of financing
How people approach entrepreneurship if their family is not supporting them
What the role of the local Chamber of Commerce is
Her thoughts on seeing some people venture into different things
Her advice to people when preparing for a change
On her book
Her advice to people who are retired and wants to venture into entrepreneurship

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Wendy's Website: www.Wise-SeniorsInBusiness.com

Wendy's Email: Wendy@LaunchItRight.com

Wendy’s Twitter: Wendy_Mayhew

Wendy’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wiseseniorsinbusiness/

Wendy’s book: WISER: The Definitive Guide to Starting a Business after the Age of 50

Did You Know Segment:

https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/a-study-of-27-million-startups-found-ideal-age-to-start-a-business-and-its-much-older-than-you-think.html

Episode 21: Family Caregivers, Need Help Apr 03, 2020

Did you know that nearly half of the Canadian population has cared for an ageing, ill, or disabled family member or friend at some point in time? This is according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.

Despite little or no training, family caregivers are expected to provide care at home while trying to navigate our complicated healthcare system. On top of that, they also serve as substitute decision-makers.

As a society, we need to do more to support informal caregivers. The question is, how? Do we have a silver bullet? No. There is no definitive answer or approach as yet. Therefore a lot of research is being done to identify ways and methods we can use to support family caregivers.

In this episode, we have a prolific and renowned national researcher, Michelle Lobchuk. Michelle is a registered nurse and an associate professor at the College of Nursing, University of Manitoba.

Her research, spanning over almost two decades, has focused on communications support for professional and family caregivers. Michelle has held Canadian cancer society research scientist award and recently, a research Manitoba chair in caregiver communications.

Topics:

What caregivers’ iceberg means
Actions that help improve caregiving
On building confidence in caregivers
What high-risk family caregiver means
Two red flags
Tools developed in Canada
The red flag questions
Myths about caregiving
Current percentage of male and female caregivers
Methods taught to students
The course they offer
Who they offer the course to
Responsibilities of healthcare providers
Importance of open-ended questions
Her message and tips to family caregivers
The action item she gave
On her warning factor

Quotes:

“We have to remember, especially with our ageing population, that more and more families are serving in the role as our care partners.”

“So I think environments, in terms of our systems, is a huge barrier in terms of how we can practice holistic care.”

“The world seems to say, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ I think it takes a village to help and support family care.”

“In a moment of calmness and in the moment where the pressure is not very high, remind yourself that you have to ask for help when you feel like your health is not doing well.”

“I wanna give you permission to love yourself and to pay attention to the needs that you have always addressed perhaps your whole life.”

“Keep a list of things that people can do for you.”

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Michelle's Email: Michelle.Lobchuk@umanitoba.ca

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Michelle's Email: Michelle.Lobchuk@uManitoba.ca

Federal Caregiver Readiness Video:

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/seniors/forum/caregiver-readiness-video.html

Caregiver Self Assessment:

https://tevacaregivers.com/files/13960_Teva-CG-QC-Self-Assess-EN_FA.pdf

Episode 20: Directly Funded Home Care Mar 27, 2020

Did you know that a lot of home care in Canada is free? It is part of our healthcare system and a benefit for Canadians. If you knew this, you are part of a very small percentage of people. Congratulations!

Home and community care services, as it is formerly called, help people to receive care at home rather than in a hospital or long-term care facility and to live as independently as possible in the community.

Home care services may include nursing, personal care such as bathing and dressing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social work, dietitian services, homemaking, and respite services. That is a lot of offering!

As good as our healthcare system is, it is a maze. It is a huge system. At times, it becomes overwhelming. And even on good days, it has its challenges. There are very few people in Canada who understand the healthcare system really well due to their work, their research, and their community.

We are very fortunate to have one such person with us here today, Dr. Christine Kelly. Dr. Kelly is part of community health services and she is a research affiliate with the Centre on Aging at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Kelly is nationally and internationally recognised for her expertise on the subject of direct funded home care in Canada.

Topics:

What disability activism is
How she got involved with direct funded home care
On people’s understanding of the word, care
The differences between traditional and direct funded home care models
The history of direct funded home care
What makes direct funded home care different from others
The benefits and drawbacks of direct funded home care
Discoveries and observations from their research
True stories about the relationships between family self-managers and workers
The program’s supporters
Why the program has not been promoted as a mainstream in Canada
What niche program means
The current obstacles and concerns of the program
How the program works in terms of races and genders
Her professional tips when choosing a home care worker
The action item she gave
On her book, The Aging-Disability Nexus

Quotes:

“Having that match is what makes the workers very happy and what makes the family very happy.”

“It’s not for everybody but it is a good option.”

“If you decide to get into this path, make sure it is for you.”

“You determine what kind of experience you are looking for.”

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Christine's Website: www.ChristineKelly.ca

Christine's Email: Christine.Kelly@umanitoba.ca

Christine’s book: Mobilizing Metaphor: Art, Culture, and Disability Activism in Canada

Did You Know Segment:

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/home-continuing-care/home-community-care.html

Episode 19: Transportation For Seniors & Its Role In Purposeful Aging Mar 20, 2020

Did you know that driving is the primary mode of transportation for a large majority of Canadian adults including seniors ages 65 to 74? Almost 70% reported driving their own vehicles as their primary means of transportation. Thirty percent of seniors 85 years old and older also relied on driving as their main mode of transportation.

More than one in five seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia drove in the previous months and 17% reported driving as their main form of transportation. Continuing to drive even with mild visual or cognitive limitations does not always increase risk but driving with significant impairment is the problem.

The challenge is to ensure seniors who should no longer drive have access to affordable and appropriate alternatives to meet their transportation needs. Transportation is important for their independence, social engagement, and their overall health. However, driving has to be safe not just for them but for everyone else as well. Surely, this is a complex matter.

To help put things in perspective, we have with us Samantha Rodeck. Samantha is a community development consultant working with TONS (Transportation Options Network for Seniors). For the past several years, her work focused on community capacity building within the nonprofit sector, working specifically with community groups supporting older people.

Samantha educates, supports, and inspires individuals to live a positive fulfilling life and continues to work to give way to individuals who are often not heard.

Topics:

On people who are no longer able to drive
Transportation options available
The role community resource coordinators play
Role medical professionals have to ensure drivers stay safe on the road
Age an older adult should stop driving
Her thoughts on self-driving cars
Her tips to make the whole process easier
Her thoughts on technology companies providing another mode of transportation for people

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Samantha's Website: www.TonsMB.org

Samantha's Email: info@TonsMB.org

Samantha’s Twitter: @options_network

Did You Know Segment: https://www.ctvnews.ca/features/more-seniors-dying-on-canadian-roads-than-any-other-group-1.3821118

https://www.conferenceboard.ca/temp/51db4b64-3857-45f8-ac99-c9265cd1ab59/8293_ManagingMobility_BR.pdf

Discussion Topics References During Episode:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/features/made-in-canada-solutions-to-seniors-dying-on-the-roads-1.3822357

https://www.wired.com/story/stop-saying-driverless-cars-will-help-old-people/

Episode 18: Medication, Diabetes and Personal Pharmacist Mar 13, 2020

Did you know that 76% of seniors living at home and 97% of those living in healthcare institutions are taking some form of medication? Two-thirds of Canadians over 65 also have one or more different prescriptions and a quarter of them have ten or more.

Pharmacists are integral members of the healthcare team and they play a significant role in seniors' care. They are readily accessible to offer advice and information about medications, monitor their use, and work with physicians and other healthcare providers to manage and improve drug therapy and enhance the patients’ quality of life.

Today we have with us a seasoned pharmacist, Jason Hoeppner. Jason graduated from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Pharmacy in 2001. He worked for 10 years at St. Boniface Hospital Pharmacy department before starting his own pharmacy, The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in 2012.

Jason also completed his advanced cardiology pharmacy practice program at the University of Toronto in 2008. He is also a certified diabetes educator.

Topics:

His role within the healthcare team as a pharmacist
How he communicates with other healthcare professionals
The database he is using
The ideal pharmacy to hire as a personal pharmacist
On people who use natural medications/supplements
On cannabis-based medications
How to get cannabis-based medications
Best time to get vaccines before travelling
Kind of care available that’s part of the free healthcare system
On getting blood work done
On testing strips
Responsibility of patients when they visit a doctor
Tips/advice for listeners in terms of their approach to medication and drugs management for their loved ones
What polypharmacy means
The role of a pharmacists/family caregivers in initiating the conversation of reducing medications
Step people need to do that will benefit them and their loved ones

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Jason's Website: www.MedicineShoppeWinnipeg.ca

Jason's Email: ms0331@store.medicineshoppe.ca

Jason’s Instagram: @medshoppeosbrne

Jason’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/MedicineShoppeOsborne/

Did You Know Segment: https://hospitalnews.com/the-role-of-the-pharmacist-in-senior-care/

Episode 17: Medical Cannabis 101 - Myths and Uses Mar 06, 2020

Did you know that according to Stats Canada, people aged 65 and older are Canada's fastest growing group of cannabis users? Additionally, there are 10 times more seniors using cannabis today than in 2012.

Despite this increase there still remains a large population of older adults that grew up in an era where pot, weed, marijuana or whatever it was called was not legal and hence, there are questions or misconceptions. So we thought that cannabis 101 discussion especially from the perspective of older adults should be done.

Today, we invited Dr. Arash Taghvai on the show. Dr. Arash is an international medical graduate who works at Apollo Cannabis Clinic in Toronto, Canada. His duty is to support patients who are looking to improve their quality of life with medical cannabis.

Apollo Cannabis Clinic prescribes medical cannabis for patients suffering from conditions such as chronic pain, sleep issues, and PDSD. They also educate patients about this method of alternative medicine.

Topics:

Different terminologies of cannabis
Difference between THC and CBD
The myths about cannabis
How to approach cannabis medication for those who have not used it before
Process when prescribing cannabis-based medications to patients
The advantages of using medical cannabis
The best ways to consume cannabis
The high impact of cannabis on many common diseases
On cannabis-based medications

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Arash's Website: www.ApolloCannabis.ca

Arash's Email: Arash@ApolloResearch.ca

Arash’s Instagram: ApolloCannabisClinic

Did You Know Segment: https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/seniors-are-canada-s-fastest-growing-group-of-cannabis-users-statcan-1.4665383

Episode 16: “Caregiving Changes Relationships” Feb 28, 2020

Did you know that there are over 6 million family caregivers in Canada? Over 50% of family caregivers are themselves over the age of 45. That means most of them are managing careers as well as kids along with being a caregiver.

Many family caregivers don’t have formal caregiving training so I really applaud people and organisations who help educate caregivers. One such educator is with us today and her name is Debra Hallisey.

Currently, Debra’s most important role is being her mother's caregiver for the past 5 years. She took on that role after seeing her father go through congestive heart failure.

Losing her job due to caregiving issues prompted Debra to create "Advocate for Mom & Dad.” Her mission is to educate family caregivers and provide answers to basic caregiving questions like where to start, what to do next, etc. She also uses her blog, book, and work to help other caregivers like her.

Topics:

How caregivers can change relationships
How she created new ways of engaging with her mom as a daughter
On empowering her mom
One thing she will tell family caregivers not to do
What they can do to make their lives as family caregivers easier
How caregiving can change relationships
Why saying no is something every caregiver should learn
How to approach financial challenges when playing the role of a caregiver
Her advice to caregivers who are not good in budgeting

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com

Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg

All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Debra's Website: www.advocateformomanddad.com

Debra's Email: hallisdl@gmail.com

Debra’s Twitter: @advocatemomdad

Debra’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/advocateformomdad

Debra’s Book: “Your Caregiver Relationship Contract: How to navigate the minefield of new roles and expectations”

Did You Know Segment: https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/community-resources/statistics-in-family-caregiving/

Episode 15: “Parkinsons: Living Your Best” Feb 21, 2020

Did you know that Parkinson's disease is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease? To date, an estimated 7 to 10 million people worldwide have Parkinson's disease. The prevalence of the disease ranges from 41 people per hundred thousand in the fourth decade of life. More than 100, 000 people afflicted with the disease are 80 years old and above.

Men are 1.5 times more likely to have Parkinson's than women. The disease affects the patient's quality of life. For starters, it can make social interactions difficult and might also affect their financial condition. However, a few people come out stronger despite the challenges brought about by the condition and help others achieve the same feat. One such amazing human being is with us today, Tim Hague Sr.

Tim is a retired nurse of 25 plus years. Nowadays, he devotes his time to professional speaking and writing. Tim is the founder of U-Turn Parkinson's. He is also the author of the bestselling book "Perseverance: The Seven Skills You Need to Survive, Thrive, and Accomplish More Than You Ever Imagined." He has spoken for TEDx and he’s sought-after across North America for his motivational and inspiring topics like "Live Your Best" and "The Power of Perseverance."

Even after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s at just 46 years old, Tim and his son still won the 1st season of the reality television series “The Amazing Race Canada.” Tim is also considered an outspoken and effective advocate for people living with Parkinson's around the world.

Topics:

What Parkinson's disease is
How he got into The Amazing Race Canada
How U-Turn Parkinson’s came about
How to live one’s best life even with Parkinson's
What the word perseverance means for him
How his family has been supporting him
A story that helps improve one’s quality of life
The form of exercise that has helped him
The biggest social challenge people with Parkinson's disease face

Links:

Host’s Email Address: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Tim's Website: www.timsr.ca
Tim's Email Address: tim@timsr.ca
Tim’s Twitter: @timhaguesr
U-Turn Parkinson’s: www.uturnparkinsons.org
Parkinson's Canada: www.parkinson.ca

Tim’s Book: Perseverance: The Seven Skills You Need to Survive, Thrive, and Accomplish More Than You Ever Imagined By Tim Hague Sr.

Did You Know Segment: https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/parkinsons-disease-statistics/

Episode 14: “Purpose vs. Paycheck, in Retirement Years” Feb 14, 2020

According to a 2018 Stats-Canada report, over 30% of people aged 60 and above are working or are looking for work. The report also indicated that over 50% are working or looking for work out of necessity. Freedom 55 is becoming less and less of a reality as more people are now working past their 50s and 60s.

To help us understand some of the reasons why many older adults choose to continue working even past retirement age, we have Chris Farrell. Chris is a senior economics contributor at Marketplace, an American radio program that focuses on economy, business, and the events that influence them.

Chris is also an economics commentator for the Minnesota Public Radio as well as host of the series “Conversations on the Creative Economy.” He also writes for PBS Next Avenue and The Star Tribune. Chris has been in the industry for over 25 years and he definitely knows what he’s doing.

Topics:

Why people no longer prefer conventional retirement
How his book came about
Why people are not happy in their jobs
How people should prepare themselves so they're better equipped to work in their retirement years
Trends he sees more people are doing in their retirement years
How he sees ageism and age discrimination
Why some people who are 60 are still considering starting a business
On having a support system in their entrepreneurial journey
Acknowledging the labour shortage at a policy level
What young people should do to become better entrepreneurs in their older years

Quote:

"Don't invest a lot of money, invest a lot of time.”

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors

Chris’s Articles on PBS Next Avenue: www.nextavenue.org/writer/chris-farrell/
Chris’s Articles on Star Tribune: www.startribune.com/chris-farrell/16828336/
Chris on MPR News: https://www.mprnews.org/people/chris-farrell
Chris’s Website: www.ChrisFarrell.net
Chris’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-farrell-596ab76/
Chris’s Twitter: @CFarrellEcon
Chris’s Email: CFarrell@mpr.org
Chris’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chris-Farrell-272463121638/
Chris’s Book: Purpose and a Paycheck: Finding Meaning, Money, and Happiness in the Second Half of Life

Did You Know Segment: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-222-x/71-222-x2018003-eng.htm

Episode 13: “Palliative Care - Being Alive vs. Living A Life” Feb 07, 2020

Did you know that over 75% of Canadians want to die at home? A new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information also revealed that people who access palliative home care services in their last year of life are 2.5 times more likely to be able to do so. Yet, another report tells us that each year, an estimated 40 million people around the world are in need of palliative care and only 14% actually receive it.

In this episode, we have Dr. Tim Ihrig. He is the Chief Medical Officer at Crossroads Hospice and Palliative Care. He is also the founder and CEO of Ihrig MD & Associates. Dr. Ihrig has been recognised internationally for combining clinical and administrative experience to improve health care coordination and care delivery systems for the most vulnerable individuals.

Dr. Ihrig's featured TED Talk “What We Can Do to Die Well" has been viewed more than 1 million times globally. He also co-authored "Palliative Care and Symptom Management.”

Topics:

What palliative care means
What he meant by hierarchy of needs
On giving people a choice to make life decisions
The value healthcare systems currently offer
The difference between “being alive” and “living a life”
What palliative care in the healthcare system looks like
Why people are not being referred to palliative care
When is the right time to get palliative care
The rights of the family caregiver from a legal standpoint
On his book "Palliative Care and Symptom Management”

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Tim’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/timothy_ihrig_what_we_can_do_to_die_well?language=en
Tim’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ihrigmd/
Tim’s Twitter: @ihrigmd
Tim’s Email: Tim@ihrigmd.com
Tim’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ihrigMD/
Tim’s Book Contribution: The Art Of Healthcare Innovation by Christina Warner, Essayist Tim Ihrig

Did You Know Segment: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/palliative-care

Episode 12: Fall Prevention In Senior Years - Exercise Now Jan 31, 2020

Did you know that according to aging.com, every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall? More than 300, 000 people are hospitalised each year from broken hips and 95% of these fractures are the result of a fall.

The average cost of treating a fall is $30,000. There are many factors that contribute to falls including impaired vision, poor lighting, slippery floors, uneven surfaces, etc. but research shows that physical strength and posture are among the leading causes.

Today we have Eric Daw, a personal trainer who works with seniors to help them become more active and help them improve their functional movement. He also works with seniors either individually or in group settings at various locations including Michael Garron Hospital, The Badminton and Racquet Club, Revera Senior Living, and many more.

Eric is a functional movement specialist as well as an older adult specialist.

Topics:

His approach to working with seniors who are concerned about falling
How he motivates people in their 40s or 50s to be more active
His suggestion to people who can only spend a limited time in the gym
Different types of exercises that can help one become active in the later years of their lives
Tips on how to motivate older people to be more active
How he measures weight loss goals
When is it considered too late to start exercising
His thoughts on age-centric classes versus multi-generational classes
One tip he would give to people in their 30s to 60s who want to avoid falls
The one thing he learned from working with seniors

Quote:

“We’re always a perfect age to do anything.”

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Eric's Email: info@omni-fitt.com
Eric’s Website: www.Omni-Fitt.com
Eric’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeMakeLifeEasier
Eric’s Instagram: OmniFitt - https://www.instagram.com/omnifitt/?hl=en

Did You Know Segment: https://www.aging.com/falls-fact-sheet/

Episode 11: Aging and Memory Loss Jan 24, 2020

Did you know that according to a stats Canada report from 2016, as of 2011, there are 340, 000 Canadians who are living with dementia? Close to 50% of the time, the primary or informal caregiver for these people with dementia was a spouse. It affects their marriage, their family, the finances, and their lives in general.

We are so pleased that today we have with us Angela Gentile. She is a social worker working in the clinical side of things. She has 25 years of experience under her belt. Angela has also written various books as well as various other pieces on multiple platforms. She also manages and co-administers Facebook groups.

Topics:

On writing a book about somebody with dementia from the perspective of the spouse
What she found out while working with women who are caring for their husbands
Some of the symptoms of dementia
How to look after people with dementia
Caregiver risks
How family and society as a whole should take care of the caregivers
How early diagnosis can help in the long run
What people/society should be doing more/differently

Quotes:

"We have to really go with where the person is at."
"Trying to minimize the arguing is the key I believe."
"There's lots of different layers that can happen to caregivers. Lots of different layers of feelings."

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home: www.RightAtHomeCanada.com/Winnipeg
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Angela’s Website: www.AngelaGGentile.com
Blog Articles - https://angelaggentile.com/blog/
Dementia Caregiver Solutions App - https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/id969874075
Facebook Group (Dementia Caregiver Solution Support Group) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/DCSSupportGroup/
Angela’s LinkedIn: www.Linkedin.com/in/AngelaGGentile/
Angela’s Twitter: @AngelaGGentile
Angela’s Instagram: AngelaGGentile
Angela’s Email: CareToAge@Gmail.com

Angela’s Books

Did You Know Segment: Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in Canada

Episode 10: Preserving Dignity In Dementia - the DAWN Method Jan 17, 2020

Did you know that family caregivers of people with dementia are often called the invisible second patient? The effects of being a family caregiver though sometimes are positive, are generally negative with high risk of emotional burden, social isolation, physical ill-health, and a lot of financial hardships.

Thankfully, there are callers, professionals, and educators around the world that are working hard to bring new approaches of care.

Today we have Judy Cornish, an elder law attorney, author, and founder of the Dementia and Alzheimer's Wellbeing Network (DAWN). She is best known for creating the DAWN method, dementia care that supports the skills not lost to dementia.

Topics:

What she meant by preserving dignity in dementia
The DAWN approach
The 7 skills and how it applies to the relationship between caregiver and the person receiving the care
Her suggestions to caregivers
What is strength base care
Judy’s books

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Judy’s TEDx Talk Link: https://www.ted.com/talks/judy_cornish_the_dawn_of_dementia_care
Judy’s Website: https://thedawnmethod.com/
Judy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judycornish/
Judy’s Twitter: @theDAWNmethod
Judy’s Instagram: thedawnmethod
Judy’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theDAWNmethod/
Judy’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8UbxgQFYpSvJtaYmAF8wOw
Judy’s Email: Judy@theDAWNmethod.com

Judy’s Books:

Did You Know Segment: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181916/

Episode 9: The Power Of Music In Dementia Care Jan 10, 2020

Did you know that there are close to 10 million cases of dementia worldwide? That is one case of dementia every 3 seconds. Suffice it to say, it’s no longer just a challenge specific to a country but it has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Today we have Mary Sue Wilkinson, an educator and a professional musician. She is the author of “Songs You Know By Heart: A Simple Guide For Using Music In Dementia Care.” Mary Sue is also a public speaker and trainer. She leads hundreds of music sessions each year for seniors and has recorded two sing-along CDs.

Topics

How her journey started towards dementia care
How music helps dementia patients
Five reasons why she thinks music is a tool in dementia care
How family caregivers can figure out what kind of music their parents enjoyed when they were young
How someone working at assisted living facilities or retirement homes can incorporate music
Her works and CDs

Quote:

“Someone who is singing with you or to you is probably not there to hurt you.”

Links:

Host’s Email Address: rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home
All Things Senior’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllThingsSeniors
Mary Sue’s Website: www.SingingHeartToHeart.com
Mary Sue’s Email Address: MarySue@SingingHeartToHeart.com
Mary Sue’s Twitter: @YoungatHeartMus
Mary Sue’s Instagram: singing_heart_to_heart
Mary Sue’s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Mhx0bIjD03YXHsAcwUt-A/featured
Mary Sue’s CD1: Songs You Know By Heart: https://singinghearttoheart.com/songs-you-know-by-heart-cd
Mary Sue’s CD2: Sing Along With Mary Sue: Folk Song Favorites For Young And Old - https://singinghearttoheart.com/sing-along-with-mary-sue-folk-song-favorites-for-young-and-old
Mary Sue’s Book: Songs You Know By Heart: A Simple Guide For Using Music In Dementia Care - https://singinghearttoheart.com/songs-you-know-by-heart-a-simple-guide-for-using-music-in-dementia-care--2
Research Link: https://musicandmemory.org/music-brain-resources/current-research/
Did You Know Segment: https://www.alz.co.uk/research/statistics

Episode 8: Ageism Jan 03, 2020

According to a few research done by AARP, 64% of older adults in the United States have seen or experienced age-based discrimination. Unfortunately, it’s no longer a problem that’s prevalent in the United States alone. In fact, ageism is now regarded as the most wildly experienced form of discrimination in Europe.

Ageism also exists in social platforms like Facebook groups. In addition, the median age of employees at Apple, Google, and Facebook are 33, 31, and 26 respectively.

Today's guest is Ashton Applewhite. Ashton is the author of the book “This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism.” Ashton is an internationally recognised expert on ageism. She has spoken on the topic at various venues including the TED main stage and the United Nations.

Ashton has also written for Harper's, The Guardian, and The New York Times. Ashton is also the voice of "Yo, Is This Ageist?" Ashton is considered the leading spokesperson for the emerging movement against discrimination on the basis of age.

Topics:

What ageism is
Why ageism was reported as the top form of discrimination most people encounter
Why age is a real number
Negative messages about asking for help
Why she started "Yo, Is This Ageist?"
On her TED Talk
Seeing ageism’s effect in different parts of the world
Her take on the issue of climate change
When she started becoming an activist for ageism

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link - Right at Home
All Things Senior’s Facebook
Ashton’s Website: www.thischairrocks.com
Ashton’s TED Talk: https://bit.ly/38OWPDQ
Ashton’s Twitter: @thischairrocks
Ashton’s Instagram: thischairrocks
Ashton’s Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ThisChairRocks
Ashton’s Book: https://amzn.to/35B9zfq
Ashton’s Blog: https://thischairrocks.com/blog/
Ask her a Question: https://yoisthisageist.com/
Did You Know Segment: https://brandongaille.com/44-shocking-ageism-statistics/
Age Discrimination Canadian Information: http://www.agediscrimination.info/international-age-discrimination/canada

Episode 7: Entrepreneurship After 65, a.k.a. “Senior Entrepreneurs” Dec 27, 2019

Did you know that 61% of baby boomers would want to work after their formal retirement? This finding is also evident in the Babson College report as it revealed that 51% of small businesses are owned by people over the age of 50.

Today's guest is Paul Tasner. Paul is the CEO of PulpWorks, Inc., a company that designs and manufactures biodegradable packaging for consumer goods. Paul is also the co-founder of Sort Inc. Paul has a unique thing about entrepreneurship and he highly encourages everyone to watch his TED Talk on how he became an entrepreneur at age 66.

Topics:

How his journey as an entrepreneur started
Things to take into account when launching a business
What he would have done differently as an older entrepreneur
What people can learn from his experience in terms of finding capital
His response to people who ask why he’s still working instead of relaxing
His advice to older people who would like to start a business

Quote:

"If you really want to live a long rich life, do something entrepreneurial."

Links

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link Right at Home: www.rightathomecanada.com
Paul’s TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_tasner_how_i_became_an_entrepreneur_at_66?language=en
Paul’s Website: http://www.pulpworksinc.com/
Paul’s LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultasner/
Did You Know segment: https://www.businessinsider.com/seniors-realize-their-small-business-dreams-2019-8
Email Address: paultasner@gmail.com

Bonus Holidays Travel Episode: Practical Travel Tips For Seniors Dec 23, 2019

A new study conducted by the Transportation Research Board on the issues impacting seniors indicated that these so-called “ignored and invisible” population has a lot to worry about from a travel standpoint. Four of the biggest challenges faced by seniors are wayfinding, fatigue, technology, and amenities. In short, travel can be stressful for them.

Carla McDonald will discuss how to plan better and reduce the travel stress for seniors. Carla has 4 decades of experience with airlines. She has worked at the frontlines of airports checking in passengers, departing hundreds of flights, and boarding thousands of passengers in her career. She retired in 2017 but decided to continue servicing people who experience challenges that airlines are not able to address.

Carla started her own companion travel company business called The Travelling Guardian. The Travelling Guardian helps relieve the stress and worries of travelling alone with their travel chaperone service. Carla offers travelling companions for children, elderly individuals, mobility impaired individuals, as well as a nanny air service for parents.

Topics:

The biggest senior-related travel issue
Things that can help in planning your travel better
- Medical clearance
- Travel insurance
- Carry-on bag size and dimension
Difference between personal items and carry-on
Incorrect names can disrupt your travel
Questions most asked by seniors
About Travelling Guardian

Quote:

"The airlines aren't going to say NO to you. They just want to make sure that your parent is fit to travel."

Links:

Host’s email: Rafiq@SeniorsPodcast.com
Sponsor’s Link Right at Home: www.rightathomecanada.com
Carla’s Website: www.TheTravellingGuardian.com
Email address: TheTravellingGuardian@Gmail.com
Instagram: TheTravellingGuardian
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheTravellingGuardian
Did You Know Segment:
- https://bit.ly/35OI9Tl
- https://bit.ly/374NDtz

Episode 6: Using A Positive Approach To Dementia Care Dec 20, 2019

Over half a million Canadians are currently living with dementia. Unfortunately, at least 10% of Canadians with dementia are being cared for in hospitals even though it’s not the ideal location for them. Dementia is not just a Canadian challenge, it's also a global issue and a complex one as well. It affects families financially, emotionally, and culturally. In short, it affects their overall lives in general.

Fortunately, there are some great people around the world who are spearheading movements to empower families affected by dementia. With us today is the world's most renowned speaker and educator on the subject of dementia, Teepa Snow.

Teepa is an occupational therapist with 40 years of clinical and academic experience. She presents with extraordinary expertise and humor to audiences large and small throughout the world.

Topics:

What Teepa meant by positive approach
When people have shortcomings
How dementia can differ depending on the patient’s personality
On getting connected before care
One of our biggest mistakes people commit
Why it’s hard for family caregivers
The importance of getting good and credible information early and throughout the diagnosis and progression of the condition
Some symptoms of dementia that needs to get a diagnosis
Gaps in the ability of family and professional caregivers to provide quality care for people with dementia

Quotes:

"There's almost always a solo person who thinks they know the person better, who believes they are the better caregiver."

"What I thought was gonna be the case may not turn out to be how it works."

"We start off as a human being first and foremost."

Links:

Teepa’s Website
Email address: pollyl@teepasnow.com
Twitter: @teepasnow
Instagram: teepasnows_pac
Facebook: www.facebook.com/teepasnow.dementiaexpert
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/teepasnow
Host Mentioned: https://www.aging2.com/
The AD8 - Dementia Checklist
Did You Know Segment: https://alzheimer.ca/en/Home/About-dementia/What-is-dementia/Dementia-numbers
Consulting - consulting@teepasnow.com
Products - https://teepasnow.com/product-category/all-products/
Coupon code - ALLTHINGS19

Episode 5: “Co-Housing”, an alternate option for Retirement Living Dec 13, 2019

Cohousing originated in Denmark in the 1960s. Today some 50,000 people in Denmark are cohousing. In Canada, we have less than 20 cohousing projects and they are mainly in BC.

There are however over 150 such projects in the US (and maybe more now). Building communities and avoiding loneliness is something we all need to address as a society and cohousing definitely helps.

Today, our guest is Grace Kim. Grace is an architect with over 20 years of experience under her belt. She is also an internationally recognised expert in cohousing. Grade had a great TED Talk where she talked about how cohousing can make people happier (and live longer).

Topics:

What cohousing is
What makes cohousing different from a traditional condominium or single family home development
The benefits of cohousing
How some people approach cohousing
The biggest reason people don't prefer it
How cohousing helps people to live more happily
What we can do to share the message about choosing
How seniors can be supported in cohousing
What the mode of communication will be
The pros and cons of cohousing
What she does on her spare time

Quotes:

"Having a strong social connections and strong relationships are the most important things that would help longevity of life."

"Cohousing helps us to remember the humanity in all of us and to really be connected with each other in a more meaningful way."

Links:

Grace’s TED Talk
Grace’s Website
Grace’s LinkedIn
Grace’s Facebook
Contact Grace: info@schemataworkshop.com
How to find CoHousing options for you: http://cohousing.org/ and https://cohousing.ca/
Did You Know Segment

Episode 4: Quality Aging, Anywhere Dec 13, 2019

Did you know that in Canada the average cost of living, whether it’s assisted or going to retirement homes with dementia suites can go up to 1.5k-6k dollars a month and the country has recorded a great increase of seniors in the last years.

Today we have Tony Weeks, the president and CEO of York Care Centre and also part of the Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging in New Brunswick. He also previously operated his own health consulting firm, served as a hospital CEO, and worked in senior provincial health and long-term care executive roles in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

Given that New Brunswick has the highest percentage of seniors, serving seniors and researching in better ageing solutions is very close to his heart. In this episode, he shares his thoughts on the retirement living facilities and his endeavour to help seniors improve their quality of life.

Topics:

Tony’s thoughts on the cost of living and the facilities of retirement living
His take on what we could do to do better in Canada
The 2 or 3 different types of facility life
The advocacy that needs to happen to empower people in their own homes
What and where to look for information for family caregivers to make the right decisions and to have the right perspective in mind
How to make the experience of moving to a retirement living or assisted living as best as possible
His thoughts on how as a society we can tap on the experiences of older adults and try to bring the purpose back to their life
The role technology plays in their activities and how to engage older adults in technology
Tony’s background and his organisations or institutions
The kind of collaborators and work they are looking for

Links:

Right at Home
Tony's Twitter
Tony's LinkedIn
Tony's Email: tweeks@yorkcarecenter.ca
Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging
York Care Centre
York Care Centre's Facebook
Age Well Canada

Episode 3: Aging In Place: Growing Older, Staying At Home Dec 13, 2019

As of July 2019, there are more than 10,000 Canadians over the age of 100 and over 80% of those centenarians are women. Also, 16% to 17% of the people who are over the age of 65 today that is part of the population by 2031 will become 23%. Another 6% to 7% of Canadians will enter age 65 and above and by 2039, there will be another 4 million people.

We have Margot McWhirter with us today to talk about her insights on aging populations. Margot is a registered occupational therapist and has over 25 years of experience in the industry. She is also the founder of Inclusive Aging.

Topics:

How she sees the aging population in Canada
Reflecting on what aging means to us
What occupational therapist means and what they do
What successful aging in place means
How end-of-life planning doesn't need to be a difficult, painful, or awkward conversation
How an occupational therapist can help people to stay in place
How people usually pay for modifications in accessibility, safety, and quality of life
What Inclusive Aging is and what they do

Quote:

"Success is person-based, so what success is to you might be different than what success looks like to another individual."

Links:

Profiles:

Margot's Website
Margot's Email: info@inclusiveaging.com
Twitter: @InclusiveAging
Instagram: inclusiveagingca

Episode 2: How Much Do I Need For My Retirement Dec 13, 2019

A Canadian Income survey conducted in 2017 revealed there’s close to quarter of a million seniors living in poverty in Canada and most of them are women. A 2016 data also indicated that 2/3 of the people in Canada who are over the age of 85 are women. To help us understand how seniors are living in poverty and how the age and gender thing works, we have Doug Buss with us today.

Doug is a financial planner and has more than 30 years of experience in the financial service industry. He has encountered countless different client situations (both business and personal) and has used his knowledge and experience to provide unique solutions. Doug is also the author of the book "Life Balance: The Secrets to Managing Your Personal Journey."

In this episode, he shared his thoughts from the financial planning perspective and provided recommendations in terms of financial planning.

Topics:

What financial planning is
When should people do financial planning
How to be budget-conscious
The 4 areas to focus on when working with a financial planner
What people should expect from their financial planners
What financial literacy means
Long-term care insurance
What he sees in housing options
His advice to listeners on what they should do today so they can change the direction of their financial planning
What he does on his free time
On his book “Life Balance: The Secrets to Managing Your Personal Journey”
How people can connect with him

Quote:

"The more you ask, the more you learn.”

Links:

Right at Home
Doug's Company Website
Doug's Book
Doug's Facebook
Doug's Twitter
Doug's Email: doug@yourstylefinancial.ca
Office number: 2044742929

Episode 1: Downsizing and Pros/Cons of Condominiums Dec 13, 2019

Imagine leaving a house you’ve lived in for many decades and moving to a smaller and unfamiliar new home. For many people, moving to a new place can be very stressful. For seniors, even more so. Fortunately, today’s guest has a vast experience guiding seniors as they move to a new place and he candidly shared many valuable tips and insights.

Jeff Brown started his successful real estate career in 2005. He has worked every aspect of the industry and has represented buyers, sellers, investors, and even banks. Jeff also has an SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) designation. For many years now, he has used his expertise and knowledge to help and guide homebuyers over the age of 50 navigate major financial and lifestyle transitions more easily.

If you’re a senior who’s considering moving to a new place or someone helping your senior parents downsize and get settled in a new place, consider today’s episode a must-listen. Jeff not only shared plenty of tips that can help make the move easy, he also shared tips on how to make the transition less stressful, so don’t forget to tune in!

Key Takeaways

How the real estate market has changed over the last 30 years
What SRES means
The difference between a seniors real estate specialist and the typical real estate agent
The amazing benefits of working with a senior real estate specialist
One of the biggest concerns he deals with
The pros and cons of moving to a smaller house versus moving to a condominium
Things to look for when moving to a condominium
The ideal thing to do prior to buying a condo
What people often miss when they move to a smaller place
Tips on how to find good service providers
How an occupational therapist can help make a home safer and more accessible
Two tips he’d give to listeners who are helping their senior parents downsize
What he does on his free time
How people can connect with him

Links:

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