All Things Seniors: A Podcast For Caregivers

Latest Episodes:

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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: