Episodes
Connie Olstad, a resident of Era Living's Aljoya Thornton Place in Seattle, Washington, joins Suzanne to provide a resident's perspective of what a typical day is like at an Era Living retirement community. Connie's lived there for ten years. "It's not an easy move. I tell people don't wait till you're ready, because you're never ready to do it. It's difficult. I asked my husband what he missed most, what was the hardest part, and we'd moved into a house with no garden, and he'd built a Japanese garden, and so it was hard for him to leave. We lived in our house for nearly 50 years. '"But I ...
Caroline Conklin, a resident of Era Living's Aljoya Thornton Place in Seattle, Washington, joins Suzanne to provide a resident's perspective on living at an Era Living retirement community. It's rare to get the inside scoop from people who actually live in senior living communities. When she and her husband moved in, COVID had just shut down everything. They didn't meet their next door neighbors Marge and Bill for quite a while. Their friendship grew slowly, but as Caroline describes, "we just got along. We had lots of things in common: a sense of humor, and love of music, children. Marge h...
Life coach Laurie Hardie talks about two podcasts that she hosts. One is called "Enough with Coach Laurie," a coaching podcast, with lots of short coaching tips. The other is a new one called "Interrupted: Act 2 Reinventing Your Legacy," which is focused on recreating and reinventing yourself after having a life challenge. Laurie says, "It's been so fun to see people who have had the carpet ripped out from under them, whether it's COVID, divorce, death, and then look at how they made a decision to reinvent, recreate, and maybe their whole life they didn't do the thing that they love, and no...
Life coach Laurie Hardie says of seniors who are lonely, "If you offer them a drink of water, read a chapter of a book, offer them a game of cards, that is so huge to somebody who is shut in, that we can really make a difference. If we open our hearts, and listen to their stories, they can make a difference in our lives. These are simple things that take 15 minutes or less." Suzanne adds, "Knowing that you're an integral part of a community, there's things to volunteer for, there's things to do, whatever you're called to, it's about connection, building relationships." Laurie says, "I ask p...
Life coach Laurie Hardie talks about caregivers. "When they have to do it all themselves, then they do it badly and they do it resentfully, and it's not loving. I was a single mom, and I got people to help me because they had to, and it made me feel terrible, but I accepted the help because I needed it. "Then you have the caregiver who's willing to bring someone in to help, and the ill person says no, you do it or no one. And that puts them in a bind. That's where we lose having an outside life, having another purpose, and we get so wrapped up, and we get sick, and we can't be the caretaker...
Personal success coacg, digital creator, and podcast host Laurie Hardie joins Suzanne as the Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana introduces Occupational & Social Wellness. Laurie Hardie is a genius at making something out of nothing. In her 20 years of coaching, she has learned a lot about what people think of themselves, their smoke screens, desires, roadblocks that get in their way. A noted identity coach, author, speaker, and broadcast personality, Laurie now resides in Everett, Washington. In this segment, Suzanne discusses self-talk, making sure that your communicati...
Elaine Berman, a resident of Era Living's Aljoya Thornton Place in Seattle, Washington, joins Suzanne to provide a resident's perspective of what a typical day is like at an Era Living retirement community. Regarding her thoughts on senior living, Elaine says, "I had a big house in New York, and I said I want to stay here until I'm 100, I don't want to ever move. Don't ever put me in the retirement community. That was my advice to my son. And then when he decided to come out here and I was 84, I said, I think it's time to sell the house and move out. He said, what happened to 100? I said, w...
Cliff Warner is the Thrive Program Director at Era Living. The program was developed about seven years ago. Thrive is a comprehensive wellness program pioneered at Era Living designed to promote healthy aging. It is evidence-informed and based on research about activities that have been shown to produce optimal results for healthy aging. Developed in collaboration with the University of Washington Schools of Nursing and Social Work, it aims to unify focus on the mind, body, and spirit. Read more about the Thrive program. There's more about Era Living at Answers for Elders and at eraliving.c...
Internationally known Alzheimer’s disease and memory care expert David Troxel joins Suzanne. David coauthored The Best Friend's Approach to Dementia Care. David’s professional journey took a personal turn when he became a caregiver and best friend to his mother Dorothy, who passed away from Alzheimer’s in 2009. Through books, presentations, and consulting, David teaches family care partners and professional staff how to understand and fulfill this “Best Friends” role. Courtesy of Era Living. David has also coauthored A Dignified Life: The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care. Get it an...
Lori Hutson joins Suzanne on behalf of Vitality Revolution podcast series gold sponsor Humana, talking about how to come together with your family in a non-confrontational way, a non-judgmental way. Lori, owner of L.J. Hudson Insurance LLC in Washington, talks about the wellness mindset promoted by Humana. They discussed forgiveness extensively in the podcasts How to Forgive, Part 1 and How to Forgive, Part 2. You can contact Lori through her website at L.J. Hudson Insurance LLC. Hear more of Lori's podcasts on Answers for Elders. Learn more about the overall Vitality Revolution podcast ser...
This segment focuses on how we begin curing ourselves from harboring feelings of resentment or betrayal, sometimes for decades. Recognizing that we're holding onto these emotions is important, as is releasing our need to put our expectations onto other people are big things. Anger often comes from unmet expectations that build up and cause frustrations over time. Lori Hutson joins Suzanne on behalf of Vitality Revolution podcast series gold sponsor Humana, talking about physical and emotional wellness. Lori, owner of L.J. Hudson Insurance LLC in Washington, talks about the wellness mindset ...
This segment focuses on is resentment: betrayal, perceived feelings kept sometimes since childhood. Lori Hutson joins Suzanne on behalf of Vitality Revolution podcast series gold sponsor Humana, talking about physical and emotional wellness. Lori, owner of L.J. Hudson Insurance LLC in Washington, talks about the wellness mindset promoted by Humana. Being in an angered state leads to increased stress, muscle tightness, chronic pain, sleep disturbances, emotional eating, digestive issues, increased blood pressure, and cardiovascular issues. Emotionally it can lead to self-isolation. Getting p...
Today the topic is forgiveness: betrayal, perceived feelings kept sometimes since childhood. Learning to open up and talk about it is important, recognizing that you're feeling it and why. Lori Hutson joins Suzanne on behalf of Vitality Revolution podcast series gold sponsor Humana, talking about physical and emotional wellness. Lori, owner of L.J. Hudson Insurance LLC in Washington, talks about the wellness mindset promoted by Humana. As mentioned in this episode, Lori and Suzanne previously discussed forgiveness extensively in the podcasts How to Forgive, Part 1 and How to Forgive, Part 2...
Keeping things in order is critical, so that in an emergency, or if you pass away, your loved ones or executors can find critical documents, particularly to know your wishes for what you want done. Lori Hutson joins Suzanne on behalf of Vitality Revolution podcast series gold sponsor Humana, to talk about this aspect of emotional wellness. This causes so much stress for family if mom is in the hospital, and they need to find power of attorney documents, or passwords to get into her phone if she's passed away. Having an up to date "life book," as Lori calls it, avoids these sorts of hassles....
Having a positive attitude makes a difference to our own healing and physical health. Lori Hutson joins Suzanne on behalf of Vitality Revolution podcast series gold sponsor Humana talking about physical and emotional wellness. Techniques include prayer, meditation, self-awareness, acceptance, self compassion, defining and setting clear goals and expectations, visualizing that you want health and wellness, healing, feeling good, and affirmations. Give ourselves grace. Find the things we have to be grateful for. Look for the diamonds in our lives. We have an opportunity to look for the things...
How do we identify resentments and work toward releasing them? Lori Hutson joins Suzanne on behalf of Vitality Revolution podcast series gold sponsor Humana to talk about physical and emotional wellness. This segment continues from Part 1, in which Suzanne and Lori described resentments they held onto for decades that influenced their lives. Today they talk about how they were able to let go of those grudges and forgive. Just realizing you're holding onto resentments helps — sometimes people don't even realize they're doing it. An outside person asking some questions can bring it out, and r...
These two segments focus on forgiveness, which doesn't right a wrong, but it does disconnect us from being a slave to the experience. The forgiveness is really for ourselves. Lori Hutson joins Suzanne on behalf of Vitality Revolution podcast series gold sponsor Humana, talking about physical and emotional wellness. If you're wondering to stay active and vibrant in the second half of your life, we hope you'll join us through this series. Lori, owner of L.J. Hudson Insurance LLC in Washington, talks about the wellness mindset promoted by Humana. In this segment, Suzanne and Lori describe rese...
Alzheimer's Speaks podcast host Lori La Bey joins Suzanne to talk about her new book ''Betty the Bald Chicken: Lessons in How to Care," which addresses the caregiver's journey, part of the Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana focusing this month on Emotional Wellness. The book was written for kids as a children's book, as a way for parents and grandparents to teach kids how to return empathy and learn how to better connect with people. Do we as a society have empathy for people who don't think the same way we do? How do we learn to forgive and move forward. Lori talks abou...
Have you ever felt frustrated like the character Betty in "Betty the Bald Chicken: Lessons in How to Care?" How do you care for others when you feel down? Alzheimer's Speaks podcast host Lori La Bey joins Suzanne this hour to address the caregiver's journey, as part of the Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana focusing this month on Emotional Wellness. Lori uses a breathing exercise, and on the inhale asks her higher power to provide what she needs in that moment, and on the exhale asks for all of the toxins in her mind, body, and soul to release. She says this re-centers y...
Alzheimer's Speaks podcast host Lori La Bey joins Suzanne to talk about how her book ''Betty the Bald Chicken: Lessons in How to Care" allows us to view the journey of a senior caregiver through the eyes of a struggling chicken. When we talk about emotional wellness, everyone could do better in validating caregivers. It really isn't taught, and we only learn the skill by example. Lori La Bey has partnered with Answers for Elders and joins Suzanne this hour to address the caregiver's journey. Lori's podcast has been recognized by the National Institute for Dementia Education 2020, Oprah as “...
If you're caring for a senior loved one, you might feel alone, with the weight of her care being on your shoulders. A lot of us caring for loved ones get burned out and overwhelmed, laying awake at night worrying if we made the right choices that day. Sometimes we just want instant answers. Alzheimer's Speaks podcast host Lori La Bey has partnered with Answers for Elders and joins Suzanne this hour to address the caregiver's journey, part of the Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana focusing this month on Emotional Wellness. In this segment, Lori joins Suzanne to talk about...
Most doctors don't yet test for regular PET scans to measure tau or amyloid. If you have those biological markers, or are facing cognitive decline, the best way to get examined and treated right now is to take part in a clinical trial. Neurology specialist Dr. Michael Mega joins Suzanne courtesy of Athira Pharma to tell us more. Athira's compound hopes to improve patients in their clinical trial, hopefully offering beginning or middle stages to slow progression and improve their lives. Dr. Mega says, "There's this arc of disease progression going from preclinical, when you have a positive b...
This segment looks at Alzheimer's treatments. Twenty years before you develop symptoms, we're now able to detect biomarkers for the tau and amyloid plaques. Neurology specialist Dr. Michael Mega joins Suzanne courtesy of Athira Pharma to tell us more. Dr. Mega is the Director of the Center for Cognitive Health in Portland, OR. He has published multiple scientific papers, book chapters, and a textbook contributing to the field of cognitive neuroscience. Dr. Mega says, "Very soon, once the FDA standardizes the laboratories that are across the country that will be up and running, measuring the...
Neurology specialist Dr. Michael Mega joins Suzanne courtesy of Athira Pharma to discuss the root causes of Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Mega is the Director of the Center for Cognitive Health in Portland, OR. He has published multiple scientific papers, book chapters, and a textbook contributing to the field of cognitive neuroscience. "And so how do we say disease has changed its definition from probable during life, to now definitive, by measuring the amount of plaque tangles in the living brain of our patients. So getting to those plaques and tangles can be caused by many different paths. On...
Tracy Cromwell, author of Your Personal Journey with Food: A Roadmap for the Confused and Frustrated Dieter, joins Suzanne to talk about physical and emotional wellness. Food is a big part of both, a lot of us are emotional eaters, or don't eat right. Nobody likes to be "should" on. This segment talks about how to get started. If you were to pick one thing, the first that comes to me, what would you want to start with first? And what would be one little thing, that if you did this you'd feel better? This episode is part of Answers for Elders' Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by ...
Tracy Cromwell, author of Your Personal Journey with Food: A Roadmap for the Confused and Frustrated Dieter, joins Suzanne. She works with folks who struggle with maintain health and diet. As an integrative health coach, she looks at all aspects of their life, so it's not just food. Everyone's different, no one diet or strategy works for everyone. All wellness aspects affect our lives, so she creates a customized, personalized, individualized one-on-one plan. This episode is part of Answers for Elders' Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana. Sign up for a free consultation a...
Tracy Cromwell, author of Your Personal Journey with Food: A Roadmap for the Confused and Frustrated Dieter, joins Suzanne to talk more about the connection between emotional and physical wellness. This episode is part of Answers for Elders' Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana. The biggest impact on your personal health is how you see the world: your self-worth and self-confidence can impact your health, because we make decisions based on that lens. Your body is your best teammate, and you need to learn how to "drive" it. Tracy is also an international best-selling co-aut...
This hour, Suzanne is joined by Tracy Cromwell, a nutritionist and fitness expert who works with seniors, to talk about the connection between physical and emotional wellness, part of Answers for Elders' Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana. Tracy is the author of Your Personal Journey with Food: A Roadmap for the Confused and Frustrated Dieter. Tracy shares her health journey. Being told by her doctor in 2006 that she was pre-diabetic and headed towards a future with Type 2 Diabetes, Tracy had to start making better lifestyle choices. A Yo-Yo dieter most of her life, the ...
Mallory Mixdorf, MA, LICSW, the Resident & Family Supportive Programs Director for Era Living, joins Suzanne at their Aljoya Mercer Island senior living community. Mallory is a licensed social worker. Mallory says, “We provide mental health and support services to all of our residents as well as their families, as much as needed. As residents transition into our communities, or even if they've been there for a long time and are facing other life transitions, all of our communities have a licensed mental health professional to help that resident or their families navigate those changes, whi...
Mallory Mixdorf, MA, LICSW, the Resident & Family Supportive Programs Director for Era Living, joins Suzanne at their Aljoya Mercer Island community. Mallory oversees the mental health and wellness side of Era Living. She supports all of the counselors in their role of providing mental health support and resources for their residents. When seniors first realize they might need to make a move, some are really vibrant, excited for the change and ready to let some responsibilities go and enjoy their retirement, that's one end of the spectrum. The other end are those at their capacity and need ...