Answers For Elders Radio Network

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

2 Creative Aging for Seniors: SilverKite’s Intergenerational Programs at Chateau Retirement

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 18:03:00 -0500

Suzanne Newman welcomes the SilverKite team of Jennifer Kulik (founder and CEO), McKenzie Wilson (Intergenerational & Community Program Manager), and Mollia Jensen (Creative Aging Program Manager) on the Answers for Elders podcast, hosted by Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. SilverKite helps older adults stay creative, connected, and confident with engaging creative aging programs, intergenerational arts experiences, and professional development for senior-serving organizations. These programs are designed to help older adults tap into their creativity, maintain cognitive and emotional vitality, and build meaningful social connections—key components of healthy aging.

Jen says, "When I was three years old, my mother caught me in my room with two dolls, one named Purple and one named Orange, and they were talking to each other, and I had voices for both of them. So my mother decided to enroll me in theater classes at the local community college. When I got to middle school, I started having health problems. I lost my hair and I also was having a really hard time digesting food, so I lost a lot of weight. I was very thin and bald at age 11. [She was diagnosed with alopecia universalis.] So if you can imagine, that was a very difficult time in my life. I was bullied quite extensively during my middle school years and into high school. But during all of that time, I kept going to theater classes, I kept acting, I kept going there, and I was part of a community there that helped me to regain my confidence and my self-esteem. And it was a very powerful thing for me.

"So when I went off to college and started thinking about how the heck did I make it through this really difficult time, I realized that it was the arts. That was the thing that kept me going and helped me to recover myself during that difficult time. What can I do to help others who may be having a similar kind of thing happen to them? And so thus began my career in arts education and arts engagement. And I fell into intergenerational programs in 1999 when I was working on my master's degree, and a colleague and I were creating a curriculum for fourth and fifth graders about immigration that was social science and theater combined. And my colleague said, why don't we bring in some older adults from the community into the classroom to share their stories with the students about their immigration experience? And so we did that. And when I first saw this connection happening between these older adults and the youth, and was reminding myself about the great relationship I had with my own grandparents, it opened up a new door to me in thinking about how the arts can be a service to people and the community at large. So that is how I got started."

Mollia adds, "Jen's story inspired me to understand my own even more, which is that I think I was born with a superpower that I didn't know I had, but I just did it, which is whenever life brought obstacles, I turned to the arts, and they just ended up being the healing arts. But they were always just the arts. And the arts are sort of like a portal I could always enter. And still to this day, that's what I'm doing, to be able to work at an organization that is always inviting people to create opportunities for people to enter that portal. Because what I've noticed about depression and loneliness in my own journey, and in others near to me, is sometimes it's as simple as a very small perspective shift, whether that stepping outside or whether that saying yes to come to an activity or a program, and then you're just in a whole new world. You're sitting at a table with people you didn't think you would be. You're on an outing. And I know that sometimes getting from here to there is is challenging for some individuals. But we're here to say say yes, come to the programs."

For the past 30+ years Jennifer Kulik has designed and facilitated intergenerational arts, arts for youth, and arts for older adults programs for retirement communities, schools, theatre companies, and social service organizations. Jen holds a Ph.D. in Theatre for Young Audiences from Arizona State University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Washington. In 2012, she was awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching fellowship to travel to Singapore. She received the Joseph F. Wall Service Award from Grinnell College in 2018. Jen presents at conferences worldwide.

McKenzie Wilson is a Seattle-based artist originally from North Carolina. She is dedicated to creating innovative, inspiring, and engaging projects that bring people together. With over 10 years of directing, writing, and performance experience across the country, Mckenzie delights in exploring and uplifting the vibrant cultures, communities, and stories around her, infusing her work with a playful spirit and a sense of wonder. Their work draws on the power of innovative storytelling and devised performance, inviting curiosity and discovery, with the intention to build authentic connection. She is always happy to connect — especially about creative pursuits, outdoor exploration, cats, and reality TV. She holds a BA in Dramatic Art and Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mollia Jensen has been a teaching artist for over 30 years. With roots in the theatre and wings in dance and writing, her path has engaged in leading programming with several arts, educational, community organizations and local creative classes. Mollia loves sharing moments of alchemy with others whether in a creative coaching session, in written words on the page, playing with swirling watercolors, or on the dance floor. She has an MFA in Writing from Pacific University.

Connect with SilverKite

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

3 How Intergenerational Arts Improve Senior Health

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 18:01:00 -0500

Intergenerational connection is one of the most powerful tools for healthy aging—and SilverKite is leading the way. Their innovative programs create intentional spaces where older adults and youth build relationships, share life stories, and combat social isolation. Through creative arts, storytelling, and collaborative projects, SilverKite helps seniors find purpose, connection, and renewed confidence. In this episode of the Answers for Elders podcast, host Suzanne Newman welcomes SilverKite founder and CEO Dr. Jennifer Kulik, along with McKenzie Wilson, Intergenerational & Community Program Manager, to explore how creativity enhances emotional wellness and quality of life for aging adults. This conversation was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.

McKenzie shares insight into one of SilverKite’s most beloved initiatives: the Intergenerational Theater Company, now celebrating its 11th production. This unique program brings younger and older performers together to share real-life stories, transform them into powerful stage performances, and tour them across Seattle communities, libraries, and schools. McKenzie’s passion grew from her theater background and a desire to create meaningful community engagement. She describes how SilverKite’s mission—intentionally connecting people through their lived experiences—has shaped her work and reinforced the importance of joy, empathy, and human connection across generations.

For more than 30 years, Dr. Jennifer Kulik has been a national leader in creative aging, designing arts-based programs for seniors, youth, retirement communities, schools, and social service organizations. Her expertise, combined with McKenzie’s innovative, people-centered approach, has helped SilverKite expand into a thriving organization committed to improving senior wellness through creativity. Together, they highlight programs designed to help older adults stay connected, engaged, and inspired. Whether you’re supporting an aging parent or looking for ways to stay active later in life, this episode offers uplifting insights and actionable ideas for aging with joy and purpose.

Connect with SilverKite

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

4 Creative Aging for Seniors: Workshops, Mindfulness & Arts with SilverKite

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 18:00:00 -0500

In this inspiring episode of Answers for Elders, Suzanne Newman returns to Chateau Retirement to explore the deeper meaning of creative aging with SilverKite’s Creative Aging Programs Manager, Mollia Jensen, and their founder and CEO Jennifer Kulik. Together, they dive into how SilverKite’s workshops, series, and intergenerational programs help older adults reconnect with creativity, emotional expression, and lifelong learning. From in-person classes to online experiences and community partnerships, SilverKite is redefining how seniors stay engaged, connected, and joyful.

Mollia shares powerful insights from her 30+-year journey in the arts and creative aging field—beginning with her AmeriCorps work in memory care, where she used music and expressive arts to build meaningful connections. She explains how creative practices like painting, dance, writing, and mindfulness aren’t just hobbies—they awaken forgotten skills, support brain health, and help older adults tap into parts of themselves that may have been suppressed by years of structure or career routines. Whether through a single workshop or a six-week series, SilverKite programs create safe, playful, and growth-oriented environments for adults at every stage of aging.

Listeners will also discover how SilverKite’s teaching artists collaborate with communities like Chateau Retirement to deliver experiences that strengthen social connection, encourage personal expression, and invite residents to explore creativity in everyday life. From expressive dance to DIY art projects to mindfulness-based sessions, these programs help seniors feel seen, supported, and inspired. If you're interested in how creativity enhances healthy aging—or you want to know what new residents can expect when they join a SilverKite-connected community—this episode offers heartfelt stories, surprising research, and practical examples of the power of creative play.

Connect with SilverKite

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

50 Years of Seahawks Fandom, Part 1

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 08:01:00 -0500

Celebrate an unforgettable milestone — 50 years of the Seattle Seahawks! — with a heartfelt conversation with long-time fans who have lived, breathed, and cheered through five decades of Seahawks football. In this episode, co-hosts Suzanne Newman (Answers for Elders) and Steve Raible (the Voice of the Seahawks) lead a roundtable sharing personal stories of growing up with the Seahawks, attending games across generations, and building lifelong friendships through the shared love of blue and green. Whether you’ve been following the team since the Kingdome days, or joined during the Legion of Boom era, this roundtable is full of nostalgia, pride, and powerful fan memories.

Joining us for part 1:

Steve Raible, co-host, Seahawks legend, the Voice of the Seattle Seahawks
Jim Godfrey, owner of Chateau Retirement, OG 12 fan
Sean Godfrey, VP of Chateau Retirement, OG 12 fan
Dave and Susanne Payn, OG 12 fans, Chateau Valley Center residents
Valerie Line, OG 12 fan, Chateau Pacific resident
"Big Dave" Elk: OG 12 fan, Chateau Valley Center resident
Jim Doughty, OG 12 fan, Chateau Pacific resident

Listeners will enjoy a warm, authentic discussion that highlights why Seahawks fandom is so special—especially for seniors and long-time football enthusiasts. From early family traditions to the excitement of game day rituals, this episode brings out the emotional heart of what it means to be a 12. You’ll hear what inspired these women to become dedicated fans, what keeps them connected to the team decades later, and how Seahawks culture has shaped their lives, relationships, and sense of community.

Whether you're a dedicated fan celebrating the team’s 50-year legacy or someone who loves listening to real stories from real people, this video offers a unique, personal look back at Seahawks history from the fans who lived it. Join us as we honor the past and celebrate the present with memories, laughter, and the true spirit of Seattle football. Go Hawks!

Special Thanks:

The Seattle Seahawks
Steve Raible
The Sea Hawkers Booster Club
and especially,
The OG 12s!

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

50 Years of Seahawks Fandom, Part 2

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0500

💠Celebrate an unforgettable milestone — 50 years of the Seattle Seahawks! — with a heartfelt conversation with long-time fans who have lived, breathed, and cheered through five decades of Seahawks football. In this episode, co-hosts Suzanne Newman (Answers for Elders) and Steve Raible (the Voice of the Seahawks) lead a roundtable sharing personal stories of growing up with the Seahawks, attending games across generations, and building lifelong friendships through the shared love of blue and green. Whether you’ve been following the team since the Kingdome days, or joined during the Legion of Boom era, this roundtable is full of nostalgia, pride, and powerful fan memories.

Joining us for part 2:

Steve Raible, co-host, Seahawks legend, the Voice of the Seattle Seahawks
Jim Godfrey, owner of Chateau Retirement, OG 12 fan
Sean Godfrey, VP of Chateau Retirement, OG 12 fan
Alyse Robinson: Sea Hawker President of the Central Council
T.J. Edin: Sea Hawkers member
Sharon Burlinson: Executive Director, Snohomish Senior Center
"Big Dave" Elk: OG 12 fan, Chateau Valley Center resident
Alena Edin: Seahawk team liaison

Special Thanks:

The Seattle Seahawks
Steve Raible
The Sea Hawkers Booster Club
and especially,
The OG 12s!

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

1 Aging in Place | All About Home Care

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 20:03:00 -0500

Meghan Phelan, owner of Granny NANNIES of Miami, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about multiple facets of aging in place. In this segment, Meghan talks about home care agencies, including Granny NANNIES.

Meghan says, "ADLs are those basic personal care, five things: showering/bathing, toileting, ambulation walking, feeding spoon-to-mouth, and dressing. Those are the five ADLs. But [home care] is bigger than that. When you're calling the right home care agency, they should be setting up a care plan with you, and going detail-by-detail the house dynamics. Who lives in the house? are there pets? Do we need to walk the pets? What kind of personal care do you prefer? So we go through even a kitchen – Who's cooking? What kind of meals do you like? – so, yes, we do those five ADLs, and they are trained to do that through state programs. However, what's more important is that personalized care plan. It's that 1-to-1 touch that you're getting when you set up the care plan. And then the big one is the personalities. Who gets along with who?"

Meghan Phelan brings 18 years of experience in the elder care industry to her role as owner of Granny NANNIES of South Florida. After earning her BS in Health Service Administration from the University of Central Florida, she began her career as Sales and Marketing Director at a luxury assisted living facility in Orlando, where she developed a true passion for serving seniors. While working there, Meghan noticed a common theme: many residents, despite the high-quality care and beautiful environment, would have chosen to remain in their homes if possible.

Inspired by this insight, Meghan spearheaded the launch of the facility’s first-ever home care division. This experience ignited her desire to establish her own elder care business, leading her to South Florida—a natural choice, as her business partner hailed from Miami. In 2011, she opened Granny NANNIES of Miami, licensed by AHCA (Agency for Health Care Administration), and has provided care to the community for 13 years. Over the years, her business has expanded with a satellite office in the Florida Keys, establishing a respected presence throughout South Florida.

Now based in Miami with her son and two daughters, Meghan remains dedicated to providing compassionate, empathetic elder care. As an Alzheimer’s Association community educator and support group facilitator, she works to ensure seniors can age with dignity and comfort in their own homes. Meghan’s commitment is to make Granny NANNIES a trusted resource for families seeking quality care for their loved ones.

Granny NANNIES of South Florida provides in-home care to seniors aged 65 and older, and individuals with chronic conditions or disabilities who prefer to remain in their homes. They service Miami, the Florida Keys, and surrounding regions. They provide compassionate, personalized care that respects the unique needs of South Florida’s diverse

community and are a trusted resource for elder care for clients from across the U.S.

✨ Connect with Meghan at 305.591.1818, GrannyNannies.com/Miami or through social media:

💠 Instagram: grannynannies_southflorida

💠 Facebook: @grannynanniesmiamidade

💠 LinkedIn: @granny-nannies-of-miami-fl-24010510

💠 Youtube: @grannynanniesseniorhomecar615

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

2 Aging in Place | Meet Addison, 24-7 Virtual Caregiver

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 20:02:00 -0500

Addison is an AI-powered virtual caregiver for a senior loved one designed to provide 24/7 care and safety support from home. Addison provides real-time health monitoring, continuous support for the at-risk, aging and ill, designed with tons of built-in tracking and monitoring features like GPS, fall detection, insulin tracking, and more. Addison helps patients better manage their health, improve the efficacy of caregivers, and improve their quality of life. Addison also helps to overcome social isolation and poor mood as a companion.

Meghan Phelan joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about the benefits of bringing Addison into the home of a senior loved one. Meghan says, "It's a monitor, like an iPad. So you get the monitor and then you pick as many devices as you want to go along with it. It comes with two. So that can be for monitoring. It could be like insulin checks, it could be there's other GPS trackers. So it's all these little gadgets that come with it. But you personalize what you want. I think a lot of the most sought after are the fall monitoring. So they'll plug in the sensors, set up reminders, and they'll set up the vitals that you want to track to your doctor. You also get TeleHealth access to a doctor, literally called PocketMD. And you know how it goes on the weekends. So if you wake up and all of a sudden something's not right, all you have to do is is reach out to somebody right there, right on the screen. Hey, Addison, can you call the doctor?"

Meghan adds, "We haven't even talked about was the companionship side of it. We all have Chat GPT now on our phones, and I say that that's my best friend, you know. And the same thing goes for Addison. She's on there, and Addison can fetch, 'Hey, I want to make a spaghetti recipe tonight. Can you put me together something?' you know, or 'Can we do some chair exercises?' So the whole part of the physical help, yes, the monitoring is there, but also what comes with Addison is the companionship side."

✨ Call Meghan to set up a demo of the Electronic Caregiver, featuring Addison and Pocket M.D., at 786.759.1676.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

3 Aging in Place | Prepare, Even If You Never Need It

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 20:01:00 -0500

Meghan Phelan joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about making an aging in place plan, even if you never need to use it. Meghan says, "Everybody needs an age-in-place plan. Whether you activate that age-in-place plan, we don't know, but at least you have it in place. One is, to get your physical space ready. Number two is A.I., and what are we doing with technology? And number three is the human part of it: Do you have your team place, a CPA, an attorney, living wills, and all that, home care teams. And do you know your market? You need to know your market. So when I talk aging in place plan, those are the three things that I focus on."

In this segment, Meghan and Suzanne go in depth at improving the safety of our home environment – "I look at bathroom, kitchen, hallways. Those are my first three... I usually recommend local safety experts that come in, and they'll do free safety inspections, and then they'll know where to get [whatever products are needed]." Then they tie it in with the addition of the Electronic Caregiver, an AI-powered virtual caregiver for a senior loved one designed to provide 24/7 care and safety support.

✨ Call Meghan to set up a demo of the Electronic Caregiver, featuring Addison and Pocket M.D., at 786.759.1676.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

4 Aging in Place | Pocket M.D. TeleHealth

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 20:00:00 -0500

Meghan Phelan joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about a TeleHealth service called Pocket M.D., as well as the expanded availability of support networks for seniors.

Meghan says, "We call it the Pocket M.D. And basically it's like having a medical doctor in your back pocket, available to you 24/7 wherever you go, primary care in your back pocket. You're not paying for a doctor visit, because it's right there in your phone, all included in the Addison [AI] model of a subscription." Not feeling well? Just say, "Hey, Addison, can you call my Pocket M.D.? And they'll connect them with an M.D. on the other side. And from there, the M.D. will do the assessment and whatever is needed for follow-up care order... And in addition to that primary care aspect, there's wellness checks with nurses."

Regarding support groups, Meghan says, "COVID was devastating, but in so many ways it opened the door for seniors to get more access to help, because a lot of businesses like mine and the Alzheimer's Association, we pivoted: how can we get to the client now? And that was virtually. So I do my support groups, and they do support groups through the Alzheimer's Association every month, and we do it online, or we do it call-in. But I'm on Zoom and that's how I'm running my support groups."

✨ Call Meghan to set up a demo of the Electronic Caregiver, featuring Addison and Pocket M.D., at 786.759.1676.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

1 Aging in Place | For Ourselves and Our Kids

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 18:03:00 -0500

Baby Boomers are redefining retirement, with 95% wanting to age in place. Aging-in-Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, President of Pathway Design + Construction joins the Trustcasters at Answers for Elders to share more about how to keep our homes safe as we age gracefully, how to live more fluidly and easily in your home, and how to transform our homes to support us as we age without compromising aesthetics.

In this episode of Answers for Elders, Paul joins Suzanne Newman to talk about aging in place. If you're in your early sixties, life expectancy suggests you'll be alive for another 25 years. This is a great time to rethink your home and make sure that your environment supports you. Some parents may also want to pass on their home to a family member eventually – and in 25 years, their children will be a generation older as well. Aging in place is a huge need these days, especially with rising property values and the cost of health care.

Pathway Design + Construction is a residential remodeling company that serves the Greater Seattle Puget Sound region in the state of Washington. With a specialty towards aging in place, Pathway tries to help you continue to evolve and live in your home long into the future.

Visit PathwayDC.com or call 206-937-4809 for more information. If you're in the Seattle area, mention Answers for Elders to get a free consultation. Paul will come out, check out your home, make sure that it is safe, and talk about different potential projects, whether for now or in the future.

Pathway on YouTube | National Homebuilders Association website

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

2 Aging in Place | Connections to Home & Community

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 18:02:00 -0500

We develop strong emotional connections to our homes and neighborhoods. The pleasures and joys of doing yard work and trimming those roses can become an emotional trigger as these become more difficult as we age. Some also fear moving away and leaving those neighborhood attachments behind, that sense of belonging to a community.

Aging-in-Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, President of Pathway Design + Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to share more about how to keep our homes safe as we age gracefully, how to live more fluidly and easily in your home, and how to transform our homes to support us as we age without compromising aesthetics.

Suzanne asked what adjustments could be made to a home to help a senior who has dementia. Paul says, "There are things that we can do. Everybody's going to go through their dementia disease a little bit differently. But usually there's a caretaker in the home. My next door neighbor — when we lived in Renton here, my wife and I had bought our first house — the mother of the son who was living there, she had dementia. And she got up one night, turned on the stove, and caught the house on fire. I think it was a gas stove that she had turned on, and it caught the drapes on fire. But we have an opportunity to help mitigate those types of things. We can put in an induction cooktop that will never ignite like a gas stove would. Or sensory stuff, like an induction cooktop you can touch, but it can't burn you. So there's a lot of things that we can adapt to a remodel that that can help with, that it doesn't necessarily take away the disease in and of itself, but it can help adapt and make living a little bit easier."

Pathway on YouTube | National Homebuilders Association website

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

3 Aging in Place | Costs vs. Ongoing Medical Care

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 18:01:00 -0500

Health care is expensive, and that transcends over to senior living. For many Baby Boomers, senior living has almost been priced out of their reach. One couple in Washington state lives in a nice community, but it costs $15,000 a month, and those funds go fast. Aging-in-Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, President of Pathway Design + Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to consider the general costs of senior care like assisted living or senior living vs. remodeling to help make our homes safer.

Paul says, "I can help, go in, analyze a home, and maybe somebody has a disability right now and they're having trouble, say, moving up and down the stairs, and they only have one handrail. Well, okay, so let's add a second handrail. That can be a matter of a few thousand dollars — adding something to make it safer, so that you don't fall stairs, which then leads you to have to go into a care facility. I mean, you can spend $2,000 on something, or you can spend $10,000 on an ambulance ride. It doesn't add up to not try to age in place in your home. The longer you can continue to live in your home, and make it safe for yourself, the less financial burden you're going to face.

"We're talking about projects, and trying to make home safer, and maybe we're remodeling bathrooms. And those numbers are pretty shocking where you're going to get a $50- to $100,000 [quote for that]. But you can spend it rather quickly if you're if you're in a facility. And it's a one-time cost. Remodeling your home should be a one-time cost. Whereas the other one's a financial burden."

What's an average cost for updating a bathroom? Paul says, "Usually it's a shower modification. They're going to be in the $30,000 range and go up from there... I love doing those because it's not as invasive of a remodel. I'm talking just a tub swap. I minimizes the trip hazard... or a shower with a curb that you have to step up and over. You're minimizing that trip hazard. It's amazing like how many clients I've had over the years that potentially one day wake up, and they've had a stroke or something, and they lose function of their left foot right there. So not having to step up and over is very helpful. It's just all these things that we have no control over sometimes."

Pathway on YouTube | National Homebuilders Association website

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

4 Aging in Place | Outlets, Stoves, Ramps for Safety

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 18:00:00 -0500

55% of seniors falls happen inside the home, and many are preventable with modifications. 69% of seniors say that technology helps them stay independent. And 24 million Americans are unpaid family caregivers, which could mean an adult child or a spouse. One of the things that we are seeing is that the spouse gets so stressed out taking care of a loved one that they end up dying before the loved one does. Living in a place where there's less stress, more functionality, makes things easier. Aging-in-Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, President of Pathway Design + Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to share examples of universal design: reducing clutter, improving safety, accessibility, and using technology so that we can continue to live in our homes as we age gracefully.

For example, Paul says, "We've had homes where we have, say, one spouse that is blind and one is deaf. If there's a fire in the home, how do we adapt to both of those issues. One can't see a strobe light, and the other one can't hear the alarm. So we're putting in combinations, strobe light plus the audible noise, or sometimes it's even vibration. If they carry their phone around with them on a consistent basis, or they might have some sort of a device that they also have with them, that might just notify them of an issue within the home.

"I've heard from clients, 'I don't want a ramp in the front of my house because I don't want to make myself noticeable to somebody driving by who would then potentially take advantage of me.' How do we how do we use technology that's available to us to put a lift in the home? Get us down to the garage level, or something like that, because you still want to keep your car in the garage, right?

"We talked about induction cooktops, or locations of dishwashers. Bending over as you get older is not as easy. When there's two of you living in the home, then you don't need that big dishwasher. So we do a half dishwasher, and that's raised up, so that it's high enough so you're not having to bend over to pull your dishes in and out. It's fantastic for somebody in a wheelchair as well. Makes it very accessible.

"Are there other things that we've done for technology wise – different types of outlets. So if you are in a wheelchair, sometimes [an outlet] isn't where you can access it easily. We can drop them into drawers or countertops now, as opposed to a back wall. Touch faucets are pretty awesome as well. You don't have to manually turn knobs, we can just touch it and turn it off and turn it on. And those are fantastic whether you have a disability or not. You're [preparing] chicken in the kitchen, you don't want to touch the faucet, so you just touch with the back of your hand."

Pathway Design + Construction is a residential remodeling company that serves the Greater Seattle Puget Sound region in the state of Washington. With a speciality towards aging in place, Pathway tries to help you continue to evolve and live in your home long into the future.

Pathway on YouTube | National Homebuilders Association website

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

1 Reverse Mortgage Explained: Financial Solutions for Aging Parents

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 16:03:00 -0500

95% of baby boomers have a high goal to stay in their own home and find ways to be safe, or maybe downsize into a smaller place if you've got a home that is too big for you. If you are interested yourself, aging in place, or maybe you have a parent that says 'I am not I am not going to senior living, I want to stay at home as as I age,' this episode is for you. Kevin Guttman from C2 Financial joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to discuss the ins and outs of reverse mortgage. C2 Financial is the third largest mortgage broker in the country and the number one reverse mortgage broker in the country with 1,200 loan officers.

Kevin says, "I think about the first book I wrote, called A Swiss Army Knife for Retirement Cash Flow. And basically what I did is I interviewed my clients and just asked, how has a reverse mortgage helped you? There's just so many stories of how it's allowed them to have a better quality of life. And some of the stories, honestly, were heartbreaking, because people were living a substandard existence in retirement because they're on a fixed income. Inflation has been a real thing in the last few years. Prices have gone up, and then we get small little increases from Social Security that don't really cover the higher expenses they have.

"And so here's the struggle. The number one fear a senior has is outliving their money, because baby boomers are healthy, they're living longer. They have a fixed amount of money. They don't know how long that's gonna last. They're not sure if they're going to run out of money. So what I tell people is, no, you may never need it, but why not get it and let it just sit there. And if you ever do need it – in fact, there's a lady and her husband closed today, and that's exactly what she said. This is just the safety net for us. They may never need it. Well, good for you for planning ahead and being ready just in case life smacks upside the head. Now you need a new roof, or you have a medical thing. Something happens where now you've got a chunk of money to access if you need it."

💠 Connect with Kevin Guttman and C2 Financial at 877.251.9729.

💠 Visit C2 Financial's website for research, essays, videos, interviews

💠 Ebook: Betty’s Story: A Prudent Senior Citizen’s Guide to A Reverse Mortgage Loan

✨ Visit Answers for Elders online

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

2 Reverse Mortgage Secrets | Keeping Your House vs Selling and Renting

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 16:02:00 -0500

Kevin Guttman from C2 Financial joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to discuss the ins and outs of reverse mortgage. In this segment, Kevin goes through the math to show how it was better for one family to stay in their home rather than downsizing to an apartment. C2 Financial is the third largest mortgage broker in the country and the number one reverse mortgage broker in the country with 1,200 loan officers.

Kevin says, "It really is a financial tool. It's a lot more than a mortgage. It's a lot more than a traditional mortgage. With a mortgage, you pay a payment. You stay in your house. Right. Reverse mortgage. You don't have to pay a payment. You stay in your house. You get access to your equity, grows tax free on a line of credit when you access the money by lump sum payments. That's also tax free. So it just gives people flexibility. It just gives them this peace of mind, the safety net, that, okay, I'm going to be okay. I have enough money and not to worry.

"I had a couple, probably nine years ago now, and they said, we're going to sell our house and rent — And I grew up in a real estate home in Southern California. My dad was a realtor and an investor, and he drilled it into my brother and I to buy a house as soon as you can, you're paying your landlord's mortgage. — And so I said, let me do the math to see if that's a good option for you. So I took the average rent in in our city, which I think for a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment was $1,200 dollars at the time. And it increased by 2% a year. They were 62. I did it for 25 years because a financial planner says plan on living 30 years in retirement. But I did 25 years, and then I calculated the depreciation that they would forfeit on the house if they sold it. I use 4% a year. Wow. That number came up to — are you ready? — $1.5 million.

"I said, look, if I were you, it's not my money. It's not my house, you do whatever you want, but these are the numbers. You're forfeiting this amount of equity. You're paying this amount of rent. You're giving up control. You're allowing your landlord to determine what he's going to fix if he's going to fix it versus you keeping your home and having access to the equity if you need it. It's a lot better, a lot more security, a lot more certainty if you stay in your home. You do whatever you want, it's your home. But I just want you to understand the math behind it."

💠 Connect with Kevin Guttman and C2 Financial at 877.251.9729.

💠 Visit C2 Financial's website for research, essays, videos, interviews

💠 Ebook: Betty’s Story: A Prudent Senior Citizen’s Guide to A Reverse Mortgage Loan

✨ Visit Answers for Elders online

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

3 Unlocking Home Equity | Aging in Place With a Reverse Mortgage

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 16:01:00 -0500

Kevin Guttman from C2 Financial joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to discuss the ins and outs of reverse mortgage. In this segment, Kevin explains how the value of your home's equity can help you age in place in your later years through a reverse mortgage. C2 Financial is the third largest mortgage broker in the country and the number one reverse mortgage broker in the country with 1,200 loan officers.

Kevin says, "Most people have the bulk of their net worth, probably two thirds or more of their net worth, in their home. There are three ways we can get to our equity. We can sell – pay the broker 6 percent – do a cash out refinance or home equity line of credit with a monthly mortgage payment. Or we can do a reverse mortgage, in which we have an optional payment, but have access to the equity.

"So the way it works is, let's say somebody has a $500,000 home, which is not too uncommon these days. And we'll just say they're 62. A spouse can be younger, but at least one needs to be 62. So let's say they can borrow about 35%. So let me do the math real quick. $500,000 times 35%, $175,000. They don't need the money, they're still working, but they know the time value of money. When we were in our twenties, the financial planners told us start investing in your twenties, you need to have time on your side so your money can grow. So if they get it at 62, and they're planning to work till 70, but now they have this line of credit, $175,000, and they don't need the money. So they let it ride, so to speak, for ten years. And that line of credit can double in ten years, potentially. So now they don't have $175, now they have $350, and they can turn that into monthly payments or a lump sum. They still don't need the money, because they have investments. They're doing fine and started taking Social Security. Now they let it ride another ten years. Now they're 82, so they've had the reverse mortgage for 20 years. And now that line of credit has grown to $700,000. Tax free, monthly payments, or lump sum. Turns out one of them get sick, which is not too uncommon. They need some help. So they bring somebody in a couple hours a day. We'll just say three or 4 hours a day, Monday through Friday. Instead of having a family member leave their job, come and care for the parents, they have money, they can pay somebody to come and care for them. So they can age in place."

Kevin adds, "A reverse mortgage is like a fingerprint. It's unique to each individual, each couple. We can tailor it to help them accomplish what they're looking to do."

💠 Connect with Kevin Guttman and C2 Financial at 877.251.9729.

💠 Visit C2 Financial's website for research, essays, videos, interviews

💠 Ebook: Betty’s Story: A Prudent Senior Citizen’s Guide to A Reverse Mortgage Loan

✨ Visit Answers for Elders online

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

4 Reverse Purchase | Ins and Outs of Buying a Home with a Reverse Mortgage

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 16:00:00 -0500

Kevin Guttman from C2 Financial joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to discuss the ins and outs of reverse mortgage. In this segment, Kevin talks about how to purchase a new home using a reverse mortgage instead of a traditional mortgage loan.. C2 Financial is the third largest mortgage broker in the country and the number one reverse mortgage broker in the country with 1,200 loan officers.

Kevin says, "When somebody decides to buy a home, they have three ways they can finance it. Cash. A traditional loan, with a monthly payment. Or a reverse mortgage, where they make one large down payment, we'll call it 65%. It varies. It depends on their age and different things, but let's just say 65%. But then they have no more monthly mortgage payment. The mortgage payment's optional. They can make a payment if they choose to, but they don't have to. So who's a good candidate for this? Let's say somebody who's lived in their home a long time, 20, 30, 40 years. Maybe the neighborhood's changed. Maybe they don't feel safe anymore. Maybe they want to live closer to their family, or their doctor. Maybe they can't do the stairs, or the maintenance on the house is too much.

"I have a great story about this. There was a family that moved back to Colorado Springs from northwest Arkansas, and the husband had to be on oxygen at altitude because we're 7,000 feet above sea level, and he couldn't breathe very well. And so his wife leaves the room for a minute while I'm talking with them. And he says, 'Listen, this is important to me. I need to make sure my wife's going to be okay. I'm not long for the Earth. I'm sick, I'm dying, and I need to be sure she's okay.' So what does that look like? He said, 'Well, I need the right home, a low maintenance home.' They ended up buying a condo where they're just responsible for the inside. 'We need to put enough down to where she doesn't have a monthly payment, and I need to be sure it's in a safe area.' So the realtor took care of the condo and the location. I helped with the financing. Sure enough, at the time, they only had to put 50% down. This was several years ago, interest rates were half what they are today. But four months later, the wife calls and says, 'I just want to let you know that Bill passed away, and you had told us that we could stay in this home as long as we paid the property taxes and the insurance on time, and not have a monthly mortgage payment. Is that right?' I said that's correct. Big sigh of relief. She says, 'Oh, good. That's the only way I can afford to stay in my home.' Why? Because they just lost his income. Their reverse mortgage changed her life.

"This is a game changer for people, If they only understood, 'Oh, I can finance a home with a first mortgage, I put one large down payment down. I don't have a monthly mortgage payment. And I'm in a safer home, safer neighborhood, maybe gated community, that kind of thing. Low or no maintenance. It's amazing."

💠 Connect with Kevin Guttman and C2 Financial at 877.251.9729.

💠 Visit C2 Financial's website for research, essays, videos, interviews

💠 Ebook: Betty’s Story: A Prudent Senior Citizen’s Guide to A Reverse Mortgage Loan

✨ Visit Answers for Elders online

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

1 The New Face of Caregiving: How Gen X & Gen Y Women Balance Family, Career, and Wellness

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 17:03:00 -0500

Caregiving has changed dramatically across generations—and today’s women over 40 are leading a new kind of caregiving revolution. In this episode of Answers for Elders, Suzanne Newman welcomes Vivatude hosts Tracy Cromwell and Anu Arora for a candid conversation about how caregiving looks different for Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Together, they explore how women in the “sandwich generation” are balancing family, career, and the care of aging loved ones—all while trying to maintain their own physical, social, and occupational wellness.

Tracy Cromwell, a certified health coach and fitness professional, shares how physical wellness evolves as we age—and how today’s Gen X and Gen Y caregivers are more proactive about self-care and technology-supported health habits than previous generations. Meanwhile, Anu Arora, a leadership and mindfulness coach, dives into the growing epidemic of loneliness and why connection is the key to thriving, not just surviving, in caregiving. They discuss how modern caregivers are redefining wellness, finding new ways to cope with stress, and building communities of support both at home and in the workplace.

If you’re a woman over 40 navigating caregiving, this conversation is for you. Learn how to balance your own wellness while caring for others, discover generational insights that can make your journey easier, and hear empowering advice from two experts who understand the emotional, physical, and mental challenges of caregiving today. Subscribe to Answers for Elders Radio Network and Vivatude for more empowering conversations designed to help you live well, stay strong, and thrive through every season of life.

✨ Connect with Us

💠 Subscribe to Vivatude: https://www.youtube.com/@vivatude

💠 Watch Vivatude episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAaH5P8bm1O2DNFGvKx2uh0rqhA8fWo7F

💠 Tracy Cromwell

- YouTube: 👉 @tracycromwell

- Podcasts: 👉 https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/tracy-cromwell

- Interviews: 👉 https://tracycromwell.com/pages/interviews-with-tracy-cromwell

💠 Anu Arora

- Website: https://www.anuarora.com/

- YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@speakeranuarora

- Facebook: 👉 https://www.facebook.com/anuarora21/

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

2 Three Essential Caregiving Rules for Women Over 40

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 17:02:00 -0500

Caregiving is both a gift and a challenge, especially for women over 40 balancing family, work, and personal wellness. In this episode of Answers for Elders Radio Network, Suzanne Newman joins Tracy Cromwell and Anu Arora from the Vivatude podcast to explore the first three essential rules of caregiving: 1) Take care of your loved one, 2) Take care of yourself, and 3) Support the primary caregiver. Through stories, practical strategies, and lived experiences, our hosts show how these rules can help caregivers maintain balance, reduce stress, and navigate the complexities of modern caregiving.

Physical, social, and occupational wellness are key to sustaining caregiving energy and resilience. Tracy highlights how physical wellness—through movement, proper nutrition, and stress management—keeps caregivers strong and prevents burnout. Anu shares how social and intellectual wellness, including connection, communication, and emotional support, help caregivers feel less isolated and more empowered. Together, they reveal strategies for managing the intense demands of caregiving while preserving your health, relationships, and sense of purpose.

If you’re a woman over 40 caring for a loved one, this episode offers guidance, encouragement, and actionable tips. Learn how to care for yourself as much as you care for others, discover the importance of supporting primary caregivers, and find ways to build meaningful connections in your community. Subscribe to Answers for Elders and Vivatude to access more empowering conversations that help women navigate caregiving with strength, joy, and balance.

✨ Connect with Us

💠 Subscribe to Vivatude: https://www.youtube.com/@vivatude

💠 Watch Vivatude episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAaH5P8bm1O2DNFGvKx2uh0rqhA8fWo7F

💠 Tracy Cromwell

- YouTube: 👉 @tracycromwell

- Podcasts: 👉 https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/tracy-cromwell

- Interviews: 👉 https://tracycromwell.com/pages/interviews-with-tracy-cromwell

💠 Anu Arora

- Website: https://www.anuarora.com/

- YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@speakeranuarora

- Facebook: 👉 https://www.facebook.com/anuarora21/

💠 Answers for Elders

- Website: 👉 https://answersforelders.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

3 Communicate as a Caregiver: Physical, Social & Emotional Wellness for Women 40+

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 17:01:00 -0500

Communication is essential for caregivers, especially women over 40 navigating the challenges of supporting a senior loved one. In this episode of Answers for Elders Radio Network, Suzanne Newman sits down with Tracy Cromwell and Anu Arora from the Vivatude podcast to discuss the power of intentional, compassionate communication. Learn why expressing needs, clarifying intentions, and engaging in honest dialogue can transform the caregiving experience, strengthen relationships, and reduce stress while caring for aging family members.

Physical, social, and occupational wellness are deeply connected to effective communication. Tracy explains how stress affects the body and why physical wellness—through movement, mindfulness, and self-care—supports clear, calm interactions with loved ones. Anu highlights the importance of social wellness, showing how connection, empathy, and supportive networks can prevent isolation and help caregivers maintain balance. Occupational wellness is also key, as setting boundaries and clarifying roles with family and care teams ensures that caregiving responsibilities remain manageable and sustainable.

If you’re a woman over 40 caring for a senior loved one, this episode is packed with practical guidance and inspiration. Discover strategies for communicating with dignity, responding rather than reacting, and making the invisible visible in your caregiving relationships. Subscribe to Answers for Elders and Vivatude for more empowering conversations that help women navigate caregiving with grace, confidence, and balance.

✨ Connect with Us

💠 Subscribe to Vivatude: https://www.youtube.com/@vivatude

💠 Watch Vivatude episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAaH5P8bm1O2DNFGvKx2uh0rqhA8fWo7F

💠 Tracy Cromwell

- YouTube: 👉 @tracycromwell

- Podcasts: 👉 https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/tracy-cromwell

- Interviews: 👉 https://tracycromwell.com/pages/interviews-with-tracy-cromwell

💠 Anu Arora

- Website: https://www.anuarora.com/

- YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@speakeranuarora

- Facebook: 👉 https://www.facebook.com/anuarora21/

💠 Answers for Elders

- Website: 👉 https://answersforelders.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

4 Gratitude in Caregiving: Boost Physical, Social & Emotional Wellness for Women 40+

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 17:00:00 -0500

Gratitude can transform the caregiving experience, especially for women over 40 supporting a senior loved one. In this episode of Answers for Elders Radio Network, Suzanne Newman sits down with Tracy Cromwell and Anu Arora from the Vivatude podcast to explore the powerful role of gratitude in caregiving. Discover how embracing appreciation—even in challenging circumstances—can shift your perspective, reduce stress, and help you find meaning in every caregiving moment.

Physical, social, and occupational wellness are deeply connected to practicing gratitude. Tracy explains how acknowledging and appreciating your body’s strength can boost energy, improve health, and enhance resilience. Anu highlights the impact of gratitude on social wellness, showing how nurturing supportive relationships and trusting your circle can help caregivers feel less isolated and more connected. Occupational wellness is strengthened when caregivers approach their responsibilities with purpose, mindfulness, and a sense of privilege, turning everyday tasks into moments of growth and fulfillment.

If you’re a woman over 40 caring for a senior loved one, this episode is packed with practical strategies and inspiration. Learn how to reframe challenges, create a gratitude practice, and cultivate joy while caring for your loved ones. Subscribe to Answers for Elders and Vivatude for more empowering conversations that help women navigate caregiving with balance, grace, and emotional resilience.

✨ Connect with Us

💠 Subscribe to Vivatude: https://www.youtube.com/@vivatude

💠 Watch Vivatude episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAaH5P8bm1O2DNFGvKx2uh0rqhA8fWo7F

💠 Tracy Cromwell

- YouTube: 👉 @tracycromwell

- Podcasts: 👉 https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/tracy-cromwell

- Interviews: 👉 https://tracycromwell.com/pages/interviews-with-tracy-cromwell

💠 Anu Arora

- Website: https://www.anuarora.com/

- YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@speakeranuarora

- Facebook: 👉 https://www.facebook.com/anuarora21/

💠 Answers for Elders

- Website: 👉 https://answersforelders.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

1 Heart Disease: How New Tech Can Save Lives

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 18:03:00 -0500

Mark Goddard, Vice President of Clinical Services at InfoBionic.ai, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio show to talk about how technology is evolving to save lives when it comes to atrial fibrillation, cardiovascular disease, and coronary heart disease.

Mark explains, "Atrial fibrillation causes blood clots to form. And those blood clots can transmit through your body and wind up in your head or your lungs or your heart or your extremities. So atrial fibrillation needs to be well understood. The symptoms need to be discussed, especially with elderly patients who aren't as necessarily active and may not have the same symptoms as someone who is active would have related to fibrillation. People need to understand the impact and relevance of such an arrhythmia."

Learn more about InfoBionic's AI-enabled MoMe ARC remote heart monitoring device which sends data in near real time to the cloud for review.

Connect with Answers for Elders

Website
Answers for Elders Podcasts on YouTube

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

2 How Atrial Fibrillation Monitoring Saves Lives

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 18:02:00 -0500

Mark Goddard talks about InfoBionic.ai's MoMe ARC device which transmits data in near real time. It's a wearable device, either as a patch you stick to your chest, or one that has three electrodes that you could wear. You just need to be within 30 feet of the data transmitter, which sends data to the cloud for review. It's easy to wear, and you don't even notice that you're wearing it. The company says its virtual telemetry solutions set the highest standard in a continuous monitoring capability to enable more proactive and timely cardiac interventions. They are working with AI to develop a method to try to prevent atrial fibrillation altogether. Mark is Vice President of Clinical Services at InfoBionic.ai.

Learn more about InfoBionic's AI-enabled MoMe ARC remote heart monitoring device which sends data in near real time to the cloud for review.

Connect with Answers for Elders

Website
Answers for Elders Podcasts on YouTube

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

3 Atrial Fibrillation Prevention With AI

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 18:01:00 -0500

Mark Goddard, Vice President of Clinical Services at InfoBionic.com, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio show to talk about how AI is being used to monitor atrial fibrillation and save lifes.

Mark explains, "Artificial intelligence is making a big change. Our first AI algorithm approved by the FDA and we're going to deploy on our system is one that will tell the medical practitioner whether the heart pumping function is normal or not normal. If the normal amount of blood is being injected out of their heart with every heartbeat, it'll say, okay, we're good. If it's not, it'll let the practitioner know that things aren't good, and that's associated with heart failure. So it's a great tool that will be able to be used with an EKG that's a bit of a game changer, and it will be deployed in the next six months."

Learn more about InfoBionic's AI-enabled MoMe ARC remote heart monitoring device which sends data in near real time to the cloud for review.

Connect with Answers for Elders

Website
Answers for Elders Podcasts on YouTube

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

4 How to Keep Our Heart Healthy

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Good health practices can avoid developing heart problems. We can improve our quality of life by getting enough sleep, keeping active, and eating well. Mark Goddard, Vice President of Clinical Services at InfoBionic.ai, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio show to talk about keeping our heart healthy.

Mark says, "It'll make a big difference in the way you feel. And and while we're still here, we always want to feel as good as we possibly can and do as much as we can. So following the traditional suggestions related to diet, don't eat foods with lots of preservatives within them.

"Hydration is critical. It's a whole other subject, because the concentration of what they call electrolytes within your body is critical in maintaining normal heart rhythm. Having electrolytes that are completely out of balance quite often causes arrhythmias that are far more lethal than atrial fibrillation, ones that can create a bad scenario within a few seconds, not a few hours or days.

"Making sure your blood pressure is maintained appropriately, your blood sugar is okay, making sure your lipids are good too. You don't want anything going on that's going to change the structure of your heart. And if it does, then you wind up with [the potential for] arrhythmias..

Learn more about InfoBionic's AI-enabled MoMe ARC remote heart monitoring device which sends data in near real time to the cloud for review.

Connect with Answers for Elders

Website
Answers for Elders Podcasts on YouTube

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

1 Redefining Senior Living Dining

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:02:00 -0500

Discover why residents can’t stop raving about the food at Chateau Retirement Communities in Washington—a rare distinction in senior living! In this episode of the Answers for Elders podcast, host Suzanne Newman sits down with Tom Wichert, Vice President of Culinary Services. He shares how passion, creativity, and genuine care for residents have transformed dining into an experience that feels more like fine dining than a cafeteria meal.

Tom previously worked for a family-run restaurant, the Cheesecake Factory, and Ruths Chris Steakhouse before moving to Washington to become the Chef at the Bellevue Restaurant. Wanting a better work/life balance, he joined Chateau in 2012. He attributes their success to his team, having skilled and incredible directors in each building, with tons of experience and longevity with Chateau.

Tom's hobby is custom-brewed beer, and he shares that passion with residents through tastings and other events. Tom explains, "When I first started, it was me and another employee... so we started making in a bucket kind of thing. Then it just evolved. And I would say the last few years, I've gotten a little bit more involved in it, and thankfully, the Chateau has given me whatever I needed to do that, which is great. I was able to go to a brewing school three or four years ago and learn a lot of stuff that was helpful...

"And I always get the residents involved. I do beer tastings in wine tastings as well. But the beer tasting, they keep asking me, Hey, do you got any beer in competition? Did you win anything? I've gotten a few gold medals, and the National Home Brewers competition.... The residents like it and they get a kick out of it, and opening it up to the residents, that is so special. There's something so unique for them to experience. It's fun to get involved with the residents, and to see them happy. Sometimes when I do a beer tasting, when I'm done, they they'll clap and they'll say, 'Thanks, Tom,' and then they start helping me clean up. I say, 'I have it. I'll clean it up. Don't start moving chairs, please. I got it.' But they still do it. So it's a family-type thing, like your family Thanksgiving, and everybody's pitches in and help clean up. So I kind of look at it that way."

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

2 How Great Food Happens at Senior Living

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:01:00 -0500

Discover why residents can’t stop raving about the food at Chateau Retirement Communities in Washington—a rare distinction in senior living! In this episode of the Answers for Elders podcast, host Suzanne Newman sits down with Sherrelle Collingridge, Culinary Service Director at Chateau Bothell Landing. She shares how passion, creativity, and genuine care for residents have transformed dining into an experience that feels more like fine dining than a cafeteria meal.

Sherrelle attributes their great food to the employees and a wonderful team, whose dedication to the resident culinary experience is a big piece of that. Sherrelle runs three full-service restaurant-style dining rooms at Chateau Bothell Landing, which creates a lot more cross-training opportunities and options for growth, change of scenery, and so forth. The front of house staff in particular form very strong bonds with residents, and those relationships are why staff tend to stick around. The majority of front of house staff in particular are hired-in as high schoolers, often with no prior work experience. It is rewarding and satisfying to watch these kids as they learn and develop, a unique experience for them, and one of the more rewarding aspects of the job for her and her leadership team.

Sherrelle has always worked in the industry, first having been hired as a server at Cristwood (now Cristwood Park) in junior high, and ended up getting a culinary degree at Edmonds Comm. College. Crista paid a management company to run the culinary program at Cristwood, and Sherrelle was fortunate to get a lot of training and development opportunities as a young manager. She joined Chateau Pacific in 2000, and over the years held several roles in the culinary program, including a three-year run as Executive Director at Chateau Pacific. She has been at Chateau Bothell Landing since 2013, and opened all three of the dining rooms on that campus.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

3 Future of Cuisine at Senior Living

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0500

The food is raved about at Chateau Retirement in Washington, unusual for senior living communities. What makes Chateau different and have such great resident feedback? Chateau Retirement's Vice President Culinary Services Tom Wichert and Sherrelle Collingridge, Culinary Service Director at Chateau Bothell Landing, join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast.

How do Tom and Sherrelle see culinary services evolving in the future? Sherrelle says, "It will continue to focus on individual personalization. Every every ten years or so, we think this is going be the wave of the really healthy people. It hasn't quite happened yet. They say they want to be healthy, but when fried chicken is on the menu, we sell 90% of those specials. But other things, the gluten-, dairy-free, more of a global cuisine. It's no longer just about like American Chinese. They'll do Indian food, Mexican, Thai, and Vietnamese, and different cultures that we get a chance to play with. And our job is somewhat to educate the residents, to expose them to things that they maybe never had before. And they get annoyed sometimes, and ask, 'why don't you just call this sauce something simpler?' I'm like, 'Because this is what it's called.' So if you go to a restaurant now, you know what an airline chicken is now. You know what a beurre blanc is, because you got it and you can order it."

Tom adds, "I think eating later is going to be a thing... We will get residents come in that want specifics things and have specific needs, so we will will cater to that as best we can. We really haven't had the really big push for some of the specialty things, but I think just an open variety of different kinds of things is happening. As far as individualizing goes, can you put something Thai on, or I saw this, or here's the recipe for this, could you do that for me, could you make that? Could you make this for grandma?"

All together, well over 100 employees in the culinary. Tom says, "The hiring process is so important, getting the right people, and about the young kids, teenagers, for a lot of them it's their first job. The main thing with them is getting the right attitude. We can train them, do anything to serve. So getting the right person in there, that wants to be there. Residents love younger staff. They always have, because I think that to them that's that's the age of their grandparents."

How does the restaurant style work at Chateau? Tom says, "I think the intensity of that, along with the caring that we do for the residents, comes together and all works really well. The staff is fantastic, and they care about the residents. We really care, and we really want to do the best for the residents. Whatever the resident wants, we're going to do our best to it."

Sherrelle says, "I don't want to overuse the term family, but I spend more time with my dining room managers than I do my own kids, who are now grown up and in their twenties now. But they're my work kids, they're my frontline staff as well. So I'm kind of pouring into those guys, so they can pour into the servers and the residents, it all kind of flows together."

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

1 Women 40+ | Find Strength, Freedom & Purpose in Midlife

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 18:04:00 -0500

Vivatude is more than a new YouTube channel — it’s a movement and mindset for women over 40 who want to live with emotional strength, financial freedom, spiritual clarity, and vibrant health. YouTube hosts Lauren Archer, Kate Phillips, Tracy Cromwell, and Anu Arora join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to introduce themselves and the brand new show Vivatude.

Many woman over the age of 40 are part of the sandwich generation. You may be looking at kids still at home and caring for a senior loved one. You also may be dealing with a career that has gone a little bit stagnant. You don't know how to advance your career. Maybe if your kids have left home, you're looking at yourself in the mirror wondering, is that all there is? What's my next chapter? We believe that your next chapter could be your best chapter.

Lauren Archer explores pathways to greater fulfillment, energy, and joy on Vivatude. Get ready to be encouraged, uplifted, and reminded that no matter where you are in life, you can spark your vitality and begin again.

Kate Phillips joins the Vivatude team eager to share the “Rich Life Revival”—a journey of discovery that allows us to rewrite the rules when life throws curveballs! The Rich Life isn’t a net worth number or a retirement date. It’s living a life of purpose and prosperity right now, right where you are.

Anu Arora is an executive and team coach, keynote speaker, and mindfulness expert who has dedicated her career to helping people lead with compassion, clarity, and courage. With more than two decades of experience in leadership at Microsoft and as the founder of Infinite Potential Leadership, Anu blends deep corporate expertise with a human-centered approach to growth. She is known for her ability to bring people together, unlock resilience, and create spaces where authenticity and connection thrive.

Connect with us

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

2 Women 40+ | How to Stay Strong & Balanced Every Day

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 18:03:00 -0500

Suzanne Newman welcomes Tracy Cromwell and Anu Arora, two of new Vivatude hosts. Tracy brings her expertise in physical and environmental wellness. Anu is a social and intellectual wellness coach.

Tracy says, "I want to bring some techniques you can put into place very simply. You choose what's most important, and I help you figure out how to implement. I've really got some great guests lined up now. I've got an amazing organizer who's helped me immensely to organize my space because I know we're inviting environmental wellness, make it so that I can breathe in my own space and then I have other other guests that are going to bring wonderful tidbits about the things you could do for nutrition."

Anu adds, "I work with teams, organizations, and individuals on the epidemics of our current times. We are lonelier than ever before, and human beings are meant to be social animals. We are called social animals, and yet we've just turned on to our devices and we somehow have imagined that those devices are going to bring us connections. And as a result, there's more mental illness than ever before. And what I want to bring is the understanding and I have such a huge network of relationship coaches and experts in this area. But just starting with, why is it important for us to go back to this basic need of belonging, of being together, and then from there, finding ways to connect and build trust in this isolated, scary world."

Connect with us

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

3 Women 40+ | Empowerment & Inspiration

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 18:01:00 -0500

Vivatude host Lauren Archer joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show. Whether you’re navigating caregiving for a senior parent, rediscovering your identity in midlife, or seeking inspiration for your next chapter, you’ll find empowering tools, heartfelt stories, and expert insights right here with spiritual and emotional wellness host Lauren Archer.

Lauren says, "I think of it as the heart and soul, and it's those invisible things. We can have a lot of things going right on the outside. And yet, you have one piece of emotional stress in your life, and it's enough to bring it to your knees. It can be all-consuming. And with the degree of fear and division and uncertainty happening in the world, it's affecting our nervous system. So I'm going to be bringing experts and authors and women who have walked through the fire of their own transformation to share some stories and some practices about what they've done. When we address the underlying emotions, we can experience big shifts. And then on a spiritual level, we are not talking about religion. We are talking more about how each individual finds their own sense of meaning, purpose and value. And when we're off, when we're doing things in our life that aren't in alignment with our values. We feel it, it's subtle, but we feel it. And so it's finding that connection again."

Connect with us

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

4 Reclaiming Purpose, Thrive After 40

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Vivatude host Kate Phillips joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show. The new Vivatude YouTube channel helps women over 40 thrive with emotional strength, financial freedom & vibrant health. Kate Phillips advises on financial and occupational wellness, a huge category when it comes to family caregiving.

Kate says, "How are we funding our lives? What are we doing with our time that is hopefully bringing in the resources that we need? I like to call it purpose and prosperity. And if I added a third word, especially for caregivers, I think it would be creativity. And we might not be feeling super creative when we're caregiving, and we feel, maybe depleted. I love conversations around how do we use our homes in a creative way. Typically, your home is going to be your biggest expense, but my co-host, Lauren and I, we have both turned our primary home into a furnished rental. There's many strategies where we can use our home as an asset, or we can use it to create extra cash flow. So that's where the creativity comes in."

Connect with us

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

1 Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Move Into Senior Living

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:45:00 -0500

Thinking about senior living for yourself or a loved one? In this inspiring episode of Answers for Elders, host Suzanne Newman sits down with Chateau Bothell Landing resident Erica Wolfkill. From her journey as a child immigrating from Germany after World War II to her decision to move into senior living at age 80, Erica shares powerful life lessons about resilience, family, and the importance of embracing community before it’s too late.

Erica offers heartfelt advice for older adults and their adult children: don’t wait until you’re too old or unable to fully participate in life before moving into a retirement community. She explains how her daughters encouraged her to make the move while she was still active, giving her the opportunity to enjoy rich friendships, engaging activities, and peace of mind for the future. Erica’s story highlights the benefits of senior living communities that provide not only independence today but also access to assisted living and memory care services down the road.

If you or your aging parent are starting to explore retirement communities, this conversation is a must-watch. Discover what life is really like at Chateau Retirement Communities, hear Erica’s first-hand experience about daily activities, dining, and staff support, and learn why planning early can lead to a more fulfilling lifestyle. Whether you’re an adult child looking for the best options for your parents, or a senior exploring your next chapter, Erica’s journey will give you insight, encouragement, and hope for the future.

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

2 Senior Living: Friends, Good Soup, Plenty to Do

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:30:00 -0500

In this inspiring episode of Answers for Elders, host Suzanne Newman sits down with retired Boeing engineer Don Haff. He share stories and his advice if you're thinking about senior living for yourself or a loved one. At 94, Don is energetic and vibrant, and joins the show after the day's Wii bowling tournament where he lives at Chateau Bothell Landing in Bothell, Washington.

Don says, "I met my wife in college. We were a freshman together. And we got married between my sophomore and junior year, and we were married for 63 years... [She] had Parkinson's, but we didn't know it. After she was gone, I did more research into it, and found out that one of the symptoms of Parkinson's is that you have paranoia. And she went through a period where she was really paranoid. Most people who have Parkinson's, there's shaking. She never did that. But her problem was, they got to where she couldn't control her muscles and she couldn't swallow. And she starved to death. It was pretty painless for her. It is hard on me.

"But we were here then [at Bothell Landing], and I really thank my lucky stars that we were. And it was one of the best moves we made. We moved down there in January 2018, and so she was here a year and a half before she was gone. I really can't say enough good about the attention that we got for her. I guess I feel like we have about 250 roommates in here. Everybody was really kind, but we knew it was coming, it wasn't a surprise. So actually when it came, it was kind of a relief in a way. And of course I still miss her.

"Everybody's so friendly. Even before we moved in, the marketing people, were just wonderful with questions and all this kind of stuff. One of the things that we were both impressed about, and we commented about this together, was when you went to the dining rooms, we were a name, not a number. We walk in and, oh hi Don and Kathy. And they didn't have to know our room number. Well, they knew our room number, but they talked with my name. Well, I always have a glass of milk. I always get a can of V8 to go for my breakfast. Before I even sit down, they come up with the milk. They pay attention and they have better memories than me! I'm so delighted [with the food]. Oh my gosh, they make good soup.

"I'm on the dining committee, and. And I'm on the activity committee, and, well, I like to know what's going on. I go to almost every movie and we have a lot of documentaries and regular movies now. We have to do opera once a month. And so it's like, wow, there's plenty to do."

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

3 Senior Living | Community Relations Dream Team

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:15:00 -0500

Community Relations Directors Ashley Cochran and Katie Vail at Chateau Retirement join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast. They talk about what's hard about working in the senior living industry as well as what makes it such a worthwhile career. They also share what families should know about the tour process and making the decision about which community to choose. They provide their best advice for family's making the decision to approach mom or dad about a senior living community move. They also talk about what qualities sets Chateau Retirement apart. The interview was recorded live at Chateau Bothell Landing in Bothell, Washington.

Katie says, "I want families to know that there is that right fit for you out there. There is a community that will resonate with you, and there are people out there, like our team here, that want to help guide you through the process. It's a daunting and overwhelming process. But we're here to meet you where you're at, and learn about your journey, because everyone's journey is different."

Ashley adds, "It's okay to get emotional. It's an emotional process. I've been on the other side of it, and I sat in those offices, in those chairs, and I've cried because I didn't know what questions to ask. And it's okay. And we're here for you. We support you and you will find, like Katie said, there is a community for everybody. It's a matter of finding the right one."

Suzanne asks, "Tell us about your secret sauce, girls. You two and Debbie are called the dream team. Why is that?"

Katie answers, "I think we're just all super-mission focused on why we're in this industry. I think Debbie has mentioned, it's not for that paycheck. I know we are fortunate in this industry to get a second paycheck, when we see the residents that move into our community and how they thrive.

Suzanne says, "As a marketing person, you're more like an ambassador. Would you agree with that??"

Ashley says, "Yea. We live with these residents, we're here 40 hours a week, spending time with them, and we love that. But it's such a joy when we you start from the very beginning, and then you get to watch them move in, and you get to help them through that process. And then you walk into the dining room with another tour, and they stand up and they want to tell that tour all about how great it is to live here, and all the activities, and the food, and all these things. And you get to see them on an ongoing basis. So "the sale" isn't done just the minute the check is signed. We're there for the very end too, which makes it an emotional journey, but it is so impactful. And we work really well together as a team of three. We complement each other, we trust each other."

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Mentioned in this episode:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

Learn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Chateau Retirement

1 A Spouse's Heartbreaking Journey: Honoring His Wishes with Alzheimer's

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 18:45:00 -0500

A Promise Kept: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love by Erica Baccus will be available on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 at Amazon, Barns & Noble, and other booksellers.

As autumn brings reflection on life and legacy, Answers for Elders Radio host Suzanne Newman welcomes Erica Baccus, author of ''A Promise Kept: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love.'' This deeply moving memoir shares the story of Erica’s journey with her husband’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and his request to avoid dying in a vegetative state. Married couples facing the realities of dementia and end-of-life choices will find this conversation both raw and profoundly important.

In this powerful interview, Erica reveals how she honored her husband’s wish to end his life with dignity through assisted suicide in Switzerland, a decision that U.S. laws made impossible at home. Together, she and Suzanne explore the emotional toll of Alzheimer’s, the complexity of right-to-die legislation, and the courage it takes to make end-of-life decisions as a couple. The Los Angeles Tribune called the book “a cultural act of courage and moral clarity,” and this discussion echoes that sentiment with honesty and compassion.

If you or your spouse have ever wondered how to prepare for the possibility of Alzheimer’s, dementia, or difficult end-of-life care decisions, this episode is a must-watch. It encourages couples to have conversations early, before a crisis forces decisions under pressure. With themes of love, courage, and legacy, Erica’s story is not just about death—it’s about how to live fully, honor promises, and face the hardest moments in marriage together.

What You’ll Learn:

Why early conversations about end-of-life wishes are essential for couples
The legal challenges of right-to-die laws in the U.S. for Alzheimer’s patients
How love, legacy, and courage guided Erica’s decisions
A firsthand account of assisted dying in Switzerland

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

2 Marriage, Alzheimer's & The Hardest Promise: Erica Baccus Shares Her Story

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 18:30:00 -0500

A Promise Kept: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love by Erica Baccus will be available on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 at Amazon, Barns & Noble, and other booksellers.

When Alzheimer’s strikes a marriage, how do you honor your spouse’s wishes while facing the hardest decisions of your life? In this emotional episode of Answers for Elders Radio, host Suzanne Newman sits down with author Erica Baccus to discuss writing her new book, A Promise Kept: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love.

Erica talks about how she approached sharing the heartbreaking yet courageous journey of her husband’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, his decision not to die in a vegetative state, and the steps they took together to ensure his wishes were respected. With honesty, compassion, and courage, this conversation is for married couples, caregivers, and anyone who may someday face the realities of dementia and end-of-life decisions.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

3 Alzheimer's & Marriage: Facing End-of-Life Decisions Together

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 18:15:00 -0500

A Promise Kept: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love by Erica Baccus will be available on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 at Amazon, Barns & Noble, and other booksellers.

In this emotional episode of Answers for Elders Radio, host Suzanne Newman speaks with author Erica Baccus about decisions that had to be made on the heartbreaking yet courageous journey of her husband’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, his decision not to die in a vegetative state, and the steps they took together to ensure his wishes were respected. With honesty, compassion, and courage, this conversation is for married couples, caregivers, and anyone who may someday face the realities of dementia and end-of-life decisions.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

4 A Wife's Journey Through Alzheimer's and End-of-Life Choices

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 18:00:00 -0500

A Promise Kept: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love by Erica Baccus will be available on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 at Amazon, Barns & Noble, and other booksellers.

Answers for Elders Radio host Suzanne Newman welcomes Erica Baccus, author of ''A Promise Kept: Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love.'' In this segment, Suzanne reads a few passages from the book to hear more about them from Erica. Married couples facing the realities of dementia and end-of-life choices will find this conversation both raw and profoundly important. Erica says, "It's important for you to know that I am not advocating for anyone to do what John decided to do. My goal is simply to build awareness about this issue and celebrate our life together." With honesty, compassion, and courage, this conversation is for married couples, caregivers, and anyone who may someday face the realities of dementia and end-of-life decisions.

1 Wellness Secrets: Stronger at 40+

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 18:45:00 -0500

Discover Vivatude, a new YouTube show for women over 40 seeking strength, inspiration, and balance while navigating midlife, caregiving, and personal wellness. In this episode of the Answers for Elders Radio Show, host Suzanne Newman welcomes Tracy Cromwell, one of four new Vivatude hosts, who brings her expertise in physical and environmental wellness. Together, they discuss finding your “Inner Spark,” overcoming the challenges of caring for aging parents while managing work and family, and how the Eight Foundational Principles of Wellness can help women thrive in their next chapter. If you’re ready to reclaim your energy, prioritize self-care, and create a vibrant future, this inspiring conversation is for you.

Tracy Cromwell knows the struggles associated with food, body image, stress, poor gut health, and self-confidence first-hand. In 2006 Tracy was 180 lbs, diagnosed with pre-diabetes, and living the chaotic life of a yo-yo dieter. Her personal journey to health recovery inspired her to change careers so that she could walk alongside others and support them as they walk their own journeys to health. Tracy is the ideal coach for the confused and frustrated dieter. She is certified with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, a Certified Precision Nutrition Health Coach & ProCoach, a National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer, and Weight Loss Specialists.

Connect with Us

💠 Tracy Cromwell

💠 Answers for Elders website

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

2 Wellness That Works for Women Over 40

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 18:30:00 -0500

Suzanne Newman welcomes Tracy Cromwell, one of four new Vivatude hosts, who brings her expertise in physical and environmental wellness. Vivatude is a new YouTube show for women over 40 seeking strength, inspiration, and balance while navigating midlife, caregiving, and personal wellness. In this episode of the Answers for Elders Radio Show, Tracy discusses crafting a space that supports you in whatever state that your body might be. For instance, her daughter created a reading room, her sanctuary where she can disconnect. Little things can make a big difference.

Connect with Us

💠 Tracy Cromwell

💠 Answers for Elders website

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

3 Boost Your Energy & Reduce Stress

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 18:15:00 -0500

Women over 40: ready to boost your strength and reduce stress? In this episode, Tracy Cromwell joins Suzanne Newman on Answers for Elders Radio to share simple tips for physical wellness and environmental wellness that anyone can start today. From hydration and movement breaks to clutter-clearing and creating supportive spaces, Tracy shows how small daily changes can help women in midlife — especially family caregivers — feel more energized, balanced, and supported.

Quick takeaways:

Drink more water & move every 30 minutes
Clear clutter and create safer, calmer spaces

If you’re navigating midlife, caregiving, or just need a wellness reset, these strategies will inspire you to thrive with Vivatude.

Connect with Us

💠 Tracy Cromwell

💠 Answers for Elders website

4 Wellness for Women Over 40: Strength, Self-Care & Vivatude

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Women over 40: ready to reduce stress and boost your strength? In this episode, Tracy Cromwell joins Suzanne Newman on Answers for Elders Radio to to talk about some greaet episodes she will be making about physical wellness and environmental wellness with tips that anyone can start today. Topics focus on nutrition, building strength even when you can't get to the gym, organizational tips, and improving your surrounds to create a space that better supports you emotionally. These shows will help women in midlife — especially family caregivers — feel more energized, balanced, and supported.

Connect with Us

💠 Tracy Cromwell

💠 Answers for Elders website

1 Paths to Fulfillment and Purpose: Vivatude

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 18:45:00 -0500

Discover Vivatude, a groundbreaking movement and media platform designed to help women over 40 reclaim purpose, vitality, and freedom in every stage of life. In this inspiring conversation, hosts Lauren Archer (emotional and spiritual wellness) and Kate Phillips (financial and occupational wellness) join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to introduce the Vivatude YouTube channel and podcast. Episodes of Vivatude will focus on topics based on the 8 Pillars of Wellbeing — from emotional strength and spiritual clarity to financial freedom and vibrant health. Whether you’re navigating caregiving for an aging parent, seeking balance in relationships, or reinventing yourself in midlife, this segment offers powerful tools, heartfelt stories, and expert insights to help you thrive. Tune in to Vivatude and step into your next chapter with confidence, resilience, and joy.

Connect with Us

💠 Lauren Archer

💠 Kate Phillips

Free Guide: “Break Through to Abundance”
YouTube
Facebook

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

2 Emotion vs Intellect: Finding Joy and Prosperity

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 18:30:00 -0500

Hosts Lauren Archer and Kate Phillips join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the new YouTube channel and podcast called Vivatude. What is Vivatude? A Movement. A Mindset. A Media Revolution. The show delves deep into the 8 Pillars of well-being — from emotional strength to financial freedom, from spiritual clarity to vibrant health. The show unites women over 40, expert hosts, and soul-nourishing conversations to help you live with more vitality, purpose, and power.

Lauren Archer explores pathways to greater fulfillment, energy, and joy on Vivatude. Lauren says, "There's one thing about emotional wellness that a lot of people don't quite get. In Western culture, we tend to come at everything through the intellect. And I know myself, every time something went off in my life, it was because of emotions, and they take over your mind when you are stressed, when you are angry, when you are frustrated, hurt, whatever is going on. It literally changes your brain. And so how do we approach that? So I have dedicated the last 30 years to working with people on different with different kinds of modalities and to help regulate our nervous system, regulate our emotions, and then come to that clarity through our heart and our soul."

Kate Phillips explores purpose and prosperity. Kate says, "The sandwich generation, I know I felt very squeezed from both generations at the time... We're sort of being pinched from all different directions. And I really take a holistic view of money because, just like Lauren was saying, we're so focused on intellect with money, we're so focused on the numbers, we think that money is all about the numbers. But I think there's even a bigger game to play: where does my allegiance go? Because money invites us to look at our priorities. It invites us to get creative, invites us to see life in a different way. It isn't always about the numbers. There are these skills that we're learning. Maybe we're learning how to receive or how to have boundaries or how to ask for help. Those are all the different ways that impact us both emotionally, but definitely financially as well."

Connect with Us

💠 Lauren Archer

💠 Kate Phillips

Free Guide: “Break Through to Abundance”
YouTube
Facebook

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

3 Inspiration Life Tips From Vivatude Hosts

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 18:15:00 -0500

What are the two top tips for thriving after 40? In this inspiring episode of Vivatude, hosts Lauren Archer (emotional & spiritual wellness) and Kate Phillips (financial & occupational wellness) join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share practical tools for women navigating caregiving, midlife transitions, and personal reinvention.

✨ Lauren’s tips: Simple practices to reduce stress, calm your nervous system, and shift into gratitude so you can give from a full cup, not an empty one. ✨ Kate’s tips: How negotiation skills and daily “dream time” can help you create financial resilience, set boundaries, and hold onto purpose even during caregiving.

Vivatude is more than a show — it’s a movement for women over 40 seeking emotional strength, financial freedom, spiritual clarity, and vibrant health. If you’re part of the sandwich generation, caring for an aging parent, or simply craving more clarity, confidence, and fulfillment in midlife — this conversation is for you.

Lauren Archer explores pathways to greater fulfillment, energy, and joy on Vivatude. Lauren says, "Where attention goes, energy flows. And when we're stressed, it's usually because our mind is jumping ten steps ahead in the future, and we're doing what is natural, and that's to scan for danger and everything that could possibly go wrong. Remember that you can pull your attention out of the future and out of the past and bring it into the present. And we can do that with the simple breath.

"And then the other thing to do is to find one thing that you can appreciate. One thing that brings gratitude and appreciation. If you can focus on gratitude and appreciation for even 15, 20, 30 seconds that is enough to change the neurochemistry in your body to minimize some of those stress hormones and to help you start feeling good again so that when you give, you can give from a full cup instead of an empty one."

Kate Phillips explores purpose and prosperity. Kate says, "One of the skills that you need is negotiation. You'll be negotiating for your time, for your boundaries, asking for what you want, and learning to negotiate financially as well. We found a great, really perfect fit assisted living home for my father, and some negotiation was required to get him into it [financially]. But we made it work. So don't be afraid to negotiate.

"And my other tip is to find time to dream each day. Even if it's five minutes when you're waking up, five minutes before you're falling asleep, hold that vision. Whatever you're going through now, you might be feeling lost because your role has been has changed in life. So never stop dreaming."

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

4 New Show for Women Over 40: Thrive in Midlife with Vivatude

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 18:00:00 -0500

For the upcoming YouTube channel and podcast Vivatude, new hosts Lauren Archer and Kate Phillips join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the types of programming they aim to share.

Vivatude is more than a show — it’s a movement for women over 40 seeking emotional strength, financial freedom, spiritual clarity, and vibrant health. If you’re part of the sandwich generation, caring for an aging parent, or simply craving more clarity, confidence, and fulfillment in midlife — this conversation is for you.

Lauren Archer explores pathways to greater fulfillment, energy, and joy on Vivatude. Lauren says, "I'm going to be exposing our audience to some really amazing human beings: authors, teachers, speakers. People who have walked through the fire, come out the other side, and who have tips to share on living from the heart on living intentionally, on connecting with our values.

"There is a wide variety of information out there that I was not privy to most of my life. And some of these tools and techniques and practices have absolutely reshaped how I show up. It's allowed me and many of my clients to live more wholly holistically and to feel good about themselves. So I've got three guests already lined up, people who focus on wholehearted living on practical applications of these universal principles. And I am very excited to share them with our audience. I think it's going to be so much fun."

Kate Phillips explores purpose and prosperity. Kate says, "I want to tell you first what you're not going to get on my show. You're not going to get the usual financial planning. The Wall Street plan is all about building the largest nest egg possible, and you've got the 4% rule and you can live off of that. That's plan A. But for our audience, sometimes plan A is gone, and now we're creating plan B, C, D. And so I'm going to be bringing on a lot of financial professionals, but we're going to be talking about some out of the box, creative solutions you maybe don't hear about every day.

"Because my part of the show is about purpose and prosperity, we're also going to be looking more holistically at our work, lives, money, and purpose. And I'm going to be inviting on some friends — they may not be authors or experts, but they have extraordinary stories about how they have gotten creative with their own lives, women who are rediscovering themselves while they're raising kids and helping out their parents. And so you can expect inspiration as well as some great information."

Connect with Us

💠 Lauren Archer

💠 Kate Phillips

Free Guide: “Break Through to Abundance”
YouTube
Facebook

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Seeking Care for a Senior? How to Find Communities That Share Your Values

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 18:45:00 -0500

What do a senior care company's values mean to your family, and why do they matter if you're looking for care for your senior loved one? And how do you read between the lines to discover whether they actually uphold those values? People can say whatever they want. They can say 'we work with people so they never have to move again.' But how do we know that that's true? Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how to find out.

Daphne says, "So some of the things that I kind of pay attention to are, what is their attrition rate of care stat? How many times has a management team changed? Those are big indicators for me of stability, and I make it my business to know the ownership and know what going on. I do a little research. I figure out things that are going on in the building.

"I want to see how many people actually greet me as I'm walking through the building when I'm touring. Are they feeling empowered to do their job? Is there a culture of customer service? Is there a joy? Do I feel joy as I'm walking through the hallways, or are people afraid of their job and have tunnel vision and can only do this but can't go either way? Do I see somebody helping someone as I'm going through the building? I pay attention to the whole staff, not just to the person who's touring with me, not just the executive director, but the whole staff: the person who's taking care of the building, the person who's making the food, the person who's serving the food.

"That's why I go at different times... Find out how the day starts. How crazy is it? What happens at 3:00 in the afternoon? The activities are starting at four. Are people helping people come out of their room? Are they inviting them? Are people building relationships between resident to resident? Is that happening? Are they finding commonality?

"Here's a benefit to you, the consumer. Someone like myself goes to networking events, and we get to have all kinds of conversations. They get to have breakfast or lunch or be at an after-hours event, and we get to have regular conversation. Boy, do I get to learn a lot during regular conversation... Just who are these people that are actually choosing to be in an industry of care support, keeping someone's life meaningful? Do they get it? That would be hard for you, the consumer, to figure out, but that's what you get from a good placement advisor."

Learn more:

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.
Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders
About Daphne Davis
Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Top 3 Things to Know About a Senior Community

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 18:30:00 -0500

Are senior care organizations and the cottage industry living up to your personal standards of care? Do they stand for something? Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the top three things that people need to understand and ask when seeking senior care for their loved one.

1) Who owns the entity, whether it be an individual home of six people, or a large community that has memory care, assisted living, and independent living.

2) Is the building owned by the same business, or does the owner contract with a management company?

Daphne says, "These are all things the general consumer would have no idea about. Why is it important to you? Because you need stability. If there's a financial piece [of the equation], if there is not a never-ending bucket of money to pay for mom or dad's care, you need to know what happens when they run out of money. How is that handled? If there's a change in ownership, are they going to honor your contract that you started and, you've got three years into paying privately, or now new ownership says, 'Oh, no, we don't convert to Medicaid, Medicare, Medicaid after three years, it's now five years.' And now you're in a world of hurt.

"Does this company ... have the ability to properly support their staff, to reward wonderful behavior, to be able to keep them educated, to teach them new ways of doing activities of daily living, to talk to somebody who has dementia. Do they pay attention to those things? That's why the ownership is important."

3) The actual care itself.

Daphne says, "What is a care ratio? There are great algorithms that companies use now based on how many minutes somebody spends time with your loved one and then what your care cost is. And from that minutes, they're constantly adjusting, in theory, how many people are on the floor, how many people are available to actually respond to a call button. How many people are available during the morning hours, when we're getting people dress cleaned up, showered, and to the breakfast table, how many people are there to help?

Learn more:

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.
Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders
About Daphne Davis
Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Why Your Values Matter When Seeking Senior Care

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 18:15:00 -0500

Why do your values matter when it comes to senior care? Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show talk about finding your senior loved one's values and then how to go about asking whether a senior care provider can meet those values.

Suzanne asks, "What is what are Pinnacle's highest values?"

Daphne says, "The number one value that Pinnacle' holds is, when we are working with a client and a family, that client does not have to move again. And how do we make that happen? How do we make sure that we can support that number one value? And it comes through us gathering information about our client and discovering their highest values. And from that, it behooves me to know communities of care well enough to know can they support the family's values.

"So let's give an example. It just happened recently that I was asking a lot of 'nosy questions' and I hadn't even met this woman yet. The daughter is in Kingston, Washington and mom is two and a half hours away. And so we're having this conversation. And I'm getting to know the history of this woman and I'm getting to know a little bit about her personality. And my next step is to meet her face-to-face and to be able to get a sense of who she is, what things really matter to her. Does she want to have someone that's constantly over her and guiding her every day? Does she want some autonomy? Does she want to have the independence to be able to make her own decisions? Does she want to hear a loudspeaker come on and tell her it's 2:00 and there's bingo in the lobby. Does she want to have somebody that just sees her across the room and she's trying to stand up out of a chair and just needs a little elbow help, but not have to push a button to wait for somebody to help her. Who is this person that I can help find her next place to live to her last breath.

"That takes a lot of work to find out everything about location, about finances, about who's the family support, where her doctors at, what are her interests. Do I know something about her interests that's happening in another community? And so that's how I go through upholding my highest value.

"Now, you as a family, you're going to them identify some highest values. And some of them that I hear are something like: I want the place to be clean, and it needs to smell good, and good Food would be important... Those are kind of standard... But your family member is leaving their home. Your family member is not going to know how many steps it is between the back of the couch and getting to the door of the bathroom if they're furniture walkers. How much is trust important to your family member in order to function? Or are they trusting in themselves? Where are they at in the spectrum? What is their personality like? And so these are some of the values that you have to think about...

"How do you even ask questions? If you're going out and you're looking at — let's start with assisted living — questions such as: how many people are on the floor from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.? And how quickly does that person that's touring you around that community know the answer? Who's there between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., and how will my parent get help if they need it?"

Learn more:

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.
Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders
About Daphne Davis
Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Seeking Senior Care? What Are Their Values?

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Finding our a senior care organization's highest values is key to assessing whether they're a good fit for a senior loved one needing care. Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how to find out what those values are.

Daphne says, "As families, you need to first identify the values, and I'll help you with that. As a senior advisor, I will help you identify what that looks like. And it would be my job then to find the communities that that mirror your values.

"If you're working by yourself, it's your job, then, to think of the questions... If my value is that my mom doesn't have a fall again, or we want to mitigate falls, that's a value. My mom's falling in our own home. What kind of questions do you ask of a community? And they can't be, yes/no, they need to be open-ended questions, to really get to the heart of how does this play out in a community of care. It doesn't matter if it's a small one or a big community of care, but how do I ask the questions of finding out the truth? Because everybody can give you the canned answer, but there's the art form of finding out what's behind the canned answer, And that's where the trained professional can help you. So I will advocate for that as a placement advisor. And there is a place for us — more than ever — for the consumer to not do this by themselves."

Suzanne adds, "Way back when when I worked for Tony Robbins, he did a program called Date with Destiny. And one of the things is, is we prioritized our highest values. What does that mean, what does that value mean? My number one value was contribution. I felt like I needed to be giving something. Well, guess what? That's probably why I'm not a millionaire as I did my job. But the thing that's interesting is that when we look at, you know, how do we identify our highest values, we have to understand what is that value mean to you and how do you how does that play out in a community?"

Learn more:

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.
Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders
About Daphne Davis
Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

How Partnerships and Coaching Help Senior Living Communities

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 19:45:00 -0500

Chateau Retirement cares about residents and employees equally. They were committed to making investments to demonstrate this value. How did the relationship begin, and why Reverb? Where was Chateau as an organization and what led them to pursue external support? Emily Senff, Reverb’s Practice Director for People Development, and Leadership Coach Anu Aurora join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio show.

Emily says, "All of our coaches and consultants are very seasoned leaders who have organizational expertise, who have led businesses, teams. And so they really understand the complexity of it, what it means to build and develop healthy teams who can communicate and collaborate and support each other. So we're very lucky to have such a talented team."

Suzanne adds, "And we as a community in the Chateau world, and as far as seniors go, we're very lucky to have somebody like you helping us develop the staff that care for our most vulnerable."

Emily Senff is Reverb’s Practice Director for People Development. She is responsible for the strategic leadership of Reverb’s leadership development and coaching services. Her superpower is building relationships with clients to understand their pain points and needs, and matching them to Reverb’s exceptional team of consultants, facilitators, and coaches. Before Reverb, Emily was a seasoned leadership development and talent management leader and also worked in nonprofit.

Anu Aurora has over 25 years of experience developing leaders at all levels as an industry leader and leadership coach. Anu coaches leaders to identify core issues, make the complex simple, move them past their blocks, and create transformational results. Anu brings with her international experiences from 3 continents; industry skills from aerospace, high-tech, defense sector, and corporate engineering management background as a Director in a Fortune 50 company.

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit Chateau on the web or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Learn more about Reverb Consulting at Reverb People.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

A Commitment to Staff Helps Senior Living Families

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 19:30:00 -0500

Chateau's commitment to its people helps the families they work with. At Chateau Retirement, leadership development and coaching services make it all better. Tamra Godfrey, CEO of Chateau Retirement, and Emily Senff, Reverb’s Practice Director for People Development, join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio show.

Emily says, "Tamra and the leadership team and everyone at Chateau is thoughtfully thinking about support at every level of the organization. Sometimes with organizations, that type of personalized, tailored support is often at a senior leadership level. That's different here at Chateau. They want to make sure that the support and the commitment is felt at every level of the organization. It matters to families and residents because they feel like employees are really well treated. They're taken care of. And when you feel really well-taken-care-of and happy, and feel like you're getting support, you exude and represent that in the work that you do."

Emily Senff is responsible for the strategic leadership of Reverb’s leadership development and coaching services. Her superpower is building relationships with clients to understand their pain points and needs, and matching them to Reverb’s exceptional team of consultants, facilitators, and coaches. Before Reverb, Emily was a seasoned leadership development and talent management leader and also worked in nonprofit.

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit Chateau on the web or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Learn more about Reverb Consulting at Reverb People.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

How Teambuilding Improves Senior Living

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 19:15:00 -0500

This week, Answers for Elders is talking about people development at Chateau Retirement Communities. This is important to anyone that is seeking a senior living community, or any kind of provider that instills trust. You have to trust them. How many organizations actually talk about how they develop their people? And it should be important to everyone that is seeking senior care. These are important questions to ask, about the people development of an organization. Tamra Godfrey, CEO of Chateau Retirement, and Anu Aurora with Reverb People join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio show.

Reverb helps Chateau to grow their leaders so they can be more strategic in their work and outlook. In a time when residents (and employees) have more needs, Reverb supports Chateau leaders to focus critical thinking, curiosity, empathy, and social skills. Ultimately organizations have to not only nurture and develop these skills, but also figure out how to look for these skills in hiring. A growth mindset is so important for organizations to thrive. Chateau continues to show investment in this work, their people and residents.

Anu says, "A lot of my coaching is strengths-based and value-based. Part of the initial work I do with the clients is understanding what their personal values are, and what are their superpowers, super strengths. And I always feel that if individuals can align their work along those two, that everything else falls into place.

"They come because they believe in this work. They come because they have very high compassion, their sense of belonging and commitment. And those are their values. For most of them. I share those values, and their superpowers might be different, very mixed. That's why we are better together, because one person brings one superpower, the other one brings another power, and they start to see that, yeah, I am bigger with this person because this is what I bring and this is what the other person brings. And to recognize that we complement each other."

Anu Aurora has over 25 years of experience developing leaders at all levels as an industry leader and leadership coach. Anu coaches leaders to identify core issues, make the complex simple, move them past their blocks, and create transformational results. Anu brings with her international experiences from three continents; industry skills from aerospace, high-tech, defense sector, and corporate engineering management background as a Director in a Fortune 50 company.

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit Chateau on the web or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Learn more about Reverb Consulting at Reverb People.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

How Staff Development Improves the Lives of Senior Living Residents

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 19:00:00 -0500

What makes the lives of senior living residents flourish? At Chateau Retirement, leadership development and coaching services make it better. Tamra Godfrey, CEO of Chateau Retirement, and Emily Senff, Reverb’s Practice Director for People Development, join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio show.

In the USA today, families are more overwhelmed and confused than ever when trying to find the right resource for their senior loved ones. Since COVID, so many organizations have cut corners—reducing staff, compromising values, and lowering the quality of care.

Chateau Retirement has remained steadfast for the past 25 years—holding true to its values and continuing its commitment to both their employees and the residents they serve. That commitment is not just something Suzanne has heard about or observed from afar, but rather personally experienced as a daughter when her mom lived at Chateau.

Emily says, "I think values also is like less about what people say or what's up on the wall and how they actually, like, treat and interact with others. And so to be able to witness, you know, employees at Chateau and how they partner internally and Cross-functionally and then in turn see how they serve their residents, I mean, I think that speaks volumes. That's how you know."

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit Chateau on the web or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Learn more about Reverb Consulting at Reverb People.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Senior Living: Unique Resident Journeys

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 18:30:00 -0500

Residents are sharing what it's like to join a senior living community. Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast is joined by Judith, a resident at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. It follows conversations with resident Ann and her daughter Jen.

Judith says, "I was born and bred in South Africa. My family had been there for a few quite a few generations. So I left there, and I was married and had two children, one son, one daughter, and eventually that broke up. After my daughter finished university in Johannesburg in South Africa, she moved across London to do a two-year sabbatical, which was the fun thing to do for graduate at that stage. And one Friday night at the pub there, she met this American guy who was there on vacation. So one thing led to another, and of course, he came back. He lived in Portland, Oregon, at the time. But they exchanged life stories via email and so on. And a few months later, she was planning to go and vacation to the U.S. anyway. So she included both in dinners, they and his mother when he met her. His mom would say to him, If you don't want to lose this girl, you'd better ask her to marry you.

"And he did... so long story short, I visit her a few times from South Africa. Visited a few times here. And eventually she moved to Seattle. When her son was born, I came over to meet my new grandson. And that's when she said to me, Mom, what are you doing all on your own in South Africa? Why don't you come and live here in Seattle? I thought that was an excellent idea. Why not? That was 19 and a half years ago.

"If I had wanted to practice psychology here in the US, I would have had to go back to school, and I didn't feel like doing that. So I got a great job at the University of Washington in a specific department working with postgraduate students and guiding them, that sort of thing. And I was with UW for 15 years until I retired. And shortly after I retired, I had been living on my own in an apartment. And so after a while, my daughter said, Mom, maybe it's time for you to move into some sort of community, because she didn't think it was very safe for me to drive any longer.

"So she did find another place for me, where I moved in. And after I was there for one day, I said, 'You get me out of here. I can't stay here.' The complex was like buildings, with long rows of rooms in a particular corridor. And all the people in that particular section would sit and have dinner together. So every time you had a meal, it was with the same people. And the food, the food was brought in. You had no choice of food. If you didn't like what they served, you went hungry type of thing. So I said to her, 'I can't stay here. Find me another place.' So I was there for exactly two weeks, because she had done a lot of Internet searching.

"And she found this place, Chateau Pacific. She said, 'Mom, Let's go and have a look at Chateau Pacific. That can accommodate you.' And the minute we walked through that door at Chateau Pacific, I felt like, 'Oh, this is the place for me. Yes.' And everybody was so friendly, and they treated us to a meal and we saw that they had various choices. If you don't like what’s the special of the day, you have many alternatives to choose from.

"So we decided this is the place for me to stay. And I was here maybe three or four weeks, and somebody suggested that I would be the perfect person to be the president of our resident society. So I might as well... So I was voted in."

Judith adds, "When I first moved in here, I had signed up for three meals a day. But breakfast here is at 8:00 in the morning. So I had to set my alarm for 7:30 in order to get up and get dressed. I'd go down and have breakfast at 8:00. And then after a few weeks, I decided, Good Lord, I am retired. I do not have to get up with an alarm clock every morning anymore. So I canceled the breakfast thing. I get up around about, I don't know, 10:00 or so. I make myself something to eat and just check my email."

Visit Chateau online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Senior Living: Own Your Timeline

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 18:15:00 -0500

This week we continue to learn what senior living is like from residents. Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast is joined by Jen, daughter of resident Ann at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. Jennifer McKassan is agency owner at Apples to Zebras Insurance in Lynnwood, so she works within the industry where people are investigating long term care planning.

Jen says, "People drive too long, or they keep their houses for too long, and they keep that responsibility for them for too long. And for whatever reason they do it, it ends up putting everybody involved into a place of of crisis. When it does come to the point where everybody involved realizes, oh, dear, it's time. And it was probably time about a year ago. I've seen families where they were dealing with degenerative illness, and they just didn't want to accept that that was the the next phase of life. When you own the timeline, you can control the timeline. And what I've seen was people who didn't do that ended up with a more expensive experience, a more traumatic experience, and a more damaged relationship with their families. I didn't want that with my mom. I wanted to be my mom's daughter all the way to the end of her life."

Jen described her mom's journey after retirement. She had been staying temporarily with Jen and her husband. "Mom had stopped driving, and she didn't know how to use paratransit yet. And my husband and I are both active professionals. We didn't have that flexibility in our days to really give mom the life that she wanted as a retired person. That active life, the 'hey, I want to go to a museum on a Wednesday' and I'm like, 'boy, would that be fun. I have to work. I have five appointments today,' and having to say, 'No, mom, I can't do that.' It takes its toll. And it turns you from a daughter to kind of a gatekeeper to fun. And I don't want to be the gatekeeper on my mom's fun."

But having those conversations is difficult. Suzanne pointed out, "We don't necessarily know how to have those conversations with dad or with mom, when the talking isn't matching what's happening. You're not fine, Dad, and you're not able to get up, you're a fall risk. You're going to have a bad fall. A lot of us as adult children don't know how to have the conversations or we're in a situation where we feel like it's not our place."

Jen replied, "It is our place. If you're the one picking up the pieces, it is your place. And you have an absolute right to say something about that, and almost an obligation, in my opinion, because it it's a hard conversation to have. It's a courageous conversation to have. And when we come at it from a place of love and that's what I did with my mom, I came at it from a place of love. I'm like, 'I don't want to be picking a place out of thin air just because they had a bed open and whatever we could afford that had a bed open and, you know, maybe this place will work and maybe it won't. I want to own this timeline. I want you to get to know people there. I want you to make friends there. I want you to feel like you belong there.'"

Jen adds, "There's a 70% chance that we will need assisted living or some form of assistive care in our later years. So if there's a 70% chance that something is going to happen, like it's going to rain, we're going to bring a raincoat, right? So when we when we talk about owning the timeline, we pick the place. We're going to get those services before we need them, move in when we're still independent, when we might not need what they have to offer in the greatest sense. But we pick the place we belong, so that we can make the friends. We can use our brain plasticity while we have it, to make friends and find new activities. Like Mom had never played video games like Wii Jeopardy before. I was like, Oh, this is fantastic. And Wii Bowling.

"Owning the timeline means that we accept that there's only a 30% chance that we won't need the kinds of services that are available readily and quickly from a trusted provider here at a retirement community like Chateau Pacific. So if we can get to a place where, when we need those services, it's not. 'Oh dear, Mom broke her hip. Now we have to hire a nurse or find something emergency-style, or somebody has got to take a month off of work to do all this work' — versus, 'Oh, dear, Mom broke her hip. Hey, could we get some help in her room? Do we need to kick in a care plan?' Different experience, very different conversation. Doesn't disrupt the life of the children that are adults in their prime-earning years. It doesn't disrupt the family by completely upending everything. It provides trusted care to the person."

Jen also says, "I think that the brain is a muscle. and when we don't use muscles, they atrophy. And when all we do is feed our muscles garbage like TV — with all love for all of the TV shows that are out there, they're not helping our brains stay active. They're not demanding critical thinking skills. They're not demanding that we stay active and engaged with our world. People who stay active engage with their worlds through those organic conversations with each other, through sharing their memories, through hanging out with their kids, through having drinks at happy hours, having dinner with different people every day, through having to remember names in the elevator. All those things are great exercises for helping keep the the neurons firing in the brain strong as long as humanly possible.

"Just walking to dinner, mom definitely had a difference in her stamina, even between living at our house ,where she walked from her bedroom to the living room to the kitchen. Now she's walking the hallways now, using those muscles. She's got to walk way longer to get to the to the dining hall. And just that amount of walking alone and going to and from the activities has been really good for her stamina and her motor skills."

Visit Chateau online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Senior Living: One Resident's Unique Journey

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 18:00:00 -0500

This week we share experiences and learn what it's like to be a resident in senior living. Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast is joined by Ann, a resident at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. In our next segment, Ann's daughter Jen joins the program.

Ann says, "Before my own personal investigation of senior living, my sister and I had been involved in finding a place for our parents, moving them from Southern California into the Vancouver, Washington area. We went to many, many places. One was obviously a converted motel, less than satisfactory. One was across the river in Portland, so if bridges ice up, we're stranded. We went into one place, and it was a high rise, and although they had communal areas on each floor, they were so little used that nobody had even turned on the lights."

Of her personal journey, Ann says, "[I wanted] to find another senior living place to try out, because the first one had been just a respite for medical reasons. The second had been very educational, and I liked it there a lot. But it was a relatively small community, less than 100 residents. And so I wanted to try something a little bit larger. ... [But] I found that it was limiting. If you've got a bus that holds ten people, there's only ten people who can go shopping. It's only one slot a week to go shopping in, so you've got to sign up for everything on the first of the month. I told them going in that it would be a short-term stay. And when I moved out of there, my children, bless their hearts, moved me [to Chateau Pacific]. Picked it up, all the furniture, over there, and so here I am. And I've been in Chateau Pacific now for about three months.

"You can sleep in as late as you want. You can go down and have breakfast, or if you want to have lunch or whatever, that you can make. I think I'm actually just a little bit young for senior living. I'm 75, but we've got residents who are 100. We have one who is 66. But whatever you need, whoever, whenever you need it, those things are available. ... And the dining staff, the waitstaff, know everybody's names."

Suzanne asks, "I'm hearing that you're connecting with other residents, and you feel included. How did that happen?"

Ann answers, "Well, for one thing, I'm not shy about saying, 'Hi, my name's Ann, what's yours? Please don't be offended, but I won't remember it next time because I don't remember anything till I am completely embarrassed by having not remembered.' So I find out what people's names are, and I like to talk to them and find out what they did in their working life, what their strengths are, and what their interests are. And all you have to do is just ask a question. What do you like most, or do you have children? It doesn't take anything terribly intrusive or nosy. It's just a question to start the conversation."

Visit Chateau online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Questions to Ask Experts to Help Parents Age in Place

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 18:45:00 -0500

If you want to age in place, or if you have parents that want to age in place, what are the best questions you should ask an aging-in-place specialist? Aging in Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, the CEO of Pathway Design & Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share his advice for adult children that are helping their parents to plan to stay in their homes?

Paul says, "The word planning, I think, is the most important piece. Because when I get a phone call from a homeowner, or a child — saying, 'My parent is in the hospital. They won't let them come home until the home is safe for them to to live in.' — those are the hardest things for a contractor, to have to turn around and jump on and be able to make the space safe. So the more that you can plan ahead, the easier that potential transition might be in the future. Once a fall happens, and their hip is broken, you have less options."

Suzanne says, "Just because you see somebody that's got a certified aging in place designation on their card, doesn't necessarily mean they're the right person for you. Ask things like, how long have you been there? How many jobs have you done? What types of work? Who are your references? Do you have a portfolio of the types of things you've done? Those are all things that are absolutely valid, are they not?"

Paul answers, "Oh, 100%, yeah. For me, we've been really lucky to be able to win some amazing awards for aging in place and universal design. It's awesome to be able to have that recognition as a contractor, but also it's a recognition for the homeowner, and all of our trade partners that work on these jobs for us, because really it's a team. It's not just me. It's all of these people who come together to create this space for these homeowners."

How to find the right aging in place expert? Paul says, "I've asked this question a lot to my homeowners. When they contact us for aging in place, usually they have Googled 'aging in place.' Another term that gets used a lot is 'universal design.' And so I would start there. Also, I believe the NAHB [National Homebuilders Association] has a portal that you can go to, and look for aging in place.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Wildfire Smoke? Bad Air? How to Minimize Impact

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 18:30:00 -0500

Air quality for everyone is huge, even more so as we get older. Aging in Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, the CEO of Pathway Design & Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about air quality, this other aspect of making a home safer. He also explains what it means for an expert to be designated as an Aging in Place specialist.

Paul says, "When I'm thinking about air quality, I'm thinking about what are we introducing into our home, and how do we minimize the impacts on us. Also, a lot of us are experiencing wildfires during the summer. All that smoke just bombards us. So how do we continue to live in our home in a safe space? So, reducing the impact of that smoke getting into the home, because a lot of our homes are leaky. So are there some ways for us to to manage that? If they are leaky, how do we manage them once it's inside of the home, or how we stop it at the exterior?

"It's like a glass of water. As we continue to age, we've been exposed to more chemicals over the years and that that glass just continues to fill up, and eventually it overflows. So how do we keep it at the level that it's currently at, trying so that we're minimizing future impact? Yeah, that makes sense."

About expertise in this area, Paul explains, "The Aging in Place specialist designation is given out through the NAHB, the National Homebuilders Association. This is a course that we've gone through. I think almost all of my employees have been through it now. But the idea is really introducing aging in place in three separate courses, and each course gets a little bit deeper into how we think about projects and deal with different medical issues that they might be experiencing.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Non-Slip Floors, Stairway Handrails for a Safer Home

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 18:15:00 -0500

People don't necessarily know what aging in place is, and what kind of simple changes can be most impactful to make our home safer for ourselves and for aging parents when they visit. Aging in Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, the CEO of Pathway Design & Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share adjustments we can make to our homes, from DiY projects to more complex upgrades. Paul also talks about sustainability.

Regarding the simple changes, Paul says, "I would say adding handrails, like getting in and out of the house, adding a second handrail to the stairs. We have more control over one hand versus the other as we age, or we have some sort of medical condition, whether it's a stroke or something else. So what is your stronger side? As you're going down the stairs, maybe you have a handrail on the right-hand side, but going up maybe you don't don't have one. Well, let's add a handrail to the other side of the stairs. Just so you have the ability to go up and down safely on both sides. Sometimes that gets forgotten about, just having that safety measure in place.

"We talked a little bit about grab bars, bathroom spaces. Those are those are great in showers. Whether you're five years old or 105...

Suzanne said, "There's a surfacing that you can put over your existing tile."

Paul says, "It's a roll-on product. We clean your shower floor and then we roll the grip onto the floor. And it's super durable, and it helps immensely in bathroom spaces. We've even done it in walkways outside, we're a little concerned about slippery areas. We're even using it on stairs. If you've got wooden stairs in your home, just adding that because if you're walking in socks, those stairs can be just a little bit slippery."

Suzanne adds, "And it doesn't affect the the look of your tile at all. I actually use that product it in my own shower, because it was a little slippery when we first moved in. I have a shower mat, but the mat is not big enough. So we did get that product, and it was super easy. That's a DIY thing you could easily do."

Paul adds, "If you have an existing bathtub and slipping in that bathtub is a potential issue, this is a good alternative, to help buy you a little bit of time."

Suzanne asks, "You can convert a bathtub, pull the tub out and create a walk-in shower. That is not that's not a structural change for the most part, is it?"

Paul answers, "No, it's not structural at all. These units, we drop these in there. We make them, we can customize it. If you have a weird-sized bathtub, we can customize it to fit in the exact space that you have."

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

How to Make a Home Safer for Parent Visits

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Baby Boomers are redefining retirement, and many, as long as they're able, want to keep living in their homes. Yet as they get older, one accident could change their future and shatter their dreams. So if you want to age in place, if you have parents that want to age in place, this program is for you. Paul Kocharhook, the CEO of Pathway Design & Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about keeping our home safe as we get older.

Paul says, "Nobody wants to hear that they're aging. And so I try to turn that conversation, about making it safe. How can we make your home safe for you? Or making it safe for parents who are going to come and visit? Because we have a lot of parents that come from out of country, for some of our clients, and they'll stay for the summer. So how do we make that bathroom safe for them, to be able to manage while they're here?"

He adds, "When I started remodeling homes... we were starting to do remodels on bathrooms, and kitchens, and additions to make spaces better for homeowners. But some of the pieces that were missing were that thinking about more long-term. So, thinking about a bathroom as an example, there was there was a lot that we could do on the on the front end to prepare the homeowner for the future, where we don't have to add things right now, but everything's prepared.

"So we did a fire restoration for [an elderly couple]. Half of their home had and caught fire, and so we were building it back, and they wanted us to put the house back as it was. I said, 'There's things that I can do now, not included in the insurance estimate, like I can put backing in your shower. You're telling me right now you don't need grab bars. But I can put backing in your wall right now, so that when the time comes, we can add those grab bars whenever you want.' They were insistent that, no, they were able to manage in their home as it was before, and they're going to continue to manage in the future.

"Lo and behold, three months after we gave them their house back, they were calling us to add grab bars in the shower. [Now] it's not as easy of a task to do, when we're having to retrofit versus having all the backing in the walls that's hidden behind there, when we'd just be adding screws."

About grab bars, Suzanne commented, "In 2023, we moved into a new house, and when we toured it and we walked in the bathroom, there's all these grab bars in the shower, and there's a walk in-tub. I looked at my husband and I said, 'Honey, this is for old people.' Here's me, you know, the expert. And he looked at me, and he kind of giggled and he said, 'Honey, we are old people.' I said, 'Well, I don't need all these grab bars in the shower.' Guess what? I use them all of the time. And I don't even realize that I'm hanging on to it when I'm turning around in the shower because of the slippery surface, and I'm glad they're there."

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Who Can You Trust for Senior Care? Pt 3

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:30:00 -0500

What is the most important question every family should ask before hiring anyone to care for a senior loved one? Host Suzanne Newman is joined by Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements and Ellie Brown from Chateau Retirement to share their answers. This segment continues the conversation at Answers for Elders Radio in a new monthly series by Trustcasters™, vetted professionals who raise the bar in senior care.

Suzanne says, "I'm going to say something very, very bold. I would bet 50% of placement advisors, if not more, should not be serving our seniors. They are not educated. They don't have the ethics or the morality. I have heard nightmare stories from people that think that they can serve our seniors. Daphne, what are some key questions that every family should have at the very forefront before they even get into hiring anyone?"

Daphne answers for placement advisors, "Families get connected to advisors in a variety of ways, depending upon what their story is. They’re in a hospital, in a rehab, social worker, it's a variety of things. And so I think first of all, , 'Why are you recommending these people to me? What are they about? What do they stand for? How are they going to help me? Are they going to listen to me?' I mean, just the basics.

"And then as you meet them, number one thing I'd ask them: 'What is your highest value in helping my family?' And depending upon how long it takes them to answer that, you'll know if they even thought about it. That should roll off their tongue, as 'Why are you even doing this job?' You ask them that, you'll get an answer."

Ellie answers for senior living communities, "It's a family coming into a community. The questions that should be asked are: Who owns this building? Who really owns this building, and are you the operator, manager, or do you manage the building for the asset, for the bank? It's not wrong if you manage it, but what it means is, who owns the building, what what's the longevity of that building? What are the values of that company? How how truly regional are you? Those kinds of questions matter. And then, what is your tenure of your staff, and what are your staffing patterns, and what's your survey results?

"I mean, start asking about care, stop getting blown away by the bells and whistles. If it's new and shiny, don't get spun by that. I got hit by that when I came into the industry for my mom. I got spun by the the prettiness of a new building, the shiny penny. And I didn't know the correct questions to ask. What is your philosophy? What is your value system with your tenants? Show me that. You show me that, then you're going to have somebody that all the way through is going to be caring for your loved one in all the right ways."

When it comes to caring for older adults, trust isn’t optional—it’s essential. Learn more at AnswersForElders.com.

Learn more about Daphne and Pinnacle Senior Placements at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com. Visit Pinnacle's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Links

More podcasts by Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements
More podcasts by Ellie Brown and others at Chateau Retirement

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Who Can You Trust for Senior Care? Pt 2

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:15:00 -0500

Answers for Elders Radio debuts a monthly series called Trustcasters™, by vetted professionals who are raising the bar in senior care. Host Suzanne Newman is joined by Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements and Ellie Brown from Chateau Retirement continue their conversation about the state of the industry. This segment delves into the differences in the journey that families go through today in realizing that senior loved ones need care.

Suzanne says, "I am fortunate, the fact that my mom lived at Chateau Pacific, and I always say my boot camp of learning this industry was its staff... But I realize now how rare that is... There's so much confusion in senior living. [Even] if someone is already living there, they still don't know necessarily the resources that may be available to them... There's obviously a secret source that Chateau Retirement has, but I think, really, that's the difference between it and so many others out there in the industry."

Ellie says, "Back in the old days, I'm sure there was a lot of handshake, and a lot of networking in-person, whether it's a church or events or what have you. Maybe it used to be grandma, your church, your network. [Now] a lot of people go inside in their homes at night and shut the garage door, and it's online... I think we could put any industry in this conversation, and know that with the advent of social media, and the different levels of social media, and the instant information, and the viral. And then if you add deep pockets to nationwide operators, the people that are speaking the loudest on those platforms that are buying the most ads, that becomes the narrative, that becomes the place, right?

"So senior living... the journey now, it's like a snake, there's so many points of context. There's so much research by the families, it's a longer search pattern now. It takes longer for them to get to the community. And there's more stops along the way. And there's a lot of distraction... So it's like anything, discretion, right? Consumer beware, discretion. And I think we need to decide what is our value, right? What is what are you really looking for? Are you looking for the best deal or are you looking for the best place and if you put money over the best place, you're wrong, right out of the gate. So if it looks like it's too good of a deal, it probably is."

Daphne adds, "At the same time, we are in a time where some people — some decades of life — have one one foot in paper and one foot in digital. And so that is also adding to the the confusion. This group of people — those are the people we're still working with — shut down. They just stop. 'Okay, I'm doing nothing because it's beyond me. I don't even know how to navigate this world.' And so that's another thing that's happening. It happens every single week in my world. And I'm talking to 50-, 60-year-old children. We don't even know how to navigate this anymore."

Ellie adds, "Or one viral bad video of a horrible experience that gets millions of views clouds the perception. Okay, it's like anything. One bad seed can pollute the whole thing, but that doesn't mean it's all bad... Maybe we should be educating on what to run from. Run! I think once we have families in our pocket, we're very expert at having those conversations, once we're with them. But there's a whole journey happening. Or not happening."

Daphne agrees, "I would say it's not happening more than it's happening... And some of that, I think, it's just our times. We can talk about that sandwich generation. I think they're more exhausted. I don't think they have the bandwidth to embrace mom and dad's issues. I don't think they have the time, or that's a part of the perception that they have, in the day in the life of an American right now. And so what happens, the stories that I hear are, 'Mom says she's fine, so she's fine.' So there's a shut down before they even get anywhere."

Ellie says, "I'm a business strategist, I like looking at long-term planning... We first have to address this while we plan for that next [generation]. So I think it's a messaging issue. I think it's a branding and messaging issue, and usually there's some body that's helping formulate the message, or the standards to look for, or as an industry we agree these are the standards that we all are hoping to attain. And I think that people would probably really like to see what we — as an industry — what the goals would be, what does good look like on every level: practices, operations, care, pricing, food? What would that perfect scenario look like, and the cottage industry that surrounds it?"

When it comes to caring for older adults, trust isn’t optional—it’s essential. Learn more at AnswersForElders.com.

Learn more about Daphne and Pinnacle Senior Placements at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com. Visit Pinnacle's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Links

More podcasts by Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements
More podcasts by Ellie Brown and others at Chateau Retirement

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Who Can You Trust for Senior Care? Pt 1

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:00:00 -0500

In a world where anyone can claim to be a senior care expert, who can you really trust? This month, Answers for Elders Radio debuts a new series of episodes by Trustcasters™, vetted professionals who are raising the bar in senior care. Trustcasters™ episodes will talk about what every family needs to know before choosing care for a loved one. From licensing to leadership, we’re pulling back the curtain — so you don’t get misled by unqualified, or even worse, unethical providers. This month, host Suzanne Newman is joined by Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements and Ellie Brown from Chateau Retirement to start the conversation about the state of the industry. How do you ask the proper questions? How to you can you navigate this very complex journey of choosing care for a senior loved one?

Suzanne says, "What we have seen in our industry in many ways is tragic. Since COVID, from my perspective, seeing the anguish and the confusion in families has been overwhelming. People don't know if they will have Medicare tomorrow. They're confused about their Social Security. They're confused about their financials. As aging seniors start to fail physically and mentally, their vulnerability makes them even more scared."

Daphne says, "What I'm finding from families right now is a real a hunkering down, a pull within to rely on their own resources, their own intellect, doing their own nominal research, trying to educate themselves on their own...

"The journey of finding care — when someone can no longer stay at home or they're in a vulnerable position because of an illness or cognitive issues — having somebody walk alongside you is probably one of the most important things that you could do in the journey... It's very much like if you had children in child care, you had resources amongst your parenting groups, a church, your neighborhood, whatever it was that you reached out to each other. We're not even doing that. I'm very active in the church that I attend, and people know what I do, but they're not reaching out to me. And so the phone calls that I get now are to fix a situation.

"In the 25 years that I've been doing this job, I would have thought by now that [senior care providers] would have had a presence of an all levels, no matter what means or what community of care you choose. That our education would be high enough that our community would know more. They know less. And because people are withdrawing, because people are unsure about who to trust, they're making more mistakes."

Ellie says, "Well, I'm one of those people that's actually grateful for COVID, because it shook the industry up. So my recommendation is we can't stop now, because the shake-up needs to continue. In fact, COVID made us look at practices and operations, and care and communication, and not just infection control, but all the manner of assisted living, independent living, and memory care, and how we communicate and get that messaging out. Great...

"But now we need to look at the practices at a legislative level. As an industry level, what are the metrics, what are the policies? We need to grow up. We need to become more professional in our industry. Where other industries have so many metrics and protocols that would be followed, we just don't have that quite yet, in certain areas in our industry. And I'm not talking about the state, in the surveys, and the care. I'm talking about the cottage industry that surrounds senior living... the providers, the home health, the home care, but also the paid advisors. What does that mean, and what do we really look like? What do we stand for, and what are the highest standards? What is our code of ethics? And then drill it down from there."

When it comes to caring for older adults, trust isn’t optional—it’s essential. Learn more at AnswersForElders.com.

Learn more about Daphne and Pinnacle Senior Placements at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com. Visit Pinnacle's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.

Links

More podcasts by Daphne Davis of Pinnacle Senior Placements
More podcasts by Ellie Brown and others at Chateau Retirement

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Don't Wait For Tragedy: Our Aging Parents

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 13:15:00 -0500

The loss of a senior parent brings home renewed urgency for adult children to have difficult conversations with aging parents who struggle with declining health. Ellie Brown, VP of Sales at Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to share the story of the recent loss of her father.

Ellie says, "My own father, who has been a life force for my senior living career forever, because he's refusing to go live in 'those senior living places,' wants to be on his own. And the conversations in my own life have been trying to build the urgency with my family members, and him, to realize it is not a failure to move into senior living. You aren't admitting defeat because you decide you want to be in a safe environment, or you can live independently but maybe you don't need care yet, but you started falling.

"My own father has been having medical issues, and falls, and falls, and me every Sunday for hours, 'Dad, I really want you to consider moving into senior living, because we know, Dad, it's proven that once you start [having] these falls... the rates exceptionally accelerate that you're going to have a traumatic fall. And your wish is to hold on to this ideal that you're going to somehow pass in your sleep, miraculously.'

"And so I went on my vacation on July 20th -- and took him up for Father's Day in May, and gave him a hug, and I said, I'm going on vacation on the 20th. My last directive to you is no falling, and don't get into any trouble. So I was on my vacation and he was having a good time. He was talking about his tomatoes and having a lovely summer. And on the Saturday night before I flew out, I got the call from Harborview Trauma Center that he had had that tragic, traumatic fall. And he had been alone for hours upon hours in his home. And, and there we were, me trying to get back home.

"And it was the Don't Wait Too Late — which I have the trademark pending already for. Now I'm living it. I respect that he had, and everybody has, the right to say, I choose to stay home. Do they really understand what that does to the grandkids, and the great grandkids, and the daughters, and the sons, who now have to live the trauma of the Trauma Unit at Harborview? I don't know that they truly understand that.

"So how do we build the urgency to say, it's not defeat? No, it is not defeat to say, 'This next adventure, I'm going to embrace that. This next adventure, I'm going to go in there and make it what I need and want it to be.' My dad was cognitively fine. He was fine. He could have done cognitively another ten, 15 years... Don't Wait Too Late is getting ahead of it, because if you're ahead of it, you get to choose where.

"So let's say my dad had survived this fall. He would have been still injured enough where he wouldn't have been on the front end of that decision. Did we lose some years because I didn't effectively get him convinced? Maybe.

"My personal story is a teaching moment for us all. How do we build urgency without scaring people away, but also have that hard conversation to say it's time, or something's going to happen. You're either not going to survive — and it's going to be brutal for your family — or you're not on the front end of that decision, because then all sorts of other things come into play. Do you have the right POA, do you have the right executor?"

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

A Legacy of Reflections in Senior Living

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0500

We are honored today to talk about stories of the past., the richest stories with our older adults, and think about the history and legacy that they bring to our lives. Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast is joined by Chris Serold, former VP of Marketing at Chateau Retirement who collects stories of their senior living residents.

As she quotes from one collection, A Legacy of Reflections: "Our life on Earth is represented by a hiking trail in the Pacific Northwest wilderness or mountain setting. Many days of our lives are spent walking. Sometimes we walk alone. Sometimes we walk with others. Family, friends, teachers, coworkers. Doctors, advisors. Helpers and caregivers. Our walk of life may include adventure, challenges, building relationships, love, growth, leadership and sadness."

This book, Legacy of Reflections, is a compilation of the stories of residents who have passed away or moved from Chateau at Bothell Landing prior to 2025.

Chris explains, "I had worked at Chateau since 2000. In the year 2010, I retired. About eight months later, my phone rang, and it was the executive director at the building at the time. And he said, I'm calling because we need an activity director. And I said, 'You want a 69-year-old activity director?' ... So I did the activity director job until 2016. And then I retired again. In 2016, the owner of the company. Jim Godfrey, wanted me to write resident stories, so that the staff could read their stories and have a better understanding of the people they serve.

"So I came back and did Resident Stories, and then it was maybe a year. And pretty soon the residents started saying to me, 'What are you doing with our stories?' And so I told them that we would put them in books for the staff lounges. And they said, 'Well, can we read the stories?' And I said, 'Sure, I will make up books that we will put in the libraries and the lobby areas, so that you can sit and read the stories.'

"Invariably, if I asked a resident, or I talked to a resident, about doing their story, they say to me, 'I really don't have a story.' And so I have to remind them that everybody has a story... maybe we should just sit and talk about their lives... And if the staff is reading them, the staff, this is a new education for the staff. They have no idea what it is to live without running water. They have no idea what it is to go to a one-room schoolhouse. And so when they start to read these stories, then it is it sparks a conversation. Not only with that resident, but it sparks a conversation with the staff when they are in the staff lounges."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Caregivers: Have a Big Heart, Be Willing To Help

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 16:30:00 -0500

How many jobs let you say, "I made a difference in somebody's life today?" Caregivers at senior living communities help residents with activities of daily living, who can mostly live independently, but maybe they need a little assistance with showering, or dressing, or any other types of activities that may be a little bit of a challenge as we age. Hiwot Yeshitla, a caregiver for Chateau Retirement Communities, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about the role of caregivers at Chateau.

Hiwot says, "Caregivers do daily activity tasks for a resident. Everybody is different. Individual care starts with dressing, reminding, giving medications, taking them to the activity room, or to lunch... It's easy for us to do things for them... By doing a little thing, they just appreciate it. And then when they are doing something, they feel liked and happy.

"When I go there, and maybe their family member [isn't] there for them, I'll just go and stand with them, listening to them, and just [help] them meet the day. They forget being sad... Maybe today's their birthday, and maybe there's no family to visit them. I’m there [with them], 'How old are you? Just ask questions...'"

Suzanne asks, "If somebody wants to come to work for Chateau Retirement, what advice would you have for them?"

Hiwot answers, "They have to have a big heart when they come. Just be willing to help people."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Maintenance: Culture and Community at Senior Living

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 16:15:00 -0500

Often we take for granted all of the factors that make residents safer in senior living communities. Chateau at Bothell Landing's Maintenance Director Loren Adams joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about not only building upkeep, but longevity of staff, and helping residents in little ways that are a huge help.

Loren says, "They should be comfortable there. They should feel safe and secure and relaxed almost to the point where, rather than being apprehensive about making that transition in their lives, they should feel like, oh, this is the best move I ever made because now I can just relax and enjoy the rest of my life, and not worry about the little things.

"I always try to remind [my staff] that we're only as good as the work we do for the residents. When we get the positive feedback from the residents, that's huge. When I hear a compliment about one or two of the people, I like to share that with the team, just to let them know that what they're doing is appreciated and recognized. And just because maybe they singled out this individual or that, it's an example of how much the residents appreciate the team as a whole.

"And it can be something so, so small. Residents might have a hard time opening a window, that any of us could go in and just slide the window open really easy. But when you get asked to do things like that, you realize how frustrating, and maybe even discouraging that might be, for those residents. Like, wow, they can't even open their own window anymore. And so the guys go in, and they're just glad to help. And to see that the appreciation for just those little things, that we take for granted I think is is huge.

"And I think that's why our residents stay as long as they do. We have residents that have lived there for years because they get to know the people. They get to know the staff who have also been there for years. It just doesn't feel like you're at a business. It's like you're in this community where everybody knows everybody."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Happy Employees, Stronger Community Culture

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 16:00:00 -0500

Aprill Uskoski and Stacey Greenshields join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about building a senior living community culture, and how Chateau Retirement Communities stands out for their employee culture, hiring, creating supportive leadership, being valued, and creating a path for people to grow within the organization. Aprill Uskoski is Senior Human Resources Director for Chateau Retirement. Stacey Greenshields is Senior Recruiter and Employee Wellness Director.

Stacey says, "Chateau does an excellent job of really caring for our employees and going above and beyond. I first started here back in 2012, almost 13 years ago... And what Chateau does for their employees, from their orientation to the Bloom program that we have, our wellness program to our benefits, we have the Employee Appreciation Fund. I mean, I could just go on and on, we just do a lot of different things for our employees. I think if you have happy employees, it turns into happier residents. And so then you get those residents laughing in the dining room because our employees are so happy to be here, because Chateau invest a lot of time and money into making sure that they're happy."

Aprill says, "It starts with the culture of just what we bring. We have to show it. So if we don't show it, then what's the point? So what we practice every day, it's what you see. From the top to the bottom, everyone's equal. We treat everybody kind. I've been here for 25 years and there's a reason for that. I help create a lot of things at the Chateau. So, when you see the birthdays for the residents, we do that for the employees. There's a reason that a lot of them stay here for as long as we do. Like Stacey said, from our onboarding to our hiring process to... we just have a good time here.

"You can you can train anyone to do a job. You can't train how people treat others. So you have to look for those people that really care for people. And that's what you try to find in everyone. You can't be perfect every time, but you really look for people that want to take care of others. We have a thorough process when it comes to hiring for a reason. Sometimes people just say it takes a little while, but that's okay. We've got to find the right people to take care of."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Revamping Memory Care Part 3: Sensory Walls, Aromas

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 15:30:00 -0500

Derek Larson and Lacy Steed join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about a new program for senior living residents with Alzheimer's and dementia. Lacy talks about the additions of sensory walls, aromas, and the addition of life-skills stations that bring back memories. The program is at Chateau Gardens, part of Chateau at Bothell Landing in Bothell, Washington. Derek Larson is Executive Director, and Lacy Steed is Vice President of Life Enrichment, at Chateau Retirement Communities. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.

Lacy explains, "We did a lot of research on this. I would say right now, probably about two years that we've been doing this. We went and visited other communities. We spoke to a lot of staff, residents, family members, and higher-up leadership. We went to over 15 communities throughout the state, because we wanted to try to get a vibe of what people are doing, what works and what doesn’t. And it was really eye opening. Chateau Gardens, I hope it becomes just something that is the norm, not the exception.

"People think that when you have dementia or Alzheimer's, that you're just in a nursing home. That's it. And you're just watching TV and you're unable to do anything. And that is far from the truth. There is still so much that residents with dementia and Alzheimer's can give and talk about and do. They can still share stories and participate in activities. And they're so they're one of my favorite populations because you just never know what they're going to say, what they're going to do, what they you can do. And it's amazing."

Derek adds, "Some of the activities can create some of that light-bulb moment for residents, like that music bringing that light back in people's eyes. For me, I was talking in the first segment about my mom having been diagnosed with dementia early. Up until the very end, she was able to play piano. You put sheet music in front of her and she could just play. She couldn't even hardly talk, but she could play. And you can see in her eyes, it created this something in her brain that just put her on fire. So the idea is, we want to create that light and that spark through the activities and everything else we do. So much of what Lacy's department does, and the activities, will play a huge role in that."

Lacy says, "We are trying to incorporate ways for them to be active... Arch Design [makes] amazing senior living, tactile wall art that the residents can touch, so they can get just a sense of appreciation, sensory, tactile, everything. Get those neurons, synapses, inspiring everything...

"We do doll therapy. We've actually purchased really nice new babies that will breathe and feel like actual dolls the residents just love to hold and touch and care for.

"We are working on creating life-skill stations. Those are little places, for instance like a laundry area, or a makeup area, where the residents can just go and sit and tinker and play, and hopefully just go back to their days of working or getting ready for work, anything. And they are very effective... We even have an office space where we bought an old-school typewriter and a Rolodex and anything that you can think of from their era.

"Aroma Impressions [makes] a scientifically-based product that works to elicit memories for older adults. It is a very fine mist that you can't even see. And it's just slight enough that you can walk into memory care, and it's just a very lovely smell. You would never know that it's there, but it just makes it smell homey."

Chateau at Bothell Landing is located at 17543 102nd Ave NE in Bothell, Washington 98011-3787.

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Revamping Memory Care Part 2: More Caregivers

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 15:15:00 -0500

Derek Larson and Amanda Krueger join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about a new program for senior living residents with Alzheimer's and dementia. The program is at Chateau Gardens, part of Chateau at Bothell Landing in Bothell, Washington. Derek Larson is Executive Director, and Amanda is Vice President of Health Services, at Chateau Retirement Communities. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.

Amanda explains, "We really wanted to bring a program together that looked at the resident and not the disease. And so what did that, as far as the care part of it, was the individualized care plans, the staff training, and then also making sure the staff is really taking the time with the residents. And so it took a lot of work.

"One thing that we implemented was a lower staffing ratio with our expansion at Bothell. We have that down to a 1 to 7 for just our caregivers, and that just allows for that resident and and staff person to really develop a bond, so that way they can still get their input as best they can. Maybe it's not verbally, but maybe it's through action, seeing their eyes light up when music plays."

Suzanne asks, "You and Derek have both talked about treating the patient rather than the disease. How does that differentiate when it comes to care?"

Amanda answers, "I think it just allows the resident to be who they are, and to still allow them to be as independent as they go around. And having the staff trained well enough to understand that just because they have dementia, that doesn't mean they can't still wash their face, something simple where, let's have that staff give them a washcloth, and then kind of mirror the action of washing a face, and still allow that resident to be as individual and independent as they can and promote that."

Suzanne says, "Derek mentioned a little bit about how the family is more engaged. How does that happen in the care plans?

Amanda replies, "Letting them give us information. You know, maybe Sally has a hard time bathing, but that the family members let us know that she likes bananas. So let's [have] a banana before we take a bath, and then that helps make it more individualized. So, taking as much data that we can from our family members, or our staff too, because our staff spends a lot of time with our residents. All the little tips and tricks, and making sure then that everybody knows what it takes, to make sure that residents care for them."

Derek adds, "We had something really cool happen at Bothell kind of organically, I think as we got more relationships built with our residents and their families. A lot of the spouses actually created their own groups within our space at Chateau Gardens. So every week they would sit down in our outdoor courtyard, and they would just hang out. Talk, as if things were just as they are, meeting each other in the journey. And the spouses could also kind of relate to one another at the same time. And it just it was really cool to see that organically just grow from having that space, just be welcoming in that way."

Chateau at Bothell Landing is located at 17543 102nd Ave NE in Bothell, Washington 98011-3787.

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Revamping Memory Care Part 1: Treat the Person

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0500

Chateau Retirement Communities Executive Director Derek Larson joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to give an overview of the Alzheimer's epidemic and how it's affecting caregivers. Chateau Retirement is launching a new program primarily for senior living residents with Alzheimer's and dementia at Chateau Gardens at Chateau at Bothell Landing in Bothell, Washington. Derek talks about the program came about and how it's going. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.

Derek shares his family experience. "My mom was diagnosed with dementia really, really young. She was only 51 when she passed. And as a 16-year-old kid, I didn't really know how to process that very well. And it was really challenging. Taking care of her was one of the hardest things ever did in my entire life. And was one of the most isolating times in my life. And so, going full 360 to being here today and having this opportunity, it means the world to be able to give back to the people that really need that love, and care, and that don't need to have less than a life just because they have this disease."

He adds, "It's just such a under-served population that we really, really felt the need to meet those people's needs as best we could. And so we decided to fully revamp the programs we were offering. And we created a task force to work on revamping that as well. As a team, we interviewed tons of our own staff. We interviewed some of our senior leadership. We toured many communities around the area to see where memory care units and communities were really knocking it out of the park. We did tons of research.

"Through all of that, we came to the realization that we wanted to create a space where people feel like it's home. They belong. They're at a place where they can be happy, healthy, live long lives. They can be engaged in whatever ways they want. It's just harder to do in that space, because people are not as able to vocalize their wants and needs.

"The biggest surprise is that it was really simple. It's not easy, but it's really simple. What people need is understanding who we are serving. It's just such a simple thing that just gets missed because people are so stuck on treating dementia and Alzheimer's instead of treating the person in front of them.

"We can see it quickly, even though we're still in the process of implementing everything we would like to. It didn't take long to just get a sense when you walk into a place of the way it feels. There's an energy, and you get an energy from the residents where you see them engaged, you see the staff engaged, you see smiles, you see family getting more involved. You see the rest of the community who have friends in memory care that had the stigma against it, and now feel like they feel empowered to be there and they want to be there. What we strive for is to be a community."

Chateau at Bothell Landing is located at 17543 102nd Ave NE in Bothell, Washington 98011-3787.

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Strategies and Breath Work for Calming Our Nervous System

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 18:45:00 -0500

Bonnie Brindle, The Anxiety Avenger, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about strategies to reduce anxiety. This segment focuses on coping with grief, "tire-swinging seniors,” and essential support for caregivers.

Bonnie says, "There's actually a prescription. It's called the nature pill. You can go to your primary and be prescribed 20 minutes a day in nature to help yourself re-ground to your surroundings. Way better than medication in most cases. I help people with creating wildlife imagery. Not everybody can get out into nature in the situations that they're in, but in our minds, we can go anywhere we want to and we can communicate in any way we'd like to. Wildlife imagery has helped me be able to do things like sit in an MRI tube for 35 minutes while I'm completely trapped and listening to all kinds of noise. A lot of things that I struggle with, animals have helped me get through."

Bonnie Brindle is The Anxiety Avenger™. As a psychotherapist, author, educator, and international speaker, Bonnie has helped countless people find calm in the chaos using a unique blend of talk therapy, evidence-based energy work, and alternative healing methods. Bonnie’s mission is to support others who choose to soar above the chaos to identify and crack the crazymakers' code—the key to living your best life!

Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code: 9 Simple Steps to Ease Your Anxiety

Is it possible to ease your anxiety and create a path to lasting peace of mind?' From adolescence to early adulthood, Bonnie Brindle’s life was an endless carousel of anxiety, panic attacks, and stressful relationships. In Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code, she reveals how she clawed her way back to a life worth living — one filled with opportunities, health and wellness, and, most of all, gratitude. Using her own journey as a road map for radical healing, she invites you to join her as you reclaim the life you were born to live. Each chapter encourages you to reflect on your own experiences and life challenges, reprogram your own thinking, and take action steps toward solutions you may not have thought possible. In nine simple steps, Bonnie will guide you toward your own path to Personal Transformation. This book is available as a personalized copy from her website and online at Amazon (including Kindle eBook), Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. The Audible version will be ready by July 31, 2025.

Links:

Bonnie's website
Download The Avenger’s 5 Top Tips to Ease Anxiety
Order a personalized copy of Bonnie's book, Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code
Receive Bonnie's bi-monthly newsletter, Musings from the Menagerie
Interested in having Bonnie speak to your group, team, or senior living facility? Learn more at SpeakerHub
Bonnie at LinkedIn

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Self-Care: 5 Top Tips

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 18:30:00 -0500

The Anxiety Avenger, Bonnie Brindle, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show share her top five tips for self-care. As she explains, "You can't be anxious and grateful at the same time." Also, "Respond [to triggers] by backing off... Flight attendants tell you, put your mask on first. It makes sense everywhere in life, your mask goes on first."

1) Breath work.

2) Meditation.

3) Hydration, a couple liters a day is a good average for everybody.

4) Movement, whatever you're capable of.

5) Take a few moments for gratitude.

Bonnie says, "At night I put a glass of water next to the bed. Sometimes I might get thirsty at night. I'll have some, but in the morning first thing to hydrate. Seniors do not hydrate enough. As we age, seniors have less [sense of] thirst, less feeling for thirst than when we're younger. We may not even realize it, but if we're having headaches, or feeling dizzy, or feeling at risk of falling, or we pinch the skin in our arm and it doesn't bounce back immediately, we need to hydrate."

Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code: 9 Simple Steps to Ease Your Anxiety

Links:

Bonnie's website
Download The Avenger’s 5 Top Tips to Ease Anxiety
Order a personalized copy of Bonnie's book, Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code
Receive Bonnie's bi-monthly newsletter, Musings from the Menagerie
Interested in having Bonnie speak to your group, team, or senior living facility? Learn more at SpeakerHub
Bonnie at LinkedIn

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

The Crazy-Making Emotional Rollercoaster: Senior Living Transitions

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 18:15:00 -0500

The Anxiety Avenger, Bonnie Brindle, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the rollercoaster of emotions brought about for seniors facing senior living transitions. She identifies signs that your senior loved one is in need of assistance, such as cleanliness changes, dizziness, feeling sluggish, and avoiding contact. Then she provides advice on how to approach a conversation with your loved one about their anxiety.

Bonnie says, "You're noticing something that's making you feel uncomfortable, or maybe you're worried or anxious. That's not the time to approach a conversation. When you can center yourself and get your own breath quieted, and ask questions — do not make statements or demands like you shouldn't- This isn't- whatever. [Ask] questions: how you're feeling about, what you've been up to lately? Are you feeling well? How can I help you right now in the situation that you're in? Asking questions is always a softer way to approach someone than starting to tell them what you think they would do."

Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code: 9 Simple Steps to Ease Your Anxiety

Links:

Bonnie's website
Download The Avenger’s 5 Top Tips to Ease Anxiety
Order a personalized copy of Bonnie's book, Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code
Receive Bonnie's bi-monthly newsletter, Musings from the Menagerie
Interested in having Bonnie speak to your group, team, or senior living facility? Learn more at SpeakerHub
Bonnie at LinkedIn

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

The Anxiety Avenger

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Bonnie Brindle joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how to recognize and reduce our anxiety. She explains why she calls herself The Anxiety Avenger, and how that informs her work. She shares about recognizing anxiety in its many forms: anger, frustration, withdrawal, and depression. With a heart for healing and a toolkit full of transformational strategies, Bonnie Brindle shares her personal journey from anxious to empowered—and how she’s now guiding seniors and caregivers to do the same.

As a psychotherapist, author, educator, and international speaker, Bonnie has helped countless people find calm in the chaos using a unique blend of talk therapy, evidence-based energy work, and alternative healing methods. If you've ever felt like anxiety is running the show in your golden years, this is your backstage pass to reclaiming peace and purpose.

Bonnie says, "When I was in my teens and twenties, I dealt with debilitating panic disorder and agoraphobia, and I have since — over these decades — figured out how to let a lot of that go, because anxiety is just trapped energy, to let that go safely and without medication. So I completely transformed my own life. And that's what I want to share with others so they can let go of what's holding them back."

Bonnie Brindle is The Anxiety Avenger™. She is a psychotherapist, author, licensed educator, transformational coach, and international speaker. Incorporating alternative modalities with talk therapy and evidence-based energy practices, she’s created a path for anyone struggling with anxiety (like she used to) to find personal peace. Bonnie’s mission is to support others who choose to soar above the chaos to identify and crack the crazymakers' code—the key to living your best life!

Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code: 9 Simple Steps to Ease Your Anxiety

Links:

Bonnie's website
Download The Avenger’s 5 Top Tips to Ease Anxiety
Order a personalized copy of Bonnie's book, Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code
Receive Bonnie's bi-monthly newsletter, Musings from the Menagerie
Interested in having Bonnie speak to your group, team, or senior living facility? Learn more at SpeakerHub
Bonnie at LinkedIn

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Can You Sit & Stand 5 Times in Less Than 10 Seconds?

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 18:45:00 -0500

Award-winning, nationally recognized physical therapist J Kele Murdin joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about some assessments that she does to test older people for their risk of having a fall. One in every five senior falls results in a serious injury, such as a broken bone, or head trauma, or a broken hip. Avoiding falls is paramount.

Kele says, "I want to share a few assessments that we do, because I think they are light bulb moments for people who've never really stopped to think about what's putting them at risk. And as a physical therapist, that this is the kind of thing we do all the time. When I have a patient come in to be assessed for falls, these are the kinds of tests that I would do, and also what you should be able to do.

"[Sit] in a chair, stand up and sit down with without using your hands five times in less than 10 seconds. If it takes you more than 10 seconds to stand up and sit down five times, that's indicative of weakness, or some kind of impairment in your legs that's increasing your risk of falling. The prescription for that would be, do that. Keep working on sits and stands, because it's such a functionally critical movement. That would be the exercise.

"I would say there's a lot of folks that can't stand up without their hands, and — especially as we get older — that's fairly common. So for those folks, I would have them do their sit-stand on the arm of the couch, because it's usually a little higher, right? It's not 18 inches. It might be 24. Or from the edge of their bed if it's higher. And now from a higher surface, I can do a stand without using my hands. And that's where you would do your exercises."

Kele specializes in fall prevention and caring for older adults. She is the founder of Murdin Therapy LLC and Group Otago. Reach her at Murdin Therapy or call 425-306-0502. Groupotago.com offers group fall prevention exercise programs and has a ton of information.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

How to Move More, Sit Less for Health

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 18:30:00 -0500

Fall prevention gets started by us all keeping ourself in better health as we age. Want top three ways to start getting yourself into optimal aging? Award-winning, nationally recognized physical therapist J Kele Murdin joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share her top tips to start small and build.

1. nutrition (hydration, protein, eating enough calories during the day, diet, etc)

2. move more, sit less (aerobic strength and balance)

3. carving out the time, reserving time for exercise (and what does that look like for you, do things that bring you joy or keep you interested)

Kele says, "Move more, that's the basic premise of what you're trying to do. And in that movement, let's think about aerobic activity. Sustained movement over time. That's what aerobics exercise is, strengthening, doing something to build muscle tone, because muscle atrophy is a real thing as we get older, we have to combat that. And balance. What are you doing to stress your balance? Like something to at least narrow your base of support. Narrow your feet and challenge yourself a little bit. So move more, sit less, with those three areas of exercise."

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Aging Optimally? How to Tell

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 18:15:00 -0500

How do you know if you're aging optimally? J Kele Murdin, an award-winning, nationally recognized physical therapist, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how to tell if you are aging optimally.

Kele says, "I think this is such a common question for older adults. On the physical therapy world, we have a lot of tools to measure things. So if I wanted to look at your posture, I could ask you to stand against the wall. Can you get your head against the wall with your heels, against the wall and your bottom in your head? You should be able to touch. Do you have an extension in your upper back? Touch your head. And if you can't, that puts you at risk for fractures in your spine. That there are all these tools and measures we can do as a physical therapist that can measure posture, flexibility, endurance, things like that."

Kele adds, "How much activity do we need to be doing to keep it running smoothly? Well, at least 30 minutes, five days a week of moderate exercise. So when we talk about aerobic exercise, it's like a six out of ten on the scale. You should be able to talk, but it should take some effort. You wouldn't be able to sing at that effort level. I think that level of intensity is what's missed. You know, my aunt takes her dog out, who's thought to go to the bathroom 15 times in her 15 minute walk. And that's not hard enough. That's not enough to get her heart to get stronger. It should feel like exercise and it should be intentional exercise. Subtle things, like how long, how hard, I think really makes a difference in people's awareness and understanding of what optimal aging could look like."

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Personalized Fall Prevention Programs

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 18:00:00 -0500

About one in every four adult older adults aged 65 and over fall every year, and this translates to over 36 million falls in the United States annually among among seniors. Falls are one thing, but one in every five results in a serious injury, such as a broken bone, or head trauma, or a broken hip. Hip fractures alone cause over 300,000 hospitalized patients every year in the USA, and they are followed by a decline in physical function, independence, and even mortality. Award-winning, nationally recognized physical therapist J Kele Murdin joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about fall prevention.

Kele says, "If you ask a cardiologist what's optimal aging, he's probably going to talk about cardiorespiratory fitness. Right. Because his world is full of chronic diseases in the cardiac space. Family doctor might talk to you about someone who doesn't have a lot of chronic diseases like diabetes and other things like chronic diseases that are going to really affect you. I’m a physical therapist, I'm going to talk about the physical aspects of optimal aging. So posture, flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, those are kind of the five areas of fitness for me personally, that's in my wheelhouse. So I think optimal aging is a difficult thing to define because, again, your optimal aging path may be different than someone else's. So I think vitality, independence are two key, those words can can capture it, but they can look different for different people."

“Just being over 65 puts you at an increased rate of fall by 30% just because of the age changes that happen with joints and tissue and aerobic systems that you're already at 30%. So if you have an ankle injury on top of that, that's going to increase your risk even more."

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Being a Resident's Best Friend at Senior Living

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 20:30:00 -0500

Ollie Minogue, Resident Liaison at Chateau Valley Center, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about helping residents in senior living.

Ollie says, "My main job is really being a resident’s best friend when they move in. They come in, and a lot of residents feel kind of isolated when they first arrive. So I think my biggest part is getting them acclimated, making sure they're comfortable. And that involves a lot of steps along the way...

"When they first come in, my big thing is, of course, it's move-in day, I’m greeting them, ensuring you're comfortable, making sure we've got everything squared away. But for the first two weeks of them being here, I'm checking in every single day with them. So whether that's just, 'Hey, how are you doing? Do you want to walk to Happy Hour with me, or do you want to come down to dinner?' And really make sure that they know that they have somebody to reach out to.

"The other thing is helping them to meet people that they may have things in common with. I love coupling people up with best friends. I always have somebody in mind when I do that discovery. I learn from marketing what they're looking for and I'm like, 'Oh, I have just the person for them.' A good example is Boeing engineers. We just have so many of them in the area... And lots of teachers, and based off of interest too, so learning what they like to do. So if you want to play bridge, oh boy, do I have a group for you. Or do you like art? Perfect. There's somebody for everybody, and I truly believe that."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Connecting on a Personal Level at Senior Living

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 20:15:00 -0500

Cindy Serrano, Director of Community Relations at Chateau Valley Center, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about community in senior living and being the ambassador for the center when people tour the community. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington.

Cindy says, "When I first meet with a family, I first want to get to know what's important to them — not what they're looking for in the living situation, or a senior living community, but what is important to them right now in their life, what they would like in their future. And it starts off asking questions like you're on a first date. What do you like to do? How do you spend your weekends? What do you enjoy cooking late at night? So it really is a matter of getting to know the person on personal level."

After seniors move in, Cindy adds, "As the community relations director, I have resources available in the broader community — say, if they're having just trouble moving into their home, say within the first week, maybe we can get an OT test, test the apartment, and put in adaptive appointment that can make their days easier. So there's definitely ways that I continue to listen to little challenges — I may not even see as a challenge — to make it easier for them."

Cindy adds, "A lot of times I've noticed that they may need more help. It's hard to let go of that autonomy sometimes, because it's more of a mental challenge. I mean, 'I am independent,' and it's kind of fearful for them to lose that. This is a big transition to move in to a community and we want to remove the stigma of it being something that you lose independence. You'll still have your independence, but we'll be able to make your days easier so you can do more of what you want to do."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Authenticity, Culture, Stewardship at Senior Living

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 20:00:00 -0500

Marketing Manager Kenji Hobbs joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about how Chateau Retirement advertises itself to new customers. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington.

Kenji adds, "I think authenticity and and true value is so important when it comes to marketing and senior living. When I came into the senior living world as a marketer, it was very important to me that the product... was genuine. We really want to offer a service that provides true value. If somebody is making the decision to move into a retirement community, they're putting their care — their world — in our hands."

Kenji says, "One thing that we really lean into is the longevity of our staff, because we have such a true family feeling here. I've worked at companies small and large, and I can say the culture here is genuine: the family does care, and extends to all aspects of the organization. We have people that have worked here for 25 years plus, and they love coming to work every day, and the relationships they have with our residents is impossible to recreate on any other.

"We have very close relationships with our neighbors. We care about not just our communities, but the communities that they exist in. So we really, really also focus on being a good steward to our to our neighbors... For example, we've done highway cleanups, community cleanups. That's tons of community outreach."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Setting Up Parents for Success at Senior Living

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 18:45:00 -0500

This segment focused on the process of integrating a senior loved one into a senior living community once they've moved in. Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show, explaining that integration needs to come from the community, not the family.

Daphne says, "We want to make things right, we want it to be successful. Well, here's here's a big news flash. Your mom and dad are adult human beings, and they're going to go to the place that they're most comfortable with, which is usually their family. And now they need to learn how to trust somebody else. They need to know the mechanisms of how to push that button so that someone comes to their apartment, if they're in assisted living or independent, or if they're an adult family home. If there's a cognition issue, if there's a need for for ready on the spot care, don't don't close the door to that option. Now your mom or dad has to figure out, okay, I'm going to push this button that's going to take anywhere from three to 10 to 15 minutes for someone to get here. And I need to to plan for that. And and so that's a part of what they need to learn.

"Here's the integration piece that needs to happen in a large community, in my opinion: [plan to] have more care than what your parent may need. Have more touch points, have a two or three hour chat for two weeks, have escorting services, have someone come to them and tell them, Hey, it's bingo at 2:00. And I know you met Patty at lunch today and she's there. I'd love to have the two of you spend some time together. Can I take you down to bingo?

"It's that kind of integration that needs to happen from the community, not from you saying, 'Well, Mom, you have the calendar. Look at it. Look at the clock. You can get out the door and everything will be fine. And I'll take you to lunch outside the community.'"

Daphne suggests, "When you're establishing your care level or your care points or how often somebody checks in on your mom or dad, at least in the first two weeks, have it be higher than what you think is needed because then they will have someone teach them which hallway to go down to get to the activity room, to get to the library. They don't know where the library is. It might be something that they're really interested in, but they don't know how to get there and I don't know about you, but I keep my pride. I don't want to look stupid."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Checklist: Mom's Top Needs at Senior Living

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 18:30:00 -0500

What are the most important things a senior loved one wants when they need a change in housing or an augmentation of care? The things they want most, their highest values, are critical to find for them. Often they aren't the things we expect that they are. Being a good listener is key during this process. You need to become an advocate for their values rather than your own. You have to hear what's not being said.

Daphne says, "I'm going to speak to one that's very common, that usually is misunderstood, and that is when I hear an adult child, saying,' well, my mom used to do x, and I'd love to see her do it again.' And very seldom does that happen. And so adult children will make their highest value a place with lots of activities, a place with lots of hubbub. And most often, that is not a value of the 80 or 90 year old now.

"And I say 80 or 90 year old because they're not 40, 50, 60 anymore. And life changes, it slows down. There's a different set of what it means to get through a day. And as adult children, we're not there. We don't understand it. We still want to hang on to mom or dad as that vibrant person, [and not] acknowledge that they're 80 plus years old.

"When we're making a change in housing and care for someone, their world is being turned upside down... As a furniture walker, they need help with balance. If they're a person that gets up in the middle of the night three times to go to the bathroom, they know how many steps it is. They know what corner to hang on to, so they don't fall. They know what side the toilet paper is on. All of that is going to change. And I promise you, your loved one is thinking about that."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Checklist: Touring Senior Living Communities

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 18:15:00 -0500

Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to provide us with a checklist to use while touring senior living communities, part of the process of helping a senior loved one downsize to a new home during a life change. Daphne points out the advantages of having a placement advisor to help have a successful transition. She highly recommends selecting a placement advisor or referral agent – they don't cost you anything and provide a wealth of information during this process.

Daphne says, "When you finally decide on where you want to go and tour, if you're going to a community that's assisted living or memory care, a large community, I would recommend no more than two a day. And as you're observing these things, you get to ask questions of the person that's touring with you. Now these things become very natural to someone like myself. We're going to observe things and we're going to ask the questions that you may not have even thought of. But all of these things are important in terms of you making as an informed decision as you can to not have another move for your loved one.

"There's a whole aspect of this touring piece that you as a consumer would very likely not know. And those are things about turnover of staff. Has the building recently been built or sold? How is the management, have they been there for ten years or 10 minutes? All those things make a big difference. But you, the consumer, will likely not have privilege to that information."

Daphne goes into detail about her checklist:

1. Visit one or two per day

2. How do the residents look?

3. Do the caregivers greet you?

4. Other things you might not know to ask

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Checklist: Help Parents with a Life Change

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 18:00:00 -0500

How do you as a family help your senior loved on through the process of downsizing to a new home for a life change? Whether it be to independent living for active seniors, or maybe they're transitioning to an adult family home, or go into a senior community, maybe memory care or dementia care, there are a lot of options out there. Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to provide us with a checklist for helping our loved ones through this challenge. She talks from the perspective of a family not having a placement advisor to walk alongside them and giving them all the little details of how to how a successful transition. She highly recommends selecting a placement advisor or referral agent – they don't cost you anything and provide a wealth of information during this process.

Daphne says, "You need to know what your budget is, not only the total amount that you have, but your monthly expenditure that you can afford. There might be cash flow issues that go along. Now. If you had an advisor, they'd be bringing all of these things up and they'd be working through it and they know on the top of their head how much things cost.

If you have a book that you're looking at, very often that information is not going to be accurate. It's going to be information that is at the lowest scale of pricing for rent and care. Know that there's two different things, if you're looking at assisted living or independent living in a large community, the numbers that you see are not going to include care. Look how many things you might trip over. And we haven't even gotten to the building yet."

Daphne goes into detail about her checklist:

1. Have a clear picture of who needs care, assess the situation.

2. Assess the budget.

3. Know the general area they're moving to.

4. Establish your highest values

5. Do they convert to Medicaid when money runs out?

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Using AI and AUGi to Prevent Senior Falls

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:30:00 -0500

Amanda Krueger joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about how IT is used to prevent falls at Chateau Retirement. The interview was recorded on site at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. Amanda is Vice President of Health Services, and oversees the health and care provided at Chateau Retirement Communities.

Amanda says, "About a year ago I started really diving into our fall prevention program at Chateau and a statistic just kept sticking in my brain. After a significant injury fall of an elderly resident, they have an 80% chance of mortality. How can I sleep at night knowing that? We have to do our best to keep our residents safe, so I started looking into technology [and chose] AUGi. It is a motion sensor, it is a technology that we have primarily in the bedrooms of residents, so that way it can monitor when they're in bed... You can set it at a high fall-sensitivity, and it'll alert the staff when our resident is getting out of bed. So if you have a resident or a family member that has dementia, and is not able to ambulate safely on their own, this protects them in the sense that our staff can get in there timely, before they're up out of bed, to prevent what could be a potential catastrophic injury with a fall.

"It is an AI-sensing technology so if a resident isn't walking the same like they used to, it can send alerts to us that their their gait is off a little bit. And then it also just tells us that a staff member is spending 40 minutes a day [with them] when their care plan is for 20 minutes a day, so that could tell us that maybe that resident needs a little bit more care. Or they're spending 45 minutes in the bathroom, that can tell us that maybe they're needing a little bit extra care so they stay safe.

"So it is a great tool for the staff... Every two weeks we're having a meeting with a member of the clinical team from AUGi... By getting those notices and getting in there within a couple of minutes – they call it AUGi saves If we're in the room by three minutes – we've had hundreds of saves since we've implemented this technology. Yes, we can't predict that it would have been an actual fall. But... if we're getting in there timely and preventing your loved one from being on the ground, that's that's going to be a win... And so the family members are loving that piece of mind, knowing that we have this technology in our community."Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton.

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

IT Benefits Senior Living, Part 2

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:15:00 -0500

Sean Godfrey, vice president of technology for Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to continue their conversation about how technology can improve the lives of senior living residents. The interview was recorded on site at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.

Suzanne notes, "A lot of organizations out there outsource their technology. You guys do not. You keep everything in-house. So you protect that data, it doesn't go to an outside source."

Sean says, "We maintain and make sure that everyone is safe when they're using our networks and using our services, and that we're not allowing third-party vendors to come in and stipulate their standards on top of what we have already done our due diligence with.

"We do abide by HIPPA compliance laws. I look at compliance with these and the European Union or the California laws of privacy, and try to incorporate those types of things. Even though we're not held accountable to those standards today, who's to say that maybe next week or in a year or two that we won't be? Putting Chateau up to that degree of being in compliance with NIST and ISOs and HIPPA compliances really allows us to make sure for our residents and our employees, we're securing their data properly."

Sean adds, "We have technicians that are designated just for IT assets. Our residents... have computers and laptops, cell phones, televisions, [cars]. So I expanded our our realm of influence, so to speak, so we can actually help our residents directly, similar to a maintenance work order like 'I need a light bulb changed.' Residents can call down to the desk and say, 'I forgot my password for my email account,' and we have staff on hand that can come and help those residents write, reset passwords, and remove viruses from devices."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

IT Benefits Senior Living, Part 1

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:00:00 -0500

The world is evolving, and technology is impacting senior living communities for the better. Sean Godfrey, vice president of technology for Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about how they use technology to improve the lives of residents. The interview was recorded on site at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.

Sean says, "We're looking at how the technology will enhance our senior our seniors' lives and make it easier for them to age in place, and not have to move somewhere else because the services aren't available in the area.

"I like to think of one of the roles I play is to help our seniors through their digital lifecycle, from sales and marketing is where it typically starts, [where] they take their information and their likes and dislikes. 'I like long walks on the beach with my puppy dog kind of thing, right?' And then translating that down to operations, and having that seamlessly transfer from one department to the other. So we use technology to smooth those edges between departments... really has helped us get to those data points of helping our seniors. We still need to be managers, but we don't have to manage our people as much now, and we can focus more on the seniors.

"We we innovated, back in the early 2000s, having free Wi-Fi access for all of our seniors and their guests. And so Chateau has always been on that cutting edge of technology. It's a balancing act, because you don't want to be too far on the edge and get into the beta testing. I have to do my risk management very carefully and make sure that the technologies we are using are secured from a technical standpoint, but also it's usable for an end user."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Ready or in Denial, Part 6: Caregiving

Sat, 31 May 2025 13:15:00 -0500

If are you able to take this on, what is all involved in taking care of a loved one as a family caregiver. Are you in denial over the next chapter of caring for someone you love? Or are you ready? Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Podcast for the last of their six-part series being prepared for difficult conversations and what comes after.

Daphne says, "I recently met with a family where dad is about 85 years old and mom had passed away a couple of years ago. He's living in his own home and two weeks ago, got a diagnosis of very advanced cancer in his lungs that's metastasized to his stomach. And he has two daughters, one lives about 5 minutes away and the other is about 45 minutes away. And this family had cold water splashed in their face and they were beyond knowing what to do. So I got the phone call, and went over there immediately to help of navigate their next steps, because they had no one to be able to help dad. And Dad wants to die in his own home, and certainly has that right. And we can make that happen.

"But it's going through the whole process of what that meant to his two daughters. And one of the daughters was on the phone because she lives 45 minutes away, and the other daughter was sitting in the living room with us. And you could see the stress. The daughters get along just fine. They're sisters. But there was a significant difference in their perceptions and perspectives and sense of responsibility from being 5 minutes away or 45 minutes away. And so as you're thinking about becoming caregivers as family members for someone, really try hard to be outside of yourself and see the big picture."

When Suzanne was caring for her mom, she says, "Nobody sat me down and said, Mom's not going to get better. What we're doing is not to make her better. It's to make her comfortable. If they just would have said that to me, I would have had a completely different perspective. But health care professionals, they don't do a good job oftentimes of educating the family of where are we at in the process."

Daphne explains, "Health care professionals are on automatic pilot. This is what they do day in, day out. And it's not necessarily that they don't want to. It's just an oversight sometimes. Or it's a time issue, having 15 minutes with you in and out. So as a family caregiver, you might have to be thinking about the companionship and the socialization, boredom. You become the person that sits down and listens to dad's stories, or reads a book to him, or watches the old Westerns with him and seriously are engaged in it. And it's not your time to be taking care of your own bills because Dad does need socialization. He's lonely."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Ready or in Denial, Part 5: Care and Costs

Sat, 31 May 2025 13:00:00 -0500

How do you pay for care? And care is expensive. You will be in stick shock to learn how much senior living costs. You may also be surprised at the reality of a senior loved one's actual level of functioning. Are you in denial over the next chapter of caring for someone you love? Or are you ready? Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Podcast for part 5 of their six-part series being prepared for difficult conversations and what comes after.

Daphne says, "There's an element of planning that I hope our listeners will hear and know that you can't wait until you're 70, 75 years old to think about this. It really is a sweet spot, about 55 to 60, to be thinking about this in terms of considering even long term care insurance, in terms of maximizing your buying power with your estate. But having resources and hearing the shock of the cost of care is where I see shoulders drop, where I see families lose hope, The twinkle goes out of their eye and they're like, We can't afford that."

Daphne goes over some finances options, including the basics of what to consider for reverse mortgages, Aid in Attendance, Medicaid, and life settlement.

She also talks about the level of care your loved one might really need. "Your intentions are spot on. Your heart is in the right place, but you don't see, sometimes, your loved one with the eyes of reality. I'm not taking anything away from all of your family caregivers out there. But you see them differently than professional eyes. Rational eyes are here to help your mom have the highest quality of life as possible. Still keep her independence, but not stress her out because she doesn't always get her arm in the sleeve, or it's hard for her to pick out something in the closet to wear, because there might be some condition issues. Set someone up for success."

As an example, Daphne says, "Mom is in a community now and we're really understanding that if there's any kind of cognition challenges, Mom does need help getting to the dining room. Turning left or right, or getting on the elevator and what floor am I on, is too much. It’s not quality of life to stress somebody out with figuring out what button am I supposed to push? And you might be there on one day and mom pushes the button just fine. But at 8:00 in the morning for breakfast, she wasn't synapsing as well. Or mom or dad – and this is universal – can pull it together for the people that they want to please or not be a burden to. And really, as a family member, you need to listen to the people who are caring for your mom day in and day out who are the professionals. You have to have an element of trust there."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Ready or in Denial, Part 4: Legal Paperwork

Sat, 31 May 2025 12:45:00 -0500

Some legal paperwork is exceedingly difficult to work around if it's not filed. Are you in denial over the next chapter of caring for someone you love? Or are you ready? Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Podcast for part 4 of their six-part series being prepared for difficult conversations and what comes after.

Daphne says, "I am not an attorney and I'm not giving any attorney advice here today. But I will give you real life perspectives to consider, and that is do not avoid getting the paperwork done. The biggest one is power of attorney. It lets you speak on behalf of the person while they're still alive. And there's different paperwork for after they've passed away. But power of attorney is while someone is alive, and anything can happen at any time. I don't care if you are 30 years old and have three kids and you don't have power of attorney paperwork, you should worry about that. You should have a power of attorney paperwork.

"If you're 80 years old and you haven't talked about this yet, and you don't have a power of attorney, you should really – I'm going to use the word – worry about this. This needs to be taken care of. It creates so much chaos, so many hiccups to get over, hurdles to get over, makes protocols and systems work so much slower, if you don't have a power of attorney in place. I hope you heard me really loud and clear. It's really important. It's a very important document."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Ready or in Denial, Part 3: Referral Agents and Tours

Sat, 31 May 2025 12:30:00 -0500

Learn what you need to know about how the best referral agents help focus senior living choices. Are you in denial over the next chapter of caring for someone you love? Or are you ready? Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Podcast for part 3 of their six-part series being prepared for difficult conversations and what comes after.

Daphne says, "I'm transparent. I'm going to choose places that meet your highest values. I'm going to tell the communities this is the highest value. This is why we're here. When the agent is with you, and you're doing your tours, I think that the agent should be very involved in the questions, to be sure to ask. The agent is going to know the pluses and minuses of the community. And if the agent doesn't have a relationship with the community of care in such a way that they can be honest and upfront that says, here's an area that you're going to have to compromise on, I don't think that's a transparent agent.

"You’re making a big decision. Agents should help you walk through the pluses and minuses and you should be able to walk away after seeing the third community walk away and be able to say, I want this from A and this from B in this from C, because then the agent did their job. They didn't stack the deck. They made your job hard. And all three of those communities are viable options. Now you, the family, get to fine tune it."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Ready or in Denial, Part 2: Information Posts

Sat, 31 May 2025 12:15:00 -0500

Referral or placement agents are an information post. Are you in denial over the next chapter of caring for someone you love? Or are you ready? Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Podcast for part 2 of their six-part series being prepared for difficult conversations and what comes after.

First, Daphne explains what a referral agent does: "We call ourselves an information post. We are never decision makers. In the whole United States, there's a whole plethora of people just like me who help you gather the information that's pertinent to your state... We we are like a conduit between you, the consumer, and the people who provide housing and care and where the people who know what's going on in this housing and care industry. We find out about you, the unique consumer of what are your highest values, what works for you in this housing and care community, how some of the logistical pieces that work.

"An agent who has your best interest at heart will meet with you. There are some situations that because we're so mobile that we hold Zoom meetings because some of the siblings or the decision makers might be out of state, but usually we try very hard to meet one-on-one. In choosing to work with a placement or referral agent, there's no expense to you. The expense is to the community of care, right? Because we work off of their marketing budget. We are an extension of their community. That doesn't mean we have exclusivity to recommend to 5 to 10 places. A good agent should be working with all communities of care in the state. And based on your highest values, be able to have all of those communities of care as an option for you. At the same time, we function as kind of a clearing house or a person who's doing your vetting. I personally feel after 25 years of doing this job, that there's no way for any consumer to know the real nuts and bolts of a community of care. It's impossible for me to know everything about every community, because there's so many new ones."

As to the best reasons why you should bring in a referral agent, Daphne says, "You need to have the hard conversations. You are the family, but to actually facilitate them and to know how to walk through this is very difficult for family member to family member. And the number one reason is because you have a primary relationship, and that primary relationship usurps everything else. In most situations, mom and dad still stay mom and dad and you're still the child. That's what it comes down to. 'You're not going to tell me what to do. You're not in my head. You’re not here every day. You bounce in four times a year to see us, and you think you know what's going on with us?' Why would you even consider having somebody like me come into this equation? First of all, it doesn't cost you anything. But the primary reason is, you keep your primary relationship. Let the agent be the one who has these hard conversations. We’re the professional, we are the expert. You are not. You might be a nurse, you might be an occupational therapist, you might be a police person, you might have been an EMT, but you are not the expert [in this area]."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Ready for the Next Chapter, or Are You In Denial?

Sat, 31 May 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Are you in denial over the next chapter of caring for someone you love? Or are you ready? One of the things we hear a lot is, mom and dad are just fine. They're getting older, but they still do this or that. But the fact is, oftentimes, families are in denial and maybe they're not fine. Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Podcast for a six-part series on whether you're in denial, and about having difficult conversations.

Daphne says, "I'm going to say in 2025, currently I'm seeing a lot of skepticism, a lot of fear, a lot of lack of trust, a lot of what ifs, and that it's becoming okay to to maintain the status quo. Even though there may be people quietly suffering, overtly suffering, things can start sneaking up on you... I have never seen so much inaction. That causes a ripple effect of suffering. And so what I mean by that is, it's easier to go along with what whatever mom or dad says, whatever the aunt or uncle says, whatever your wife or husband says, it's just easier to go with. They said they were fine, So they're fine. Rather than doing any investigation or listening to your gut or stepping outside of yourself, knowing this is going to take time, energy is going to interrupt your pattern of life. But in the in the long run, you will have this relationship that hopefully to their last breath will be meaningful and beautiful."

Regarding how to start tough conversations, Daphne says, "This is how I do it personally and professionally. And that's to name the thing that you're most afraid of. Just name it. It will lose power. Dad, I know this is going to be a hard conversation. I want you to hear my heart, not just my words. I know this is not a conversation that that we're wanting to have, but trust me that it's one that's going to be good. Name what you're afraid of. Yeah, I know you want to keep doing your laundry, but going up and down the stairs to get to the basement, to the washer is making me so afraid of the consequences if you have an accident. And here comes the end. The defensiveness. 'I'm fine. I haven't. I haven't fallen down the stairs yet. I'm not going to.' I know you're not planning to, but, Mom, you're in your eighth decade of life and your body is not the same. It's not going to bounce back like when you were 40. Mm. All those things they rest in logic. They do rest in the what ifs, and a lot of people don't want to live in the what ifs."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Being Mindful Of Our Health As We Age

Sat, 24 May 2025 15:45:00 -0500

"We're not talking about major life changes, just ways of being a little more mindful of what we do for our health." Wellness and fitness coach Kelly Fennelly joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about taking care of our health as we age.

For some issues, particularly when recovering from falls, talk to your doctor. There are services out there, that is home health, that Medicare actually pays for. You can have physical therapists come into your home, or an occupational therapist, and for a limited period of time, get on a program to regain strength.

Kelly does in-person and Zoom coaching for those looking for sustainable health goals, with personalized coaching for individual body and lifestyle goals. She is an ACE Senior Fitness Specialist and ACE Health Coach. Check out her website.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Kelly's Top 3 Ways to Improve Health

Sat, 24 May 2025 15:30:00 -0500

Wellness and fitness coach Kelly Fennelly joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share her best ways to improve our health as we age.

1) Movement. Move daily. Water exercise is great if you have arthritis,

2) Protein. Have eggs in the morning, add white beans to a shake, or have a yogurt shake.

3) Balance. Kelly suggests some simple ways to improve balance.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Movement For Better Living

Sat, 24 May 2025 15:15:00 -0500

Healthy living as we age means moving. Fitness and wellness coach Kelly Fennelly joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how to keep moving. Suzanne shared this quote from Dick Van Dyke quote: “At 30, I used to exercise to look good. At the age of 50, I would exercise to be fit. At 70, not to be padded to a bed. And at 80, to be able to live without assistance. And now at 99, I do it purely out of defiance."

Kelly talks about balance, exercise, movement, diet, and being healthier as we age. Kelly says, "I have one client, I'm trying to get him to walk [more]. He's 84. He does a little bit of walking on the golf course, but there's a cart. So what I did was leaned into walking the dog so many times the during the day and during the week... And when his wife takes the dog out, then he will do certain a certain amount of time just walking through the house. So we got it. So it doesn't have to be on a treadmill outside necessarily. It. It just has to be moving."

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Getting More Protein As We Age

Sat, 24 May 2025 15:00:00 -0500

Fitness and wellness coach Kelly Fennelly joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about changes that happen to our bodies as we age, and what to do about it to keep ourselves healthy. What do you eat? How do you move? What kind of exercises do you do?

The discussion turns to eating more protein. Suzanne had read that a 150-pound woman over the age of 65 should divide their weight by three to compute that she needs to eat 50 grams of protein per day. Keely says, "Some of the the research that I've seen, it's even greater than that. They're saying, possibly, 30 grams per meal. So then that would be 90 per day. It is a little struggle for some, because if they're not doing breakfast, or or however your meal schedule is, it can be challenging."

Kelly provides some recommendations for various ways to incorporate that much protein into our daily meals.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Senior Living Behind the Curtain, Part 2

Sat, 03 May 2025 18:15:00 -0500

At Answers for Elders this week, we continue our conversations to open up the hood, peel back the curtain, and talk about what goes on behind the scenes at senior living communities. And we're honored to have conversations today with two incredible C-level executives here at Chateau Retirement. Angel Audino Averman, the Chief Financial Officer of Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show from Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood.

Suzanne points out, "You've seen the industry change, where management companies come in and everything keeps changing. It makes you guys so much different in the fact that you can keep that consistency." Angel says, "We own the real estate. And we partner with our mortgage lenders and HUD, being a primary lender for us. And we were fortunate to refinance most of the portfolio 3% over a 30 year term. I know that we sat on a very stable foundation. And so the fact that the Godfrey family owns the bricks and mortar and the operations, it's one phone call when we need to make a decision."

Angel adds, "There's two generations of family in the Chateau and the family members who have worked here in the past and the grandchildren that have worked here, that continues. And we can point to a half a dozen families employee families where it's the mom and the dad, it's the kids, it's the grandkids. So that family element is there as well, or will have a resident come in and their grandchild is looking for a job. And and we say we'd love to have them. So it's a community, and it's not the physical building. It's how it feels...

"We invest in years of service. So we celebrate that every year at the holiday party. And it's $100 for every year of service. So if you think about 350 employees, and the benchmarks of three, five, 10, and every five years after that, the idea being that it's not so much that we want you to stay because it reduces our cost now, but the way that we train, the way that we develop employees, we can't get that traction [by] constantly turning people every six months.

"Most of our suggestions come from our employees. And Jim [Godfrey]'s famous for saying, 'What's the dumb thing that we should stop doing?' And I thought, that's an interesting way to ask that question. He's truly interested – you're the boots on the ground, what do you see that we don't?"

Family-owned Chateau Retirement is Greater Seattle's expert in senior living, with a legacy of success in its culture, tenure, and dedication of staff to its residents. This episode was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Senior Living Behind the Curtain, Part 1

Sat, 03 May 2025 18:00:00 -0500

This week, we're going to open up the hood, peel back the curtain, and talk about what goes on behind the scenes at senior living communities. And we're honored to have conversations today with two incredible C-level executives here at Chateau Retirement. Jason Brooks, the Chief Operating Officer of Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show from Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood.

Jason says, "We've been family owned from the beginning. And having that family ownership really translates down to treating people with love, dignity, respect. We feel like our job is to take care of our employees, because we know that a happy employee who loves where they work, who has been there forever, is going to treat the resident better... Literally 25% of our workforce have been here ten years plus.

"We really want to bring in people who have a real cultural fit, have a real caring sense to them, a real sense of wanting to to serve and do well for other people. If they need to learn how to be a better server or be a better caregiver or be a better maintenance guy, we can teach them all of that. What I can't teach somebody is to care. I can't teach them to have that heart. They have to kind of come by that a little naturally."

Jason adds, "You also have to be very responsible with your growth and your trajectory. You know, we're 25 buildings, we're looking at expanding here shortly again, but we've built three buildings in 25 years. It was very steady. It was very purposeful... Unfortunately, there's a lot of companies that get into, 'the Silver Tsunami's coming!,' so they want to build as quickly as they can and capture as much of that as they can. And then they end up either being highly leveraged or they don't actually own the property. They're managing it for somebody else. So they don't actually get to make the call. Jim [Godfrey]’s always kept a very conservative fiscal approach to everything, which has really allowed us to do the right thing by our employees and by the residents from day one.

"There's a couple of different [financial] models out there, right? Some people are beholden to Wall Street, because they're publicly traded. And as share prices dip, they have to make sacrifices financially, and cut back services and programing. Or somebody comes in, at their management company, they could be a management company and have to report to several different ownership groups. And then it gets really complicated, because you can't have the same programing if you can't fund things all the same. If you're if you're a management company for multiple people, building A and building B, even if they're in the same town, may be completely different. It could be a completely different culture that's being run through there, because of how they have to manage the financial aspect of the business."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Sell Your Life Insurance Policy, See What You Can Do With It

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 08:45:00 -0500

Hear some examples from Rob Haynie of what people have done with the proceeds from selling their life insurance policy. Rob joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show. Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) and is a charter member of the Association’s PPC committee, which is charged with the regulatory and legislative activities of the industry. The Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc., he has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.

Rob describes a family who had been donating money to a ballet center, but were running low on funds around 2008. "The money that would be going to the 501c3 [the ballet center] was not going to go to them, because they were going to lapse the policy. So they were losing money. Their financial planners said, 'What about a life settlement?' He said, 'What are you talking about?' They said, 'We're going to sell the policy.'

"Two things happened. They immediately donated the money, what they got, to the 501c3, who was able to take it tax free. But the key thing was, the donors, he and she were both alive, were able to write off the donation while they were alive. And they also were able to go to the ballet center and see their name above the doors as you walked in for a number of years, before they passed away."

Rob adds, "Your life insurance policy is like any other assets you own. It's yours. You can do with it as you please. You can find out what it's worth – exactly what it's worth, today – by going through a process, a free non-binding appraisal, and then at that point you will have a decision to make as to what's best for you. And you can sell some of your life insurance policies. We can split a policy in half. You can sell half, and keep half. But at the end of the day, we just want you know there are options."

Email Rob Haynie at rob@lisettlements.com, call his cell phone at 954-599-4433, or learn more at the LI Settlements website.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

No Catch: You Really Can Sell Your Life Insurance Policy

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 08:30:00 -0500

Rob Haynie joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about selling your life insurance policy for cash. Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) and is a charter member of the Association’s PPC committee, which is charged with the regulatory and legislative activities of the industry. The Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc., he has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.

Suzanne asks, "What are people most confused about with life settlement?" Rob answers, "That they don't understand that, they think there's a catch, they're missing something.

"It isn't too good to be true. It's a life insurance policy. You own it. You can do whatever you want with it. And if you can get more money then you can from the carrier, you have every right to get it."

Email Rob Haynie at rob@lisettlements.com, call his cell phone at 954-599-4433, or learn more at the LI Settlements website.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Sell Your Life Insurance Policy, Invest the Proceeds

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 08:15:00 -0500

Believe it or not, you don't have to be sick to sell your life insurance policy. You can sell it and repurpose the proceeds in a life settlement. Rob Haynie joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how Life Settlements work. Rob is the Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc. and serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA). He has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.

Rob says, "Life insurance policies are not designed to pay a death claim. They are priced to know they're going to lapse. You don't have to be sick to sell your life insurance, it's just another misnomer in our industry.

"I've been saying it for 30 years: we're putting the life back in life insurance... We are helping people with life expectancies exceeding 20 years to sell their policies. I sit on the board of LISA [Life Insurance Settlement Association], and I was told the other day we do a market data collection study every year. On average, when you talk about things you could do with the settlement money versus not having so much money, we determined that the typical seller gets 5.2 times to as much as 7.8 times. This is on average. So if you were about to give up your policy for $100,000, and now you're going to get make it up $500,000, that's a big difference...

"There's a lot of fear about Social Security. A lot of people are living on Social Security right now. So the idea of knowing that this is a resource, it eliminates a lot of that uncomfortableness, knowing that they're going to be okay no matter what happens."

Email Rob Haynie at rob@lisettlements.com, call his cell phone at 954-599-4433, or learn more at the LI Settlements website.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

You Can Repurpose Your Life Insurance

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Rob Haynie, Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc., joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about Life Settlements: selling your life insurance policy and repurposing the proceeds. Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) and is a charter member of the Association’s PPC committee, which is charged with the regulatory and legislative activities of the industry. He has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.

Rob explains, "A life settlement is the sale of an existing life insurance policy to a third party – we'll call that person an investor – and for money that is greater than the cash surrender value, or certainly in the case of lapsing, but less than the death benefit. And it's all based upon someone's life expectancy and the cost of insurance going forward from that. They might have been 45 years old when they bought it and they had a whole list of reasons down on a pad of paper... [Maybe there's been] some chaos in the financial sector of the person's household. Most people will lapse the life insurance policy, or surrender it for the cash, because that's the only thing they know to do. The insurance company is certainly not going to tell them they could [sell it].

"You can sell your life insurance policy. We've always kidded the life insurance industry, saying, 'You should be telling people they can sell the life insurance policy because they could turn around, take the proceeds and buy something else you offer, as opposed to letting it lapse or surrender.'

"They can take the proceeds from the settlement, and we use the word repurpose that, and buy something that fits their current needs, such as an annuity. So instead of paying money, they're getting money every month off of an asset they didn't know had any value."

Email Rob Haynie at rob@lisettlements.com, call his cell phone at 954-599-4433 or learn more at the LI Settlements website.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Life Enrichment for Memory Care

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:30:00 -0500

Chateau Gardens memory care director at Chateau Valley Center Michelle Oleas joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders podcast with Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement. This episode was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington. Michelle and Lacy talks about how memory care interfaces with with Life Enrichment at Chateau, and how they work together.

Michelle says, "They're both very important entities, but I don't look at it as separate entities, rather independent pillars. That is very important to enhance the quality of life of our residents. Nursing, we take care of the medical part. We give the medications. We want to keep them safe. While life enrichment, they're there to provide social interaction, meet their spiritual needs. There's just so many things that work hand in hand that are both essential in providing the needs of our residents."

Michelle says, "Usually in dementia, we cannot dwell in the past nor the future, right? They live in the moment. When I have a family member come up to me and say that was a wonderful event, and my mom was really happy with what was going on in memory care, that really hits me hard, right? Because at the end of the day, we're here for the residents. Whatever time they have left, we want to make sure that they do have quality time. We always hear, 'Oh, they have dementia. They won't remember any more.' That's not true. Because at that moment, if you made them happy, then they know – something made them happy. So I think that's a very important piece with these activities."

Lacy adds, "Memory care holds also a special place in my heart. My grandmother suffered through dementia, and it's just a horrible disease. So we work very closely with all of our nursing staff and our caregivers and med techs. We try to be very involved in memory care, and we are working on having weekly morning meetings with the teams to make sure we're all on the same page. It's everyone's job to enrich people's lives, especially for memory care. In memory care, it takes a lot. It takes a village. I have so much respect for nurses and memory care, and it's a hard job. And dementia and Alzheimer's, and we couldn't do it without them and vice versa."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Vibrancy of Resident Life at Senior Living

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:15:00 -0500

Why is senior living the next adventure, and not your grandma's nursing home?

Cindy Serrano, community relations director of Chateau Retirement at Chateau Valley Center, joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders podcast with Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement. Chateau's services are helpful and consultive, guiding seniors through a journey to live a happier, healthier, longer life – providing resident and family support, and increasing family involvement. This episode was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington.

In the previous segment, Lacy and Suzanne talked about how Life Enrichment plays into senior living. Cindy talks about this starting at the beginning, integrating the interests of new residents into the community. Cindy says, "We want to make sure that they have an understanding of everything that we have to offer. We're more than just apartments for aging adults. Life Enrichment plays a huge role. You have your day-to-day activities to really enhance the quality of care... I almost treat every meeting almost like a first date, because it's getting to know the core of who the person is and how we can help out."

Cindy adds, "If we hear a story, we want to include that with them, it means a lot. It's a huge part of their life. So housekeepers, maintenance, whenever they hear something that resonates with them, they will let us know. And then we try to do our best to make that happen. I think that is really what also sets us apart.

"At each community, the Life Enrichment directors and occasionally our Culinary Directors will all meet once a month to plan either the year or the month ahead. And that way we know what is needed from everyone to make sure that this successful. And we're all very communicative. We all work really well together. And if we need help, everyone steps in. It is a very team-oriented company. It's very true: teamwork makes the dream work, and that is what Chateau is. And if they know something about a resident that we didn't know, they will share it and then we will work together to make sure it happens."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Life Enrichment at Senior Living: Much More Than Activities

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about the ways Chateau supports independence and successful aging with a varied activity schedule. But life enrichment goes beyond social activities to quality of life, quality of care, as well as resident and family support. Family-owned Chateau Retirement is Greater Seattle's expert in senior living, with a legacy of success in its culture, tenure, and dedication of staff to its residents. This episode was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington.

Lacy says, "We have activity committees, we have dining committees, we have anything you can really think of — and anything that we can do, we will do. I like to think of Chateau as a cruise ship on land. I want to do anything we can within reason and safety. I think that this is the best part of living. You're retired. You can kind of do what you want, and I want that to happen everywhere."

"Life Enrichment is an all-encompassing program. It is not just activities where it's bingo, pinnacle, canasta, It's health, it's well-being, it's overall happiness. I really try to involve physical, social, emotional, mental, everything into the life enrichment experience. It's a huge step, moving into a retirement community or just moving in general, and to move somewhere where you're not just playing games, but you are actually living the next part of your life in all aspects of the word."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Springing Forward for Senior Safety: Walking

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 18:45:00 -0500

Our common denominator with indoor and outdoor safety is walking. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share tips for seniors on how to be more mindful of how we walk.

Dr. Shawn says, "I've [talked to] five people in the last three months that have had an issue because at home they use a walker. And for some reason, when they went outside the house, they didn't think they needed it with them, or they didn't want people to see them with a walker. What you have to remember, it's a mindset shift. The initial response of most older adults is they don't want an assisted device, because they feel like that's the beginning of the end, right? It's all going to go downhill from here. But actually, those devices allow you to walk safely, give back independence, make people more independent."

"Walking is the number one exercise for a healthy body because it builds bone density, keeps your bones strong, it's keeping your muscles strong. It's also building cardiovascular endurance, being able to especially community distance. If you're going to go out and go to the store, being able to be able to walk those longer distances, it's literally the number one thing I recommend."

In May, Dr. Shawn will be hosting "Stand Up, Keep Up," a two-session Zoom course covering not only steps for fall prevention, extrinsic and intrinsic factors, but also digging deeper to find the root causes of why they might be at a high fall risk. Answers for Elders viewers and listeners can get special pricing. Click here for more information or to register.

Visit Rockstar Seniors.net to learn more or to set up a free discovery call with Dr. Shawn Weiss to get answers to any questions or concerns. Hear more podcasts by Dr. Shawn here.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Springing Forward for Senior Safety: Indoors

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 18:30:00 -0500

Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show with a safety checklist for the indoors. Dr. Shawn discusses items like having adequate lighting in rooms where you're doing spring cleaning. Also, check the batteries in smoke detectors, make sure they're working. If you have air vents, have them cleaned, to help get rid of toxins and buildup of dust.

Dr. Shawn adds, "My mom, she likes to run the sweeper still, herself. It's one of the things that she can still do. She noticed that her sweeper is just becoming too heavy. And so we went out and got her a lighter-weight sweeper, which means less energy consumption. It's much safer for her to push, and it's just done wonders. She's able to do more things."

Visit Rockstar Seniors.net to learn more or to set up a free discovery call with Dr. Shawn Weiss to get answers to any questions or concerns. Hear more podcasts by Dr. Shawn here.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Springing Forward for Senior Safety: Outdoors

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 18:15:00 -0500

To avoid senior loved ones slipping and falling in their yard, check it first for slippery areas that could pose a fall risk. Make sure if they have arthritis and want to garden that they have electric pruning shears, as well as light folding stools to help them sit while gardening. Local volunteer groups may be available nearby to help seniors clean up winter debris in their yards. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about senior safety outdoors now that spring is blooming.

Can your senior loved one get outside easily? Would handrails help? Composite decks can get slippery. Make sure they take breaks, stay hydrated, any have any type of life alert button so they can get help immediately if they fall.

Dr. Shawn says, "My grandmother was 85. I will never forget, she lived down in the hollers of Virginia and she was one of those strong Southern women, which is what kept her going as long as she did into her 90s. She's up on her ladder at 85, taking down the Christmas lights in the spring, like it didn't matter. She was going to do it. Nobody is going to tell her not to do it. That's a little extreme, but you have to use really good safety judgment. If they live alone and haven't been active during the winter, have somebody take a survey [of the yard]. Do you have loose gravel, is the driveway gravel or is it paved? Are there wet leaves? Some people still have Christmas stuff up or they might have cords outside... Those little things are really risky, especially if they're covered up."

Visit Rockstar Seniors.net to learn more or to set up a free discovery call with Dr. Shawn Weiss to get answers to any questions or concerns. Hear more podcasts by Dr. Shawn here.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Springing Forward for Senior Safety

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about preventing senior falls, now that spring has come and everyone's heading outdoors. Suzanne shares a story of a senior whose walker go stuck in some overgrown vines in her yard, and when she tried to force it free, she fell and was stuck lying on the ground for more than two hours until a meter reader happened by who helped her. They discuss making sure your shoes have good soles, and to watch out for ground that might have changed over the winter.

Dr. Shawn says, "The right shoes aren't just about wanting to look good and [match your] outfit. If you have the right shoes, they can keep you out of the emergency room. [When you want] to go out onto the sidewalk, things can still be slippery. You still have overgrowth, leaves, rain. You need to really take inventory of proper footwear. Make sure they have good traction, shoes that have Velcro or the laces that are already set, so that you don't run that risk of tripping. You want your foot held securely in the shoe. Adaptive footwear is also a great option if you experience swelling, or bunions, or have balance issues, they make some great products."

Visit Rockstar Seniors.net to learn more or to set up a free discovery call with Dr. Shawn Weiss to get answers to any questions or concerns. Hear more podcasts by Dr. Shawn here.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Sleep Apnea: A Non-Invasive Solution Better Than CPAP

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 18:45:00 -0500

The Vivos Institute has developed a non-invasive treatment for sleep apnea, as well as a non-invasive assessment program Dr. Bahar Esmaili, VP of Clinical Integration at the Vivo Institute in Denver, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about their solutions.

Dr. Bahar Esmaili says, "Up until now, diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea was just depending on going to the lab, sleeping in a bed that's not yours. But now we have a sleep test as a simple as a ring that we put on your finger, with an app at home. We can even test the patient up to five nights. We test children at age two for this disease. And believe me, there are children that are suffering obstructive sleep apnea under-diagnosed, and we can screen them at their own home with non-invasively and fully FDA cleared methods.

"And this is a very exciting time for Vivos because now we are full on medical practices where patients come and seek this treatment in sleep clinics. We're in the process of integrating our appliance therapies and our methodologies into sleep clinics all over the country. Our appliances are accepted by Medicare and Medicaid."

Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea treatments at The Vivos Institute's website or all 720-399-9322.
Learn more about Bahar Esmaili
Visit Bahar Esmaili's personal website Airway Architect
Find her on Instagram @thesirwayqueen
Listen to her podcast If Your Mouth Could Talk.
Visit her YouTube channel
Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Sleep Apnea: Why CPAP Isn't the Answer

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 18:30:00 -0500

CPAP machines aren't a cure for obstructive sleep apnea, as they don't fix the underlying health issues, and being dependent on them can eventually worsen symptoms. Dr. Bahar Esmaili, VP of Clinical Integration at The Vivos Institute in Denver, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about sleep apnea's common treatment, CPAP, and which it's not the best solution.

Dr. Bahar Esmaili says, "To properly treat obstructive sleep apnea, the focus should be to restore posture, early cranial neurologically, physiologically the proper nasal breathing mechanics. And a lot of adults they'll, they'll use a CPAP machine. Basically it pushes the air, positive pressure, air to keep that space open. Well, it's not a permanent fix. It’s something you have to wear every night for the rest in your life. Adherence to this treatment has been very low.

"The American Academy of Sleep Medicine [has] said, we really have no conclusive study to show the quality of life or any of the metabolic conditions have been improved with use of CPAP. And I concur."

Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea treatments at The Vivos Institute's website or all 720-399-9322.
Learn more about Bahar Esmaili
Visit Bahar Esmaili's personal website Airway Architect
Find her on Instagram @thesirwayqueen
Listen to her podcast If Your Mouth Could Talk.
Visit her YouTube channel
Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

Sleep Apnea: Health Risks for Going Undiagnosed

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 18:15:00 -0500

Sleep apnea is highly under-diagnosed. Dr. Bahar Esmaili, VP of Clinical Integration at The Vivos Institute in Denver, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the risks involved in not being diagnosed with sleep apnea.

Dr. Bahar Esmaili says, "A part of sleep that's the most important for emotional stability, the dreaming stage, if you're familiar. It's called REM stage, Rapid Eye Movement. Now, those folks that have a collapsible, narrow airway, they have more events happening in the REM stage where the brainwaves are closer to awake. It's more like unstable sleep, closer to awake, to prevent seizures, that in accumulation of beta amyloid have been linked to the accelerated rate of dementia.

"I'm talking with folks in their 40s that have forgetfulness, they have fatigue, because the brain is not taking the advantage of the delta IV production and the spinal fluid movement around the brain, both of which are just under-diagnosed and not even not even looked at."

Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea treatments at The Vivos Institute's website or all 720-399-9322.
Learn more about Bahar Esmaili
Visit Bahar Esmaili's personal website Airway Architect
Find her on Instagram @thesirwayqueen
Listen to her podcast If Your Mouth Could Talk.
Visit her YouTube channel
Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Mentioned in this episode:

Legacy Estate Planning

Chateau Retirement

Sleep Apnea Primer

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Dr. Bahar Esmaili, VP of Clinical Integration at The Vivos Institute in Denver, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about sleep apnea.

Dr. Bahar Esmaili says, "The one third of life we spent in bed is determining the quality and longevity, longevity of the life we live outside the bed. Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that basically manifests itself at night when we're sleeping. When the airway is unable to stay open and collapses, or the flow gets limited, oxygen drops, [triggering] a condition called arousal or fight-or-flight.

"Imagine you're being choked every night in bed multiple times per hour. Now imagine what that's going to happen to your nervous system. Cardiovascular conditions, stroke, diabetes, whole host of metabolic conditions over the years and decades, to be exact, have been linked to obstructive sleep apnea and breathing disorders at night.

"Disruption in sleep is detrimental to our health. The reason why we have sleep cycles, and the reason why we our bodies need rest, is because during the time that we are in bed, our brain and body go into a state of recharge, regeneration, removing metabolic toxins from our our system... A lot of amazing things happen for the body and brain, one of which is removing some of the toxins.

"Alzheimer's and dementia have been linked to sleep breathing disorders. You see the impact it has long term, on not just health but quality of life."

Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea treatments at The Vivos Institute's website or all 720-399-9322.
Learn more about Bahar Esmaili
Visit Bahar Esmaili's personal website Airway Architect
Find her on Instagram @thesirwayqueen
Listen to her podcast If Your Mouth Could Talk.
Visit her YouTube channel
Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks

Mentioned in this episode:

Chateau Retirement

Legacy Estate Planning

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

Senior Living Residents: A Day in the Life

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:30:00 -0500

This segment delves into the day in the life of a senior living resident, having a sense of purpose every day so they can feel like they're a vibrant member of a community that is supporting them. It looks at how Chateau Retirement Communities integrates and sustains care to make sure that residents' quality of life is as great as possible. Nicole Bosancu and Amanda Krueger join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast, recorded onsite at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. Nicole is Heath Services Director at the Chateau at Valley Center community in Renton, Washington. Amanda is Vice President of Health Services.

Nicole explains, "We really rely on our housekeeping and culinary staff, because it really takes a team. We might have a resident who's a little more independent, so housekeeping will come and say, 'Hey, Nicole, this person didn't come down, we haven't seen them in a couple of days either in the dining room, or I went in their apartment and it seems like they need a little bit more help.' So that we can go in and then either have a care conference or talk with them and [ask] what do you need from us to make sure you're taking care of."

Nicole says, "If they fall, they can push their call button and the staff can come. But we also have a new AUGi system that is like a motion detector. So somebody falls, it sends us an alert that we can go in and right away.

Amanda adds, "One of our mottos is happier, healthier, longer. And so with this new AUGi technology, it's very proactive and that it can hopefully give motion alerts to the team before that resident even has a fall. So that way we're hoping to prevent a fall that could potentially be detrimental if it turns into an injury fall. So it's an amazing technology and we're excited to have it in our communities."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Culture and Care Model for Senior Living

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:15:00 -0500

This segment discussed senior care options, and the different ways that loved ones join a senior living community like Chateau Retirement Communities. Laura Smith and Amanda Krueger join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast talk about the Chateau Retirement care model. Laura is Health Services Director at Chateau Pacific. Amanda is Vice President of Health Services. This show was recorded onsite at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.

Laura says, "We are very fortunate to have the number of nurses that we have in our buildings... The benefit that I see from having so many nurses is that we get to know our residents on a more individualized basis, and then we get to know little details about their lives that guide the way we care for them.

Amanda adds, "Really getting to know our residents is very important. In fact, one of the stories that we have recently is that we learned from a family member, or [possibly] a staff member, that a resident was having a hard time showering, getting into the shower and agreeing to that. And they found that offering her a banana before the shower allowed her to forget about the process. And [then] she was able to take the shower without any any behaviors, and never refused to shower after that point. And, making sure that gets to the service plan, so all the staff then learn of that."

Laura says, "We have families that don't see necessarily what we see, because their loved one may act differently when they're around, or they've maybe had some walls up that they let down and they have a little bit of dementia or whatnot. So we do see things that the families don't see, so we do have to sit down and and have those conversations, this is what Mom's doing lately. Her mom's not wanting to necessarily go out to activities. Let's figure this out. So we do like to have families come in and talk about these things. We want people to be able to live their best lives that they possibly can here, and have that quality."

Suzanne noticed a vibrancy about the culture at Chateau Pacific that has a lot to do with the overall view of how they treat people. Laura says, "Our philosophy here is that we are privileged to work in their home. This is their home, and we get the privilege to work here. So we're serving them. They're not here for us, we're here for them."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Criteria for Excellent Senior Living

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:00:00 -0500

Amanda Krueger joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about senior living, recorded on site at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. Amanda is Vice President of Health Services, and oversees the health and care provided at Chateau Retirement Communities.

Amanda says, "We are a family owned small business. And it's very much our philosophy that's carried on then within our our communities. We believe in letting residents live life on their terms. We treat them with dignity, respect, compassion – when we do need to come into their home and assist them in their daily living. And then we also believe in treating the staff the best we can because it's going to trickle down that if we take care of our staff, they'll take care of our residents. And so those two platforms are something we really strongly believe in, and it's just carried forward for over 25 years now."

"Maybe dad has Alzheimer's and mom doesn't. Well, they can both live here. We have that quite often, where one spouse is living independently or even with assisted living, and then their spouse is safely in memory care. And [there's] peace of mind knowing they're okay and they're not going to wander off, or anything like that, and being with them during the day to connect with them in that way."

"Our assessment is based on an individual service plan. So we meet the needs, we assess the resident, each individually at various times in the year, if there's a change of condition or annually at minimum, and then whatever that resident needs, we are able to provide. And so from there we have levels, but each person's level and what they do could be different because of what that need is for the resident. It makes the care plan sometimes different for the staff to learn. But we're making sure that that is exactly what the resident needs, and that's what's really important."

Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Siblings: How to Help Your Family Caregiver

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 18:45:00 -0500

Who will care for the family caregiver? Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to suggest various ways to provide some relief for your family caregiver.

Daphne says, "Recognizing what someone does day in and day out – and it gets to be month after month, and sometimes year after year – just articulating your gratitude to someone has more power than you can even imagine. It lifts the spirit. And it can just be verbal, and just be, 'Thank you. I don't know how you do what you do. Your energy is incredible. You always have a smile for Dad, no matter how confused he is.' The simplest of things can go so far. When you're in a place of gratitude, you can have a heart more of abundance."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

Learn more:

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Aging Parents: How to Start That Senior Living Conversation

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 18:30:00 -0500

Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about family, starting those tough conversations about aging parents and senior living, and being guided by your highest family value.

Daphne says, "We need to just stop and decide: What are our highest values for me individually, or for our family, or for my relationship with my mom and dad? And for you to have a benchmark – or a litmus or an understanding – of what your highest value is and then work toward that highest value... One [example] would be that I want my parents to be as happy and as healthy and safe as possible while honoring their own wishes. That could be a very standard highest value. You, as an advocate for whoever those people are, parents or otherwise, tweak that in terms of, how can I help them gracefully get into this next chapter of life and still honor their wishes? Because sometimes we have to be very proactive and sometimes we have to say the words that are not easy to say.

"And so I'd like to give you just some ideas of how to do that. As an adult child, that could be, 'Mom and dad, this is a tough place for me to be at, and I respect you completely, but I'm seeing the following.' And I would love to have a conversation about this without anybody getting defensive, if we can. And throw some humor in it, if that's your personality. Or if you're a friend and you see something from a distance – maybe it's a couple or somebody that you see at church that's a caregiver for everybody in the church – be able to say to them, 'My heart is is kind of hurting for you right now. And I am your friend. And I feel almost a responsibility to kind of have a conversation. We can have it once and be done, but it's on my heart and I really want to point out some observations that I have.' These are words off the top of my head. And I don't know your personality. These are my personality words, but have the courage to talk about what's going on. Even though someone is saying, 'I'm going to die in my house and go out for feet first,' even though somebody says, 'Nope, I'm not leaving my home,' even though somebody says, 'We're fine,' you still have the courage to push through that, because people aren't fine."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

Learn more:

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Caregivers: Ask Questions, Gather Info

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 18:15:00 -0500

By 2030, more than 70 million people in the United States will be serving as family caregivers. What do families typically know and don't know about the resources that are out there? If you're a family member of a senior loved one, this is something that you can do to help. Gathering information doesn't mean you're making decisions yet. Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the importance of asking questions.

Daphne says, "If you're an adult child, or if you're a power of attorney, for someone, I implore you, ask questions. Any question, it does not matter. If somebody is at the hospital and you see on the board in the hospital room that they are on a no-salt diet, ask about that. Why? It might be something that's very prudent for right now, or it might be something that's in their chart from years ago and isn't germane to today.

"When people go to their doctor's office, or when they go to get admitted to the hospital or you're in the E.R. As the patient, you have the right to ask any question.. If [the answer] didn't make sense, or you're not clear about it, ask again. It's your body. It's your life. Be bold, and just ask questions."

Regarding resources that are are available to help. Daphne says, "Most counties have a resource called Aging and Disability, and that's a really good source of information to find out what services are in your county or in your community. It is a good resource. Many of those resources are free, or they can be at a reduced rate through the county and that's [paid for] through your taxes. Make use of those services that your county has.

"Another resource in your community: You may have a person that's called a placement navigator, or someone who does placement and referral for housing and care for seniors. And that's what I do. I'm a resource for people. Typically our services are free to the consumer. And so we're a point of information, an information post. And when you reach out to someone, that's not saying, 'Oh, I'm ready to move,' it's a place to gather information.

"Another place that you can sometimes find resources is through your church. If you've got a faith system, your pastor, your rabbi, a priest, they may know of some resources for you or people to help you get through a situation, or just to inform you about how how does this system work."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

Learn more:

* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Gene Hackman's Wife, Caregiver Burnout, and Our Breaking Point

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were both in the news recently. Both had been found dead at their home, her from a rare hantavirus and Hackman from advanced Alzheimer's. She had been his primary caregiver. Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements in Seattle, Washington joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about caregiver burnout. Currently 53 million Americans are family caregivers, providing unpaid assistance to their loved ones with either health conditions, disabilities or aging issues.

Suzanne says, "The thing that's so overwhelming is, she didn't take care of herself. She let her disease progress to the point where she passed away – and she was on the phone with her doctor. Of course, we will never know exactly the facts of that phone call, but the whole point is, it's overwhelming. They tend to ignore their own health, their own symptoms, their own lives. They let themselves go down the rabbit hole, all in the sacrifice of caring for someone else. And this is a classic scenario. "

Daphne says, "It is. But it also isn't necessarily something that's front and center, it sneaks up on them. The power of stress on our bodies is not always able to be seen when you're in it. And sometimes even from your family, if you've got daily routine with your family, they may not see the effects of your added responsibilities and being a caregiver. But internally, your body is is fighting to hang on. And that changes from decade to decade. The more birthdays you have, the more profound stress can be on your body functions. And so when you have a doctor – or a friend, or someone who's visiting you after seeing you maybe a few months ago – really, really listen to what they're saying. Please don't dismiss it."

Daphne adds, "If you're the caregiver, you are in the thick of it and you are in the routine of doing what you do on a daily basis. I'll speak as a daughter. I remember when my mom would say, 'Daphne, today wasn't that bad,' or when she had a really bad day, she'd say, 'Tomorrow will be better,' or one that was really stressful and she was caring for my dad, who had Lewy Body dementia and Parkinson's, when it was a very stressful day and things really were falling apart, that's when she was most often ready to get some additional care. And then the sun comes up the next day, and she says, 'Now, Daphne, I can go another day.'

"It's those deepest days that you really need to listen to, because that's the denominator that determines how much stress you have. Yes, you are a caregiver, and your heart is going to be full of compassion to keep going... You're on this roller coaster, and your body is spitting out adrenaline and cortisol with that roller coaster. And the faster that wave gets on the roller coaster, the more stress you're going to have. We’ve got to give ourselves a break. We have to do it."

Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.

Learn more:

* Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Technology for Good, for Connections

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:45:00 -0500

Senior Care Finder's CEO and Co-Founder Christie Stukenholtz joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how is technology changing the way for families to connect. She also shares advice on what to look for on other websites to make sure you're getting impartial information, or not getting sent to a call center where your contact information will be be shared.

Christie says, "By 2030, all Baby Boomers will be of retirement age or older, and that's about 73 million people. And about 70% of them will end up needing some sort of care. And I will tell you that the industry as a whole is not prepared for this level of demand. Thinking about home care, that's very much something that many, many people are considering these days. And there are tremendous, amazing technologies that leverage AI, and different things that allow people to stay at home longer.

"We leverage AI on our platform Senior Care Finder to really help guide someone through the process. It's more than just selecting a community, or finding a home care agency that can you or your loved one. It's everything else that goes with that process. If someone has to move, what do I do with their stuff? How do I manage their finances? There's so many questions. And so we want to be that place that you can land, take a deep breath, and at least feel confident in your next decision, and know you have technology and tools that are aiding you in that process.

"One of the things we talked about is really being in control of your search and feeling confident of the resources that you have, in their transparency, and all of that good stuff. As I think about tips that I would give people as they're searching, if you get to a site and the first thing you have to do is give all of your contact information, press pause. They're going to do something with that information. And so just be aware of that. If you get to a site where it looks like a directory site, but suddenly you start to notice that the phone number on every single listing is exactly the same, pause. Think about what that might mean. They're going to fail to filter you to a call center and probably leverage your information in your experience to a lot of communities that weren't relevant. Have your antenna up and listen to your gut, that that is important, and we want to be a resource that's non-biased and transparent, meeting the consumer where they're at, and in holding their hand through the process."

Senior living communities and senior care providers can claim their free listing.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Top Tips to Find a Community or Care for Mom

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:30:00 -0500

Trying to find care or a senior living community for a senior loved one? Senior Care Finder's CEO and Co-Founder Christie Stukenholtz joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share her top tips. Listen in as she explains:

Start the conversation sooner than you think.
Use a platform like Senior Care Finder to do your research, even anonymously.
Many want to stay at home. Start thinking about what that option would look like.
Go with your gut when you're interviewing people.

Senior living communities and senior care providers can claim their free listing.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

One Place To Research the Right Choices for Mom

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:15:00 -0500

If you're in that process of later life care, or caring for a senior loved one, this is a very important conversation. Senior Care Finder's CEO and Co-Founder Christie Stukenholtz talks with Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show about the first steps families should take when they come upon a crisis about their loved one.

Christie says, "I'm from Lincoln, Nebraska... With my grandmother being in Washington state, or my grandpa now being in San Antonio, Texas, a platform like Senior Care Finder can help. Using and leveraging those virtual tours, looking and reading at consumer reviews, those help you. And a site like Senior Care Finder can also give you the tools to be able to narrow down your search, find the top priorities that your loved one needs, and then also arm you with those questions to ask."

"My first piece of advice is, if you don't think you need to have the conversation, it's the perfect time to start the conversation. Because nobody wants to be a burden. But people have wishes and they have desires of how they would like to spend their days, and that matters. As soon as you can start the conversation, the better. But secondly, really understanding, what are their non-negotiables? What are their most important things, that if nothing else matters – they need a place that's pet friendly, or they need a place that is in close distance to family so that they can come visit, or they need a private room. Something is at the top of that list. And so having that conversation will help you research, and do the navigating, will help you prioritize and get really clear on what places might be the best fit."

Senior living communities and senior care providers can claim their free listing.

Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

Turning Big Decisions Into Simpler Choices

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Senior Care Finder's CEO and Co-Founder Christie Stukenholtz shares her personal story with Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show. Suzanne recalls that she needed a resource like this years ago to help her make the right decisions for her mom.

Christie says, "My first interaction with senior care and searching for options was for my grandmother, who lived in Washington state. I lived in Nebraska, and my dad called and informed me that she could no longer live independently at home, and asked if I could be helpful in figuring out where she could go next. And quite frankly, my husband, Heath, worked in the senior living industry. I was pretty savvy. I was a smart researcher. I did not think it would be very hard. So I confidently said yes, and quickly had a rude awakening of how hard that process was.

"We were fortunate to get on a plane and rent a car, and drive around to a number of different communities, and tour them – many of which did not look anything like the few pictures I found online – and ultimately found a great place for her. But on that flight home in 2015, I told Heath, this cannot possibly be the experience that everyone is going through. Not even a place to see a comprehensive list of my results, or really understand the differences of care types, or how you pay for it. It's a big, confusing world... And if I can't be the one to care for my mom or my grandma, it's a really, really big deal who that person is, or community is. And so I really felt a pull to to jump in and do something about it."

Christie adds, "Now, consumers, in my opinion, are much more educated, because they're doing research on their own right. And they want to learn and gather information, and they don't want to be sold to. And we really study the behavior of that person, and try to meet them where they're at. So that's really the need that Senior Care Finder is trying to fill, is being a place that people can go take a deep breath and really start educating themselves, and start that process that so many times can feel very overwhelming."