Answers For Elders Radio Network

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?"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 <a href="https://answersforelders.com/chateau-retirement-communities/"...

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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.Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated

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.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 <a href="https://answersforelders.com/chateau-retirement-communities/" rel="noopener noreferrer"

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.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 <a href="https://alzheimersspeaks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

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 AnxietyIs 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 &amp; 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 AnxietyOrder a personalized copy of Bonnie's book, Cracking the Crazymakers’ CodeReceive Bonnie's bi-monthly newsletter, Musings from the MenagerieInterested in having Bonnie speak to your group, team, or senior living facility? Learn more at SpeakerHubBonnie at LinkedInCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksMentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate...

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."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 AnxietyIs 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 &amp; 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 AnxietyOrder a personalized copy of Bonnie's book, Cracking the Crazymakers’ CodeReceive Bonnie's bi-monthly newsletter, Musings from the MenagerieInterested in having Bonnie speak to your group, team, or senior living facility? Learn more at SpeakerHubBonnie at LinkedInCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksMentioned in this...

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."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 AnxietyIs 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 &amp; 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 AnxietyOrder a personalized copy of Bonnie's book, Cracking the Crazymakers’ CodeReceive Bonnie's bi-monthly newsletter, Musings from the MenagerieInterested in having Bonnie speak to your group, team, or senior living facility? Learn more at SpeakerHubBonnie at LinkedInCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksMentioned in this...

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 AnxietyIs 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 &amp; 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 AnxietyOrder a personalized copy of Bonnie's book, Cracking the Crazymakers’ CodeReceive Bonnie's bi-monthly newsletter, Musings from the MenagerieInterested in having Bonnie speak to your group, team, or senior living facility? Learn more at SpeakerHubBonnie at <a...

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 PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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."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:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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."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 PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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 &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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 &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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 day2. How do the residents look?3. Do the caregivers greet you?4. Other things you might not know to askReach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com.To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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 values5. 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 &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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.

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 &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate Planning<a...

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 &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate...

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 &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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 &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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 &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne...

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 &amp; Referral Alliance website search.Learn more:* Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders.* About Daphne Davis* Hear more podcasts with Daphne DavisCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

"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 RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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.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 RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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."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:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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.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 RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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.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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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.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...

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 [email protected], 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 PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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 [email protected], 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 PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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 [email protected], 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 PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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 [email protected], 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 PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau Retirement

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 RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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."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 RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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."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:Legacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate PlanningChateau RetirementChateau Retirement

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."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 RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning

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 EsmailiVisit Bahar Esmaili's personal website Airway ArchitectFind her on Instagram @thesirwayqueenListen to her podcast If Your Mouth Could Talk.Visit her YouTube channelCheck out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s SpeaksMentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementLegacy Estate PlanningLegacy Estate Planning