Aging Matters

Conversation w/ Carol Siebert, OTD, FAOTA, Founder/President, The Home Remedy, about gerontological occupational therapists, services they provide, practice settings, and how they help older adults remain at home as long as possible.

Conversation w/ Roy Remer, Executive Director, Zen Caregiving Project, and Author, about family caregivers, approaches to help them care for themselves, and how Zen caregiving serves as a practical companion for caregivers to care for others.

Conversation w/ Aleece Fosnight, Board Certified Physician Assistant, Medical Adviser, Aeroflow Urology, about bladder health problems of older adults, treatment options, and lifestyle changes to reduce and prevent these conditions.

Conversation w/ Donna Butts, Senior Fellow, Generations United, and Author, Grandfamilies – Stories of Children and the Loving Relatives Who Raise Them , about who grandfamilies are, benefits and challenges of kinship caregiving, community resources, and Generations United initiatives.

Conversation w/ Andrew Molosky, President/CEO, and Franklin Guerrero, Executive Director/Chief Development Officer, Chapters Health System, about advanced illness and end-of-life care services and the National Conversation on Advanced Illness and End-of-Life Care meeting.

Conversation w/ Natalie Vayo, CEO, Family Solutions for Care, about purchasing long-term care insurance, determining best policy coverage, and finding assistance when filing a long-term care insurance claim.

Conversation w/ Kay Bransford, Professional Financial Advocate & Fiduciary , MemoryBanc, about services provided by DMMs, how these services help older adults remain independent and assist their families, and what to know when hiring a DMM.

Conversation w/ Sean Cisterna, Canadian film director/producer, about creating “Silver Screamers,” a documentary featuring older adult participants who draw from lives filled with experience, loss, skill, and perspective, and affirm that anyone can try something new at any age.

Conversation w/ Nicole Rochester, MD, Pediatrician, Professional Health Advocate, and Founder/CEO, Your GPS Doc, about navigating the health care system, health care advocate services, and health-related issues about which an advocate can provide advice and assistance.

Conversation w/ Jane Euler, MS, Cofounder & Lead Doula, Present for You, LLC, about key areas where support and resources are needed to help families dealing with chronic or terminal illness; also, information about end-of-life doulas, including hiring, services, and benefits for families.

Conversation w/ Hope Johnson, President and CEO of Pyramind LLC, Executive Recruiting, about older worker status in the workplace, challenges they face when seeking employment, what to know when looking for a job, and how employers can attract these workers. 

Conversation w/ Walter Gottlieb, Director of Communications, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, about Social Security history and purpose, program eligibility, retirement benefits, beneficiary enrollment and participation, and the program’s long-term sustainability challenges.

Conversation w/ Ruth Lindquist, PhD, RN, Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota School of Nursing, about ways to manage heart disease risks, learn early disease detection, and adopt prevention strategies to promote longevity and improve quality of life.

Conversation w/ Stephanie Welch-Grenier, PhD, Research Associate, Training & Outreach Coordinator, National Research & Training Center on Blindness & Low Vision, Mississippi State University, about low vision eye diseases, rehabilitation services and vision technologies, and educational resources.

Conversation w/ Deborah Lewis, MBA, CPA, Certified Financial Planner, about critical aspects of planning for retirement, including common mistakes to avoid, and key issues to assess frequently after retirement to ensure financial stability and reduce stress.

Conversation w/ Cathy Ciolek, PT, DPT, President, APTA Geriatrics, and Owner, Living Well With Dementia , about geriatric physical therapy, benefits, and treatment for fall prevention and health disorders affecting older adults.

Conversation w/ Nancye Lewis, tax preparer, Thurston CPA, about Federal and State tax information to help prepare 2025 tax returns, free tax preparation resources, and volunteer income tax assistance.

Conversation w/ Catherine Diaz-Asper, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychology/Associate Director of Research, Center for Optimal Aging, Marymount University, Arlington, VA, about risk factors affecting brain health, tips for maintaining a healthy brain, and research about preventing cognitive decline and dementia.

Conversation w/ Stephanie Forster, E.P. CCRP, Cardiopulmonary Rehab Coordinator, and Sarah Nicodemus, CCRP, ACSM-EP, Exercise Physiologist, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, VHC Health. about risk factors, signs/symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments of PAD, how a healthy lifestyle can manage the disease, and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program benefits.

Conversation w/ Santa Claus about aging in place with Mrs. Claus at the North Pole, toy production with elves, decision-making about who’s naughty and who’s nice, worldwide travel issues, and retirement considerations. 

Conversation w/ Elana Sullivan, MS, RD, Registered Dietitian, Arlington, VA Agency on Aging, about why healthy eating is key for older adults, how diet culture and food noise affect attitudes about food, and how intuitive eating can help develop a healthy relationship with food, especially during the holidays.

Conversation w/ Jason Elmore, EPIO, CPC-PIO, Deputy Director of Strategic Communications and Chief Spokesperson, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, about personal preparation for disasters and emergency events and how emergency management department programs provide resources and assistance to communities. 

Conversation w/ Greg Ferro, EdD, U.S. History Educator and Lecturer, about the history of the Supreme Court of the United States, past and present justices, how cases are selected and handled by the Court, and significant decisions the Court has made this year. 

Conversation w/ Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, Associate Professor, Organizational Systems and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, about similarities and differences between palliative care and hospice care, and hospice facts, including eligibility, care providers, services, and care settings.

Conversation w/ Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP, Chief Medical Officer, Association of Immunization Managers, about when older adults should get COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, annual flu shot, and other immunizations needed to avoid health complications and stay healthy as they age.