The Senior Zone

November is here, and The Senior Zone with Shawn Perry is helping older adults stay informed, empowered, and engaged! This week, we're joined by Margaret Foster, Editor of The Beacon Newspapers , for a conversation about helping young people succeed, understanding the factors that accelerate aging, protecting your finances from scammers, and exploring entertainment around the DMV. Then, in re...

Knowledge is protection. Community is power. On this October 26 edition of The Senior Zone, host Shawn Perry brings you two conversations designed to help older adults make informed decisions and live more confidently. First: Medicare Open Enrollment 2026 Darnetta Bascomb, Project Analyst with Legal Counsel for the Elderly’s Senior Medicare Patrol, discusses what beneficiaries should consider when...

This week on The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry explores one of life’s most personal questions: what does it mean to have choice, dignity and a voice at the end of life? First, retired social worker Deb Robertson shares how her diagnosis with aggressive, incurable neuroendocrine cancer transformed her into an advocate for end-of-life options and helped lead to Illinois’ End-of-Life Options for Terminal...

Healthy aging means more than taking care of our bodies. It also means protecting our brain health, remaining connected, staying informed and continuing to use our voices. On this all-AARP edition of The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry welcomes Eleanor Nancarrow, Program Specialist with AARP Maryland , for a conversation about Brain Health Week and practical ways adults 50+ can support lifelong brain he...

What does it mean to be prepared—not just for an emergency, but for the life you’re living? On this edition of The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry begins with Margaret Foster, Editor of The Beacon Newspapers , for our monthly look inside the October issue. Then, during Fire Prevention Week , Tony White, Assistant Fire Marshal with DC Fire & EMS , joins us with practical ways older adults and their f...

This week on The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry puts information, protection and connection front and center. In Segment One, Legal Counsel for the Elderly’s Albert Reed , Senior Ombudsman Specialist, discusses residents’ rights as Residents’ Rights Month approaches in October. Saunya Connelly , Tenant Empowerment Specialist, explains what D.C. consumers should know about third-party energy suppliers....

 What happens to decades of experience after retirement, career changes, or major life transitions?  This week on The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry talks with Dr. Deborah Heiser , applied developmental psychologist, TEDx speaker and founder of The Mentor Project, about mentorship, purpose, generativity and why the wisdom we accumulate throughout life still has tremendous value.  Then, pulmonary and cr...

What does it really mean to live longer—and can we make those extra years healthier and better for everyone? This week, Shawn Perry launches The Longevity Zone , a new recurring conversation on The Senior Zone exploring longevity, healthy aging and the disparities that can determine how long and how well we live. Dr. Jean Accius, President & CEO of CHC: Creating Healthier Communities , joins S...

Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer—but it can also be the perfect time to take stock of where we are and where we want to go next. On this episode of The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry begins with a Weekly Vitamin encouraging listeners to make small, intentional adjustments that can create meaningful change. First, Margaret Foster, Editor of The Beacon Newspapers , previews highlights from...

Your home may be one of the most valuable assets you’ll ever own—but making the right decisions about that asset becomes especially important as we grow older. On this edition of The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry examines two major homeownership questions facing older adults and their families. First, Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Attorney, Mahsa Alaeian joins The Legal Zone to discuss the potential...

This week on The Senior Zone , we’re looking at two important parts of aging well: maintaining purpose and protecting our health . First, Shawn Perry is joined by Scott Bening , former CEO of MonoSol and author of The Back Nine , for a conversation about retirement, identity, relevance and finding meaning in life’s next chapter. Then, Dr. Laura Williams , Chief Patient Officer at Ardelyx, joins th...

This week on The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry leads two honest, judgment-free conversations about living comfortably and confidently after 50. Dentist Dr. Yasmeen Ahmad of Mary’s Center explains what older adults and caregivers should know about dentures—from proper fit and daily care to discomfort, slipping, eating, speaking and affordability. Then nationally recognized sex educator, author and agel...

What dream did you once carry—and somewhere along the way, life caused you to put it aside? On this episode of The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry sits down with Pastor Scot Moore, author of Resurrecting Your Dream: “Everyone Had a Dream… What Happened to Yours?”. Together, they explore how responsibilities, setbacks, grief, caregiving and simple survival can cause our dreams to become buried—and why gr...

What helps us live better as we grow older? It begins with being heard, having access to trustworthy information, and knowing that support and new possibilities remain available.  In this episode of The Senior Zone , host Shawn Perry welcomes Margaret Foster, Editor of The Beacon Newspapers , for a look inside the August 2026 issue and the stories older adults and caregivers should know.  Next, Sh...

This week on The Senior Zone , host Shawn Perry brings listeners two compassionate and empowering conversations about receiving the support we deserve during life’s most challenging seasons.  In The Legal Zone, brought to us by Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Veterans Empowerment Specialist Ebonee Avery-Washington explains what’s new with LCE’s Veterans Advocacy Project. She discusses how older vet...

Healthy aging involves more than treating problems after they arise. It also means paying attention to the quieter signals our bodies and emotions may be sending us. On this edition of The Senior Zone , host Shawn Perry begins with a conversation about dental and oral health as we age. Dr. Usman Ahmad, Administrative Dental Director at Mary’s Center , explains what older adults should know about c...

On this episode of The Senior Zone , host Shawn Perry leads an all-AARP conversation focused on advocacy, aging, and the real-life issues affecting older adults across the DMV. In Segment One, Sara Westrick, State Advocacy Director with AARP Maryland , joins the show to discuss AARP Maryland’s 2026 Legislative Wrap-Up — including key takeaways from Annapolis and what older Marylanders, caregivers,...

This week on The Senior Zone, Shawn Perry welcomes Ms. District of Columbia Senior America 2026, Betty Entzminger, for a conversation about grace, purpose, confidence, and representation after 50. Then, Dale Borglum, author of How to Live So You Can Die Without Fear , joins the show for a thoughtful conversation about living fully, loving deeply, and finding peace before life’s final chapter.  Tha...

This week on The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry leads two important conversations for older adults, caregivers, and families.  First, attorney Lisa Brown of Legal Counsel for the Elderly explains adult guardianships in Washington, DC — how they work, when they may be needed, and what families should know.  Then, as Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month comes to a close, Dr. Sharon Brangman joins the...

  This week on The Senior Zone , host Shawn Perry welcomes Carmel Roques, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Aging , for a conversation about Longevity Ready Maryland and what it means for older adults, families, caregivers, and communities across the state.  Then, Shawn is joined by Julia Schreiber, SHIP Manager , and Renee Stainrod, MAP Manager , to talk about practical support for Medicare...

On this episode of The Senior Zone, host Shawn Perry leads a senior-centered conversation about protection, planning, and dignity in later life. In Segment One , Shawn is joined Edwin Walker for a timely discussion on the Older Americans Act, elder justice, nutrition, and why reauthorization matters to older adults, caregivers, and communities across the country. In Segment Two , the conversation...

This week on The Senior Zone , host Shawn Perry brings listeners two meaningful conversations centered on advocacy, caregiving, dignity, and what it means to age with purpose. In Segment One , Shawn welcomes Bob Blancato, one of the nation’s most respected voices in aging advocacy, for a timely conversation about elder justice, nutrition, caregiving, Medicare outreach, and the importance of keepin...

This week on The Senior Zone, Shawn Perry welcomes two nationally respected voices for conversations centered on healthier aging, independence, and quality of life after 50. First, during Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, Dr. Juan Rodriguez joins the show to discuss brain health, memory wellness, cognitive aging, and practical ways older adults can better support their long-term mental shar...

  This week on The Senior Zone with Shawn Perry , we focus on protecting what matters most as we age.  In Segment One, Shawn welcomes Bryony Coiner and Willow Hasson from Legal Counsel for the Elderly for an important discussion on the DC Real Property Tax Lien Auction and the Schedule H property tax relief program that could help qualifying homeowners save money and avoid unnecessary hardship.  T...

This week on The Senior Zone , Shawn Perry brings together two meaningful conversations centered around veteran care, financial freedom, and thriving after 50. First, Shawn welcomes Vamsee Potluri, Medical Center Director of the Washington DC VA Medical Center, to discuss healthcare access, caregiver support, mental health resources, and the VA’s commitment to improving the veteran experience thro...