Aging Today Podcast

Did you know that 13% of today's population are seniors? That’s 42 million people, and over the next 12 years, that number will grow to 76 million – one-fifth of the US population. With this trend comes many challenges, and it compels us to look at the future of senior care which is, in terms of societal planning, just around the corner. As the leader of a national company that invests in several...

Comedienne/singer Joan Freed of the Lakewood Theatre Company is our special guest today, and she previews their latest online musical revue. Click https://goo.gl/hb12V9 today to listen! If you’re searching for a special way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, you will fall in love with Lakewood Theatre Company's production of the musical, My Funny Valentine. Joan shares a few of the great comic love son...

Caregiving is becoming a pressing national issue as our population continues to age. One of the greatest challenges is that there are not enough caregivers to meet the growing demand. That is where Karina Tama-Rutigliano of Senior Care Clicks steps in to assist. Her company addresses the issues senior care agencies face when it comes to hiring and retaining caregivers. Karina knows this area well,...

This week Breanna Dickinson of Oasis Senior Advisors joined us to discuss personalized housing options. Coming to terms with the fact that you or a loved one needs outside care can be difficult. You want to be sure you’ll be comfortable and retain a sense of independence and dignity. To assist in that, Oasis Senior Advisors meets with you one on one to get a sense of your priorities and preference...

For this week’s episode of Aging in Portland, I was joined by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation’s Reverse Mortgage Planner Michelle Zafiris, MBA, CSA, and National Reverse Mortgage Director Harlan Accola. They shared Reverse Mortgages: A Cinderella Story. The story of Cinderella is a classic. Cinderella’s feet just have to fit the slipper and she acquires a new life! If you are 62 a Reverse...

Did you know that the process of learning improves memory as we get older? Or that people who spend time around greenery outdoors live an average of twelve years longer? Were you aware that a sedentary lifestyle weakens muscles, including the heart and lungs? Author Heidi Herman joins us on today's show to explain why and to share her new and inspiring book, On with the Butter. Heidi shares how he...

Pastor Tom Schiave of Gateway Church launches us into the new year with a message of hope and inspiration on today’s episode of Aging in Portland. Looking back upon 2020, most of us won’t recall a more challenging year in our lifetimes. Looking forward we are given the opportunity to write new chapters. Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love, and the future to God's providence. P...

Pastor Tom Schiave of Gateway Church brings us a message of hope in uncertain times. And we’ve had plenty of those in 2020! Have you ever had that conversation with someone that begins, "Where were you when...?" We can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing at the markers of monumental events in our lives. Not only are these events memorable, they often arise out of times that are m...

It’s a great crowd on Aging in Portland as I interview Matt Ganon, Rich Ward, and Megan Cable from ComForCare. If 2021 is the year you’ll look for a caregiver, tune in to learn how from the experts. Matt is the Director of Care Services, Rich is the Recruiting Coordinator, and Megan is one of ComForCare’s top caregivers. Together they share what to look for when you seek a caregiver. After all, br...

Why is the music surrounding the holidays so impactful and memorable in our lives? The 1940s especially produced significant holiday music from songwriters like Irving Berlin, crooners like Bing Crosby, and big bands like the Glenn Miller Orchestra, just to name a few. Music helped the world climb out of a terrible war and light up the holidays with a new-found joy. Our good friend, Steve Toll of...

Christy Turner is the owner of The Dementia Sherpa...and yes you can live with dementia without mind-altering drugs! Christy discusses the difference between hallucinations, delusions, and how high anxiety fits into the mix.

Tom Woodruff, an independent Medicare insurance specialist, joined us to spell out the options for Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D. The countdown is on because the deadline is just around the corner — open enrollment for Medicare ends on Monday, December 7. Using his extensive knowledge of Medicare, Tom explains what’s new, lays out the choices that all seniors have to make in the coming weeks, and...

Neil Nathan, MD, joins us to explain why mold toxicity may be the cause of many chronic diseases as we age. In fact, Dr. Nathan literally wrote the book on this subject. When we think of obstacles to aging well, mold toxicity probably isn't at the top of our list. However, Dr. Nathan says there is strong evidence that many of our chronic diseases can be traced to mold toxicity. When traditional me...

Don Tonole, retired American fighter pilot, joins us to honor those whose sacrifices have protected our lives and liberty. Click https://goo.gl/hb12V9 today & listen! America is an idea of the pursuit of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Veterans Day is a day of pausing to remember and reflect on those who paid the ultimate price with their service, giving their lives to these principle...

Our good friend, Steve Toll, the Care Enhancement Specialist from ComForCare Home Care, joined us this week to celebrate and honor the men and women of our great nation with the music that shaped our American heritage. As America began to take shape, patriotic and military songs were born out of the current events of the time. These important and relevant songs have united our nation over the cent...

Jesse Gamez, the Intermountain Region Market President of Humana, joined us to navigate the options for your Medicare coverage. Every year, there’s a narrow window during which you can sign up for Medicare coverage or change the plan you already have. And every year, those plans have some changes that you’ll want to understand to make an informed decision about the best coverage for you. Companies...

Our guest, Dr. Aimee Pierce from the Oregon Health & Science University, is the Director of Clinical Care at the Layton Aging and Alzheimer’s Center, which is leading the charge in preventing Alzheimer’s. But how preventable is the disease in reality? Dr. Pierce explains why the focus of her work is on the early detection of memory changes, and how advanced diagnostic techniques provide accurate d...

Tom Tursich, DDS, brings us a message of hope this week when he explains the power of resilience. "Life is a testing place, not a resting place," he says, and then brings the perfect message for living today. There is hope, even in times of civil unrest, raging forest fires, COVID-19, and life’s other disappointments. But how do we generate hope? What does it take to get past the onslaught of feel...

He’s a therapist in private practice, a supervisor of therapists, an educator and a trainer at both Crosby Integrative Training and Crosby Counseling. Today, Greg narrates part of life’s big journey, where each life is a tale within the bigger story of time. In this interview, Greg captures the chronicle of the caregiver's journey. Like all great stories, it follows a hero’s road map. Greg begins...

Jeffrey Kaye, MD, is the Director of the Layton Aging & Alzheimer's Disease Center at Oregon Health & Science University, where he is also a professor of neurology and biomedical engineering. Dr. Kaye joins us on the show to discuss the growing dementia epidemic. He’ll help us address frequently asked questions like these: How do we know if someone has dementia? Are there early signs? How does Alz...

Hang on to your seats ... This week’s guest is Kathleen Sinclair, who joins us to challenge everyone over 55 not to waste life, but to create amazing adventures! She has learned that traveling gets her energy flowing and her curiosity rambling as she looks for action and new experiences. She says, "My senses yell at me, “We’re awake and ready to roll.” What’s a girl to do? Challenge the heck out o...

Our guest this week is Allison Lindauer, Ph. D. and Nurse Practitioner from the Layton Aging and Alzheimer's Center at OHSU. She gave us her take on the latest research and treatment. Dr. Lindauer and her colleagues at OHSU offer hope for those with dementia through leading-edge treatment and research. Their technology is designed to improve at-home care. They work with the Oregon Center for Aging...

Our good friend, Steve Toll of ComForCare, drops in with some great news. As the Care Enhancement Program Director for ComForCare Home Care, Steve is back to share what he is doing to help those living with dementia. A classically trained musician, Steve utilizes music as a therapeutic tool. The power of music helps people recall words and melodies from their long-term memory. You can find Steve e...

Kathy Wild, an associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University, joins us to discuss aging and financial capacity. Dr. Wild notes that changes in financial behavior among older adults can be early indicators of dementia. She discusses her recent research in this area and her insights from working with older patients and their families for more than 30 years. He...

This week, we have a double-header. Our two guests are eminent physicians, and both of them are joining us to talk about this week’s Aging in Portland theme, “How to survive a pandemic and embrace healthy senior living!” My first guest is Dr. Michael Greger, a New York Times bestselling author and founder of NutritionFacts.org, who kicked off the first half of our show discussing his new book, How...