EPAGA University

"If the dog’s mere presence provides comfort, it is not a service animal under the ADA. But if the dog is trained to perform a task related to a person’s disability, it is a service animal under the ADA. For example, if the dog has been trained to sense that an anxiety attack is about to happen and take a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact, the dog is a service anim...

"Coping with the death of a loved one is difficult enough without the added stress of dealing with financial matters. Whether you’re a spouse, parent, child, or friend, the emotional toll could be compounded by worries about finances. Here’s a touch of good news. While you may have to help handle the deceased’s financial affairs, many debts aren’t passed on" (The Clearpoint Blog). Join u...

"As life expectancies lengthen and medical technology advances, the number of older adults undergoing surgical procedures increases. While these procedures can greatly improve quality of life and health outlooks for patients, they can also cause short-term impediments that can impact an older adult’s ability to live comfortably and independently in their home.  Fortunately, most surgical proc...

We've got a special treat in store for you this week! 🎶 "Music Therapy is the clinical & evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Music therapy interventions can address a variety of healthcare & educational goals" ( Americ...

"Scammers use lots of different tactics — stories about grandchildren in distress, million-dollar prizes, a romantic future, or a business deal — to try to steal peoples’ money. Scammers may demand payment by wire transfers, gift cards, and cryptocurrency — methods that transfer funds quickly and anonymously." Scams are terrifying, as they are so often completed before you even realize w...

"For many women, driving alone can be an empowering and liberating experience. Unfortunately, it can also be a dangerous one. As a woman who drives alone, it is important to be aware of the risks and to take safety precautions" (Automotiveex). No matter your age or gender, join us this week as we discuss tips for staying safe when you're out on the road by yourself! While you cannot...

"In the scientific literature, awe has been identified as a very distinct positive  emotion  that can enhance mental and physical health by influencing thought patterns, social behavior, and physiology. [. . .] Research demonstrates that repeated exposure to awe positively affects our  stress  response, inflammation,  hormonal  activity, and brain function. Appreciating awe on a consistent ba...

"Sandra was distraught. In addition to experiencing grief following her father’s death, she was haunted by fears that she had 'killed him' by agreeing to use morphine to control his pain near the end of his life. “He never woke up after we started the morphine. It was only a couple days until he died” (Today's Geriatric Medicine). The gut-reaction to the suggestion of morphine (in...

"Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or autism, is a broad term used to describe a group of neurodevelopmental conditions. These conditions are characterized by differences in communication and social interaction. People with ASD often demonstrate restricted and repetitive interests or patterns of behavior. ASD is found in people around the world, regardless of race and ethnicity, culture, or eco...

"To have a migraine brain is to have a highly reactive brain that does not respond well to changes in light, temperature, sound or even smell. Anything that triggers this increased sensitivity can cause your brain to start zipping off pain signals. The headache can last up to 72 hours, but the full duration of an attack may be a week. For some, there is no headache at all, but other symptoms...

***DISCLAIMER*** Please proceed with caution if you do not possess the sense of humor of a 12-year-old boy... "According to a 2018 Science Daily study, 60% to 80% of people surveyed admitted to  not being forthcoming with their doctors  about information that could be relevant to their health. That’s A LOT of people left wondering if their pee is the right color, or farting (while muted, I pr...

"Some medications, including vitamin A, antibiotics, and chemotherapy, can cause temporary hair loss. Others, including hormone therapy, may cause hair loss that is permanent" (healthline). This week, we're talking about hair loss! Whether it be from medications or the health conditions themselves, join us as we discuss the intricate causes of thinning hair and what to do about it. S...

"The spinal cord sends and receives signals between the brain and the rest of the body. A spinal cord injury often causes permanent changes in strength, feeling and other body functions below the site of the injury. People who have had a spinal cord injury also may experience mental, emotional and social side effects. Many scientists are optimistic that advances in research will someday make...

"It is the middle of the night and the phone rings. Your family member has been in a car accident and is rushed to the hospital. He is currently in the intensive care unit (ICU). You race to the hospital and are met by the intensive care doctor. All you hear is 'critical, unstable, and surgery.' Later, as you sit out in the waiting room, you wonder, What can I do to help my loved one...

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 42 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more." Join us this week for something a little different, but just as enlightening, wholesome, and humorous as we dive into 42 life lessons from someone who knows a thing or two about a thing or tw...

We've all heard of businesses offering a senior discount at a restaurant or when you're buying tickets to the high school football game, but there are senior discounts abundant with so many other things you've probably never even considered! Join us this week as we break down a solid list of avenues worth pursuing in order to save a few (or several hundred) bucks if you're in your...

"Look good, feel good," right?! Confidence and independence are two of the most important things you can help your aging loved one maintain throughout their later years. Makeup (in older women particularly) is something that many individuals utilize to hide flaws and/or to feel more confident about their looks. But as we age, trends change and so does the canvas upon which the makeup is...

"Medical alert systems allow seniors to call for 24/7 help with a push of a button. Sometimes referred to as personal emergency response systems (PERS), they allows seniors to maintain their independent lifestyles and avoid costly hospital bills. These medical response systems also give families peace of mind. Among older adults , falls are the #1 cause of injury-related death, and the most c...

"Our nation’s senior population is growing exponentially, outpacing the resources available to serve vulnerable older adults and putting their health and well-being in jeopardy. Meals on Wheels is a proven public-private partnership that effectively addresses the challenges of aging by promoting health and improving quality of life for at-risk seniors. By leveraging the existing Meals on Whee...

We're back, better than ever, AND taking you back to the basics of in home care!! Whether you're new here or have listened to every episode thus far, we invite you into this refresher course on what home care is, how to get started with home care, and more! Laugh with us, learn with us, and come along with us through our first OFFICIAL episode of EPAGA University! Class is in session. ⏰ S...

"You’ve been working toward this for decades. It’s so close you can almost reach out and touch it. . .the day you walk away from work and into a new season of life called retirement! But hold on, guys. You can’t just pack up your office one day, hop on a plane to Florida, and dive into retirement without a second thought" (Ramsey). As it turns out, retiring takes quite a bit of planning,...

"In the early 2000s, Dan Buettner collaborated with National Geographic to reverse-engineer a formula for longevity. He scoured the globe for years in pursuit of places where people live much longer than average, and the concept of blue zones came to fruition. To date, the expeditions unveiled Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California, as...

From 'you look great for your age' to 'the elderly are so cute,' our well-intended words can sometimes miss the mark when we're trying to compliment an older adult" (Reader's Digest). Have you ever found yourself in a situation where something you said to an older adult rubbed them the wrong way? Join us this week as we discuss a list of phrases to hold off on until yo...

"After Janice Cook's husband died in 2019, her 1,600-square-foot three-bedroom house felt too big. Marilyn Griffin, her only child, who lived nearby, knew her mother was too vital to think about retirement communities. 'We wanted her to live well in a smaller space,' says Marilyn, who works in health care. After a series of 'frank conversations,' [...] Janice would get to...

HAPPY 100TH EPISODE! 🎉 We cannot believe we have gone 99 episodes without introducing you to our mother dearests! We are SO excited to finally have Jean and Cheryl join us on the podcast for an hour of laughing, crying, the BEST stories, and pure joy! This is one episode you will not want to miss. SHOW NOTES Join in on more of the fun on Youtube: https://youtu.be/cjdJGsUq0ns FOLLOW INGA + JULIE!...