In Good Company Podcast: Age Better

In this special episode, we’re bringing you inspiring voices and powerful stories from the KY3 Women’s Show, held at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Missouri on March 7, 2026. This annual event brings together hundreds of local businesses, nonprofits, healthcare professionals, and community leaders for a full day dedicated to connection, education, and empowerment. From health and wel...

Healthcare decisions should be made by patients and physicians. But today, millions of treatments are delayed because of a process most patients never see: prior authorization. In this episode of In Good Company, we explore the growing impact of prior authorization denials and why the system may be harming patients. The data tells a powerful story. More than 80% of prior authorization appeals are...

In this eye-opening episode of In Good Company, we unpack a truth that most people don’t realize until it’s too late: having a will is just the beginning of protecting your family’s future. 💡 Today’s guest is an expert in estate planning who reveals the critical steps most people overlook — and why relying on a will alone can leave your loved ones vulnerable, even if you think your affairs are in...

Gen X grew up raising themselves. They were the latchkey kids. The independent ones. The generation that learned resilience early — figuring out homework, friendships, and disappointments without someone stepping in to fix it. Now they’re raising children in a completely different world. And caring for aging parents at the same time. In this episode, we unpack the unique psychological and emotiona...

What do people really misunderstand about hospice? What are families actually afraid of when they say, “We’re not ready”? And what would professionals want you to hear before a crisis hits? In this special episode of In Good Company, we spoke with more than a dozen attendees at the End-of-Life Care Summit in Springfield, Missouri, asking them to respond as if they were talking to a family member,...

Is your brain really declining after 50… or has it simply changed its operating system? In this episode of In Good Company, Spencer Ernst challenges one of the most persistent myths about aging: that learning gets harder because your brain is “slowing down.” The truth is far more encouraging. Your brain isn’t shutting down. It’s remodeling. Drawing from neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and rese...

Scammers are getting smarter. More convincing. More aggressive. And they are targeting everyday Americans using phone calls, texts, social media, and even Artificial Intelligence. In this episode of In Good Company, we break down the four red flags that nearly every scam has in common — and how recognizing them could protect your money, your Social Security number, and your family. You will learn:...

No one talks about this part. While you’re managing medications, appointments, sleepless nights, and impossible decisions… your own body is absorbing the stress. 📉 Caregivers have a 23% higher risk of mortality than non-caregivers the same age. 🧠 Up to 70% report clinically significant depressive symptoms. 😴 Sleep disruption, chronic stress, weight gain, burnout — it adds up. And when the docto...

What does dying really look and sound like — and why are families so often unprepared for it? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Debra Parker Oliver — a nationally recognized hospice researcher, former hospice founder, and author — shares what she learned not just through decades of research, but through living hospice care three times: as a wife, a daughter, and a caregiver. Dr. Oliver pulls back...

Dr. Amanda Altobell is the Director of Ethics at Mercy Springfield, where she helps patients, families, and care teams navigate some of the most emotionally complex moments in health care. Trained as both a clinician and ethicist, her work is deeply shaped by hands-on hospice experience, a death and dying fellowship, and her own personal journey supporting loved ones through the end of life. In th...

Podcast Episode Description What does hospice really look like — and why do so many families misunderstand it? In this episode of In Good Company, we sit down with Kim Therriault, Director of Hospice at Haven Home Health and Hospice, whose decades-long career has been shaped by one defining belief: people deserve choice, dignity, and a voice at the end of life. Kim shares the pivotal moment that c...

In this episode of In Good Company, we’re joined by Dr. Will Vincel, a general dentist at Ozarks Preferred Dental Group in Springfield, Missouri, and an adjunct assistant professor at Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine. With much of his practice focused on older adults, Dr. Vincel shares a patient-first approach centered on listening, conservative care, and clear communication. We d...

Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of families—but many people don’t realize how much progress depends on advocacy, education, and public policy. In this episode of In Good Company, we’re joined by Marcia Rauwerdink, a longtime volunteer advocate and board member with the Alzheimer’s Association, to discuss: The real impact of Alzheimer’s on families and caregivers Why advocacy and legislation m...

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, we sit down with Camelia Jacob, founder and CEO of Jacob’s Ladder, Jacob’s Houses, and Jacob’s Care Center—alongside Luchiia Lebed, manager and integral part of the mission. Together, they share the incredible story behind a network of intimate, faith-led end-of-life homes where compassion isn’t just a value… it’s the culture. What began as a leap of fai...

In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with the Development Director of the Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) to uncover the powerful work happening behind the scenes of one of the region’s most impactful nonprofits. For nearly 60 years, OACAC has been quietly transforming lives—helping individuals and families break cycles of poverty, access essential resources, and move toward l...

In this heartfelt episode of In Good Company, we sit down with Casey Cordell, Admissions Director at James River Nursing and Rehabilitation in Springfield, Missouri, to explore what compassionate, personalized care really looks like during one of life’s most challenging transitions. With five years of experience in healthcare admissions, Casey has helped countless families navigate the journey fro...

Most families have no idea that they can qualify for Medicaid… and still lose their home care services because of one misunderstood question. In today’s eye-opening episode, longtime caregiver and Director of Home Care Amanda Presley at Haven Home Health and Hospice, reveals the hidden pitfalls in Medicaid reassessments, the mistakes people make out of pride, and why answering based on your “best...

*In this Quickcast, we break down what you really need to know about Parkinson’s disease — from early symptoms to breakthrough treatments — and highlight the incredible work being done right here in our community by the Parkinson’s Group of the Ozarks (PGO). Parkinson’s is far more than tremors. It affects movement, sleep, mood, speech, and day-to-day independence. But with the right support, indi...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Cory Davis, a courageous man living with Parkinson’s who opens up about his personal journey — the fear, the faith, the setbacks, and the moments that pushed him to keep going. His message to anyone facing the disease is simple but profound: never give up. We also highlight the incredible work of the Parkinson’s Group of the Ozarks, an organization dedica...

What’s the hidden side of senior living that families don’t see? In this episode of In Good Company, Sales Director Emily Christopher pulls back the curtain on what really happens inside senior living communities—and why the journey into eldercare is far more emotional, meaningful, and human than most people realize. Emily’s path is anything but typical. After 14 years as a NICU nurse, she discove...

In this episode of In Good Company, John and I dive into the heart of the holidays — the traditions, the memories, and the moments that remind us how important family truly is. But we’re also tackling a conversation that so many families avoid… until it becomes urgent. 🦃 Thanksgiving is often the first time all year we see our aging parents or grandparents up close. That makes it the perfect — an...

In this eye-opening conversation, we sit down with Ryan Horn — veteran, funeral director, and co-founder of Eden Cremation Services — to explore a cultural transformation: why more Americans are choosing cremation over traditional funerals, and what that shift really means for families, values, and the end-of-life industry. What you’ll discover in this episode: Ryan’s personal journey: from milita...

What happens when you stop avoiding the hardest topic of all — your own mortality? In this raw and deeply human episode, John Ray, Spencer Ernst, and Executive Producer Alex Wallace sit down to have the conversation most people never do — about death, legacy, and the relationships that shape who we are. This episode explores the Hospice Foundation for Outreach’s inspiring Bucket List +1 program —...

Mayo Clinic has announced that starting January 1st, 2026, it will leave most UnitedHealthcare and Humana Medicare Advantage networks. For thousands of seniors across the Midwest, Mayo will no longer be “in-network.” In today’s episode of In Good Company: Eldercare in Your Backyard, host Spencer Ernst breaks down exactly what this means—clearly and without the noise. 🎙️ In This Episode, We Cover:...

What does leadership really feel like when the stakes couldn’t be higher? In this riveting episode, Dr. Curt Mattson pulls back the curtain on the emotional, mental, and even spiritual reality of leading when pressure mounts and failure isn’t an option. Forget the highlight reels — this is what it looks like when courage meets exhaustion, when confidence meets doubt, and when conviction is tested...