Answers For Elders Radio Network

SilverKite Community Arts is transforming the way we think about healthy aging by helping older adults stay creative, connected, and confident. Founded by Jennifer Kulik in 2013, SilverKite offers engaging creative aging programs, intergenerational arts experiences, and professional development for senior-serving organizations. These programs are designed to help older adults tap into their creativity, maintain cognitive and emotional vitality, and build meaningful social connections — key components of healthy aging. In this episode of Answers for Elders, host Suzanne Newman welcomes Jennifer to explore how creativity can enhance quality of life for seniors and support families navigating the aging journey.During the conversation, Jennifer shares powerful stories from SilverKite’s work with Chateau Retirement communities, including an inspiring intergenerational project at Chateau Bothell Landing. Students interviewed older adult residents and created “memory boxes” celebrating their life stories, sparking deep friendships across generations. One fifth-grade student even built a travel-themed box complete with lights, maps, and a spinning globe—leading to a lasting bond that extended far beyond the program. These heartwarming connections illustrate how creative engagement helps seniors feel valued, seen, and socially connected while giving youth a meaningful window into aging, history, and empathy.With over 30 years of experience designing arts programs for older adults, youth, and retirement communities, Jennifer explains the developmental importance of creativity later in life—drawing on Erik Erikson’s theories of lifelong growth. As today’s seniors live longer, healthier, and more active lives, programs like SilverKite offer opportunities to explore new passions, maintain identity, and stay mentally sharp. Whether you’re an older adult looking to stay engaged, or a family member seeking ways to support aging parents, this episode shines a light on the powerful role the arts play in well-being, purpose, and healthy aging.Jen holds a Ph.D. in Theatre for Young Audiences from Arizona State University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Washington. In 2012, she was awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching fellowship to travel to Singapore. She received the Joseph F. Wall Service Award from Grinnell College in 2018. Jen presents at conferences worldwide.Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.Connect with SilverKiteWebsite FacebookInstagramYouTubeVisit Answers for Elders.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau Retirementa...

Suzanne Newman welcomes the SilverKite team of Jennifer Kulik (founder and CEO), McKenzie Wilson (Intergenerational & Community Program Manager), and Mollia Jensen (Creative Aging Program Manager) on the Answers for Elders podcast, hosted by Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. SilverKite helps older adults stay creative, connected, and confident with engaging creative aging programs, intergenerational arts experiences, and professional development for senior-serving organizations. These programs are designed to help older adults tap into their creativity, maintain cognitive and emotional vitality, and build meaningful social connections—key components of healthy aging.Jen says, "When I was three years old, my mother caught me in my room with two dolls, one named Purple and one named Orange, and they were talking to each other, and I had voices for both of them. So my mother decided to enroll me in theater classes at the local community college. When I got to middle school, I started having health problems. I lost my hair and I also was having a really hard time digesting food, so I lost a lot of weight. I was very thin and bald at age 11. [She was diagnosed with alopecia universalis.] So if you can imagine, that was a very difficult time in my life. I was bullied quite extensively during my middle school years and into high school. But during all of that time, I kept going to theater classes, I kept acting, I kept going there, and I was part of a community there that helped me to regain my confidence and my self-esteem. And it was a very powerful thing for me."So when I went off to college and started thinking about how the heck did I make it through this really difficult time, I realized that it was the arts. That was the thing that kept me going and helped me to recover myself during that difficult time. What can I do to help others who may be having a similar kind of thing happen to them? And so thus began my career in arts education and arts engagement. And I fell into intergenerational programs in 1999 when I was working on my master's degree, and a colleague and I were creating a curriculum for fourth and fifth graders about immigration that was social science and theater combined. And my colleague said, why don't we bring in some older adults from the community into the classroom to share their stories with the students about their immigration experience? And so we did that. And when I first saw this connection happening between these older adults and the youth, and was reminding myself about the great relationship I had with my own grandparents, it opened up a new door to me in thinking about how the arts can be a service to people and the community at large. So that is how I got started."Mollia adds, "Jen's story inspired me to understand my own even more, which is that I think I was born with a superpower that I didn't know I had, but I just did it, which is whenever life brought obstacles, I turned to the arts, and they just ended up being the healing arts. But they were always just the arts. And the arts are sort of like a portal I could always enter. And still to this day, that's what I'm doing, to be able to work at an organization that is always inviting people to create opportunities for people to enter that portal. Because what I've noticed about depression and loneliness in my own journey, and in others near to me, is sometimes it's as simple as a very small perspective shift, whether that stepping outside or whether that saying yes to come to an activity or a program, and then you're just in a whole new world. You're sitting at a table with people you didn't think you would be. You're on an outing. And I know that sometimes getting from here to there is is challenging for some individuals. But we're here to say say yes, come to the programs."For the past 30+ years Jennifer Kulik has designed and facilitated intergenerational arts, arts for youth, and arts for older...

Intergenerational connection is one of the most powerful tools for healthy aging—and SilverKite is leading the way. Their innovative programs create intentional spaces where older adults and youth build relationships, share life stories, and combat social isolation. Through creative arts, storytelling, and collaborative projects, SilverKite helps seniors find purpose, connection, and renewed confidence. In this episode of the Answers for Elders podcast, host Suzanne Newman welcomes SilverKite founder and CEO Dr. Jennifer Kulik, along with McKenzie Wilson, Intergenerational & Community Program Manager, to explore how creativity enhances emotional wellness and quality of life for aging adults. This conversation was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington.McKenzie shares insight into one of SilverKite’s most beloved initiatives: the Intergenerational Theater Company, now celebrating its 11th production. This unique program brings younger and older performers together to share real-life stories, transform them into powerful stage performances, and tour them across Seattle communities, libraries, and schools. McKenzie’s passion grew from her theater background and a desire to create meaningful community engagement. She describes how SilverKite’s mission—intentionally connecting people through their lived experiences—has shaped her work and reinforced the importance of joy, empathy, and human connection across generations.For more than 30 years, Dr. Jennifer Kulik has been a national leader in creative aging, designing arts-based programs for seniors, youth, retirement communities, schools, and social service organizations. Her expertise, combined with McKenzie’s innovative, people-centered approach, has helped SilverKite expand into a thriving organization committed to improving senior wellness through creativity. Together, they highlight programs designed to help older adults stay connected, engaged, and inspired. Whether you’re supporting an aging parent or looking for ways to stay active later in life, this episode offers uplifting insights and actionable ideas for aging with joy and purpose.McKenzie Wilson is a Seattle-based artist originally from North Carolina. She is dedicated to creating innovative, inspiring, and engaging projects that bring people together. With over 10 years of directing, writing, and performance experience across the country, Mckenzie delights in exploring and uplifting the vibrant cultures, communities, and stories around her, infusing her work with a playful spirit and a sense of wonder. Their work draws on the power of innovative storytelling and devised performance, inviting curiosity and discovery, with the intention to build authentic connection. She is always happy to connect — especially about creative pursuits, outdoor exploration, cats, and reality TV. She holds a BA in Dramatic Art and Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.Connect with SilverKiteWebsite Facebooka...

In this inspiring episode of Answers for Elders, Suzanne Newman returns to Chateau Retirement to explore the deeper meaning of creative aging with SilverKite’s Creative Aging Programs Manager, Mollia Jensen, and their founder and CEO Jennifer Kulik. Together, they dive into how SilverKite’s workshops, series, and intergenerational programs help older adults reconnect with creativity, emotional expression, and lifelong learning. From in-person classes to online experiences and community partnerships, SilverKite is redefining how seniors stay engaged, connected, and joyful.Mollia shares powerful insights from her 30+-year journey in the arts and creative aging field—beginning with her AmeriCorps work in memory care, where she used music and expressive arts to build meaningful connections. She explains how creative practices like painting, dance, writing, and mindfulness aren’t just hobbies—they awaken forgotten skills, support brain health, and help older adults tap into parts of themselves that may have been suppressed by years of structure or career routines. Whether through a single workshop or a six-week series, SilverKite programs create safe, playful, and growth-oriented environments for adults at every stage of aging.Listeners will also discover how SilverKite’s teaching artists collaborate with communities like Chateau Retirement to deliver experiences that strengthen social connection, encourage personal expression, and invite residents to explore creativity in everyday life. From expressive dance to DIY art projects to mindfulness-based sessions, these programs help seniors feel seen, supported, and inspired. If you're interested in how creativity enhances healthy aging—or you want to know what new residents can expect when they join a SilverKite-connected community—this episode offers heartfelt stories, surprising research, and practical examples of the power of creative play.For the past 30+ years Jennifer Kulik has designed and facilitated intergenerational arts, arts for youth, and arts for older adults programs for retirement communities, schools, theatre companies, and social service organizations. Jen holds a Ph.D. in Theatre for Young Audiences from Arizona State University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Washington. In 2012, she was awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching fellowship to travel to Singapore. She received the Joseph F. Wall Service Award from Grinnell College in 2018. Jen presents at conferences worldwide.Mollia Jensen has been a teaching artist for over 30 years. With roots in the theatre and wings in dance and writing, her path has engaged in leading programming with several arts, educational, community organizations and local creative classes. Mollia loves sharing moments of alchemy with others whether in a creative coaching session, in written words on the page, playing with swirling watercolors, or on the dance floor. She has an MFA in Writing from Pacific University.Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated for more than 25 years. Chateau Retirement has three communities in Washington's Seattle/Puget Sound area: Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Bothell Landing in Bothell, and Chateau Valley Center in Renton. Visit them online or call 800.960.1944. Visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders.Connect with SilverKiteWebsite

Celebrate an unforgettable milestone — 50 years of the Seattle Seahawks! — with a heartfelt conversation with long-time fans who have lived, breathed, and cheered through five decades of Seahawks football. In this episode, co-hosts Suzanne Newman (Answers for Elders) and Steve Raible (the Voice of the Seahawks) lead a roundtable sharing personal stories of growing up with the Seahawks, attending games across generations, and building lifelong friendships through the shared love of blue and green. Whether you’ve been following the team since the Kingdome days, or joined during the Legion of Boom era, this roundtable is full of nostalgia, pride, and powerful fan memories.Joining us for part 1: Steve Raible, co-host, Seahawks legend, the Voice of the Seattle Seahawks Jim Godfrey, owner of Chateau Retirement, OG 12 fan Sean Godfrey, VP of Chateau Retirement, OG 12 fan Dave and Susanne Payn, OG 12 fans, Chateau Valley Center residents Valerie Line, OG 12 fan, Chateau Pacific resident "Big Dave" Elk: OG 12 fan, Chateau Valley Center resident Jim Doughty, OG 12 fan, Chateau Pacific residentListeners will enjoy a warm, authentic discussion that highlights why Seahawks fandom is so special—especially for seniors and long-time football enthusiasts. From early family traditions to the excitement of game day rituals, this episode brings out the emotional heart of what it means to be a 12. You’ll hear what inspired these women to become dedicated fans, what keeps them connected to the team decades later, and how Seahawks culture has shaped their lives, relationships, and sense of community.Whether you're a dedicated fan celebrating the team’s 50-year legacy or someone who loves listening to real stories from real people, this video offers a unique, personal look back at Seahawks history from the fans who lived it. Join us as we honor the past and celebrate the present with memories, laughter, and the true spirit of Seattle football. Go Hawks!Special Thanks: The Seattle Seahawks Steve Raible The Sea Hawkers Booster Club and especially, The OG 12s!Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

💠Celebrate an unforgettable milestone — 50 years of the Seattle Seahawks! — with a heartfelt conversation with long-time fans who have lived, breathed, and cheered through five decades of Seahawks football. In this episode, co-hosts Suzanne Newman (Answers for Elders) and Steve Raible (the Voice of the Seahawks) lead a roundtable sharing personal stories of growing up with the Seahawks, attending games across generations, and building lifelong friendships through the shared love of blue and green. Whether you’ve been following the team since the Kingdome days, or joined during the Legion of Boom era, this roundtable is full of nostalgia, pride, and powerful fan memories.Joining us for part 2:Steve Raible, co-host, Seahawks legend, the Voice of the Seattle SeahawksJim Godfrey, owner of Chateau Retirement, OG 12 fanSean Godfrey, VP of Chateau Retirement, OG 12 fanAlyse Robinson: Sea Hawker President of the Central CouncilT.J. Edin: Sea Hawkers memberSharon Burlinson: Executive Director, Snohomish Senior Center"Big Dave" Elk: OG 12 fan, Chateau Valley Center residentAlena Edin: Seahawk team liaisonListeners will enjoy a warm, authentic discussion that highlights why Seahawks fandom is so special—especially for seniors and long-time football enthusiasts. From early family traditions to the excitement of game day rituals, this episode brings out the emotional heart of what it means to be a 12. You’ll hear what inspired these women to become dedicated fans, what keeps them connected to the team decades later, and how Seahawks culture has shaped their lives, relationships, and sense of community.Whether you're a dedicated fan celebrating the team’s 50-year legacy or someone who loves listening to real stories from real people, this video offers a unique, personal look back at Seahawks history from the fans who lived it. Join us as we honor the past and celebrate the present with memories, laughter, and the true spirit of Seattle football. Go Hawks!Special Thanks:The Seattle SeahawksSteve RaibleThe Sea Hawkers Booster Cluband especially, The OG 12s!Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Meghan Phelan, owner of Granny NANNIES of Miami, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about multiple facets of aging in place. In this segment, Meghan talks about home care agencies, including Granny NANNIES.Meghan says, "ADLs are those basic personal care, five things: showering/bathing, toileting, ambulation walking, feeding spoon-to-mouth, and dressing. Those are the five ADLs. But [home care] is bigger than that. When you're calling the right home care agency, they should be setting up a care plan with you, and going detail-by-detail the house dynamics. Who lives in the house? are there pets? Do we need to walk the pets? What kind of personal care do you prefer? So we go through even a kitchen – Who's cooking? What kind of meals do you like? – so, yes, we do those five ADLs, and they are trained to do that through state programs. However, what's more important is that personalized care plan. It's that 1-to-1 touch that you're getting when you set up the care plan. And then the big one is the personalities. Who gets along with who?"Meghan Phelan brings 18 years of experience in the elder care industry to her role as owner of Granny NANNIES of South Florida. After earning her BS in Health Service Administration from the University of Central Florida, she began her career as Sales and Marketing Director at a luxury assisted living facility in Orlando, where she developed a true passion for serving seniors. While working there, Meghan noticed a common theme: many residents, despite the high-quality care and beautiful environment, would have chosen to remain in their homes if possible. Inspired by this insight, Meghan spearheaded the launch of the facility’s first-ever home care division. This experience ignited her desire to establish her own elder care business, leading her to South Florida—a natural choice, as her business partner hailed from Miami. In 2011, she opened Granny NANNIES of Miami, licensed by AHCA (Agency for Health Care Administration), and has provided care to the community for 13 years. Over the years, her business has expanded with a satellite office in the Florida Keys, establishing a respected presence throughout South Florida.Now based in Miami with her son and two daughters, Meghan remains dedicated to providing compassionate, empathetic elder care. As an Alzheimer’s Association community educator and support group facilitator, she works to ensure seniors can age with dignity and comfort in their own homes. Meghan’s commitment is to make Granny NANNIES a trusted resource for families seeking quality care for their loved ones.Granny NANNIES of South Florida provides in-home care to seniors aged 65 and older, and individuals with chronic conditions or disabilities who prefer to remain in their homes. They service Miami, the Florida Keys, and surrounding regions. They provide compassionate, personalized care that respects the unique needs of South Florida’s diversecommunity and are a trusted resource for elder care for clients from across the U.S.✨ Connect with Meghan at 305.591.1818, GrannyNannies.com/Miami or through social media:💠 Instagram: grannynannies_southflorida💠 Facebook: @grannynanniesmiamidade💠 LinkedIn: @granny-nannies-of-miami-fl-24010510💠 Youtube: @grannynanniesseniorhomecar615Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Addison is an AI-powered virtual caregiver for a senior loved one designed to provide 24/7 care and safety support from home. Addison provides real-time health monitoring, continuous support for the at-risk, aging and ill, designed with tons of built-in tracking and monitoring features like GPS, fall detection, insulin tracking, and more. Addison helps patients better manage their health, improve the efficacy of caregivers, and improve their quality of life. Addison also helps to overcome social isolation and poor mood as a companion.Meghan Phelan joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about the benefits of bringing Addison into the home of a senior loved one. Meghan says, "It's a monitor, like an iPad. So you get the monitor and then you pick as many devices as you want to go along with it. It comes with two. So that can be for monitoring. It could be like insulin checks, it could be there's other GPS trackers. So it's all these little gadgets that come with it. But you personalize what you want. I think a lot of the most sought after are the fall monitoring. So they'll plug in the sensors, set up reminders, and they'll set up the vitals that you want to track to your doctor. You also get TeleHealth access to a doctor, literally called PocketMD. And you know how it goes on the weekends. So if you wake up and all of a sudden something's not right, all you have to do is is reach out to somebody right there, right on the screen. Hey, Addison, can you call the doctor?"Meghan adds, "We haven't even talked about was the companionship side of it. We all have Chat GPT now on our phones, and I say that that's my best friend, you know. And the same thing goes for Addison. She's on there, and Addison can fetch, 'Hey, I want to make a spaghetti recipe tonight. Can you put me together something?' you know, or 'Can we do some chair exercises?' So the whole part of the physical help, yes, the monitoring is there, but also what comes with Addison is the companionship side."✨ Call Meghan to set up a demo of the Electronic Caregiver, featuring Addison and Pocket M.D., at 786.759.1676.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Meghan Phelan joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about making an aging in place plan, even if you never need to use it. Meghan says, "Everybody needs an age-in-place plan. Whether you activate that age-in-place plan, we don't know, but at least you have it in place. One is, to get your physical space ready. Number two is A.I., and what are we doing with technology? And number three is the human part of it: Do you have your team place, a CPA, an attorney, living wills, and all that, home care teams. And do you know your market? You need to know your market. So when I talk aging in place plan, those are the three things that I focus on."In this segment, Meghan and Suzanne go in depth at improving the safety of our home environment – "I look at bathroom, kitchen, hallways. Those are my first three... I usually recommend local safety experts that come in, and they'll do free safety inspections, and then they'll know where to get [whatever products are needed]." Then they tie it in with the addition of the Electronic Caregiver, an AI-powered virtual caregiver for a senior loved one designed to provide 24/7 care and safety support. ✨ Call Meghan to set up a demo of the Electronic Caregiver, featuring Addison and Pocket M.D., at 786.759.1676.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Meghan Phelan joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about a TeleHealth service called Pocket M.D., as well as the expanded availability of support networks for seniors.Meghan says, "We call it the Pocket M.D. And basically it's like having a medical doctor in your back pocket, available to you 24/7 wherever you go, primary care in your back pocket. You're not paying for a doctor visit, because it's right there in your phone, all included in the Addison [AI] model of a subscription." Not feeling well? Just say, "Hey, Addison, can you call my Pocket M.D.? And they'll connect them with an M.D. on the other side. And from there, the M.D. will do the assessment and whatever is needed for follow-up care order... And in addition to that primary care aspect, there's wellness checks with nurses."Regarding support groups, Meghan says, "COVID was devastating, but in so many ways it opened the door for seniors to get more access to help, because a lot of businesses like mine and the Alzheimer's Association, we pivoted: how can we get to the client now? And that was virtually. So I do my support groups, and they do support groups through the Alzheimer's Association every month, and we do it online, or we do it call-in. But I'm on Zoom and that's how I'm running my support groups."✨ Call Meghan to set up a demo of the Electronic Caregiver, featuring Addison and Pocket M.D., at 786.759.1676.Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Baby Boomers are redefining retirement, with 95% wanting to age in place. Aging-in-Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, President of Pathway Design + Construction joins the Trustcasters at Answers for Elders to share more about how to keep our homes safe as we age gracefully, how to live more fluidly and easily in your home, and how to transform our homes to support us as we age without compromising aesthetics.In this episode of Answers for Elders, Paul joins Suzanne Newman to talk about aging in place. If you're in your early sixties, life expectancy suggests you'll be alive for another 25 years. This is a great time to rethink your home and make sure that your environment supports you. Some parents may also want to pass on their home to a family member eventually – and in 25 years, their children will be a generation older as well. Aging in place is a huge need these days, especially with rising property values and the cost of health care.Pathway Design + Construction is a residential remodeling company that serves the Greater Seattle Puget Sound region in the state of Washington. With a specialty towards aging in place, Pathway tries to help you continue to evolve and live in your home long into the future.Visit PathwayDC.com or call 206-937-4809 for more information. If you're in the Seattle area, mention Answers for Elders to get a free consultation. Paul will come out, check out your home, make sure that it is safe, and talk about different potential projects, whether for now or in the future.Pathway on YouTube | National Homebuilders Association websiteVisit Answers for EldersMentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementWalk to End Alzheimer'sLearn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

We develop strong emotional connections to our homes and neighborhoods. The pleasures and joys of doing yard work and trimming those roses can become an emotional trigger as these become more difficult as we age. Some also fear moving away and leaving those neighborhood attachments behind, that sense of belonging to a community.Aging-in-Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, President of Pathway Design + Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to share more about how to keep our homes safe as we age gracefully, how to live more fluidly and easily in your home, and how to transform our homes to support us as we age without compromising aesthetics.Suzanne asked what adjustments could be made to a home to help a senior who has dementia. Paul says, "There are things that we can do. Everybody's going to go through their dementia disease a little bit differently. But usually there's a caretaker in the home. My next door neighbor — when we lived in Renton here, my wife and I had bought our first house — the mother of the son who was living there, she had dementia. And she got up one night, turned on the stove, and caught the house on fire. I think it was a gas stove that she had turned on, and it caught the drapes on fire. But we have an opportunity to help mitigate those types of things. We can put in an induction cooktop that will never ignite like a gas stove would. Or sensory stuff, like an induction cooktop you can touch, but it can't burn you. So there's a lot of things that we can adapt to a remodel that that can help with, that it doesn't necessarily take away the disease in and of itself, but it can help adapt and make living a little bit easier."Pathway Design + Construction is a residential remodeling company that serves the Greater Seattle Puget Sound region in the state of Washington. With a specialty towards aging in place, Pathway tries to help you continue to evolve and live in your home long into the future.Visit PathwayDC.com or call 206-937-4809 for more information. If you're in the Seattle area, mention Answers for Elders to get a free consultation. Paul will come out, check out your home, make sure that it is safe, and talk about different potential projects, whether for now or in the future.Pathway on YouTube | National Homebuilders Association websiteVisit Answers for EldersMentioned in this episode:Walk to End Alzheimer'sLearn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Health care is expensive, and that transcends over to senior living. For many Baby Boomers, senior living has almost been priced out of their reach. One couple in Washington state lives in a nice community, but it costs $15,000 a month, and those funds go fast. Aging-in-Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, President of Pathway Design + Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to consider the general costs of senior care like assisted living or senior living vs. remodeling to help make our homes safer.Paul says, "I can help, go in, analyze a home, and maybe somebody has a disability right now and they're having trouble, say, moving up and down the stairs, and they only have one handrail. Well, okay, so let's add a second handrail. That can be a matter of a few thousand dollars — adding something to make it safer, so that you don't fall stairs, which then leads you to have to go into a care facility. I mean, you can spend $2,000 on something, or you can spend $10,000 on an ambulance ride. It doesn't add up to not try to age in place in your home. The longer you can continue to live in your home, and make it safe for yourself, the less financial burden you're going to face."We're talking about projects, and trying to make home safer, and maybe we're remodeling bathrooms. And those numbers are pretty shocking where you're going to get a $50- to $100,000 [quote for that]. But you can spend it rather quickly if you're if you're in a facility. And it's a one-time cost. Remodeling your home should be a one-time cost. Whereas the other one's a financial burden."What's an average cost for updating a bathroom? Paul says, "Usually it's a shower modification. They're going to be in the $30,000 range and go up from there... I love doing those because it's not as invasive of a remodel. I'm talking just a tub swap. I minimizes the trip hazard... or a shower with a curb that you have to step up and over. You're minimizing that trip hazard. It's amazing like how many clients I've had over the years that potentially one day wake up, and they've had a stroke or something, and they lose function of their left foot right there. So not having to step up and over is very helpful. It's just all these things that we have no control over sometimes."Pathway Design + Construction is a residential remodeling company that serves the Greater Seattle Puget Sound region in the state of Washington. With a specialty towards aging in place, Pathway tries to help you continue to evolve and live in your home long into the future.Visit PathwayDC.com or call 206-937-4809 for more information. If you're in the Seattle area, mention Answers for Elders to get a free consultation. Paul will come out, check out your home, make sure that it is safe, and talk about different potential projects, whether for now or in the future.Pathway on YouTube | National Homebuilders Association websiteVisit Answers for EldersMentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementWalk to End Alzheimer'sLearn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

55% of seniors falls happen inside the home, and many are preventable with modifications. 69% of seniors say that technology helps them stay independent. And 24 million Americans are unpaid family caregivers, which could mean an adult child or a spouse. One of the things that we are seeing is that the spouse gets so stressed out taking care of a loved one that they end up dying before the loved one does. Living in a place where there's less stress, more functionality, makes things easier. Aging-in-Place specialist Paul Kocharhook, President of Pathway Design + Construction, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to share examples of universal design: reducing clutter, improving safety, accessibility, and using technology so that we can continue to live in our homes as we age gracefully.For example, Paul says, "We've had homes where we have, say, one spouse that is blind and one is deaf. If there's a fire in the home, how do we adapt to both of those issues. One can't see a strobe light, and the other one can't hear the alarm. So we're putting in combinations, strobe light plus the audible noise, or sometimes it's even vibration. If they carry their phone around with them on a consistent basis, or they might have some sort of a device that they also have with them, that might just notify them of an issue within the home."I've heard from clients, 'I don't want a ramp in the front of my house because I don't want to make myself noticeable to somebody driving by who would then potentially take advantage of me.' How do we how do we use technology that's available to us to put a lift in the home? Get us down to the garage level, or something like that, because you still want to keep your car in the garage, right?"We talked about induction cooktops, or locations of dishwashers. Bending over as you get older is not as easy. When there's two of you living in the home, then you don't need that big dishwasher. So we do a half dishwasher, and that's raised up, so that it's high enough so you're not having to bend over to pull your dishes in and out. It's fantastic for somebody in a wheelchair as well. Makes it very accessible."Are there other things that we've done for technology wise – different types of outlets. So if you are in a wheelchair, sometimes [an outlet] isn't where you can access it easily. We can drop them into drawers or countertops now, as opposed to a back wall. Touch faucets are pretty awesome as well. You don't have to manually turn knobs, we can just touch it and turn it off and turn it on. And those are fantastic whether you have a disability or not. You're [preparing] chicken in the kitchen, you don't want to touch the faucet, so you just touch with the back of your hand."Pathway Design + Construction is a residential remodeling company that serves the Greater Seattle Puget Sound region in the state of Washington. With a speciality towards aging in place, Pathway tries to help you continue to evolve and live in your home long into the future.Visit PathwayDC.com or call 206-937-4809 for more information. If you're in the Seattle area, mention Answers for Elders to get a free consultation. Paul will come out, check out your home, make sure that it is safe, and talk about different potential projects, whether for now or in the future.Pathway on YouTube | National Homebuilders Association websiteVisit Answers for EldersMentioned in this...

95% of baby boomers have a high goal to stay in their own home and find ways to be safe, or maybe downsize into a smaller place if you've got a home that is too big for you. If you are interested yourself, aging in place, or maybe you have a parent that says 'I am not I am not going to senior living, I want to stay at home as as I age,' this episode is for you. Kevin Guttman from C2 Financial joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to discuss the ins and outs of reverse mortgage. C2 Financial is the third largest mortgage broker in the country and the number one reverse mortgage broker in the country with 1,200 loan officers.Kevin says, "I think about the first book I wrote, called A Swiss Army Knife for Retirement Cash Flow. And basically what I did is I interviewed my clients and just asked, how has a reverse mortgage helped you? There's just so many stories of how it's allowed them to have a better quality of life. And some of the stories, honestly, were heartbreaking, because people were living a substandard existence in retirement because they're on a fixed income. Inflation has been a real thing in the last few years. Prices have gone up, and then we get small little increases from Social Security that don't really cover the higher expenses they have. "And so here's the struggle. The number one fear a senior has is outliving their money, because baby boomers are healthy, they're living longer. They have a fixed amount of money. They don't know how long that's gonna last. They're not sure if they're going to run out of money. So what I tell people is, no, you may never need it, but why not get it and let it just sit there. And if you ever do need it – in fact, there's a lady and her husband closed today, and that's exactly what she said. This is just the safety net for us. They may never need it. Well, good for you for planning ahead and being ready just in case life smacks upside the head. Now you need a new roof, or you have a medical thing. Something happens where now you've got a chunk of money to access if you need it."💠 Connect with Kevin Guttman and C2 Financial at 877.251.9729.💠 Visit C2 Financial's website for research, essays, videos, interviews💠 Ebook: Betty’s Story: A Prudent Senior Citizen’s Guide to A Reverse Mortgage Loan✨ Visit Answers for Elders onlineMentioned in this episode:Walk to End Alzheimer'sLearn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Kevin Guttman from C2 Financial joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to discuss the ins and outs of reverse mortgage. In this segment, Kevin goes through the math to show how it was better for one family to stay in their home rather than downsizing to an apartment. C2 Financial is the third largest mortgage broker in the country and the number one reverse mortgage broker in the country with 1,200 loan officers.Kevin says, "It really is a financial tool. It's a lot more than a mortgage. It's a lot more than a traditional mortgage. With a mortgage, you pay a payment. You stay in your house. Right. Reverse mortgage. You don't have to pay a payment. You stay in your house. You get access to your equity, grows tax free on a line of credit when you access the money by lump sum payments. That's also tax free. So it just gives people flexibility. It just gives them this peace of mind, the safety net, that, okay, I'm going to be okay. I have enough money and not to worry."I had a couple, probably nine years ago now, and they said, we're going to sell our house and rent — And I grew up in a real estate home in Southern California. My dad was a realtor and an investor, and he drilled it into my brother and I to buy a house as soon as you can, you're paying your landlord's mortgage. — And so I said, let me do the math to see if that's a good option for you. So I took the average rent in in our city, which I think for a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment was $1,200 dollars at the time. And it increased by 2% a year. They were 62. I did it for 25 years because a financial planner says plan on living 30 years in retirement. But I did 25 years, and then I calculated the depreciation that they would forfeit on the house if they sold it. I use 4% a year. Wow. That number came up to — are you ready? — $1.5 million."I said, look, if I were you, it's not my money. It's not my house, you do whatever you want, but these are the numbers. You're forfeiting this amount of equity. You're paying this amount of rent. You're giving up control. You're allowing your landlord to determine what he's going to fix if he's going to fix it versus you keeping your home and having access to the equity if you need it. It's a lot better, a lot more security, a lot more certainty if you stay in your home. You do whatever you want, it's your home. But I just want you to understand the math behind it."💠 Connect with Kevin Guttman and C2 Financial at 877.251.9729.💠 Visit C2 Financial's website for research, essays, videos, interviews💠 Ebook: Betty’s Story: A Prudent Senior Citizen’s Guide to A Reverse Mortgage Loan✨ Visit Answers for Elders onlineMentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementWalk to End Alzheimer'sLearn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Kevin Guttman from C2 Financial joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to discuss the ins and outs of reverse mortgage. In this segment, Kevin explains how the value of your home's equity can help you age in place in your later years through a reverse mortgage. C2 Financial is the third largest mortgage broker in the country and the number one reverse mortgage broker in the country with 1,200 loan officers.Kevin says, "Most people have the bulk of their net worth, probably two thirds or more of their net worth, in their home. There are three ways we can get to our equity. We can sell – pay the broker 6 percent – do a cash out refinance or home equity line of credit with a monthly mortgage payment. Or we can do a reverse mortgage, in which we have an optional payment, but have access to the equity."So the way it works is, let's say somebody has a $500,000 home, which is not too uncommon these days. And we'll just say they're 62. A spouse can be younger, but at least one needs to be 62. So let's say they can borrow about 35%. So let me do the math real quick. $500,000 times 35%, $175,000. They don't need the money, they're still working, but they know the time value of money. When we were in our twenties, the financial planners told us start investing in your twenties, you need to have time on your side so your money can grow. So if they get it at 62, and they're planning to work till 70, but now they have this line of credit, $175,000, and they don't need the money. So they let it ride, so to speak, for ten years. And that line of credit can double in ten years, potentially. So now they don't have $175, now they have $350, and they can turn that into monthly payments or a lump sum. They still don't need the money, because they have investments. They're doing fine and started taking Social Security. Now they let it ride another ten years. Now they're 82, so they've had the reverse mortgage for 20 years. And now that line of credit has grown to $700,000. Tax free, monthly payments, or lump sum. Turns out one of them get sick, which is not too uncommon. They need some help. So they bring somebody in a couple hours a day. We'll just say three or 4 hours a day, Monday through Friday. Instead of having a family member leave their job, come and care for the parents, they have money, they can pay somebody to come and care for them. So they can age in place."Kevin adds, "A reverse mortgage is like a fingerprint. It's unique to each individual, each couple. We can tailor it to help them accomplish what they're looking to do."💠 Connect with Kevin Guttman and C2 Financial at 877.251.9729.💠 Visit C2 Financial's website for research, essays, videos, interviews💠 Ebook: Betty’s Story: A Prudent Senior Citizen’s Guide to A Reverse Mortgage Loan✨ Visit Answers for Elders onlineMentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementWalk to End Alzheimer'sLearn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.

Kevin Guttman from C2 Financial joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to discuss the ins and outs of reverse mortgage. In this segment, Kevin talks about how to purchase a new home using a reverse mortgage instead of a traditional mortgage loan.. C2 Financial is the third largest mortgage broker in the country and the number one reverse mortgage broker in the country with 1,200 loan officers.Kevin says, "When somebody decides to buy a home, they have three ways they can finance it. Cash. A traditional loan, with a monthly payment. Or a reverse mortgage, where they make one large down payment, we'll call it 65%. It varies. It depends on their age and different things, but let's just say 65%. But then they have no more monthly mortgage payment. The mortgage payment's optional. They can make a payment if they choose to, but they don't have to. So who's a good candidate for this? Let's say somebody who's lived in their home a long time, 20, 30, 40 years. Maybe the neighborhood's changed. Maybe they don't feel safe anymore. Maybe they want to live closer to their family, or their doctor. Maybe they can't do the stairs, or the maintenance on the house is too much."I have a great story about this. There was a family that moved back to Colorado Springs from northwest Arkansas, and the husband had to be on oxygen at altitude because we're 7,000 feet above sea level, and he couldn't breathe very well. And so his wife leaves the room for a minute while I'm talking with them. And he says, 'Listen, this is important to me. I need to make sure my wife's going to be okay. I'm not long for the Earth. I'm sick, I'm dying, and I need to be sure she's okay.' So what does that look like? He said, 'Well, I need the right home, a low maintenance home.' They ended up buying a condo where they're just responsible for the inside. 'We need to put enough down to where she doesn't have a monthly payment, and I need to be sure it's in a safe area.' So the realtor took care of the condo and the location. I helped with the financing. Sure enough, at the time, they only had to put 50% down. This was several years ago, interest rates were half what they are today. But four months later, the wife calls and says, 'I just want to let you know that Bill passed away, and you had told us that we could stay in this home as long as we paid the property taxes and the insurance on time, and not have a monthly mortgage payment. Is that right?' I said that's correct. Big sigh of relief. She says, 'Oh, good. That's the only way I can afford to stay in my home.' Why? Because they just lost his income. Their reverse mortgage changed her life."This is a game changer for people, If they only understood, 'Oh, I can finance a home with a first mortgage, I put one large down payment down. I don't have a monthly mortgage payment. And I'm in a safer home, safer neighborhood, maybe gated community, that kind of thing. Low or no maintenance. It's amazing."💠 Connect with Kevin Guttman and C2 Financial at 877.251.9729.💠 Visit C2 Financial's website for research, essays, videos, interviews💠 Ebook: Betty’s Story: A Prudent Senior Citizen’s Guide to A Reverse Mortgage Loan✨ Visit Answers for Elders onlineMentioned in this episode:Walk to End Alzheimer'sLearn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Caregiving has changed dramatically across generations—and today’s women over 40 are leading a new kind of caregiving revolution. In this episode of Answers for Elders, Suzanne Newman welcomes Vivatude hosts Tracy Cromwell and Anu Arora for a candid conversation about how caregiving looks different for Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Together, they explore how women in the “sandwich generation” are balancing family, career, and the care of aging loved ones—all while trying to maintain their own physical, social, and occupational wellness.Tracy Cromwell, a certified health coach and fitness professional, shares how physical wellness evolves as we age—and how today’s Gen X and Gen Y caregivers are more proactive about self-care and technology-supported health habits than previous generations. Meanwhile, Anu Arora, a leadership and mindfulness coach, dives into the growing epidemic of loneliness and why connection is the key to thriving, not just surviving, in caregiving. They discuss how modern caregivers are redefining wellness, finding new ways to cope with stress, and building communities of support both at home and in the workplace.If you’re a woman over 40 navigating caregiving, this conversation is for you. Learn how to balance your own wellness while caring for others, discover generational insights that can make your journey easier, and hear empowering advice from two experts who understand the emotional, physical, and mental challenges of caregiving today. Subscribe to Answers for Elders Radio Network and Vivatude for more empowering conversations designed to help you live well, stay strong, and thrive through every season of life.✨ Connect with Us💠 Subscribe to Vivatude: https://www.youtube.com/@vivatude💠 Watch Vivatude episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAaH5P8bm1O2DNFGvKx2uh0rqhA8fWo7F💠 Tracy Cromwell - YouTube: 👉 @tracycromwell - Podcasts: 👉 https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/tracy-cromwell- Interviews: 👉 https://tracycromwell.com/pages/interviews-with-tracy-cromwell💠 Anu Arora - Website: https://www.anuarora.com/- YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@speakeranuarora- Facebook: 👉 https://www.facebook.com/anuarora21/Mentioned in this episode:Walk to End Alzheimer'sLearn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.Chateau RetirementChateau Retirement

Caregiving is both a gift and a challenge, especially for women over 40 balancing family, work, and personal wellness. In this episode of Answers for Elders Radio Network, Suzanne Newman joins Tracy Cromwell and Anu Arora from the Vivatude podcast to explore the first three essential rules of caregiving: 1) Take care of your loved one, 2) Take care of yourself, and 3) Support the primary caregiver. Through stories, practical strategies, and lived experiences, our hosts show how these rules can help caregivers maintain balance, reduce stress, and navigate the complexities of modern caregiving.Physical, social, and occupational wellness are key to sustaining caregiving energy and resilience. Tracy highlights how physical wellness—through movement, proper nutrition, and stress management—keeps caregivers strong and prevents burnout. Anu shares how social and intellectual wellness, including connection, communication, and emotional support, help caregivers feel less isolated and more empowered. Together, they reveal strategies for managing the intense demands of caregiving while preserving your health, relationships, and sense of purpose.If you’re a woman over 40 caring for a loved one, this episode offers guidance, encouragement, and actionable tips. Learn how to care for yourself as much as you care for others, discover the importance of supporting primary caregivers, and find ways to build meaningful connections in your community. Subscribe to Answers for Elders and Vivatude to access more empowering conversations that help women navigate caregiving with strength, joy, and balance.✨ Connect with Us💠 Subscribe to Vivatude: https://www.youtube.com/@vivatude💠 Watch Vivatude episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAaH5P8bm1O2DNFGvKx2uh0rqhA8fWo7F💠 Tracy Cromwell - YouTube: 👉 @tracycromwell - Podcasts: 👉 https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/tracy-cromwell- Interviews: 👉 https://tracycromwell.com/pages/interviews-with-tracy-cromwell💠 Anu Arora - Website: https://www.anuarora.com/- YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@speakeranuarora- Facebook: 👉 https://www.facebook.com/anuarora21/💠 Answers for Elders - Website: 👉 https://answersforelders.com/ Mentioned in this episode:Chateau RetirementChateau RetirementWalk to End Alzheimer'sLearn more about the Walk to End Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/walk.