Aarp Washington State Podcast

Lack of affordable housing limits our choices for how we age. Claire Petersky from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission joins our state director Marguerite Ro to talk about the crisis and where we need to do so people can choose to "age in place". For more, see our caregiving webpage at aarp.org/caregiverswa

Generation X is facing new challenges as caregivers. Jeff Ketchel of Spokane talks with our state director Marguerite Ro about caring for his mother-in-law in his home while raising his children. It's called the Sandwich Generation, where people find themselves caring for the young and the old at the same time. Jeff talks about the ups and downs of this life. In his work life, he's a leader in the public health field so he has both a personal and professional view of caregiving. Jeff talks about how Gen X characteristics can help face caregiving in a new way. Learn more about family caregiving in Washington at aarp.org/caregiversWA

This Pride Month, we celebrate the incredible diversity in our community and the importance of supporting and uplifting one another. George Dicks is a Geriatric Mental Health Practitioner at Harborview Mental Health and Addiction Service in Seattle, a gay man and a long-time activist for LGBTQ rights and inclusion. In this episode, George talks with our state director Marguerite Ro in a candid and thought-provoking discussion about the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ caregivers and how things can be better today. Discover how George's own experiences as a gay man have shaped his understanding of the struggles faced by LGBTQ caregivers.    Learn more about family caregiving in Washington at aarp.org/caregiversWA

Caring for culturally diverse elders presents special challenges. AARP State Director Marguerite Ro sits down with Dr. Anthony L-T Chen, Director of Health for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, to talk about how we can deal with aspects of caregiving, especially in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, and how our public health system can work better for all. Dr. Chen talks about how caring for his parents has impacted him professionally and personally and what working with diverse communities has taught him.    AARP Washington's "Caring for Caregivers" video podcast series features discussions with local experts, community leaders, and caregivers just like you on a range of topics to help you along your caregiving journey.   #AsianAmericanPacificIslanderHeritageMonth  

Caregivers need care themselves and that's why we're launching our "Caring for Caregivers" conversations. In our first episode, AARP Washington State Director Marguerite Ro sits down with George Dicks, a geriatric mental health practitioner with Harborview Mental Health and Addiction Service, to talk about the need for caregiving support and how we can do it. George and Marguerite also discuss healthy aging and how we can get there. In addition to his professional experience, George’s lived experience as a kinship provider, caregiver, and a community advocate informs his vision of healthy aging in our society at every stage of life. He talks about what he's seen in his practice and his recent experience as a caregiver for his brother. Learn more at aarp.org/caregiverwa

We sit down with our state president Jim Ko to talk about his vision for AARP in 2023. Jim is a former executive with Starbucks and other major companies. He helped pave the way for Starbucks in China. In retirement, he's volunteered for AARP and other organizations in a variety of roles. He's currently in his second 2-year term as AARP Washington's volunteer leader. In this episode, we talk about Jim's personal experience of caregiving for his father and juggling career with being a family caregiver.

Where will we live as we get older? Washington is in a housing crisis. We discuss what can done with Gov. Jay Inslee in this live teletown hall hosted by AARP's Cathy MacCaul. Older people are increasingly priced out of their neighborhoods, options for downsizing are scarce, and the problem of "missing middle" housing is only getting worse. Ideas like ADUs hold promise but progress is difficult. What can we do now for a better future? Learn more at aarp.org/wa

Stephanie Johnson-Toliver of the Black Heritage Society of WA joins us to talk about the exhibit she help curate on the history of the Seattle Steelheads, part of the first pro Black baseball league on the West Coast. Plus, we get into the Black experience in 1940s Seattle and baseball for other marginalized groups. The exhibit is in Steelheads Alley at the Hatback Bar & Grille across the street from T-Mobile Park. We're having a Black History Month event at Steelheads Alley on Weds. Feb. 15th, 2023. Come meet AARP Washington staff, volunteers and other members of your community from 5-8pm. Registration is required. The venue has free parking in the front and rear of the building. Refreshments provided and your first beverage is on us! RSVP now at: events.aarp.org/aarpwabhm

January is a great time to make changes and get in shape and we've got certified exercise therapist and Corrective Exercise Specialist Mark Bryant. Mark has been a personal trainer for 25 years, a Senior Fitness Specialist for 15 years and currently leads classes at Southeast Seattle Senior Center. He's also a 9 time Powerlifting World Champion and 2 time inductee into the Powerlifting Hall of Fame. If you want to up your fitness level in 2023, Mark has information and inspiration for you. We talk about how to prevent falls, increase your walking ability, and improve your everyday functional ability. The first step is just get going!

Should you respond to that text? Donate to that charity? At the holiday season, con artists ramp up their efforts to get your money. We give you a few quick tips to spot the common scams this year and how to respond. Text and delivery scams are common, fake and shady charities ask for donations, gift cards have risks of losing your money. You can avoid the frauds with simple precautions. Find out what you need to know with these quick tips.

The holiday season is open season for con artists trying to get your money. Fake charities, Amazon scams, delivery scams, gift card scam... they all ramp up at this time of year. We'll tell you about the common fraud tactics and how to stay safe. Plus, in honor of Veterans and Military Families Appreciation Month, we’ll discuss frauds targeting veterans. This episode features our cybersafety lead volunteer Dave Morrow. Dave spend more than 20 years in cybersecurity for the Air Force and after his service, worked for major banks and tech companies leading their security efforts. The program is hosted by AARP Fraud Watch Network volunteer Anne O’Callahan. For more on fraud prevention from AARP, see aarp.org/fraud and for our veterans services, visit aarp.org/veterans.

We get the latest on COVID in Washington with Dr. Tao Kwan-Gett of the WA Dept of Health and Ingrid Ulrey of the US Dept of Health and Human Services. Should you get a booster shot? What is a bivalent vaccine? Are adverse reactions being tracked? We answer these questions and more in this episode. The program is a live teletown hall hosted by our Washington State Director Marguerite Ro.

AARP Washington has a new state director! In this episode, our volunteer Brenda Charles-Edwards interviews Marguerite Ro about her vision for our work going forward. Marguerite comes to us from Seattle-King County Public Health. Most recently, she's focused on policy development, data-driven solutions, and chronic disease and injury prevention. Throughout her career, she has partnered with diverse communities to achieve health equity through policy advocacy and to eliminate barriers to care. Brenda is the host of "Senior Matters!" on the Rainier Ave Radio Network and volunteers in a variety of areas for AARP.

We talk about the just-passed prescription drug price relief in Congress with Rep. Pramila Jayapal. The new Inflation Reduction Act allows Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, caps insulin costs and out of pocket expenses and more. It's real progress in combating runaway Rx drug costs. In this AARP teletown hall, we discuss the effects of this historic legislative win for older Americans and take listener questions on the phone. Learn more about the bill at aarp.org/rx

We talk with a hiring manager in a different industry, Whitney Richardson, who is Director of Employee Experience at SanMar. SanMar is a national supplier of custom logowear clothing based in Issaquah and has both corporate and warehouse operations in our area. Whitney talks about what it takes to get hired in both environments. We get into the specifics of today's resume and cover letter, how to approach an interview and more. We also discuss advice for the young people in our lives who are starting their careers. It's everything you need to know to get hired today.

AARP caregiving expert Amy Goyer sits down with us to talk about the realities of caring for family members and all the resources AARP has to help. Amy has a very personal story of how caring for her parents challenged her and how she's made it through. Most of us will be caregivers at some point in our lives and Amy offers practical advice and support. AARP offers info for caregivers at aarp.org/caregivers

We talk about our elections with new WA Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and discuss election security, how to vote, important dates and more. Then UW professor Jevin West updates us on the misinformation and disinformation surrounding the 2022 elections. More info at aarp.org/wavotes.

In this episode, we look at important action in the 2022 legislative session. Attorney General Bob Ferguson talks about protecting against frauds and scam robocalls. Bea Rector from Washington DSHS updates us in improvements long-term care services and help for all of us to age in our homes with dignity and purpose.

In this episode, we talk with hiring manager Noel Burke about how older workers can get that next job in the digital workplace of today. Noel is currently at Amazon and has over 20 years of experience in the staffing and recruitment industry. Hear the latest in resume tips, the importance of a LinkedIn page, and how to talk to an interviewer. Plus, we discuss tips you can pass on to your kids or grandkids to get hired at our Washington state tech companies.

All about managing your money with help from AARP! We talk with Mary Liz Burns from AARP's national office, who is a recognized expert on financial security. AARP has many online tools to maximize your savings and retirement, with AARP's Money Map, Savi Student Loan Repayment Tool, Debt Manager, Goals Tracker, Social Security Resource Center and more. We can help you find the right financial advisor and decide when to take Social Security. Mary Liz tells us how it works and how you can take advantage of AARP's expertise. You can get started at aarp.org/money.