Life Is A Sacred Journey

Micheal and her guests discuss 'End of life.'Lael Duncan, MD is the Medical Director of Consulting Services for the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, a statewide partnership dedicated to the advancement of palliative medicine and patient centered end-of-life care.Stephen Jenkinson discusses  ‘Grief Walker’ - a Canadian documentary film and poetic portrait of his work with dying people. Grief Walker is a ‘film about the redemptive power of the deep love for life, when life glimpses its end.’Airs on Thursday, December 11 at 5pm PST only here on Life is a Sacred Journey. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook.FOLLOW us on Instagram. 

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we take a journey outside the USA to discover other similar Thanksgiving traditions and cultures in the United Arab Emirates, Moldova, Germany, and Mexico. PLUS, we ask our guests Luis (Mexico), Felicia (Moldova), Annekathrin (Germany), Gaurav (United Arab Emirates) and John (USA)  to share how aging or getting older is perceived in their respective countries as National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month comes to an end. An uplifting conversation, no doubt! SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook.FOLLOW us on Instagram.

Welcome to the month of November, National Family Caregivers Month. In this spirit, we answer the question, "Does America have the capacity to meet its caregiving demands as the country gets older?"   Our guest Lisa Winstel joins us from the Caregiver Action Network. The Caregiver Action Network is the nation's leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for the more than 90 million American's who care for loved one's with chronic conditions, diabilities, or frailties of old age. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook.FOLLOW us on Instagram.

In this week's episode, Mindfulness Practice for Caregivers we are excited to be joined by Kari Snowberg, currently directing the LEAF (Life Enhancing Activities for Family  Caregivers) Study at UCSF; and Marguerite Manteau-Rao, CEO and founder of the Presence Care Project. What is mindfulness? It is a way to improve your mood or simply stop your thoughts, right? WRONG! These mindfulness trailblazers, Kari & Marguerite help us dispel some of the misconceptions we've been taught about meditation - opening the doors to less stress and greater well-being for you. It is possible! Tune in this Thursday, October 30th at 5 pm (PT) or 8 pm (ET) and listen to previous episodes hereSUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook. FOLLOW us on Instagram.

Life is a Sacred Journey host, Micheal Pope interviews New York Times and USA Today bestseller, Jane Heller. Her 13 novels of romantic comedy, nine of which have been optioned for movies and television, are now entertaining readers around the world. Her critically acclaimed new book You'd Better Not Die or I'll Kill You: A Caregiver's Suvival Guide to Keeping You in Good Health and Good Spirits chronicles her candid, often hilarious and always inspiring journey from novice caregiver to 20-year veteran. She speaks passionately about the caregiving experience, whether one is caring for a child with Autism or an aging parent with Alzheimer's. Tune in this Thursday April 30 at 5 pm (PDT) to hear Jane deliver, as the Library Journal puts it, " a valuable, virtual support group." About Life is a Sacred Journey: Awarded "Honorable Mention" for Best Blog at PR Daily's 2014 Non Profit Awards - LIFE IS A SACRED JOURNEY allows caregivers and elders awaken their best selves and discover a deeper connection to the world o

In this episode, America's Caregiver Empowerment Strategist™, Carolyn A. Brent talks about how to prepare for end-of-life financially, legally, and emotionally. She is the author of the best-selling book, Why Wait? The Baby-Boomers Guide to Preparing Emotionally, Financially, and Legally for a Parent’s Death. Brent has been featured on ABC, NBC, and CBS, as a frequent media guest and expert advisor on the subject of caregiving and its related issues. Her new book, The Caregiver's Companion will be published in January 2015. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook. FOLLOW us on Instagram. 

We are going on a workout- not just any workout mind you, but a spiritual one. As Steven Morrison describes it, a spiritual workout is about looking at life- any aspect of life whatsoever- through the lens of universally spiritual concepts such as compassion, presence, gratitude and the law of attraction to name a few. You probably accept some of these spiritual concepts at some level. But how do you move from belief in these concepts to a regular practice of them? Our Guru, Steven Morrison is here to show us the path from knowing to doing. Only here on Life is a Sacred Journey. Tune in Thursday 9/11 at 5 pm PDT | 8pm ET. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook. FOLLOW us on Instagram.

Changes in the behavior of a person with dementia are very common. Understanding why someone is behaving in a particular way may help you with some ideas about how to cope.Today’s show will share tips and resources to help you thrive in the midst of caring for someone with these challenging behaviors. For more on this relevant and interesting topic, tune in Thursday 8/28 at 5pm (PDT) via any device that connects you to the internet, or call (949) 270-5908. #LifeisaSacredJourneySUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook. FOLLOW us on Instagram.

The use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, health related education and health administration is no longer a foreign idea. New technologies such as video conferencing, the internet, streaming media and other wireless communications are making it possible to check symptoms and measure vital signs in the home.In the future there will likely be more laptop based and tablet based devices used in the home. David Lindeman, Ph.D, Director at the Universitry of Berkeley, Center for Information and Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) joins us for an insightful discussion on this topic.SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook. FOLLOW us on Instagram.

The consumer marketplace has been overwhelmingly youth-obsessed for decades, but this is about to change dramatically – and in ways that will spotlight a traditionally-overlooked upside of aging.Baby Boomers are transforming aging. This 78 million-strong generation has unrivaled amounts of money to spend, and they control 77% of the total net worth of US households. Even though they are largely ignored by advertisers, they represent 50% of all discretionary spending power. What does this all mean?Join host Micheal Pope for an insightful hour with Richard Eisenberg, Assistant Managing Editor of PBS’s Nextavenue.org who says, “Everybody talks about the problems the aging of America is creating, real and otherwise (stress on Social Security, older workers keep younger workers from moving up…) But some noted experts say we are looking at this all wrong."SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook. FOLLOW us on Instagram.

What is happening in retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes? You might imagine quiet reading, crossword puzzles, bingo, maybe some shuffleboard. Think again. Think about sex – unsafe sex. Much as a society might prefer to see older adults as asexual, the rates of STDs among older adults are climbing. Despite rising infections, gay and lesbian older adults remain an invisible population. Yet sex goes on anyway.HIV/AIDS is not just an LGBT issue but a community issue as well. Terri Clark (Action Aids) & Robert Espinoza (SAGE) address these health disparities among marginalized populations, as well as offer important steps to advance health equity for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook.

On an airplane, an oxygen mask descends in front of you. What do you do? As we all know, the first rule is to put on your own oxygen mask before you assist anyone else. Only when we first help ourselves can we effectively help others. Caring for yourself is one of the most important—and one of the most often forgotten—things you can do as a caregiver. When your needs are taken care of, the person you care for will benefit, too.Whether or not you want to consider it one, being a caregiver is a job. It’s physically and mentally draining and it is important that you reward yourself in order to stay sane. Take a vacation every now and then, or at least dedicate a few hours a week to you. Go for a walk or shopping; read a book, listen to music, go out with friends, etc.  It doesn’t matter what you do or for how long; even if it’s only for a few minutes, take time for you.Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook.

Is home care right for me or my loved one? If these are questions you are currently pondering, you are not alone. Many older adults prefer to stay at home for as long as possible.Our guest, Linda Fodrini-Johnson, Founder & Executive Director of Eldercare Services shows you how you can maintain your independence and stay at home for as long as possible. Join us this Thursday, June 12 | 5pm via your mobile phone, tablet, or any device that connects you to the internet. You can also tune in by dialing (949) 270-5908.  Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook.

Thumbs up for Older American's Month! A majority of us will be caregivers at some point in our lives. For some people, caregiving occurs gradually over time. For you, it may have happened overnight. However it happened, you are not alone - there are 65 million caregivers across the country, providing an average of 20 hours of care per week or in some cases, around the clock care. Whether you are caregiving part-time or full-time, live-in, or long-distance, one thing is certain: you need tools, tips, support...a break! Micheal Pope answers your toughest caregiving questions this Thursday, May 22 at 5 pm.Tweet @micheal_pope or email asebinterns@gmail.com with your caregiving questions and stories. Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook.

Many communities are starting to focus on becoming more age friendly-- becoming great places not only to grow up but also to grow old. This is wonderful and much needed. But how do we ensure that they also become more LGBT aging friendly?Join Micheal Pope and her special guest, Dan Ashbrook this Thursday, May 8 at 5 pm PT for some new ideas and uplifting conversations. Dan is the Board Chair at Lavender Seniors of the East Bay - a community that provides health and human services to LGBT older adults. Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook.

Life is a Sacred Journey ‘Technology and Aging Part 2’ on Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 5 pm!Call us (949) 270-5908 to join the discussionJoin Micheal Pope and her guest Dr. David Lindeman for Part 2 of ‘Technology and Aging.’David Lindeman, Ph.D., is the Director of the CITRIS Health Care Program and Director of the Center for Aging and Technology at the University of California Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS).Dr. Lindeman has worked in the field of aging and long-term care for 30 years as a health services researcher and administrator.Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook.

What makes a great leader?  Is it something you can learn, or is great leadership inherent? This week, Micheal Pope and her guests will explore the nature of leadership.Ken Otter is the program director of the Master of Arts in Leadership at Saint Mary's College. His work focuses on how collective creativity and art-based communication enhances personal and group learning. Doug Paxton is co-director of the Master of Arts in Leadership at Saint Mary's College. He currently focuses his teaching in the area of values, leadership and sustainable organizational change.Join us on Thursday April 10, 2014 at 5 pm.Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook.

Life is a Sacred Journey ‘Obamacare & Seniors’Thursday March 27, 2014  at 5 pm  Listen before the enrollment deadline!This week Micheal Pope will discuss The Affordable Care Act, or, as it is commonly known, “Obamacare”. Guests include Amber Cutler from National Senior Citizens Law Center, Vishu Lalchandani from ASEB, and Debbie Toth from Rehabilitation Services of Northern CaliforniaTune in to this important discussion on a complex and controversial topic.Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook.

Life is a Sacred Journey presents ‘Caregiving Stories’ on Thursday March 13, 2014 at 5 pmTune in for David Troxel’s Best Friend’s Approach™ to Alzheimer’s and Personal Caregiver stories! An informative and engaging speaker,David Troxel is an internationally known expert in Alzheimer’s disease and memory care.David’s “Best Friends Approach”™ is built on a seemingly simple premise: that what people living with memory loss need most is a friend – a best friend. David teaches caregivers how to understand and fulfill this “Best Friends” role, including special caregiving techniques and tools.Join us on Thursday March 13, 2014 at 5 pm.Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook. 

 ‘Life is a Sacred Journey’ - ‘Compassionate Care’February 27, 2014 5 pmMicheal and her guests discuss 'End of life.'Lael Duncan, MD is the Medical Director of Consulting Services for the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, a statewide partnership dedicated to the advancement of palliative medicine and patient centered end-of-life care.Stephen Jenkinson will discuss  ‘Grief Walker’ - a Canadian documentary film and poetic portrait of his work with dying people. Grief Walker is a ‘film about the redemptive power of the deep love for life, when life glimpses its end.’Join us on Thursday February 27, 2014 at 5 pm. Call us at (949) 270-5908 to join in the discussion.Listen to more episodes.Click here to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.Like us on Facebook.