Aging In The Willamette Valley

This week, we are talking with Dr. Marc Braman from Northwest Lifestyle Medicine about "lifestyle medicine" and how it differs from regular medical treatment. Lifestyle medicine utilizes elements of basic, everyday living as a treatment for medical problems, such as nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, relaxation, sunlight/vitamin D, etc. Lifestyle forms the foundation of all effective long-term treatment and should receive the greatest emphasis. Don't miss this show #Salem

In this exciting episode, we talk to Lisa Haines from Hidden Lakes about independent living. If you aren't familiar with this term, it is also called retirement living, over 55, senior living, and other names. Lisa tells us all about it and the benefits you get from living in a community like Hidden Lakes. She also briefly discusses the difference between Independent Living and Assisted Living. Lisa is a wealth of information, so don't miss this show!

This week, we talk with Curt Dewees, the Marketing Director for Deer Meadow Assisted Living in the small community of Sheridan. Curt explains what types of services are offered in an assisted living community and then talks about some of the charm and unique qualities of Deer Meadow. If you are looking for an assisted living community in a peaceful & tranquil setting, tune in to hear more about Deer Meadow. More importantly, Curt answers the questions "Is there a meadow?" and "Are there deer in it?" Don't miss this great episode!

Naomi Asselin, Bereavement Coordinator with Bristol Hospice, talks about "normalizing" grief and bereavement and how to have those difficult conversations with someone who is grieving. Naomi also talks about the grieving process and how hospice offers resources to help someone through that difficult period of their life. She also describes the subtle differences between grief, mourning, and bereavement. Don't miss this important show!

In today's episode, we talk with Benjamin Surmi, Director of People and Culture at Koelsch Communities. He is actively involved with creating dementia care programs, lecturing on dementia, and following different innovations in dementia care around the world. He discusses the mission to change the dementia narrative from a story of tragedy, hopelessness, and decline, to a story of growth and hope. Additionally, he covers information on training and education, technology, creative engagement for people with dementia, and much more! Don't miss this show!

In this episode, show host John Hughes and Presley Reader look back over the first 100 shows and review ten categories that are important to understand while growing older in the Mid-Valley. This is the second installment of a two-part series reviewing important topics for our listeners, mentioning the guests who spoke about them, and including some of the tips given during their shows. Part two covers topics such as Medicare, Hospice Care, Dementia Care, and more. Don’t miss this show!

In this episode, show hosts John Hughes & Presley Reader look back over the first 100 shows and review 10 "categories" that are important to know about while growing older in the Mid-Valley. This is part one of a two-part series reviewing important topics for our listeners and mentioning the guests who spoke about these topics and some of the tips given during their show. Part one covers topics like aging in place, estate planning, and more. Don’t miss this show!

In this episode, Steve Toll, the Director of Special Programs for ComForCare Home Care, talks about home safety for someone with dementia. Steve breaks this down into two different categories for safety: making the home safe for the person and how to make that person "feel" safe in the home. Steve shares techniques on how to make your loved one feel safe in the home and with the people caring for them. He also makes several suggestions on how to make the home environment safe for a person with dementia. Don't miss this exciting episode!

Life is busy. If arranging your photos & preserving your stories has been on your to-do list, there is no time like the present to make it happen. Memories, like photos, fade away, and time is fleeting. Photo albums that weren't archived can damage images, and memorabilia, slides, and images stored incorrectly can become a real mess to salvage. Zoe Morrison, founder of My Beautiful Life Story, talks about how her services can help preserve photos, memories, and stories for children and grandchildren who may not know the stories behind the pictures.

You've probably heard about long-term care insurance and wondered about what it covers and how to go about getting a policy. Or maybe you've heard that things are changing with long-term polices and wonder what exactly that means. Well, we have the answers. James Hutches is a financial representative from Country Financial, and in this show, he explains what long-term care policies are and how they can be used. He also discusses alternatives to these polices, as well as some helpful tips if you are currently shopping for one or wish to use an existing policy. Don't miss this show! #Salem

Kelli Monaghan of Heavenly Grounded Coaching joins us to share about her own loss of a spouse and how she became a life coach for widows & widowers. She helps them figure out what to do with their lives now that the relationship no longer defines them and how they can do, be, or have anything they want! Kelli also shares some mental health tips for the holidays! Don't miss this exciting show!

In this episode, Lauren Heinatz from ComForCare Home Care gives a lot of tips on how to handle your holiday festivities, but also deal with your loved one with dementia at the same time. Lauren shares how your loved one may get upset or confused by holiday activities and how you need to adjust to meet their needs so that they are included appropriately in the festivities and people. A few tips: limit travel, provide a quiet room separate from the crowd, only have a few people visit with them at a time, and most of all, create good memories.

In this episode Sue Horn, Community Relations Director at Avamere Court at Keizer shares information about long-term care options. Avamere Court is a continuing care retirement community with Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, and Memory Care. Sue explains the differences between Independent Living and Assisted Living and how to determine which one is appropriate for your loved one. A lot of useful tips and information are discussed, so don't miss this exciting episode!

Marie Jennings, Community Relations Director at Parkland Village Retirement Community, shares some tips and tricks for enjoying the holidays with your loved one who may have cognitive or mobility issues. She also discusses signs that indicate your loved one might need care and how to start that conversation with them. She shares information about the quaint and charming Parkland Village with Independent Living and Assisted Living. Tune in for another great show! #Salem

Shelly Mendoza talks about ways to determine if a person has the cognitive skills necessary for safe and independent driving. She also covers how to approach a loved one with concerns about their driving abilities and the DriveABLE cognitive assessment that focuses on the cognitive abilities essential for safe driving.DriveABLE is a computerized cognitive assessment that checks attention, memory, visual tracking/processing, judgment, and decision making under time pressure and impulse control. It's a scientific and independent method to help take away the keys!

Do you have trouble understanding your soft-spoken grandchildren? Have you injured your arm or shoulder? Is reading more difficult for you due to small print? Do you have tremors from Parkinson's? Laurie Brooks from Access Technologies walks us through the world of both high and low-tech options to help with all of these tasks and more, including software that allows you to talk to your computer, devices to help you hear better on the phone, various magnification options, and other gadgets to help maintain your quality of life! #Salem

Melanie Bjerke of Davenport Place Assisted Living in Silverton joins us in this episode to explain that assisted living can be home-like, and the staff can have a personal touch with their residents. Davenport Place is a smaller assisted living space in a small-town setting, but it has a lot of charm and personality! Don't miss this episode!

Medicare Part D - Prescription Drug Plans. We continue exploring Medicare this week with drug plans. What are they? Are they required? Is there more than one option? What’s the cost? Alex Johnson of TrueLife Financial Solutions answers these questions and more! This is part four in a four-part series on Medicare, and Alex explains Medicare Prescription Drug Plans & how they work. He also covers important dates & deadlines you need to be aware of when dealing with these plans. Don't miss this great episode!

Alex Johnson II, the Principal Broker and Founder at TrueLife Financial Services, LLC, joins us for part three of our four-part series on Medicare. In this episode, we discuss Medigap policies (also referred to as Medicare Supplemental polices). What are these used for? Why should you want one? And how does it differ from a Medicare Advantage plan? All of these questions and more will be covered during this episode. Please tune in and don't miss hearing this vital information!

Have you heard about Medicare Advantage Plans and wondered what they are or how they differ from "regular" Medicare? This is part two in a four-part series on Medicare with Alex Johnson of TrueLife Financial Services, LLC, and he explains what Medicare Advantage Plans are and how they work. He also covers important dates and deadlines you need to be aware of when signing up for or changing these plans. Don't miss this great episode full of important information! #Salem