Answers For Elders Radio Network

The loss of a senior parent brings home renewed urgency for adult children to have difficult conversations with aging parents who struggle with declining health. Ellie Brown, VP of Sales at Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to share the story of the recent loss of her father. Ellie says, "My own father, who has been a life force for my senior living career forever, because he's refusing to go live in 'those senior living places,' wants to be on his own. And the conversations in my own life have been trying to build the urgency with my family members, and him, to realize it is not a failure to move into senior living. You aren't admitting defeat because you decide you want to be in a safe environment, or you can live independently but maybe you don't need care yet, but you started falling. "My own father has been having medical issues, and falls, and falls, and me every Sunday for hours, 'Dad, I really want you to consider moving into senior living, because we know, Dad, it's proven that once you start [having] these falls... the rates exceptionally accelerate that you're going to have a traumatic fall. And your wish is to hold on to this ideal that you're going to somehow pass in your sleep, miraculously.' "And so I went on my vacation on July 20th -- and took him up for Father's Day in May, and gave him a hug, and I said, I'm going on vacation on the 20th. My last directive to you is no falling, and don't get into any trouble. So I was on my vacation and he was having a good time. He was talking about his tomatoes and having a lovely summer. And on the Saturday night before I flew out, I got the call from Harborview Trauma Center that he had had that tragic, traumatic fall. And he had been alone for hours upon hours in his home. And, and there we were, me trying to get back home. "And it was the Don't Wait Too Late — which I have the trademark pending already for. Now I'm living it. I respect that he had, and everybody has, the right to say, I choose to stay home. Do they really understand what that does to the grandkids, and the great grandkids, and the daughters, and the sons, who now have to live the trauma of the Trauma Unit at Harborview? I don't know that they truly understand that. "So how do we build the urgency to say, it's not defeat? No, it is not defeat to say, 'This next adventure, I'm going to embrace that. This next adventure, I'm going to go in there and make it what I need and want it to be.' My dad was cognitively fine. He was fine. He could have done cognitively another ten, 15 years... Don't Wait Too Late is getting ahead of it, because if you're ahead of it, you get to choose where. "So let's say my dad had survived this fall. He would have been still injured enough where he wouldn't have been on the front end of that decision. Did we lose some years because I didn't effectively get him convinced? Maybe. "My personal story is a teaching moment for us all. How do we build urgency without scaring people away, but also have that hard conversation to say it's time, or something's going to happen. You're either not going to survive — and it's going to be brutal for your family — or you're not on the front end of that decision, because then all sorts of other things come into play. Do you have the right POA, do you have the right executor?" 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. Also visit

We are honored today to talk about stories of the past., the richest stories with our older adults, and think about the history and legacy that they bring to our lives. Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast is joined by Chris Serold, former VP of Marketing at Chateau Retirement who collects stories of their senior living residents. As she quotes from one collection, A Legacy of Reflections: "Our life on Earth is represented by a hiking trail in the Pacific Northwest wilderness or mountain setting. Many days of our lives are spent walking. Sometimes we walk alone. Sometimes we walk with others. Family, friends, teachers, coworkers. Doctors, advisors. Helpers and caregivers. Our walk of life may include adventure, challenges, building relationships, love, growth, leadership and sadness." This book, Legacy of Reflections, is a compilation of the stories of residents who have passed away or moved from Chateau at Bothell Landing prior to 2025. Chris explains, "I had worked at Chateau since 2000. In the year 2010, I retired. About eight months later, my phone rang, and it was the executive director at the building at the time. And he said, I'm calling because we need an activity director. And I said, 'You want a 69-year-old activity director?' ... So I did the activity director job until 2016. And then I retired again. In 2016, the owner of the company. Jim Godfrey, wanted me to write resident stories, so that the staff could read their stories and have a better understanding of the people they serve. "So I came back and did Resident Stories, and then it was maybe a year. And pretty soon the residents started saying to me, 'What are you doing with our stories?' And so I told them that we would put them in books for the staff lounges. And they said, 'Well, can we read the stories?' And I said, 'Sure, I will make up books that we will put in the libraries and the lobby areas, so that you can sit and read the stories.' "Invariably, if I asked a resident, or I talked to a resident, about doing their story, they say to me, 'I really don't have a story.' And so I have to remind them that everybody has a story... maybe we should just sit and talk about their lives... And if the staff is reading them, the staff, this is a new education for the staff. They have no idea what it is to live without running water. They have no idea what it is to go to a one-room schoolhouse. And so when they start to read these stories, then it is it sparks a conversation. Not only with that resident, but it sparks a conversation with the staff when they are in the staff lounges." 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. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement

How many jobs let you say, "I made a difference in somebody's life today?" Caregivers at senior living communities help residents with activities of daily living, who can mostly live independently, but maybe they need a little assistance with showering, or dressing, or any other types of activities that may be a little bit of a challenge as we age. Hiwot Yeshitla, a caregiver for Chateau Retirement Communities, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about the role of caregivers at Chateau. Hiwot says, "Caregivers do daily activity tasks for a resident. Everybody is different. Individual care starts with dressing, reminding, giving medications, taking them to the activity room, or to lunch... It's easy for us to do things for them... By doing a little thing, they just appreciate it. And then when they are doing something, they feel liked and happy. "When I go there, and maybe their family member [isn't] there for them, I'll just go and stand with them, listening to them, and just [help] them meet the day. They forget being sad... Maybe today's their birthday, and maybe there's no family to visit them. I’m there [with them], 'How old are you? Just ask questions...'" Suzanne asks, "If somebody wants to come to work for Chateau Retirement, what advice would you have for them?" Hiwot answers, "They have to have a big heart when they come. Just be willing to help people." 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. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement

Often we take for granted all of the factors that make residents safer in senior living communities. Chateau at Bothell Landing's Maintenance Director Loren Adams joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about not only building upkeep, but longevity of staff, and helping residents in little ways that are a huge help. Loren says, "They should be comfortable there. They should feel safe and secure and relaxed almost to the point where, rather than being apprehensive about making that transition in their lives, they should feel like, oh, this is the best move I ever made because now I can just relax and enjoy the rest of my life, and not worry about the little things. "I always try to remind [my staff] that we're only as good as the work we do for the residents. When we get the positive feedback from the residents, that's huge. When I hear a compliment about one or two of the people, I like to share that with the team, just to let them know that what they're doing is appreciated and recognized. And just because maybe they singled out this individual or that, it's an example of how much the residents appreciate the team as a whole. "And it can be something so, so small. Residents might have a hard time opening a window, that any of us could go in and just slide the window open really easy. But when you get asked to do things like that, you realize how frustrating, and maybe even discouraging that might be, for those residents. Like, wow, they can't even open their own window anymore. And so the guys go in, and they're just glad to help. And to see that the appreciation for just those little things, that we take for granted I think is is huge. "And I think that's why our residents stay as long as they do. We have residents that have lived there for years because they get to know the people. They get to know the staff who have also been there for years. It just doesn't feel like you're at a business. It's like you're in this community where everybody knows everybody." 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. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement

Aprill Uskoski and Stacey Greenshields join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about building a senior living community culture, and how Chateau Retirement Communities stands out for their employee culture, hiring, creating supportive leadership, being valued, and creating a path for people to grow within the organization. Aprill Uskoski is Senior Human Resources Director for Chateau Retirement. Stacey Greenshields is Senior Recruiter and Employee Wellness Director. Stacey says, "Chateau does an excellent job of really caring for our employees and going above and beyond. I first started here back in 2012, almost 13 years ago... And what Chateau does for their employees, from their orientation to the Bloom program that we have, our wellness program to our benefits, we have the Employee Appreciation Fund. I mean, I could just go on and on, we just do a lot of different things for our employees. I think if you have happy employees, it turns into happier residents. And so then you get those residents laughing in the dining room because our employees are so happy to be here, because Chateau invest a lot of time and money into making sure that they're happy." Aprill says, "It starts with the culture of just what we bring. We have to show it. So if we don't show it, then what's the point? So what we practice every day, it's what you see. From the top to the bottom, everyone's equal. We treat everybody kind. I've been here for 25 years and there's a reason for that. I help create a lot of things at the Chateau. So, when you see the birthdays for the residents, we do that for the employees. There's a reason that a lot of them stay here for as long as we do. Like Stacey said, from our onboarding to our hiring process to... we just have a good time here. "You can you can train anyone to do a job. You can't train how people treat others. So you have to look for those people that really care for people. And that's what you try to find in everyone. You can't be perfect every time, but you really look for people that want to take care of others. We have a thorough process when it comes to hiring for a reason. Sometimes people just say it takes a little while, but that's okay. We've got to find the right people to take care of." 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. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement

Derek Larson and Lacy Steed join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about a new program for senior living residents with Alzheimer's and dementia. Lacy talks about the additions of sensory walls, aromas, and the addition of life-skills stations that bring back memories. The program is at Chateau Gardens, part of Chateau at Bothell Landing in Bothell, Washington. Derek Larson is Executive Director, and Lacy Steed is Vice President of Life Enrichment, at Chateau Retirement Communities. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. Lacy explains, "We did a lot of research on this. I would say right now, probably about two years that we've been doing this. We went and visited other communities. We spoke to a lot of staff, residents, family members, and higher-up leadership. We went to over 15 communities throughout the state, because we wanted to try to get a vibe of what people are doing, what works and what doesn’t. And it was really eye opening. Chateau Gardens, I hope it becomes just something that is the norm, not the exception. "People think that when you have dementia or Alzheimer's, that you're just in a nursing home. That's it. And you're just watching TV and you're unable to do anything. And that is far from the truth. There is still so much that residents with dementia and Alzheimer's can give and talk about and do. They can still share stories and participate in activities. And they're so they're one of my favorite populations because you just never know what they're going to say, what they're going to do, what they you can do. And it's amazing." Derek adds, "Some of the activities can create some of that light-bulb moment for residents, like that music bringing that light back in people's eyes. For me, I was talking in the first segment about my mom having been diagnosed with dementia early. Up until the very end, she was able to play piano. You put sheet music in front of her and she could just play. She couldn't even hardly talk, but she could play. And you can see in her eyes, it created this something in her brain that just put her on fire. So the idea is, we want to create that light and that spark through the activities and everything else we do. So much of what Lacy's department does, and the activities, will play a huge role in that." Lacy says, "We are trying to incorporate ways for them to be active... Arch Design [makes] amazing senior living, tactile wall art that the residents can touch, so they can get just a sense of appreciation, sensory, tactile, everything. Get those neurons, synapses, inspiring everything... "We do doll therapy. We've actually purchased really nice new babies that will breathe and feel like actual dolls the residents just love to hold and touch and care for. "We are working on creating life-skill stations. Those are little places, for instance like a laundry area, or a makeup area, where the residents can just go and sit and tinker and play, and hopefully just go back to their days of working or getting ready for work, anything. And they are very effective... We even have an office space where we bought an old-school typewriter and a Rolodex and anything that you can think of from their era. "Aroma Impressions [makes] a scientifically-based product that works to elicit memories for older adults. It is a very fine mist that you can't even see. And it's just slight enough that you can walk into memory care, and it's just a very lovely smell. You would never know that it's there, but it just makes it smell homey." Chateau at Bothell Landing is located at 17543 102nd Ave NE in Bothell, Washington 98011-3787. Chateau Retirement provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. They have been locally owned and family operated

Derek Larson and Amanda Krueger join Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about a new program for senior living residents with Alzheimer's and dementia. The program is at Chateau Gardens, part of Chateau at Bothell Landing in Bothell, Washington. Derek Larson is Executive Director, and Amanda is Vice President of Health Services, at Chateau Retirement Communities. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. Amanda explains, "We really wanted to bring a program together that looked at the resident and not the disease. And so what did that, as far as the care part of it, was the individualized care plans, the staff training, and then also making sure the staff is really taking the time with the residents. And so it took a lot of work. "One thing that we implemented was a lower staffing ratio with our expansion at Bothell. We have that down to a 1 to 7 for just our caregivers, and that just allows for that resident and and staff person to really develop a bond, so that way they can still get their input as best they can. Maybe it's not verbally, but maybe it's through action, seeing their eyes light up when music plays." Suzanne asks, "You and Derek have both talked about treating the patient rather than the disease. How does that differentiate when it comes to care?" Amanda answers, "I think it just allows the resident to be who they are, and to still allow them to be as independent as they go around. And having the staff trained well enough to understand that just because they have dementia, that doesn't mean they can't still wash their face, something simple where, let's have that staff give them a washcloth, and then kind of mirror the action of washing a face, and still allow that resident to be as individual and independent as they can and promote that." Suzanne says, "Derek mentioned a little bit about how the family is more engaged. How does that happen in the care plans? Amanda replies, "Letting them give us information. You know, maybe Sally has a hard time bathing, but that the family members let us know that she likes bananas. So let's [have] a banana before we take a bath, and then that helps make it more individualized. So, taking as much data that we can from our family members, or our staff too, because our staff spends a lot of time with our residents. All the little tips and tricks, and making sure then that everybody knows what it takes, to make sure that residents care for them." Derek adds, "We had something really cool happen at Bothell kind of organically, I think as we got more relationships built with our residents and their families. A lot of the spouses actually created their own groups within our space at Chateau Gardens. So every week they would sit down in our outdoor courtyard, and they would just hang out. Talk, as if things were just as they are, meeting each other in the journey. And the spouses could also kind of relate to one another at the same time. And it just it was really cool to see that organically just grow from having that space, just be welcoming in that way." Chateau at Bothell Landing is located at 17543 102nd Ave NE in Bothell, Washington 98011-3787. 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. Also visit

Chateau Retirement Communities Executive Director Derek Larson joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to give an overview of the Alzheimer's epidemic and how it's affecting caregivers. Chateau Retirement is launching a new program primarily for senior living residents with Alzheimer's and dementia at Chateau Gardens at Chateau at Bothell Landing in Bothell, Washington. Derek talks about the program came about and how it's going. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood, Washington. Derek shares his family experience. "My mom was diagnosed with dementia really, really young. She was only 51 when she passed. And as a 16-year-old kid, I didn't really know how to process that very well. And it was really challenging. Taking care of her was one of the hardest things ever did in my entire life. And was one of the most isolating times in my life. And so, going full 360 to being here today and having this opportunity, it means the world to be able to give back to the people that really need that love, and care, and that don't need to have less than a life just because they have this disease." He adds, "It's just such a under-served population that we really, really felt the need to meet those people's needs as best we could. And so we decided to fully revamp the programs we were offering. And we created a task force to work on revamping that as well. As a team, we interviewed tons of our own staff. We interviewed some of our senior leadership. We toured many communities around the area to see where memory care units and communities were really knocking it out of the park. We did tons of research. "Through all of that, we came to the realization that we wanted to create a space where people feel like it's home. They belong. They're at a place where they can be happy, healthy, live long lives. They can be engaged in whatever ways they want. It's just harder to do in that space, because people are not as able to vocalize their wants and needs. "The biggest surprise is that it was really simple. It's not easy, but it's really simple. What people need is understanding who we are serving. It's just such a simple thing that just gets missed because people are so stuck on treating dementia and Alzheimer's instead of treating the person in front of them. "We can see it quickly, even though we're still in the process of implementing everything we would like to. It didn't take long to just get a sense when you walk into a place of the way it feels. There's an energy, and you get an energy from the residents where you see them engaged, you see the staff engaged, you see smiles, you see family getting more involved. You see the rest of the community who have friends in memory care that had the stigma against it, and now feel like they feel empowered to be there and they want to be there. What we strive for is to be a community." Chateau at Bothell Landing is located at 17543 102nd Ave NE in Bothell, Washington 98011-3787. 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. Also visit Chateau's specialist page on Answers for Elders to hear more of their shows. Check out our affiliate podcast

Bonnie Brindle, The Anxiety Avenger, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about strategies to reduce anxiety. This segment focuses on coping with grief, "tire-swinging seniors,” and essential support for caregivers. Bonnie says, "There's actually a prescription. It's called the nature pill. You can go to your primary and be prescribed 20 minutes a day in nature to help yourself re-ground to your surroundings. Way better than medication in most cases. I help people with creating wildlife imagery. Not everybody can get out into nature in the situations that they're in, but in our minds, we can go anywhere we want to and we can communicate in any way we'd like to. Wildlife imagery has helped me be able to do things like sit in an MRI tube for 35 minutes while I'm completely trapped and listening to all kinds of noise. A lot of things that I struggle with, animals have helped me get through." Bonnie Brindle is The Anxiety Avenger™. As a psychotherapist, author, educator, and international speaker, Bonnie has helped countless people find calm in the chaos using a unique blend of talk therapy, evidence-based energy work, and alternative healing methods. Bonnie’s mission is to support others who choose to soar above the chaos to identify and crack the crazymakers' code—the key to living your best life! Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code: 9 Simple Steps to Ease Your Anxiety Is it possible to ease your anxiety and create a path to lasting peace of mind?' From adolescence to early adulthood, Bonnie Brindle’s life was an endless carousel of anxiety, panic attacks, and stressful relationships. In Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code, she reveals how she clawed her way back to a life worth living — one filled with opportunities, health and wellness, and, most of all, gratitude. Using her own journey as a road map for radical healing, she invites you to join her as you reclaim the life you were born to live. Each chapter encourages you to reflect on your own experiences and life challenges, reprogram your own thinking, and take action steps toward solutions you may not have thought possible. In nine simple steps, Bonnie will guide you toward your own path to Personal Transformation. This book is available as a personalized copy from her website and online at Amazon (including Kindle eBook), Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. The Audible version will be ready by July 31, 2025. Links: Bonnie's websiteThe Avenger’s 5 Top Tips to Ease AnxietyCracking the Crazymakers’ CodeMusings from the MenagerieSpeakerHubLinkedIn Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks Mentioned in this episode: Legacy Estate Planning Legacy Estate...

The Anxiety Avenger, Bonnie Brindle, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show share her top five tips for self-care. As she explains, "You can't be anxious and grateful at the same time." Also, "Respond [to triggers] by backing off... Flight attendants tell you, put your mask on first. It makes sense everywhere in life, your mask goes on first." 1) Breath work. 2) Meditation. 3) Hydration, a couple liters a day is a good average for everybody. 4) Movement, whatever you're capable of. 5) Take a few moments for gratitude. Bonnie says, "At night I put a glass of water next to the bed. Sometimes I might get thirsty at night. I'll have some, but in the morning first thing to hydrate. Seniors do not hydrate enough. As we age, seniors have less [sense of] thirst, less feeling for thirst than when we're younger. We may not even realize it, but if we're having headaches, or feeling dizzy, or feeling at risk of falling, or we pinch the skin in our arm and it doesn't bounce back immediately, we need to hydrate." Bonnie Brindle is The Anxiety Avenger™. As a psychotherapist, author, educator, and international speaker, Bonnie has helped countless people find calm in the chaos using a unique blend of talk therapy, evidence-based energy work, and alternative healing methods. Bonnie’s mission is to support others who choose to soar above the chaos to identify and crack the crazymakers' code—the key to living your best life! Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code: 9 Simple Steps to Ease Your Anxiety Is it possible to ease your anxiety and create a path to lasting peace of mind?' From adolescence to early adulthood, Bonnie Brindle’s life was an endless carousel of anxiety, panic attacks, and stressful relationships. In Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code, she reveals how she clawed her way back to a life worth living — one filled with opportunities, health and wellness, and, most of all, gratitude. Using her own journey as a road map for radical healing, she invites you to join her as you reclaim the life you were born to live. Each chapter encourages you to reflect on your own experiences and life challenges, reprogram your own thinking, and take action steps toward solutions you may not have thought possible. In nine simple steps, Bonnie will guide you toward your own path to Personal Transformation. This book is available as a personalized copy from her website and online at Amazon (including Kindle eBook), Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. The Audible version will be ready by July 31, 2025. Links: Bonnie's websiteThe Avenger’s 5 Top Tips to Ease AnxietyCracking the Crazymakers’ CodeMusings from the MenagerieSpeakerHubLinkedIn Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks Mentioned in this...

The Anxiety Avenger, Bonnie Brindle, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about the rollercoaster of emotions brought about for seniors facing senior living transitions. She identifies signs that your senior loved one is in need of assistance, such as cleanliness changes, dizziness, feeling sluggish, and avoiding contact. Then she provides advice on how to approach a conversation with your loved one about their anxiety. Bonnie says, "You're noticing something that's making you feel uncomfortable, or maybe you're worried or anxious. That's not the time to approach a conversation. When you can center yourself and get your own breath quieted, and ask questions — do not make statements or demands like you shouldn't- This isn't- whatever. [Ask] questions: how you're feeling about, what you've been up to lately? Are you feeling well? How can I help you right now in the situation that you're in? Asking questions is always a softer way to approach someone than starting to tell them what you think they would do." Bonnie Brindle is The Anxiety Avenger™. As a psychotherapist, author, educator, and international speaker, Bonnie has helped countless people find calm in the chaos using a unique blend of talk therapy, evidence-based energy work, and alternative healing methods. Bonnie’s mission is to support others who choose to soar above the chaos to identify and crack the crazymakers' code—the key to living your best life! Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code: 9 Simple Steps to Ease Your Anxiety Is it possible to ease your anxiety and create a path to lasting peace of mind?' From adolescence to early adulthood, Bonnie Brindle’s life was an endless carousel of anxiety, panic attacks, and stressful relationships. In Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code, she reveals how she clawed her way back to a life worth living — one filled with opportunities, health and wellness, and, most of all, gratitude. Using her own journey as a road map for radical healing, she invites you to join her as you reclaim the life you were born to live. Each chapter encourages you to reflect on your own experiences and life challenges, reprogram your own thinking, and take action steps toward solutions you may not have thought possible. In nine simple steps, Bonnie will guide you toward your own path to Personal Transformation. This book is available as a personalized copy from her website and online at Amazon (including Kindle eBook), Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. The Audible version will be ready by July 31, 2025. Links: Bonnie's websiteThe Avenger’s 5 Top Tips to Ease AnxietyCracking the Crazymakers’ CodeMusings from the MenagerieSpeakerHubLinkedIn Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks Mentioned in this...

Bonnie Brindle joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how to recognize and reduce our anxiety. She explains why she calls herself The Anxiety Avenger, and how that informs her work. She shares about recognizing anxiety in its many forms: anger, frustration, withdrawal, and depression. With a heart for healing and a toolkit full of transformational strategies, Bonnie Brindle shares her personal journey from anxious to empowered—and how she’s now guiding seniors and caregivers to do the same. As a psychotherapist, author, educator, and international speaker, Bonnie has helped countless people find calm in the chaos using a unique blend of talk therapy, evidence-based energy work, and alternative healing methods. If you've ever felt like anxiety is running the show in your golden years, this is your backstage pass to reclaiming peace and purpose. Bonnie says, "When I was in my teens and twenties, I dealt with debilitating panic disorder and agoraphobia, and I have since — over these decades — figured out how to let a lot of that go, because anxiety is just trapped energy, to let that go safely and without medication. So I completely transformed my own life. And that's what I want to share with others so they can let go of what's holding them back." Bonnie Brindle is The Anxiety Avenger™. She is a psychotherapist, author, licensed educator, transformational coach, and international speaker. Incorporating alternative modalities with talk therapy and evidence-based energy practices, she’s created a path for anyone struggling with anxiety (like she used to) to find personal peace. Bonnie’s mission is to support others who choose to soar above the chaos to identify and crack the crazymakers' code—the key to living your best life! Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code: 9 Simple Steps to Ease Your Anxiety Is it possible to ease your anxiety and create a path to lasting peace of mind?' From adolescence to early adulthood, Bonnie Brindle’s life was an endless carousel of anxiety, panic attacks, and stressful relationships. In Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code, she reveals how she clawed her way back to a life worth living — one filled with opportunities, health and wellness, and, most of all, gratitude. Using her own journey as a road map for radical healing, she invites you to join her as you reclaim the life you were born to live. Each chapter encourages you to reflect on your own experiences and life challenges, reprogram your own thinking, and take action steps toward solutions you may not have thought possible. In nine simple steps, Bonnie will guide you toward your own path to Personal Transformation. This book is available as a personalized copy from her website and online at Amazon (including Kindle eBook), Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. The Audible version will be ready by July 31, 2025. Links: Bonnie's websiteThe Avenger’s 5 Top Tips to Ease AnxietyCracking the Crazymakers’ CodeMusings from the MenagerieSpeakerHub

Award-winning, nationally recognized physical therapist J Kele Murdin joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about some assessments that she does to test older people for their risk of having a fall. One in every five senior falls results in a serious injury, such as a broken bone, or head trauma, or a broken hip. Avoiding falls is paramount. Kele says, "I want to share a few assessments that we do, because I think they are light bulb moments for people who've never really stopped to think about what's putting them at risk. And as a physical therapist, that this is the kind of thing we do all the time. When I have a patient come in to be assessed for falls, these are the kinds of tests that I would do, and also what you should be able to do. "[Sit] in a chair, stand up and sit down with without using your hands five times in less than 10 seconds. If it takes you more than 10 seconds to stand up and sit down five times, that's indicative of weakness, or some kind of impairment in your legs that's increasing your risk of falling. The prescription for that would be, do that. Keep working on sits and stands, because it's such a functionally critical movement. That would be the exercise. "I would say there's a lot of folks that can't stand up without their hands, and — especially as we get older — that's fairly common. So for those folks, I would have them do their sit-stand on the arm of the couch, because it's usually a little higher, right? It's not 18 inches. It might be 24. Or from the edge of their bed if it's higher. And now from a higher surface, I can do a stand without using my hands. And that's where you would do your exercises." Kele specializes in fall prevention and caring for older adults. She is the founder of Murdin Therapy LLC and Group Otago. Reach her at Murdin Therapy or call 425-306-0502. Groupotago.com offers group fall prevention exercise programs and has a ton of information. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Legacy Estate Planning Legacy Estate Planning Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement

Fall prevention gets started by us all keeping ourself in better health as we age. Want top three ways to start getting yourself into optimal aging? Award-winning, nationally recognized physical therapist J Kele Murdin joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share her top tips to start small and build. 1. nutrition (hydration, protein, eating enough calories during the day, diet, etc) 2. move more, sit less (aerobic strength and balance) 3. carving out the time, reserving time for exercise (and what does that look like for you, do things that bring you joy or keep you interested) Kele says, "Move more, that's the basic premise of what you're trying to do. And in that movement, let's think about aerobic activity. Sustained movement over time. That's what aerobics exercise is, strengthening, doing something to build muscle tone, because muscle atrophy is a real thing as we get older, we have to combat that. And balance. What are you doing to stress your balance? Like something to at least narrow your base of support. Narrow your feet and challenge yourself a little bit. So move more, sit less, with those three areas of exercise." Kele specializes in fall prevention and caring for older adults. She is the founder of Murdin Therapy LLC and Group Otago. Reach her at Murdin Therapy or call 425-306-0502. Groupotago.com offers group fall prevention exercise programs and has a ton of information. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement Legacy Estate Planning Legacy Estate Planning

How do you know if you're aging optimally? J Kele Murdin, an award-winning, nationally recognized physical therapist, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how to tell if you are aging optimally. Kele says, "I think this is such a common question for older adults. On the physical therapy world, we have a lot of tools to measure things. So if I wanted to look at your posture, I could ask you to stand against the wall. Can you get your head against the wall with your heels, against the wall and your bottom in your head? You should be able to touch. Do you have an extension in your upper back? Touch your head. And if you can't, that puts you at risk for fractures in your spine. That there are all these tools and measures we can do as a physical therapist that can measure posture, flexibility, endurance, things like that." Kele adds, "How much activity do we need to be doing to keep it running smoothly? Well, at least 30 minutes, five days a week of moderate exercise. So when we talk about aerobic exercise, it's like a six out of ten on the scale. You should be able to talk, but it should take some effort. You wouldn't be able to sing at that effort level. I think that level of intensity is what's missed. You know, my aunt takes her dog out, who's thought to go to the bathroom 15 times in her 15 minute walk. And that's not hard enough. That's not enough to get her heart to get stronger. It should feel like exercise and it should be intentional exercise. Subtle things, like how long, how hard, I think really makes a difference in people's awareness and understanding of what optimal aging could look like." Kele specializes in fall prevention and caring for older adults. She is the founder of Murdin Therapy LLC and Group Otago. Reach her at Murdin Therapy or call 425-306-0502. Groupotago.com offers group fall prevention exercise programs and has a ton of information. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement Legacy Estate Planning Legacy Estate Planning

About one in every four adult older adults aged 65 and over fall every year, and this translates to over 36 million falls in the United States annually among among seniors. Falls are one thing, but one in every five results in a serious injury, such as a broken bone, or head trauma, or a broken hip. Hip fractures alone cause over 300,000 hospitalized patients every year in the USA, and they are followed by a decline in physical function, independence, and even mortality. Award-winning, nationally recognized physical therapist J Kele Murdin joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about fall prevention. Kele says, "If you ask a cardiologist what's optimal aging, he's probably going to talk about cardiorespiratory fitness. Right. Because his world is full of chronic diseases in the cardiac space. Family doctor might talk to you about someone who doesn't have a lot of chronic diseases like diabetes and other things like chronic diseases that are going to really affect you. I’m a physical therapist, I'm going to talk about the physical aspects of optimal aging. So posture, flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, those are kind of the five areas of fitness for me personally, that's in my wheelhouse. So I think optimal aging is a difficult thing to define because, again, your optimal aging path may be different than someone else's. So I think vitality, independence are two key, those words can can capture it, but they can look different for different people." “Just being over 65 puts you at an increased rate of fall by 30% just because of the age changes that happen with joints and tissue and aerobic systems that you're already at 30%. So if you have an ankle injury on top of that, that's going to increase your risk even more." Kele specializes in fall prevention and caring for older adults. She is the founder of Murdin Therapy LLC and Group Otago. Reach her at Murdin Therapy or call 425-306-0502. Groupotago.com offers group fall prevention exercise programs and has a ton of information. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Legacy Estate Planning Legacy Estate Planning Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement

Ollie Minogue, Resident Liaison at Chateau Valley Center, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about helping residents in senior living. Ollie says, "My main job is really being a resident’s best friend when they move in. They come in, and a lot of residents feel kind of isolated when they first arrive. So I think my biggest part is getting them acclimated, making sure they're comfortable. And that involves a lot of steps along the way... "When they first come in, my big thing is, of course, it's move-in day, I’m greeting them, ensuring you're comfortable, making sure we've got everything squared away. But for the first two weeks of them being here, I'm checking in every single day with them. So whether that's just, 'Hey, how are you doing? Do you want to walk to Happy Hour with me, or do you want to come down to dinner?' And really make sure that they know that they have somebody to reach out to. "The other thing is helping them to meet people that they may have things in common with. I love coupling people up with best friends. I always have somebody in mind when I do that discovery. I learn from marketing what they're looking for and I'm like, 'Oh, I have just the person for them.' A good example is Boeing engineers. We just have so many of them in the area... And lots of teachers, and based off of interest too, so learning what they like to do. So if you want to play bridge, oh boy, do I have a group for you. Or do you like art? Perfect. There's somebody for everybody, and I truly believe that." 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. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement

Cindy Serrano, Director of Community Relations at Chateau Valley Center, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about community in senior living and being the ambassador for the center when people tour the community. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington. Cindy says, "When I first meet with a family, I first want to get to know what's important to them — not what they're looking for in the living situation, or a senior living community, but what is important to them right now in their life, what they would like in their future. And it starts off asking questions like you're on a first date. What do you like to do? How do you spend your weekends? What do you enjoy cooking late at night? So it really is a matter of getting to know the person on personal level." After seniors move in, Cindy adds, "As the community relations director, I have resources available in the broader community — say, if they're having just trouble moving into their home, say within the first week, maybe we can get an OT test, test the apartment, and put in adaptive appointment that can make their days easier. So there's definitely ways that I continue to listen to little challenges — I may not even see as a challenge — to make it easier for them." Cindy adds, "A lot of times I've noticed that they may need more help. It's hard to let go of that autonomy sometimes, because it's more of a mental challenge. I mean, 'I am independent,' and it's kind of fearful for them to lose that. This is a big transition to move in to a community and we want to remove the stigma of it being something that you lose independence. You'll still have your independence, but we'll be able to make your days easier so you can do more of what you want to do." 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. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement

Marketing Manager Kenji Hobbs joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about how Chateau Retirement advertises itself to new customers. This week's show was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington. Kenji adds, "I think authenticity and and true value is so important when it comes to marketing and senior living. When I came into the senior living world as a marketer, it was very important to me that the product... was genuine. We really want to offer a service that provides true value. If somebody is making the decision to move into a retirement community, they're putting their care — their world — in our hands." Kenji says, "One thing that we really lean into is the longevity of our staff, because we have such a true family feeling here. I've worked at companies small and large, and I can say the culture here is genuine: the family does care, and extends to all aspects of the organization. We have people that have worked here for 25 years plus, and they love coming to work every day, and the relationships they have with our residents is impossible to recreate on any other. "We have very close relationships with our neighbors. We care about not just our communities, but the communities that they exist in. So we really, really also focus on being a good steward to our to our neighbors... For example, we've done highway cleanups, community cleanups. That's tons of community outreach." 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. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement

This segment focused on the process of integrating a senior loved one into a senior living community once they've moved in. Daphne Davis from Pinnacle Senior Placements joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show, explaining that integration needs to come from the community, not the family. Daphne says, "We want to make things right, we want it to be successful. Well, here's here's a big news flash. Your mom and dad are adult human beings, and they're going to go to the place that they're most comfortable with, which is usually their family. And now they need to learn how to trust somebody else. They need to know the mechanisms of how to push that button so that someone comes to their apartment, if they're in assisted living or independent, or if they're an adult family home. If there's a cognition issue, if there's a need for for ready on the spot care, don't don't close the door to that option. Now your mom or dad has to figure out, okay, I'm going to push this button that's going to take anywhere from three to 10 to 15 minutes for someone to get here. And I need to to plan for that. And and so that's a part of what they need to learn. "Here's the integration piece that needs to happen in a large community, in my opinion: [plan to] have more care than what your parent may need. Have more touch points, have a two or three hour chat for two weeks, have escorting services, have someone come to them and tell them, Hey, it's bingo at 2:00. And I know you met Patty at lunch today and she's there. I'd love to have the two of you spend some time together. Can I take you down to bingo? "It's that kind of integration that needs to happen from the community, not from you saying, 'Well, Mom, you have the calendar. Look at it. Look at the clock. You can get out the door and everything will be fine. And I'll take you to lunch outside the community.'" Daphne suggests, "When you're establishing your care level or your care points or how often somebody checks in on your mom or dad, at least in the first two weeks, have it be higher than what you think is needed because then they will have someone teach them which hallway to go down to get to the activity room, to get to the library. They don't know where the library is. It might be something that they're really interested in, but they don't know how to get there and I don't know about you, but I keep my pride. I don't want to look stupid." Reach Pinnacle at 1-855-734-1500 or visit PinnacleSeniorPlacements.com. To final a referral agent in your area, visit the National Placement & Referral Alliance website search. Learn more: * Pinnacle Senior Placements at Answers for Elders. * About Daphne Davis * Hear more podcasts with Daphne Davis Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks. Mentioned in this episode: Chateau Retirement Chateau Retirement Legacy Estate Planning Legacy Estate Planning