Dementia doesn't wait until you're ready. It doesn't show up with a manual, and it doesn't care how busy your life already is. Every family should have this conversation before a crisis, not during one. In this episode, Amy sits down with Dayna Steele, a Hall of Fame rock radio legend turned nationally recognized dementia advocate, for a practical, no-nonsense look at what to do now: the early signs of dementia families often overlook, the questions every family should answer while everyone is still healthy, and simple daily habits that support brain health at any age. Dayna also shares "the Talk," her free 30-question guide built for exactly this, a tool for having the hard conversation early, whether or not dementia has entered the picture yet.

Dayna cared for her own mother through Alzheimer's, chronicling the journey in real time on Facebook, then turning that painful, beautiful experience into a book and a stage play, The Woman in the Mirror, now earning glowing reviews at the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Her honesty is startling: the signs she missed, the guilt she carried, the humor that kept her afloat. "Whatever you're doing is right. Period."

This is not just a conversation. It's preparation, permission, and power. Above all, Dayna's message is simple: you are not alone.

In this episode you'll learn:

[02:32] From Houston rock radio legend to leading dementia advocate, Dayna's unlikely path

[05:21] How Facebook unexpectedly became Dayna's support group

[07:20] The earliest signs of dementia families often overlook

[09:03] The moment in Vegas that revealed her mother couldn't remember their shared past

[11:20] "The Talk," the free 30-question guide every family should have before a crisis hits, not after

[15:50] The guilt of moving a parent, and the messy, unpredictable reality of dementia behavior

[20:03] How her mother's story became the stage play The Woman in the Mirror

[23:48] Understanding dementia as an "umbrella" that covers Alzheimer's, Lewy body, vascular, and more

[27:04] Practical brain-health habits you can start today, no matter your age

About Dayna Steele:

Dayna Steele is a Rock Radio Hall of Famer, author, and nationally recognized dementia advocate. After caring for her mother through Alzheimer's, she wrote Surviving Alzheimer's with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine and created The Woman in the Mirror, an award-winning stage play based on her family's story, now earning glowing reviews at the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She's also the host of the #survivingalzheimers podcast.

Resources Mentioned:

Dayna's Website: https://www.daynasteele.com

The Talk (free resource): https://www.daynasteele.com/the-talk

Dayna's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Alzheimers-Friends-Facebook-Really/dp/1519370849

The Woman in the Mirror (tickets & info): https://www.daynasteele.com/play

#survivingalzheimers Podcast: https://www.daynasteele.com/survivingalzheimerspodcast

Connect with Dayna Steele:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daynasteele/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynasteele

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daynasteele/

This episode is sponsored by Naborforce, connecting older adults with caring, vetted neighbors for rides, company, and everyday help. Learn more at https://www.naborforce.com

Connect with Amy Kaszak:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-kaszak-6702963/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amykaszak/

How to Age Well Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtoagewell_podcast/

Topics: Alzheimer's, dementia, dementia caregiving, caregiver support, early signs of dementia, family conversations, The Woman in the Mirror, Dayna Steele, brain health, caregiver burnout, memory care, aging well

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than half of Americans over 85 will need some form of long-term care, and most of us have no idea what that actually costs, who pays for it, or what documents we need before we get there. In this episode, Amy sits down with Harry Margolis, one of the country's most respected elder law attorneys, to unpack what it really takes to plan for the decades after retirement.

Harry has been practicing elder law since 1987, is the founder of Margolis Bloom & D'Agostino, and has spent nearly 40 years helping families navigate long-term care, blended families, incapacity, and estate planning. He and Amy cover the handful of documents every adult should have (regardless of age or net worth), what happens when families skip them, why "estate planning" is not just for the wealthy, what long-term care really costs, why Medicare doesn't cover it, and how trusts can protect you and your family long before anyone passes away.

If you've been telling yourself "I already planned for retirement, I'm good," this episode is your wake-up call.

In this episode you'll learn:

[03:16] What "estate planning" actually means, and why it's not just for the wealthy

[07:02] The must-have legal documents every adult needs, even in your 40s and 50s

[10:19] What happens (and what it costs) if you don't have a power of attorney in place

[15:26] Blended families and remarriage: protecting your kids' inheritance and avoiding conflict

[21:30] What long-term care really costs, and the number every 65-year-old should know

[23:12] Why Medicare does not cover long-term care, a misconception that catches people off guard

[24:50] How Medicaid planning works, and where to start if you're running out of funds

[26:54] How trusts work for incapacity planning, and why nearly everyone should consider one

[30:41] Harry's advice for starting the "hard conversation" with your family

About Harry Margolis:

Harry Margolis is an elder law attorney and founder of Margolis Bloom & D'Agostino, practicing since 1987. He's the author of Get Your Ducks in a Row and The Baby Boomer's Guide to Trusts, founder of ElderLawAnswers.com and SpecialNeedsAnswers.com, and the voice behind the Substack and podcast Risking Old Age in America. He also advises Harvard Law students in the school's legal services clinic.

Resources Mentioned:

Harry's Firm: https://margolisbloom.com/

Ask Harry (free Q&A): https://askharry.info/

Risking Old Age in America (Substack & podcast): https://okayboomer.substack.com/

Harry's Books: Get Your Ducks in a Row and The Baby Boomer's Guide to Trusts (available wherever books are sold)

This episode is sponsored by Naborforce, connecting older adults with caring, vetted neighbors for rides, company, and everyday help. Learn more at https://www.naborforce.com

Connect with Amy Kaszak:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-kaszak-6702963/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amykaszak/

How to Age Well Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtoagewell_podcast/

Topics: estate planning, elder law, long-term care planning, power of attorney, healthcare proxy, HIPAA release, advance directives, trusts, Medicaid planning, Medicare, blended families, prenuptial agreements, incapacity planning, retirement planning, aging well

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where you live may be one of the biggest levers you have for aging well — bigger than genetics, and bigger than most of us realize. In this episode, Amy sits down with Ryan Frederick, author of Right Place, Right Time and founder of here.life, to break down why "place" shapes health, happiness, and longevity — and why the idea of a "forever home" is often a myth.

Genetics account for only about 20% of how long and how well we live. The rest comes down to lifestyle and environment. Ryan walks through his four-quadrant framework — Environment, Health, Community, and Finances — for evaluating any home, including the one you're in right now. Amy and Ryan also unpack the real differences between aging in place, downsizing, and senior living (active adult, independent living, assisted living, and life plan communities), what those options actually cost, and how to navigate family expectations along the way. They close with a look at where aging-friendly design is headed next, from ADUs to self-driving cars to the rise of "longevity planning."

In this episode you'll learn:

[02:09] Why genetics account for only ~20% of longevity, and what drives the other 80%

[05:53] The Harvard study linking relationship quality in your 50s and 60s to healthy aging at 80

[09:48] How to navigate family expectations around moving closer to (or away from) loved ones

[12:21] Ryan's four-quadrant framework for evaluating any place you might live

[15:59] Why the "forever home" is often a myth, and how to plan for a home that evolves with you

[16:53] Why aging well requires a "place plan," not just a financial plan

[24:00] A plain-English breakdown of senior living options and what they typically cost

[25:27] What NORCs (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities) are

[31:36] Ryan's predictions for the future of aging-friendly living

About Ryan Frederick:

Ryan Frederick is an internationally recognized thought leader, consultant, and author of Right Place, Right Time. He's the founder of here.life and serves on the advisory council for the Stanford Center on Longevity.

Resources Mentioned:

Ryan's Book: Right Place, Right Time (available wherever books are sold)

Ryan's Website: https://www.ryanfrederick.life/

Place Planning Tools & Resources: https://www.here.life/resources

Connect with Ryan Frederick:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanefrederick/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanefrederick/

Connect with Amy Kaszak:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-kaszak-6702963/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amykaszak/

How to Age Well Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtoagewell_podcast/

This episode is sponsored by Naborforce, connecting older adults with caring, vetted neighbors for rides, company, and everyday help. Learn more at https://www.naborforce.com

Topics: longevity, aging in place, place planning, senior living, downsizing, retirement planning, NORC, independent living, assisted living, life plan community, healthy aging, longevity planning

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.