Dawn Jackson Blatner returns for some more great health advice, focusing on the Core Four: Sleep, Move, Protein and... Poop!

Dawn has a remarkable way of taking those overwhelming, intimidating tasks, the ones we hear all the time that we "should" do, and making them fun, accessible and just simple and straightforward.

Because, as she points out, if something isn't fun, you're not going to stick with it for very long. You have to turn looking after your health into something you enjoy doing, and look forward to doing. And her tips today will really help you do just that.

For instance, did you know that sleep doesn't just mean "sleep," it's also an acronym?! Tricks like this will really help you remember what to do.

We cover things like:

• What time you should stop drinking water before going to bed.
• Why it's so important to go for a walk after a meal, even just a few minutes.
• Why protein becomes imperative for proper aging. Find out how much you need, depending on your age.
• Tips for some of the best sources of good protein.
• Fiber + water = great poops.
• And what's great for fiber? Beans!
• Go to sleep at the same time, train your body and your brain to get used to consistency.
• Muscles are your longevity organ, and the secret to a long, healthy life.

There's this and so much more. If ever you need motivation to get active, get healthy, and get intentional: this is the episode for you.

And share it with anyone who could need this pick-me-up as well!

Find Dawn and all her wonderful resources here:

⁠https://www.dawnjacksonblatner.com

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Reach out to the show by visiting our website,

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and send me your thoughts and suggestions at weareoldpodcast@gmail.com.

Nora Duncan and I continue our discussion from last week about fraud, scams, security and keeping yourself safe from digital threats in the real world.

Today, our focus is on giving you the tools to build your "digital fortress" - the wall around your various accounts that only you, or the most trusted people in your life, can access.

This means things like two-factor authentication, biometric identities, avoiding debit cards and checks, being careful with services like Venmo and Zelle, and knowing how to use a credit freeze.

Ultimately, we need to turn our perspective around and use the internet to our advantage when it comes to security. Programs and systems exist, and three minutes of inconvenience (to confirm security codes and checks) is much better than three years of trying to get your life back in order because of a scam or theft.

Take some notes from today's episode, visit the AARP's excellent website on fraud prevention (aarp.org/fraud), and start laying the bricks for your own digital fortress!

Resources:

AARP Fraud Watch Network - https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/

FTC Consumer Sentinel - https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/consumer-sentinel-network

identitytheft.gov - https://www.identitytheft.gov/

IC3.gov (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center) - https://www.ic3.gov/

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Reach out to the show by visiting our website,

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and send me your thoughts and suggestions at weareoldpodcast@gmail.com.

"Mr. Gluckman, why didn't you show up for jury duty? You didn't answer your summons. We're going to have to charge you a fine."

Yikes. Sounds pretty real, doesn't it?

Ken starts off this episode with a story of how his phone rang recently, he picked it up, and that's what he heard. His response?

Hang up immediately. Don't even entertain the notion that it might be real.

If your loved one, the police, or anyone posing as an authority figure is trying to get your attention, it's just that: posing.

Nora Duncan is with us for part one of our two-part conversation on helping seniors identify and protect themselves from scams, something that is just so ubiquitous these days. Online, digital and AI scams target and affect everyone, but seniors can be particularly easy targets, as we learn about today.

Nora is the State Director of the AARP in Connecticut, and as such, stories like Ken's come across her desk all the time. The AARP plays a very active role in fraud prevention, working with the genuine authorities to understand and track what's happening, and working with legislatures to develop laws that help counteract what the bad guys are doing.

But as we all know, the best person to look out for us is ourself. So pay close attention in this and the next episode, where we clarify what to look for, and how to be prepared.

It's scary, but knowledge is power, and remember: if you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

In part one, learn about:

• how to recognize an attempt at a scam, it's easier than you think
• how often you should change passwords
• how your Facebook page is likely a sieve of personal information
• how to deal with 'false imposters' - the people posing as authority figures
• how to emotionally react to red flags: don't panic
• why emotional manipulation makes it so easy for scammers to trick people

And lots more.

Our thanks to Nora for her time and expertise in keeping us informed and ready!

Important resources to save:

AARP Fraud Watch Network - https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/

FTC Consumer Sentinel - https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/consumer-sentinel-network

identitytheft.gov - https://www.identitytheft.gov/

IC3.gov (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center) - https://www.ic3.gov/

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and send me your thoughts and suggestions at weareoldpodcast@gmail.com.

We've talked in separate episodes about hospice and palliative care, in Episode 5 of Season 1, with Annalisa Smith of Avow Hospice in Naples, Florida.

And we talked with Dr. Gary Lee and pastor Larry Wildemuth of the CODA alliance, who promote Advanced Care Planning via the Go Wish cards: special cue cards that prompt thought-provoking and important questions about how you want to approach the end-of-life. That was in Season 2, Episode 11.

Now, we have them all here together for a special group conversation! Dr. Gary and pastor Larry are joined by Dawn Kolderman, Senior Clinical Director at Avow, and Deborah Simon, palliative care chaplain at Avow. Avow are on the front lines of using the Go Wish cards with their patients, and Dawn and Deb have seen first-hand the extraordinary impacts of having these important discussions with families.

We talk about the significance of palliative care, the holistic approach to patient needs and real-life applications of the Go Wish cards in fostering open dialogue between patients and their families, often in the face of cultural barriers. We look at the significance of dignity and comfort in care, the importance of having early discussions about end-of-life wishes, and the necessity of empowering patients and families to navigate healthcare decisions.

Open communication is so important to make sure that us and our families are prepared, and we have plans in place that meet our wishes. These conversations are a gift to our families, and the Go Wish cards play a huge role in making that happen.

Thank you for joining us on this episode, and here's your Call to Action: start having these discussions with your loved ones, and make sure those you care about are having them too. And order a pack (or four) of Go Wish cards to help you out!

Order your Go Wish cards through the CODA website here:

https://codaalliance.org/go-wish/

You can reach Avow Hospice through the following contact info:

Avow Hospice, 1095 Whippoorwill Ln, Naples, FL

https://avowcares.org/⁠

+1 239-261-4400

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Reach out to the show by visiting our website,

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and send me your thoughts and suggestions at weareoldpodcast@gmail.com.

We want to keep things light and fun here at the podcast We Are Old, Get Over It! It's not all serious, sobering topics - as important as those things are. But you gotta have some fun too, and who better to join in than some great comedians?

Amanda Cohen made an appearance on the podcast back over the holidays, and now we have the full conversation for you, all in one place. Amanda has been a stand-up comic for 20 years, not in a row. Her first performance was at her high school cabaret at 17, and she's placed in the top 16 of the World Series of Comedy twice.

Amanda talks about her journey in stand-up comedy, the challenges she's faced as a female comic, what it's really like to interact with the audience, and the fusion of burlesque and comedy in her career.

We discover the writing process, some of the unique and sticky situations she's found herself in, and the importance of understanding audience dynamics. No two audiences are the same, which logically means that a joke that doesn't work one night could knock 'em out the next.

We learn about some pre-show rituals, and why it's important to understand comedy history and assumptions if you really want to grow and thrive.

And then Amanda shares her experiences with her father's decline due to Lewy body dementia, reflecting on the impact of family, caregiving, and the influence of comedy in her life.

We look at the challenges of balancing personal and professional life while navigating the complexities of aging and memory loss.

Through it all, Amanda's humor shines through as she recounts her father's artistic legacy and their shared love for comedy, providing a poignant look at the intersection of family and creativity.

Check out some of Amanda's comedy sets:

Amanda's Stand-Up Special from the Comedy Cube, courtesy Funny Media Group:

https://youtu.be/LzTqvTQy5sg?si=hSeP4nmGp2kgzdYZ

Amanda's Set at the Copa Santa Barbara:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4WR-ly5RBw

Amanda's Set at Don't Tell Comedy in Pittsburgh:

https://youtu.be/qT0XavdfvuU?si=1Kuxhc5yzsKr4kOL

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and send me your thoughts and suggestions at weareoldpodcast@gmail.com.

If you've ever wondered why it is that people have such a deep attachment to pets (maybe dogs in particular... no bias here...), and does it go past just the obvious reasons into something on a more molecular, scientific level, well, there's a fabulous book that dives into it!

The Purest Bond, co-authored by Stacey Colino and Jen Goldbeck, is a book that's not just a warm and cozy read, but also adds some science-backed research: how dogs are good for our health, mentally and physically, and how even our resistance and gut microbiome improve by sharing a living space.

Stacey Colino has been an author and health & science writer for the past 25 years, who recently turned her attention to the human experience with their pets. As a long time dog owner, with many touching stories and experiences of her own, she could relate to that intrinsic question of, "Why?"

Stacey shares her wonderful story of finding Sadie (in fact, they chose each other!), after the devastating loss of their previous pet, while Ken shares about driving all the way up to Michigan to pick up Charlie the puppy, much to the surprise of his wife, but 8 years later Charlie is well ensconced in the Gluckman household.

We chat about attachment bonds between human and pet, but also the notion of "disenfranchised grief," when people don't realize the effect that losing a dog can have on someone. It gets kind of dismissed and forgotten. Stacey's book helps you channel your grief in ways that can help you heal and process it.

The book is full of beautiful and amazing stories, and we hear some excerpts here today, such as the remarkable story about a man in Florida, who was saved by his dog giving essentially a type of doggy-CPR.

Today's episode is a good companion piece to our double episodes from season one about pet adoption and petsitting, Golden Years & Golden Paws: Seniors and Dog Adoption - Part 1 and Senior Pet Adoption, But Not the Usual Suspects! - Part 2, so make sure to check those out for some great info on how to enjoy pets, without necessarily making a full time commitment.

Our thanks to Stacey for sharing her stories and research!

Find The Purest Bond here:

https://a.co/d/0bVyae8E

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Reach out to the show by visiting our website,

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and send me your thoughts and suggestions at weareoldpodcast@gmail.com.

We move from one outstanding guest to another, and continue with our critical focus on preventing falls in seniors: this week, I welcome Dr. Tiffany Shubert, a physical therapist who has studied falls and fall prevention, with a particular focus on what's called "The Otago Method."

Dr. Tiffany's focus is on safe, effective exercise and activity. The good news: there is in fact an optimal dose of exercise to decrease your risk of experiencing a fall.

It's 30 minutes a day, three times a week.

And it doesn't even have to be all at once!

We often have or hear about the experience of going to see the doctor, being asked if you've had a fall recently, and if that's the case, getting some kind of prescription pills and otherwise the message that there's nothing really you can do.

Studies related to the Otago Method revealed that those studied fell 35% less than folks who did not do the exercises.

In other words, it's worth doing.

No matter what age you are, you can continue to build your muscle. Everyone is empowered to manage their own fall risk. We don't typically fall out of chairs, we fall when we're standing. So we need to practice our balance when standing.

We look at weight training practices, repetitions, home safety, the differences between Tai Chi and the Otago Method, and lots more.

This one is a great follow up on last week's episode, so improve your cognitive function by following along, and getting active!

Learn more about the Otago Method here:

The Otago Program for Fall Prevention Exercises, by GiveFit. Series of 4 YouTube videos with Dr. Tiffany Shubert

More background on the Otago Exercise Program:

https://www.physio-pedia.com/Otago_Exercise_Programme

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Reach out to the show by visiting our website,

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and send me your thoughts and suggestions at weareoldpodcast@gmail.com.

Today's topic is one of those topics that has a very, very far-reaching impact, and yet most of us don't recognize that's the case.

Did you know just how impactful a fall can be when you're a senior? It can be the start of a cascade of side effects and impacts that can last the rest of your life.

Not to be dour about it, but in today's episode we want to focus on a simple solution: take falling seriously, be prepared and keep your muscle strength up as much as you possibly can.

To help us in this endeavor, we have Dr. Jo Bergh from the University of California San Francisco here to share some of her research and knowledge, her practical experience as a doctor of physical therapy, and in particular her expertise as a certified geriatric clinical specialist.

We talk about fall prevention strategies, risk factors in your clothes and around the house, how to develop your own targeted strength training, and even talk about doing a bit of Tai Chi.

There are lots of options to maintain your strength and mobility! Many people mistakenly believe that falling is a normal part of aging, but it's not: and you can do something about it!

Check out this recent article by Dr. Jo in the San Francisco Chronicle:
https://health.yahoo.com/wellness/healthy-aging/mobility/articles/bad-balance-isnt-just-normal-130000517.html

00:00 Understanding the Seriousness of Falls in Older Adults
10:01 Identifying Risk Factors for Falls
14:46 The Role of Physical Therapy in Fall Prevention
21:09 Actionable Steps to Prevent Falls
26:04 Overcoming Barriers to Exercise

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Reach out to the show by visiting our website,

https://weareoldpodcast.com

and send me your thoughts and suggestions at
weareoldpodcast@gmail.com.