Staying One Step Ahead of Scams is an episode of Aging Unscripted focused on protecting older adults from the growing threat of fraud.

From online, phone, and mail fraud to retail crime, crypto, gold scams, and even financial exploitation by trusted family members, this conversation shares practical warning signs, prevention tips, and clear steps to take if you or a loved one may be a victim—helping listeners stay informed and one step ahead.

Listen in as host Jill Vitale-Aussem and co-host Pam Sullivan as they talk with Jamie Sorrells from Colorado’s 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office to discuss why older adults are targeted and the most common scams affecting them today.

Resources:

Colorado is in the middle of a demographic shift unlike anything we’ve seen before. Birth rates are falling, migration has slowed, and the fastest-growing age group is adults 75–84—with more people living into their 90s and beyond.

In this episode of Aging Unscripted, hosts Jill Vitale-Aussem and Pam Sullivan are joined by former Colorado State Demographer Elizabeth Garner to explore what this population pivot means for our state’s future.

We’ll explore:

Why Colorado’s growth is slowing

What an aging population means for communities, housing, and healthcare

The workforce challenges ahead—and how the state can prepare

Watch now and be prepared for Colorado’s population pivot.

Guest:  Elizabeth Garner, Demographer

Resources:

Colorado State Demography Office website

United States Census Bureau website

In this episode of Aging Unscripted, “The Fight for Funding: Seniors, Medicaid, and the Road Ahead,” we break down the complex world of Medicaid funding — what it means for older adults, senior living organizations, and all of us who care about the future of aging services. Hosts Jill Vitale-Aussem and Pam Sullivan sit down with Doug Farmer, President & CEO of the Colorado Healthcare Association to make sense of a challenging funding landscape in clear, everyday terms and share what each of us can do to advocate for change before the next legislative session. Join us for an empowering discussion about understanding the issues, taking action, and protecting the dignity and care of older adults.

The Empathy Project: Seniors in Crisis – Video explaining the real impact of Medicaid Cuts, please copy and share with friends, family, lawmakers – https://youtu.be/qK6uugKAk_g?si=taRG3fC7q7UrwrfN

Find & Contact Your Lawmaker - https://leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislator

Medicaid Counseling from the Colorado Gerontological Society - https://www.senioranswers.org/counseling/medicaid-counseling/

Colorado Healthcare Association – https://www.cohca.org/

When Care Is on the Line: The Human Impact of Medicaid Cuts in Colorado - https://christianlivingcommunities.org/blog/the-human-impact-of-medicaid-cuts-in-colorado/ 

In this episode of Aging Unscripted, “Seasons of Grief: Finding Meaning in Life’s Transitions,” we explore how grief weaves through every stage of life — not only after loss, but during moments of change and growth.

With the holidays approaching, hosts Jill Vitale-Aussem and Pam Sullivan sit down with Chaplain Robert Smith and Jenn Flaum from the HeartLight Foundation to discuss how to honor old traditions, create new ones, and find meaning amid both grief and gratitude.

Join us for an honest, compassionate conversation about how aging invites us to hold joy and sorrow side by side.

Heartlight Center: www.heartlightcenter.org

Grief Support During the Holidays: https://heartlightcenter.org/grief-support-during-the-holidays/

Creating a Better Experience when Dementia is Involved: https://christianlivingcommunities.org/blog/creating-a-better-holiday-experience-when-dementia-is-involved/

The Immense Value of Holidays and Traditions to Your Well-being: https://christianlivingcommunities.org/blog/the-immense-value-of-holidays-and-traditions-to-your-well-being/

In this episode of Aging Unscripted, we talk with Cierra Olmstead of A Move Handled with Care about the emotional and practical realities of downsizing later in life. From knowing when it’s time to move to navigating the hardest conversations, this episode offers heartfelt insight and practical tips for turning a major life transition into a meaningful new beginning.

Guest: Cierra Olmstead, Co-Owner of A Move Handled with Care

Links and Resources:

  https://amovehandledwithcare.com/

  https://christianlivingcommunities.org/blog/having-the-conversation/

Could the later chapters of life be the most joyful of all? In this uplifting episode of Aging Unscripted, we chat with “Joy Seeker” and author Lisa Dimino White about how a positive mindset, everyday kindness, and small moments of delight can shape a more vibrant aging experience and according to studies, increase your lifespan by as much as seven and half years! Discover how to create your own “bursts of joy” and embrace happiness at any age.

Guest:

Links & Resources:

  https://thejoyseeker.com/

  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bursting-with-happiness-the-podcast/id1539351607

  https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08F8Q6BSD/about?ingress=0&visitId=d35c85fe-1e7e-4ca5-91d9-ce386be0608c&ref_=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&ccs_id=20dae3d9-7a64-4075-b0d3-fad86b5d7154

Assisted living, memory care, rehab, oh my! Join us on Aging Unscripted as we untangle the complex world of senior living with expert insights from Certified Senior Advisor Kelly Grace O’Connor. Understand the options and what getting help with the journey means—so you can move from overwhelmed to informed, one conversation at a time.

Guest:

Links and Resources:

  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellygraceoconnor/

  https://www.csa.us/about-society-of-certified-senior-advisors/meet-our-team/

  https://www.pmccpsych.com/kelly-o-connor

  https://christianlivingcommunities.org/blog/having-the-conversation/

In this episode of Aging Unscripted, guest host Chaplain Services Director Robert Smith and retired Spiritual Director and author Jane Vennard explore aging as a spiritual practice. They discuss how Western culture pushes us to deny aging, but through a spiritual lens, we find freedom, purpose, and celebration in the journey. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on embracing aging with mindfulness, grace, and deeper meaning. 

Books that Jane Vennard finds useful: 

Chittister, Joan, The Gift of Years: Growing Old Gracefully, Blue Bridge, 2010. 

Iyer, Pico, The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere, Simon & Schuster, 2014. 

Leland, John, Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons From a Year Among the Oldest Old, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018. 

Singh, Kathleen Dowling, The Grace in Aging: Awaken as you Grow Older, Wisdom Publications, 2014. 

Vennard, Jane, Fully Awake and Truly Alive: Spiritual Practices to Nurture Your Soul, Skylight Paths, 2013. 

Spiritual Care in Senior Living Blog by Robert Smith

In this episode of Aging Unscripted, we challenge traditional views of dementia, shifting from a focus on decline to empowerment and support.

Hosts Jill Vitale-Aussem and Pam Sullivan welcome dementia educator Jessica Luh Kim and advocate Mary Beth Wighton, who is living well with dementia. Together, they explore how to foster true belonging and create a more inclusive, supportive world for those on the dementia journey.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation! 

Dignity & Dementia: Carpe Diem by Mary Beth Wighton - https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000123964085/Mary-Beth-Wighton-Dignity-&-Dementia:-Carpe-Diem  

Dementia Action Alliance - https://daanow.org/  

Living with Well Dementia Blog CLC -  https://christianlivingcommunities.org/blog/living-well-with-dementia/  

In this episode of Aging Unscripted, hosts Jill Vitale-Aussem and Pam Sullivan tackle the question: “To Dye or Not to Dye?”

Sharing personal, heartfelt, and humorous stories, they explore the emotional journey of embracing gray hair. From societal pressure to the freedom of authenticity, they discuss ageism, stereotypes, and the liberation of letting go of hair color.

Join us as we break free from expectations and celebrate the beauty of aging—gray and gorgeous!

Openly Gray Blog

Giving Gray Hair the Green Light Column