Sage Pathways

Most people have a financial plan for retirement. A healthcare plan. Even an estate plan. But very few have a housing plan.

And yet where you live — the layout of your home, its proximity to family and healthcare, its ability to support your mobility and independence — shapes everything about how you age. It is one of the most powerful longevity decisions you can make. And most families wait until a crisis to make it.

In this episode, host Sun-Hee Yoon sits down with Michael Jakubiec — a licensed Realtor, Investor, and Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) with Crosstown Realtors in Plainfield, IL — to reframe housing as a proactive, intentional part of every longevity plan.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why housing decisions are a longevity strategy — and how they directly impact safety, independence, and quality of life

• The three housing pathways for aging adults: aging in place with modifications, downsizing, or relocating closer to family, transportation, and healthcare

• How to recognize the signs that your current home may no longer be serving you

• How to navigate the emotional attachment to a long-time home — and help a family member who is resistant to change

• The difference between a traditional listing and an as-is investor sale — and how to choose the right path for your situation

• What the SRES® designation means and why it matters when choosing a real estate professional for this stage of life

• How Michael's targeted marketing strategy generated 53 showings, 23 offers, and a sale $125,000 over asking — funding full Alzheimer's care for a Chicago family

Michael's philosophy is simple and powerful: downsizing is not a loss. It is a lifestyle upgrade. And the families who plan their housing strategy early are the ones who maintain the most control, the most dignity, and the most financial freedom in later life.

0:00 Welcome to Sage Pathways

1:17 Why housing is a longevity strategy

2:32 Meet Michael Jakubiec — Realtor | Investor | SRES® · Crosstown Realtors

4:07 Proactive housing planning — clarifying your goals before a crisis forces the decision

5:01 Aging in place — home modifications and what makes it work long-term

6:33 Signs it's time to downsize — physical, emotional, and practical signals

7:28 Letting go emotionally — navigating attachment to a long-time home

8:46 Selling paths explained — traditional listing vs. as-is investor sale

10:19 What the SRES® designation means — and why it matters for older adults

11:48 Family dynamics — navigating different opinions about a parent's housing decision

12:39 Using home equity to fund care — the financial connection

14:33 Pricing and selling strategy — how comparative market analysis works

16:27 How to start your housing plan today — the first questions to ask yourself

17:34 Tax considerations and building the right team for your transition

19:15 Client story

21:37 Final takeaways

🎙️ Guest: Michael Jakubiec — Realtor | Investor | SRES®

🏠 Crosstown Realtors · 13246 IL Rt 59, Suite 106, Plainfield, IL 60585

🌐 HomesByMJ.com

📞 630.478.9241

📧 [email protected]

📱 Instagram/Facebook: @michael.jakubiec.realtor

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-jakubiec-realtor

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Sage Pathways is your compass for intentional longevity — where professional expertise meets the enduring human legacy. Hosted by Sun-Hee Yoon, Founder & CEO of Sage Lifestyle Concierge LLC.

New episodes every two weeks. Follow and subscribe so you never miss a conversation.

🌐 www.sagelifestyleconcierge.com

📧 [email protected]

You already have an estate plan. You just may not know what it says.

If you haven't created your own plan, the state of Illinois has one for you — and it may not reflect your wishes at all. It could split your assets between your spouse and your children in ways you never intended. It could send your family through a public, 8 to 15-month probate process while they're still grieving. And it could leave the people you love most with no clear guidance when they need it most.

In this episode, host Sun-Hee Yoon sits down with Allyson Russo — founder of Russo Law Offices LLC and a Chicago-area estate planning attorney with deep expertise in wills, trusts, probate, and Medicaid planning — to demystify one of the most important conversations families are not having.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The four foundational documents every estate plan should include — and what each one actually does

• The real difference between a will and a trust — and why a revocable trust may be the more powerful choice for your family

• What Illinois probate actually looks like — how long it takes, what it costs, and how to avoid it

• How to approach a parent who doesn't have a plan — and what to say when the conversation feels impossible

• The difference between revocable and irrevocable trusts — and when each one is the right tool

• Illinois and federal estate tax thresholds ($4M and $15M respectively) — and what that means for your planning

• How to protect digital assets and ensure your family can access passwords and online accounts

• What Medicaid planning looks like in Illinois — including the five-year look-back period — and why starting early makes all the difference

Allyson also shares a real client story involving complex family dynamics, and closes with her most important piece of advice: find an attorney who is both knowledgeable and compassionate — because this work is not just legal. It is deeply personal.

00:00 Welcome to Sage Pathways

01:25 Why Estate Planning Matters

02:49 Meet Attorney Allison Russo

04:16 Estate Planning Basics

05:38 Trusts vs Wills Explained

08:10 Probate Timeline and Tips

09:43 Talking With Aging Parents

13:16 Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts

15:08 Estate Taxes State and Federal

15:59 When There Is No Plan

19:03 Getting Started and Funding Trusts

21:58 Digital Assets and Password Access

23:34 Client Stories and Family Dynamics

25:53 Medicaid Planning Basics

28:03 Key Takeaways and Closing

🎙️ Guest: Allyson Russo, Owner & Attorney

⚖️ Russo Law Offices LLC: www.russolaw.com

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/russolawofficesllc

📧 [email protected]

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Sage Pathways is your compass for intentional longevity — where professional expertise meets the enduring human legacy. Hosted by Sun-Hee Yoon, Founder & CEO of Sage Lifestyle Concierge LLC.

New episodes monthly. Follow and subscribe so you never miss a conversation.

🌐 www.sagelifestyleconcierge.com

📧 [email protected]

⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: The content in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered individualized legal advice. Estate planning laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. Please consult a licensed estate planning attorney regarding your specific situation before making any decisions.

What if everything we measure in senior care is missing the point?

In this episode of Sage Pathways, host Sun-Hee sits down with senior wellness consultant and author Colleen Koziara, who makes a bold case: senior care is systemically broken because it prioritizes efficiency and regulation while underfunding the one thing that makes life worth living — genuine enrichment and connection.

Colleen unpacks the realities families are facing: a rapidly growing retiree population, rising rates of Alzheimer's and chronic illness, and assisted living costs that can run $7,000–$15,000 a month — often without meaningful programming to match. But this conversation isn't about despair. It's about what's possible.

Drawing from her book Taking Flight, Colleen shares practical, low-cost solutions any family or community can use: intergenerational partnerships with scouts and schools, volunteer and animal visit programs, and her "SEE VIPs" framework spanning seven dimensions of wellness. She explains how art programs and Montessori-informed approaches restore autonomy, dignity, and joy — even for those living with dementia — and why meeting elders exactly where they are changes everything.

Her closing message is simple and powerful: check on the elders in your life, learn from them, and invite them to keep giving back.

In this episode: 

00:00 – Rethinking aging well

00:42 – Meet Colleen Koziara

02:54 – What senior care gets wrong

04:56 – Community connections that help

07:26 – The origins of Taking Flight 

09:13 – The seven dimensions of wellness

12:32 – Art as empowerment

16:00 – Meeting people where they are

19:55 – A better future for aging

22:04 – The tie-dye painting lady

23:47 – Final message: check in

Whether you're caring for an aging parent, working in the senior living industry, or planning ahead for your own future, this conversation offers a hopeful, actionable roadmap for aging with creativity and purpose.

🎧 Sage Pathways Podcast is produced by Sage Lifestyle Concierge LLC, helping families navigate the complex world of aging and caregiving.

Most people don't think about downsizing until they have no other choice. A health event. A fall. A home that has quietly become too much to manage. By then, the decision that could have been intentional and empowering becomes reactive and overwhelming.

Marnie Dawson has spent 18 years making sure that doesn't have to happen.

As Owner of Dawson Relocation Services and an accredited member of the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers, Marnie has helped hundreds of families navigate one of the most emotionally complex transitions of later life — downsizing. Most recently, she was featured on WBEZ Chicago's Say More with Mary Dixon & Patrick Smith on the first day of spring, talking about what it really takes to let go of a cluttered home. In this conversation, she brings that same expertise — and 18 years of compassion — directly to you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What surprises people most when they begin the downsizing process — and why having a clear plan immediately brings relief

• The emotional barriers that keep families frozen — from "possession paralysis" to the weight of being the family's legacy keeper

• Why proactive planning is always better than waiting — and when the right time to start actually is

• The floor-plan-first approach that transforms overwhelming decisions into manageable, meaningful choices

• How to find responsible, dignified destinations for donations, heirlooms, and high-value items

• What a truly successful move looks and feels like — for both the person moving and the family supporting them

Marnie's goal for every client is the same: to feel heard, at peace, and without regrets on the other side of the move. This episode will help your family get there.

00:00 Welcome to Sage Pathways

01:21 Meet Marnie Dawson

03:01 How She Got Started

03:59 Biggest Downsizing Surprises

05:38 Emotional Barriers Explained

07:32 When to Start Planning

10:12 What Move Managers Do

11:10 What Success Looks Like

14:21 Floor Plan First

16:46 Donations and Resources

17:57 High Value Items

18:45 Peace After the Move

20:21 Start Small Today

21:53 Closing Thanks

💬 We want to hear from you: What are your success — or horror — stories when it comes to cleaning out a cluttered home? Share in the comments or tag us on social.

🎙️ Guest: Marnie Dawson, Owner

🏠 Dawson Relocation Services: www.dawsonrelocation.com

📱 Instagram: @DawsonRelocation

💼 LinkedIn: Dawson Relocation Services

📻 As heard on WBEZ Chicago — Say More with Mary Dixon & Patrick Smith

🔗 Listen to Marnie's WBEZ feature: https://www.wbez.org/say-more-with-mary-dixon-patrick-smith/2026/03/20/its-the-first-day-of-spring-so-get-to-cleaning

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Sage Pathways is your compass for intentional longevity — where professional expertise meets the enduring human legacy. Hosted by Sun-Hee Yoon, Founder & CEO of Sage Lifestyle Concierge LLC.

New episodes monthly. Follow and subscribe so you never miss a conversation.

🌐 www.sagelifestyleconcierge.com

📧 [email protected]

Host Sun-Hee Yoon introduces Sage Pathways, a show focused on intentional longevity through expert guidance in health, wealth, legacy, and life design. She interviews Peter Newman, CFA, founder of Peak Wealth Planning and former manager of the $700 million University of Illinois endowment, about what changes when people stop accumulating wealth and begin living from it.

Newman outlines three common gaps: creating a clear retirement paycheck replacement plan, protecting assets from unexpected “wealth destroyers” like accidents and lawsuits (including using proper titling and umbrella liability insurance), and completing estate planning by ensuring trusts are properly funded and accounts titled correctly. He explains retirement income planning using needs, wants, and desires, emphasizes tax-efficient withdrawals and psychological permission to spend, and describes a “doomsday file” to organize accounts, documents, and access information for crises. He offers a risk quantification questionnaire and directs listeners to peakwealthplanning.com.
00:00 Welcome to Sage Pathways
01:19 Meet Peter Newman
03:56 From Saving to Spending
06:47 Building Retirement Income
10:02 Protecting Your Wealth
13:53 Enjoy Today Give Wisely
18:04 The Doomsday File
21:30 Trusts and Follow Through
25:07 One Action Step and Wrap
26:02 Financial Disclaimer

Resources from Listeners:
Follow Peak Wealth Planning on Youtube
Visit the Peak Wealth Planning Website
Subscribe to Peak Insider
Risk Quantification Questionnaire

The content in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered individualized financial advice. Investment decisions should be made based on your personal financial situation and objectives. Please consult a financial professional before making investment decisions. Investments involve risk and may lose value. Any examples provided are for illustrative purposes only.

Most families don't think about senior care until a crisis forces the conversation. A sudden hospitalization. A diagnosis that changes everything. A discharge planner standing at the bedside asking questions no one has ever prepared for.

Lisa Henderson knows this moment intimately. As Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at Astra Health — a leading home health agency serving 11 counties in Illinois — Lisa has spent 15 years guiding patients and families through some of the most complex, high-stakes transitions in healthcare. In this conversation, she brings that expertise directly to you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why most families dangerously assume Medicare covers everything — and what it actually covers

• What really happens during a hospital discharge, and how to advocate for yourself or your loved one

• The critical difference between home health care and private-duty home care (and why confusing them is costly)

• How to navigate the full continuum of senior care — from inpatient rehab and skilled nursing to assisted living, palliative care, and hospice

• The one question Lisa urges every family to answer before a crisis arrives: What do you want your life to look like?

Lisa also shares how to use Medicare Care Compare to research providers, why getting a second opinion is always your right, and how Astra Health's approach — "In the right hands, good things happen" — is changing what families can expect from home health in Illinois.

This episode is for every adult child who has quietly wondered whether they're prepared. The answer is: you can be. And this conversation is where it starts.

🎙️ Guest: Lisa Henderson, VP of Strategy & Innovation

🏥 Astra Health: www.astrahealth.net

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Sage Pathways is your compass for intentional longevity — where professional expertise meets the enduring human legacy. Hosted by Sun-Hee Yoon, Founder & CEO of Sage Lifestyle Concierge LLC.

New episodes bi-monthly. Follow and subscribe so you never miss a conversation.

🌐 www.sagelifestyleconcierge.com

📧 [email protected]

What does it mean to be 70, 80, 90 — and still building something that matters?

In this inaugural episode of Sage Pathways, host Sun-Hee Yoon sits down with Gail Zelitzky (age 84) and Catherine Marienau (age 76) — co-founders of Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined — to dismantle one of the most persistent myths in our culture: that women become irrelevant as they age.

Since 2019, Gail and Catherine have featured over 370 women, ages 70 to 110+, on their award-winning podcast — proving, week after week, that the most compelling chapters of a woman's life are often still being written. Their work has sparked a thriving movement built on storytelling, community, and the radical idea that aging is not a decline — it is a continuation.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The myths society tells about older women — and the counter-truths that set them free

• The Six C's: the qualities that define the most vibrant, fulfilled women in later life

• Why storytelling and lived experience are the most powerful tools of empowerment

• What it means to build a legacy that is active, not archived

This episode is dedicated to every woman who has ever been made to feel invisible — and to the ones who refused.

🎙️ Guests: Gail Zelitzky & Catherine Marienau

🌐 Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined: www.womenover70.com

📧 Connect: [email protected]

📱 Instagram: @womenover70

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Sage Pathways is your compass for intentional longevity — where professional expertise meets the enduring human legacy. Hosted by Sun-Hee Yoon, Founder & CEO of Sage Lifestyle Concierge LLC.

New episodes monthly. Follow, subscribe, and walk the path with us.

🌐 www.sagelifestyleconcierge.com

📧 [email protected]