On The Voice of Aging, host Brynne Malone of Aging Solutions interviews Megan Branson, a Washington Trust Bank branch manager, about financial fraud affecting nearly 70% of older adults. Branson shares how her team presents at senior communities to teach scam awareness, highlighting common tactics like phishing/spoofing (fake emails, texts, caller ID), grandparent and romance scams, check washing, card skimmers, fake ads, and computer virus pop-ups that grant remote access. Key red flags include being told not to tell the bank, urgent time pressure, emotional manipulation, misspellings, and links requesting information. They stress slowing down, verifying independently (calling known numbers), not sharing debit cards or personal data, monitoring accounts frequently, logging out of online banking, and hanging up if uncomfortable. If scammed, contact the bank first, use the National Elder Fraud Hotline, and take steps like fraud alerts and credit freezes. Washington Trust Bank is a Member FDIC

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Host Brynne Malone of Aging Solutions interviews Sabrina Jones, founder of MovHER, a woman-owned moving company started in 2010 in the Pacific Northwest. They discuss Washington and Oregon moving regulation, estimates and the “125 rule,” and required valuation protection options (basic coverage at 74 cents per pound, plus higher protection with and without a deductible), along with general liability, workers’ comp, and cargo insurance. Jones advises getting three quotes, watching for low/high red flags, avoiding brokers on interstate moves via FMCSA checks, and preparing homes for efficient moves. She also describes senior move management services, downsizing support, emotional move challenges, storage options, and common logistics like packing rates, timing deliveries at retirement communities, and truck weighing for long-distance moves.

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Host Brynne Malone of Aging Solutions interviews Medicare broker Dawn Cherry (in Medicare since 2012, leading a team of about 60 agents) about how Medicare works and why planning 4–6 months before turning 65 matters. They explain Medicare eligibility (age 65, SSDI after 24 months, and exceptions like ALS and dialysis), initial enrollment timing nuances (including “born on the 1st” start-date rule), and how employer coverage rules differ for under/over 20 employees, including when Part B can be deferred. Dawn breaks down Parts A (inpatient hospital and rules affecting skilled nursing coverage), B (outpatient/medical services, deductibles, 20% coinsurance with no cap, and IRMAA income surcharges), D (drug coverage and late-enrollment penalties), and C (Medicare Advantage with networks, extra benefits like dental/vision, annual plan changes, and prior authorization/appeals). They contrast Original Medicare plus Medigap and Part D versus Advantage plans, stress penalties for late enrollment in Parts B and D, highlight annual enrollment (Oct 15–Dec 7) and Advantage open enrollment (Jan 1–Mar 31), discuss service-area reductions, and emphasize using a no-fee independent broker for annual reviews, advocacy, and navigating denials.

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In this episode of The Voice of Aging, host Brynne interviews Spokane Police Department chaplain Mickey (21 years) and volunteer police chaplain and retirement community chaplain Amy about what chaplains do and how they support aging individuals and families. They explain chaplaincy is largely role-based and presence-driven, serving people of any faith or no faith, and providing practical help during crises such as death notifications and at-home deaths. The chaplains describe police procedures around DOA calls, including medical examiner involvement, release to funeral homes, and how chaplains guide families through immediate next steps, resources, and not leaving survivors alone. A major theme is the burden families face without pre-planning funeral arrangements and documenting wishes, which can increase stress and family conflict. They also discuss chaplain self-care, debriefing, training, and grief support resources.

Host Brynne Malone interviews Spokane County Fire District 9 Commissioner Greg Anderson about how modern fire service work is largely medical, with roughly 80% of calls involving EMS assistance and only about 20% involving fires, alarms, and crashes. Anderson explains how Spokane County paramedics operate under standing protocols, use coordinated “pit crew” CPR, and rely on accurate health histories, medication lists, and visible DNR/POLST documentation to guide time-sensitive care and reduce miscommunication during handoffs. He describes the tiered dispatch system and call types, and emphasizes that pre-planning and preparedness by families improves assessment and treatment. Anderson also details Fire District 9 launching full ambulance transport on July 1, 2024, aiming to reduce costs, improve response times, and strengthen continuity of care by limiting transfers between engine crews and private ambulances.

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Host Brynne Malone of Aging Solutions interviews hospice liaison Kathleen Giannette about palliative care and how it differs from hospice. Giannette explains hospice as comfort-focused care for people with life-limiting illness who no longer want curative treatment, often provided at home or in assisted living, and clarifies common misconceptions about treatment, hospital use, and what hospice is. Palliative care is described as supportive care for symptom management while patients continue curative treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or dialysis, and it can coexist with home health and private-duty caregiving. The episode covers appropriate conditions (cancer, kidney disease, ALS, Parkinson’s, stroke, CHF/COPD), visit frequency, goal-of-care discussions, coordination among providers, equipment needs, and resource navigation. They discuss payment differences (hospice Medicare Part A vs palliative like a doctor visit under Part B), family choice of agencies, and fluid transitions between palliative care and hospice.

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Join Brynne Malone as he discusses caregiver themes of safety planning, adequate coverage, and balancing cost with risk when supporting older adults at home. Jessica Thompson, a previous caregiver turned supervisor, describes how reducing overnight care to save money led to a serious fall where a very weak client with frequent UTIs was left on the floor for about six hours. Underscoring that emergencies can’t be scheduled and that safety needs should guide care decisions. It also touches on the reality that independence at home comes with significant expense. Steps shown in the caregiving process include assessing changing needs (overnights vs. daytime), encouraging families to prioritize safety, and gathering client feedback by interviewing a home care recipient about benefits. Practical caregiving supports mentioned include companionship, meal preparation when cooking is no longer feasible, transportation and assistance with errands like grocery shopping, and help with pet care. Generationshomecare.org

Host Brynne Malone of Aging Solutions (Pacific Northwest) introduces a “dueling doulas” format with birth doula Gina Carlson interviewing Dr. Susan Abernethy, a death doula and trained primary care physician, about peaceful, dignified dying. Abernethy explains the role of an end-of-life doula in guiding families back toward home-centered care, supporting patient autonomy, and filling gaps around hospice and palliative care through advocacy, practical caregiving, education on what’s normal in the dying process (including the rally and the death rattle), and emotional support for both patient and family. She emphasizes early planning beyond just a DNR and will, noting many documents and logistical details (like passwords and home access), financial considerations, and multiple burial options (traditional burial, flame cremation, aquamation, green burial, reef memorials, and natural organic reduction). The discussion also addresses grief as non-linear, the importance of community, and techniques like storytelling, guided meditation, music/sound healing, and flower essences. Abernathy shares ways to vet doulas via INELDA and deathdoulas.com and encourages starting conversations at any age (including with children) Mudancahealing.com

Host Brynne Malone (Aging Solutions) continues a conversation with Aleshia Salter (executive director/administrator) and Jessica Johnston (community relations) from an independent, assisted living, and memory care community about what retirement communities offer and how they differ. They define ADLs, explain the value of socialization, and describe continuum-of-care options and the importance of each community’s Washington State “disclosure of services” (what they can/can’t do, e.g., lifts or ostomies). They outline assisted living admission steps (records, physician orders, nurse assessment), individualized care plans, restaurant-style dining, and coaching staff culture. The episode details how levels of care affect cost, what can trigger memory care (wandering), what to look for when touring (activities, staffing, dignity, surprise visits, outdoor access), training requirements, and how communities handle safety-based discharge. They also discuss resident rights around intimacy, consent assessments, and recommend Teepa Snow and Alzheimer’s Association resources.

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Host Brynne Malone of Aging Solutions interviews Aleshia Salter, an executive director of a retirement community offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care, and Jessica Johnston, a community relations director, about how to navigate the transition from home to senior living. They explain key roles in a community, why aging adults can be “vulnerable” (especially with cognitive changes), and how crisis events and hidden decline in ADLs often drive moves. The conversation covers culture and leadership, the importance of listening to families, touring tips like meal visits, staffing and communication expectations, and resident safety and grievance processes (including ombudsman, APS, and state oversight). They discuss costs in Spokane, the need to ask directly about Medicaid acceptance and limits, elder-law planning, and how community life can reduce isolation, improve quality of life, and help residents regain purpose.

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