The Senior Soup Podcast

Ennoble Care's Home-Based Primary Care & Hospice Services | Ep. 17

In this episode of The Senior Soup Podcast, host Ryan Miner interviews his colleague, Christine Baeck, Ennoble Care's DMV executive director, about how Ennoble Care is revolutionizing home-based primary care and hospice services in Maryland and Northern Virginia.Ryan and Christine discuss Ennoble Care's personalized healthcare model, which provides compassionate care for older adults and adults with disabilities from the comfort of their homes.
Listeners will learn about the benefits of home-based primary care, behavioral health integration, and how Ennoble Care Maryland supports patients with chronic conditions. Christine and Ryan also highlight Ennoble Care's hospice services, which are now available in Northern Virginia and offer dignified end-of-life care.
Tune in to discover how Ennoble Care helps families navigate complex healthcare needs while accepting Medicare and commercial insurance plans, making quality care accessible to all.

Geriatric Care Management | Jennifer Brown with Seabury Resources for Aging

Seabury Resources For Aging Community Relations Manager Jennifer Brown joined Raquel and Ryan on The Senior Soup Podcast to discuss geriatric care management, which is also known as Aging Life Care Management. 
Founded in 1924 in Washington, D.C., Searbuy Resources began as a women’s retirement home with deep roots in the faith-based community. Next April, Seabury will celebrate its 100th birthday - and yes, they are throwing a big party! 
At the beginning of the podcast, Jennifer discussed her background in the healthcare industry and her role as Seabury’s community relations manager.
Jennifer discussed the care management services that Seabury offers older adults, and she shared the appropriate time for someone to reach out to a care manager for help with their aging loved ones. 
The care management field is relatively new, Jennifer explained. It started locally about 30 years ago and is a specialty area of licensed social workers who are available to assist older adults and their families with various care needs, social needs, and housing needs.
Care managers are hired to provide the same care and support that a next of kin would do for an older adult with no next of kin or a family far away.
Care managers develop care plans to connect older adults and their families with home care agencies, primary care physicians, specialists, therapists, elder law attorneys, daily money managers, house cleaning services, and so many other resources. 
Aging life care managers also advocate for older adults, ensuring that their needs and safety are considered. They help mediate and arbitrate between family members who may have different opinions about the best course of action for an older adult. 
Families can contact aging life care managers when an older adult's situation declines or if the extended family is having difficulty managing their loved one’s care.
Care managers' hourly rates run between $150 to $170.
Call Seabury Resources for Aging today at (202) 364-0020 if you or a loved one could benefit from the services an aging life care manager can provide. 

LifeSpan Network | The Largest Senior Care Provider Association in the Mid-Atlantic

The Senior Soup Podcast hosts Raquel Micit & Ryan Miner spoke with LifeSpan Network President Kevin Heffner about the organization's mission, membership, public policy advocacy in Maryland, COVID-19, and the organization's upcoming events. 
This is episode 15 of The Senior Soup Podcast. 
LifeSpan Network is the largest and most diverse senior care association in Maryland and Washington, D.C., with 350 institutional members that provide a wide variety of care services for older adults, including retirement communities, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, home care, hospice, and adult daycare. 
LifeSpan Network’s job is to serve its association members’ needs so that they can more effectively and efficiently serve the needs of seniors in Maryland and Washington, D.C. 
They serve their members through various mechanisms, including the Beacon Institute, LifeSpan’s educational foundation providing its members with educational services, classroom-based education, and conferences, namely its annual Ocean City, Maryland conference in late September. 
Lifespan is also heavily involved in public policy advocacy and legislative outreach.
The organization’s lobbyist, Danna Kauffman, represents the members’ interests in Annapolis and Washington, D.C. The organization focuses on state legislation that impacts senior living, home care, and skilled nursing homes. It monitors legislation affecting its members, such as state minimum wage legislation and family medical leave.During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Maryland’s senior care industry faced difficulty recruiting and retaining staff due to healthcare workers taking leave due to exposure to the virus. LifeSpan worked with state lawmakers to help healthcare workers having difficulty entering the senior care services industry. 
Maryland has traditionally made it difficult to become a nursing assistant, requiring certification as a CNA and GNA. 
LifeSpan is advocating for a bill to require certification only as a CNA. There is also a bill to reconstitute the Board of Nursing so that it can report directly to Maryland’s secretary of health, helping streamline the process for people to become certified as nursing assistants and help with certification recertification.

Senior Matchmaking: Featuring Matchmaker & Author Leora Hoffman

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, The Senior Soup welcomed Leora Hoffman, the founder and owner of Leora Hoffman Associates LLC, to discuss senior matchmaking and helping couples find meaningful, long-lasting relationships with their partners. 
Leora, originally from New York, began her career as an attorney - but when her sister called her to ask her thoughts about working with a matchmaker, Leora decided to use it as the inspiration for her next career. 
She wanted to create a matchmaking process in the DMV area that catered to single professionals and, later, older adults. Liora committed to never “do dating” the wrong way, understanding that everyone’s experiences are different and unique. Leora is the author of Catch Me a Catch: Chronicles of a Modern-Day Matchmaker. In her book, Leora discusses dating in later years, and the anxiety couples experience over money and sex. She shares plenty of anecdotes about people struggling with their sex lives and how couples if motivated, can work through the challenges of their relationships. This book is not only for singles searching for love in their senior years but also for couples working on their relationships and learning to understand one another better.
Throughout Episode 14, Raquel, Ryan, and Leora discuss Leora’s matchmaking services and her approach to helping older adults find meaningful relationships. 
Leora takes a personal approach to each client, beginning with a phone call and then a face-to-face consultation to get to know them and discuss what services she can offer. 
Once the client decides to move forward, they complete a psychologically-minded questionnaire and become a member of Leora’s organization. Depending on the membership chosen, Leora is proactive in finding her clients their perfect matches. 
Raquel, Ryan, and Leora also discuss:
Dating non-negotiables and wishlist attributes.
Leora’s matchmaking process focuses on the personal touch; it’s fundamentally different than creating an online dating profile, which is often based on a superficial analysis of a one-page profile and photo.
Leora’s matchmaking mission is to help her clients find committed, meaningful relationships and to truly get to know them before matching them.
Dispelling the stereotype of matchmakers from reality television.
Leora navigates her clients through family dynamics and finding shared values and common interests.
And so much more!

Super Bowl NFL Champion Kyle Richardson | NFL Alumni Health | Amada Senior Care

Just in time for Super Bowl LVII, Raquel Micit and Ryan Miner welcomed former Super Bowl champion and NFL player Kyle Richardson to The Senior Soup Podcast to discuss aging as an athlete and the NFL Alumni Health’s partnership with Amada Senior Care.
This is Episode 13 of The Senior Soup Podcast.
Kyle Richardson is the co-director of NFL Alumni Health, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The NFL Alumni Association (NFL Alumni). He discussed his career journey - one that led him into a healthcare and medical sales career after retiring from the NFL and then later co-directing the NFL Alumni Association, his current professional role.
The NFL Alumni Association is a 501 [c] [3] organization supporting former NFL employees, players, coaches, cheerleaders, spouses, and more! The Association’s mission is to ensure former NFL employees are cared for medically and legally.
Kyle discusses the organization’s mission to support its athletes and how it has been a priority for the NFL Alumni Association for many years.
The conversation discussed the mission statement of an association focused on caring for its own, including retired athletes. 
Raquel and Ryan discussed with Kyle the importance of taking care of oneself and the various resources available to former NFL players with NFL Alumni Health.
The Senior Soup Podcast co-host Raquel Micit is the owner of Amada Senior Care in Montgomery County, Maryland. Kyle and Raquel discussed Amada Senior Care’s nationwide partnership with NFL Alumni Health. 
Kyle accredited Tafa Jefferson, a former NFL player and the founder and CEO of Amada Senior Care, as the driving force behind the partnership between NFL Alumni Health and Amada Senior Care. 
Tafa’s NFL background, as well as Tafa’s mother's experience as a caregiver, gave Tafa the empathy and understanding to create a high-quality national franchise home care service. As a result, Amada Senior Care became the preferred national home care brand to partner with NFL Alumni Health.In the takeaway segment, Kyle, a former Baltimore Raven, left the audience with this important takeaway: “It’s never too early to start investing in your healthcare,” especially professional athletes and retired NFL players, and to remain committed to “the game of life.” 
Finally, Kyle recalls his Baltimore Raven's 2001 Super Bowl XXXV victory over the New York Giants and what his team’s Super Bowl victory meant for Baltimore City and the state of Maryland. 

Exploring Parkinson’s Disease with Parkinson’s Foundation Development Manager Dawn Lewis

Senior Soup Podcast hosts Raquel Micit and Ryan Miner welcome Dawn Lewis, the development manager in the Mid-Atlantic for the Parkinson's Foundation, as their special guest. 
This is Episode 12 of The Senior Soup Podcast
Dawn has been with the Parkinson's Foundation for three and a half years, transitioning from working with the Alzheimer's Association. 
This podcast explores the causes and early signs of Parkinson's Disease and how to raise awareness about the disease. 
Some research suggests that exposure to pesticides could cause the disease, and 15% of people may have a genetic marker linked to it. 
A national study called the PD GENEration was launched to study the disease further. Participants can learn more about Parkinson's and potentially identify a genetic marker. Those interested in participating can contact Dawn Lewis for more information.
The Parkinson's Foundation is hosting its annual Moving Day event on Saturday, May 6th, 2023, on the National Mall to celebrate movement, fundraise, and connect those with Parkinson's - and their families - with pharmaceutical companies and additional resources that can provide treatments. 
Moving Day attendees will participate in Rock Steady Boxing, a popular form of exercise, and a mini-workout.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear real stories and experiences from people living with Parkinson's and family members with loved ones lost to Parkinson’s. A DJ will provide music, and people can bring their whole family and pets. The event is a great way to raise research funds and awareness about Parkinson's and its effects.
Throughout Raquel and Ryan’s interview with Dawn, they discussed the symptoms and early detection of Parkinson's disease. 
Dawn explained that tremors are the most common symptom, but other signs include low voice, small handwriting, and shuffling. She encouraged people to reach out to a doctor if they notice any of these symptoms, as Parkinson's can be difficult to diagnose. 
A doctor, Dawn says, will conduct a physical exam and ask patients to complete specific movements to establish a baseline. 
Levodopa is a common medication prescribed to Parkinson’s patients if the doctor feels the need to correct some symptoms. Dawn said there is no average age for someone diagnosed with Parkinson's.
The Parkinson’s Foundation website offers helpful resources for those with Parkinson’s, including a Parkinson’s Hospital Care Kit. 
ABOUT THE SENIOR SOUP PODCAST
Visit The Senior Soup's website to learn more about The Senior Soup Podcast and its resources for seniors in the DMV area. 
https://theseniorsoup.com/episodes/
The Senior Soup Podcast on Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-senior-soup-podcast/id1648060056
The Senior Soup Podcast on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/0YgexcbECb13cuqmo4IZuO
The Senior Soup Podcast on Google Podcasts
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The Senior Soup Podcast on Amazon Music
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Maryland Nurse Consultant Andrea Bendig Bridges Healthcare Gap For Aging Adults

Raquel and Ryan welcomed their first guest of 2023 to the Senior Soup Podcast, Andrea Bendig, the owner, and founder of Wellness Strategies Group. 
This is Episode 11 of The Senior Soup Podcast.
Andrea Bendig is a master's prepared registered nurse with 30 years of experience. 
She is a certified case manager and delegating nurse for those in assisted living and home settings, and she’s a certified dementia practitioner. 
Andrea noticed a gap in our healthcare system and launched Wellness Strategies Group. She’s on a mission to bridge the proverbial gap in our healthcare system and support older adults and their families' journeys throughout the aging process.
Her area of expertise is in geriatric and dementia care solutions. Her services are designed to help older adults achieve optimal health and wellness and ensure they have the proper care.
She provides her Maryland healthcare services in Howard, Montgomery, Baltimore, and Carroll Counties. Andrea also offers virtual support to her Maryland patients.
Andrea’s healthcare consulting services are particularly beneficial for family members of older adults who live away from their loved ones and are concerned about their care and well-being. 
She creates individualized healthcare plans to help her patients get back on track. Andrea can, on behalf of her patients and their families, liaise between patients, Maryland hospital case management teams, and skilled nursing facility social workers. 
Andrea shared with Raquel and Ryan several real-life scenarios about how her Maryland healthcare consulting services can benefit Maryland families who often struggle to make critical decisions about their elderly relatives' living situations. 
With over thirty years of nursing experience, Andrea is a critical resource for Maryland’s older adult communities (and their families) experiencing cognitive decline due to dementia and Alzheimer's. She empowers Maryland families to make the best decision for their loved ones. 
Andrea assists her patients with medication management and reviews and has experience working with patients with mental health diagnoses. She offers wellness checks to ensure her patients live safely at home, helping them remain connected with their families, loved ones, friends, and neighbors. 
Raquel and Ryan concluded their discussion with Andrea about the importance of helping Maryland families find resources for aging loved ones. 
TIMESTAMPS 
0:00:00  Senior Healthcare Advocacy with Andrea Bendig of Wellness Strategies Group
0:02:00  Assisting Family Members with Loved Ones from a Distance
0:03:27   Navigating Care Options for a Loved One with Cognitive Decline
0:05:17   Assessing Level of Functioning for Cognitively Impaired Individuals
0:07:04   Bridging the Gap in Senior Care: Exploring Healthcare Advocacy 
0:11:06   Andrea Bendig Ensures Her Older Adult Clients Recieve The Appropriate Medical Care
0:12:30   Bridging the Gap in the Continuum of Care for Maryland Dementia Patients
0:16:57   Andrea Bendig Can Serve As A Maryland Healthcare Agent
0:18:36   Andrea Bendig Is A Health and Wellness Coach
0:20:29   Andrea’s Three Takeaways For The Senior Soup Audience 
ABOUT THE SENIOR SOUP PODCAST
Visit The Senior Soup's website to learn more about The Senior Soup Podcast and its resources for seniors in the DMV area. 
https://theseniorsoup.com/episodes/
The Senior Soup Podcast on Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-senior-soup-podcast/id1648060056
The Senior Soup Podcast on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/0YgexcbECb13cuqmo4IZuO
The Senior Soup Podcast on Google Podcasts
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3NlbmlvcnNvdXBwb2RjYXN0L2ZlZWQueG1s
The Senior Soup Podcast on Amazon Music
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f4707453-c933-43e7-a568-e8b6dba32d87/the-senior-soup-podcast

Sunrise Senior Living | The Vision & The Experience

In the 10th episode of The Senior Soup Podcast, Sunrise Senior Living National Director of Business Development Tom Berry joined Raquel and Ryan to share all about the Sunrise experience and what prospective residents (and their families) should expect the first time they walk into a Sunrise Senior Living community. 
Sunrise Senior Living | The Vision & The Experience 
The podcast begins with Tom Berry walking the audience through his 20+ year career at Sunrise Senior Living and the history of Sunrise. 
Tom shares what prospective residents (and their families) should expect and feel when they first walk through the doors of a Sunrise Senior Living community. 
Then Tom, Raquel, and Ryan discuss what services and hospitality are offered at Sunrise Senior Living.  
Raquel steers the conversation back home: She asks Tom how families would choose among the nine Sunrise Senior Living communities in Montgomery County. 
Nine minutes into the podcast, Raquel highlighted Sunrise Senior Living's new vision that was announced by its CEO in November 2022, and she asked Tom to unwind said vision and expound upon what inspired it. 
 Ryan asks Tom about Sunrise Senior Living's renewed focus on hospitality while balancing the need for outstanding care. 
Tom, Raquel, and Ryan then shift the conversation to breaking down misconceptions around senior living with a throwback audio clip from season one of The Sopranos. 
Raquel then asks Tom about some of the distinct programs Sunrise Senior Living has implemented for residents. 
Ryan and Raquel give kudos to Rachael Cicconi, Sunrise Senior Living's Montgomery County, Maryland director of business development, for connecting the local Montgomery County community to the nine Sunrise communities within the county. 
Tom, Raquel, and Ryan then discuss how Sunrise Senior Living includes animals within their communities, which speaks to Sunrise's culture and sense of community. 
Before ending the podcast, Raquel tossed out a nugget to the audience: Tom Berry previously hosted a television show about senior issues in the Northern California media market. 
Finally, Raquel asks Tom for a few takeaways from this podcast for The Senior Soup's audience. 
ABOUT THE SENIOR SOUP PODCAST
Visit The Senior Soup's website to learn more about The Senior Soup Podcast and its resources for seniors in the DMV area. 
https://theseniorsoup.com/episodes/
The Senior Soup Podcast on Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-senior-soup-podcast/id1648060056
The Senior Soup Podcast on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/0YgexcbECb13cuqmo4IZuO
The Senior Soup Podcast on Google Podcasts
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3NlbmlvcnNvdXBwb2RjYXN0L2ZlZWQueG1s
The Senior Soup Podcast on Amazon Music
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f4707453-c933-43e7-a568-e8b6dba32d87/the-senior-soup-podcast

Navigating Senior Living

In episode 9 of The Senior Soup Podcast, Raquel and Ryan speak to Pam Rosen, sales manager at The Landing of Silver Spring, about how older adults and their loved ones can begin to navigate senior living. 
NAVIGATING SENIOR LIVING I THE LANDING OF SILVER SPRING 
The podcast kicks off with Pam Rosen, sales manager at The Landing of Silver Spring, discussing how to make the right choice in silver living, whether it's independent senior living or assisted living. 
Next, Pam explains what assisted living is and the levels of care within an assisted living community. 
Moving into a senior living community is a process. Pam breaks down the most time-consuming aspect of moving into a senior living community like The Landing of Silver Spring. 
Ryan asked about the most common questions families ask Pam about moving into senior living.
Raquel highlights the activities that senior living communities offer their residents, and Pam highlights a recent activity hosted by The Landing of Silver Spring, Amada Senior Care (Raquel), and Ennoble Care (Ryan).
Finally, Pam shares her three takeaways. 
ABOUT THE SENIOR SOUP PODCAST
Visit The Senior Soup's website to learn more about The Senior Soup Podcast and its resources for seniors in the DMV area. 
https://theseniorsoup.com/episodes/
The Senior Soup Podcast on Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-senior-soup-podcast/id1648060056
The Senior Soup Podcast on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/0YgexcbECb13cuqmo4IZuO
The Senior Soup Podcast on Google Podcasts
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3NlbmlvcnNvdXBwb2RjYXN0L2ZlZWQueG1s
The Senior Soup Podcast on Amazon Music
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f4707453-c933-43e7-a568-e8b6dba32d87/the-senior-soup-podcast
The Senior Soup Podcast Episode 8 Hashtags
#SeniorLiving 
#MontgomeryCountySeniorLiving
#AssistedLiving
#Independent Living 
#TheLandingAtSilverSpring
#SilverSpringSeniorLiving
#SeniorLivingSilverSpring
OUTBOUND LINKS 
https://www.leisurecare.com/our-communities/landing-of-silver-spring/
 
 

Your Essential Guide To Veterans Benefits & Resources

In Episode 8 of The Senior Soup Podcast, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Robert O. Wray, Jr., the owner and founder of BlueStar TeleHealth, joined Raquel and Ryan to help military veterans understand how and where to access their benefits and the abundance of resources available to them. 
This episode of The Senior Soup Podcast is dedicated to our nation's military veterans who proudly and honorably served during times of war and times of peace.
We honor your service and selfless sacrifice and are forever grateful for all you have done to ensure the United States of America is the last, best hope of earth. 
Veterans Benefits & Veterans Resources Podcast Notes 
The podcast kicks off with Admiral Wray explaining the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day.  
Next, Admiral Wray breaks down the benefits eligible military veterans are entitled to and where and how they can access information about their benefits.   
Admiral Wray offers veterans wisdom on successfully navigating the Veterans Administration and some resources available to veterans to ensure they can take full advantage of said resources. 
The admiral briefly discusses Veterans Aid and Attendance benefits and the senior care it covers. 
Rounding out the podcast, Admiral Wray, the CEO of BlueStar TeleHealth, explains how his Rockville, Maryland-based company is one of the nation's leading veteran-owned-and-operated remote patient monitoring and telehealth companies. 
Finally, Admiral Wray shares his three takeaways. 
ABOUT THE SENIOR SOUP PODCAST
Visit The Senior Soup's website to learn more about The Senior Soup Podcast and its resources for seniors in the DMV area. 
https://theseniorsoup.com/episodes/
The Senior Soup Podcast on Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-senior-soup-podcast/id1648060056
The Senior Soup Podcast on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/0YgexcbECb13cuqmo4IZuO
The Senior Soup Podcast on Google Podcasts
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3NlbmlvcnNvdXBwb2RjYXN0L2ZlZWQueG1s
The Senior Soup Podcast on Amazon Music
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f4707453-c933-43e7-a568-e8b6dba32d87/the-senior-soup-podcast
The Senior Soup Podcast Episode 8 Hashtags
#Veterans 
#VeteransDay
#VeteransBenefits 
#VeteransResources 
#VABenefits 
#AidandAttendance 
#VeteransAdministration
OUTBOUND LINKS 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_O._Wray
https://www.va.gov/
https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/
https://bluestartelehealth.com/