AARP Washington State Podcast

AARP Washington's new volunteer state president Ron Chew sits down with state director Marguerite Ro to talk about his vision for our work as he begins his term in 2025. Plus, he talks about his background and the experience he brings to AARP.

In this Caring For Caregivers Conversation, we sit down with Debra Whitman, author of "The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond". A globally recognized expert on aging, Debra shares her journey of turning 50 and asking the pivotal question: What does a good second half of life look like?   Debra and host Bruce Carlson explore the challenges and opportunities of midlife and beyond, with a focus on topics that matter most to caregivers and their loved ones: Navigating the unique challenges of family caregiving Maintaining brain health and mental well-being Planning finances for the future Finding purpose in the second half of life   The Seven Questions: - How Long Will I Live? - Will I Be Healthy? - Will I Lose My Memory? - How Long Will I Work? - Will I Have Enough Money? - Where Will I Live? - How Will I Die?   Join us for an inspiring and empowering conversation filled with practical advice, wisdom, and hope for anyone navigating caregiving or seeking answers to life's big questions in midlife and beyond.  Learn more about Debra's book: The Second Fifty https://aarp.org/secondfifty

In this live Teletown Hall, join our AARP Washington Advocacy Director Cathy MacCaul for a deep dive into Ballot Initiative 2124. Hear why AARP, the Washington State Nurses Association and family caregivers are voting No on I-2124, learn about its impact on our state's long-term care insurance program, and get answers to any other questions you may have.

In this Caring For Caregivers Conversation, AARP Washington State Director Marguerite Ro talks with a group of our Spokane volunteers about the importance of advocating for caregivers and making our voices heard. Debby Ryan, Steve Corker and Aruna Bhuta discuss how they get involved in making their community better by voting and by volunteering. Learn more about caregiving in Washington at aarp.org/caregiverswa

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs answers members questions and brings us up to date on where, when and how to vote in the upcoming election, in a live teletown hall hosted by our AARP Washington Advocacy Director Cathy MacCaul. Learn more about voting in WA at aarp.org/wavotes

In this Caring For Caregivers Conversation, our state director Marguerite Ro talks with Jennifer Lichorobiec of Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington about family caregiving in Spokane and rural Eastern Washington. Her agency covers five counties, spanning Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Whitman counties, and a diverse population. Jennifer describes the challenges in rural areas and how your Area Agency on Aging can help. Find more about caregiving in Washington at https://aarp.org/caregiverswa

People caring for loved ones often aren't aware of the help that's available from their local Area Agency on Aging. Cathy Knight is State Director at Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging and in this video, she walks you though the services you can use, often for free, and how to find them. Help includes adult day services, caregiver support, case management, elder abuse prevention, health maintenance and promotion, information and assistance, legal support, nutrition, senior centers and transportation. When you don't know where to turn, your local Area Agency on Aging can make a difference with services you didn't know existed. Learn more about caregiving in Washington at https://aarp.org/caregiverswa

Derek Kilmer is retiring as the 6th Congressional District Representative and five candidates are running in the August 5th primary to fill his seat. AARP Washington partnered with the Key Peninsula News and the Mustard Seed Project of Key Peninsula to bring the candidates together to talk with voters in person on Friday, June 28th at the Key Peninsula Civic Center in Vaughn, WA.   Lisa Bryan, Executive Editor of Key Peninsula News, moderates the event. The candidates are Janis Clark (R), J. Graham Ralston (I), Emily Randall (D), Drew MacEwan (R), and Hilary Franz (D).   Learn more about voting in WA at our webpage: aarp.org/wavotes

In our new Caring For Caregivers Conversation, brain health expert Dr. Kate Zhong joins our state director Marguerite Ro to talk about advances in Alzheimers treatment and what you can do to protect your brain. Dr. Zhong is a geriatric psychiatrist and founder of the Brainnovation Initiative at UNLV. Learn about the Six Pillars of Brain Health in this interview and find more about caregiving in Washington at aarp.org/caregiverswa

Are you worried about your finances for retirement? "Pre-tirement" is a new term for what you can do as you get closer to retirement. AARP is helping to launch a special website to help you and AARP money expert Mary Liz Burns is here to explain how. Visit https://thisispretirement.org/ to learn more and get your personalized retirement savings action plan.

In our new Caregiving Conversation, NBC/MSNBC news anchor Richard Lui joins our state director Marguerite Ro to talk about caring for his father with Alzheimers over the last decade and how he become a passionate advocate for those caring for loved ones. Richard nearly gave up his network television career to be there for his dad. He found ways to make it work and now is highlighting solutions for others to get the support they need. Learn more about caregiving at aarp.org/caregiverswa and about Richard at richardlui.com

In this Caring For Caregivers Conversation, our state director Marguerite Ro welcomes Patty Albert and Margaret Griffiths, who share their challenges and successes in caring for family members and friends who've needed their help. The discussion focuses on their real-life experiences and what helped them get through. Patty and Margaret trade stories of their own caregiving journeys – both the good, and the not-so-good. And along the way, they shared their own tips and advice – on everything from finances and family dynamics, to self-care and when to know it's time to ask for help. Find resources for those who care for others in our state from AARP Washington at https://aarp.org/caregiverswa

AARP Washington, BECU, and KING 5 hosted a free event to celebrate and support those who provide care for others at Town Hall Seattle. MSNBC news anchor, filmmaker and author Richard Lui cared for his father with Alzheimers over the last decade and he's become a passionate advocate for family caregivers. Dr. Kate Zhong, geriatric psychiatrist and founder of the Brainnovation Initiative at UNLV gave practical advice and info on the latest in brain research. KING 5 Evening host Jim Dever moderated the discussion. And find more support and resources for people giving care for others in our state at aarp.org/caregiverswa

Join our state director Marguerite Ro for a deep dive on managing finances for caregiving with Rachelle Czaplinski, CTFA, Senior Trust Officer at BECU. From savings options to choosing the right financial advisor and exploring diverse investment accounts, Rachel covers what you need to know. Saving Strategies for Caregivers: Discover smart ways to build a financial cushion to handle the various aspects of caregiving. Selecting the Right Financial Advisor: Understand the key factors to consider when choosing a financial advisor tailored to your caregiving needs. Exploring Different Investment Accounts: Delve into the world of investment accounts suited for caregiving scenarios. Rachel breaks down the pros and cons, helping you make informed decisions. Learn more about caregiving in Washington at aarp.org/caregiverswa

Being a person who cares for loved ones can be most stressful at the holidays. In this Caring For Caregivers Conversation, George Dicks returns to chat with our state director Marguerite Ro. George leads geriatric psychiatry services at Harborview Medical Center and so he's very familiar with seasonal challenges in caregiving. He has some tips and reflections on navigating this time of year. He also recently served as a caregiver for his brother in his final days so he shares his personal journey of caregiving. It wasn't quite what he expected. You can get resources on family caregiving in WA at aarp.org/caregiverswa

Whether you're managing the affairs of a loved one or preparing for yourself, understanding the options for finances is important. In this Caring For Caregivers Conversation, Linda Davenport, VP & Senior Trust Officer at BECU joins our state director Marguerite Ro to talk about trusts, health directives, wills and more. Linda is also a caregiver for her 82 year old mother. Learn more about caregiving in WA at aarp.org/caregiverswa

It's Open Enrollment time for Medicare. Did you know there's a Medicare Part G? We talk about what you need to know to make the right choices for you, plus discuss the latest in recommended vaccines for older adults. This is a live recording of a TeleTown Hall hosted by our state director Marguerite Ro and features Dr. Eric Chow, Chief of Communicable Disease, Epidemiology & Immunization at Seattle/King County Public Health, Ingrid Ulrey, CEO of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange and AARP volunteer Jean Mathisen. 

In this Caring For Caregivers Conversation, our state director Marguerite Ro talks with Shauna Sweeney the founder and CEO of Tender, an app and online platform that aims to make life easier for family caregivers. Tender is part of a new wave of companies using high tech to help us care for our loved ones and the discussion focuses on what's possible today and in the future. Shauna has been the caregiver for her dad for the past nine years. For more on family caregiving, see our website at aarp.org/caregiverswa

Lack of affordable housing limits our choices for how we age. Claire Petersky from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission joins our state director Marguerite Ro to talk about the crisis and where we need to do so people can choose to "age in place". For more, see our caregiving webpage at aarp.org/caregiverswa

Generation X is facing new challenges as caregivers. Jeff Ketchel of Spokane talks with our state director Marguerite Ro about caring for his mother-in-law in his home while raising his children. It's called the Sandwich Generation, where people find themselves caring for the young and the old at the same time. Jeff talks about the ups and downs of this life. In his work life, he's a leader in the public health field so he has both a personal and professional view of caregiving. Jeff talks about how Gen X characteristics can help face caregiving in a new way. Learn more about family caregiving in Washington at aarp.org/caregiversWA

This Pride Month, we celebrate the incredible diversity in our community and the importance of supporting and uplifting one another. George Dicks is a Geriatric Mental Health Practitioner at Harborview Mental Health and Addiction Service in Seattle, a gay man and a long-time activist for LGBTQ rights and inclusion. In this episode, George talks with our state director Marguerite Ro in a candid and thought-provoking discussion about the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ caregivers and how things can be better today. Discover how George's own experiences as a gay man have shaped his understanding of the struggles faced by LGBTQ caregivers.    Learn more about family caregiving in Washington at aarp.org/caregiversWA

Caring for culturally diverse elders presents special challenges. AARP State Director Marguerite Ro sits down with Dr. Anthony L-T Chen, Director of Health for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, to talk about how we can deal with aspects of caregiving, especially in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, and how our public health system can work better for all. Dr. Chen talks about how caring for his parents has impacted him professionally and personally and what working with diverse communities has taught him.    AARP Washington's "Caring for Caregivers" video podcast series features discussions with local experts, community leaders, and caregivers just like you on a range of topics to help you along your caregiving journey.   #AsianAmericanPacificIslanderHeritageMonth  

Caregivers need care themselves and that's why we're launching our "Caring for Caregivers" conversations. In our first episode, AARP Washington State Director Marguerite Ro sits down with George Dicks, a geriatric mental health practitioner with Harborview Mental Health and Addiction Service, to talk about the need for caregiving support and how we can do it. George and Marguerite also discuss healthy aging and how we can get there. In addition to his professional experience, George's lived experience as a kinship provider, caregiver, and a community advocate informs his vision of healthy aging in our society at every stage of life. He talks about what he's seen in his practice and his recent experience as a caregiver for his brother. Learn more at aarp.org/caregiverwa

We sit down with our state president Jim Ko to talk about his vision for AARP in 2023. Jim is a former executive with Starbucks and other major companies. He helped pave the way for Starbucks in China. In retirement, he's volunteered for AARP and other organizations in a variety of roles. He's currently in his second 2-year term as AARP Washington's volunteer leader. In this episode, we talk about Jim's personal experience of caregiving for his father and juggling career with being a family caregiver.

Where will we live as we get older? Washington is in a housing crisis. We discuss what can done with Gov. Jay Inslee in this live teletown hall hosted by AARP's Cathy MacCaul. Older people are increasingly priced out of their neighborhoods, options for downsizing are scarce, and the problem of "missing middle" housing is only getting worse. Ideas like ADUs hold promise but progress is difficult. What can we do now for a better future? Learn more at aarp.org/wa

Stephanie Johnson-Toliver of the Black Heritage Society of WA joins us to talk about the exhibit she help curate on the history of the Seattle Steelheads, part of the first pro Black baseball league on the West Coast. Plus, we get into the Black experience in 1940s Seattle and baseball for other marginalized groups. The exhibit is in Steelheads Alley at the Hatback Bar & Grille across the street from T-Mobile Park. We're having a Black History Month event at Steelheads Alley on Weds. Feb. 15th, 2023. Come meet AARP Washington staff, volunteers and other members of your community from 5-8pm. Registration is required. The venue has free parking in the front and rear of the building. Refreshments provided and your first beverage is on us! RSVP now at: events.aarp.org/aarpwabhm

January is a great time to make changes and get in shape and we've got certified exercise therapist and Corrective Exercise Specialist Mark Bryant. Mark has been a personal trainer for 25 years, a Senior Fitness Specialist for 15 years and currently leads classes at Southeast Seattle Senior Center. He's also a 9 time Powerlifting World Champion and 2 time inductee into the Powerlifting Hall of Fame. If you want to up your fitness level in 2023, Mark has information and inspiration for you. We talk about how to prevent falls, increase your walking ability, and improve your everyday functional ability. The first step is just get going!

Should you respond to that text? Donate to that charity? At the holiday season, con artists ramp up their efforts to get your money. We give you a few quick tips to spot the common scams this year and how to respond. Text and delivery scams are common, fake and shady charities ask for donations, gift cards have risks of losing your money. You can avoid the frauds with simple precautions. Find out what you need to know with these quick tips.

The holiday season is open season for con artists trying to get your money. Fake charities, Amazon scams, delivery scams, gift card scam... they all ramp up at this time of year. We'll tell you about the common fraud tactics and how to stay safe. Plus, in honor of Veterans and Military Families Appreciation Month, we'll discuss frauds targeting veterans. This episode features our cybersafety lead volunteer Dave Morrow. Dave spend more than 20 years in cybersecurity for the Air Force and after his service, worked for major banks and tech companies leading their security efforts. The program is hosted by AARP Fraud Watch Network volunteer Anne O'Callahan. For more on fraud prevention from AARP, see aarp.org/fraud and for our veterans services, visit aarp.org/veterans.

We get the latest on COVID in Washington with Dr. Tao Kwan-Gett of the WA Dept of Health and Ingrid Ulrey of the US Dept of Health and Human Services. Should you get a booster shot? What is a bivalent vaccine? Are adverse reactions being tracked? We answer these questions and more in this episode. The program is a live teletown hall hosted by our Washington State Director Marguerite Ro.

AARP Washington has a new state director! In this episode, our volunteer Brenda Charles-Edwards interviews Marguerite Ro about her vision for our work going forward. Marguerite comes to us from Seattle-King County Public Health. Most recently, she's focused on policy development, data-driven solutions, and chronic disease and injury prevention. Throughout her career, she has partnered with diverse communities to achieve health equity through policy advocacy and to eliminate barriers to care. Brenda is the host of "Senior Matters!" on the Rainier Ave Radio Network and volunteers in a variety of areas for AARP.

We talk about the just-passed prescription drug price relief in Congress with Rep. Pramila Jayapal. The new Inflation Reduction Act allows Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, caps insulin costs and out of pocket expenses and more. It's real progress in combating runaway Rx drug costs. In this AARP teletown hall, we discuss the effects of this historic legislative win for older Americans and take listener questions on the phone. Learn more about the bill at aarp.org/rx

We talk with a hiring manager in a different industry, Whitney Richardson, who is Director of Employee Experience at SanMar. SanMar is a national supplier of custom logowear clothing based in Issaquah and has both corporate and warehouse operations in our area. Whitney talks about what it takes to get hired in both environments. We get into the specifics of today's resume and cover letter, how to approach an interview and more. We also discuss advice for the young people in our lives who are starting their careers. It's everything you need to know to get hired today.

AARP caregiving expert Amy Goyer sits down with us to talk about the realities of caring for family members and all the resources AARP has to help. Amy has a very personal story of how caring for her parents challenged her and how she's made it through. Most of us will be caregivers at some point in our lives and Amy offers practical advice and support. AARP offers info for caregivers at aarp.org/caregivers

We talk about our elections with new WA Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and discuss election security, how to vote, important dates and more. Then UW professor Jevin West updates us on the misinformation and disinformation surrounding the 2022 elections. More info at aarp.org/wavotes.

In this episode, we look at important action in the 2022 legislative session. Attorney General Bob Ferguson talks about protecting against frauds and scam robocalls. Bea Rector from Washington DSHS updates us in improvements long-term care services and help for all of us to age in our homes with dignity and purpose.

In this episode, we talk with hiring manager Noel Burke about how older workers can get that next job in the digital workplace of today. Noel is currently at Amazon and has over 20 years of experience in the staffing and recruitment industry. Hear the latest in resume tips, the importance of a LinkedIn page, and how to talk to an interviewer. Plus, we discuss tips you can pass on to your kids or grandkids to get hired at our Washington state tech companies.

All about managing your money with help from AARP! We talk with Mary Liz Burns from AARP's national office, who is a recognized expert on financial security. AARP has many online tools to maximize your savings and retirement, with AARP's Money Map, Savi Student Loan Repayment Tool, Debt Manager, Goals Tracker, Social Security Resource Center and more. We can help you find the right financial advisor and decide when to take Social Security. Mary Liz tells us how it works and how you can take advantage of AARP's expertise. You can get started at aarp.org/money.

In this episode, we discuss the misinformation "infodemic" with Prof. Kate Starbird of the UW's Center for an Informed Public. Dr. Starbird studies how social media and other messaging spreads around the world. We explore how we can tell fact from fiction and how to fight the spread of disinformation in our lives. And yes, she is Kate Starbird the basketball star! So at the end of the episode, we talk a bit about the state of women's basketball and about retiring from professional sports and finding a new calling. In addition to her work at the Center, Kate is an associate professor in the UW's Human Centered Design and Engineering department, on the faculty of the Paul G. Allen Computer Science and Engineering program and a data science fellow at the eScience Institute.

This episode is a panel discussion as part of our partnership with the Seattle Storm on the importance of maintaining our mental health and wellbeing during times of uncertainty.   Learn how Storm forward Katie Lou Samuelson maintains her mental health while living navigating an WNBA season. Katie Lou has been open about her mental struggles, inspiring others to seek help and be their best. Other panelists are Seattle Top Doctor and geriatric psychiatrist Dr. Arpan Waghray of Swedish Behavior Health and Dr. Edwin Tan of AARP. The discussion is moderated by UW nursing professor Dr. Tatiana Sadak, who specializes in geriatric psychiatry and dementia. The session features tips and tools on how we can help ourselves and our loved ones keep mentally fit and healthy.

Jim Browning is an Internet scam buster and online vigilante known for his "Jim Browning" YouTube channel, which has nearly 3.5 million subscribers and fans around the world. Jim delves into the shadowy world on fraudulent boiler rooms and has figured out how to see into the criminal's computers and cameras to expose their methods. He's also a master at getting the con artists to incriminate themselves. Jim has been called the "Internet's Batman", as he tries to save potential victims in real time as they're on the phone with scammers. He refers to several of his cases in the interview and you can find them at his channel by searching for "Jim Browning". That's not his real name, for obvious reasons, but he has real-world advice for avoiding being scammed. He was featured in the April edition of the AARP Bulletin in a front page story and this interview was part of the basis for that story. You can also see a profile of Jim and a short version of the case described at length in the interview on our YouTube channel by searching for AARP Washington.

Con artists asking for your money via pre-paid gift cards are one of top ways to spot a rip off before it happens. Scammers will ask their victim to buy gift cards at a retail store and read off the number. Within seconds, your money is gone forever. Another twist is demands to pay in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. In this episode, our Fraud Watch volunteers Jean and Debby fill us in on the details.

This live Q&A event teletown hall gave our members the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the current state of the pandemic in Washington, what is on the horizon, and what to know as we emerge from the pandemic from Governor Jay Inslee and Washington State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah. For more than a year, the pandemic has been a constant in our daily lives. What are the next steps as we move forward? Recorded Wednesday, April 21st at 4 p.m.

Confused about the vaccination process in Washington State? Wondering what you should do to stay informed and stay safe? On today's episode, we're joined by WA State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah and Attorney General Bob Ferguson. We get the latest on vaccination across our state, plus an update con artists using the coronavirus as a hook.

Are you tired of being tired? Or could you use better sleep? Our guest today is world-class sleep consultant Pat Byrne, who’s worked with the Seahawks, Mariners and Sounders and other pro, college and Olympic teams, plus the US military and many other major institutions. We’ll get the lowdown on sleep and performance, and how aging affects our sleep. He’s the author a new book called “An Inconvenient Sleep: Why Teams Win and Lose” which he co-wrote with his daughter Suzanne Byrne. Of course, I had to ask him about the sleep issues that seem to come on as we get older, from waking in the night… to early rising… to the increased difficulty in changing time zones. We talked about sleep trackers, how they can help and where they’re pretty useless. Pat says naps are OK… and explains why and how to nap.

Have we entered a new era of misinformation and outright lying? Prof. Jeffrey Hancock is director of the Social Media Lab at Stanford University, where he studies trends in our discourse and he has ideas on how we can better find the truth. His TED Talk called "The Future Of Lying" has been viewed over 1 million times on YouTube. Learn about the Butler Lie, Sockpuppets, the 50 Cent Chinese Army and much more. This is a live presentation of AARP Washington, The UW Center for an Informed Public and BECU. You can learn more or watch video at aarp.org/factfromfiction

Join us for this roundtable discussion with experts Jevin West, Director of the nonpartisan Center for an Informed Public, and David Mikkelson, the founder of Snopes.com. Jevin and David provide a detailed look at the history and current state of misinformation and will equip you with the tools and resources you need to distinguish fact from fiction. Learn how to determine if the sources you’re using are reputable, how to report misleading information and scams, how to best approach friends or family who have shared inaccurate content, and much more.

In this special edition of the podcast, our Fraud Watch Network cyber expert Dave Morrow alerts us to how con artists are using the 2020 election to scam money and personal information. This has nothing to do with the campaigns, it's old-fashioned fraud in a new package. Dave tells us what to watch out for and how to fight back.

How to spot misinformation with Prof. Jevin West, Director of the nonpartisan Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington. This episode is a live online event on how you can avoid falling for the attempts to mislead that are all around us. The spread of misinformation is among the most pressing challenges of our time. New platforms for human interaction and information sharing have opened the door to misinformation, disinformation and other forms of networked manipulation, which not only mislead and create divisions, but also diminish trust in democratic institutions such as science and journalism.  Jevin West provides us with a powerful set of tools to cut through the most intimidating data. You don't need a lot of technical expertise to call out problems with data. Are the numbers or results too good or too dramatic to be true? Is the claim comparing like with like? Is it confirming your personal bias? Drawing on a deep well of expertise in statistics and computational biology, Jevin West provides examples of selection bias and muddled data visualization, distinguish between correlation and causation, and examine the susceptibility of science to modern misinformation.

In this episode, we talk with Laura Coffey, the author of "My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts". Senior dogs often desperately need rescue from shelters and Laura explains the joys of giving these pets a loving home. Often there can be no costs to the new owner. Laura also tells how she made her dream of creating a best-selling book come true. You can learn more at myolddogbook.com.

AARP Financial Ambassador/TODAY Show financial editor Jean Chatzky and Lyn Peters from WA's Department of Financial Institutions answer questions from older adults about managing finances during the coronavirus outbreak. This episode is from "Spread The Facts", a production of TVW, AARP Washington, and WA COVID-19 Joint Information Center to help people over 50 navigate the coronavirus pandemic. Jean and Lyn answer questions from our members and TVW's David Johnson.