Podcasts about alive inside

Romans 8:5-13 // Nathan MillerThere is a freedom that comes from God's Spirit, that you just can't get anywhere else. But we tend to define freedom as the ability to do whatever I want. To fulfill my desires, whatever those desires are. But that's not real freedom because those desires so often hurt ourselves and others.Real freedom. The freedom God offers us. Is the freedom to do what will actually satisfy. Freedom to do what is good, loving, and beautiful. And we know this! We want this! Whether you're a Christian or not, whether you're religious or not, we know that a life lived loving others is better than a life loving only ourselves and our desires.SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49243659PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2542/responses/new24.04.21

Romans 8: 5-13 // Ben BeasleyIn order for something to truly die, it has to be cut off from its source of life. Which means we have to learn how to make room for the Spirit to access the deepest roots of our fleshly desires. We have to learn how to create space to be aware of where the Spirit is trying to access so we can keep up with him and let him in. And it's going to take time, right? Change takes time. It takes time to kill this stuff that is deeply ingrained in us. And the Enemy is working to keep us living according to the flesh, so we have some resistance. What we have to do is discern where the Spirit is trying to work on us and rely on His presence and power in our daily, ordinary lives. The best practice for creating space for the Spirit to reach the roots of your heart is prayer. Remember, He lives in you. He speaks to you. So take time this week in prayer to ask him for guidance, to help you see what needs to be killed and where the source of life needs to be cut off. SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49243658PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2509/responses/new24. 04. 21

Romans 8: 5-13 // Taylor FairIn order for something to truly die, it has to be cut off from its source of life. Which means we have to learn how to make room for the Spirit to access the deepest roots of our fleshly desires. We have to learn how to create space to be aware of where the Spirit is trying to access so we can keep up with him and let him in. And it's going to take time, right? Change takes time. It takes time to kill this stuff that is deeply ingrained in us. And the Enemy is working to keep us living according to the flesh, so we have some resistance. What we have to do is discern where the Spirit is trying to work on us and rely on His presence and power in our daily, ordinary lives. The best practice for creating space for the Spirit to reach the roots of your heart is prayer. Remember, He lives in you. He speaks to you. So take time this week in prayer to ask him for guidance, to help you see what needs to be killed and where the source of life needs to be cut off. SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49243655PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2546/responses/new24. 04. 21

We Discovered An Alien Alive Inside A Colossal Titan Corpse | Sci-Fi Creepypasta Story

Recorded on Saturday, December 16th 2023. We talk about blankets, Instacart a bad episode of Rhoda Alana being sleepy the documentary "Alive Inside" and the Albert Brooks motion picture "Real Life" and more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaB5Egej0TQ sound is consciousness... we are grammarphones... #2023 #art #music #movies #poetry #poem #photooftheday #volcano #news #money #food #weather #climate #monkeys #horse #puppy #fyp #love #instagood #onelove #eyes #getyoked #horsie #gotmilk #book #shecomin #getready 

Dan Cohen is the Johnny Appleseed of personalized music. While the fabled Appleseed traveled the country planting apple seeds, Cohen travels from coast to coast bringing iPods, headphones and customized music playlists to people with dementia. Cohen's work was featured in the award winning documentary ALIVE INSIDE. I spoke with Dan about how he got started in this mission to promote the benefits of music for people who are institutionalized. We discussed the amazing successes he has witnessed and the surprising disappointments he has faced.  Dan concludes this episode by describing his three goals for the future of personalized music.Support the showSupport our work to promote creative aging. Subscribe to the MINDRAMP Podcast.

Learn how to  create and use  personalized music to promote physical and spiritual healing for you and your loved ones. Dan Cohen has championed the use of personalized music for people with dementia, in fact, personalized music does wonders for anyone who is institutionalized. Dan has seem dramatic evidence that listening to one's favorite music - often music from one's childhood - has a magical affect on people's moods and even their physical well-being. But, the therapeutic power of personalized music only works if we have access to our our favorite tunes when and where we want to listen. In this episode Dan suggests that we all consider taking time now to  putting together our own music playlist, so that is available if and when we need it.  Further, we should help our loved ones to put together lists of their favorite music. Dan the ins and outs of compiling your own personalized music playlist. Support the showSupport our work to promote creative aging. Subscribe to the MINDRAMP Podcast.

As police investigate the site of a horrible and mysterious crime scene, they come across the body of an unknown young woman, whom they label as Jane Doe. The sheriff takes the body to Tommy and Austin, who are a father/son team acting as coroners in the small town. As Tommy and Austin proceed with the autopsy, things will take very dark and unsettling turns for them ... Join us as we discuss this great film! We discuss the plot and provide our insights as to what we thought was going on as each scene takes place. Mariah provided some very candid answers to some of the questions she was asked. But ... we also had a mysterious guest! We apparently experienced some paranormal activity while recording this episode. Hopefully Jane wasn't mad at us for talking about her ... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jmv125150/message

“Jesus continually shows kindness to doubters, and He continually calls doubters to believe.” A sermon from John 20:24-29 in TCC’s Alive series, preached at Tradewind Community Church in Amarillo, TX, on Sunday, April 23, 2023, by Pastor Brad Newman. Learn more about TCC at tccamarillo.com.

There are lyrics that spark deep contemplation and conversation, and this episode is one of them. From questioning your desires to exploring what it means to be free to quantum physics, our guest takes us where this lyric has taken him and in turn provides a journey for the mind. Born and raised in the Bronx, Kemba made a name for himself in the underground rap scene and has bloomed beyond his wildest dreams. From a new studio album to a documentary on the way exploring our criminal justice system - they is barely the limit for Kemba.Follow Kemba on InstagramExplore Kemba's musicListen to Kemba's lyric of choiceLearn More about the film, Alive Inside and the Alive Inside CoalitionRead Sapiens: A Brief History of Human KindThank you for listening and feeling everything with us! Join us for new episodes every Tuesday. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts. Please rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it! Let's feel everything - together.Visit the podcast websiteFollow us on InstagramCheck out WORD Creative

Our guest this week is a dear friend of mine. Ned Buskirk is the founder of You're Going to Die, which started as an open mic that offered a communal space to share stories about death, loss, and grieving. It progressed, as most things do, eventually becoming a nonprofit that brings music to the bedside of hospice patience, operates grief groups, delivers resources to help people in the prison system process their own grief and loss, and even a podcast of the same name, You're Going To Die.  I truly believe in Ned's work and purpose, which is why I've repeatedly used these resources myself, as well as, referred my clients to them over the years. Together we discussed how You're Going to Die has evolved, reorienting to aliveness and life after tragedy, what he has learned over the years, what his own coping strategies around loss are, remaining humble, being a community resource, and the positive as well as the weighty impact of this work on all aspects Ned's life. We even spend a good amount of time talking about, Alive Inside, a non-profit and runoff of You're Going To Die, where Ned brings his work and experiences to the incarcerated.  Dying, death, grief, and tragedy are all a part of this journey we call life and Ned brings a lot of necessary community and awareness to these topics. Join us this week in demystifying death by accepting it during our life.

Are You Alive Inside | Pastor Darren Barone Ep. 133 by Rome Christian Center

Join host Ned Buskirk in conversation with Reverend Bodhi Be, ordained minister, funeral director, end-of-life/bereavement counselor, & casket maker, as they talk about bringing love to the work of dying, completing a life to leave in peace, & running The Death Store on the island of Maui, Hawaii.Read “Facing Death, A Conversation with Reverend Bodhi Be”: https://www.powells.com/book/facing-death-9781953508256 The Death Store: https://www.doorwayintolight.org/the-death-store.html Check out Founder Bodhi Be's Doorway Into Light: https://www.doorwayintolight.org/ - join their e-newsletter, donate to their work, or attend our death doula trainingsCheck out ‘Īpuka's Sanctuary Park & Natural Burial Ground, a sacred story of life & death interweaving in healthy community life, protected & cared for by a nonprofit organization in perpetuity: https://www.ipuka.org/ All the prison orgs, programs, retreat centers, etc. mentioned in this episode…Alive Inside: https://www.alive-inside.com/ Bellwether Farms: https://bellwetherfarms.com/ Death Penalty Action: https://deathpenaltyaction.org/ Horizon Prison Initiative: https://www.horizonprisoninitiative.org/ Think Make Live Youth: https://tmlyouth.org/ Ohio Innocence Project: https://law.uc.edu/real-world-learning/centers/ohio-innocence-project-at-cincinnati-law.html Produced by Nick JainaSoundscaping by Nick Jaina”Untouched,” “The Evolutionary Pinnacle of Fire,” & "Moon King" by Nick Jaina - all songs available on a Bandcamp-only release: http://nickjaina.bandcamp.com/album/elemental-twoSounds from Bellwether Farm provided by Isaac Hollingsworth”YG2D Podcast Theme Song” Produced by Scott Ferreter & eO w/vocals by Jordan Edelheit, Morgan Bolender, Chelsea Coleman & Ned BuskirkTHIS PODCAST IS MADE POSSIBLEWITH SUPPORT FROMLISTENERS LIKE YOU.Become a podcast patron now at https://www.patreon.com/YG2D.

AP correspondent Lisa Dwyer reports on ODD cave dog.

Hot take, guys: music is pretty cool. This week, Bonnie and Anna unpack all the different ways music affects the brain, how it gives us lots of feel-good chemicals, and just generally how it improves our health, both mental and physical. They also talk about how music is an integral part of culture and evolution, and how we use it as a form of connection and a way to regulate our own emotions. Because it turns out, science has proven what the best genre of music is… and it's whatever music you like the most! Scientific vindication! If you want to learn more about how music is used to treat Alzheimer's and dementia, check out the documentary “Alive Inside”. To see the University of Central Florida's cool brain map and read more about the professors behind it, go here: https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/your-brain-on-music

Stranger Things, Season 4 reveals sonic secrets about music, memory and our truest nature.  I used clips from Stranger Things and a documentary film called Alive Inside to show that sound and music have powers to root humanity in a great remembering that could reverse much of the health related and psychological issues brought on by a backwards civilization.*Spoilers alert be warned!#BenStewart #StrangerThings #Music #HumanPotential #SolutionsYou are the most powerful technology.  Don't ever forget that.Join Our Kickass Discord Community!  https://discord.gg/7QadgxEK4zAccess Exclusive Content!https://www.benjosephstewart.com/plans-pricingCheck Out Latest Documentaries -   “Awake In The Darkness” - https://www.aubreymarcus.com/"DMT QUEST" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My95s6ZryPgVisit https://www.BenJosephStewart.com/ to get more involved.Gaia Shows "Psychedelica" & "Limitless" with Free Trial.  https://www.gaia.com/invite/join?rfd=AGvFiE&utm_source=iafLike & Follow, Much Love -Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-1044023Minds:  https://www.minds.com/BenJosephStewart/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BenJosephStewart/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenJosephStewBitchute:  https://www.bitchute.com/channel/aanpGqOQt8ZX/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@benstewartofficialOdysse: https://odysee.com/@BenStewart:6Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/benjosephstewart

Join us this week as we finish our series “Alive Inside” with Pastor Joel Scrivner. We hope that this series has strengthened and encouraged you as you followed along. We are so thankful for all of you who are part of our online family… To connect with Oaks further, please contact us at info@oakschurch.com. Don't forget that we have services every Sunday at 10:30AM Central Standard Time. You can join us online at https://www.youtube.com/c/OaksChurch/videos or you can come enjoy what God is doing in-person! Don't forget to visit us at https://www.oakschurch.com where you can give towards our mission and learn more about what Oaks is doing to spread the Message of Jesus.

Join us this week as we finish our series “Alive Inside” with Pastor Joel Scrivner. We hope that this series has strengthened and encouraged you as you followed along. We are so thankful for all of you who are part of our online family… To connect with Oaks further, please contact us at info@oakschurch.com. Don't forget that we have services every Sunday at 10:30AM Central Standard Time. You can join us online at https://www.youtube.com/c/OaksChurch/videos or you can come enjoy what God is doing in-person! Don't forget to visit us at https://www.oakschurch.com where you can give towards our mission and learn more about what Oaks is doing to spread the Message of Jesus.

SUMMARY Senior's mental health is affected by social threats such as stigma, ageism, and racism, and impacted by individual circumstances such as isolation, loneliness, poverty, poor physical health, lack of independence, and abuse. In Part 2 of this podcast, Marjorie Horne (seniors' advocate and founder of CareSmart Seniors Consulting), Naomi Mison (caregiver and founder of Discuss Dementia), and Dr. Anna Wisniewska (geriatric psychiatrist) shed light on these contributing factors and the complex choices seniors are often faced with ─ separation vs. connection, resignation vs. resilience, and invisibility vs. legacy. They also talk about the role of spirituality in seniors' mental health, and the healthcare changes needed to make healthcare systems and cultures more integrated, personalized, and compassionate for seniors. TAKEAWAYS This Part 2 podcast will help you understand: Prevalence and impacts of macrosocial (or society-wide) influences such as stigma, ageism, and racism Prevalence and impacts of personal circumstances such as isolation, loneliness, poverty, elder neglect and abuse, poor physical health and/or chronic pain, and lack of independence People who embrace aging vs. those who resent aging and resist change Impact of seniors' attitudes and behaviours on mental health Life-affirming choices seniors can make (separation vs. connection, resignation vs. resilience, invisibility vs. legacy) The role of spirituality in seniors' mental health Mental Health Commission of Canada's 2019 Guidelines for Comprehensive Mental Health Services for Older Adults in Canada Vital values for adequate care (recovery based, accessible, comprehensive, evidence-based) Mental health promotion and illness prevention Cultures of compassion within the healthcare system SPONSOR   RESOURCES World Health Organization Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health Mental Health Commission of Canada Active Aging Canada Alzheimer Society CanAge Canadian Association for Retired Persons (CARP) Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction Canadian Frailty Network Canadian Mental Health Association Canadian Suicide Prevention Network Deprescribing Network Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario National Institute for Care of the Elderly (NICE) Seniors First British Columbia The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Caregivers Alberta Carers Canada Caregivers Nova Scotia Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association Families for Addiction Recovery: FAR Canada Family Caregivers of British Columbia Canadian Research Centres on Aging   GUESTS  Marjorie Horne, Dipl. T. Nursing Marjorie Horne was 16 when she knew that the way we see and treat elders had to change. Her journey involved training as a registered nurse, becoming the Executive Director of the Central Okanagan Hospice Society, working in management in seniors housing and, finally, starting her own business, CareSmart Seniors Consulting Inc. She is also a Conscious Aging Facilitator and a Certified Professional Consultant on Aging. As an entrepreneur, Marjorie's goal was to bring a holistic, ‘Circle of Care' approach to supporting seniors and their families through the many transitions encountered in the third chapter of life. Her community endeavors of creating and hosting her own radio show, Engaging in Aging, every Sunday morning on AM1150, writing a bi-weekly column, facilitating workshops on Conscious Aging, and speaking at local events, are all driven by the desire to be part of a new paradigm where we reimagine later life with courage, resilience, passion, and purpose. Phone: 250-863-9577 Email: resources@caresmart.ca Website: www.caresmart.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caresmartseniorsconsulting Twitter: https://twitter.com/caresmartsenior Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marjorie-horne-46bb8937/ Naomi Mison, BA Naomi Mison is a public speaker, vocal advocate, and a champion of change. She has spent the last four years bravely sharing her journey as she cares for her mother who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, when Naomi was just 22 years old. She has spoken publicly through the Alzheimer Society of Canada National Anti-Stigma Campaign, CBC's Out in the Open podcast, Globe and Mail, Embrace Aging Okanagan, Pecha Kucha, and many more. Naomi volunteers with the Alzheimer Society of BC's Leadership Group of Caregivers, is on the planning committee for IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's, and for the Seniors Outreach and Resource Centre. Naomi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English, and a Diploma in Public Relations.  Phone: 780-885-3956 Email: mailto:naomi@discussdementia.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nam956 Twitter: https://twitter.com/NaomiMison Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomimison/ Dr. Anna Wisniewska, MD, FRCPC Anna Wisniewska completed her undergraduate medical training at the University of British Columbia and her postgraduate training in psychiatry at the University of Calgary. Her clinical career has always focused on the care of the elderly and their families. Dr. Wisniewska is currently a consulting geriatric psychiatrist at the Kelowna General Hospital and the Kelowna Mental Health Centre. She also works in her private practice in Kelowna and is a sub-investigator with Medical Arts Research.  Her passion for her work and compassion for her patients were inspired early on by her very close relationship with her grandparents, and maintained by the many wonderful patients, families, and colleagues met along the professional path. Email: DrAWisniewska@gmail.com HOST Jo de Vries is a community education and engagement specialist with 30 years of experience helping local governments in British Columbia connect with their citizens about important sustainability issues. In 2006, she established the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) to “inspire community conversations for sustainable change.” FOF's highly acclaimed events include Building SustainABLE Communities conferences, Reel Change SustainAbility Film Fest, Eco-Blast Kids' Camps, CommUnity Innovation Lab, Breakfast of Champions, and Women 4 SustainAbility. FOF's newest ventures are the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit and HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Website: Fresh Outlook Foundation Phone: 250-300-8797   PLAY IT FORWARD The move toward optimal mental health becomes possible as more people learn about the challenges, successes, and opportunities. To that end, please share this podcast with anyone who has an interest or stake in the future of mental health and wellness. FOLLOW US For more information about the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) and our programs and events, visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, and like us on Facebook and Twitter.   HELP US As a charity, FOF relies on support from grants, sponsors, and donors to continue its valuable work. If you benefited from the podcast, please help fund future episodes by making a one-time or monthly donation. Marjorie Horne, Naomi Mison, Anna Wisniewska Interview Transcript You can download a pdf of the transcript here. The entire transcript is also found below: RICK  0:10 Welcome to the HEADS UP Community Mental Health podcast. Join our host Jo de Vries with the Fresh Outlook Foundation, as she combines science with storytelling to explore a variety of mental health issues with people from all walks of life. Stay tuned. Joanne  0:32 Hey, Jo here again with Dr. Ania Wisniewska, Marjorie Horne, and Naomi Mison, as we continue this vital conversation about seniors' mental health. We'll dive deep into the social influences and individual circumstances that impact seniors' well-being, the personal choices they can make to extend and enrich their lives, and the systemic changes needed to optimize the aging experience through prevention, personalized care, and integrated mental health care. NAOMI  1:03 Thanks for having us back. MARJORIE  1:05 We had so much fun the first time we wanted to do it again. ANIA  1:08 Thank you, Jo. And nice to be doing this again with you beautiful ladies and of course with Rick. JO  1:14 To start, can each of you share a little about your work as seniors' mental health care professionals and caregivers for the listeners who didn't hear Part 1? Ania, let's start with you. ANIA  1:26 I am a geriatric psychiatrist working in Kelowna. My work focuses on the care of seniors. I work at the Kelowna General Hospital, caring for patients with mental illness, and I also provide support to the Kelowna Mental Health Center to the seniors' mental health program. I also am involved in a small way in a local drug study program that looks at novel medications for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. I also spend quite a bit of time in my private practice where I see patients for assessments, and also for follow up long term. I guess I should also add, I'm also involved in teaching at the University of British Columbia. I am involved in teaching medical students as well as residents, which is a wonderful and enriching experience. Joanne  2:13 Marjorie. MARJORIE  2:14 I was trained as a registered nurse and then did a number of things over the course of my career. And I then went back to my first love, which was working with seniors. And that's where I started in my nursing career and worked for about 10 years in seniors housing within the elder care environment. I just saw during that time, sort of a gray area that didn't seem to be addressed as far as all the different transitions that both the older clients I was dealing with and their families, were going through all of these transitions and a lot of emotions come up. We're talking about grief and loss. So I almost felt compelled to start my own business, which I've been running for 10 years now, to try to bring a holistic approach where we really look at the physical dimensions of aging and also the emotional aspects of change and the grief and loss that many people are dealing with. JO  3:16 And Naomi. NAOMI  3:16 I have been a caregiver to my mom, who was diagnosed with early onset dementia, for over 13 years. On the 10th anniversary of caregiving, I decided I really wanted to use my voice to advocate for systemic change. So I reached out to the Alzheimer's Society of Canada and became a media spokesperson, public spokesperson for them. I'm currently involved with the leadership group of caregivers for the Alzheimer's Society of BC. So that's really rewarding being with other caregivers. In my professional life, I'm in marketing and communication, so I'm just trying to utilize my skill set. And really again, advocate for that systemic change in the area around older adults. JO  4:03 Thank you for all the great work you're doing, it's just incredible. In Part 1 of this in-depth look at seniors' mental health, Rick introduced us to macrosocial or society wide influences that seniors face. Things like stigma, ageism, systemic racism, and inequality. I'd like to touch on a few of those today starting with stigma. We won't go into detail about mental health stigma, as there's an entire episode on the topic on our website at freshoutlookfoundation.org. But for the purposes of this conversation, let's say stigma begins with negative stereotyping or the labeling of perceived differences between groups. In this case between the young and old. This separation often leaves seniors feeling diminished, devalued, and fearful due to the negative attitudes our youth focused culture holds toward them. Which means that sometimes people with mental health challenges don't get the help they need for fear of being discriminated against. I want to know how each of you see stigma through the eyes of the seniors you serve. ANIA  5:21 Stigma is so so essential to consider. And obviously podcasts that you have done would speak to that quite a bit. But I think in terms of a story, I guess would be kind of a general one. For some of my patients, they are quite reluctant to share their illness, or the diagnosis, or what they're going through with family or friends, for the fear of being rejected or stigmatized. And I also see sometimes how caregivers will sometimes minimize what's going on at home for the fear of, again, being stigmatized. So they will minimize the symptoms or cover up the symptoms with family or with friends, because they are afraid of what people may think or say. And it's really quite heartbreaking because it can lead to, in the cases of the say caregivers, a delay in getting the help that the patient actually needs. MARJORIE  6:11 Many times, if when I'm talking to groups of seniors and asking them about some of the emotional things that they may be going through, they just sort of look back at me and stare at me and I just wait and I wait. What is it do you think within you, that doesn't permit you to share what might be going on? They all look at each other, and one person always puts their hand up and they said, well, it's partly about my pride. And then they all look at each other and nod that there's some sense of, if I'm losing my memory, or if I'm feeling depressed, or if I've had a fall, I'm not going to tell anybody about it. Because this will show weakness. And then this may mean that my family feel I can't handle things. When one person expresses it in a group, then they all of a sudden all open up and begin to just again share what they're feeling about that. NAOMI  7:09 I also saw a lot of that sort of real concern around loss of independence, when I was working within the clinical research space. I was talking to hundreds, if not thousands of older adults and trying to encourage them to come for cognitive assessments, even if they weren't demonstrating any signs that just to get a baseline. The most prevalent answer I would hear was that I don't want to come in because if I have an issue, then you're going to take away my license, and I'm not going to be able to be independent anymore. Joanne  7:43 Can each of you share one thing you think we could do generally to reduce the mental health stigma seniors face? MARJORIE  7:51 We need to listen more. I see this a lot when working with seniors and their families. If we can listen and less be trying to advise. I'd see this often in adult children that they have their own fears coming into play that really interrupts the process of an older senior being able to talk about how they are feeling. ANIA  8:15 Sometimes it's education about having realistic expectations. What is a realistic expectation? What isn't? What is it that we could actually improve? What could we not? What's worth taking a risk? And for me, those discussions are typically focusing on quality of life. What are things that are important to your loved one, based on what you know about them? To me, it comes down to the quality of life. NAOMI  8:39 I work in communications and marketing. And so I really do believe that words matter. And the language that we use every day can be one area that we can focus on in the here and now. Oh, I'm just feeling crazy, or that person's senile, or they've totally lost their marbles, these different terms of phrase that we have in our everyday vernacular. And it's definitely only strengthening those stereotypes. So I really would love to see some really thoughtful discussions and considerations around language and really being intentional to dispel some of those prevalent stereotypes and increase overall understanding. Joanne  9:24 So let's talk about ageism next, which in simple terms is discrimination based on a person's age. In its Changing Directions, Changing Lives report, the Mental Health Commission of Canada noted that, "Older people have sometimes been viewed as simply a burden to society. Not only do the stereotypical views discount the contributions seniors have made throughout their lives, but they also underestimate their ongoing contribution to our communities and social life in general."  Ania, what are your observations around ageism? ANIA  10:05 What I would start off with is that there is definitely a cultural variation in terms of how aging is perceived. So in some cultures, the elderly are much more revered or put on a pedestal and seen as a source of wisdom, and matriarchs or patriarchs of the family. In our more westernized cultures, we tend to sort of focus a little bit more on the individual. We're less likely to have intergenerational living arrangements, maybe that's a good thing, sometimes. But it does make a difference. Just to give you an example, my much younger cousin who was born in Canada, and did not grow up with his grandparents. When he went back to Poland to visit his very elderly grandparents, he was terrified of them. And it's interesting, it's not anything they did or said. It was just the appearance of a much older person. And I found that so fascinating to kind of see a young child react that way to people who obviously adored and loved him. But initially, he was just scared because he wasn't accustomed to seeing a much older person. So we do need more of that sort of sense of intergenerational living. And I'm not exaggerating, there's situations where we have patients literally dropped off at emergency, because the family wants to go on a holiday, and they don't have a caregiver for the elderly mother or father. I'm not exaggerating this, this does happen. And it's obviously heartbreaking. But it's beyond comprehension that that can happen. And it does happen in Canada. So I do think that intergenerational connections is really important. JO  11:37 So what's one vital step we could take to tackle ageism? NAOMI  11:42 Sharing those stories and putting a face to a name or putting a story to a subject matter, I think is vitally important. And just really increasing awareness and prevalence of people living, no matter the age but really as an older adult, their best lives. I often find, we don't hear enough of those stories. And so I think that would be one way to really start tackling this subject matter. MARJORIE  12:12 I started to write a column in the newspaper about eight years ago. And at first, I was trying to be very professional. And while I was looking after my mom, sort of 24 hours a day, and then I finally went, oh, I'm just going to tell people what's happening. What I'm going through my own aging journey and also my Mom's was really like. And what fascinated me was that I started to receive so many calls and emails from people. And they all were saying the same thing that they had all these concerns about their own aging life, but they just didn't know how to talk about it. So we all need to talk about it together. ANIA  12:51 The only other thing I would add is, it's also leading by example in our professional lives, but also as people in our lives, our families or friends, focusing on the positives. One thing that gives me a little bit of hope is a lot of trends in our society, particularly kind of Western society have been driven by the baby boomers, because they are such a large demographic group. And because I look after patients who are by definition ill, or experiencing health difficulties, and we kind of tend to sort of see a very narrow section of the senior population. And yet many seniors are living healthy, fulfilling lives. And I'm, again, hoping that we're seeing the baby boomers come through that stage of life that will actually help improve that dialogue and improve the perceptions on the education as well. JO  13:37 The final societal influence I'd like to discuss is systemic racism. And again, with all of the podcasts on the summits that I've been producing, systemic racism comes up over and over and over again. So I'd like to know from each of you, how does racism appear in your corner of the mental health care world? Ania? ANIA  14:05 The one population of patients we've heard about is Aboriginal patients, who are really struggling with the systemic racism that exists within the healthcare system. But interestingly, there is also the fact that I think that we are having those discussions and being more honest and more open about how it is impacting patients. I'm hopeful for systemic change as well, and improvement in access to care and just the day-to-day care that we provide to patients. I'm not saying that we're there or even close. Taking the first step in improving the significant problem is developing that awareness and being honest and accepting of how much of a problem it is, and what it is that hopefully we can do to improve. MARJORIE  14:49 I don't see a lot of that just within the work environments that I'm in. I do see it sometimes coming up within independent living sites. Sometimes I will hear maybe a comment or I just sense when I'm being within a group, that there is some racial bias going on. And it's always very hurtful. And if I'm able to, I sometimes try to talk to that person that is initiating that. But that's really within my environment of working in elder care, it is quite limited that I do see it. I just think COVID has really brought so much more to the forefront for all of us, to be thinking about the inclusiveness of how much work there is still to be done. I noticed myself I'm just personally thinking about it a lot more. JO  15:41 Any ways you think we can minimize the impacts of racism on senior's mental health and the care they receive? NAOMI  15:49 One way is really developing culturally responsive, safe, accessible services that really meets mental health needs of a diverse population. Right now, I think what we have is not sufficient enough. And there's a lot that can be done to identify and decrease these disparities in rates of illness and outcomes. Joanne  16:18 Before moving on to talk about how a senior's circumstances can impact his or her mental health and well-being, I'd like to thank our sponsors, the Social Planning and Research Council of BC, Emil Anderson Construction, WorkSafeBC, and AECOM Engineering. These amazing folks fuel our drive toward improved mental health literacy throughout Canada and beyond. And we couldn't be more grateful. JO  16:47 Let's talk about isolation and loneliness and their increasing impacts on seniors, especially since COVID. These words are often used interchangeably, but they mean very different things. Isolation is a physical state. For example, we've been isolated due to pandemic restrictions. Loneliness, on the other hand, is an emotional state, meaning that some of us are feeling lonely because of the isolation. Seniors who are isolated may not be lonely, and lonely ones may not be isolated. So Ania, how do isolation and loneliness play into the mental health challenges faced by seniors? And what are the most common causes? ANIA  17:32 One of the things that I think has become much more obvious over the course of the last year and a half during the pandemic, of course, is that sense of physical isolation that was, of course, a result of the pandemic and trying to protect everyone in the community from COVID. And it certainly has exacerbated that in many ways. And I think one of the things we don't always think about is the impact not just on the patients themselves, but also on the supports and isolation from the support of their caregivers. In terms of loneliness, the recent pandemic has, I think, exacerbated that for some of our patients, leading to increased sense of loneliness. And that of course, can lead to increased depression, anxiety, as well as a sense of hopelessness. Other outcomes that can contribute to isolation and then also loneliness are declining physical health, that may lead to difficulties with mobility. Therefore, a patient becoming more shut in in their home because of inability to get out. Some physical difficulties may lead to loss of ability to drive again, increasing that sense of isolation, and then possibly leading to sense of loneliness as well. Unfortunately, as we age there's a greater chance that those who we feel connected to will become ill and pass on. There may also be other factors like physical frailty that I mentioned earlier, and loss of sensory abilities. For example, vision or hearing, that can also lead to isolation. Many of my patients will struggle with hearing loss are especially affected in kind of larger group settings, where there's a lot of sources of auditory stimulation, and they find it very difficult to take in conversations. So even though they may seem not to be isolated, they may not be able to enjoy or partake in conversation as much, because they are having trouble hearing. And then of course, sometimes we see things like family estrangement that can happen and that again, can lead to a sense of loneliness and isolation. Joanne  19:29 What do you recommend to help people become less isolated and more connected? ANIA  19:34 I think some of it is to try to look for strengths that we have, and also to make adjustments. For example, if interacting socially in a larger setting or a larger physical space, which can cause echo and other kinds of troubles when you have hearing aids, maybe plan for having a get together with one or two people in a smaller setting, where there won't be as many issues related to you hearing. Sometimes some of my patients and families, we discuss the idea of relocation. Some patients move, say to the Okanagan for the obvious benefits during retirement. But some of my patients, as they age and become frailer and develop more complex medical difficulties, find it difficult to be away from family. To some patients, I do encourage them to consider relocating to be closer to their support network. Sometimes living on your own can lead to a sense of that isolation. And then from that loneliness and consideration of alternative housing options like supportive housing, may also be a good idea that allows for increased socialization and interactions with others. And sometimes it's just a matter of being brave and taking some risks and putting yourself out there to find others. There are a lot of different resources available. Senior centers are wonderful resources to connect with others. The Society for Learning and Retirement is also an amazing resource for seniors, that can provide a lot of stimulation and opportunities for social connections with like-minded seniors. Joanne  21:04 Naomi, what are you seeing as you care for your Mom? NAOMI  21:08 I certainly believe that there has been an increase of loneliness, especially at the beginning of the pandemic when the doors were shuttered to all caregivers, and other forms of social engagement. I do think part of the issue in terms of long-term care is even the design of the physical space. For example, in my mom's home, there are three wings that are long hallways, with rooms adorning each side. And there's limited interaction, unless you're on that wing or going for mealtimes, which again has been changed in response to COVID. So for the majority of the day, other than a meal time, you would be spending alone in your room. Joanne  21:55 Another circumstance that some seniors face is poverty. And the outcomes can be things like poor nutrition, inadequate housing, or lack of transportation, just to name a few. And these will certainly all impact seniors' mental health. Ania, can you tell us about the psychology of poverty? ANIA  22:16 When we consider the impact of poverty on individuals, we can think of it in different ways. People can become more, sort of, ashamed of their circumstances, afraid to reach out for help, and focus on the basics and trying to get by from day-to-day. Poverty can then result in increased, kind of, physical as well as mental disorders, and can also decrease cognitive functioning just because of chronic stress. Joanne  22:46 So how can we start turning this around? ANIA  22:49 I think there are certainly increasing initiatives to look at decreasing poverty in our society in general. Seniors are certainly an affected group as well. Obviously, affordable housing is a big one, particularly in Canada, given the astronomical prices of housing. And that's not just for purchasing real estate, but also rental. For seniors who do not own their own properties, improving access to coverage for medications. Some medications are still out of pocket expenses that are not even covered by PharmaCare. And they can be extremely expensive. And some of my patients are not able to afford those medications, limiting the options for them. There has obviously been a lot of discussion in Canada and other countries looking at the concept of minimum income, and whether or not that would be something that will be of benefit. There's obviously differing opinions on that whether it's something worth considering as well. And also the role of families and how they are involved in supporting seniors, in terms of helping them with some of their financial concerns, I think would also be important to consider. Joanne  23:52 Marjorie, what have you learned about the impact of poverty on seniors' mental health? And again, how can we turn this around? MARJORIE  24:00 There's quite an issue with so many people as their aging, and particularly if they don't have the security of a good financial portfolio. There's a lot of fear that revolves around that. But also seniors have a great sense of pride. And it does limit them, I think, in reaching out to gain the support that maybe even is available. They don't know where to go, they don't know where to look. The generation of my parents, that's very much there that they don't want to be a burden to anyone else, even in their family or on society. They're proud and they've worked hard. Joanne  24:41 Naomi, what have you learned about the impacts of poverty on mental health, both in your caregiving and advocacy work? NAOMI  24:49 So what I am seeing, a lot of it tends to be this catch-22, where poor mental health leads to lower income and then vice-versa, lower income results in poor mental health. So I believe when you're navigating this both from a caregiving side and advocating, you really do need a lot of resilience to navigate, because you are met with a lot of obstacles along the way. And that really takes a toll on you. And when you're already worried about putting food on the table, paying your rent, it's really hard to steel yourself to fight the good fight on a daily basis. So, I'm seeing that people are just exhausted. They simply, especially from a caregiving perspective, as we had discussed that the supports that once were available to people, whether it's adult day support, or respite care, are not available in the same way. So the different areas that you may have had an opportunity to have a break or reprieve aren't really available. That compounds the stress to the point that you're often left just burnt out. Joanne  25:59 Let's move on to the conditions of trauma and elder neglect and abuse. Ania, what kinds of trauma follow people into their senior years. And how did they effect those seniors' capacity to live full and rewarding lives. ANIA  26:17 Trauma is obviously a complex issue. And it's generally kind of considered an emotional reaction to something that's quite distressing or stressful. And of course, those types of events can take place at any given point. Traumatic experiences can include exposure to combat or war. Of course natural disasters can also be very traumatizing. Accidents, be it a motor vehicle accident, or as seniors age, unfortunately, there is a high risk for falling. There are also experiences that can happen in terms of abuse, that includes both physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. And those experiences can take place in adulthood, but also in childhood. And of course, that can lead to some difficulties later on. Various studies that look at the experience of trauma and seniors will estimate that between 70 to 90% of seniors have experienced trauma in their lives, which is obviously not surprising given the average age of a senior in Canada. Now, in terms of looking at how trauma can impact a senior, I think a lot of it depends on how that trauma is experienced and processed over time. The way we experience trauma is sort of, I guess, in a way filtered through our sort of life experience, our personality, and also the circumstances. So for example, if we experienced something traumatizing, but we have tremendous support from family or friends, our reaction to it may be a bit more muted, versus if you are not supported or isolated, and may be much more difficult to cope with the trauma. But there's also, of course, concerns about delayed reactions and also chronic post traumatic stress disorder, which we will see in seniors as well. JO  27:15 What kinds of successes do you see in the treatment of seniors with trauma related mental health challenges? ANIA  28:07 Some of it actually starts off with maybe even looking at prevention, particularly when you look at seniors who are at risk for falling. So, looking at prevention to try to diminish the risk of trauma, being more in tune with what may be happening for them at home in terms of monitoring for any concerns related to abuse or neglect. Another thing that can happen in terms of prevention is even staying in hospital can be traumatizing, particularly for patients who are in the ICU. So looking at strategies in the ICU to decrease the experience of trauma in that environment. So prevention is one piece. And then of course, if a traumatic experience happens, counseling can be quite effective. And that can include more supportive grief counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other modalities of counseling. Some seniors do better with one-on-one counseling related to their trauma, and others will benefit from either group therapy or a support group. That sense of connection with other people who may have experienced trauma or similar traumatic experiences, can be really empowering and also normalizing for patients. And sometimes we do need to resort to medications. Patients who have severe post traumatic stress disorder can be quite affected by it, and post traumatic stress disorder can be associated with other psychiatric illnesses such as depression. So sometimes medications are also an important tool that can improve the quality of life for a patient who has a history of trauma. Joanne  29:32 Naomi, what have you learned in your caregiving and advocacy work about how to respond if you think a senior is being neglected or abused? NAOMI  29:42 If you are aware that a senior is being neglected or abused, you should seek out provincial or territorial resources on elder abuse. They will depend on the location, but really reporting what you're seeing. If it's a staff member, reporting that to a higher level, or if it's a family member, any means that you can just bring it to someone's attention is a first step. And if you're not comfortable doing that within a home setting, then seeking out government bodies to help support or guide, I think, would be the best first approach. Joanne  30:15 Next, I want to talk about the mindset us seniors have, the choices we make, and the behaviors we adopt that can help us live long, fulfilling lives. Now, bear with me, I'm thinking there might be an aging spectrum here. On the one end, could be people who embrace the aging process and choose to be responsible for aging, while on the other end, there could be those who resent aging and resist change. What's likely for most of us is that we inhabit the middle ground between positive and negative circumstances, attitudes, and behaviors. So honestly, does that make any sense? Ania? ANIA  30:59 Definitely, I think the way you have summarized it focuses on not just some of the responsibilities you mentioned, but the sense that it is an individual experience. So the mindset is very much a personal experience that can be shaped by the person's individual personality, but also their life experiences and sense of support from their community or families. It also I think, comes from a sense of purpose, and acceptance of changes. So I think if we look at all these factors, certainly we have to consider every individual in terms of their own life experiences, and their approach to how they want to lead their lives. And yes, I agree, I think we all need to take personal responsibility for our health and well-being. We talked in the earlier podcast about factors that can increase our risk of having various medical or psychiatric conditions later on in life. That may be, for example, smoking or dietary choices. So those are some of the things that we need to think about when we want to think about responsibility for aging well, is that sense we are looking at prevention as well. That's a complex decision for sure. JO  32:08 Marjorie? MARJORIE  32:09 I work a lot with people around change in many different capacities during workshops and webinars. Because I find that as so many people as they're getting older, they are afraid to step out of their comfort zone. And it's not that they're particularly happy in their comfort zone. But I do feel that as we're getting older, sometimes we lose a bit of sense of courage to move into the unknown. And I really do feel we need to support each other with that. And I'd see the benefit of doing that within some of these wisdom workshops that I've done for the last five or six years. And there's such a broad spectrum of why do people resist change. But if you help educate them, change has a lot to do with how we have dealt with losses and grief in our life, and Ania spoke of trauma. And of course, many people have had trauma in their lives that they haven't yet healed. And so coming together and sharing that vulnerability of perhaps exploring why people resist change, and bringing some of these components forward around loss around that, it's okay to make mistakes, and to embrace imperfection. Because I think older people somehow thinks, well, I should know how to do that, or I should be able to handle that. They're a little bit more afraid of looking foolish. And so when we just bring that out on the table and talk about it, and then people hear other people sharing that they feel that way, I think it helps people to move forward with a greater awareness of how to go about change. Joanne  33:55 Naomi, what are your thoughts on what I call the aging spectrum? NAOMI  34:00 I think that makes a lot of sense. I do find aging well takes concerted effort. And sometimes people might not be ready to put that effort forward, or like you pointed out, resistance to change, which I think is quite interesting considering the age-old adage, there's only one constant in life and that's change. I believe inhabiting that middle ground really is the key to aging with grace, as no extreme really works. I'm not there in that older adults state at the moment, but I can imagine that it would be difficult when you physically cannot do the things that maybe you once did. But accepting that things change and finding maybe new activities, new hobbies really will allow you to discover things about yourself and learn new skills that you didn't even know you had. I think living life to the fullest in whatever ability you are at like physically, cognitively really will ease potential burdens. And again, to speak to what we were talking about that stress and poverty, the more you focus on the aging side of things, the more it will stress you out. And that's going to cause some other unintended consequences. I really do believe embracing what's happening in your life is the best step forward. Joanne  35:26 So let's see how this might play out in real life. We talked earlier about isolation and the huge role it plays in defining seniors' mental health, and therefore their life expectations and experiences. What if isolation and/or loneliness were choices for some seniors? And what if they chose human connection instead? Ania? ANIA  35:53 I think it is important to recognize that we're all very different in terms of our personalities. Folks who are more introverted will tend to feel a little bit more comfortable in a world that's a bit smaller and has less going on. So I think there may be an element of choice, for some people to be maybe perceived as being more isolated or more separated. And yet, it is something that they feel quite content with. So I think that will be something that is important to keep in mind that we can't expect everyone to fit into the same expected behavior. We need to ask, is this something that you're content with? Is it something that makes you happy? But I think if there is an element of choice, we also sometimes need to accept that some people just feel more content. When I see that sometimes play out in my offices, where I have a senior who is more introverted, who actually does like staying at home all day and reading a book, and maybe their family member would like to see their mother or father be a little bit more active or socialize more. And it can actually lead to some degree of conflict between the caregiver and my patient where the patient is trying to say, I'm actually happy living like this. And the families sometimes struggle with accepting that. So I think we do need to consider those personal preferences. But if there is that desire for increased connection, then I think we need to look at options for people, and as I said, we've discussed those already. Joanne  37:19 Naomi? NAOMI  37:20 In my caregiving scenario, I think in the beginning, I really tried to get my Mom to do the things that I thought she might want to do or would like to do, or that I wanted her to do. And like Ania said, some people would rather just read a book, and she is one of those people. Over time, I have learned to just cultivate that. If that's what she enjoys doing, then I want to do it. But to harness that connection, as well as respecting what somebody enjoys spending their time doing, I brought forward the idea to the long-term care home. What about a book club, or coming up with some creative ways so that you're still cultivating that hobby, but also bringing in an engagement piece as well? And I think the pandemic, one positive thing that has come out of that is that we're really getting creative about connecting, whether it's Zoom, or telemedicine, or these different ways that weren't available to us or we weren't exploring, suddenly seems more possible. One thing I have also learned is that sometimes it doesn't even take words to have that kind of human connection. I know sometimes when I'll visit my mom, she'll be in a mood that day, and she's not really up for talking, and she doesn't want to listen to me rattle on about whatever else I'd be asking or talking to her about. So sometimes I just sit there with her and hold her hand. And there are no words, and that can speak volumes. So I think really living to what the other person that you're caring for, if that is the situation, and cultivating things that they enjoy will make both of you the most fulfilled, has the most possibility of success. JO  39:14 And Marjorie. MARJORIE  39:15 Music is a wonderful thing to use. And there's a wonderful documentary on Netflix, if anybody wants to watch it, called Alive Inside. And it's all about the aspect of music and that we retain the memories and the joy of music that we heard between 14 and 21. And you can find that if you play some songs for that person that maybe is disconnected from that time period, this look, they suddenly open their eyes and they begin to just open into their emotions again, and a beautiful, beautiful connection is formed that way. NAOMI  39:55 I have also seen that film and it is so touching. And I've seen it in my Mom's home as well, that people that don't really speak, almost mute to some extent, you put them in front of a piano, and then suddenly they're playing Beethoven. Or somebody comes in and plays some music, and they're singing along, and otherwise they're not conversing, they're not making those kinds of eye contact. So I agree, coming up with some different approaches can make a world of difference. Joanne  40:24 The next contrast we'll examine is one between resignation and resilience, which are both frames of mind. I know that many seniors experience challenges beyond their control and prevent them from living full lives. But I also know from experience that some of us give in to the challenges of aging. Marjorie, I know you embrace an approach called conscious eldering. Tell us about that, and how it can help build resilience. MARJORIE  40:54 I really came to myself when I just had turned 60. And I felt, boy, how am I going to approach this next chapter of my life? One great book is by Richard Lewis. And he talks about the stages where we have to really look at our past. And it's a letting go, that this is where we are at, this is the stage. And what have all those experiences come together to make us who we are, and that we may have had difficulties, we may have made mistakes, but it's an accepting process, and sometimes not a process of forgiveness, as well. And then it is about adapting to the stage of life. And that yes, physical challenges do happen. We are facing a death at the end of this stage of our life, and what are our fears about that, and exploring that? It's also called gerotranscendence. And it's really where we are looking at perhaps our tendency to resist change as well. Because this time of life is really about wanting to have an experience of more grace in our lives. And I define grace as being aware that everything that happens to us sometimes does happen for a reason, and that the spiritual component of it is that we are taking care of. And so it speaks a bit to developing trust, in even a bigger way as we're coming through this stage of our life, and allowing ourselves to let go of what was and be fully present with where we're at, as we go on each step of our journey. And it's very, very powerful in bringing, I think, a different awareness of what are the golden aspects of this time of life, which often do include all of these challenges that we've never faced before. And it takes a change in your mindset, I think, to form this type of acceptance. And also a trust that there is something bigger that is there, supporting us as we come through this stage of our journey is very, very valuable to look at. And I think it makes us feel where we can also find new passions and new ways of expressing who we truly are, that might have gotten buried over the second half of our life and gives us this chance to explore some of those aspects of ourselves. And that don't come out in whatever way feels right for each individual person. Joanne  43:34 Naomi, can you help us understand aging in place, and the infrastructure we need to help seniors stay resilient? I know this is important to you. NAOMI  43:45 There are different definitions of aging in place. But basically what it is, is meaning that you have access to services, and health, and social supports. You need to live safely and independently, whether in your home or your community for as long as you wish, or are able in terms of physical infrastructure. Aging in place would accommodate the different levels of aging. So in a physical space, there'll be a section for independent living, then maybe some supported living, long-term care, and then palliative care. And that would be all in one place so that you could graduate to the different levels without having to have so much disruption of moving to a new location, which I have seen firsthand can cause some regression cognitively, when they have to make that kind of move. Just from my experience with my Mom, and as I previously spoke about, part of the actual design of the homes at the moment, really don't foster the ability to age in place. Just to give you an example, my mom was about 53, 54 when she entered the home, and a lot of the people that were there were either palliative or in their later stages. So kind of placing her in an area where she's not with other people in a similar condition, I think can cause decline. And I had seen that as well. So I really believe looking at infrastructure when it comes to residential care is so important. And there's a lot of countries that are ahead of us, including the Netherlands. There's a home called the Hogawick. This is basically the leading model for aging. And that is a dementia village specifically, but just really allowing the space for people to live their best life in whatever stage they're at in their journey. Joanne  45:47 Ania, from your professional perspective, what does resilience look like for seniors? ANIA  45:53 Resilience is probably one of the most important factors that I consider when I see my patients and consider treatment options. And resilience, I guess, in a brief way could be summarized as an innate ability to adapt to either change, and/or stressful situations. It is something that offers a sense of perspective, and also an opportunity for growth. And that's definitely something that I try to tap into when I do talk to my patients. Some of them may have lost that sense of resilience or have a hard time accessing it. So some of our conversations were really focused on looking at previous life experiences when they were able to deal with situations that were quite difficult. And sort of we talked about how they were able to get through it, what helped them, and try to apply some of those strategies to their current circumstances. So it's definitely something that is quite important in terms of the work that I do with my patients. Joanne  46:55 Knowing that some seniors can make choices, what is one vital step they can take to move from resignation to resilience? ANIA  47:04 When I think of resilience and making those choices, resilience is actually something that can be learned or developed if one applies themselves. So even folks who may perceive themselves over the course of their life as maybe less resilient, can be encouraged through ongoing support to become more resilient. That resilience can also be fostered by a sense of close relationships. And we've talked about that quite a bit during our podcast today and also the last time. It can also be improved by a sense of physical and mental well-being. And I think the other thing that I look at also is a sense of purpose, because I think having a sense of purpose allows someone to feel more confident. And we talked about loss of confidence and how that can impact seniors as well. And then I think the last thing I would mention in terms of making choices and looking at resilience is also that there will be some changes that are inevitable, and that's part of our good outlook. And accepting those changes is also important in terms of our well-being, because if we dwell on the changes that are inevitable, we kind of get stuck and we can't move forward and look into the future. JO  48:09 Marjorie. MARJORIE  48:10 Well, I was just reading Brene Brown, of course, has written many books and studied resilience. And she had a quote that says, "Joy collected over time fuels resilience, ensuring we'll have reservoirs of emotional strength when hard things do happen." And so sometimes people that have become resigned and sort of stuck, they're not feeling a lot of joy. They're not looking for, or exploring inside themselves. What does bring me joy? And sometimes we, I think, have to sit with that for a while and have some enquiry of ourselves. Do I want more joy in my life? Because you can't make people do things. They have to have some desire within them to have more joy or to extend themselves again, out to people. Just what Naomi was saying about giving, I think that's an important part. Whenever I feel stuck, I think okay, I need to go and give somewhere because it moves me out of that space. But people have to have desire to move from resignation to resilience. I've watched both my sister and her husband have gone through enormous challenges. And I remember when he had a massive stroke at the age of 61. And it is through love, it was the love that was all around him with his family that fueled that desire for him to say, and his mantra was what Churchill said was, if it's to be it's up to me. Joanne  49:44 Let's now look at invisibility versus legacy, which I must admit interests me now that I'm a young senior. So Marjorie, can you tell us what you think are seniors ongoing contributions? MARJORIE  49:57 A lot of people as their ageing feel like they are a burden. And so how do we help them to engage. And I think the intergenerational component is so important, because I've just turned 70 and I do find that people in their 30s do recognize the wisdom that I have gained over all the experiences that I've gone through in my life. I think it takes some courage to feel that, gee, my ideas are of value, I do have wisdom. And so that's an inward place that we each have to come as we're getting older, to let go of even what society perhaps feels in some ways about aging. For us as boomers, as we're moving into this time of our life, it's to discover what do I have to express? Where can I express that and how? And that does maybe take an engagement in a certain way that not everybody wants to do, but many of us do. Many of us do want to still be contributing. And so it takes a confidence to not listen to what other people may be telling you, "Oh, you shouldn't start that business. Or you shouldn't go and do that. What are you doing that for?" If it feels right for you, then find the courage to do it. That's where I think we're going to have healthier aging lives without as much chronic disease. And we're going to have more joyful aging lives even amid very difficult challenges that do come. ANIA  51:41 I would think of it as sort of a gradual process and trying to help them gain a sense of perspective, and a sense of pride in what it is that they have accomplished. I think it also helps to involve family members to try to help the patient gain that sense of perspective. So they do feel more valued and more appreciated, rather than invisible. And also consider some of the cultural differences that may impact the perception of a legacy. Because of course, there will be some cultural differences in terms of how contributions, either past or present, of seniors are perceived by their families or their communities. Joanne  52:23 Naomi, does your Mom or did she ever talk about her legacy and how it would be affected because of her illness? NAOMI  52:31 We didn't have an opportunity to have those conversations. Joanne  52:35 Does that make you think about your own legacy? NAOMI  52:38 Absolutely. Her dementia diagnosis, and it's inevitable conclusion has made me more cognizant of what time I have and how precious time is. And I know that I really want to leave my stamp or something that can live on beyond me, especially considering what I have facing me as a child of somebody living with early onset. There is a 50/50 likelihood that you would potentially be diagnosed with the disease, plus as a woman that Alzheimer's disease is often more prevalent. That's kind of ever present in my life. So if that is where life goes, I really want to in the time that I have now try to make a change that outlives me. Joanne  53:26 Before we touch on the mental health care system. I'd like to talk about the role of spirituality in seniors' mental health. Ania, are you aware of any research that demonstrates a link between senior spiritual beliefs and their mental wellness? ANIA  53:42 There is research that does reveal that there is a correlation between a heightened sense of spiritual connection and a sense of psychological well-being, for example, a sense of comfort, of peace, and more hopeful view of the world. Joanne  54:00 And do you see this in your patients? ANIA  54:03 Yes, it's sort of interesting because we think of spirituality particularly in the context of maybe more religious spirituality, as something that is generally beneficial. But surprisingly, there are circumstances where religious beliefs especially can present some challenges. For example, my patients who suffer from more severe depression, sometimes will have a greater sense of guilt or failing God, that can actually exacerbate their depression. Having said this, one of the protective factors that we see when it comes to suicide is a sense of faith and connection, spiritual connection, and quite often when I asked my patients who do feel like life is not worth living, or they have thoughts of suicide, and yet they are not acting on them. One of the more common answers I get is it's the faith that keeps them going. Joanne  54:57 Lastly, I'd like to touch on seniors' mental healthcare in our overall health care system? Can each of you share briefly what you think are the greatest challenges that seniors face within those systems? Ania. ANIA  55:13 That could be probably a podcast of its own. What I would like to see the most and I struggle with the most is the recognition or early detection of mental illness. Sometimes we end up meeting with patients where they've had symptoms for quite a long time. And one cannot help but wonder what if we had recognized it earlier? What if we had treated it earlier? Would it have led to that same degree of disability, loss of quality of life, or a burden on the caregivers? But I think in general, what the system will require to improve upon is a more continuous and more integrated system of care, including our acute care system and also our community. For example, we now have a Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, which I'm hoping is a sign that there is going to be greater importance paid to the treatment of mental illness amongst our community, including our seniors. But again, I think that early recognition, prevention, and also developing a more cohesive, more seamless system would be essential. JO  56:20 Marjorie. MARJORIE  56:20 A more family centered approach, if that's possible, so that everyone within the family is understanding what are the components of that mental health issue. And how can they deal with it themselves? And also, how can they support that person? I think that's an education component and an inclusiveness that perhaps needs to improve. And especially as far as seniors in the older senior population, the accessibility and availability has to change somewhat, because so many of them aren't that comfortable with computers. JO  56:21 Naomi. MARJORIE  56:21 Access to services in a timely manner, super important. Just to give you an example, we were looking for support for my Mom at the beginning of the journey. So we reached out to our GP, who had recommended or referred her to a neurologist, but it was over a year to get an appointment. And like Ania said, there could be a decline. And you wonder what could have happened if they had that timely response. NAOMI  57:27 Trying to get a dementia diagnosis, very, very difficult. There's not one test that you can get, it's a battery of tests, and the services are often siloed. And they don't always talk to each other. So as the caregiver or the person trying to get the best care for their loved one, we're really left trying to navigate all these systems that don't always make sense and are at times in contravention with one another. I would love a coordinated clear pathway of how to navigate the system, because I find that that is a lot of my time is spent just doing that. Joanne  58:08 For our listeners who are interested in more information about needed change to our seniors' mental health care system, you can find the Mental Health Commission of Canada's 2019 Guidelines for Comprehensive Mental Health Services. For older adults in Canada, you can visit the Commission's website at mentalhealthcommission.ca. We're on the homestretch now, and I can't believe how much ground we've covered. As a senior with mental health challenges, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for sharing such great stories and helpful information. So let's bring this all to a finer point. Ania, if you could share the most important thing you've learned about seniors' mental health with other medical professionals, what would that be? ANIA  59:06 I would look at hopefulness as the most important thing that I have learned. Basically, it's that sense that there is hope that there is possibility for improvement. And that we should always strive towards the goal of improving not only that sense of well-being but also quality of life, and the well-being of the caregivers. Because often, the sense of improvement is tied into the relationship between the patient and the caregiver. So I think hope is the most important thing I have learned. Joanne  59:38 Ania, thanks so much for sharing your incredible insights. It's been a pleasure getting to know you and your work, and I'm really so grateful for people like you who use your talents and passions to serve a demographic that's often overwhelmed and overlooked. ANIA  59:56 Thank you again Jo, for taking on this really important topic. Joanne  1:00:00 Marjorie, if you could say one thing to seniors about the opportunities available to them at this time of life, what would that be? MARJORIE  1:00:09 I'm a lifelong learner. And I know many people say that to me that that's what they want to do as well. And that I think creates a sense of hope that this stage of life is wonderful in so many ways. Joanne  1:00:23 Thanks for joining us, Marjorie. Your broad understanding of the issues has helped us build a robust argument for improving seniors' mental health care. And I wish you loads of love and fulfillment in your golden years. MARJORIE  1:00:37 Thank you. I'm really trying to take that saying, 'the golden years' and really find where there are those nuggets of gold, even despite challenges that we go through and the resilience that we're cultivating as well. JO  1:00:50 And Naomi, what do you envision for the future of caregiving for seniors with mental health challenges? NAOMI  1:00:57 What I envision is really having somebody to accompany you through this journey of caregiving, that understands how to navigate these different health care systems and will help guide you along a defined path. I also see for the future of caregiving, increased access to respite care and at home care, and of course, an outlet for advocacy to make these systemic changes. Joanne  1:01:24 Naomi, your devotion to caregiving in general and your mother's care in particular, is truly inspiring. On your Discuss Dementia website, you asked the question, who will speak if I don't. I suggest that because you speak, many will listen, and positive change will follow. So keep up the great work. So that's a wrap for Part 2 of this podcast on seniors' mental health. So much great information. To connect with Ania, Marjorie, or Naomi visit freshoutlookfoundation.org and look for Seniors Mental Health under Podcasts. There you'll find their contact info, bios, a list of resources, and the podcast transcript. Another big thank you to our sponsors for this episode, the Social Planning and Research Council of BC, Emil Anderson Construction, WorkSafeBC and AECOM Engineering. And thanks to you as well for hanging out with us. You are very much appreciated. Please visit our website to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, which will alert you to new episodes of the podcast and for podcast information as it drops. Follow us on Facebook at FreshOutlookFoundation and Twitter at FreshOutlook. In closing, be well and let's connect again soon. Episode Reviews

Join us this week as we continue our series “Alive Inside” with Pastor Joel Scrivner. We hope that this series will strengthen and encourage you as you follow along. We are so thankful for all of you who are part of our online family… To connect with Oaks further, please contact us at info@oakschurch.com. Don't forget that we have services every Sunday at 10:30AM Central Standard Time. You can join us online at https://www.youtube.com/c/OaksChurch/videos or you can come enjoy what God is doing in-person! Don't forget to visit us at https://www.oakschurch.com where you can give towards our mission and learn more about what Oaks is doing to spread the Message of Jesus.

Join us this week as we begin our series “Alive Inside” with Pastor Brandon Cox. We hope that this series will strengthen and encourage you as you have follow along. We are so thankful for all of you who are part of our online family… To connect with Oaks further, please contact us at info@oakschurch.com. Don't forget that we have services every Sunday at 10:30AM Central Standard Time. You can join us online at https://www.youtube.com/c/OaksChurch/videos or you can come enjoy what God is doing in-person! Don't forget to visit us at https://www.oakschurch.com where you can give towards our mission and learn more about what Oaks is doing to spread the Message of Jesus.

Who Cares... About Being Alive Inside? featuring Daniella Greenwood and Maurie Voisey-Barlin. Every Friday Daniella and Maurie will take a deep dive into the topics and issues that we discuss in our Tuesday episode, and they'll use their expertise to explore what these issues mean for those of us working in the industry. The Aged Care Enrichment Podcast is brought to you by SilVR Adventures ⬇️

Today's guest on the podcast is Michael Rossato-Bennett, an American documentary filmmaker best known for his film, Alive Inside. Alive Inside followed the company Music and Memory as it helped older adults in care reconnect to themselves and reawaken with the help of their favourite music. You might remember the scene with Henry's whole face and body language lighting up when he hears songs from his youth – that clip has had over 7 million views on YouTube! Despite the background in music and filmmaking, this conversation with Michael is about human connection, and what underpins or should underpin any care that we seek to provide for people, no matter their age. Michael has a great talent at converting his ideas into films and conveying his thoughts into words, and we're sure you will enjoy listening to this discussion. As always you can hear Daniella and Maurie's take and thoughts about these ideas in their show Who Cares? which is released every Friday. The Aged Care Enrichment Podcast is brought to you by SilVR Adventures ⬇️

Today's show is with an old friend. Ned Buskirk is the big-hearted, emotive MC of “You're Going to Die, Poetry Prose and Everything Goes” an open mic on the subject of death, dying, and grief. Embracing impermanence is one of the paradoxical keys to a life like a festival, to live in the moment we have to learn to let go. On the show we discuss the important impermanence of a festival and how the shorter lives of our pets teach us to cultivate sacredness. Ned shares how the process of losing his mother and step-mother led to the creation of his unique open-mic. We talk about tears and masculinity and Ned's special presence as Master of Ceremonies. He tells us about bringing his offering to San Quentin as “Alive Inside.” We share our favorite quotes about loss and death. Finally Ned talks about the You're Going to Die podcast and we talk shop about making art. Ned is the host and CEO of You're Going to Die (YG2D), a 501(c)3 nonprofit which started as a poetry night in 2009. In addition to the iconic open mic, the nonprofit supports two programs “Alive Inside” and “Songs for Life.” Alive Inside hosts a version of the above shows for the incarcerated. Songs for Life is a free program where musicians offer their talents & companionship, playing music & writing songs for hospice patients & their communities. YG2D's most recent venture is a popular podcast where Ned interviews many of his heroes in holding space for grief. There are two truths that Ned shares. One is that you're going to die. The other is that you haven't yet. The rest is up to you. Links Ned Buskirk: http://www.nedbuskirk.com/ You're Going to Die, Poetry Prose and Everything Goes: http://www.yg2d.com/ Alive Inside: https://www.alive-inside.com/ Songs for Life: https://www.songsforlife.info/ You're Going to Die: The Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-going-to-die-the-podcast/id1504333055 “See You in the Morning Light” by Scott Ferreter: https://scott-ferreter.bandcamp.com/releases Timestamps :12 - Death and the impermanence of a festival :19 - Why I keep a meditation on dying in my bathroom
:28 - Sacredness in letting go of pets :35 - How Ned lost his mother and step-mother and created You're Going to Die :52 - Tears and masculinity in MCing grief and death :59 - “Alive Inside” the YG2D prison project 1:15 - Quotes about loss and death 1:24 - Meaninglessness creates space for meaning 1:30 - Podcasting: Share the thing you most don't want to share

On today's episode I talk about a documentary I just watched called "Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory". You can watch the full documentary for free at: https://youtu.be/aN_Cpd_NpMY If you prefer to watch the episode instead of listen to it, you can do so on Youtube at: https://youtu.be/rYIp57Lurhc Leaving a like, a comment, a subscribe or a review would really help the podcast to gain momentum and be a source of daily positive content for as many people as possible! Thank you for your support! You can find all my social media links to connect with me at: https://linktr.ee/joelmartinmastery Your friend and ally, Joel Martin We've Got Time by LiQWYD | https://www.instagram.com/liqwyd Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

If you take a look around the next time you're out in public, chances are you will pass by at least a handful of people with their headphones in. And while there may be many catching up on their favorite podcast, there are just as many that are getting down or chilling out to their favorite tunes. It's not hard to notice that music can indeed change your mood, like discovering a new song on the way to work that can make your whole day. Or, feeling the nostalgia when you hear the Breakfast Club soundtrack that makes you want to punch a hand up in the air. Music plays a large part in our lives and can influence the way we feel, but did you know that it also has an impact on our health? In a new episode of Absolute Trust Talk, Kirsten is joined by special guest, Dan Cohen. Dan is a long-time social worker and both the founder and CEO of Right to Music - an organization that advocates for integrating music interventions into health care, especially for those in long-term care or with dementia. He also developed the extraordinary and Sundance award-winning documentary, “Alive Inside,” highlighting some of the amazing results from using music as a tool for dementia patients. Together Kirsten and Dan discuss the positive effects that music can have on people, including: How to relieve isolation, boost spirits, and reduce negative aspects of aging What your music habits say about your mental health How music can help loved ones suffering from dementia The epidemic that's currently plaguing nursing homes And more! Now more than ever, our older adults need our support to speak out on their behalf, to help them fight isolation and reconnect with loved ones and peers. While music seems like such a simple thing we hear on a regular basis, it is also something that has slowly proven to be a vital tool in healthcare. We're excited to share this episode with you as well as Dan's expertise in the hope that you too can give the gift of music to either yourself or someone you know.

This episode is with my good friend Sassan Scott Zaker AKA FADEDAEON. Known to me and many of his friends as Scotty. I've known Scotty since the early 2000's. I met him through my younger brother and we've ended up having a lot of mutual friends over the years. Scotty is an extremely talented drummer and musician. He puts out music under the name FADEDAEON. In this episode we have a very in depth conversation about coming from CA and growing up in MN, his start with music, the loss with both of our mothers, the power of music, music production, what he is doing with music currently, mental health, the pandemic, and a lot of stuff related to the craziness of 2020/2021. If you'd like to check out his music you can do so by streaming the 3 albums he has available on your favorite streaming platform.... "These Fleeting Moments" album: https://album.link/us/i/1457526771 "Aqueous Anemoia" album: https://album.link/us/i/1530513444 "Sleepy Head" album: https://album.link/us/i/1580059086 If you'd like to keep up with what Scotty is up to, follow him on IG: @fadedaeon If you'd like to check out the documentary "Alive Inside" that he mentions in the episode, you can do so here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN_Cpd_NpMY Check out the other stuff I have going on. Including beats for artists, sample packs for producers, and more: http://www.NiceGuyEnt.com​​​​ Follow me @NiceGuyEnt on IG!

As we learn more and more about the brain, researchers are developing new neuroscientific methods that can help diagnose patients with traumatic brain injury. For example, some of these methods might even be able to tell us that patients who otherwise appear unresponsive are actually still "alive inside". That's an amazing idea, but the story doesn't stop there. As such technology develops, it raises a number of ethical questions about how it works and how to use. In this paper, Andrew and his coauthors investigate the benefits, harms, and costs of using neuroimaging to detect human consciousness. Links and Resources * Andrew Peterson (https://philosophy.gmu.edu/people/apeter31) * The paper (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bioe.12678) * Experiences of family of individuals in a locked in, minimally conscious state, or vegetative state with the health care system (https://bmcmedethics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12910-021-00674-8) * Ethical issues in neuroimaging after serious brain injury with Charles Weijer (https://www.charlesweijer.com/neuroimaging-project) * Practice guideline update recommendations summary: Disorders of consciousness (https://n.neurology.org/content/91/10/450) * Jason Karlawish (https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g275/p7909) * Adrian Owen (https://owenlab.uwo.ca/) Paper Quotes The practice guideline update is a milestone in the history of neurology. Recommendations to use investigational neuroimaging methods are but one aspect of the guideline, and there is a need for further normative analysis of its rich content. We encourage continued debate on these issues. Bringing clarity to the underlying ethics of caring for brain‐injured patients can assist clinicians and health care institutions as they incorporate the guideline in clinical practice. We think that investigational neuroimaging could facilitate access to opportunity for DoC patients. As the guideline highlights, investigational neuroimaging could function as a gatekeeper for continued rehabilitation, and it might also be used as a neural prosthetic, based on future technical improvements. Neuroimaging assessment could also inform clinical decisions that best reflect a patient's values, even if pursuing those values are inconsistent with standard notions of quality of life. Opportunity‐based frameworks for healthcare justice still require conceptual refinement, and further work needs to be done to thoroughly apply such a framework to the DoC context. However, we believe that this is a promising avenue of future research to explicate the justice claims that DoC patients (or other disabled populations) have to investigational neuroimaging and other novel therapies. Special Guest: Andrew Peterson.

Did you know that certain emotions within your body can trigger a physical ailment within your body. If you haven't read the book "feelings buried alive never die," you really need to. Emotions need our specific attention in order to NOT get sick and create disease within our body. [5:15] - If you have arthritis, it may have been triggered from these emotions. [6:50] - What to do to heal your negative emotions[10:30] - If you have Anxiety[11:00] - If you or your child experiences bed-wetting[12:05] - If you have any bladder issues[12:56] - If you have Cancer[15:00] - Candida[15:47] - If you have Constipation[16:18] - If you have Diarrhea[17:07] - If you have Dementia[17:18] - If you have Diabetes[18:20] - If you have Migraine Headaches[19:20] - Do the 4-7-8 breath to release stress[19:40] - If you have a miscarriageRelease negative emotions with Kundalini Yoga HERETry a scribbling activity HEREGet good coaching on whatever your situation is HERESupport the show (http://www.healthcoachheather.com)

Dr. Bill Thomas is an author, entrepreneur, musician, teacher, farmer, and physician whose wide-ranging work explores the terrain of human aging. Best known for his health care system innovations, he is the founder of a global non-profit (The Eden Alternative) which works to improve the care provided to older people. He is the creator of The Green House® which Provider Magazine has called the “pinnacle of culture change.” Dr. Thomas also developed the Senior ER model of care and is now working to transform the acute care services provided to elders.His synthesis of imagination and action led the Wall Street Journal to highlight Dr. Thomas as one of the nation's “top 10 innovators” changing the future of retirement in America and US News and World Report to name him as one of “America's best leaders.” The magazine noted his “startling commonsense ideas and his ability to persuade others to take a risk,” and concluded that “this creative and wildly exuberant country doctor has become something of a culture changer–reimagining how Americans will approach aging in the 21st century.”Dr. Thomas also starred in the Sundance award-winning documentary Alive Inside. He has been traveling the country since 2014 starring in what he calls his ChangingAging Tour, a “nonfiction theater performance” that has played in over 80 cities. “People hear that a doctor is coming to town to talk about aging and they expect me to show up wearing a white coat with PowerPoint slides. I show up with a guitar, a bass player, a theater set, costumes, music, art, mythology, storytelling, biography, and neuroscience all mixed up. It's kind of like a TED Talk on steroids.”“What we need is a radical reinterpretation of longevity that makes elders (and their needs) central to our collective pursuit of happiness and well-being.” – Dr. Bill Thomas Dr. Thomas' books include:Principia SenescentisSecond Wind: Navigating the Passage to a Slower, Deeper, and More Connected LifeTribes of EdenWhat Are Old People For? How Elders Will Save the World.Website: ChangingAging.com

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://osazuwaakonedo.com/video-abandoned-baby-boy-found-alive-inside-gully-erosion-in-edo-state/03/08/2021/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/osazuwaakonedo/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/osazuwaakonedo/support

You've probably experienced it in some way, but music is deeply tied to memory. In fact, it has been used for years and years now to help patients with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The music helps them remember who they are, waking them up inside. It's a beautiful example of an even bigger truth that begs the question, what makes us feel alive? What connects us with the presence of God, reminding us of who God is and who we are? The soundtracks and rhythms of our lives make a difference. Listen in. Alive Inside documentary clip Awakenings by Dr. Oliver Sacks Emily P. Freeman Instagram: @juleclayton or @remindherpodcast Website: www.remindherpodcast.com 

Founder & CEO Right to Music, Public Speaker, Founder Music & Memory, Subject of Alive Inside Sundance award winning docDan's website: https://righttomusic.com/When the producers of an amazing new documentary called “Alive Inside” loaded a clip from their film to YouTube, they weren't prepared for the response. It quickly attracted more than 6 million views and stunned viewers with its heart-warming video of an elderly man with dementia coming alive when the music of his youth is played for him. “Alive Inside” profiles seven elderly people suffering from dementia and shows the transformation that occurs when they're given iPods loaded with their favorite songs from years ago. Dan Cohen is the Executive Director of Music and Memory, the iPod Project, and he started it in 2006 when he was a social worker. He says it occurred to him to reach out to long-term facilities and ask who was using iPods. He discovered none were. Music is such an integral part of recreation in nursing homes but given limited resources in this country, long-term care facilities are forced to focus on group activities rather than individual interests, Dan says. He launched this project to get iPods into nursing homes because he realized if he himself was in one, he'd want to hear the music that appealed specifically to him, not the entire group. And he was amazed by the reaction from the patients. He explains how music is able to tap into people's long-term memories. Even those people who no longer recognize their families suddenly become talkative and animated when they listen to the songs they listened to when they were young. He says no matter how ravaged someone's brain is by Alzheimer's or dementia, many people respond to the music because what we listen to in our youth gets so heavily imprinted on our brains. 

Some of what was discussed in this episode: Are the Conversations crew really "Some of the best Engineers in the world"? Charles Kenny on Twitter - "I just got vaccinated by a woman born in Vietnam, with a vaccine created by two Turkish refugees living in Germany and manufactured by a US company run by a Greek migrant. Thank you, world. Balaji Srinivasan on Time Ferriss A short exploration of incentives "Show me the incentives and I will show you the outcome" - Charlie Munger Spider shares is passion for the Georgian Folk Trio - Trio Mandili - What is it that makes this music so powerful? Spider's selections here Top 40 music - is it denatured? Mix tactics to humanize music - naturalizing synthetic sounds and modernizing classic & organic sounds How deeply are records made today connecting to young listeners? "Alive Inside documentary and the power of music to connect deeply How traditional music survives and is handed down - the aural and oral traditions Jon's NYC meals and the power of a simple, transcendent meal Via Carota Aska Intent in record making What can modern artists do to leverage whatever it is that makes trio Mandili special? Other people in the room, the power of collaboration Music as a means to express the ineffable, to take over where the spoken and written word runs out - "I hope you have had the experience where a song has cracked you open" Is modern record making often words on a page with no intent - effective nonsense? The timeliness of a recording and how it fits into a cultural landscape Michael captures the themes and recaps the conversation so far A working list of the attributes of timeless work Generational Communal Natural/Rooted/grounded Personal Unprotected Unafraid Transcends the listener Brave Evidence High stakes Unencumbered Meaningful Rich with emotion Connected performers Honesty Historical A discussion of the evergreen lessons in Shakespeare How Capitalism and modern markets are incentivized to decouple us from history What are we really optimizing for in the record making process? The early days of The Gift Shop and the importance of a technology free zone of piano & guitar to explore songs Songs, mixes and masters as "Closed Systems" where everything affects everything “Nobody wants to listen to your fear” - Spider Referencing other artists work - how and when? Active & dangerous elements in a song, mix, master - un-inhibiting the music Timelessness - the power and the pitfalls of this word in the studio George Hazelrigg and his ideas on the personal vs the universal Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and The London Symphony Orchestra "Music is a conversation between the past and the present, the artist and the listener" - Ruairi Joshua Redman and gutural saxophone, the endless variation of nature A conservative movement in music? How do we demand nutritious music? A discussion of context - why we focus on the pretty flower and not the pot, the soil, the water... Michael’s listening challenge - Actively decoding the meaning of words as group to empower progress "How do we discern innovation from decay?" - Spider What does it mean if modern singers don’t smile?  How often are you truly humbled by art? Regardless of the medium ..... http://www.convos.at Produced and Mixed by Dylan Seals http://www.hdaudiopost.com "Conversations Theme" Performed by Hazelrigg Brothers Composed by “Spider” Ron Entwistle, Geoff Hazelrigg, George Hazelrigg Piano: George Hazelrigg Bass: Geoff Hazelrigg Drums: John O’Reilly Jr. Mixed by Jon Castelli

The award-winning movie Alive Inside (2014) inspired a five-year research project that is documenting the effects of a personalized music intervention for those with dementia. Dr. Coryse St. Hillaire-Clarke of The National Institute on Aging (NIA) explains the project, which is funded by an NIA grant. We discuss other studies and developments in music interventions for dementia, including two exciting opportunities to be personally involved in policies and research on the topic. The NIA is the primary Federal agency supporting and conducting Alzheimer's disease research, which falls within the NIA's broader scientific effort to extend the healthy, active years of life. Links and notes related to this episode can be found at https://mpetersonmusic.com/podcast/episode86 Connect with us: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnhanceLifeMusic/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enhancelifemusic/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpetersonpiano/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/musicenhances In-episode promos: Rolflex Pro https://irolflex.com/?rfsn=4898858.8a3306 The Business Side of Music podcast https://www.businesssideofmusic.com

Angel has a unique background that combines rigorous scientific research, psychology and the arts. She has worked on clinical trials searching for drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease and has an extensive background as an art therapist. In this first of two podcasts with Angel, she discusses her experience practicing art therapy, particularly with people who are experiencing cognitive decline and dementia.  We discuss why drug interventions have failed and why behavioral and lifestyle interventions can reduce risks for dementia and can be such an important aspect of any dementia treatment plan. Angel discusses her lifestyle approaches to achieving Qualongevity - living long and living well. Episode #3 Chapters: 01:11 - Art does not lie. 02:17 - A Child with Asperger's0 6:16 – Dan Cohen, Alive Inside11:59 – Becoming a Research Clinician13:25 – Why have AD Drug Trials Failed?16:18 – Art therapy for People with AD18:40 – Angel's Approach to Qualongevity20:30 – Angel's Podcast “N2Creativity”21:45 - Conclusion

Sardis was built on a mountain and had a citadel (fortification) that was considered unconquerable. Nevertheless, it was conquered at least five times, twice due to carelessness. The Christians in Sardis seem to have been as apathetic as the city’s defenders. When Jesus said, “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead” it is like the impressive citadel atop the mountain in which the guards are sleeping. Do you know Christians who are apathetic about their devotion to the Lord?

Another episode of the Miller Piano Podcast is here! Host, Jason Skipper sits down with accomplished pianist, composer, and award winner Ed Bazel. If you want to learn more about the ins and outs of becoming a professional musician, you do not want to miss this podcast! Topics Discussed: Can Music Truly Heal the Soul? Ed's Interesting Journey As an Aspiring Artist How Ed Found His Absolute Favorite Piano How and Why "The River of Calm" Began Ed Bazel's Upcoming CD Transcript Jason Skipper 0:12 Welcome to the Miller Piano Podcast! I'm your host Jason Skipper, and in this episode, we have special guest Ed Bazel here visiting us. Ed has been a longtime friend of Miller Piano Specialists. He is the host of The River of Calm live stream concert series, as well as The River of Calm beyond the music podcast. Ed is an accomplished pianist and composer, and he has won many awards. Just to name a few from Miller Piano Specialists, in 2017, Ed was the recipient of the MPS Hall of Fame Award in the Instrumentalists Category. In 2018, he received the MPS Hall of Fame Award as Entertainer of the Year. In late 2019 late last year, he was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Ed, It's an honor to have you on the podcast, welcome! Ed Bazel 1:00 Jason, thank you so much. You should be my agent, that sounds like that's pretty cool stuff that's happened there! Jason Skipper 1:08 It's very impressive everything that you've done. You know, I've been watching the MPS Awards show last year, also online with The River of Calm. It's just impressive everything you've done, so it is an honor! Ed Bazel 1:21 I'm a lucky man. I'll put it that way. So thank you so much for having me here. Jason Skipper 1:26 All right. Well, as I mentioned that you have been working closely with Miller Piano Specialists for quite a while. I know you've been through them with the events over the years. You have The River of Calm that happens every month there at the store. How did your relationship start with Miller? Ed Bazel 1:43 Oh, wow, that's a good question. It started because my sister took piano lessons when I was a kid. That's what happened. She was older than me, so my mom would drop her off and she figured, if she drops my sister off for half an hour, she might as well get me lessons too, so she can have an hour of free time. So my mom was really smart. So I started lessons at five. There's an answer to this Miller Piano thing that I'll get to. For 11 years kicking and screaming, and I was on a Yamaha spin at a piano at that time. I hated it until I realized that I was too shy to talk to girls, and maybe I could be good at piano and that would help. I don't know if it did or not, but that's another story. So yeah, I went to school, I have that business degree Computer Programming Degree and I told my mom and dad, "You know what, I'm going to play the piano for a living." I was a professional pianist for about 20 years. Not only here in my hometown of Huntington, West Virginia, but Lexington, Kentucky and then out in Los Angeles for many years. I was the guy like In the tuxedo at the Beverly Hills Country Club, you know, of course, I could play "Misty" (Ella Fitzgerald) and yes, the restroom is that way. I always use that as a joke. It was such a great way to make a living with my hands and my soul. I realized, the more I would go into an agent's office to pick up my paycheck, the more they would call me on the phone to do jobs and was like, "This is interesting." So I said, "Why don't I take that box of index cards you have of your artists?" This is really old school stuff, "And let me create a database for you." So that's how I got into the agency side of things. So I ended up becoming an agent in LA, a lot of work in the Asia Pacific market, and then learned the corporate entertainment market. We're getting to Miller Piano I just want you to know that! Jason Skipper 3:52 Oh, you're good, you're good. Ed Bazel 3:53 So I had been an agent for artists like Judy Collins, Don McLean, Gordon Lightfoot, John Waite, a number of older, classic artists. Then I had an entrepreneurial seizure, which is what they call it, and I thought I could probably do this on my own. So I opened my own company. For 20 some years, we've had a company that produces concerts, comedians and speakers for corporate events. So that means somebody knows how to build aircraft or program software suites. But when it comes to that big company event where you're going to have a concert, they don't know exactly what they're doing. So we're the guys that say, "Hey, we'll walk you through the process, you show up and look good, and we'll handle the details." During that 20 plus years when I wasn't a pianist, when I was working in the corporate world, which again, bookings all the way from the Great Wall of China to the US Ambassador to the Vatican in Rome and an amazing career with tremendous artists. But all that time, I wasn't playing the piano for a living, and I somewhat missed it. I missed it more and more. I thought, you know, I've got this Yamaha Clavinova now that I've used for so long, which is an electric keyboard with a weighted action, which is really cool to have, especially with the volume control button if you are living in an apartment or had people sleeping. So that was good. I thought this piano is starting to call me again, after all these years. It's like waking up again. So, I actually have a laminated vision board in my shower. Yes, I do. Sorry to say that, but it works! It works. People think people at Kinkos think I'm a little strange, but that's okay. Jason Skipper 3:55 Gotcha! That's the best place where you get the best ideas. Isn't it? Right there. Ed Bazel 5:58 Every morning, every single morning. So I did have a grand piano on my vision board. So with the piano calling to me again, still booking concerts, you name it, you know Smash Mouth, Foreigner, Huey Lewis in the news and stuff, I'm still thinking there's something missing. So I thought, I've never recorded a piano CD before. So, a few years back, I decided I'm going to go in and at least record a CD of my own stuff. So I went to you know, the beautiful studio here in Nashville. They had a Yamaha C7 and here I'd practice on the Yamaha Clavinova weighted action keyboard, which seems like no big deal. But when I sat at that Yamaha C7 in the studio, which is like you're under a microscope, there's no hiding when it comes to solo piano, none. It was like going from my Yamaha Clavinova which I would say was like beautiful Honda, you know that you're driving or even better than that. I'm not trying to diss-service the Clavinova. But that Yamaha C7 was like a Ferrari on steroids. Oh my gosh, what an experience playing that. The difference in feel was really palpable I ended up you know, playing afraid of the keyboard because it was so expressive. So I had to control it. So with all that said, I wasn't really happy with that CD. I'm gonna record it another one. So, that problem with not being able to express myself, I cured it because I bought a C7 for myself, and my touch and feel are back now. That's all because I wandered into Miller Piano and I walked in there and I remember Sherry Carlisle Smith sitting in the corner there and she gave me some space. I'm not one of these persons that want to be jumped on immediately. I just kind of want to touch a little bit. Sherry was so pleasant to work with, she made it easy for me to find the right piano. I think when you're buying a piano, depending on where you are, and what your mission is, for me it was finding the right one that called to me that felt great with touch and feel an expression. Oh my gosh, and she found it for me. I love that piano, I play it every single day and also at night, every night before I go to bed. It's one of those "Thank you God" moments saying I'm so lucky being able to do this. So I'm a huge fan of Miller Piano and I'm not a paid advertiser for this. Yeah, they're great, they're experts at what they do and they'll find you what you want. Starting out, you probably don't need a Yamaha C7, but if you have kids, you could start with something much smaller, more reasonable and have them grow into it. Either way, they're a no-pressure group and as I say on our River of Calm projects, they are Nashville's authorized Yamaha Piano dealer. That's a big deal and Nashville Music City USA. Let's get to Miller Piano, the more I sat at my beautiful Yamaha C7 and played songs especially in E flat, "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Over the Rainbow," "Till There Was You," these are all old songs that I used to play for a living. It really started calming me down because the work of concerts can be a little bit stressful. We all have stress in our lives. Jason Skipper 9:45 I can imagine, yeah. Ed Bazel 9:46 The more I sat down and played the piano, the more I was relaxed in my DNA and I did have some radio experience and I wondered if there's a radio station that offers this type of music, so I thought, "I could actually create one." Again that entrepreneurial seizure that happens. Jason Skipper 9:53 I love that terminology, entrepreneurial seizure. Ed Bazel 10:08 Absolutely. So I found some software and I put a couple of my songs up there and a couple of my other friend's songs up there. The first song I put up for friends was my friend Eric Bykales who I believe you spoke with already. Jason Skipper 10:24 Yes, we had him! The podcast will be out soon, it's the one right before this when that comes out, episode nine. Ed Bazel 10:31 I better speak well of him, then! Jason Skipper 10:33 He spoke well of you and we'll talk about it a little bit. He talked about some other passions you guys have together. Yeah, we'll talk about that in a moment. Ed Bazel 10:41 Okay, no problem. At first, had Eric on there, I decided I need something calming. So I called it The River of Calm, music to soothe your soul. It started out with me and Eric, and about one listener, which was me. Music, bottom line, is healing and comforting. It might not cure everything, but it certainly is healing for your soul, your DNA. We proved this as The River of Calm, which is the riverofcalm.com. We now have over 116 independent artists on there. Some of them are Grammy Award winners. Some of them are musicians like Eric, who is Neil Sedaka's pianist for all those years. We have Olivia Newton John's musical director there. We have professors, we have an amazing accomplishment of independent artists who really believe that music is healing. So this goes out along with we have on The River of Calm, numerous, articles on healing, on music and health, music in Alzheimer's, chemotherapy, dementia, PTSD and Parkinson's. It's a real mission of, calming and just having people take a moment to center themselves. Then lastly, we do have two things, our online podcast, which is Beyond the Music where we talk to these artists who create this music on their journey of how they composed it, their fears, their joys, etc. Lastly, we have a monthly live-streaming concert, which we partnered with Miller Piano, where we bring The River of Calm to live once a month to Miller Piano. It's an hour show on Facebook Live, and this past month, we did The River of Calm 10x, and that was 10 pianist each playing one song within one hour. It was incredible. It wasn't a competition, it was there for love and support. If you're familiar with Nashville, we had the Bluebird Cafe, where songwriters come bringing their guitars and sing their songs and share their music. We're like the bluebird cafe without lyrics for pianists. Miller Piano has been great for this. We've had almost, I think around 20 different live streaming concerts, and always on a beautiful piano. That's a Yamaha C7, nine times out of 10, which is the industry standard for recording studios around town. One thing I like about the C7 and the Yamaha is no matter where you go, it's the same touch and feel on that keyboard. It's very accurate, It's very comforting, and it's a quality, quality product for sure. Miller Piano has been great, I'm a huge fan of them and again, there is no financial gain on this. This is just the love of music, and I also admire what Ross, Sylvia, and Sherry Carlisle Smith and everyone else in promoting and encouraging the live music scene here in Nashville. Jason Skipper 14:09 We appreciate all those words and I know that they're so appreciative. Also, being able to host what you guys are doing there with The River of Calm the concerts that you have every month for our listeners, if you haven't heard The River of Calm or you haven't seen this, you can find them at your website. I believe it's the riverofcalm.com. Also, look you up on Facebook, these are always being announced. These events are always being announced both on Miller's page on the Miller Piano Specialists Facebook page and also The River of Calm Facebook page. Also the Miller Piano Specialists website Millerps.com. So, this is I believe is the third Thursday. Am I correct? Ed Bazel 15:07 Correct, the third Thursday of each month. Absolutely. Jason Skipper 15:10 Okay, third Thursday of each month. So, talk to me a little bit more about The River of Calm and the healing. It's so captivating, what you explained and how music can heal and soothe the soul. We know how important music is in life and I think it can help people so much. Can you go deeper into that exactly? Ed Bazel 15:33 Yeah, that's true. That's a good question. There are numerous scientific studies or first off, we could just bandaid this and just say, "Oh, yeah, well, I'm sure it does something." But there are scientific studies, about the healing process on DNA level or just even if you want to get really serious. I'm reading a book telomeres, and they're the endpoint of stem cells. Dr. Ed Park has an amazing book out about the processes of helping lengthen your telomeres which will lengthen your life. It's about the holistic method, breathing, relaxing music, comforting music and eliminating stress in your life. We're not going to get out of this place alive and laughing at the absurdity of it all in away. Let's get back to music. For one thing, we have a project, which I'm really thrilled about. I don't know if I've mentioned this to you, Jason. But we have partnered with a filmmaker out of New York, who won the Sundance Film Festival for their work with a project called "Alive Inside" and it's about filmmaker going and following a doctor as he went to nursing homes and put headphones on people that had Alzheimer's or dementia and playing songs of their era and seeing scientifically how the mind comes back and recognizes that. It really does awaken those who are so shut down. So it's a beautiful project, Aliveinside.org, and we've talked to them. We're partnering on a headphone project where we're going to use those exact headphones with The River of Calm artists music, and then bring them into chemotherapy centers, in hospitals to help comfort patients who are in the process of the absurd and surreal process of chemotherapy. That's a big project and mission for us on that. You look around you see so many different apps that are out there. Calm.com is out there, insight time or meditation apps, but music does something on a DNA level. I'm not smart enough to explain it scientifically. But as a musician who's lived 10,000 hours at a piano, I know it, and I'm not alone, because we have listeners in over 168 different countries right now. Wow. That all started from me at a piano with just one listener, me. It's bigger than me, I can promise you that. Jason Skipper 18:48 Absolutely, absolutely. I read on your website, it mentioned I think something you say, music transcends language and touches our souls. Ed Bazel 18:57 That sounds like a pretty good idea because it does. It doesn't matter what language you are, it just cuts across that and reaches down into your soul. There something I love about the artists on The River of Calm is the expression and depth of creativity from their soul. They're 115 or 116 different, what I call healers. They're musical healers, and there's a whole profession on music therapy out there to that we could bring in somebody into discussing to really get the science behind it. Again, we're just stating on the big picture of it, but it is very real, and I'm happy to be a part of this NFR music can help even one person, just calm themselves, and get them centered and realizing they're okay. I think we're on the right track. Jason Skipper 20:01 It's worth it for that one reason, and it seems like it's many, many more people. So you answered quite a few of my questions. You mentioned that you're from Huntington and you were in Lexington for a while and you were in LA. What brought you to Tennessee? Ed Bazel 20:23 That's a good question. I actually was in Los Angeles and really enjoyed the time out there. It was like having a front-row seat on life. Now, there were earthquakes, riots, and gunfire. That was on Monday now Tuesday, where the wildfire. [laughing] I was out there and doing fine. My parents are in Huntington, West Virginia. At that time, my dad had leukemia, and I felt kind of bad about that. I was kind of feeling a pullback this way. At that point, I was an agent for the different artists that I mentioned and learning the corporate entertainment world. I told the guy I was working for that was prior to my entrepreneurial seizure, that "Hey, why don't I open an office for you in Nashville? It's close enough that I can get to West Virginia much easier than me trying to get from LA to West Virginia." So It's five and a half hours from here, so I was able to do that. At that time. I had a young daughter. It was a great place to be, I just realized I'm like 23 years ahead of most of the people now moving here. Jason Skipper 21:40 It's amazing how time flies it really is. Ed Bazel 21:42 No kidding, but Nashville's a kinder gentler place to be. I can't say enough about it, and I'm happy to be a part of the music industry here. Jason Skipper 21:53 Right. Well, in our podcast with Eric Bykales, as you mentioned there he mentioned that you guys both love to fly drones. And at one point you had put together a drone business? I'm not sure exactly. He didn't get deep into it, but is that true? Ed Bazel 22:12 I'm not allowed to discuss anything. I'm kidding. Yes, we both love drones. Eric is a great pilot. Drone flying can be a two-person business because one person is the pilot. The other one has a screen to direct where to fly to. So we would do this, we had a business and we still have it, but we haven't had time for it. Where property owners hire us to survey if they're selling a marina or they're selling a hunting acreage or a big house for us to fly around, get aerial views, stunning views. Then we edited the film and then had our piano music in the background to cover it, so it was a lot of fun, I tell you what. Eric's still a great pilot and his new CD, "Fire in the Sky," that picture was taken from his front cover from the drone itself when he was flying it. Jason Skipper 23:10 He mentioned that and that's awesome. That just makes it so much more personal. I just asked because I love drones as well. I have a drone and I love to fly it. I had to ask that! Ed Bazel 23:24 So you never know. Jason Skipper 23:25 Yeah, you never know. So outside of music, of course, you have The Bazel Group, you mentioned your business. Outside of music, outside of work, and outside of drones, what else are you passionate about in life? Ed Bazel 23:40 I've got a daughter who's 26, she's a good kid and great to have on board. I also seem to love to work out. When my dad had leukemia, I couldn't help him I realized. So I thought to do something to help the process. So I organized and rode a fundraiser, bicycle ride from the end of the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, to the end of the St. John's Pier in St. Augustine, Florida. Jason Skipper 24:12 Seriously? Wow. Ed Bazel 24:13 3000 miles, eight states, and 278 cities and towns and about 88 miles a day. Jason Skipper 24:19 Wow. Ed Bazel 24:20 So I've done that. Five marathons, I've hiked Mount Kilimanjaro, I've been to the Tour de France on a bicycling vacation twice. I'm now taking swimming lessons to be able to swim a lot more efficiently than I can right now. Jason Skipper 24:40 Wow. Well, you've had quite a life so far. Ed Bazel 24:44 I told you I'm a lucky man. And the futures yet to be invented yet, so lookout. Jason Skipper 24:52 That is for sure. Everything's changing, new things are on the horizon. Good deal! Well, how can listeners get in contact with you? Of course, they can come and visit The River of Calm when you're there on the third Thursday of every month. How else can listeners find you? Ed Bazel 25:13 Listeners can find me on The River of Calm if they need me for The River of Calm, I'm Ed@theriverofcalm.com is the email address. I'm just being very open with that. We have Bazelgroup.com. Then I'm working and I'm almost ready to record my new CD to replace the "oh my gosh, I'm on a Ferrari with steroids, Yamaha C7 issue." So I have a piano CD website, which is Edbazel.com. Of course, Spotify, iTunes, and The River of Calm too, did I mention that? Jason Skipper 25:56 Yes, there we go. Well, good deal. So on the CD that you plan to be recording, I understand you haven't done this yet. How soon will that be happening? Ed Bazel 26:05 Probably within a couple of months. I mentioned on The River of Calm, I've interviewed a number of the artists probably almost up to 20 right now, and everyone has a different journey. I've heard some who have one CD out, others who have 18 out. I'm going, "Oh my gosh, I'm a slacker!" But this stuff does not come quickly to me, I want to shape and refine it. So I have about 10 songs that currently I'm just in the editing process notation wise, to make sure that I record them and play them with the notes that are intended to be played and not just kind of faking it as I get there. I want this piece to be meaningful. Believe me, it's very humbling to be a pianist and play with nine other pianists that are up there like we did this past week for The River of Calm 10x Livestream. I've come to realize and I hope everyone else will that when you're a pianist, it's your personality that comes out. There's no "Oh, I've got to be like him or her." I like it to we're all different flavors of ice cream. Each one is good enough and just perfectly who you are. To try to take that as my own advice is a little tough at times, I'm working on it. You know, I want to be the pianist like Eric Bykales or Dane Bryant or Philip Wesley or numerous others. But I realize I'm this guy that has romantic melodic lines and just what it is. Jason Skipper 27:47 Yes! Eric mentioned that to me, that you are a romantic. It's amazing. Ed Bazel 27:54 Well, it's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do this work. Jason Skipper 28:00 Right. Well, finishing up here this last question, what should I have asked you that I didn't ask you that you'd like to talk about? Ed Bazel 28:10 Wow, Jason, that's a good question on that. I think about this River of Calm thing, and I think, "Am I doing the right thing?" Do I have my inner demons like other artists? You bet I do. Am I good enough? I don't know. I guess I'm good enough. It's still a journey, It really is, I think it's everyone's journey. I love seeing people, especially parents bring kids into Miller Piano and to watch them sit down. I want to just drop to my knees and worship them for giving their kids a chance with music. Oh, my gosh, my parents always wanted me to get a "real job." Here I am a pianist for many years, and my mom even said at one time, God bless her soul. She said, "I think you should get a job on the Toyota factory line." I was like, "Oh, just shoot me, just shoot me." But for what it's worth, I've been lucky enough to make a living and a career in music and have amazing experiences. I just salute the parents that are tough enough to keep their kids in lessons and then watch them blossom. You see that happening at Miller Piano almost daily. Jason Skipper 29:31 You do. Wow. Well, thank you, Ed. This has been a great time. It's been great to get to know you, and It's been great. We thank you for your time. Ed Bazel 29:42 Thank you for your time, Jason. Thank Miller Piano Specialists for me too, okay? Jason Skipper 29:47 Oh, we definitely will. They'll be listening as well, we're all listening. I'll just finish up here saying as always, to all of our listeners out there, make sure to go to our website! You can find the notes and a transcript of this episode right on our website on Millerps.com. You can also find this on Apple Podcast, Google Play Podcasts, and Spotify. Look us up on your favorite podcasting platform. Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe. That really, really does help. Once again, thanks, Ed. I appreciate your time. This has been your host Jason Skipper, and we'll see you next time.

Music plays an important role in the lives of people from all walks of life and cultures around the world. It connects us emotionally to times gone by, places and situations. It is also a source of enjoyment and recreation; a distraction from trials and tribulations, and is used to lift our mood. Has this ever happened to you? You hear the title of a familiar song but cannot remember the words. Yet, upon hearing the music, you are carried but the melody and find yourself singing every word almost automatically. The melody is an automatic trigger to a deep-seated part of the brain where memories are stored. . Music also inspires movement at the very least in the form of tapping your foot, snapping your fingers, clapping your hands or bopping your head to and fro. Hear today's guests discuss the important role that music and movement plays for persons with dementia.

Alive Inside" is a wonderful film and movement that awakens the Alzheimer's mind and connects generations, comforting elders and rescuing youth. The film's Director, Michael Rossato-Bennett, shares how it all began. IntegratedMDCare.com " Note: A Life and Death Conversation is produced for the ear. The optimal experience will come from listening to it. We provide the transcript as a way to easily navigate to a particular section and for those who would like to follow along using the text. We strongly encourage you to listen to the audio which allows you to hear the full emotional impact of the show. A combination of speech recognition software and human transcribers generates transcripts which may contain errors. The corresponding audio should be checked before quoting in print. Contact Alive Inside website Alive Inside Facebook Page Transcript Dr. Bob: Today's guest is Michael Rossato-Bennett-Bennett, the director of the film, Alive Inside, and the founder and executive director of the Alive Inside Foundation. Alive Inside is a phenomenal film, and I highly recommend you find a way to watch it. The Alive Inside Foundation is dedicated to healing loneliness and disconnection in all of our lives, but especially in the lives of the very young and the very old who are living with dementia. They partner with communities to connect the generations and shift our relationship with life, aging and growing up. The Foundation seeks to end loneliness using empathy, music, life story, and film. This interview with Michael is an intimate exploration into the mind and heart of a man who seems to have stumbled upon his purpose and has been inspired to create in a much more expansive way since doing so. I hope you enjoy it. So, Michael, your life has changed pretty significantly in the last several years. From what I can gather, what started as a project that you couldn't really foresee a whole lot coming out of, to what has been created in your life now and looks amazing. What's it like? Tell me the journey a little bit. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Well, like every life, probably the most important things are your failures. Those are what you learn from, like your woundings, your emptiness, your hungers. These are the things that actually fuel you. When nothing else makes sense, I'm deeply interested in what makes sense when nothing else makes sense, and I think that's a very apt conversation to have in this time because I'm sure I'm not alone. I think if everyone were honest, they would just say right now, "What the heck is going on?" Dr. Bob: How did we get here? Michael Rossato-Bennett: How did we get here? How do we tell our children your president doesn't tell the truth all the time? How do we say your government isn't really trying to protect you? We're confused. I mean I am, and I have been many times in my life. I'm going to get a little philosophical here, but I think anyone living in a predatory culture that doesn't quite know that they're living in a predatory culture, has a feeling of disquiet and confusion, and like all of us who are trying to do something in the world, our efforts are constantly called into question. What am I doing? Am I helping create a just world? Am I helping create a world where life is recognizing and aiding life, or am I deeply investing in a system that is reducing the quality of life, literally for the planet at this time? I think every one of our occupations, from farmer to doctor, has to wrestle with these questions right now, what is my place in this world that we've created, and, unfortunately, we don't get to remove ourselves from it I don't think. Dr. Bob: It's interesting. As you're talking about this, and I don't know if you have children or not, but as you're talking about this, I'm flashing on my 11-year-old son, who is right at the verge ... If I asked him what does it feel like to live in a predatory world, I think he would know enough about what I'm asking to form an opinion and connect with it. But I, also, feel like he's still living in this other world where he can slip back into this sense of comfort and not allow that to influence his day to day existence. Michael Rossato-Bennett: I mean this is at the core of everything I'm working on, and it's simply the recognition of the idea that we actually do mature, that there is actually an arc to our lives. When I was 21, I was competing my ass off to win the steak knives at my job for Cool Vent Aluminum telephone salesmen. I wanted to be the best Cool Vent Aluminum salesman because the sales manager told me that I was nothing if I couldn't book these appointments for his salesmen to sell this poor, older people aluminum siding and new windows. Dr. Bob: And you believed that? You believed that story. Michael Rossato-Bennett: I believed it. Dr. Bob: Yeah, you did. Michael Rossato-Bennett: I believed it, and really, honestly at that point, all I wanted to do was be good, be recognized, to succeed, to have some validation, and honestly, I didn't think that the people who were in authority, that the people who were older than I was, I didn't think that they didn't know what they were doing. I thought they knew what they were doing. But your 11-year-old son, he's awakening in a world where it's obvious that we don't know what's going on, that something is happening, and it's amazing what's happening. I mean basically what's happening is we're going through a major psychic, intellectual, spiritual, existential definition of what it means to be human, and what it means to be human together, and ideas that we've had for thousands of years are no longer functional in the face of these incredible tools that we've created in the last 20 or 30 years. The computer has just turned human culture on its head, and we are not ready for it. Dr. Bob: Right. Michael Rossato-Bennett: And we're innocents, and I think in a hundred years we'll look back and this and go ... Just like slavery. At one point, slavery seemed to be a pretty good business model. We try not to do that anymore, at least in a recognizable form. But in a non-recognizable form, we haven't given up that business model, and that's what we're dealing with. I mean you're a doctor, and I work in healthcare to some degree as well, and Marshall McLuhan is a great media thinker, a thinker about media, and he said years and ... Maybe 60 years ago or 50 years ago, he said, "The medium is the message," and I never understood what that meant, but I understand what that means now, that basically, the structures that we create determine the outcomes, no matter who is in them, or no matter what the outcomes are. When you have a lot of people making money on petroleum, you get plastic in the ocean. It doesn't matter what people do. In 50 years, we won't be relying on petroleum. We won't have the pressure to create as much plastic, and maybe we can solve that problem. Dr. Bob: Well, so fascinating. Great perspective. Love it. Not exactly where I was anticipating the conversation was going to go, but I love it, and I want to hear ... So you take that. I'm sure that your awareness is continuing to mature, to evolve, and it's influenced by and influencing what you are doing day to day to improve the lives of the human beings that you're concerned about, as we both are. What's happening in your life? I want to know what you're doing. What's the Foundation doing? How are you right now serving in a way that is trying to achieve the most benefit for humankind? Michael Rossato-Bennett: Well, I mean that's a big thing to say. Dr. Bob: I know. Because it's happening. What you're doing is serving humankind in a positive way. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Right, right. I'm not young. I'm not a child anymore, and you get to a certain point in your life, and you ask yourself, "Okay. What can I do to help other people," because helping yourself is kind of boring after a while. It just becomes boring. So you want to expand your relationships with other people, and it's interesting. Dr. Bob: I lost you for a second there. You said interesting, and then I lost you. Michael Rossato-Bennett: I was relating to these thoughts. Okay. Sorry. All of my thinking comes out of working with these elders with dementia and meeting them. You're right when you say my life has transformed. I mean I walked into my first nursing home, and I wanted to run because I'd had really some very traumatic experiences in hospitals when I was a child. They put that ether on my face. I don't think they do that anymore, and I struggled and screamed, and yelled, and fought. They finally just gave me shots in my butt. But that smell of health care, of the hospital, I swore I would never, ever step inside a hospital or a healthcare facility, place forever. I promised myself I would never, ever do that. Then here I am. I had been hired to make a website for a guy who was bringing iPods into nursing homes, and he thought that it would be a good, new thing to do, and so I did it. There I was sitting in front of a man, Henry. He was the first one that I really saw the power of music to wake the hidden vitality of a mind, a mind that had lost its capacity to connect with itself and with others. I didn't want to be there. It was very sad for me to see this human being, this shell, if you will, of a human being, who didn't seem to be able to come out of that shell. Then we gave him ... Millions of people have seen this clip. Actually, over 100 million people have seen this clip. Dr. Bob: Really. That's where it's at, at this point. Incredible. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Well, it was actually one of the earlier clips to go viral on Facebook. So it was still back when Facebook was becoming before they put all these clamps and started monetizing everyone's life. It was back when they were giving it away so that people would join, and so it's a completely different animal now, and that's what we're discovering right now, and a very dangerous animal as well. But anyway, so here's Henry, and we give him some Cab Calloway, and I get to experience a human being awakening. This guy, he starts moving, and his eyes light up, and he starts singing. He starts making poetry. When I took the music away, I thought he would turn off like a ragdoll. Dr. Bob: Like a light switch going off. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Yeah. Like the electricity was going off. But, no, there was this residual aliveness and connection, and he talked to me, and he was so beautiful. The whole world saw this. I mean I went to bed that night and my son ... That I posted it. No, I didn't post it. I put it on my friend, Dan Cohen's website, and some kid found it and started spreading it in the Reddit community. I don't know if you know what Reddit is. Dr. Bob: I'm a little bit familiar with it, yeah. Michael Rossato-Bennett: It's a community of young people on the internet, and my son is in that community, and he saw ... He came into my room. He said, "Dad, they're talking about your film on Reddit," and I was like, "Really," and he goes, "Yeah. It's gone from 300 views to 400 views," and I was like, "Oh, my God. That's amazing." Oh, my God, and then we went to bed. We woke up the next morning, and it was at 180,000 views. On the next day, like a million views. It just kept going. But the amazing thing was, for me, I mean I thought we'd discovered the cure for Alzheimer's Disease. I was like, oh, all you got to do is give them music, and it makes their Alzheimer's go away. Then there's, of course, a sad realization that, no, you're just waking up some very deep pathways that are actually spared. They're pathways that are very deep in this elemental brain. Not in the forebrain, which is really the core of I think what I'm working with right now, and that is that when you don't know where to go, sometimes the deepest parts of ourselves hold profound and unexplored wisdom, and I constantly go to those deepest places, like music. Music, by now, it's part of our DNA. It's literally been adapted to our DNA. I mean a child, an infant, a human infant will respond to a beat and other primates won't in the same way. Yes. Dr. Bob: I watched the film a couple times, Alive Inside. I've watched it a couple times. I just watched it again last night. I was, again, just blown away by the little toddler who was conducting. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Oh, my God. Dr. Bob: The natural instinct in him, and he's a little performer. But I agree, you can see it in almost every child from the time that they're able to interact with the world, that they respond to music, and they've been responding to it since they were in utero. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Yeah. Dr. Bob: And that never goes away, unless you lose your hearing. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Which is another enormous problem. About half of the people who staff thinks have dementia, they probably have a little bit, but more, they have hearing problems. It's an enormous problem in elder care. So what are we doing now? At first, I was like, "Oh, my God, let's get everybody who has dementia their music, and let's make that happen." In some ways, that's happening. Michael Rossato-Bennett: It's hard to realize what we don't know, right, or what we didn't know. When I was making Alive Inside, we had so much trouble getting people to try this, to give these elders their music, and it was really a struggle because it was a new idea. But then the hundredth monkey syndrome kicked in a couple of years ago, and now this idea has literally spread like wildfire across the world, and to such a degree that I think ... I was joking with a friend way back then. I said what's going to happen is some day I'm going to say I made this movie about how you can play music for people that's their music, that gives them an emotional reaction, and if they have Alzheimer's it will awaken parts of their brain that have been forgotten, and I said in five years, I have this feeling that people will go why did you make a movie about that? Everyone knows that. Dr. Bob: Yeah. Right, what's so different. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Everybody knows that. We know that, and that's where we are. Everyone in the world knows this now. I mean I had some part to play with it, but it's that hundredth monkey thing. When something is important, and you have a disease like Alzheimer's where there is no cure, and if you have something that can help, it's going to spread like wildfire, and I think that's what's happened. Dr. Bob: Well, of course, it's very helpful for people who have Alzheimer's to try to awaken that and to bring them a sense of joy and connection, but it's, also, incredibly beneficial for people without Alzheimer's, who are just lonely, right? They're just the people throughout the nation, the world, who are isolated or limited in their own homes, or in assisted living communities, or in nursing homes. The ability to give somebody, to connect them with the music that has been meaningful for them at various points of their life, brings joy, brings comfort, brings connection. There's no way to understate the impact. So understanding that I'm curious ... I'm in San Diego. I have a concierge practice, and I take care of people who are in their homes who are dealing with end-of-life issues. They have dementia. They have cancer. They have heart disease. It's a small practice. It's like a concierge practice for people with complex illnesses and who are approaching the end of their life. As part of that, we have integrated therapies, and I have a couple of music therapists who go out. They're angels. They connect with the patients, and we see them flower. We see them blossom. Some of our patients, with these therapies, music, massage, acupuncture, reiki, they go from being bedbound, and miserable, and wanting to die, to get re-engaged with life and getting- Michael Rossato-Bennett: And it makes sense. Dr. Bob: And it makes sense, total, and I go into nursing homes, and I'll see people there, and we just created a foundation. We just got the 501c3 determination from the IRS, so we're ready to make this thing happen. How do we take advantage of what you have created to implement and leverage that in San Diego? Let's talk about how this is actually happening on the ground. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Okay. Well, first of all, you've opened up some really big cans of worms here. Dr. Bob: I have a knack for doing that. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Most of the people who have dementia and Alzheimer's, they are not in institutions. They live at home, and we have a culture that defines people as valuable to the degree that they're productive, and it's deeply ingrained in us. It's ingrained in our religion, and our morality, and our laws, even to the point where we've created lots of meaningless work, just because people want to be working, and the dark side of that, not the meaningless work, but this idea that we have no value unless we're productive, is the elders that you're finding. What is their productivity when they're just sitting? They can see their death, and they probably feel they're not contributing. As a matter of fact, they might even feel that they're a burden, which is a horrible thing for a human being to feel. One of the things that I've been so intrigued about, about people with Alzheimer's, is they forget so much, but it's strange what they don't forget. They don't forget what they used to be. They don't forget that they're having trouble communicating, and they used to be able to communicate, or at least it seems like that to me. You opened up another can of worms, which is loneliness. The UK just appointed a minister of loneliness. 40% of Americans report problems with feeling lonely. We're discovering the dark side of social media, which is this capacity that it has to make people judge themselves, their real life against the sort of phony life that's presented one snapshot at a time and edited and Photoshopped. People feel this kind of not being good enough, and when you feel not good enough, you feel separate, and when you feel separate, you feel alone, and that is one of the greatest pains a human being can ever feel, and that's really ... I had a very hard time growing up and a lot of isolation, and I shut myself down in many ways, and that's why when I saw this older man, Henry, wake up, I was like, "Oh, my goodness. Oh, my God, we can wake up. We can be awakened," and that's what you've described with your music therapists go in, and these people are like, "Oh, wow, yes. There are rhythms of life that I can share with you, and we can sing, and we can do music, and it can even go back into my memory, and oh, I have these stories I could tell you." I decided that the place that I wanted to play with was trying to reduce pain. Like you, as a doctor, you want to reduce- You want to reduce the pain and the struggle, and one of the greatest struggles that I see is loneliness and disconnection. I feel like our culture ... There are things we all need to survive, and to live, and to thrive, and sometimes commercial society says, "All right. You want those things; you got to pay for them." So it puts walls between what we want and what there is, and that's not really the way life works. If you swim in the ocean and you grab a fish, it's not like you paid for it. Well, you swam for it. That's for sure. Or you pluck a pear from a tree. It's not like you grew that tree. I'm not sure that this sort of way we are creating safety for ourselves is working, and I think it's falling apart in many ways, and so, again, I go to the very deepest place. So I developed these headphones that you could give to somebody with dementia, and it has a little hole in it, and you can put their music in it, and you can plug your headphones into their headphones, and so you can listen together, and your eyes can meet, and you can be in the music together, and I thought that was beautiful. Then I made an app so that anyone could sit with another person and try and figure out what is that deep music that's inside the soul of another person. So you can do that. But the key thing I feel is that what I've learned. If you watch Alive Inside, you see all these people awakening. But what you don't see is me on the other side of the camera going, "Oh, tell me that story. Oh, my God, you're so beautiful. Oh, yes, I want to know more and tell me. Flower. Let me see you flower." We are creatures that are called into becoming. You take a child, and you just put them in a room, and you leave them there for 14 years, you're not going to have a great kid, but if you go in there every day and you teach them how to be human, and you teach them the rules of being human, you bond with other people, you connect to them, you be kind to them, you look in their eyes, you learn to feel what comes out of another person's eyes, and you learn to give to another person through your eyes. I mean the eyes is the only organ that goes both ways. There are both receptors and apparently ... I was reading the other day ... I wish I could quote it better. But apparently, there's something that comes out of the eyes. That's why we call the eyes the windows of the soul. You're a doctor. Dr. Bob: I'm not sure what emanates from the eyes, but it kind of feels like when you're in somebody's gaze, when you're looking deep into their eyes, that there's something either reflecting back or coming out of it for sure. Michael Rossato-Bennett: At the very least, there's expression. At the very least, there are tears. Something is coming out, even if it isn't a ray. But that's the amazing thing that we're understanding now, and this goes back to the illusion of loneliness. We've created the structure where you can be lonely, where you can be a separate entity that doesn't connect with other entities, and the terrible thing is that's engineered. The truth is that we are not separate. We're talking over Skype, and my ideas are affecting your brain, and your ideas are affecting me. But if we were sitting in the same room for the amount of time that we've been sitting, your cells would be in my body, and my cells would be in yours. Every cell in your body I think changes every seven years, and the building blocks of you have been white people, and black people, and brown people, and hippos, and dogs, and ducks, and dinosaurs, and fish. I was reading this amazing book about old growth forests, like dirt. There's no such thing as dirt. There are rocks, and there's whatever, but every single piece of nutrition that has ever passed through your lips only has nutrition because vegetable matter has gone through the butt of a bug. Dirt is bug pooh, and without bug pooh, there is no nutrition in anything that grows. So we're not special. We are part of everything, and we've just created this system that ends up taking our children and putting them in these institutions, and telling them to stay there for 20 years and to compete for a few little remaining spots at some big colleges. As children, we're forgetting how to be children. And we have our elders, and, oh, my God, have we abandoned them. Oh, you're worthless. You just go sit in the little room over there. I'm sorry. Now you got a little emotion running in me, and so I said let's bring these two groups together. Let's bring the very old and the very young together, and what you do when you do that, it's like a magnet. These groups are meant to be together, and they're engineered apart. So basically a lot of people have seen Alive Inside, and they call me, and they say, "Hey, let's do something." I'm like, "Okay. Let's do something." So we're down in Mexico, and there are these abandoned elders, who are literally taken off the streets by this foundation, and of the thousands and thousands that they could help, they can help 250 a year or something, or actually more at a time, because the population changes, but it's only 250 at a time, and they were bringing in these young psychology students who sit with them for 14 weeks for an hour or two, and they detective. They use the app, and they find the music of these elders of their youth, and they listen to it together, and they learn their life stories. We've created another thing called Memories, which is this ... It's a very simple computer program that basically lets you create a digital, communally create a digital scrapbook for somebody. My vision is it's going to happen I the next year, is I want every hospital room, every nursing home, that you're going to be able to go and some volunteer will have created the life story for these elders, so that anyone in the healthcare community can just scan the QR code on their picture ... We're making these necklaces for them, and you'll know their life story in two minutes. You'll know where they came from, who they loved, what they did. Dr. Bob: I love that. Michael Rossato-Bennett: What their music was because it's just crazy. I've seen so many healthcare situations, where I've seen people care for people for 10 years, and love them, and not know who they were. Dr. Bob: Exactly. Not know a thing about them. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Not know a thing about them. Dr. Bob: Right. And that's what drove me crazy for years and years. I was an emergency physician, and I see these incredible people coming through, and they're a shell. They're in this shell, and if someone takes the time to actually connect with them and ask them something beyond when's the last time you have a bowel movement? Where does it hurt? But to actually be interested in who they are. I was just memorized, fascinated by what would come out, and that's a lot of why I transitioned in my career into doing something where I got to honor these people for the person they are and always have been, even though at this stage, it's physically they're different. The spirit inside of them, the essence of that person is unchanged from where it was when they were flying bombers in World War II, or dancing in competitions at 18 in the 1930s. And so what we do, I think we are aligned in the work that we're doing. I will want to connect with you further because I really do want to talk about how to bring the programs that you're talking about, especially the program with the youth together with the elders, and sharing this. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Oh, I would love to talk. Dr. Bob: So we may end up trying to schedule a second call. I'm going to wrap it up soon, and I just really appreciate your honest, thoroughly passionate view that you were able to share. I do want to make sure that people know how to get more information, and there will be links on my website to the Alive Inside Foundation site, and I'm happy to connect people with you. If you want, you just let me know. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Yeah. Dr. Bob: What kind of connections you're looking for, how we can help to support your passion and your movement because it's life-changing and it's revolutionary. It shouldn't seem revolutionary, because it's pretty simple basic stuff, make connections, and you create joy, right? Michael Rossato-Bennett: Well, I think it's revolutionary. We call it an empathy revolution, because certain things in our human vocabulary have been devalued, and a lot of people, myself included, it's taken long life journeys to be able to just honor the treasure that I have inside my chest. The fact that I am alive is such a treasure, and it's so devalued in our culture. The children, we don't honor the life in children. We don't honor the life on the planet. We don't honor the life in our elders, and it's all there is, and we only get it for a very brief time, and it breaks my heart to think of how many years I spent beating myself up and not enjoying life, and I look around, and I see so many people who are not able to really ... They only get this brief time with this incredible treasure called life. And that's why I bring the elders and the kids together because I think the elders actually teach the kids, "Hey, you're alive, and you're not going to alive for much longer, and look at me. This is what the end of life looks like, and guess what? I'm engaged here. I've only got a short time left, and I'm engaged." It's been shown that older people live with incredible pain and smile, whereas middle-aged people if their back goes out and they lay in their bed for a week. Dr. Bob: That's right. And they bitch and moan about how miserable they are. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Yes. Dr. Bob: Well, don't beat yourself up too badly about time that you've lost. You have lots of time left to contribute, and you're obviously doing a great job of that. So Michael Rossato-Bennett-Bennett, thank you so much for taking time and sharing your passion and more about your project and your mission, and best of luck to you, and hopefully, you'll be willing to come back, and we'll do some followup on another episode. Michael Rossato-Bennett: Well, thank you for calling me, Bob. That was very sweet.    

The Teal Chair, a film that was nominated for the Future Filmmakers Award this year at Sun Valley Film Festival was the brainchild of Kimberly Ouwehand. Find out why the hospice community outreach coordinator wanted to create this film and how its impacted her life and others. Note: A Life and Death Conversation is produced for the ear. The optimal experience will come from listening to it. We provide the transcript as a way to easily navigate to a particular section and for those who would like to follow along using the text. We strongly encourage you to listen to the audio which allows you to hear the full emotional impact of the show. A combination of speech recognition software and human transcribers generates transcripts which may contain errors. The corresponding audio should be checked before quoting in print. Contact Treasure Valley Hospice website Transcript Dr. Bob: Kimberly Ouwehand is a passionate Community Outreach Coordinator for Treasure Valley Hospice in Nampa, Idaho. When Kimberly got the inspiration to videotape people answering the question, "If you knew you had a limited time to live, what would you do," amazing things started to happen. She collaborated with a local group of high school students, and what came out of it is an extraordinary documentary called The Teal Chair. The film was nominated for the Future Filmmakers Award at the 2018 Sun Valley Film Festival. In this podcast, Kimberly shares how the film came about and how its creation has impacted her life and the lives of many others in her community. I hope you enjoy it. Share with me, the listeners, a little bit about your journey, your working in hospice, and how long have you been part of hospice? How did you get into hospice, and kind of where are you in that, in the course of your career? Kimberly Ouwehand: Well, I started out in clinical. I worked in internal medicine for about 10 years, 10 to 12 years, and kind of fell into hospice, because, and it's kind of a different animal, because you're in people's homes, and you're dealing more with people than you are the clinical side of things, and so I've been doing hospice for about seven years now- Dr. Bob: Okay, and in what capacity? Kimberly Ouwehand: I love it. I do outreach, and communication, and education, so kind of I'm a marketer for it, but I do a lot of hands-on and outreach. Dr. Bob: Got it. Kimberly Ouwehand: A lot of education. Dr. Bob: I think probably a lot of people don't realize ... Well, a lot of people don't realize a lot of things about hospice, right, but- Kimberly Ouwehand: Yeah, that's for sure. Dr. Bob: When they hear "marketer," they probably don't understand how much that involves being with families, and patients, and kind of in the thick of things, because I know I've been associated with hospice for a while now, and sometimes the marketers develop such incredible relationships, because they're the first point of contact for a lot of these folks and people who are in pretty somewhat desperate situations or very vulnerable. It's a really important role to be playing, don't you think? Kimberly Ouwehand: I do. I wish sometimes we didn't ... I mean, I hate to use the word "marketer," because traditionally it's pushing sales and things like that. I find myself making connections and building, like you said, building relationships so that people know, like, and trust you, and they'll call you whenever there's question, and they don't understand something. I feel like my reputation should be built on trust, and I feel like I've done a pretty good job of that so far. Dr. Bob: Good. Well, you've expanded beyond just doing the hospice marketing to take on a whole 'nother realm and project, so The Teal Chair. Tell us how that came about. Kimberly Ouwehand: Well, actually, it started out with just a very simple question. I was getting frustrated that people were waiting way too long to use hospice services. I mean, hospices, it is medical, and palliative and comfort care all at home, but hospice traditionally, especially for the older generation, feels like you're signing off on a death wish. They were missing out on a lot of other services, and I loved that hospice was all about surrounding the family with the patient and making it ... Well, it is one of the most important things you do in your life is die well, but I was getting frustrated, because it's a hard subject to bring up, and people were afraid to talk about it, and doctors were putting it off way too long. I wondered if we'd made it more of just a simple question, "If you knew you had limited time, how does that change the way you live today?" That question seemed a little bit softer, so I thought to myself, I thought, "Well, I have this teal chair," and I was just going to plop it in the middle of some public area and pull people off the street and just ask them a question, record it. It was going to be kind of a short YouTube video, but what happened was, I realized I had no video skills whatsoever, and my son had taken a video class at the high school, and I just liked the rawness of it. I didn't want it to be a production. I wanted it to be real. I didn't want it to be ... I just wanted it to be honest, and so I went and asked the teacher over at Eagle High School if he had a couple students who would do a YouTube video. He said, yeah, he had a couple students, and so he kind of ... I found out later he kind of coerced them a little bit to do this death video. Dr. Bob: They were resistant. You think- Kimberly Ouwehand: That's kind of- Dr. Bob: ... that there was resistance- Kimberly Ouwehand: Yeah. Dr. Bob: ... initially? Kimberly Ouwehand: There was a little ... Yeah, but he got five incredible students to ... Sorry. Incredible students to take part in it. The outcome was phenomenal. It took legs very quickly. Dr. Bob: Yeah. I can imagine if you get the support and you get sort of the passion of youth, and it's a creative process that the school could support. It's one of those things that if someone takes that initiative and puts the pieces in place, people want to talk. Right? They want to talk about these issues, and they just need to, it just needs to be presented to them in a, I guess in a safe way, maybe an inspired way that you're going to do good for other people. That's what I've found. When was the, like how long did it take to produce, and what's the status of the film, and I have a lot of questions, but- Kimberly Ouwehand: I know. It is an amazing story. We started out at a venue called JUMP downtown. It was a great collaboration. They were doing a Day of the Dead event, and I thought it was colorful and fun, and festive. The more I learned about the Day of the Dead, the more I appreciate it, and so I thought it would be visually stimulating for the students, so we went down there, and it just grew into one team did events, did the filming of the event on the outside, people looking at the altars. There was, a Before I Die Wall was set up there. I don't know if you know about that, but it's an amazing exhibit. Then the other half went up into the studio, and they were so excited because it was a professional studio. They had the green, and all the lighting and everything, and we were able to take 22 people off out of the event and bring them into the studio and ask them this question. "If you knew you had limited time, how does that change the way you live?" We interviewed people from eight years old up to I think the oldest we've interviewed that day was about 89. It was just, it was interesting. It wasn't scary. It was thought-provoking, and one thing led to another, and I said, "Well, why don't you submit it into the Sun Valley Film Festival for Future Filmmakers?" We made it instead of just a YouTube, to a 10-minute one that would fit the criteria, and submitted it, and out of about 120 across the nation, we were nominated. There were, I think, 12 nominations. We went to the Sun Valley Film Festival, and then since then, we're, it's going, we've sent it to Washington, D.C., to the National Hospice and Palliative Association, and I'll be submitting it into the American Public Health Association- Dr. Bob: Awesome. Kimberly Ouwehand: ... for educational pieces, because what happened is, it just started this huge conversation, and it's not only about dying, but it's about the different seasons you are in your life and what that looks like and having those conversations, because you never know if you're going to die suddenly or if you're going to have a chronic illness that will take a long time. Dr. Bob: One of the things that came to you when you were just posing the question to people, "What would you do differently, or how would you live, if you knew you had a limited time," did people ask you like, "What do you mean by a limited time? Like are you talking about days or months?" Did that seem to be an issue, or did they all sort of feel like they could take that and speak to it without getting more clarity? Kimberly Ouwehand: That's a really ... I mean, nobody's asked me that question, but some people did, like about how much time, but most people didn't ask. They just thought, "Okay. Where am I right now, and what's important to me?" Like the eight-year-old said he wanted to have a pizza party, and you just realize that the shorter, the younger you are in your life, your life doesn't expand very much, and then the teenagers, the college, they wanted to experience life as much as they could. They wanted to get out and just learn as much about the world and everything around them, and then it seems like, and I'm kind of stereotyping it a little bit, but the career, your middle-aged people would be more focused on balance of life, realizing really what is important, not working so much. The family becomes important... Working so much, the family becomes important. And then older people got it was usually something to do with a memory, revisiting a place or a person, or for sure it was all about family. Dr. Bob: I imagine some of them would want to have a pizza party. Kimberly Ouwehand: Yeah, I mean, and the conversations that's come out of it. When I set it up, I set up interviews, and we interviewed doctors, and we interviewed a couple of professional people. And we interviewed a hospice patient and a family who had hospice. When we were doing the interviews, I would think to myself; these kids are going to think it's stupid, it was a waste of time, they're not going to pull anything off of this interview. But what they did, and pulled, and put together, I was amazed. I thought he knows it's boring; they're not going to think it's exciting, they're kids, you know. But they pulled stuff off that I would never have thought of. Some of the pieces that I thought were really long, I had people come up and say that really spoke to them. So you really can't make it into one topic, it's a super broad topic that hits people in all different areas. Dr. Bob: Yeah, it's so personal. That's part of the idea of how do we spend our time, what's important to us, what do we value most? That's what we're getting at, and everyone has such a unique experience. So, I don't want to put you on the spot Kimberly, but what would you want to do if you knew that you only had a limited time? Kimberly Ouwehand: You know what, that's- Dr. Bob: Did you answer it? Were you interviewed? Kimberly Ouwehand: No, I was not interviewed. And I don't know if I really know what I would do because I feel like my life is centered around that already, that everything I do today, it matters. So I hope that when I do die, if I die suddenly, that people will look at my life as I've lived it, and the things that I've done, that I was nice, and that I was kind, and that I was just a good person, I think. But I don't have any bucket list things. I wouldn't do anything differently, really. Dr. Bob: I agree with you. I'm in that same place, and it really feels good to feel like I don't really need anything else. I probably would want to just be with my family, and have friends. I think about it, you being in the hospice world and me being, caring for people at the late stage of life and many of them in their final days and weeks of life, I think about it often. Like, where am I? Am I complete? Am I good? It's a really gratifying feeling to feel like I'm good to go. I would hate not seeing my son grow up and all these things. But I don't feel like there's anything undone or unsaid at this moment. It feels powerful to me. It sounds like you're sort of in that same place. Kimberly Ouwehand: Yeah, and I agree with you too, in the film, I asked one of the interviewers, what would he do? It was interesting because really, and I can see this with a lot of parents that they would hope that they had left enough of them with their children, that their children wouldn't forget him, and his values and what he was like. I think for parents, and I'm a parent too, but my kids are getting older now and more independent, I feel I've done a pretty good job. But I just would want everybody to know that I did love them. The parent thing is a little hard because you're leaving something that you can't follow up with, I guess. Dr. Bob: Kind of unfinished. You feel like you're not, you feel like there are a little bit more unfinished business and a gap that be left more ... I agree with you more so than if the kids were already adults and launched. Was there anything you can think of that was really surprising, that people said, that you, "Wow, that was really interesting," or crazy... Kimberly Ouwehand: Yeah, there was a lot of things that people that I took away from there, just with a little bit of different perspective. One person said, and I thought this was really interesting, and I think I live my life a little bit differently because of it, was, "If you give up one thing if you focus on one thing, sometimes you have to unfocus on another thing." In other words, you can't have it all. You can't focus on everything because then it doesn't, you don't hit the bullseye, basically. I thought that was interesting because I think sometimes we try to do too much, and we forget that you can't. And it's okay not to do everything. And we can't do everything well. And that's why we have people in our lives. That's why we have people like you doing podcasts that are reaching out to a whole different demographic that I can't reach, and I'm doing my thing that you can't reach. I think that put a new perspective on a stressful job, to be honest with you. Dr. Bob: I'm sure that the gift of being involved in that, I'm sure there were many gifts, but one of them was this new perspective and the wisdom that came out of people speaking from their heart, from this place of a different awareness than they would otherwise have. I wonder if, how many of the people that were interviewed, who were able to share what they would do if they had limited time, started doing more of those things. If the impact is not just on the people who watch the film, but the impact on the individuals who got to reflect on that. Kimberly Ouwehand: I feel like the interviewers that I knew, all said that they had conversations later, because their families ask, "What are you doing?" I don't know about the other interviews, that we did at the jump event, the Day of the Dead event because I kept that anonymous, so I didn't want to put names or tag any links on that. So most of them, I never really heard back from. Dr. Bob: It'd be interesting if there was a way to come back and interview those people again. Kimberly Ouwehand: That would be, I know. Dr. Bob: I think we talked a little bit earlier. I think it's so important to get the conversation about life and death, and preparing, and living intentionally, to the younger demographic, into college age kids, and high school age kids, and even elementary school kids. I just feel like we have become such a death-phobic culture and we don't allow ourselves to promote these conversations. I think it just continues to, this fear continues to escalate as we get older, and no one's having the conversations. Do you feel like the film, I haven't seen it, I'm looking forward to seeing it, do you feel like it's something that could be used in schools to help open up the topic and stimulate conversation and sort of a structured format? Kimberly Ouwehand: I really do. At this point, because it really only got finished, there's a 30-minute documentary, and that really didn't get finished until May. So we'll be doing more screenings, but we're talking with BSU, Boise State University to implement that as part of their curriculum in their nursing program. And then also, with the Boise State Center of Aging and their social workers, we will probably be doing a couple of presentations with that. The biggest resistance that I found interestingly enough is with the medical professionals, the ones that are already doctors and physicians. And that one, I've been very surprised at how resistant they have been in having it be presented as a topic. Dr. Bob: And why do you think that is? Kimberly O.: I think number one, they are busy, and they don't necessarily have the time, or maybe even the energy. I think a lot of times, after you get through medical school, you feel like you're an expert in whatever you're doing so you don't think anything outside of that, except for your bubble, I think. I don't know; I'm not a doctor. Dr. Bob: Yeah, no, well I am, and I think those are accurate. But you said there's resistance to actually them coming out and viewing the film, or somehow allowing it to be shown in different venues? I'm curious, it would seem to me that this is the kind of thing that anybody would benefit from seeing, and watching, and taking the teachings. I apologize on behalf of the medical specialty. Kimberly Ouwehand: Oh no, and I don't mean... Dr. Bob: I do. I find myself doing that. I find myself doing that all the time. I hear people talking about all the challenges they have with the medical- Dr. Bob: On all the challenges they have with the medical system and with physicians in particular, and I mean, I'm diverging a little bit, but I do see all the challenges, and I see physicians being stretched and very narrowly focused, and people suffer because of it. Both from when the medical care, as well as the physicians aren't open in many cases to thinking outside the box and supporting something like this project. Anyway, I do find myself apologizing on behalf of physicians [inaudible 00:22:39] to patients. Kimberly O.: I sound like I'm bashing doctors and physicians, but I really am not. I mean, again, it goes back to the focus physicians who are specialties. They need to focus on that. They can't be looking at every other angle, because they'll lose their focus. They'll lose their specialty. I think too; they are asked to do a lot. They're busier now than ever; the paperwork is crazy. Covering your bases all the time. Healthcare, in general, is just getting more complicated. I don't necessarily feel that they're being resistant, but I do feel that they can only handle what they can handle, and one more thing, even if it is outside of the box a little bit, might be just a little bit ... Until they understand it, I just think it might be harder for them to grasp. Dr. Bob: Right. I think you're being gracious, and that's nice, because these are the kinds of things that, yes, it's important to focus on your area of expertise and your practice and to try to maintain balance in your life, but this is the kind of thing that helps to further our humanity, right? Kimberly Ouwehand: It does. Dr. Bob: I mean, this is the stuff, every physician needs to work on their humanity, on their compassion, and on their empathy. It doesn't matter what you do, what specialty you're in, this kind of project is something that everybody should be at least open to bringing in and supporting. That's my thought. Kimberly Ouwehand: Yeah, I appreciate that. I think too; I think sometimes physicians need to stop and think about their own mortality. I think they forget that they are ... They're going to die someday too, and it might help them center what's important to them a little bit too. I would hope, I hope it's one of those films that people take and just apply it to where they need to apply it, you know? Dr. Bob: Yeah. Kimberly Ouwehand: I think too, you mentioned earlier about the younger generation, the high school students, and the college students, and when we had started filming, we started filming the first week of November, and later that month, one of their classmates died in a tragic car accident. At the end of the school year this year, one of the students at the high school committed suicide. Death is around them. It's interesting how they handle it, though. I don't know how they handle it, quite frankly. I don't know if adults put what we know onto kids or if kids just know how to ... It was interesting, 'cause there was hardly any talk about it at school. Dr. Bob: It's hard to imagine that that's healthy. You would think at least you want to have an opening for the kids who feel like they do need to talk or to ask questions or to come together. You'd like to think that they would put that in place to give an opening for those who may be struggling with it more. Kimberly Ouwehand: Yeah, I agree. I think they made it ... I mean, I think the students know they have a counselor that they can go to. I think some of the friends, the girl that died in the car accident, they had a vigil, but it was done just through her girlfriends. It wasn't really ... They didn't talk about it at a school level, and I just thought that was interesting. Especially when it comes to the suicide. There have been several suicides in high schools here, and they don't talk about it. I don't know if that's for the family's sake, or how they handle that in the schools. They don't really tell us, so it's interesting. Dr. Bob: Yeah. It's scary. It's also I think more than people realize, there's also a lot of suicides in medical school, and physicians. It's increasing in numbers. Kimberly Ouwehand: I think that's true, and there is a lot of emphasis on physicians and mental health care, taking care of their mental health. I think you're absolutely correct. Dr. Bob: I want to take it back to the film, and how do I get my hands on not a copy probably, but the ability to get it and show it and potentially have an event around it, or do a showing? Kimberly Ouwehand: At this point, the 30-minute documentary, we're editing it just a tiny bit, and it will be available by link. The 10-minute one that went to the Sun Valley Film Festival will be on our website, at TreasureValleyHospice.com. It's not up yet, but we're working on that. I'm happy to send you a link so you can see it- Dr. Bob: Awesome that'd be wonderful. Kimberly Ouwehand: ... before then. Dr. Bob: Well good. I'm excited, and this is the kind of thing we need to do more of this, and it's cool, 'cause this is taking a softer approach, right? It's not a death café; it's not in your face. It's taking the backdoor approach to are you really living your life intentionally? And doing the things that truly matter, and not ... Go ahead. Kimberly Ouwehand: I'm sorry. I keep interrupting. Dr. Bob: No, that's okay. This is your interview; we're here to hear you. Kimberly Ouwehand: I think the film really almost mirrors a little bit what hospice is because hospice is taking what's really important to you in your life, and everything that surrounds your life at that moment in time. I feel like it's a very softer approach to really what hospice does and is. I hope that's what the message is, in the end. Dr. Bob: Yeah, that's nice. You're right. Many people don't get that. Society, until you've had a personal experience with a really good hospice team, the perception out there still for many people is hospice is basically just where you go to die, and we know that that is ... There are times when that's true when somebody's dying, and they're in their last stages, and hospice comes in and helps facilitate it and make it more comfortable. But there are so many people who spend months on hospice, and they live so much more richly, and so much more peacefully, because of that support. It really is about living well until you die, as opposed to just dying, and I- Kimberly Ouwehand: And the family, too. Dr. Bob: Yeah, that family support. I can see the film helping to further that concept and that philosophy. I'm looking forward to it, to seeing it and sharing it, and who knows what other projects you'll be getting to next. I did an interview not long ago with Michael Rossato-Bennett, who directed the film "Alive Inside." Have you seen that? Kimberly Ouwehand: No, but I'd love to- Dr. Bob: Wonderful film. It's about music and bringing music to people with dementia, and people who are isolated. It started out as just a little project that someone asked him to come and do some filming, and out of that, he has now created a foundation, and there are iPods and headphones being given out to people all throughout the country, and it's launched into something beyond what anyone could ever have imagined. Who knows? Something like that could be happening with you as well. You never know. Kimberly Ouwehand: I hope so. You never know. Thank you so much, Dr. Bob.

Southeast SALT evening speaker, Shawn Galyon, challenges students to live "Inside Out"

Proverbs 17:22 - Today we talk; Six Geese A-Laying, A Broken & Crushed Spirit, The Power of Music, Worship, Alive Inside

Just because you've been diagnosed with dementia, it doesn't mean you can't lead a meaningful life. So says writer Deborah Shouse, who explains in today's episode how the film Alive Inside inspired her to write “Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together,” her forthcoming book chalk-full of ideas for transforming the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers through artful engagement. Deborah tells us why creativity matters, why talent isn't required to connect with a loved one and she offers tips for caregivers on how to get out of survival mode and initiate self-care. Part 1 of this inspiring interview can be found here: http://bit.ly/1ZU74f4 Music: “Discovery” by Jon Luc Hefferman | CC BY NC | Free Music Archive Pre-order “Connecting in the Land of Dementia”: http://amzn.to/28PKtAp Explore Deborah and Ron's creativity workshops: http://bit.ly/28NXeIS Connect with Deborah's blog: http://bit.ly/28Uq8qk Alive Inside is streaming on Netflix! Learn more about the film here: http://bit.ly/1mj65PA

In this 11-minute interview, the new Life Enrichment Coordinator for Island Volunteer Caregivers (IVC) describes the series of three uplifting films that IVC is offering for free, at 1pm on 3 Sundays: March 6th and 13th, and April 3rd. BCB's guest is Lynn Murphy, who describes the three-film series called "Living Out Loud". As Lynn says, each feature-length film is joyous and memorable. Each will be screened in the comfortable cinema auditorium of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. At 1pm on Sunday, March 6th, the first film is "Age of Champions", showing seniors who are surprisingly great in their favorite sports.  On Sunday, March 13th at 1pm, it's Young @ Heart. And, on Sunday April 3rd at 1pm, it's a film called "Alive Inside" about the hope and joy that can be experienced, despite symptoms of Alzheimers. Each film is offered without charge to the public. Seniors might enjoy attending with a family member. Lynn also describes the range of free services offered by IVC day-by-day to help Seniors age in place. More than 150 IVC volunteers offer services at no charge to more than 200 IVC care recipients. Learn more at the IVC website. To contact IVC about either volunteering or applying for services, call Rita or Robin at 206-842-4441. Credits: BCB host, audio editor and social media publisher: Barry Peters.

Episode 62: Built For The Future RADIOThanks for tuning in to 210 Local Media Podcast, I am your host, Mario Zamarron. Before we dive into some amazing music, I wanted to mention something going down in San Antonio tomorrow night at the Alamo Draft House at 618 NW Loop 410. MUSIC Project is screening the documentary, “Alive Inside”, an uplifting cinematic exploration of music and the mind. Tickets are $5 and are available through Eventbright (http://www.eventbrite.com/e/alive-inside-screening-and-silent-auction-for-alzheimers-association-music-project-tickets-17853797188). There will also be a silent auction before the movie, which will be available for filmgoers and the lazy stay at home people as well. This is a great local organization that's trying hard to make a difference in people's lives and they are just about halfway sold out. Do me a favor and make sure they sell out, and be sure to check out the great items at auction.If you're too young to know what ProgRock is, no biggie, we'll just call this and alternative version of alternative rock. However, for those of you that are in the know, this show is especially for you. Patric Farrell and Kenny Bissett have recently released their full length album Chasing The Light to critical success globally. They've gotten the attention of the global Prog community and have taken it by storm. Locally though, we're proud to bring you Built For The Future before anyone else. If you like what you hear, do me a favor and use social media to let local San Antonio college radio station KRTU know that you'd love to hear these guys on their show. In the meantime, keep your eyes and ears on the podcast for an interview coming soon. In the meantime, here's Built For The Future with their album, Chasing The Light.Chasing LightArriveRadiowaveLightchaserSpeed Of The ClimbBuild For The FutureBurning DaylightWallsRunning ManThe Siren WillStaring At The SunSamsaraThe Great EscapeRecently we've been praised by local musicians and fans for playing a good mixture of local music. We really appreciate the feedback, and are hoping to expand our catalog of local music genres. With that being said, we also really need help. Right now, our iTunes data needs a lot more ratings and reviews. A goal we have for this show is to get into iTunes “New & Noteworthy” section and get even more listeners to the show. This means more San Antonio music being spread to the world and the chance that these listeners will visit Facebook pages, BandCamp sites, ReverbNation pages, etc. This could mean digital downloads, physical album sales, and merch sales. If you've got the chance to impact that for yourself, shouldn't you? In the words of Jerry Maguire, “Help Me, Help You”. Thanks for listening!You can contact us on Google Voicemail at 210-802-1197, at www.210LocalMedia.com/contactus, on Twitter: @210LocalMedia, and on Facebook: /210LocalMediaAs a member of the 210 Podcast Network, we are partially brought to you by Audible.com. Get your free audio book download and free 30-day trial when you visit 210LocalMusic.com/Audible. It also helps us keep the podcast network running. Thanks for listening!www.210LocalMedia.com www.itsaguythingpodcast.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/210localmedia0/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/210localmedia0/support

Last month, Carolyn Dobson, MT-BC, and I were invited to be on a panel following a screening of the documentary, Alive Inside. This documentary is about Dan Cohen, who volunteers in nursing homes and brings iPods to people who have Alzheimers. On today's show, we'll share our experience on the panel and our thoughts about the documentary and the Music and Memory Certification that is based on the iPod project.