Journey Ahead

10 Episodes
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By: Volume One

Journey Ahead features upbeat conversations with area experts on how you or your aging loved ones can live life to the fullest in the Chippewa Valley. Hosted by Lisa Wells of the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire County, enjoy discussions focused on enhancing the quality life while aging, living with dementia, keeping our aging loved ones active and healthy, changing attitudes on aging, and many more insightful topics. Subscribe for free to always get the latest monthly episode.

Benefits of Humor and Laughter as We Age - Guest: Tom Kidd
#23
03/08/2024

As we brave the more serious sides of aging, it is important to incorporate ways to experience life’s lighter side to keep us balanced and be able to cope. In fact, laughter and a healthy dose of humor have been shown in studies to improve our physical, psychological, and social well-being. Tom Kidd of Balanced Wellness Services, a former health educator with approximately 30 years of teaching experience, sits down with Lisa Wells to discuss the benefits of finding humor and laughter later on in life.


Experiencing Joy with Dementia - Guest: Susan McFadden
#22
02/06/2024

Someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with some form of dementia every 65 seconds, and that number continues to grow as the population ages. Susan McFadden, co-founder of the Fox Valley Memory Project, sits down Lisa Wells to discuss how people with dementia and their loved ones can still experience joy with creativity and a shift in mindset.

It’s not often we hear the words “joy” and “dementia” in the same sentence. Dementia is hard and affects not only the person but their care partner and families – making it easy to find the gloom and doom. In order to...


Friendships as We Age - Guests: Geri Krause and Tamara Fanjoy
#21
01/04/2024

Guests Geri and Tamara discuss how having and maintaining strong friendships as we age, not only impact the quality of life, but enhances it.

As we age, it can become more difficult to find friends and develop meaningful relationships due to moving away, widowhood, the death of a friend, caregiving, or finding time to sustain relationships. But as research suggests, having these meaningful relationships can help promote health.

According to Mayo Clinic, adults with strong social connections have a reduced risk of many significant health problems, including depression, high blood pressure and cognitive decline. In...


Live Smart, Not Hard - Guest: Laura Plummer
#20
12/07/2023

According to the AARP, nearly 90% of adults age 50 and older – across all health status categories, incomes, and races – want to age in place and remain at home. In order to do so, some may consider using assistive technology (A.T.) to help facilitate independence at home.

In this episode, Laura Plummer, the assistive technology program coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, sits down with host Lisa Wells to discuss assistive technology. From low-tech/no-tech devices like reachers and remote controls to high tech systems like smart home devices, Plummer offers a host of information and advi...


Active Aging - Guest: Marilyn Skrivseth
#19
03/30/2023

As we age, medical and psychological ailments can creep into our bodies. In this episode, Marilyn Skrivseth talks to host Lisa Wells of the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire County about Active Aging.

Marilyn is an expert on Active Aging with over 50 years of experience working in fields related to health, wellness, physical activity and athletics. Active Aging, a concept designed by the World Health Organization, aims to ensure older adults enjoy a quality life despite age related limitations. Marilyn and Lisa discuss optimizing wellbeing on a physical, social and mental level as it...


Cleaning Out Clutter - Guest: Connie Kees
#18
02/27/2023

It’s amazing how much stuff we collect over the years, but cleaning out the clutter can be so overwhelming—so where do we start? In this episode, Connie Kees from Consult an Organizer, discusses with Lisa Wells of the Aging & Disability Resource Center on the benefits of de-cluttering your home and gives resources and advice on how to even start.


Gut Health - Guest Dr. Kristie Gering
#17
01/31/2023

Hippocrates said a long time ago, “all disease begin in the gut.” In this episode, Dr. Kristie Gering of Spero Wellness Clinic in Chippewa Falls talks with Lisa Wells of the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire about gut health and its connection to the brain and healthy aging.

Gut bacteria and other microbes play a significant role in the body, from making vitamins to maintaining our immune system. Dr. Gering sits down with Wells to discuss maintaining optimal gut health and its connection to preventing cognitive decline and regaining optimal brain health.


Planning Ahead - Guests: Trisha Witham and Carla Berscheit
#16
12/21/2022

We plan for many things in life—birthdays, weddings, vacations, and even groceries—but we typically don’t think about planning for aging. In this episode, Dementia Care Specialists, Trisha Witham from Barron, Rusk and Washburn Counties and Carla Berscheit from Chippewa and Dunn Counties, talk to host Lisa Wells of the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire County about creating a plan for aging well.

Statistics state that about 60 percent of us will need care at some point in our lives. It is something we don’t want to think about but a reality we must...


Purposeful Living - Guest: Jean Jirovec
#15
11/28/2022

When our purpose is no longer defined by the roles we used to play, how do we find meaning in life? In this episode, Jean Jirovec, a retired marriage and family therapist with over 42 years of experience in the mental health field, discusses with Lisa Wells about the real affects of feeling the loss of purpose and meaning in the later years of life and how to address it.

Studies suggests that a sense of purpose promotes healthy behaviors associated with physical and mental health. As we grow older, our sense of purpose and meaning may decrease...


Grief and Loss - Guest: Debra Hoffman
#14
10/26/2022

Debra Hoffman, a retired associate nursing professor from UW-Eau Claire, talks to host Lisa Wells of the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire County about grief and loss as we age.

Grief and loss are an inevitable part of life no matter our age, and as we get older, they become even more likely. In this episode, Debra Hoffman, a retired associate nursing professor from UW-Eau Claire, talks to host Lisa Wells of the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire County about grief and loss as we age.

We lose more...