Episode 4

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Published on:

5th Oct 2023

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE OF ELDERCARE

You know what we say at Zoomcatchers, we're never too young to think about aging!

Zoomcatchers is pleased to present Conversations on Aging, Episode 4, a conversation with Jennifer Liebermann. Jennifer is a strategic innovation leader, community builder, and facilitator.

Her superpower is aligning disparate groups around a shared purpose and vision, often exploring the future of various topics.

She founded a consulting practice in 2023 to apply her experience as a healthcare innovation leader, driving large-scale change to help organizations define new futures, engage stakeholders, and build programs for results.

Jennifer founded and led Kaiser Permanente's Garfield Innovation Center, a global model for visioning the future of health and enabling people to prototype and test new ideas.

Thanks for joining us in this important conversation!

Will it be the Golden Years or the Silver Tsunami? Stay tuned and find out!

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Feedspot has named Conversations on Aging one of the Top 5 UCSD Podcasts!

https://blog.feedspot.com/ucsd_podcasts/

To listen to the audio podcast of this and previous episodes: https://conversations-on-aging.captivate.fm/listen

To learn more about Zoomcatchers, go to: https://www.zoomcatchers.us

This podcast is powered by Ecamm! To learn more about Ecamm: https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=kimberly87

Transcript
Kimberly:

Greetings and welcome to this special conversation on aging.

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You know what we say?

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We're never too young

to think about aging.

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I'm your host, Kimberly gun with zoom

catchers, and we are super excited to

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bring you episode four, envisioning the

future of elder care and healthy aging.

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We have been so fortunate with our

podcast to have amazing guests and

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we have another amazing guest today.

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Her CV is super long.

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I'm going to give you the highlights and

she's going to break it down and give

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us some more details about who she is.

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And today we are proud

to have on our show.

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Jennifer Lieberman.

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She is a strategic innovation leader,

community builder, and facilitator.

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Her superpower is aligning

disparate groups around a shared

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purpose and vision, often exploring

the future of various topics.

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She founded a consulting practice

in:

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as a healthcare innovation leader,

driving large scale change to help

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organizations define new futures.

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Engage stakeholders and

build programs for results.

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Jennifer founded and led Kaiser

Permanente's Garfield Innovation

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Center, a global model for visioning

the future of health and enabling

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people to prototype and test new ideas.

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Her work explored the future of

digital health and the role of

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social determinants of health.

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I am so super excited to bring

Jennifer to the show today.

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She is an MBA and an MPH from UC Berkeley,

and an MBA and MPH from UC Berkeley.

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I am so super excited to bring Jennifer

to Into the zoom catchers studio,

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Jennifer, how are you doing today?

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Jennifer: Thanks, Kimberly.

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I'm doing really well.

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And I'm, I'm really excited

to have this conversation

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Kimberly: with you.

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I am super excited too.

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I've had a cup and a half of coffee,

so I've got some energy to back it up.

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This conversation is so important

and I know it will resonate

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with so many people out there.

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So please tell us more about yourself

and in particular, how did you

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get into the health care space?

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Jennifer: Yeah, well, I know you

wanted to hear about how this happened.

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I, I guess it wasn't a surprise

that I ended up in, in health care.

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my mother was.

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an epidemiologist and I grew up, in

San Francisco, in the eighties, in the

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middle of the AIDS and HIV, epidemic.

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And I think my career, it

has always been clear to me.

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I wanted to be in healthcare, but

I've had a number of different.

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Places and, and, really early in my

career, I focused at a really high

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level on health care policy and all

the changes in the health care system.

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that had such an impact on how

we train health professionals, to

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practice in teams because that's

how healthcare is delivered.

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and it was great working in policy, but

I really, after graduate school, I really

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wanted to, to work for an organization

that was really, making a difference.

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And so I founded Kaiser Permanente's,

Innovation Center, which was.

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Super exciting.

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we did just some absolutely amazing work.

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and, since I've left Kaiser Permanente

and have been a consultant, I've really

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wanted to focus more on health rather

than health care and have been doing,

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quite a bit of work in the food insecurity

space, both globally and domestically.

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. Kimberly: Awesome.

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Awesome.

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There you have it, folks.

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She has been, uh, in the trenches in, in

this field and we are so appreciative that

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you're on to, help us explore this topic.

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And I really want to dive into

the topic, envisioning the future

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of elder care and healthy aging.

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Thank you.

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We've been able to talk offline about

this topic, and I've learned, more

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about you and your personal experiences.

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So can you just tell us more about how

your personal experiences have given

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you insight into this topic in general?

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Jennifer: Yeah, I mean, I

think today I will try to put

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on three hats, if you will.

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I mean, obviously I have this healthcare

background, but I've also had a lot of,

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personal experience as a caregiver, as

the daughter of someone with dementia.

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but then also hopefully I can

speak, personally as well.

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so my father, was diagnosed at

64 with early onset dementia.

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And at the time I was in my thirties

and had, an eight year journey,

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with my father, as a caregiver,

not in my home, but it was a pretty

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significant, part of my life.

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And it was a time when I started

having kids, and was really part

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of that, sandwich generation.

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and there were, there were a number

of things because I was both working

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in the health care field and I

was experiencing this journey.

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as a caregiver, and there were, I think,

three elements of that that are worth

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telling a little bit more about, I think

the first one was that when you get a

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diagnosis, like this, There is so much

that you need that is outside the formal

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health care system and those connections

are really hard to make, you know,

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we had to navigate things like a role

change and what that meant, emotionally.

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to go from being a daughter to almost

reversing roles as, as the parent and,

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you know, how we dealt with really

tricky conversations, like when it was

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no longer appropriate for my father

to drive, or when we came to the point

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where we could no longer have him in

my stepmother's home and he needed

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more care than we could provide.

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Navigating those conversations was so a

part of our journey, and yet it was like

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this much of the health care system.

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And, I think that was a real, challenge.

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I think the other thing, that

really struck me was, This was

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an experience about our family.

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It was about how my stepmother supported

my father and how I supported my father.

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I was an only child.

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but the healthcare system,

their interaction was just

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with my father and it was.

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At every turn, all of these decisions

were being made, especially further

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on as, as my father's dementia

progressed, and, he was even nonverbal.

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those conversations, and decisions were

being made by myself and my stepmother.

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The whole system was designed

to support my father.

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So I'll give you a great example.

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my father would go in for a visit

and I was working full time, right?

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So I couldn't come to all of these and

I would be put on the phone, which was.

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Which was terrific to do, but

it was so hard to participate

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in that conversation fully.

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And there are so many

technologies that exist now.

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Video is a great one, where

I could have been a lot more

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involved in those conversations.

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So, this idea of like engaging the

entire caregiving team is so important

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and, and something that I just

firsthand experience not having, and

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then the, the third thing, Kimberly,

and this is, this is so hard, I think

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something like 90 percent of Americans.

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Want to have a conversation about end of

life and only about a quarter of them do.

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And that's what played

out in my family, right?

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It was not until the very end when

we were having these conversations.

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And, my experience was that the

healthcare team kind of tiptoed around us.

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And at the very end when we signaled,

yes, we need to talk about this, I felt

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a sense of relief on their part, but

I was also thinking like, why didn't

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we have this conversation years ago?

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It would have, it would've done so many

beautiful things in this situation.

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So, I learned a lot in that process and.

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Because I was so young, because I was in

my 30s when this happened, I have taken

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it upon myself that, every friend that I

know that is now going through having to

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care for a parent with dementia, I feel

like I, I really owe it to them to talk

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about my experience, and what I would

do differently if I were to go back.

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Kimberly: Thank you so much for, for

sharing that because, based on our

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offline conversation, I knew that,

I know that about you and that topic

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resonates with me as well, because

I was a caregiver for my aunt who

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also was suffering from dementia.

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And had to navigate that

as a family with my partner

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and the

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Kimberly: healthcare system.

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And so I appreciate you sharing that

and I know that there's millions

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of people out there, that have

gone through a similar experience.

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so based on those experiences, and I

know you want to, we're gonna explore the

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topic of shifting from a patient centered,

healthcare system to more of a caregiver,

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approach or finding ways to better support

or more fully support the caregiver.

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What can you draw from your personal

experience and the experiences that you

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may be hearing from friends and family?

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How can we shift that, that focus or

make it more of a family oriented,

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a caregiver oriented experience,

how to engage on those topics,

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move, some of that taboo around end

of life and death so that we can.

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continue to prevail this topic,

where it's not, fraught with

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so much anxiety and stress.

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It's already a stressful, anxious

situation what would you recommend

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as far as moving in that direction?

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Jennifer: Yeah, yeah, I

have so many thoughts.

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I, I think on the first one, the

healthcare system tends to want to

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medicalize things and, what, especially

at the beginning of whatever, diagnosis,

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caregiving journey you're on, I

think just having peers to talk to

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about what it's like, I would have

benefited so much from talking to

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someone in my situation in my community

about the resources that existed.

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And, what was given to me was, oh,

hey, there's a, you know, there's a

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caregiver support group that meets at two

o'clock in San Francisco on a Tuesday.

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Right.

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And, you this whole idea of like

connecting other people who have

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been there and, and health care is

so local with resources, that would

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have been terrific if there had been

some kind of a navigator to help me,

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and my family figure out, how to, how

to connect in with different things.

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It doesn't necessarily have to be a

part of the health care system, but

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a better handoff to a lot of those.

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Transcripts provided you know, I

also just think we have a lot of

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existing technology, that can bring

families into the picture more.

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And I think acknowledging and recognizing

that, you know, if you go, if you have

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to take a family member, to an inpatient

visit, why can't we have video to pipe

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in, family members and, and in many

cases, that could be adult children

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that are spread across the country.

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I just, there are ways to solve for that

problem and it's, it's really a mindset

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that, that needs to, that needs to shift.

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on, on those two elements, I think

there are some pretty clear, fixes.

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on the end of life piece, I think this

is something, that we, we need to start

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ourselves like, 90 percent of the country,

folks want to talk about end of life

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and they just don't end up doing it.

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And.

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I think, Kimberly, this is where folks

like you and I, need to just start, right?

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Like, all of us are aging.

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it is not easy to get off

this planet gracefully.

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And so I think all of us can

begin having these conversations

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with our own loved ones.

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I think there's this tendency,

and I saw it when I was at Kaiser

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Permanente, and we would, we would

engage what we thought were seniors.

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To talk about, concepts.

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And instead of having them resonate

for themselves, a lot of people, in

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their seventies would say, Oh, that's

great for my mom in her nineties.

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Right.

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Right.

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So, like they're wonderful games.

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There's a, there's a deck of

cards called hello, that used

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to be called my gift of grace.

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And it's like a very accessible way

to start talking about things that

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are, are meaningful and valuable.

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And I think Kimberly, rather than

you and I asking, other people

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to start this conversation.

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I think we have to start this

conversation ourselves with our own

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families, our own friends, to just

normalize and de stigmatize this.

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And, my own kids that are Gen Z,

like they're all over this, right?

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Like, I think it's a conversation

we can, and we just need to have.

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So, those are my thoughts.

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Kimberly: I, I love it.

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And I, and I agree.

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And I think that, we've been fortunate

to have other guests on the show

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to, discuss this very issue, end

of life and the conversations.

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And.

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I think it's just hard and I think for

our culture in particular, you know, we

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have a very youth oriented culture, so

people aren't, end of life, what, please,

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old age, please don't talk about it.

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There's, I think there's like a

natural kind of fear or pulling

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back or drawing away from the topic.

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And for me, as a caregiver from my

aunt, it was, it was a, there were

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a lot of positives and there were

a lot of blessings in disguise.

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And one of them.

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It got me thinking about my own life

and my own death and my own end of life.

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And I started to have those conversations

with partners and families and these

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are things I want and I don't want this.

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What do you think?

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And, and the more I talk about

it, the less fearful I am, and I

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think that's one of my messages I

want to put out there to people.

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It's like, talk about it.

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the earth isn't going to open

up and swallow you by having

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this conversation, right?

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Like nothing, nothing weird

is really going to happen.

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You're going to, you know, pick

up and life is going to move on.

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but what do you think it is that prevents

people from even engaging the topic?

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Is it fear?

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Is it something we're just not used to?

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And how do you think we can, what

other things can we do to begin

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to integrate it more into our

regular conversations and being?

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Jennifer: It's such a

good question, Kimberly.

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I think part of it is fear.

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And, I think if you start these

conversations later in life, it's a

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lot more difficult than if you start

them in your thirties and forties.

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And, I think if you begin those

conversations earlier, there's

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a lot more runway, right?

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and, they can even be around like,

Hey, what happens if I'm hit by a bus?

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Right?

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so, I think just.

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starting earlier rather than later

and, and normalizing them is, is

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the best that, that we can do.

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But it would be super interesting, for

you to have a guess that that focuses

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in on that area because there are a lot

of people who do, think quite deeply

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about end of life and, and some of those

folks, there's been a proliferation

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in the past 10 years around games.

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and ways to make these

conversations, just part of life.

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And, and there has even been, peer

reviewed research that has looked

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into the effectiveness of these games.

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I'm not an expert in this area, but

there are people who are, And that would

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just be a fascinating conversation.

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So when, when you get that guest

on your show, I want to listen

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Kimberly: in.

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Absolutely.

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Because when you said that my ears

really perked up because I was like, wow.

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And I taught, um, in public schools

for a while for a couple of years.

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And, you know, we did a lot of

gaming and, Especially nowadays

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with kids coming around, gaming is

such an important part, even adults.

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And it's like, what an idea

to gamify, the gamification

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of the conversations on aging.

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I, I love it.

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I think it's great.

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I think anything you, anything we can

do to Make things fun and interesting.

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I'm all for it.

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And you know, to get back to what

you're saying, the two of us having

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a conversation and I think about

envisioning the future for my elder

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care and healthy aging You know, I've

given it some thought and I know I want

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people around me who are supporting me.

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I know I want caregivers who are,

engaged in this topic and who

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understand my needs and their needs.

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And I know that I want to be in

a healthcare system or a part

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of a healthcare system that is

supportive of me and a community.

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So I've given it some thought,

I've talked about it, I've done

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research and what about yourself?

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what sort of.

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What vision do you have for

your own, end of life and that,

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that level of care for yourself?

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Jennifer: it's interesting that you

ask that because I think my experience

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has been when you see an end of life.

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That you don't want to repeat.

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You're just a lot more, focused

on making sure that that doesn't

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happen, to your own family.

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And so, being able, to die at

home, I think is really important

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and, and not being a, a burden.

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to my kids or spouse is

incredibly important to me.

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so, it's a good reminder that,

I myself need to have more of

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these explicit conversations.

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Sometimes you think just because you've

got the thought, doesn't necessarily

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mean that, that the folks around

you, know what, know what that is.

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Kimberly: And it's, like you said, it,

like we've been talking about, it's

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not something that a lot of people

want to talk about, certainly don't

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want to wake up every day and wonder,

you know, my, about my end of life.

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But I think, based on my research and

talking to other people, unfortunately, a

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lot of people end up at that place where

they wish they had been thinking about it.

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And here they are no longer maybe

in a physical or mental or emotional

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space to think through those things.

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and so therefore people are now scrambling

trying to make it happen for them.

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And we don't know.

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It's like, I don't know

what Aunt Sally wants.

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She never said it to me.

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And then you're dealing

with family dynamics.

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Some people want this for Aunt Sally, XYZ

person doesn't want that for Aunt Sally.

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with our family and our aunt, we

were fortunate in that she had

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given it a lot of thought years ago.

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So we were just.

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executing her wishes and we were so

so grateful that she had done that,

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made it really clear verbally and in

writing and so I can't stress enough

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for people to start to really make it

clear and write it down and to think

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about it so that your loved ones aren't

left scrambling and fighting over you

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know we want to keep on Sally at home

she wants to go here clarification

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would really help and did you have a

similar experience with your family?

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You

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Jennifer: know, I don't think we spent

enough time talking early on about,

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what, what really mattered, especially

when my father was first diagnosed.

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And I think, especially with

dementia, that's tough because,

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you know, there, there's a window.

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So if, if I would do it over again, I

would probably have some more explicit

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conversations, really, really early on.

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Kimberly: What would you recommend,

though, as far as having conversations

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with younger people, teens, children,

how would you suggest we, we approach

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it with our, our loved ones, maybe

30s and 40s, but teens and younger?

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Jennifer: Yeah, it's such a good question.

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Kimberly, the honest answer is, I

think there actually is quite a bit

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of knowledge in this space and I'm not

sure that I'm, I, you know, I know how

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to answer it, but I do know that there

are people who do know how to answer it.

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And, I think there's a whole.

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body of work around life care planning,

where there are different conversations

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that are appropriate at different stages.

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and that would be something, that

would be super interesting, to

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explore with, with a real expert, in

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Kimberly: that space.

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Awesome.

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So I'm going to put it out there.

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If there are people out there

watching who have some expertise,

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some deeper knowledge on that topic.

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Shoot us an email.

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We'd love to have you on

and so we can explore that.

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Yeah.

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Thank you so much for being here

We're here with Jennifer Lieberman

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Discussing, envisioning the future

of elder care and healthy aging

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I want to shift the conversation

to talk about some topics that I

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know that you have been exploring

professionally, and that is issues around

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food insecurity, social connectivity,

and social determinants of health.

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And, I know that those are buzzwords,

you know, out there, but, tell us more

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about those issues and how they're,

I know they're kind of becoming more

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prominent vernacular these days.

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Yeah, yeah.

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Jennifer: No, Kimberly.

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Thanks for the pivot.

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You know, I think often We think of,

of health care and we talk about the

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sick care system, and I think there

has been a recognition in the health

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care industry over the past 10 plus

years that all of the things that you

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rattled off, those are that social

care or the social determinants of

355

:

health, and the health care system, I

think, has gotten a lot wiser about it.

356

:

Thank you.

357

:

the fact that your, your zip code is

a greater predictor of your health

358

:

than your genetic code and that all of

those community factors really play a

359

:

huge, a huge role in, in your physical

health, from the community perspective.

360

:

That's the work that a lot of

community based organizations

361

:

have been doing forever.

362

:

so, it depends on, it really,

depends on your, perspective.

363

:

there's some exciting

shifts that are happening.

364

:

so CMS, which is The government agency

that regulates the two big, public health

365

:

insurance programs, Medicare and Medicaid.

366

:

they've just put in a new rule that

at the beginning of:

367

:

providers are gonna need to screen

for the social determinants of health.

368

:

and that is a step in the right direction.

369

:

It is not.

370

:

that those health care providers,

are required to address

371

:

the social determinants of

health, but at least screen.

372

:

And that, that is a first step.

373

:

There's, there's still a ways to go.

374

:

so I think there's a greater

recognition of this and that's terrific.

375

:

I, I think, Another, element that

is getting a lot of attention right

376

:

now, and I am so fascinated by

this, is the focus on loneliness

377

:

and So the Surgeon General, Dr.

378

:

Vivek Murthy,

379

:

just released a report this

year, it was like 81 pages.

380

:

on the impacts of social

isolation and, social isolation,

381

:

not just breaks people's hearts

figuratively, but literally as well.

382

:

and it is tied to increased risk

of stroke and cardiovascular

383

:

disease, dementia and depression.

384

:

and when the surgeon general says like,

I am more concerned about the impacts

385

:

of social isolation than obesity.

386

:

that is really something

to pay attention to.

387

:

I, I think I heard the statistic

that social isolation is like

388

:

smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

389

:

so there's clearly a problem.

390

:

and, and by the way, this is not just.

391

:

with seniors.

392

:

In fact, I think, young people are at

even greater risk for social isolation,

393

:

than people later in their lives.

394

:

but how we address Social isolation,

I think is, is super interesting.

395

:

it is the kind of thing that

carries a lot of stigma.

396

:

just like those end of life conversations.

397

:

Who wants to talk or raise their hand?

398

:

sign me up for a social isolation.

399

:

Exactly.

400

:

Program, right?

401

:

Yeah, exactly.

402

:

And so, when I was at Kaiser Permanente,

we were looking at some super innovative

403

:

programs, to address this and, a

lot of these kind of require what I

404

:

call Trojan horse solutions because

you can't address the issue head on.

405

:

You have to kind of back into it for

something that is more accessible

406

:

and, and has less stigma and, I think

helping people, contributing, when,

407

:

when seniors are able to volunteer

and share their wisdom, and help

408

:

others, they are helping others.

409

:

But they're also really

helping themselves.

410

:

so there are some super interesting,

models in many communities.

411

:

there's a an organization called

Eldera AI, which is creating a, a

412

:

virtual village to connect seniors.

413

:

and youth in a mentoring relationship

where, folks over 60 are sharing

414

:

their wisdom in the world, with youth.

415

:

and, again, I think this idea of it,

it is much harder to receive than to

416

:

give and models where we engage people

in community service to help others.

417

:

it's just it's such a virtuous

circle where we're helping everyone.

418

:

and I'm, I'm super interested,

in a lot of those solutions.

419

:

Kimberly: And it, it really sounds, you

know, interesting what you're describing.

420

:

And I think that, you know, as a citizen

of this country and grown up in this

421

:

society, so much has been, so much

emphasis seems to be placed on being

422

:

able to do it on your own and being

an individual and, and that's great

423

:

for, for some things, but not so much

when you're 90 and you're at home and

424

:

all of a sudden there's no one around.

425

:

Those connections are not, not as strong

as they used to be because Absolutely.

426

:

Friends have passed

and family's not close.

427

:

So how do you envision, you know,

moving more in that direction?

428

:

Is it just a matter, not just, but is it

one thing to just to get the word out and

429

:

let people know these kinds of programs?

430

:

Jennifer: Yeah, I mean, I

think there are a lot of these

431

:

programs that that do exist.

432

:

I would say both formally and informally.

433

:

So there are a lot of super

interesting elder village models.

434

:

some of them are, physically, how

do we bring seniors together, but

435

:

there are virtual elder villages,

Ashby village in the East Bay is a

436

:

great example where, people opt into

a network to help each other out.

437

:

and these exist, not just in the Bay Area.

438

:

They exist nationally.

439

:

there are a lot of these

all over the country.

440

:

And lots of different models where,

people really, commit to helping

441

:

each other, to, to the point of, when

they can't anymore and, and, build

442

:

relationships and purpose and connection

in the process of, of doing that.

443

:

So I think there are those models,

as, as I now have a kid in high

444

:

school and I'm thinking about like,

well, what's next, there are a

445

:

lot of, Friends that are thinking

about, well, where do I retire to?

446

:

And there are all sorts of discussions

on what are the best towns to retire to.

447

:

But when I think about it, it's like,

who's your community and network, right?

448

:

Like, the geographic places is

always, of course, interesting,

449

:

but who are your people?

450

:

Like, what's your village?

451

:

and I think having.

452

:

explicit conversations with people

about what, what matters to you,

453

:

and who your tribe is, is just super

454

:

Kimberly: important.

455

:

Mm hmm.

456

:

I, I agree.

457

:

And I, like we've been stressing,

it all starts with conversation.

458

:

So please folks.

459

:

Go out there and start to have

conversations about life, your

460

:

future, you're, we're not too young.

461

:

We're never too young to

really think about it.

462

:

And even for young people who may

be tuning in, try to strike up

463

:

a conversation with your family.

464

:

Let them know that you're

coming from a loving place.

465

:

So that people aren't scared and recoil

in fear, because, as we know, and I'm

466

:

sure you know that, you know, the 2030

is that number is flashing yellow.

467

:

There's going to be of the

population that are seniors.

468

:

So we're all going to be called

upon to step up and look after

469

:

a family, friend, colleague.

470

:

It's just reality.

471

:

The numbers are going to bear that out.

472

:

And so the question is, how do we show up?

473

:

And we talked about,

the idea of showing up.

474

:

And, being present and, and how do,

how do we tackle and navigate this

475

:

situation, this life, experience that

we're, this journey that we're all on.

476

:

And you turned me on to,

to someone, Joan Halifax.

477

:

And I just want to read a haiku because

I think her haiku, this haiku that I

478

:

found really sums up a lot can move into

the next phase of this conversation.

479

:

And she writes quietly trying to

sort through the 10, 000 things.

480

:

And I think that's a perfect

haiku for this entire situation.

481

:

It's not one thing.

482

:

It's not two things.

483

:

There's a myriad of issues and topics

and points that all need to be explored.

484

:

I know that you have a lot of experience

engaging stakeholders on these.

485

:

broad, large scale, topics, and

I want to talk more about some

486

:

of your experience with Kaiser

487

:

Permanente

488

:

Kimberly: and, break down, some of

the key points from your work with,

489

:

Kaiser Permanente's Innovation Center.

490

:

Thank you.

491

:

And I believe that they can be

applied to this situation as well.

492

:

number one, there are

no templated solutions.

493

:

Number two, multifaceted systems

are required to address them.

494

:

Number three, solutions must scale to

millions of members for true impact.

495

:

And number four, movement making is

required to transition ideas to reality.

496

:

So let's explore that because I

know what some of these topics, in

497

:

particular, this one, like I said,

there's so many different angles.

498

:

There's food insecurity, there's housing,

there's end of life conversations.

499

:

How can we apply some of those ideas that

you explored with KP to this situation?

500

:

Jennifer: Yeah.

501

:

so all of those challenges that

you just rattled off are, they're

502

:

part of complex adaptive systems.

503

:

and, they're, they're really.

504

:

There are problems that you have to

solve on a systems level, so like you can

505

:

solve one part of the problem and then

the problem itself may change, right?

506

:

So, we have to understand, and tackle

these problems, at an individual level.

507

:

At a community level, and

then a lot of times at like an

508

:

interconnected policy level.

509

:

you see this with, with climate

change, there's individual action,

510

:

but obviously there's, policy level

change that, that needs to occur.

511

:

and, and the work that I've been doing

with, food and nutrition insecurity.

512

:

is very similar, right?

513

:

Like there are programs that, how

do we just get individuals, who are

514

:

eligible enrolled in snap, which is what

was formerly called food stamps, to,

515

:

supplement their, their purchasing power.

516

:

there are other community level solutions

around getting folks, connected into

517

:

resources in the community and food banks

and all sorts of, supplemental programs.

518

:

And then I think there's also just

incredibly important work that needs

519

:

to be done at the policy level.

520

:

even asking like, how do we

expand eligibility for SNAP?

521

:

There are people who maybe should

be covered by this benefit.

522

:

and how do we begin to, have

reimbursement for food as medicine, right?

523

:

If we, we know that food impacts

health in, in very specific cases,

524

:

how do we, effectively lobby, a

number of different governmental

525

:

programs to, provide reimbursement?

526

:

So, I guess in short, none of

these problems can be solved by

527

:

a single actor in the system.

528

:

And so ways that we can bring

people together, that come from

529

:

very different perspectives is super

530

:

Kimberly: important.

531

:

I agree.

532

:

I wanted to, um, just explore

the whole, uh, idea of, of.

533

:

food has medicine, just,

534

:

I know you're, you're involved in

that, or you've engaged on that topic.

535

:

And, my comment about that is in,

as a caregiver from my aunt, she

536

:

was fortunate to be a part of the

537

:

Meals on Wheels

538

:

Kimberly: program and, she was able

to get healthy, nutritious food for

539

:

her, and I know it made a difference

for her in the end of her life.

540

:

And I know that nutrition in general is.

541

:

is a huge issue for elders.

542

:

some of them are living alone,

so they're not able to...

543

:

I think there's nutritionally or they're

not, in a space physically or emotionally.

544

:

I know with her, just getting her

to eat and getting her to even drink

545

:

water, what's a, what's a real issue.

546

:

So it seems like just education is a key

component of that, but I'd love to hear

547

:

more about, um, the food as medicine.

548

:

Jennifer: I think there's been.

549

:

a growing recognition.

550

:

In fact, I would say we, we

recognize, right, that food

551

:

contributes to better health outcomes.

552

:

And I don't think we need

to study that anymore.

553

:

I think, there are a couple

shifts that are happening.

554

:

one is, we need to be talking

more about nutrition security.

555

:

where you're getting the proper type

of food rather than just calories.

556

:

And, and there's a shift, although

there is not yet a clear definition of

557

:

what, nutrition security, looks like.

558

:

but there is also, a struggle,

to, find the resources, to...

559

:

to pay for a lot of these services.

560

:

And I think, a lot of the conversation

is, How does the medical system show up,

561

:

and, provide reimbursement, for a lot of

these programs and that's beginning with

562

:

a lot of pilot programs, but we're still

just not there, with clear dedicated.

563

:

funding streams, to pay for something

that we know we see the benefit, right?

564

:

far better to invest in providing

somebody with proper nutrition

565

:

to avoid type two diabetes.

566

:

then to put someone on a

medication, that they have to

567

:

take for the rest of their lives.

568

:

That's a thousand dollars a month, right?

569

:

Like it's very clear.

570

:

and like a lot of things were just

not there yet, but we've definitely

571

:

We definitely started the conversation

and that's, getting back to that

572

:

last question, like, this is where

people have to come together.

573

:

and last week I was involved in

some super exciting work, with food

574

:

banks that, are, are really coming

together to, to understand food

575

:

as medicine and, and their role.

576

:

And, I was incredibly impressed, right?

577

:

they recognize that.

578

:

There's a whole language and a whole

vocabulary with the health care system.

579

:

And they spent quite a bit of time,

getting up to speed to understand

580

:

the language of health care.

581

:

They invited me to come participate

and, share from a health care

582

:

perspective what that lens is.

583

:

And so, to the extent that

organizations can recognize.

584

:

That they need to bring in partners

and be cognizant of language and be

585

:

cognizant of external perspectives

and to actually seek them out.

586

:

that's how we're going to

solve these problems together.

587

:

it's unfortunately not in isolation.

588

:

It's not easy.

589

:

It takes a lot of time.

590

:

but that's how we're going to like really

address these like super gnarly problems.

591

:

Kimberly: You gotta, we gotta show up at

everybody and, we're all stakeholders.

592

:

So if you don't think you're a

stakeholder, I recommend you think again

593

:

and, think about it, not just from the

perspective of a loved one, but yourself,

594

:

what sort of future do you want to live

in where you're, an elder person in need

595

:

of support, healthcare, food, give it

some thought now so that you can start

596

:

planning and having these conversations.

597

:

Maybe there are some community

organizations you can be a part of, maybe

598

:

you can reach out and have conversations

with people like we're having today.

599

:

And, and I just strongly suggest people

just be proactive and take that step.

600

:

It'll help all of us.

601

:

Whatever step an individual will

take, it helps all of us because

602

:

we're all a part of the community.

603

:

There are a lot of resources online.

604

:

we'll have, Jennifer's information as

well, if you want to reach out to her.

605

:

And we are here with Jennifer Lieberman.

606

:

We are discussing envisioning the

future of elder care and healthy aging.

607

:

And I do want to shift and talk

about this whole idea of Optimism.

608

:

as you've indicated in, and as I

know, this topic is, it's so broad,

609

:

there's, there's a lot to do.

610

:

It's certainly not easy.

611

:

It's hard.

612

:

we get that.

613

:

But you, I know that you have considered

yourself an impatient optimist.

614

:

So tell us more about, that idea

because it's so intriguing and, and I

615

:

love it because I consider myself an

616

:

optimist.

617

:

but it's like, yeah, I'm

tapping my foot though, folks.

618

:

I'm saying let's, let's move this,

let's move this train forward.

619

:

Jennifer: Yeah, yeah.

620

:

I mean, my family would just tell you

this is, this is the way I'm wired,

621

:

but, if you've never been to the Bill

and Melinda Gates Discovery Center in

622

:

Seattle, it's really worth a visit.

623

:

and this is where I really

learned about inpatient optimists.

624

:

And I thought, man, that's just spot on.

625

:

I'm an optimist.

626

:

just by who I am.

627

:

and I think the inpatient part is so

important because, particularly spending

628

:

my entire career in healthcare, there are

just a lot of folks that are risk averse.

629

:

They want to study things more.

630

:

whether that's out of fear or a

desire to protect the status quo.

631

:

I feel like unless we push,

We're not going to make change.

632

:

and there are so many

things that need change.

633

:

and, part of this conversation that

we're having is you keep asking me,

634

:

Kimberly, what to do and whether

you're an individual or whether

635

:

you're an organization, I think

there's this tendency to say for

636

:

these really hard things, like, Oh,

somebody else needs to do something.

637

:

Like, as soon as.

638

:

X, Y, Z, then our

organization can do whatever.

639

:

And I think we just have

to get started, right?

640

:

Like, do you want somebody

else to shape your future?

641

:

Or do you, in a world of a lot

of uncertainty, want to define

642

:

that future for yourself?

643

:

And I, I think.

644

:

When we think of it in those terms,

it is scary to get started, but we

645

:

just have to, whether it's me as an

individual saying, gosh, maybe I need to

646

:

have this conversation with my family.

647

:

Or me and an organization

saying, Hey, there's a complex

648

:

challenge we need to solve.

649

:

are we going to wait for the federal

government to give us advice?

650

:

Or are we going to get started

defining what we need to see?

651

:

if you go to the Gates Discovery

Center in Seattle, they are

652

:

tackling so many social issues.

653

:

And what's so fascinating is

that everything there, they're

654

:

doing amazing work, Kimberly.

655

:

especially around the role of women.

656

:

there was an incredible exhibit last

time I was there about like women

657

:

holding the weight of the world.

658

:

And yes!

659

:

Every interactive exhibit is

about what you can do to get

660

:

started in your community.

661

:

and that's, that's what we have

662

:

Kimberly: to do.

663

:

Absolutely.

664

:

And I agree 100%.

665

:

I love it.

666

:

I think you're right.

667

:

There's this tendency to, tell me what

to do and, and to reach out to people.

668

:

And, and there's obviously

a need for that, depending

669

:

on what you're trying to do.

670

:

But at the same time.

671

:

what can you do, as an individual and

in navigating this whole issue with

672

:

my aunt, it was a lot of just my own.

673

:

I had to read, I had to

research, call people, right.

674

:

People do all this, do all that.

675

:

And I said, you know what, I'm

going to start a podcast because

676

:

I feel like I wish that I had

gotten some of this information.

677

:

I wish someone had handed me a book.

678

:

I didn't get it.

679

:

I didn't get that guide.

680

:

but you know, we're creating the book.

681

:

We're creating the

guides and you're right.

682

:

everyone look and think,

what can you do today?

683

:

It could be as simple as, you know,

writing down, I'm going to do something.

684

:

I'm going to take this

issue and make it my own.

685

:

I'm going to start to have a conversation.

686

:

I'm going to look at the

Gates Foundation information.

687

:

I'm going to learn about

innovation centers.

688

:

I'm going to learn about end of life.

689

:

I mean, it doesn't have to be

some huge, big dramatic thing.

690

:

It can just be one step forward, to move

the needle because like I said, we're all

691

:

going to have to take care of someone It's

just the way the numbers are bearing out.

692

:

So be prepared, and with the preparation,

you'll find that it'll ease your own

693

:

kind of discomfort around the topic.

694

:

and it'll just kind of put you in the

driver's seat and, you can be more in

695

:

charge of your own future and our own

future and our collective futures.

696

:

So.

697

:

You're right.

698

:

Jennifer's right.

699

:

Everybody get out there and and do

something and Let's not wait around

700

:

for someone else to to do what we

we know we can do ourselves And we

701

:

are here with Jennifer Lieberman

discussing and envisioning the future

702

:

of eldercare and healthy aging.

703

:

I do want to talk more about

your experiences in Africa.

704

:

I know that you have been working with,

that country and the needs going on there.

705

:

And I'd love to hear more about that and

what takeaways and any, insights that

706

:

could be applied to this conversation

that we're having now about eldercare..

707

:

Kimberly: Yeah,

708

:

Jennifer: gosh.

709

:

so, fortunately, global, food

insecurity was actually on the decline.

710

:

the trend was going in the right

direction until about:

711

:

And unfortunately, with a whole confluence

of factors, so, climate change, where,

712

:

in Africa, you've had both flood and

drought, with, with conflict, and

713

:

particularly with the Ukraine war, which

has been, such a, a challenge for food

714

:

supply, particularly, in, in Africa, and

then COVID, and the economics of the,

715

:

the supply chain and inflation, all of

those factors have just come together

716

:

to create a global hunger crisis.

717

:

And I think the UN estimates like

there are 50 million people, that,

718

:

that are really suffering right now.

719

:

So.

720

:

I had the opportunity earlier this

year, to be in Kenya with, World

721

:

Vision, which is an NGO and the U.

722

:

N.

723

:

World Food Program, looking, with, with U.

724

:

S.

725

:

donors, looking at ways, to, to kind

of expand the aperture for, for giving.

726

:

and also to look at, emergency response

and, unrestricted gifts that really help

727

:

organizations when there is a crisis, just

kind of go in and do what they need to do.

728

:

when a lot of the other funding sources.

729

:

have a lot of restriction.

730

:

And, when there is a crisis and

you just need to pivot, how do you

731

:

access, funds to, to really do that?

732

:

I guess your question is,

what, what did I see there?

733

:

that.

734

:

relates to this conversation.

735

:

so much like Kimberly, we could, we

could talk for about a day on this.

736

:

So, I, I think overall, like really big

picture, I'm just struck by, I think

737

:

the challenges in the developing world

are around just food security and.

738

:

In the U.

739

:

S.

740

:

It really is a conversation

about nutrition security.

741

:

it's just it's, it's in a different place.

742

:

and I think one could maybe make

the assumption that, the developed

743

:

world is in a better place.

744

:

I don't know.

745

:

I saw a lot of things and

experienced a lot of things.

746

:

where I think we have just so much, to

learn, and I'll give you an example of

747

:

where I was just absolutely blown away.

748

:

there's, there's a lot of research that

shows that societies with greater gender

749

:

equity do better, economically, they have

better outcomes for, for children, better,

750

:

representative government institutions.

751

:

and so along those lines,

a lot of organizations.

752

:

that really understand that the root cause

of, of hunger is, is a poverty issue.

753

:

And, and so a lot of the work, is

really also around gender equity

754

:

and, and engaging, women in society.

755

:

And I was in a really, remote village

and also one where, they were extremely

756

:

affected by climate change and hunger.

757

:

And I had a conversation with a school

teacher, that I will never forget.

758

:

This young man, Griffin, was probably 25.

759

:

and he wanted to talk to me,

about just how important access to

760

:

clean water, was for him because,

most of his students were girls.

761

:

And when they began menstruating,

they really needed access to clean

762

:

water so that they would feel

comfortable coming to school.

763

:

And so what, what just struck me

was here is this young man and he's

764

:

advocating for girls in his community.

765

:

and when I think about the U.

766

:

S.

767

:

We have a lot of conversations about

gender equity and the role of women.

768

:

And from my vantage point, we're having

those conversations among a lot of women.

769

:

And here's a 25 year old wants

to talk to me about this and

770

:

had absolutely absolutely.

771

:

no squeamishness about

talking about, these issues.

772

:

And so, that gave me a lot of

hope, for what is possible.

773

:

It's, it's a starting point.

774

:

I think there's a lot of work

that, that still needs to be done.

775

:

but, a lot, a lot, a lot to, to

learn, from, from those experiences.

776

:

Kimberly: Awesome.

777

:

Thank you so much for joining us today.

778

:

This conversation has been

amazing and I know it will

779

:

resonate with a lot of people.

780

:

Obviously timed well, seeing that

there's a lot of conversations and a lot

781

:

of movement on this front in general.

782

:

I do want to just pick up on what you

were talking about as far as hope,

783

:

I think hope is obviously important.

784

:

It's a through line for a lot of

big change in society in general.

785

:

And in particular, I want to talk to

you about this concept of wise hope

786

:

and if you can expand on what exactly

787

:

does that mean

788

:

Jennifer: Yeah, I mean, I think

as we tackle and I really saw this

789

:

particularly, you know, in the developing

world where things at times can feel

790

:

hopeless, like, it's just such an

uphill battle with, so many challenges.

791

:

But even here in the U.

792

:

S.

793

:

I think it can be at times for people who

work in this space feel kind of hopeless.

794

:

I think we need to keep showing

up and to maintain that hope that

795

:

we can, we can make a difference.

796

:

Well, at the same time,

acknowledging how challenging

797

:

some of these problems are food.

798

:

Insecurity is, is complex.

799

:

It is not easily solved.

800

:

so we need to honor the challenge in

front of us and yet keep showing up day

801

:

after day with that north star in mind.

802

:

That that we're going to solve

these issues, and to be in

803

:

fellowship with each other, right?

804

:

Kimberly, it's, for the people that

are working in this space, to be able

805

:

to have relationships and call people

and celebrate the small things, right?

806

:

The, the CMS, requirement that we at least

screen for social determinants of health.

807

:

We want, of course, The healthcare system

to address those, but let's celebrate

808

:

those victories, so that we can, we can

keep our energy, up as we tackle problems

809

:

that, that really do, need to be solved.

810

:

Kimberly: Mm-hmm.

811

:

, I agree.

812

:

And just when I think about my own

experiences with my aunt, every day it

813

:

was, Like a new day and every step forward

was an accomplishment and every little

814

:

thing that happened We acknowledged and

I think I know that that really helped

815

:

us in navigating her her journey We just

kind of had to dial it all down and say

816

:

what is really needed in this moment.

817

:

Okay She needs to take her inhaler.

818

:

Okay, we need to get the oxygen whatever.

819

:

Okay, we need to go to the doctor

and celebrate You know what?

820

:

She was able to walk across

the room with the walker today

821

:

and didn't get as tired as the

822

:

day before.

823

:

Kimberly: There was no need

for a social media post and we

824

:

didn't have to blog about it.

825

:

It was just in those moments of

this is what we have to do and

826

:

I'm here serving that purpose.

827

:

It didn't always feel good, but

it was the right thing to do.

828

:

It was what was needed and I couldn't

have been more youthful for my

829

:

aunt and my family at that time.

830

:

And so...

831

:

I agree with you 100%.

832

:

We have to celebrate all of those.

833

:

I woke up today.

834

:

We woke up today.

835

:

You know, we'd make jokes about it.

836

:

It's like, how are you doing today?

837

:

Well, I'm up.

838

:

I'm here.

839

:

And that's cool because otherwise,

they're, there's so much that

840

:

feels like it's not moving.

841

:

But when you really think about it, a lot

positive, wonderful things are happening.

842

:

We have connected over

this, over this issue.

843

:

I have met amazing people

and have learned so much.

844

:

So keep going, everybody keep showing up.

845

:

We really need you.

846

:

and we have been here

with Jennifer Lieberman.

847

:

She's been breaking down so much, so much

wisdom and insight that she has gained.

848

:

In the healthcare field and from

her own personal experiences.

849

:

We love it.

850

:

Jennifer Lieberman can

be found on LinkedIn.

851

:

She's a great, great person to

connect with and she's very open.

852

:

So I recommend.

853

:

And you do that and Jennifer, we're

at the bottom of this conversation.

854

:

Thank you so, so, so,

so much for being here.

855

:

I really appreciate it.

856

:

I have to give a shout out to, to

Brandon's as who was, uh, you know,

857

:

one of the driving force of, of us

connecting, And for people who are

858

:

watching, please feel free to connect

with Jennifer and to explore the various

859

:

topics that we have talked about.

860

:

If you're interested in being a guest

on our show, you can reach out to us.

861

:

We'd love to hear more about what

people are doing in their communities.

862

:

You don't have to be a

quote unquote expert.

863

:

Love to hear from.

864

:

And we are going to close out episode

four of envisioning the future

865

:

of elder care and healthy living.

866

:

Join us next time for episode five.

867

:

We'll have another topic and another great

868

:

Kimberly: guest.

869

:

Thank you so much.

870

:

And we'll see you next

Show artwork for Conversations on Aging

About the Podcast

Conversations on Aging
We're Never Too Young To Think About Aging
Conversations on Aging: The Podcast!

We're never too young to think about aging...

Join us for engaging conversations on a wide range of issues with industry experts: the Master Plan on Aging, elder care, medicare fraud, science & technology, wisdom, caregiving, and much more!

We will feature conversations with Leza Coleman, Legislative Director of the California Commission on Aging, Dr. Dilip Jeste, the former Senior Associate Dean for Healthy Aging and Senior Care and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at the University of California San Diego and author of Wiser, and Elle Tee, a private caregiver.

Our population is aging and 2030 is approaching! Let's learn and age together!

Will it be the Golden Years of the Silver Tsunami?
Stay tuned and find out!

Subscribe to our channel so you don't miss a single episode!

https://www.zoomcatchers.us/news
https://ccoa.ca.gov
https://dilipjestemd.com

About your host

Profile picture for Kimberly Gunn

Kimberly Gunn

Zoomcatchers is a remote production, virtual event and podcasting company!

We host podcasts across a variety of areas including science, music, and arts and culture.

The Women of Rock is hosted by Zoomcatchers Kimberly Gunn and LightwaveLive's Tammy Holzer. WOR is a podcast all about the goings on in the world of rock!