Ep. 698 | Real Talk, Real Support, Real Living

This week on The Senior Zone, Shawn Perry opens up two powerful conversations that impact how we live, age, and thrive. 

First, we break the silence around urinary incontinence—what causes it, why it’s more common than you think, and most importantly, what can be done about it. Medical expert Aleece Fosnight joins us with insight, clarity, and solutions. 

Then, we honor and support those who served. Maryland’s Secretary of Veterans & Military Families, Colonel Ed Rothstein (U.S Army Ret.), shares how the state is strengthening services, programs, and pathways for veterans and their families. 

Plus—your Weekly Vitamin, community resources in the Later Life Lowdown, and more. 

Because on The Senior Zone—we don’t just age… we evolve. 

Thank you for listening and until we meet again…keep your head high, your heart full, and always — be someone who makes someone else look forward to their tomorrow.
 

Transcript

Opening Remarks + Weekly Vitamin

SPEAKER_09 0:01

Welcome to the Senior Zone.

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Well, we connect older adults with the organizations and resources that start that.

SPEAKER_09 0:08

The Senior Zone's goal forward to educate them out and like and entertain and engage older adults with the tools and information to stay healthy, happy, and secure.

SPEAKER_02 0:19

Great guests.

SPEAKER_09 0:23

So get ready to take notes.

SPEAKER_02 0:27

It's now time for the senior zone.

SPEAKER_06 0:31

Alright now. Good morning, good people, and welcome to the Senior Zone, the DMV's number one weekly radio program serving the 50 Plus community since 2012. I am your host, Sean Perry, and wherever you're tuned in from this morning, please know whether it's your car, your home, or somewhere in between, I am glad and honored that you are here because this is the space where we keep it real about life after 50, no sugar coating, no silence, just honest conversation that helps us live better. And today's show is exactly that. We're talking about things people deal with every day, but don't always talk about. And we're also highlighting support systems that remind us that you are not alone. But before we jump into all of that, here is your weekly vitamin. Here we go. What you face, you give yourself a chance to change. A lot of people carry things quietly, push through it, work around it, ignore it. But there comes a point where you say, enough, I deserve better than this. And at that moment right there, that's where things begin to shift. So today, we lean in, not away. That's your weekly vitamin. And family, if you ever miss a show or want to go back and catch something that hit home, you can listen to The Senior Zone on podcasts by demand on any of your podcast platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and more. Just search The Senior Zone with Sean Perry and take us with you wherever you go. Now, in our first segment, we're talking about something a whole lot of people experience, but not nearly enough people talk about. I'm talking about urinary incontinence. A lot of folks chalk it up as aging or just deal with it. But the truth is, it's often tied to things that can actually be treated. So instead of staying quiet about it, today we're bringing it into the light. Joining us will be Elise Fostnight, medical advisor at Aeroflow Urology and a board-certified physician assistant specializing in urology as well as women's health. And then in our second segment, we turn our focus to our veterans, my beloved community and the families who stand with them. Maryland is home to a strong veteran community, and making sure they have the support they've earned is critical. So joining us is Colonel Ed C. Rothstein, also known as Ed. He's a U.S. Army retired colonel now serving as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. After more than 30 years of service and leadership at the highest levels, he's now leading the charge to support veterans across the state. So I look forward to that conversation. But before we wrap things up today, we'll celebrate our birthdays of the week. We'll then transition into Dear Grave Woman, featuring none other than Joel Simone, and we'll close out with your later life lowdown, keeping you informed and what's happening across DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. And before we take this quick break, I want to send some love and gratitude to our sponsors and partners, Legal Counsel for the Elderly, AARP of the District of Columbia, AARP of the State of Maryland, Compassion and Choices, Jewish Council for the Aging, and the D.C. Department of Aging and Community Living. Folks, stay with us. We'll be right back after this short break, brought to you by Legal Counsel for the Elderly, providing free legal and social work services to DC residents most in need. I promise, Sean Perry and the Tina's own, we'll be right back.

SPEAKER_00 4:40

Legal Counsel for the Elderly champions the dignity and rights of DC elders by providing free legal and social work services to those in need. Worried about eviction or foreclosure? Need help obtaining Social Security or Veterans Benefits? Call Legal Counsel for the Elderly at 202-434-2120. Income eligibility applies. LCE is an affiliate of AARP 202-434-2120.

SPEAKER_08 5:11

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SPEAKER_06 5:44

Welcome back to the senior zone. I am your host, Sean Perry. Now, family, today we're talking about something many people experience, but not nearly enough people talk about urinary incontinence. Many people assume bladder leakage is simply a normal part of aging, but the truth is, while it affects more than half of women and about 14% of men in the U.S., it's often tied to treatable issues like pelvic floor changes, hormonal shifts, or other medical conditions. So today we're going to bring this conversation into the light. Joining me now is Elise Fosnight, medical advisor at Aeroflow Urology and a board-certified physician assistant specializing in urology and women's health. Elise, welcome to the Senior Zone.

SPEAKER_04 6:33

Thank you so much, Sean, for having me.

SPEAKER_06 6:35

It is an absolute pleasure to have you and have this conversation. So, you know, Elise, sometimes the first step towards solving a problem is simply understanding what's really happening in the body. For our listeners who may be experiencing bladder leakage or urgency, can you start by explaining what urinary incontinence actually is and why it becomes more common as we get older?

SPEAKER_04 6:59

Absolutely. The simplest way for us to think about urinary incontinence is an involuntary leakage of urine. Oftentimes this is secondary because the bladder cannot store or release urine properly. Some of the common types would be stress incontinence. This is what we see when somebody leaks with coughing, sneezing, exercising. Urge incontinence is when you have that sudden urge or inability to hold your urine and make it to the bathroom. You might leak on the way. You might also hear this as overactive bladder. And then you actually can have mixed, meaning that you can have a combination of both stress and urge incontinence. Sometimes we have overflow incontinence, so your bladder really cannot hold. I think about a glass of water and you go fill it up at the sink, right? It only has so much capacity for you to hold in there and then it overflows if you keep that faucet turned on. And then functional incontinence is sometimes what we can see with some of our older individuals or individuals with certain conditions that may make it difficult for them to actually ambulate, walk to the bathroom themselves. So it's just from a timing perspective, they don't have enough time from the time that they have the urge to go to the bathroom to actually get there. So again, just basically involuntary leakage of urine, but there's a lot of subsets underneath there.

SPEAKER_06 8:18

Yeah. And and and I appreciate that. From your clinical uh experience, Elise, what are some of the most common reasons urinary incontinence begins to show up in midlife as well as later years?

SPEAKER_04 8:30

The biggest one is going to be pelvic floor conditions. And most of the time people think about their pelvic floor as being too weak, but you can actually see an overactive pelvic floor causing urinary tract and uh excuse me, urinary incontinence. So, what that means is you have a basin of pelvic floor muscles that sit in your pelvis. They attach to the pubic bone, they wrap around the urethra, around the vagina, around the rectum, and attach to the coccyx or that butt bone in the back, and then fan out to the sides to support your hips. So when we say pelvic floor muscles, we're talking about all of those. So secondary to pregnancy, childbirth, sitting for prolonged periods of time, those can all impact your pelvic floor muscles to either make it too tight or too weak where you're not able to actually hold back that urine. There's a misnomer on whether pelvic floor muscles should be tight. I hear this a lot. But remember, tight muscles aren't strong muscles. Usually tight muscles mean that they are too contracted and they can't function the way that we want them to. Some other reasons why people might experience incontinence is hormonal changes during perimenopause or menopause. We can see in large prostates as causing that for our male patients, nerve signaling changes. So if somebody has a condition, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's, that can impact that. Medications. If somebody's on blood pressure medications and you're dumping too much fluid into the bladder, sometimes it's hard to get to the restroom in time to empty it out. And then we also talked about mobility concerns too. So with stiffness, arthritis, just getting to the bathroom can also cause some of those concerns.

SPEAKER_06 10:11

Yeah. So you you answered the question, the what, the reasons, right? Around urinary incontinence. Let's talk about and help us understand the how. How are our pelvic floor uh changes and hormonal shifts influencing bladder control as we age? What's the how?

SPEAKER_04 10:28

Oh, yes, this is my favorite. So we're talking about like right the pathophysiology and how this is actually happening, yes, in the body. So those lovely pelvic floor muscles that I talked about wrap around the urethra and they are able to hold in and collapse around that urethra so that as your bladder is filling, you're not dribbling or leaking out urine. So because when something happens to change those pelvic floor muscles, again, pregnancy, vaginal delivery, um, other types of conditions where maybe somebody had a uh pelvis surgery, that can influence the structure and the strength of those muscles. So if those strength of those muscles aren't there to help hold it, when you go to cough, laugh, or sneeze, that pressure from your abdominals on the bladder from a weak pelvic floor muscle, they just can't hold it back. So then you're having that leakage and a little bit of dribbling into your underwear. Now, on the opposite side of things, if your muscles are too tight, right, what happens is those muscles actually kind of elevate and put extra pressure from the bottom of that bladder. So you're getting increased pressure in that bladder. So that's making, even when you start to fill up and you're only halfway full, makes you feel like you have to go to the bathroom so much quicker than what you actually need to. So that displacement of that bladder and extra pressure can cause that. Now, one of my favorite things to talk about too is those hormonal changes that are occurring in there. This is gonna be a little bit more for our female identified patients. As they are going through perimenopause and menopause and they are losing both estrogen and testosterone, that's gonna impact the bladder. The um upper part of the vagina and the bottom part of the bladder and the urethra are made out of the same embryologic tissues. So not only do you have estrogen and testosterone receptors in the vagina and the vulva, you have them in the bladder and the urethra. And as those start to dwindle and go away, you actually lose the support and that robustness of the mucosa in that area, making it more susceptible to incontinence because it's weaker. You have um urgency because it's more susceptible to irritation from just urine. So a simple thing to do is actually to replace some of those hormones to actually help those changes uh in that area.

SPEAKER_06 12:48

Yeah. Uh, and I appreciate all of what you just said, but the next part is encouraging in that uh uh uh uh you know, incontinence is treatable, right? Uh as I understand it. So, what are some of the treatment options that are available today, at least, for people dealing with urinary incontinence?

SPEAKER_04 13:07

One of the first things I do for my folks is we talk about what fluids are we are we drinking? So we try to stay kind of conservative to start off with. Are you staying hydrated enough? One of the questions I get a lot of times is Um, you mean I have to like drink more water? They're trying to limit a lot of times their fluids. And really, when you limit your fluid intake, it concentrates that urine and can actually irritate the bladder more often, making you go to the bathroom more frequently. So thinking about making sure that you're getting enough water on a daily basis, everybody is a little bit different, but I usually tell people anywhere between, you know, 50 to 60 ounces of water is your standard. And just because you make your coffee with water does not mean that that counts. I get that question a lot. Um, so we want just pure water. I know I'm a coffee person uh as well. So we want to make sure that we're drinking plenty of water, that we are avoiding any bladder triggers that might be in our foods. So caffeine, spice, citrus, all of those can cause irritation. And then the other thing is making sure that we're not constipated. So when you are constipated and you have fullness in the rectum, that's putting pressure on that bladder. So then your bladder is not able to actually hold as much as it would need to. So increasing your fiber intake and again increasing water can be really helpful. And then the next one after that, that I most of the time, almost 100% of the time, that I do for patients is I make a referral to a pelvic floor specialist. Those are gonna be your physical therapists that have gone to do extra training and that specialize in pelvic floor muscles. So they're gonna help you isolate those muscles, strengthen them if you need to, relax them if you need to, and really help to get that coordination back in your pelvic floor. And what the research shows is that when you go to see a pelvic floor therapist, 74% of those individuals that are getting that referral will either have no incontinence or their incontinence has been significantly improved to the point where they can go and do social activities again. So that's a great great first steps.

SPEAKER_06 15:14

Yeah, and I appreciate that as well. Sometimes solutions also begin with everyday habits. And I think you stole my next question, uh Alice, but I'm gonna ask it anyway. Are there simple exercises or lifestyle adjustments, like you just mentioned, pelvic floor strengthening, that can improve bladder control?

SPEAKER_04 15:31

There is, and I highly recommend at least making one appointment with a pelvic floor therapist. And the reason I say that is because there is a lot of miss squeezing that actually can happen. So people may think that they're squeezing and lifting those pelvic floor muscles when they're actually bulging out. So having somebody that can help walk you through exactly what you need to do to engage those pelvic floor muscles is key. The other thing, and like I said this earlier, is that those muscles could actually be too tight. So if you try to go and squeeze, I think about if you have tight shoulder muscles, right? And they're already tight and you try to squeeze more, it's gonna make the situation worse. So going to see those pelvic core therapists can be really key. Again, even if it's just a one-off appointment, can be really helpful in making sure that you're doing those correctly. The other thing to think about is your core, right? Is those are all attached. So if you have weak abdominal muscles, weak back muscles, and weak hip muscles, that can also be leading to your incontinence. So having that full evaluation from that pelvic floor therapist again is going to be key to make sure that you're engaging in that. Um, stretches can be really important. We don't do enough stretching, um, especially when it comes to our hips. Um, my guys are notorious for this. Um, they all have high um tight hips and uh weak cores and weak back muscles. So going to see those individuals can be really helpful. But some of the things that you can do at home are just some simple squeezes can be fine. And I think about, you know, for people who are um that have a vulva that are assigned female at birth, you want to think about kind of that vaginal opening. You want to just squeeze that area, squeeze around, and then lift towards your belly button. And then for people assigned male at birth who have a penis, the way to squeeze and kind of lift those muscles, just think about kind of raising your scrotum and again pulling those muscles in towards your belly button. So those are a great way to isolate those muscles.

SPEAKER_06 17:28

Not to be too graphic, I'm doing it right now as we speak, Elise. Me too.

SPEAKER_04 17:32

Me too. Yes, yes, I'm sure all of our listeners are as well. Right, right. Let's let's hope they are.

SPEAKER_06 17:39

Let's hope they are. So let's talk about something we all deal with every day, and that is what we eat and drink. Again, I may be asking the question again, but that that's okay. When it comes to diet and hydration, what foods as well as beverages tend to irritate or improve bladder control?

SPEAKER_04 17:57

Uh exactly. And I think it's worth asking the question again is is the the caffeine is part of it. So your coffees, your teas, any caffeine. And a trick that I tell all of my patients is if you are that coffee person first thing in the morning, totally fine, but you haven't had any water overnight. So you're gonna load in your bladder with this caffeine, and coffee can be a concentrator of that urine to make it more irritating. So drink, you know, six to eight ounces of water before you actually take your first cup of coffee, and that will help to dilute it. So ca uh caffeine is one of those alcohol can actually worsen that as well. Carbonated beverages, so if you're drinking some carbonated water, that also does not count, it could actually worsen that. Artificial sweeteners in your beverages, citrus, fruits, so lemons, limes. And then even when we think about uh tomatoes and tomato-based products, even ketchup can cause irritation. Your spicy foods. Now I'm I like spicy, that's what we do in our household. And we want to make sure, yeah, that again, you could always prep that ahead of time with water. My my viewpoint and the way my approach is with my patients is I really don't want to have people completely eliminate something. I really want to see how we can negotiate and compromise. So if you're like, okay, every Tuesday I know that I have those spicy tacos from this one restaurant that that I we get every every time. What can we do then to prep your body ahead of time? So maybe that's some good water, maybe it's actually drinking some aloe. Aloe is a good one, actually, to help calm and soothe the urinary tract so you're not having as much irritation. So again, we try to find ways to to help still live life, right? We only get one life. We want to make it the best that we can and enjoy it. So that's gonna be uh one of the ways we can do that. And again, everybody is different. So thinking about a bladder diary or a food diary can be really helpful to pinpoint what those triggers are for you.

SPEAKER_06 19:57

Yeah. Another challenge I've found, uh, Elise, is that many people live with symptoms for years before seeking uh help, right? By the time they come to see folks like yourself. What are the signs that it's time to talk with a medical professional about bladder issues?

SPEAKER_04 20:14

If it is greatly impacting your daily activities, if you are finding yourself using an excuse to not go out, to not go to your kids or your grandchild's soccer game, that is one of those first things that I want you to think about is this is impacting my life greatly, and I really need to have a conversation with a healthcare provider. If you're not traveling, again, leaving home, or you're avoiding exercise or even movement. Movement is really important for us just in general. That's another reason to go. If you are having worsening of your urinary symptoms, so maybe you're having a little bit of leakage and you're like, that's okay, I can wear a pad or a protective uh brief, totally fine, I feel good about it. But if you're starting to notice that it's getting worse, that would be another thing for you to reach out to see your healthcare provider. If you have any pain with that urinary incontinence or that urgency, if you're having burning with urination, blood in the urine, and recurrent urinary tract infections, those are all those red flags that you want to reach out to your provider.

SPEAKER_06 21:15

Yeah. And for someone listening today, and I'm sure there's someone out there listening right now who might feel embarrassed to bring this up. What would you say that that person uh who has been quietly dealing with bladder leakage but hasn't talked with their doctor yet?

SPEAKER_04 21:30

You are not alone. This is a very common condition that we see that needs more attention in those conversations, and that your provider also should be the one that is bringing up those conversations. But I encourage a lot of patient advocacy and agency, and it is important to bring that up in those conversations. And sometimes it's okay to actually name it and to say in the conversation with your provider, you know, I am really embarrassed to bring this up, but it is greatly affecting my. Life, I am struggling with urinary incontinence or leakage right now. So you're not alone. This is a really common thing. I also want you to think about this is not normal. This is there's a big, big distinction between normal and common. So while this is a very common thing that we see, this isn't normal. Normal means that we just have to deal with it. And that is not the case with urinary incontinence. There's a lot of things that we can do to help make this better for you to have way more good days than bad days. So know that you're not alone. There are treatments that are out there, and that yes, while it's embarrassing, you deserve better. So think about those conversations, practice with your partner or your spouse, role play with them of like what you're gonna say, and even write it down. I think that's also something that can be really helpful. So maybe you don't actually have to verbalize it. We have these amazing electronic health records now where there's all these patient portals. So you can even write to your provider ahead of time and say, I just want you to know this before our next appointment. I would really love to talk about urinary incontinence and how it's impacting my life.

SPEAKER_06 22:58

Yeah, great stuff. We need to have you back here. Make you the urology specialist to the singe zone. Uh, this is great information, uh Elise. Before we uh let you go, Elise, what's one message you want older adults, especially uh women, to remember about bladder health and incontinence?

SPEAKER_04 23:15

I'm gonna echo it again. You are not alone. And that this is a really common occurrence, but it is not normal. Don't gaslight yourself and say that this is just something that I have to live with or I just have to deal with it because I've had babies or I'm you had lots of pregnancies or that I'm menopausal. Don't use those excuses. Go seek help. There is something that you can do, and you are worth it.

SPEAKER_06 23:40

Yeah, great stuff. And for listeners who want to learn more about our resources through uh your company, Aeroflow Urology, where should they go?

SPEAKER_04 23:48

Yeah, so you can go to AeroflowUrology.com. We have a great support system where they can walk you through what your options are. So we didn't get to talk about it a whole lot, but it is actually okay to use incontinence pads and incontinence briefs to help to support you through this process. There could be some conditions where we've gotten you as good as what we can get, but there are things that we can use, and our support staff can help walk you through insurance, the forms that your provider needs to fill out, a prescription, and for Medicaid and a lot of Medicare plans, sometimes those incontinence supplies can be at no cost to you.

SPEAKER_06 24:26

Great stuff. And the website again is what?

SPEAKER_04 24:29

Aeroflowogy.com.

SPEAKER_06 24:31

Aeroflowogy.com. Aeroflow, folks, A-E-R-O, F-L-O-W, Urology, Aeroflow Urology.com. Well, Elise, this has been an important conversation because the message is clear. Incontinence may be common, but it's not something that we just have to live with. Our guest today, folks, has been Elise Fossknight, medical advisor at Aeroflow Urology and a specialist in urology as well as women's health. Elise, my new friend, thank you for sharing your insight with us today.

SPEAKER_04 25:04

Absolutely my pleasure.

SPEAKER_06 25:05

All right. And to our listeners out there, if this conversation sounded familiar, don't ignore it. Talk with your healthcare provider and explore your options. Stay with us, family. More of the scene is known is coming your way right after this. This next break is brought to you by Compassion and Choices, empowering everyone to chart their own end of life journey. We'll be right back. And Life Choices Matter.

SPEAKER_11 25:27

Compassion and Choices is here to support you on your journey. Our organization provides a wealth of resources to help you navigate difficult decisions with compassion and understanding.org for a range of informative articles, toolkits, and personal stories. Our compassionate team is just a call away, ready to assist you. Because, let's face it, talking about death is not gonna kill you. Compassionate choices, empowering you to make choices that reflect your values.

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Segment 2 – Veterans & Families

SPEAKER_06 27:26

Stay informed, stay empowered. Welcome back. This is the Senior Zone, and I'm your host, Sean Perry. You know, Maryland is home to hundreds of thousands of veterans, and many of them, along with their families and caregivers, are part of our listening family here this morning. Joining us today is Colonel Ed Rothstein, U.S. Army retired, who now serves as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families after more than 30 years of military service, including leadership roles at the Pentagon, the National Security Agency, and as Garrison Commander at Fort George Meade. He now leads Maryland's efforts to support the men and women who served our country. Secretary Rothstein, welcome to the senior zone. It's great to have you with us.

SPEAKER_07 28:14

It is great to be here. Thank you so much, Sean, for uh giving me this time to share a few thoughts.

SPEAKER_06 28:20

It is truly, truly my honor. But before we begin, please allow me to take a moment to congratulate you on your appointment by Governor Westmore to this very important role.

SPEAKER_07 28:31

No, thanks. And um honestly, uh I feel blessed. I feel like this is a great opportunity to continue to serve. Um, our governor uh reached out to me and asked me to consider this. I was on the road and I said, sure. And he said, You want to call your wife? I said, no. I said, wait a second. So I hung up called Audrey, and she said, absolutely. Um and honestly, I feel like it's a match made in heaven. Um, he uh himself being a veteran, his uh his thoughts and ideas of why uh veterans and military families are important in this great state that uh we're working together to you know continue the successes from uh my predecessor and the uh the team you know before me and who I have today.

SPEAKER_06 29:25

Well, let's just get right into it then, and again, congratulations. So before we get into uh the programs and services, I do want to start with your journey. You spent, as I mentioned earlier, more than three decades serving in the Army, and now you're continuing that service uh in a new capacity, again, as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. That is a mouthful. What does stepping into this role mean to you personally?

SPEAKER_07 29:49

Yeah, as I shared, uh I do feel blessed. I feel like it gives me a continuing opportunity to serve. You know, when uh when the boss, when the governor shared that he wanted to consider me for this role, he wasn't looking at me to be a politician. It wasn't about politics, it wasn't about legislation, it was about leadership and it was about service. And uh my experiences is mostly about being a servant leader. Um I was born and raised with my uh mom and dad up in New Jersey. My mom was a nurse and my dad was a school teacher, and they brought me up on uh the the fundamentals of service and the fundamentals of giving into the community. And this is this is that opportunity.

SPEAKER_06 30:38

Yeah, well, it sounds like the mission simply continues, but in a new uh uniform. Uh, Secretary Rothstein, for listeners who may not be familiar with your department, what is the mission of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families and the role that it plays in supporting our veterans across the state?

SPEAKER_07 30:56

Now it's it's a great question, and it's um very clear and stays the same. And that is leading veterans and service members and now our families, because we went from Veterans Affairs to the Department of Veterans and Military Families, which is awesome, through life's transitions. And um, we have six pillars or core programs that uh uh are within the department. Um, and if you want, I can highlight them, you know, up front, and then we can go into depth, you know, as we we you know walk through this.

SPEAKER_06 31:32

Yeah. You'll call, or I can just dive into them uh now. I was gonna you know start discussing with you uh the service and benefits uh program. It's one of the programs under your department, which helps veterans you know access the benefits that they've uh earned. Can you explain how that program works and how it helps veterans navigate everything from VA claims as well as to state benefits?

SPEAKER_07 31:56

Absolutely. So the service and benefits program, I have 25 uh service officers across the entire state in 17 locations. And I'm very proud to say that 10 of those locations are co-located with MVAs in the vehicle uh administration, the where you get your license and registration. Um they provide uh through uh accredited service officers, and that's kind of a key word, a free um counseling to navigate through uh the uh the the benefit system. And uh the benefit system we're talking about health benefits, claims and disabilities, along with death benefits. Uh the bottom line is we start by asking, have you served? And once we know that someone has served, we connect them with a service officer, and they walk them through a journey, uh, a path to getting one of those or all three of those benefits.

SPEAKER_06 33:00

Yeah. You know, many veterans listening right now, as well as their families, may not even realize they qualify for certain resources, which is why we're having this discussion. What have you found, Secretary Rothstein, to be some of the most common benefits that Maryland veterans may be eligible for, but often don't realize they can receive?

SPEAKER_07 33:20

Well, oftentimes when I find a veteran that has not gone through the system, they give me a reason that, well, I already have healthcare benefits through blue cross blue shields, or I'm making enough money, I don't need or deserve benefits, or I served only for a couple of years, I was drafted in Vietnam, and I don't need the money, I don't want to take it from someone else. All of that are reasons that they rationalize why they're not in the system. The fact is that anyone who has served and put up that right hand to selflessly say that we're giving up certain constitutional rights to allow others, us in this great country to have ours, deserve to be uh recognized and receive benefits. Some of those benefits, like I shared, are the health benefits, claims and disabilities. Claims and disabilities will then uh allow the state to recognize whether they receive tax incentives, um, property tax, uh, income tax, uh, registrations for vehicles, um, uh licensing, hunting and fishing licenses, or some of the state benefits that um a veteran may, you know, could benefit from. And then as I shared, there's also the uh death benefits, which we can get into a little bit more on some of the programs we have.

SPEAKER_06 34:52

Yeah, well, I appreciate that. And um uh anything to help our our vets out, certainly I'm I'm with you, uh. You know, many of our listeners are Vietnam era veterans navigating the later chapters in their life. And so I want to talk about Charlotte Hall, the Veterans Home. You know, it's another uh important resource under your department, which is had which has a long history here in Maryland. Tell us about the role that Charlotte Hall plays in caring for aging uh veterans.

SPEAKER_07 35:21

Actually, what I want to do is I just want to back out one second, talk a little bit more about clinical benefits ad and this, because there's a lot of statistics out there. And what I recognize is um statistics don't resonate with an individual. And let me just share with you a story of, as you mentioned, a Vietnam veteran. A 77-year-old this summer filed for uh benefits, and within a few months, from probably August to December, uh they were recognized in receiving or the justification in receiving benefits. That 77-year-old man received$123,000 lump sum. Wow, and now he received$10,000 a month. He has some health challenges, um, but this money allows him to live at home. This money allows him to live in dignity and understanding that he deserved every penny that is given to him. Over the last year, the just big big picture, we were able to provide$54.5 million to veterans in just one year. And that's veterans that are finding us, and we're doing our hardest to find them. And I'm confident and very much convinced there are so many more veterans that are out there. And that's gonna be the continuing message I give you uh today is a call for action. For the veterans listening, reach out to us for those that know veterans. If they're a loved one or a neighbor or somebody in the community, reach out to them and have them reach out to us.

SPEAKER_06 37:06

Yeah, well, I'll start to do my part uh to help in that cause uh as well. Uh sir. So Veterans Hall, what's the story?

SPEAKER_07 37:14

So Charlotte Vaughn is a brick and mortar skilled nursing assisted living facility that also has some memory care. There's currently about 285 residents that are veterans and uh some spouses of veterans that reside. Um really proud of the work that Charlotte Hall is doing. Overall, there's 450 plus employees, uh both state and contract that we oversee, that focus on serving those that have served. That is their their tagline, that is their mission. And every day that I do get down there, that's what I see. I see uh the residents um, you know, with their uh chest high and their chin up, knowing that they are getting served. And um the work that it's doing. Uh I'm I'm very proud of Charlotte Hall. Most recently, it goes as it should uh for accountability, um, goes through checks through CMS, and most recently, CMS rated a four-star rating facility. And we're very proud of the work that they're doing down there.

SPEAKER_06 38:32

Yeah, uh, as well as I am. Uh your department, uh sir, also oversees Maryland Cemetery and Memorials program. We we talked about it off air, uh, but this program ensures that veterans are laid to rest with dignity as well as uh respect. Tell us about the importance of this program.

SPEAKER_07 38:51

Absolutely, and I am so proud of the workers. I have uh roughly about 75 workers in five cemeteries, all the way out from Rocky Gap to the Eastern Shore, uh, one in Chellenham in Prince George's County, uh, Crownsville in Anaroma and Garrison Forest. So five cemeteries, and they go through multiple burials or interments a day. Um that is one of the benefits that our veterans uh deserve to be buried with honor and with dignity. To put in perspective, just how much they are working, and I believe punching way above their weight class, we have about one percent of veterans in Maryland, uh of the country veterans. We have you know 350 plus thousand, one percent. We inter eight percent annually across the country in Maryland. So, in other words, those that reside in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, DC, Delaware, um are able to be buried uh in one of the five cemeteries that we had. So I'm again I'm very proud, it's a lot of hard work uh you know, for those at the cemetery. Um they are just doing just you know great, a great job.

SPEAKER_06 40:21

Yeah, and I uh thank them for their service as well. You know, for a veteran listening right now who may actually need help, what is the best first step for a veteran to connect with your department and begin accessing everything we've talked about, the services and benefits?

SPEAKER_07 40:37

Yeah, the the best step right away is reach out to our website, which is veterans.maryland.gov, um and look up some of these programs that we talked about. You know, if it's hard to talk about, you know, burial benefits or death benefits, but you're able to pre-enroll into one of the cemeteries right now. You're able to put that in place and pre-enroll to where where you want to either be buried or interred. Um and that information is all at the veterans.marylind.gov. Um you can always reach out to me directly, and I'm open to say that. And my email address is pretty simple, and that's secretary.dvmf.marylinds or at marillins.gov.

unknown 41:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 41:33

So secretary.dvmf at marrowin.gov.

SPEAKER_06 41:38

Sir, I did not know that you could pre-enroll in the cemetery benefits. Uh so I just noted that for myself. And there's so much that I don't know that I need to learn as well, and I'm hope our listeners will gain knowledge from. With the time that we do have left, and before I have to let you go, uh, looking ahead, what is your vision uh for how Maryland can continue strengthening support for our veterans and military families across the state?

SPEAKER_07 42:01

It's a continuation. It's to build a strong foundation that had been laid down by my predecessors, uh, the secretaries that I have followed. I am so proud to have all them mentors and friends, and continue that success by expanding our impact and our reach. At the core of the vision is aligning our governor, as I shared before, his commitment to ensure that no one is left behind here in Maryland, making sure every veteran and military family in Maryland has access to support services and opportunities that they've earned.

SPEAKER_06 42:39

Yeah, gotcha. Uh we do have a few extra seconds, so I'm gonna add this in there if you don't mind. And this is how I help you, uh uh Secretary. When I'm at a barbershop or if I'm at Costco, or I'm just going through my daily life, and I see someone who has any sort of hat they're wearing, right? Veteran hat or anything, I pull them aside. One, I thank them for their service as well, and I share mine. Uh, but I'm always asking them, have you put in for any benefits? Have you applied? Do you know where to go? Right? There's VSOs all around the area. And I think that, as you mentioned earlier in off-air, you can't boil the ocean, right? We got to eat this elephant one bite at a time. And so that's my way of helping others, you know, access if they haven't already accessed, hearing from another veteran.

SPEAKER_07 43:24

No, I I appreciate it. And uh taking the words right out of my mouth. So it is a call for action for veterans that are listening, um, but then also those that know veterans. And I want to focus one veteran at a time. And this is the way to do it.

SPEAKER_06 43:42

Yeah, yeah. Well, thank you again. And finally, my last question for you for veterans who are listening to us this morning, many of whom uh served decades ago. What message would you like to share with them today?

SPEAKER_07 43:54

First and foremost, thank you. Thank you for putting up your right hands, for giving. They are deserving. They are deserving to continue to be served.

SPEAKER_06 44:17

Well said, couldn't have said it uh better. Secretary Ed Rothstein, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. Thank you, thank you, thank you for joining us today. And again, congratulations on your appointment and thank you for continuing a lifetime of service to those who have served. And for our listeners, if you are a veteran or military family member in Maryland and want to learn more about benefits, services, or programs available to you, you can visit, as Secretary uh Rothstein mentioned, veterans.maryland.gov. That's veterans.maryland.gov or connect with your local veteran service office because family, as we often say here on the senior zone, service doesn't end when the uniform comes off, and neither should the support. Folks, stay with us. There's more ahead here on the senior zone. Secretary Ed Rothstein, thank you, my friend. Life is good. Life is certainly uh good. Folks, this next break is brought to you by AARP DC, your wise friend and fierce defender in Washington, D.C. When we return, it's Birthdays of the Week, followed by Dear Grave Woman, featuring Joelle Simone, and then it's your later life lowdown. We'll be right back.

SPEAKER_11 45:30

Today is your day to connect with AARP and DC. AARP is here in the District of Columbia working hard to make it an even better place to live, work, and play for people of all ages, and you can help. Put your skills and talents to good use as an AARP volunteer where you can help lead local events or become an advocate for the issues that matter in your community, like funding for programs that help district residents age with dignity and independence. AARP is also helping you get the most out of life. Check out their educational workshops where they can help you grow as a caregiver, find a job, and teach you about the latest technology, or enjoy a night out at any of their exciting local events, like their happy hours and free movie screenings. Today is your day to connect with your community and with AARP. So let's take on today and every day. Learn more at AARP.org slash DC.

SPEAKER_12 46:28

Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday!

Dear Grave Woman featuring Joel Simone

SPEAKER_06 47:00

And now, family, it's time to celebrate, honor, and recognize some truly special people in our senior zone community. Our birthdays of the week. First up, this one is personal. It's family. March 23rd from Bronx, New York, New York City. Happy birthday, Christine. Joseph Young, 70 years young today as well. March 23rd from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Joseph. Another Joseph here. Joseph Gaskins is 74 on Monday, March 23rd, also from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Joseph. Dean Hunter is 65. Medicare eligible. Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Dean. David T. McNally is 62. Social Security eligible. Tomorrow, March 24th from Albany, New York. Happy birthday, David. Teresa Harvey, 67. Tuesday, March 24th from Gaitersburg, Maryland. Happy birthday, Teresa. Wendy Dotson McKinney is 60 years young on Wednesday, March 25th from Augusta, Georgia. Happy birthday, Wendy, and thank you for listening from afar. Gwendolyn Spencer, Double Nichols, 55 on Wednesday, March 23rd from somewhere in the great state of West Virginia. Happy birthday, Gwendolyn. Jacques Chevalier is 71 on Thursday, March 26th from Prince George's County, Maryland. Happy birthday, Jacques. Lee Merriweather, 71. Friday, March 27th from Houston, Texas. Happy birthday, Lee. And you've been supporting the Senior Zone for well over a decade now. So happy, happy birthday, my friend. Amy Brady, or Amy Brady, I should say, is 64 on Saturday, March 28th from Llanham, Maryland. Happy birthday, Amy. And last but not least, another personal one here. Without this gentleman, there would not be a Senior Zone radio show every Monday. Robert Fry, also known as Captain Fly, my dude, 77 on Saturday, March 28th from Washington, D.C. I believe he's out in Maryland right now. So happy birthday, Captain Fly, and let's talk soon, my friend. Folks, to have your birthday announced here on the Senior Zone, just send us an email. Send that email to info at theseniorzone.com. That's I N F O at theseniorzone.com. Be sure to include your full name, your birth date, the age that you are turning, along with your city and state, and we'll do our very best to give you that shout out. All right, folks. Coming up next is the segment that continues to touch lives, spark reflection, and offer a little guidance when we need it the most. It is time for your dear grave woman featuring Joelle Simone. Joelle, take it away, my friend.

SPEAKER_01 49:59

Hey Sean, and welcome back, everyone, to Dear Grave Woman. My name is Joelle Simone. I'm known all over the world as the Grave Woman. And this week I thought it would be fun here on our segment to answer or respond to a comment that I received on social media. And the comment reads, What is your opinion of people that don't have funerals or memorial services? Before I answer the question, I just want to remind you all that there are several ways that you can send your questions in. The first way is the most direct, which is sending an email to thegravewoman at gmail.com. The second is by tagging me on social media at thegravewoman in any comment section, but or replying to any of the posts that you see online on any of my social media platforms. I'm most active on Facebook and Instagram. But I also have LinkedIn and TikTok as well. But back to our question for this week. What is my opinion on people who do not have funeral or memorial services? To be honest with you guys, I think that people should do and plan for what it is them to do best. I have a very close loved one who has made it explicit to me that they do not want a funeral or memorial service. They want to be cremated as soon as possible after their death, and they want no fanfare, no celebration, no anything. It is their opinion that the time that they spend with their loved ones while they are living is their funeral. And while that is not necessarily my preference, I definitely respect and will do my best to honor their wishes when that time comes. However, I will say as I express it to them as well, sometimes it's not so much about a funeral or a memorialization. It's about those that we leave behind being able to receive support in whatever way that shows up for them. For many people, a funeral is an opportunity to express maybe things that they haven't expressed in life, or just to gather and celebrate someone and commemorate their life in that way through song or prayer or eulogizing them. I think that people should do what makes them feel good and most importantly, should plan and put in place whatever makes them feel good, comfortable, and what resonates most with them. I am not sure what type of funeral or memorialization that I want 100%. However, I do have my cremation plans in place, and as time goes on, should I be allowed and blessed to live longer? That disposition method may change, but to answer the question, I think people should do what feels best and most authentic to them. However, I do think people should plan for whatever that is and whatever it looks like. What do you think? I'm curious to know. I'm going to post this question on my Facebook page. And again, The Grave Woman is my name on all social media platforms. Share your thoughts in the comment section. Sean, back to you for the later life lowdown.

Later Life Lowdown (News, Events & Resources)

Close

SPEAKER_06 53:09

Joelle, thank you, thank you, thank you, my friend, for always sharing your wisdom. Family, it's now time for your later life lowdown where we keep you informed, empowered, and connected across DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. So let's get into it. In Washington, D.C., if you or someone you know needs assistance navigating benefits like SNAP, Medicare savings programs, or utility help, the DC Department of Aging and Community Living is offering free one-on-one benefits counseling. To get connected, call them at 202-724-5626. That's 202-724-5626. Also in the District of Columbia, transportation continues to be a major need, and the Transport DC program is helping eligible residents get around safely and affordably. For more information or to enroll, call them at 202-962-1326-202-962-1326. In Maryland, the Maryland Department of Aging is reminding residents about their senior call check program. It's a free daily check-in service that provides peace of mind for individuals and families to sign up or learn more. Call them at 866-502-4325. That's 866-502-4325. And for those in Montgomery County, don't forget about the Senior Nutrition Program, offering both congregate meals and home delivered options. For more information there, call 240-777-3000. That's 240-777-3000. Now, in Northern Virginia, we didn't forget about you. Fairfax County continues to expand access to caregiver support services, resources, including respite care and education programs. If you're caring for a loved one and need support, call 703-324-7948. That's 703-324-7948. Also in Prince William County, older adults can take advantage of the Action in Community through service programs, also known as ACS. They offer everything from food assistance to housing support. Reach out to them at 703-368-4141. That's 703-368-4141. And family, no matter where you live, don't forget this one. It's a website called benefitscheckup.org. It's a powerful free tool that helps you find benefits and programs that you may qualify for. From prescription drugs to housing and food assistance. It's easy, it's confidential, it's free, and it can make real difference in the lives of our older adults. Well, family, that wraps up this week's Later Life Lowdown, where the info is fresh, the love is always real, and the goal is always to enrich your journey. And one more thing before we close out, the senior zone has always been about more than just a moment. It's about building something that lasts. That's why we're now available as a podcast so these conversations they can live on, they can be revisited and shared. Just search the senior zone wherever you listen to podcasts. And as always, family, I'm your host, Sean Perry, reminding you that age is just a number, but how you live, that's the real story. So until we meet again, keep your head hot, keep your heart full, and always be someone who makes someone else look forward to their tomorrow. Love you. Peace.

SPEAKER_09 57:06

Be sure to join us on our next broadcast. Until then, live simply, love generously. Cheer deeply, speak kindly, leave the rest to God. Have a wonderful week, and God willing, the senior zone will be here for another informative and entertaining hour next Monday morning at 10 a.m.