The Senior Zone
The Senior Zone is the DMV’s #1 weekly radio program dedicated to empowering adults 50+ to live fuller, healthier, and more informed lives — now available on demand as a podcast.
Hosted by Shawn Perry since 2012, The Senior Zone features thoughtful conversations with trusted experts, community leaders, advocates, and everyday people doing extraordinary work in aging, health, finance, caregiving, and purposeful living. From timely resources and consumer protections to inspiration, wisdom, and real talk — this is where experience meets opportunity.
Whether you’re planning your next chapter, supporting a loved one, or simply committed to thriving beyond expectations, The Senior Zone delivers insight, clarity, and encouragement — one meaningful conversation at a time.
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📍 Originally broadcast on WYCB 1340AM (Washington, DC)
The Senior Zone
Ep. 720 | Purpose, Health & What Comes Next
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This week on The Senior Zone, we’re looking at two important parts of aging well: maintaining purpose and protecting our health.
First, Shawn Perry is joined by Scott Bening, former CEO of MonoSol and author of The Back Nine, for a conversation about retirement, identity, relevance and finding meaning in life’s next chapter.
Then, Dr. Laura Williams, Chief Patient Officer at Ardelyx, joins the show to discuss patient advocacy, access to care, health disparities and what it will take to help more Americans live longer, healthier lives.
Plus, we close out the hour with Birthdays of the Week, Dear Grave Woman with Joelle Simone, and the Later Life Lowdown.
It’s another hour of conversation designed to help us stay informed, stay engaged and keep living with purpose—at every age.
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.
Opening Remarks & Weekly Vitamin
SPEAKER_06Good morning, good morning family, and welcome to the senior zone. I am Sean Perry, and as always, we are here to help you live well, age well, and keep moving forward with purpose. This week we're talking about relevance. Who we are when the job title changes, the routine shifts, or life asks us to begin again. With that being said, here is your weekly vitamin, that dose of encouragement to carry you through the week ahead. Your value was never tied to a title. Purpose doesn't retire, it simply looks for a new place to live, and that is your weekly vitamin. Now in segment one, Scott Benning, former CEO of MonoSall and author of The Back Nine joins me to talk about identity and purpose after retirement. And then in segment two, Dr. Laura Williams, Chief Patient Officer at Autolix, joins me to talk about patient voices, access to care, and closing the gaps that keep too many people from healthier, longer lives. Remember now, folks, the senior zone is now available on demand wherever you listen to podcasts. Later in the show, we'll have birthdays of the week, dear grave woman with Joelle Simone, and then it's your later life lowdown news, events, and resources that you can use. But before we take this quick break, I gotta show some love and gratitude to our sponsors and partners. So thank you, 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, Mary Center, and the DC Department of Aging and Community Living. Folks, 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. Don't change that doll, I promise.
SPEAKER_01We'll be right back. 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 veterance benefits. Call legal counsel for the elderly at 202-434-2120. Income eligibility applies. LCE is an affiliate of AARP. 202-434-2120.
SPEAKER_10Attention, listeners, criminals are consistently developing new ways to steal your hard-earned money and personal information. But the AARP Fraud Watch Network is here to help you protect yourself and your loved ones. See or report scams in your area with our scam tracking map. Get guidance from our trained fraud specialists and sign up to receive information on the latest scams. Knowledge is power. If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam. Get more tips and resources at aarp.org slash fraudwatch network.
SPEAKER_06Welcome
Scott Bening: Purpose After Retirement
SPEAKER_06back to the senior zone. I am your host, Sean Perry. You know, family, we spend decades preparing financially for retirement. We save, we invest, we calculate, but here's the question we don't ask nearly enough. Who am I when the career ends? For many people, retirement isn't just about leaving a job. It's about leaving behind an identity, a routine, friendships, purpose, and in some cases, a title they've carried for decades. That transition can be exciting, but it can also be unsettling. Well, my next guest knows that journey firsthand. Scott Benning is the former CEO of Monosaul, the company behind those dissolvable film technologies used in things like Tide Pods and countless other products around the world. But today he's here as the author of the best-selling book, The Back Nine, where he explores what it really means to remain relevant, purposeful, and fulfilled after stepping away from a very, very successful career. Scott, welcome to the Senior Zone.
SPEAKER_05Thank you, Sean. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_06It is a pleasure to have you here. You are officially my new uh friend, as all of my guests are. So, Scott, I want to start with the title of your book. Why did you choose the back nine? And what does that phrase really represent for people entering the next season of life?
SPEAKER_05Well, I think most people kind of understand a little bit about golf, I think. It's a I've always enjoyed the game. It's a wonderfully frustrating uh game to play. And if you think about it, you're trying to hit um a little white ball into a four-inch hole that's anywhere from about 100 to maybe 500 yards away. And how could that be hard, right? Well, it's it's pretty difficult because you have to do things over consistently, and you have to have some skill, some athletic ability. And so the more I thought about going into retirement, I I realized that life is a lot like golf to me. Uh, you know, we spent decades on the front nine, the first nine of golf. We get an education, we build a career, raise families, we save, set ourselves up for retirement, as you had just mentioned. And to me, it's like to me, it's the front nine, but it's like buying the clubs, practicing at the driving range, getting some lessons, studying the course, all those things. And then one day it's here, and you're officially retired, and everyone says congratulations, which kind of always blew me away. Like, what is it that you say you congratulations that you're now retired? Like, I don't know what that really means. But I don't like the retirement word necessarily, but the surprising surprising part is that the back nine is completely different from the front nine, in my opinion. The course changes, the hazards are different, the strategy becomes more important than the distance, and you try to play smarter, I think. Yet no one prepares us for that transition. You know, we spent over 40 years planning our lives financially for retirement, but very little time preparing emotionally, socially, or intellectually, or even spiritually. Excuse me. We know how much money that we need to retire, at least most people have figured that out. We have far less ideas on how we spend our days, how we'll redefine our purpose and strengthen our relationships that we thought we had or hoped that we had and decide what success even looks for us now. Uh it's a it's as it's that as if someone sends us to the 10th T without a scorecard. Uh there's no course map, no caddy, and no rangefinder. So you gotta figure it out. And so that's why I wrote the back nine. Um, you know, retirement's not about the end of the game, it's the beginning of a different game. And um, it's one where experience matters, I think, more than power, and purpose matters more than your position. And you finish ultimately becomes more important than how you start. Uh, plus then you earn the right, and this is the classic, to get to the 19th hole and have a cocktail. That's why that's the metaphor.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I truly love the uh the 19th hole as well. And you stole my transitional remarks, Scott, because I was gonna say, as I was listening to you, that you know, uh retirement really isn't the end of the game. It's simply just a different part of the course, the 10th hole and beyond. Uh, but you also spoke about emotions just now. Uh you've written that retirement can actually feel like grief. That's not something we hear very often, uh Scott. Why will so many people experience those emotions, even when retirement was their own choice?
SPEAKER_05I I well for me, part of it was, you know, I I felt like I've set myself up properly for retirement from a financial perspective. Uh but when you lose the big paycheck, it there's something about that. Uh there was something with me where all of a sudden am I irrelevant because I'm not earning money. Now, I found have found other ways of earning money that are very lucrative and and advantageous to me, but you you lose that routine, and you know, people probably get pretty used to having every two weeks somebody put some money in your checking account. And that doesn't happen now when you retire. Um, you lose your influence a little bit, and sometimes you lose what I would call your your uh professional identity. Monday mornings used to mean lots of meetings to me for me. Sunday nights were the prep night. Um I used to get so um excited when there were Sunday night football games on in the fall and in the end of the late fall because I had something to do while I was preparing for my week and and getting going. But you got that emotion going on Sunday. And so Monday mornings come and instead of meetings, your spouse says, What are you gonna do today? It's like you have to think about what I am gonna do. So, and I think it's okay to admit there's that sense of loss, and once you do, you can start building something new. But you know, the grief really comes from the change in your routine, and I'm not over it yet. I'm four years into retirement, and I still have those feelings and emotions.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah. I'm sure you do, and many, many others uh do as well. Scott, for someone who spent, say, 30, 40, or even 50 years introducing themselves by their profession: teacher, executive, military officer, nurse, business owner, and the titles go on. How difficult is it to separate, separate who you are from what you did?
SPEAKER_05It's surprisingly hard. Uh uh for you know, 40 years, I everybody introduced me as Scott, the CEO, right? Um one day you're introduced Scott. He used to be a CEO or former CEO. Eventually I realized it was wasn't valuable as that I had a title. I was valuable because I learned so much and then I could contribute so much. And I kind of figured that out pretty quick. Um probably it took six months after retirement to start thinking differently about who I was and what label was on me. Um I remember trying to figure out oh, I had to create and do some consulting, and I'm on a couple boards, so I I needed a business card. So I I've created like three different business cards, and I I hate them all because they don't say CEO. So you can pick up any title. I just have my name on there now, but in my website. But um, yeah, it's it's uh it's surprisingly hard.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. So I'm curious because you mean you're an exception. You you have a title of CEO. 99.9% of other folks never had a title CEO for the most part. So and you've led successful companies, manage just enormous, you know, responsibilities, I'm certain. When you stepped away then, Scott, what surprised you the most about your own transition into uh retirement?
SPEAKER_05Well, um, it's a very big topic with me. My organizational skills I've always thought were really good, but then I found out that when I had two administrative assistants helping me day in and day out, I have managed to botch things up like you wouldn't believe with three different email addresses, calendars that don't sync. I'm pretty computer savvy. Um, AI is coming into play. I felt um very surprised at how inept I was at managing my time. And um I have a son that's in a business in business school right now, and he interviewed me because they're coming up with a project and possibly want to do a startup company on how to fix these things for people that are retired. I thought it was pretty, pretty funny. Um he asked me one thing if I could change. I said, if I could get everything on my calendar and my Mac and my iPad and my phone and everything to sync with time zones and everything else. I almost missed the call today because I thought it was at 11 Central. It was 10 and 11 Eastern. So things like that that you that I never really had to spend time thinking about, you have to stop and pay attention to. So that was a big surprise for me.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. This next one I think is gonna hit home for a lot of people that are thinking about retirement or have entered retirement not too long ago. And so that next question is you know, many people believe they're simply gonna quote unquote stay busy once they retire, right? But have you found that staying busy just isn't enough? Or is there a difference between, say, staying busy and truly living with purpose?
SPEAKER_05Okay, so I've met a lot of people who are much busier now than they were when they worked because they did one thing and now they're doing multiple things. Um but the problem is busy isn't really the goal, in my opinion. It's like you can organize your garage like six times a week if you want, right? And it it's not gonna change your life. Um finding purpose, using your time to make a different in someone else's life and not sweating the small stuff is really what I'm trying to focus on right now. Um people ask, you know, why did you write two books? And you know, I never thought in a million years I would write two books. The first one was right as I was finishing my CEO career and as I finished it. And it was a lot about the legacy of the company and the learnings that I uh came to know as being a CEO, and I wanted to share that and I wanted to preserve the legacy of the business and the story. The second one was really about holy cow, I'm really retired now, and I don't do this anymore. And I was very surprised when we finished the book with the publisher realizing it's like 30% longer than the first book. I couldn't believe it because I had so much to say. And and the the idea of keeping busy writing the book kept me busy. Doing the mentoring keeps me busy. Uh, but I also found time to, you know, busy is not the right word. It's like I've engaged in different activities. We talked earlier about hiking, we talked about golfing, racing cars, playing in a band. I mean, I try to do as many things as I can, up until including I got up at seven o'clock this morning because it's hot and I cut my front lawn early. And my neighbors actually asked me a while back, is everything okay? Because I was cutting my own lawn. Because everybody else has lawn services. And I said, Yeah, it's fine. I enjoy cutting the lawn. I put the earbuds in, listen to the news, and I cut the lawn. So I don't know, that's something you do when you're you're retired, staying busy is really important because I know so many people that are retired, and I will call them and talk to them, and they'll say, Yeah, I got nothing to do. And I said, Well, that's your own fault.
SPEAKER_06So I've heard folks say, uh, Scott, uh, and I'm paraphrasing a little bit here and trying to recall exactly the words they they uh have used. Um so my summary of of what I've heard in the past is that folks, you know, started out by trying to fill their calendar, right? That stay busy. But they found that that wasn't enough, just filling the calendar, and they were searching for something to fill their hearts, if you can understand the difference there, right? Filling the calendar versus filling one's heart. So uh that leads me to my next question. You talk about building a next chapter instead of trying to recreate the last one. How do we know when we are honoring our past versus just hanging on to it?
SPEAKER_05You know, I think you know, I uh I think I spent a lot of time thinking about what's possible now and what do I want to do because I think there was a lot of what I had to do. For me, as I mentioned, is writing, mentoring, serving on boards. I'm still on uh the board of university board at Butler University. Um I spent time with my family more than I did. I didn't realize how many um interactions I had with them that were quick instead of deep, and and spending time talking to my sons um and having conversations that I never really spent the time having, although I never felt like I was a bad man or anything like that. But I'm I have been able to say yes to many opportunities that I had in the past. And you mentioned golfing. I've been asked to go golfing everywhere, and I've never had the time to do it, and now I'm doing it. And it's it's it's fun. Um, I'm golfing more, I'm getting more C time in my race car. I mentioned racing earlier. I used to go and show up for the uh races, and and now I'm gotten so much better because I'm practicing, I'm spending the time doing it. Um we have a cover band that we started at Montesol many, many years ago. And I've been playing, we rehearse regularly, we play three or four gigs a year, and we're in fact we have one this weekend. So I found all these things that um that I love to do, and I've I'm doing them instead of just barely doing them, if if that makes sense. I'm really kind of go, I'm going deeper and wider.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah. And I thank you for for addressing that because a lot of folks are still trying to figure that that out in retirement, right? Beyond uh staying busy, but also just trying to find you know a purpose. Now, you've mentioned the word mentorship a couple of times here in this interview. So I want to go go there. Why do you believe sharing uh our experience may become one of the greatest gifts that we have in retirement?
SPEAKER_05So I guess because experience is something that you can give away and you don't have any less of it when you give it away, you still have it. You know. Um, I've made a lot of mistakes in business and I had a great deal of success as well. Um, if I can help someone avoid just one of those mistakes, that's pretty cool. And that's a good day's work for me. If they can emulate my successes, all the better. Uh besides, it's it's it's for me and for them, it's a lot cheaper to learn from my mistakes than to make them themselves. Um, and this goes for young executives that I'm working with. Uh, there's teams of people that are in in an innovation group at the parent company of Montesol that I'm working with. Um students at the university, I have several football players from my alma mater. We started a mentoring program for the for the football players. Uh their division three. They're not going to make it to the pros. They need to get a job. They need to be coached. And so I've I'm on the I'm on the hook with several of them, and every year I get a couple more that I'm kind of following. Um, and just when I retired, I made a list of everything that I know. I spent days saying, what do I know how to do? From union negotiations to HR situations to uh chemistry modeling to engineering things. And I kept making this list and I thought, wow, I know a whole bunch of stuff. And I tell you what, if people are gonna get ready to retire and they they wonder about who they are or what they've done, I think they should make a list. It's very cathartic. It can make you feel pretty good when you're looking at it. And after I made the list, I was determined to help the next generation with what I've learned. And I'm doing that as much as I can and not screw up my golf, I guess.
SPEAKER_06Well, I appreciate you uh doing that, and that's a message for our listeners uh as well. You know, uh, you know, wisdom, uh Scott, isn't meant to just stay on the shelf, right? It's meant to be uh shared. That's why we gather wisdom over the course of our lifetimes. What advice, Scott, would you give to someone who retired, say, a year or maybe even uh two years ago and now realizes they feel disconnected, they feel restless, or like they've just lost a sense of direction in life.
SPEAKER_05Well, easier said than done, but first thing I say is try to relax. Um, I've not been really good at relaxing my entire life. I'm always wound tight and on 24-7, and I've found some time to relax. I've actually been reading more books than I've ever read before. And I can't believe that I didn't read so much before because it is relaxing. Um and if you're wondering, if you get that anxious feeling if something's wrong with you, the answer is no, it's not. It's it's really it it goes through everyone, I believe. And quit waiting to knock a purpose out of the front door. I mean, as I mentioned, mentoring, volunteering, mentoring, taking a class. I've actually been thinking about maybe doing that. Um, I would hope at Butler I'd get it some free tuition because I'm on the board. That would be kind of cool to do that. Um go do things that you wanted to do that you never really had time because you had to work. I think that's really something that people should think about. A lot of people travel. I, you know, I don't mind traveling, but I got I had so much travel and so many miles in me through the years with work that just doing the airport thing and all that's not my big deal anymore. But once in a while we'll take some trips and we'll go. But um, purpose usually shows up after you get yourself moving. And not while you're sitting on a recliner watching three straight hours of golf channel or the Andy Griffith Reruns. It's like you gotta get your butt up and move.
SPEAKER_06You gotta get up and keep it moving. I'll share with my listeners, uh Scott, uh, because I haven't uh shared this before, but now that I'm in my seniorhood uh as well, uh and and retired outside of the radio show, I've always wanted to know how baristas, you know, those coffee baristas, make that little design in the in the coffee, that little flower or whatever. So I've started here with me uh be you know becoming a, I don't know, a quase barista. That's just one of the things I wanted to do here in my home and share with my neighbors uh As well. And so that's on my that's one of the things on my bucket list. Doesn't require a lot, you know, time and money, but it's fun, right? And keeps me engaged and learning something else is as as well. Uh, we are nearly out of time, my friend, but I want to ask you a personal question. Looking back over your own career, and now that you are in this season of life, you mentioned you were 67. What does success mean to Scott Benning today compared to 20 or more years ago?
SPEAKER_05Well, success means focusing on my longevity, my health, making sure that I take care of myself because I still have people that I have to take care of. Um, keeping my mind in the right place, being there for my family, and you know, it's not about making money anymore for me. I mean, it uh I love doing that, it's all great. The kids are gonna be real happy someday when I'm gone. Um, I'm spending more time, my father's 94, and I'm spending more time with him, um, and not looking at him at times as if he's uh a pain in my rear end. He's more of he's my dad, and he's still here. So I think some of those things uh really helping me click. And success is when I see, as I got a text message a few days ago from one of the college students that just retired. He got a great job and he's got it started, and he wants to stay in touch, and we're gonna keep in contact every couple months and watch over him. And this is a kid that I've only met virtually, frankly, and you know, on Zoom or whatever, but I know all about him, I know about his family, and I'm it feels pretty good to have a uh 22-year-old human being look up to you and say, I could use some help. He's got successful parents and family and everything else, but he's still there's something about talking to me that makes him uh get some more get up and go and advise. So I really appreciate that. So that's pretty successful, in my opinion, and that's really what I'm looking forward.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it's just funny, uh, Scott, how life scorecard changes as we gain perspective. And you don't get that, you know, you only get it through time, right? As you as we move through this uh journey uh called life. We only get it through uh time, and that's perspective I'm talking about. My last question for you, uh my new friend. If every listener remembers just one lesson from your book, The Back Nine, what do you hope that lesson is?
SPEAKER_05Well, I spent 40 years building a career, and I never imagined my greatest lessons would come after I retired. That's why I wrote the book, The Back Nine. Retirement isn't about leaving your best years behind. It's about discovering that someone is out in front of you and you can help them, and your best years are still yet to be to be there. They're yet they're yet to come.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_05And where can folks find your book? It's on Amazon. Um, you can go to my website, it's www.mbsnumber two.org. Both of my books are there. You can buy them in a link right to Amazon.
SPEAKER_06Just what a wonderful reminder, Scott, that retirement isn't about becoming less relevant. I think that's what we all worry about, just becoming less uh relevant. It's about becoming relevant just in entirely new ways as I'm learning and gathering information from folks like you as well. Scott Benning, I want to thank you. This has been such an encouraging conversation because you've reminded us that retirement isn't simply the closing of one chapter, it's the beginning of another. Titles may change, paychecks, as you talked about, may stop, but purpose doesn't retire. Experience doesn't retire. Wisdom certainly doesn't retire. In fact, those may become our greatest contributions in this next season of life. Your book, again, for our folks uh and our listeners is called The Back Nine Inspiration and Insights on Retaining Relevance, Purpose, and Integrity in Retirement. Scott Benning, thank you again for spending uh your Monday with us today.
SPEAKER_05Thank you so much, sir. I enjoyed it very much. It was great.
SPEAKER_06It's been my pleasure, and you are welcome uh back. Folks, this next break is brought to you by Compassion and Choices, empowering everyone to chart their own end of life journey. This has been Sean Perry and Scott Benning. I promise I'll be right back. And life choices matter.
SPEAKER_13Compassion 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. Need guidance on end-of-life choices? Visit our website at compassionatechoices.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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SPEAKER_06Welcome
Dr. Laura Williams: Healthier, Longer Lives
SPEAKER_06back. This is the Senior Zone, and I am your host, Sean Perry Family. One of the strongest messages coming out of this year's CHC, that's Creating Healthier Communities Forum, was the need to help more Americans live longer, healthier lives and to close the lifespan gaps that continue to affect far too many communities. My next guest and I, we met at that forum, and her work speaks directly to the importance of listening to patients and improving access to meaningful care. Dr. Laura Williams is the chief patient officer at Autolix. She is a physician scientist, patient advocate, and pharmaceutical leader with nearly 30 years of experience and has contributed to eight drug approvals. Dr. Williams, welcome to the CineZone. It is my pleasure.
SPEAKER_08Sean, thanks for having me. This is great. I really appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today.
SPEAKER_06I am literally in goosebumps having you here and honored to have you here, my new friend. Let's just jump right into it with the time we have, Dr. Williams. You know, CHC, they have set an ambitious goal of cutting America's lifespan gap in half over the next 10 years. From your perspective, what must we do to begin fulfilling that goal, achieving that mission?
SPEAKER_08No, that's a great question.
SPEAKER_09And you're right. That is a very ambitious goal, Sean. I think we have to move from treating health disparities as an outcome that we measure to actually treating them as a problem that we actively design healthcare systems to solve. And, you know, what does that mean? One, I think we have to intervene earlier. We have to improve access to preventive care. We've got to address chronic diseases before they actually become a crisis. In other words, be more preventive in our thinking than reactive. Uh and make sure that people can actually obtain and use the treatments that we develop. I think most importantly, we got to measure success differently. I mean, it's not uh enough to ask whether a therapy is safe and works uh effectively. We also have to ask who's receiving it, who is not, who's benefiting, where are patients falling out of the system? So closing that lifespan gap is gonna require healthcare organizations, government, communities, and industries like mine to take shared responsibility for those answers.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and I know it's not just about helping people live long, it's also about helping them live healthier and more independently. I want to switch over to your title, Chief Patient Officer. What does that role involve and how do you make sure patients have a meaningful voice in the development as well as delivery of their healthcare?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I mean, simply put, I think the responsibility is to make sure that the patient perspective is not just something we sort of seek out as an afterthought, but it's something that is in included in throughout the whole process. It's something that helps shape our decisions throughout the entire drug development process. And so for me, um this position means that I have to ensure that every function, every group in our organization understands that they play a role in making sure that patients are the center of the decisions that we make. So all our strategies, all our decisions need to be, you know, sort of thought about through the lens of the patient and not as an afterthought, but from the beginning to the end. And so that's really, you know, sort of what my goal is. And I think a meaningful patient voice goes beyond holding a focus group or, you know, just asking someone to look at a brochure. Um, for me, it is what's the problem that we're trying to solve? You know, what about this condition bothers the patient the most? And what outcome would provide the most impactful benefit to their overall quality of life? You know, what makes currently available treatments difficult? And so it's gathering all of those insights and making sure that as we try to tackle those problems, that we're doing it, you know, through the lens of the patient. And not just because, oh, we want to make a drug, but we want to make a drug, more importantly, we want to make a drug that really is meaningful, um, most meaningful to what bothers the patients the most.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Sometimes I wonder, Dr. Williams, is patient-centered care language like that, is it a slogan? And what I mean by that is, you know, many older adults sometimes feel rushed or sometimes dismissed doing their medical appointments. I've been there, you know, before, you know, that rushed uh feeling. What can us patients as well as caregivers do to make sure that our concerns, their concerns, are heard and taken seriously?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, that's a great question, Sean. I think, you know, I'll get to what the patient can do, but I think also from the provider side, we've got to first and foremost listen. We've got to listen to understand, not necessarily to respond. And we've got to lead with empathy. I think if we do that, that sort of guides the conversation. But from the patient's perspective, I think preparation can actually make an enormous difference. So before the appointment, you know, write down the two or three issues that matter the most and bring up you know your medication list, um, including over-the-counter medications, things like that. So those are little small things that actually are can be very helpful and and very impactful. I think also being very specific about what has changed instead of saying, you know, I haven't felt well, explain like when the problem started uh and how it's affecting your daily life right now. I I think you know, also patients ought to feel comfortable asking direct questions. You know, that's why you're there. So questions like, what do you think is causing this? What else could it be? What what should I watch for? You know, when should I call you? Those sorts of things. I I I think all of those, those pieces are really important. Um and you know, if the patient themselves aren't able to do it, making sure that they've got someone there, a caregiver, a family member who can advocate on their behalf. And so caregivers, for example, can be extremely helpful because they can take notes, they can ask follow-up questions, and they can help the patient remember what it is they want to discuss.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I realize it's a responsibility on both sides, right? And I get it. And what you just just described is practical advice. Folks, arrive prepared, ask direct questions. And I would also add, do not leave until you understand your next steps and have your answers, your questions answered, I should say. Uh your organization uh company, uh Autolix, works extensively, as I understand it, in kidney health. What should older adults over 50 understand about protecting their kidneys, especially those living uh with, say, high blood pressure or diabetes?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, you know, that's a big issue. Um, and I'll get into the kidneys in a minute, but actually, we also work in women's health. Um, we work in women's health um as it relates to a specific GI condition called IBSC or irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. And the reason that's important is that it impacts millions of patients, uh, and up to 80% are actually women. And so that's why I say we work in the women's health space as well. But getting to the kidney piece, um, which is really important, because that's a disease that can progress quietly. You know, people feel completely well while their kidney function can actually be declining. And so I think, you know, when we think about the number one and two reasons why people have chronic kidney disease, you're absolutely right. It's high blood pressure is diabetes. These these are the two most uh common risk factors. Obviously, there are genetic components, there are other reasons. Um, but adults at risk need to actually talk with their healthcare providers about routine kidney testing. Because it's often a silent disease, um, you know, understanding your numbers. There are simple tests. There's a common blood test, a common urine test that can actually identify whether or not you have chronic kidney disease and can identify it early. Because the nice thing is that there are a lot of new medications out there that actually can slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. But it is a it's really a triad of you know, sort of issues, usually starting with obesity that can then lead to cardiovascular disease that then impacts the kidneys as well. And so knowing your numbers is really important. And so again, you obviously have to be able to access uh, you know, uh healthcare to be able to do this, but once you do, making sure, like knowing your family history and actually asking, being uh, you know, sort of um proactive in asking uh for those two tests to to actually understand your numbers and know where your kidney function sits. Because again, it's a it's a quiet, silent, you know, sort of condition that doesn't actually show a lot of symptoms until it's too late.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah. And so early awareness is vital. It is important. And Dr. Williams, you're you're in a lane that I've been uh uh trying to get in for years now, and that's me preaching to folks, preaching to regular folks I see at the barbershop, anywhere I go on the golf course when I'm there, about knowing their numbers. Not their not their telephone numbers, you know, not their address, but their blood pressure, their cholesterol, their glucose, their A1C for us men, our PSA, knowing those numbers and within the normal ranges of those numbers, it's what I think. I'm doing my part, I think will will help narrow that gap if we know our numbers. But we do have to go to the doctor, right? We can't be shy, you know, and not go get checked up and access healthcare uh as often or as regular as one uh can. But I'm gonna get back in in your lane right now, uh, my friend, the time that we have uh left. For people receiving dialysis, you know, I understand that high phosphorus levels can become a serious concern. In simple terms, what causes phosphorus to build up and why is controlling it so important?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, that's a great question as well, um, Sean. I, you know, simply put, you know, the kidney actually filters all of these waste products from us. And so when the kidneys fail, phosphorus levels build up. Phosphorus is an important is an important, you know, um uh you know compound in our body. Um and so when those values build up, they combine with calcium and they actually cause plaque formations. They they build up in our arteries, uh in our vessels, uh, and that can actually lead to a lot of problems, namely cardiovascular problems. Um, you know, when you talk about amputations, when we talk about heart attacks, when we talk about strokes, a lot of that is due to the plaque buildup with phosphorus and calcium combining and doing so. And so for patients who have chronic kidney disease, namely kidney failure, when the kidneys don't filter out that phosphorus, the levels build up. And you can't actually remove it just with dialysis or dietary changes because first and foremost, phosphorus is ubiquitous, it's everywhere, it's in all of the foods that we eat. And so just trying to control it with diet um or dialysis is usually not successful. And so there are treatments called phosphate lowering therapies to actually get the phosphorus levels down uh for folks who are having problems uh with high phosphorus. And that's important because again, this increased phosphorus increases our cardiovascular risk and increases our mortality uh rate as a result. And so controlling phosphorus is a very uh important um task and it's a very complex task. Um, and each person is is very different. And so what may work for me may not work for the other, and that's why you know there's a number of drugs out there to help, and yet you have to make sure um that there's a shared decision making between the patient and the clinician to get you on the right treatment to get your phosphorus in control.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and I thank you for sharing that, folks. Know your numbers, get to know your numbers. I understand that, you know, constipation and other digestive problems are often dismissed as just a normal part of aging. When should an older adult stop treating the problem, say at home, and speak with their doctor, a healthcare provider?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I mean, okay, occasional constipation can happen. We know that, but if it becomes persistent or you see significant changes in your bowel habits, um you know, that that's something that not that shouldn't automatically be attributed to aging. That's something that should get you thinking. And so an older adult should talk to their healthcare provider when constipation is new, when it persists beyond days to weeks, or it significantly interferes with daily life or uh does not improve with the usual measures. And so um that's important. Also, there are certain symptoms that deserve, you know, sort of more prompt evaluation. For example, if you see blood in your stool, that's a problem. If you uh have unexplained weight loss, severe or persistent abdominal pain with the constipation, or any other abdominal symptoms that's new to you, those things uh should, you know, sort of sh, you know, set off red flags and say, I should do something else. It's important also to review medications because a number of medications can actually contribute uh to constipation. And so I guess the key message here is that any meaningful change from someone's normal pattern deserves attention, particularly in an older adult.
SPEAKER_06Dr. Williams, for the time that we have left, because we're about to run out of time. Uh I I know I'm I'm inviting you back. Uh, but real quick, some communities remain understandably skeptical of pharmaceutical companies as well as clinical research. What must the industry do to build trust in those communities and ensure that older adults and diverse communities are properly uh represented?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I mean, trust has to be earned first and foremost, right? And how do you earn trust? Behavior. It's the way you act. It's not just talking, um, it's the way you treat people. And so I think first the industry needs to sustain our relationships with communities, not engagement that begins only when you know you're starting a clinical trial, but I mean throughout the whole process. As I said before, from beginning to end, it means working with trial. Local organizations. You talked about it before. Barbershops, uh, churches, prof all of those local community organizations that patients generally trust. We need to have relationships with them early and often, not just when we need something, um, but all the time, right? We also have to make sure that uh that we are working with healthcare professionals, advocacy groups, and community leaders over time. Again, not you know, just dropping in uh and leaving, but but a continuous, you know, real relationship. I think the other piece is that you know, when we're doing these clinical research trials, we need to make sure um that access to those trials are easier. Um, thinking about transportation, time away from work, um, patients have caregiver responsibilities. There's all sorts of things that keep people out of clinical trials, people that need to be in there. And there's there's gotta be greater transparency. And we need to actually make sure that the people who are most impacted by the disease or the condition are actually included in these clinical trials so that when the data becomes available, it's applicable to everybody who is impacted. And so I think all of those things um are things that actually uh help us to earn trust. And it's also who's doing those clinical trials? It makes a difference when we see people who look like us um um and who are you know transparent? Um, I think all of those things matter.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, well said, well said. Um we're gonna have another discussion on that. A whole segment just on that alone. But my last question for you, uh my new friend, what is one action that every older adult they can take this week, those listening to the show right now, uh, to become a stronger advocate for their own health?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I think that's a simple one. I mean, uh for me, I would say just create a one-page health summary and bring it to every health care appointment. Even as a physician, I do that myself when I go to my doctor, you know, especially if it's a new uh, you know, provider. Um, but it what is what does that mean, a one-page health summary? It just includes your medical condition. Like, you know, I'm a 64-year-old, you know, black female with X, Y, and Z. Um, medications, doses, if you have any allergies, uh, your key physicians, who are your primary care physicians, your emergency contact information. So it's a one-page document that just includes those things. Your medical condition, the medications you're on with the doses, if you have any allergies, your your um key physician, your emergency contact information, and and two or three of the health issues that are most important to you right now. So whatever that is. And so, and then at the bottom, I think you can write a simple question like what is it that I should be paying attention to before I see you again? You know, so you're going to this person that hopefully you know, but if you don't know, this is even more important than this one-page health summary. Um, but that to me is really important because patient advocacy doesn't require that a patient becomes a medical expert. It just begins with knowing your own health information, right? And asking questions that help you feel empowered and allow you to say, look, this matters to me, and I want it to matter to you as well.
SPEAKER_06And that's how we're going to narrow that lifespan longevity gap, one patient at a time. Dr. Laura Williams, Chief Patient Officer at Autolex, thank you, thank you, thank you for joining us and for helping us better understand what it means to truly place patients at the center of health care and family. Remember this medical innovation matters, but so do access, trust, and understanding. Ask questions, know your medications, and never hesitate to say, please explain that in a way I can understand. Dr. Williams, it was wonderful meeting you at the CHC Forum uh just over a month or so ago, and a pleasure welcoming you to the CNZone. You are welcome back, my new friend. Thank you for having me, Sean.
SPEAKER_08That is uh a nice way to end it. And I just want to say the patients are waiting. Thank you for all you do.
SPEAKER_06And you are quite welcome. 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 loadown, news, events, and resources that you can use. We'll be right back.
SPEAKER_13Today 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_12Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday.
Birthdays of the Week
SPEAKER_06August 24th from Forestville, Maryland. Happy birthday, Sam. Diane Maynard Tate is 75 today as well. August 24th from Hagerstown, Maryland. Happy birthday, Diane Van Dy Galloway, 60 years young, 6-0 on today, August 24th from Hagerstown, Maryland as well. Happy birthday, Van Dye. Patricia Anderson Raglan is 74 on Wednesday, August 26th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Patricia Myrna Lee, 80 years young on Wednesday, August 26th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Myrna. Vanessa Green, 72 on Thursday, August 27th from Alexandria, Virginia. Happy birthday, Vanessa. Catherine Hunter Lewis, childhood friend here, 60 years young on Thursday, August 27th, hailing from Memphis, Tennessee. Now, happy birthday, Kathy. Beatrice Swan, a good friend, old friend here, 62 years young, Social Security eligible on Friday, August 28th from Temple Hills, Maryland. Happy birthday, Beatrice. Rasheed Ali. You know who you are, Rasheed. How are you doing? 73 on Friday, August 28th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Rasheed, and thank you for all your support. Georgetta La Bay is 75 on Friday, August 28th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Georgetta. A few more. We have Theodore Maduro is 76 on Friday, August 28th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Theodore Edwin Walker, friend to the senior zone, 70 years young on Saturday, August 29th from Fort Washington, Maryland. Happy birthday, Edwin. I believe it's Washington, D.C. now. Happy birthday, Edwin. And last but not least, Mary Catherine Duff, 82 on Sunday, August 30th from Lothian, Maryland. Happy birthday, Mary. Happy birthday again to each and every one of you. May this next trip around the sun bring you good health, good people, plenty of laughter, and more reasons to look forward to your tomorrow. And folks, to have your birthday mention here, just send us an email. Send that email to info at theseniorzone.com. That's INFO at theseniorzone.com. Be sure to include your full name, the age that you are turning, your birth date, and your city and state, and we'll do our best to send you that shout out. And
Dear Grave Woman featuring Joelle Simon
SPEAKER_06now that seems like the perfect place for us to slow things down just a little because every week Joelle Simone gives us something to think about. Sometimes about life, sometimes about loss, sometimes about relationships, and sometimes simply about what it means to be human. So let's now turn to this week's edition of Dear Grave Woman with Joelle Simone. Joelle, the mic is yours.
SPEAKER_00Hello and welcome back to Dear Grave Woman. I am your host, Joelle Simone. I'm known all over the world as the Grave Woman. And today we are talking about how you as a listener and a consumer can support Black end-of-life, death, and grief care businesses. Now, I know for many of us, spending our dollars with black-owned businesses is vitally important. And I compiled a list which will help you regardless of where you are in the country or the world by simply typing in black-owned you fill in the blank. And so I'm gonna just start rattling off these topics or this fill-in-the-blank section for you, starting with funeral and death care. Um, number one, you can Google black-owned funeral homes, mortuaries, cremation providers, green burial providers, and funeral planning consultants. For end-of-life care, you can search for black-owned death duelers or black death duelers, hospice providers, advanced care planning facilitators, grief practitioners, spiritual care providers for grief and healing. You can search for black-owned businesses, um, focusing on grief counseling, grief coaching, grief support groups and services, trauma-informed wellness practitioners, as well as healing retreat facilitators. As far as memorial and legacy is concerned, you can do a simple Google search for black-owned um memorial jewelry designers, custom urn makers, obituary and eulogy writers, legacy book creators, and life tribute video creators for cemetery and memorialization. You can search for black-owned monument and headstone companies, grave restoration specialists, cemetery and maintenance services, grave cleaning services, memorial garden designers, and black-owned floral companies, as far as funeral support services. Again, black owned florists, musicians, um, or black funeral musicians, funeral photographers and videographers, funeral stationary designers, and repascators or centers, as far as estate and after loss support. You can search for black owned and operated estate planning, um, law firms, attorneys, probate attorneys, estate organizers, estate sale companies, and financial advisors and legacy planners. And last but not least, for education and community, you can search for black death care educators, cultural competency consultants, death care authors, podcasters, and community death education organizers. Thank you so much for tuning in today. And Sean, back to you for the later life lowdown.
Later Life Lowdown
SPEAKER_06Joelle, thank you, thank you, thank you, uh, my friend. All right, family. It's now time for your later life lowdown, your quick trip around the DMV for resources, programs, and opportunities that might make life after 50 just a little bit better. In Washington, D.C., if you're looking for somewhere to stay active, meet people, or simply get out of the house, remember that the DC Senior Wellness Centers offer exercise, education programs, computer access, group meals, social activities, and much more across the District of Columbia. Most centers operate Monday through Friday, and programming varies by location. For more information, contact the DC Department of Aging and Community Living at 202-724-5626. That's 202-724-5626. In Maryland, the Maryland Access Point connects older adults, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers with programs and services available in their communities that may include things like transportation, meal programs, caregiver support, housing assistance, and much, much more. Call the Maryland Access Point at 844-627-5465. That's 844-627-5465. And in Northern Virginia, over in Fairfax County, the public library system continues to offer programming specifically identified for older adults, including wellness, arts and crafts, learning opportunities, and social activities. Check your nearest Fairfax County Public Library branch or its calendar to see what's happening near you. And
Closing Thoughts
SPEAKER_06family, just like that, we have reached the end of another Monday episode here on the Senior Zone. As you head into this new week, remember aging well doesn't mean everything suddenly becomes easier. It means we get a little wiser about what deserves our energy. So take care of your health, protect your peace, stay curious, stay connected, ask for help when you need it, and every now and then give yourself some credit for everything you've already made it through. And one more thing, you can check out the Senior Zone on its podcast, on any podcast platform that you listen to. Just search for The Senior Zone with Sean Perry. Folks, that's it. The pencil broke, that is all she wrote. Until we meet again, keep your head high, keep your heart full, and always be someone who makes someone else look forward to their tomorrow. Love you. Peace.
SPEAKER_11Be sure to join us on our next broadcast.
SPEAKER_01Until then, live simply, love generously. Speak kindly.
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