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. 722 | Your Fall Reset, Tenant Rights
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Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer—but it can also be the perfect time to take stock of where we are and where we want to go next.
On this episode of The Senior Zone, Shawn Perry begins with a Weekly Vitamin encouraging listeners to make small, intentional adjustments that can create meaningful change.
First, Margaret Foster, Editor of The Beacon Newspapers, previews highlights from the September 2026 issue.
Then, author and empowerment coach Laura Brennan Ballet joins Shawn for a senior-centric conversation about creating a personal “fall reset”—reassessing priorities, letting go of what no longer serves us, and becoming more intentional about how we spend our time and energy.
Finally, Johanna Shreve, Chief Tenant Advocate for the District of Columbia, discusses resources and protections available to D.C. renters, particularly older tenants, and previews the Annual Tenant Summit on September 19, 2026.
Plus: Birthdays of the Week, Dear Grave Woman with Joelle Simone, and the Later Life Lowdown.
The Senior Zone—informing, empowering and celebrating the 50+ community since 2012.
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_08Welcome to the Senior Zone, where we connect older adults with the organizations and resources that serve them.
SPEAKER_05The Senior Zone's goal of working with local and national partners aims to educate, empower, enlighten, entertain, and engage older adults with the tools and information to stay healthy, happy, and secure.
SPEAKER_06Great guests, health tips, upcoming events, and useful information.
SPEAKER_05So get ready to take notes and have some fun. It's now time for the Senior Zone.
SPEAKER_10Good morning, family, and welcome to another Monday inside the Senior Zone. I am your host, Sean Perry, and for more than a decade now, this has been the DMV's number one weekly radio program focused on informing, empowering, and celebrating those of us aged 50 and better. And yes, it is Labor Day. For many of us, today marks the unofficial turn from summer toward fall. But before we start rushing into the next season, maybe today is a good time to simply ask, How am I doing? And is the life I'm living still aligned with what matters most to me? And that brings me to this week's weekly vitamin. You don't have to reinvent your life to improve it. Sometimes a small adjustment in direction can completely change where you eventually arrive. So this week, give yourself permission to reassess, reset, and move forward with intention. Growing older doesn't mean becoming less flexible, it can mean becoming much clearer about where your time and energy belong. We've got a full show for you today, folks. Later, we have Laura Brennan Ballet, author of The Science of Empowerment. She joins us for a timely fall check-in, how to reassess what's working, what isn't, and become more intentional about this season of life. Then we have DC Chief Tenant Advocate Johanna Schweeb. She's joining us with information older renters need to know about their rights, available help, and the annual tenant summit coming up this September 19th. We'll close it out with Birthdays of the Week, followed by Dear Grave Woman, featuring Joelle Simone and your later life lowdown. And remember, if Monday mornings don't fit your schedule, the senior zone is now available on demand wherever you listen to podcasts. Take us on your walk, in your car, around the house, or share an episode with somebody who could use the information. And before we move forward, I gotta send much 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. All right, family, let's
The Beacon Newspapers: September Preview
SPEAKER_10keep it moving. If you're someone who likes staying informed, staying inspired, and staying ahead of the curve after 50, this next conversation is for you. I'm joined now by Margaret Foster, editor of the Beacon Newspapers, and we're diving into their September issue of 2026. What's on the cover, what's inside, and what might just change how you move, think, live, and even plan your next chapter. Margaret, welcome back to the Cone, my friend.
SPEAKER_03Hi, Sean. Great to be here.
SPEAKER_10It's always great to have you uh here, uh, my friend. Margaret, let's start with the cover of this month's uh Beacon newspaper issue. Kay Bird has a new book with Roy Coyne. Uh what made this story uh compelling enough to be on the Beacon cover?
SPEAKER_03Well, Kai Byrd is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. He's a biographer who lives right here in DC. He lives in Adams Morgan, he's lived here for decades with his wife. And these folks are in their 60s, probably maybe even early 70s, and they collaborated, husband and wife collaborated on this bite new biography. Now, Kybert won a Pulitzer for um co-authoring Oppenheimer, the a book about Oppenheimer that became a movie. I don't know if you saw it, it seemed too depressing for me. I didn't see it. Um, but it won a lot of Oscars, etc. etc. And so now these kind of you know mild-mannered people find themselves kind of thrust in the spotlight. They got a lot of attention for Oppenheimer, and they thought, what what's the next book gonna be? And it's about a nefarious lawyer who was a lawyer for um the McCarthy hearings, um, some mafia families, and the current president. So there's a lot of controversy that they um you know might stir up with this book. But it I liked this story because it was a husband and wife team, you know. It's kind of scary.
SPEAKER_10Gotcha, gotcha. And we certainly don't have any nefarious lawyers here in the DC area. So it would be something very novel uh here. So good stuff, good stuff. So from the cover, let's switch over to the health section. Uh I see Medicare access to some weight loss drugs is expanding. What should our older adults and listeners uh know?
SPEAKER_03Well, you might have heard already that Medicare is now covering these GLP 1 weight loss drugs. Uh this started in the summertime and now there's a huge demand for them. It means that instead of paying 200 or upwards of $200 a month for these weight loss drugs, it's only $50 for for folks on Medicare, older adults. Uh you have to have a a body mass index of I think it's $35 or something. I don't really even know what my BMI is, but the bottom line is ask your doctor if you want to try these. Because your doctor will know what your BMI is and if you're eligible. Um but it it seems like a good deal for folks. I know a couple of people who are on them and they really seem to work.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, it does seem to uh to be working, but as you said, uh always consult one's uh primary care uh physician. Uh let's say uh actually there's another, I should say, major health development. There's a new blood test that will uh help detect Alzheimer's early. How significant is that?
SPEAKER_03Can you believe this? It's kind of big. I mean, i i but who wants to know really if you there's no d treatment for it, you know. So now they they're giving you this blood test if it kind of runs in your family. Um it it predicts it predicts it pretty well within five years. The study didn't predict it as accurately within ten years. So um, but the five year mark was pretty accurate. Um but they're saying don't run out and get these blood tests yet because there's just no medication for it. So the better the better thing to do was would be to sign up for Alzheimer's, you know, clinical health studies to help researchers come up with a real treatment for it.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, yeah. I think if you did to take the test now, anxiety will be your issue versus Alzheimer's. Uh right.
unknownRight.
SPEAKER_10Let's switch over to the money section. One of my favorite sections always, Social Security's financial outlook remains a concern. I'm in this bucket right now. I'm concerned, uh uh Margaret. What should older adults understand without panicking?
SPEAKER_03Well, they decided, you know, the powers that be have have found out that um their projections say that it Social Security is going to quote run dry a year earlier than they previously predicted. And that's only six years from now. They're saying it's gonna run dry in tw 2032, which is uh six years. I'm worried too. It's going to um if if the politicians let this happen, people are gonna see a reduced paycheck. I don't think the politics the politicians are gonna let this happen. There are a lot of things they can do, and this article lists them. Um and what you can do right now is write to your congressman, you know, right? Use your voice because they've got to act. You know, this is this is getting serious.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, yeah. I'm in that window uh right now as well. So that's why I said I'm concerned about this uh as well. Uh staying in the money section, uh, I see you have an article explaining how to find forgotten or unclaimed money.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Where can we find it? We can be fine, Margaret. If we've been sitting around and and you know, we've got a thousand dollars sitting around somewhere, I'd like to find it. A good place to start is missingmoney.com. It sounds cheesy, but it's the place to go. Missingmoney.com. We also list a few other websites in there like um lostandfound.dol, so that's departmentoflabor labor.gov. So it's missingmoney.com and lostandfound.dol.gov. And anyway, the the article has a few more places to check. I checked and I saw that my cousin had some missing, you know, some unclaimed funds.
SPEAKER_10So Yeah, yeah, that's always uh found money is always uh uh good money. Uh I would like to uh get my hands on my money uh as well. So finally, there's something a little more uplifting uh in uh the September edition of the Beacon Newspapers between Andrew Sean Greer's new book on friendship and aging well and Montgomery history, helping people preserve their oral histories. What's the larger message for older adults this month, uh Margaret?
SPEAKER_03It's never too late. Keep telling your stories, keep um befriending, you know, people. And uh the uh the uh local author that I interviewed, Andrew Sean Greer, he too won a Pulitzer, and he says he hangs out with older people all the time, and um he's learned from them to, you know, age with dignity, you know, age with a sense of humor.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, absolutely. I would also add a good reminder that aging is also about staying informed. It's about staying connected and preserving our stories. Ladies and gentlemen, we've been speaking with Margaret Foster, editor of the Beacon Newspapers. Margaret, thank you, thank you, thank you, as always for giving us a quick look at this month's edition. We'll see you next month here on the Senior Zone, my new friend. Not my new friend, you're my old friend by now.
unknownThank you, Sean.
SPEAKER_10All right, take care, take care. Folks, this first break is brought to you by Legal Counsel for the Elderly, providing free legal and social work services to D.C. residents most in need. Don't change a dollar. Promise, we'll be right back.
SPEAKER_11Legal Counsel for the Elderly champions the dignity and rights of D.C. 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_09Attention, 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_10Family,
Laura Brennan Ballet: Your Fall Reset
SPEAKER_10Labor Day weekend traditionally marks the unofficial end of summer. The vacation begins winding down, the days start getting shorter, schedules change, and before we know it, we're heading into fall and eventually the holiday season. But maybe this transition can be about more than changing seasons. Maybe it's also a good time to check in with ourselves. What's working, what isn't, what have we been putting off, and perhaps most importantly, as we get older, are we spending our time and energy on the things that really matter to us? Back with us today is Laura Brennan Ballet, author of The Science of Empowerment and a Mindset and Empowerment Coach, whose work focuses on helping people become more intentional about the way they think, live, and move forward. Laura, welcome back to the Senior Zone, my friend.
SPEAKER_02Hello, Sean. Thank you, thank you. It's always an honor to be here with you and your amazing audience.
SPEAKER_10I am so glad to have you here. Laura, before I get into my questions for you, share with our listeners right now where they can get their eyes and their hands on your book, The Science of Empowerment.
SPEAKER_02Yes, thank you. Amazon, right to Amazon. You'll see five star reviews, and it is now an international best-selling book. And they can visit the website at www.themescience of empowerment.com. There's a copious amount of complimentary knowledge and inspiration for the audience.
SPEAKER_10I love it. I love it. Science of empowerment, uh, folks. So let's just jump right into it, uh, Laura. You know, summer has a certain looseness to it, and then September arrives and life seems to become structured all over again. Do you think seasonal transitions like this can actually be useful psychological reset points for us?
SPEAKER_02Yes, I do. And I love the seasons. And I think some of us lose this reset ability when we are in places that don't really shift the way they do here, let's say in New England, right? We spring, it's all the gardens and the flowers are blooming. Right now, September, we start to kind of hold on to the warmth while we're getting ready for the fall. And I love September into October, November for that reason. I always think of the leaves and how they fall naturally from the tree. And so I think we can look at releasing what no longer serves us as a reset. It doesn't have to be heavy and challenging. It can be just an observation. Well, I went through that. It didn't really make me feel quite the way I wanted to. Let it just fall away and blow with the wind.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, yeah. I I like what you said because we don't need a brand new life, right? We just need to make a few adjustments, possibly to the one that we already uh have. For someone, uh Laura, in their 50s, 60s, 70s, or beyond, what should a healthy, as you said, reset actually look like? Is it less about reinventing ourselves and more about, say, deciding what still deserves our time and energy?
SPEAKER_02I love this. I've been very aware of this kind of mindset for a long time. And I really do think it is very empowering to be discerning, not to feel guilty or really feel bad if you say no, thank you, or I would not like to spend my time somewhere. I think for many of us, we feel rushed. We have to be everywhere, be everything to everyone, especially as we get a bit older. We feel like time is slipping by a little bit quicker. So I really think just allow yourself again, I'm gonna use this word throughout the show, to be empowered. Ask yourself, what makes me happy? What grounds me? What feels right for me? What serves that part of me that matters to me now? And allow that to be a reset or a recalibration to where you spend your time and the choices that you make.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, great uh response. No, one thing I hear from older adults, and I think Laura, I fit into this category as well, is that I just don't have the patience for certain things anymore, right? I think I really fit into that category. Uh is that always a bad thing, uh, Laura, or can becoming say more selective about people and commitments as well as obligations actually be healthy?
SPEAKER_02I love this question. It's okay to feel that way. It's okay to arrive to that place. It isn't, again, that I'm going to use this word that we're not patient. I do believe we've decided what matters most. Again, it's okay to tell someone, I'm just gonna coddle on the couch with a good book and a cup of tea, and I'm shutting the world out today. That is what we've earned. We've earned that position to spend our moments the way that we see fit. So I don't think it's necessarily an age thing. I think it's an awareness when we decide, wow, am I hanging out with a group of people, even when we're young, that aren't really helping me become my very best? And I think that goes for us as we get older. We start to realize where am I spending my time and is it serving that part of me that I really value and all of the experiences that I'd like to live through?
SPEAKER_10Yeah, that's why I bring subject matter experts onto the Cinder Zone just for responses like that. I would answer it because I answered that question in my own head, uh, Laura, is that yes, I know what I don't want, right? I got half of that question, but I also have to figure out what I do want. Uh and and as I move forward in my life. And that leads me into my next question. You know, we have about four months left in 2026. So instead of waiting until January to make resolutions, what questions should listeners be asking themselves right now about how they want to finish this year?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I've again great questions because we're always putting time restraints on us, which adds the pressure of, oh, I didn't accomplish that. What's wrong with me? Well, they accomplished it, or why can I not get that right? So I think looking at the rest of the months we have, four months is a long time. It's a long time. What did you not experience in these past months that you would like to experience now? And this kind of brings all of this questioning to a really beautiful centeredness. What matters to me? What is important? What did I think I wanted to accomplish that I didn't? Maybe it wasn't that important to me all along. Something else happened to step in that mattered more to me. And if you ask that question and your awareness brings you to, not really, I did want to accomplish that and I didn't. Beautiful. Now what are you willing to do about it? You've got four months. Be accountable, right? Use critical thinking, infuse that neutral energy now at that new awareness state. I do want to experience that said thing. Now energize yourself and make it happen in the next four months.
SPEAKER_10Energize yourself. That's that's turning the the uh those questions we just answered really uh into uh intention as well as action. With that being said, why do we sometimes, uh Laura, know exactly what would be good for us, such as walking more, reconnecting with people, getting organized, trying something new, and still and still have such a hard time getting started?
SPEAKER_02Very simple patterns. We create patterns. And when we become aware of a pattern, now we can ask ourselves, what am I willing to do about that pattern? If I want to take a mile walk in my neighborhood, but I can't even get out the door, what am I willing to do? Put your sneakers on, walk to the mailbox. It's very simple. Just start. Don't put yourself in this position that if I don't accomplish it all the way to tier 10, that somehow I failed. Simple, almost elegant, right? Graceful, small steps and keep building on that momentum. Do a little bit every day, and you will begin to create a new pattern which will move us from the old pattern.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, you know, sometimes the obstacle isn't uh our ability, right? Our willingness. It's the story that, as you said, we've been telling ourselves the pattern all along. We just have to break that cycle, that pattern that we've uh placed on ourselves. As we age, you know, how do we recognize the difference between accepting a genuine limitation and unnecessarily telling ourselves, I'm too old for that?
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Well, we're never too old for anything. I have a really amazing family. And even my uncle, right before he passed at 92, playing bridge, tennis, golfing. It's a mindset. Now I understand with full respect if we have physical ailments and limitations that, you know, can kind of harbor us, right, from doing something. Of course, we have to, you know, if you have a bad knee, don't go skiing down a black diamond mountain. However, maybe you can put your boots in a big worn parka and you can walk around the village and still have the energy of what that feels like. Look at everything again at a scale of one to ten. And that doesn't mean one is low and ten is high. It's just a range. How can I take the word limit and recalibrate it to empower something about myself? Don't look at a limitation as a set fixed structure. It is a thought process around the story that became the belief, that became the pattern, that became part of the personality that thinks I'm limited. You are not. It is a thought. Be careful and mindful, right? Care and consideration to the self, but you are capable of far more than you have settled for.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, you and I spoke uh off air uh in the green room about another trap, and that trap is comparison. With that being said, you know, social media and even our own social circles. Can make it look like everybody else is, you know, traveling more, accomplishing more, and enjoying retirement uh even more. How do we stop measuring ourselves against someone else's you know highlight reel?
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Just simply stop. You are brilliant and beautiful and purposeful. You have your own magic, alchemy to add into the collective. It does not matter what you are doing, do it to the highest and best level, and you will feel really good about yourself and you will not feel less than someone else because you're living into your fullest. And I think that's what happens. We get caught in that trap because we're not living into our full potential. And that doesn't mean you have to discover the cure for cancer. Maybe it just means you show up a bit more for your partner, or you offer a bit more through volunteerism, or you, you know, maybe you're more present with your children. It's small shifts that really create big differences that help build our confidence and help us feel empowered. And we can do this without flying on a jet and getting surgery.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, yeah. You know, the reason why I wanted to have this discussion at this time and with you, September. I look at September as that transitional sort of month, right? Uh is because, you know, and this I've said this for over a decade now here on the Cena Zone. You know, I want folks to, if they're still here, Laura, they still have a deposit left to make, right? They're here for a reason, right? Uh whatever your belief system is, that higher power still has you here for a reason. And I want to benefit, I want to observe, I want to experience, you know, those deposits here on earth from my loved ones and my friends and others as well. So I want folks to, if they're on the couch and they're listening today, I want them to get up off their couch, get outside their four walls. And like you said, they don't have to climb Mount Everest, you know, just get out, walk more, right? Just start, right? Put one foot in front of the other, that childhood song, as I I remember. And that's why I wanted to have this discussion with you on the very first uh Monday of September. So thank you, thank you, thank you for joining us. I'll get off my preaching bandwagon, my friend, and on to my next few questions with the time that we have left. You know, uh, what role, uh, Laura, does routine uh play in our say emotional well-being? As we move into fall, are there two or three simple daily habits that can make us feel more grounded without turning self-improvement into another, say, full-time job?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, again, empowering uh question here. For me, routine is empowerment in motion. Routine gives us structure. Universe loves structure. That doesn't mean we don't bend and flow and we don't have movement, but routine allows us to build confidence and gain clarity as we are traversing sometimes some pretty heavy challenges in our life. I think very simple routines, and I start every single morning with something to be grateful for. And I know everyone hears us, but there is such power in gratitude work. One thing, it could be put your feet on the floor. Thank you. I have a bed, I have a floor, I have a roof. It could be a message to our faith, right? However, that looks for us. Gratitude changes everything. Carry that energetic structure every day, that routine of gratitude. It builds on itself. I think another thing to do, especially for people that do feel limited and challenged, do something that brings you comfort every day. It literally could be writing a little notation, it could be calling a loved one, it could be again volunteering, it could be a cup of tea, it could just be uh letting your the sun hit your face. Something that brings you comfort. That begins to settle the nervous system, it calms the mind. And the third thing I would suggest is do something that challenges you. Don't live in that limitation box anymore. Again, small self-grace, but give give something, give that challenge your attention and see it through because you do have what it takes to build upon, again, that confidence every day. And I think if you find gratitude, do something of comfort and work through a challenge, you are going to have a life well lived.
SPEAKER_10I like that idea. It's small enough to actually become part of our lives rather than another list of things that we're supposed to do. And certainly we all, we all have something to be grateful uh for. That attitude of gratitude, it's what I'm all about. You know, Laura Sidebar here. My very first email uh that I ever had back in the day when emails were first coming together was gratitude at, I forget what it was, AOL.com or one of the other sites, but it was grateful. I've always had that attitude of gratitude. It has gotten me just this far. Let's finish here, uh my friend, because I appreciate you being here. For the person listening this morning who feels like their summer has gotten away from them, or maybe 2026 itself has gone or hasn't gone quite the way they expected. What would you tell them about the possibility of resetting right now?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, again, beautiful question because it brings our awareness front and center. Looking back, just pick one thing that you wish you experienced. One thing. And as you move through the end of 2026, make that one thing happen. Do whatever is necessary to make that one thing happen. That small reset of looking at what you didn't do, understanding that you can empower what you can do, now we begin to create an empowered life. And this is an automatic reset for the mindset.
SPEAKER_10Laura, I think that's the message to carry with us today. The calendar, it may be moving forward. We all know that, but there is still plenty of life to live and still plenty of opportunity uh in front of us. Before I let you go, my friend, again, where can our listeners get their hands and their ears and eyes on your book?
SPEAKER_02Yes, please visit the website www.thescience of empowerment.com and just peruse the whole site and Amazon. Look for the number one international best-selling book, The Science of Empowerment. And thank you, Sean. Love you, appreciate you, love this audience. Keep doing what you're doing. It's important for all of us.
SPEAKER_10We got nothing but love for you, Laura. Ladies and gentlemen, that was Laura Brennan Ballet, author of The Science of Empowerment. Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming back to the Cena Zone, Laura. Family, maybe that's our challenge as we turn the corner from summer into fall. Don't automatically carry everything from one season of your life into the next. Take inventory. Keep what serves you, let go of some of what doesn't, and be intentional about where you place your time, your attention, and your energy. Because September doesn't have to simply mean the end of summer. It can also mean the beginning of your next chapter. Laura, Laura, always good having you with us. Thank you. All right, folks, 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. In life, choices matter.
SPEAKER_07Compassion 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.
SPEAKER_08Hi, neighbor. I'm inviting you and your wife to my husband's 65th birthday party next week.
SPEAKER_01Great! Has he applied for Medicare yet?
SPEAKER_08Not yet. It's very confusing.
SPEAKER_01Call Montgomery County Ship. They help me with questions about my Medicare coverage.
SPEAKER_08What's Montgomery County Ship?
SPEAKER_01It's Ship like a boat. Montgomery County State Health Insurance Assistance Program. They help seniors like us, or people with disabilities, or caregivers and families with Medicare insurance questions.
SPEAKER_08Can anyone call them?
SPEAKER_01Sure, as long as you live in Montgomery County. You can call them at 301-255-4250. Or check out their website at www.medicareabcd.org.
SPEAKER_08What's that number again?
SPEAKER_01Montgomery County Ship. 301-255-4250. Made possible with a grant from the U.S. Administration for Community Living through the state of Maryland and Montgomery County.
SPEAKER_06Growing older shouldn't mean giving up your independence, connections, or the life you love. The DC Department of Aging and Community Living supports district residents with nutritious meals, transportation, caregiver assistance, benefits counseling, and resources to help you remain safe and independent at home. For more information, call 202-724-5626 or visit dactl.dc.gov. The DC Department of Aging and Community Living, helping older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers live well in the communities they call home.
Johanna Shreve: Tenant Rights & Resources
SPEAKER_10Welcome back, family. I am your host, Sean Perry. You know, older renters sometimes know something isn't right, but may not know where to turn, what protections they have, or who can help. So joining me now is Johanna Shreve, Chief Tenant Advocate for the District of Columbia to talk about the help OTA provides, some important protections for older tenants, and the upcoming annual tenant summit on September 19th. Johanna, welcome back to the Senior Zone.
SPEAKER_04Thank you so much, Sean, for having me come back. I am excited to be here today to talk about the upcoming summit and to also talk about the services that we provide to tenants throughout the District of Columbia. We have been in existence for the past 20 years, starting in 2006, and our responsibilities are to provide education, legal protection, policy recommendations to the city council here in the District of Columbia, and then we created the emergency housing program for the city, which provides all tenants in the city with a temporary home anytime their buildings have been closed for violations of housing code or whether there's a fire or other unanticipated emergencies. We are currently working on new programs and have many, many podcasts as well as educational classes that seniors can take. At the summit, we are focusing on aging in place for a very, very particular reason. One, there are many, many multifamily properties throughout the city, and we know that many people have lived in their units and call that place home for many, many years. And we want to make sure that they are prepared if something were to happen to them. So we've identified experts, including yourself, Sean, who is going to serve as our moderator this year, and I'm so terribly thankful that you agreed to do this for us. But we will have individuals there to help sharpen the toolkits for all of the seniors in the property, and also to talk about uh the types of issues that seniors are facing when they live alone. I think this is an opportunity that they should not miss.
SPEAKER_10Gotcha, gotcha. Well, you've you've you've responded with a lot, stole some of my interview questions, uh Johanna Shree, but we're gonna circle circle back. So you shared, you know, what OTA does, and OTA is the Office of Tenant Advocacy. Uh so how can tenants, if there's someone out there right now and they have an issue, is there a telephone number they can call? I want to give out your number a couple of times. What's the main number?
SPEAKER_04Absolutely. That number is 202-719-6560.
SPEAKER_10202-719-6560. So, as the chief of the Office of Tenant Advocacy, uh uh Ms. Shreve, what are some of the biggest housing concerns you're seeing among DC tenants right now?
SPEAKER_04Well, we see a variety of things happening. There's a change in the manner by which housing providers uh manage properties today. It used to be that tenants could pay a check, and that was the way they took care of their rent. Now tenants are being forced to go through what they call rental portals. And those rental portals are new technology that reduces the amount of paperwork that an owner has to deal with in terms of rental payments. The same thing applies to utilities. Uh, they have now taken on third-party contractors or vendors, if we should say, to handle electricity, water, gas sometimes. And what that means is tenants have less control of their environments and are being forced to pay for more of the operational cost of a property through these these new techniques. That means higher in rent income to the tenants, unless they have a subsidy. And then, of course, there are opportunities for tenants with low incomes to receive vouchers and other types of subsidies uh if they're if their income uh eligible. So there's all of these variations of the theme of what's happening and how they manage properties that uh we look at in addition to the obvious, which is properties that are aged. In the district, I would I would hazard to say that approximately 45 to 50 percent of the inventory, the housing inventory, was built prior to 1976. And of that, another 40 percent was built between FY50 and 60. And then between that, we have properties that were built prior to 1940. Yeah, so we've got an aging portfolio of housing which requires preservation issues, and hopefully the city will be looking to do more in that particular area.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, Chief Shreve, I know we're gonna run out of time, my friend, on this short, short interview. But I want to ask a question. What would you say to an older tenant who has a problem in their building but is worried that complaining would somehow put their housing at risk? What would you say to that tenant?
SPEAKER_04I'd say pick up the phone and call 202-719-6560. Retaliation is not, is not, I repeat, something that we allow happen to DC tenants. Tenants have the right to complain uh when their housing is not decent, safe, and sanitary. And we are uh there to help them.
SPEAKER_10Gotcha, gotcha. So again, folks, that number is 202-719-6560. Or if you are a DC tenant in the District of Columbia, right? DC uh tenant, this is your point of contact. 202-719-6560. Let's shift and talk about your upcoming, your annual tenant summit. It takes place this September 19th. That's a Saturday, folks. What can attendees expect this year and why should older DC tenants consider being there themselves?
SPEAKER_04I think that education is important for everyone. As long as you are waking up every morning and getting dressed and getting ready to have a day, you need to know what your rights are. You need to know what the rules of engagement are. And the Office of the Tenant Advocate was designed and established specifically to assist all tenants in the district. It doesn't matter to me whether you have a subsidized uh property or whether you are in a market rate property, we are here to help you. I've been dealing with housing for the past 40 years, and many of the properties that were built when I worked for the National Corporation for Housing Partnership are still in existence. Um, Campbell Heights, which is now Dunbar Apartments over at 15th and U, and other places in the city where tenants' rights are always protected. And we believe that tenants coming to the summit, you'll receive chock full, a bag full of chalk full of information, a good lunch, coffee, and muffins in the morning. And hearing from experts, not just from the district now, we're bringing people from outside of the district who have emulated what we are doing in the district. So it's important that uh tenants recognize that we have become notable from on a national level as being uh the only type of uh government organization that protects tenants' rights.
SPEAKER_10Gotcha. And where can folks listening right now learn more about the event? Can where can they register? Do they have to register? Do they show up? Give the address and the times.
SPEAKER_04The the the the tenant summit is going to be held at 899 North Capital Street on the first level. Uh registration starts at 8 o'clock that morning. But you can just go on our website, www.dc.ota, and you can register today. We are asking people to register. We have over 250 people who have registered already for the summit, and we'd like to see more tenants join us on that day.
SPEAKER_10So, folks, get registered now. It's Saturday, September 19th. It's a full-day event, it's at 899 North Capitol Street. As you mentioned, uh Chief Shreve, I'll be moderating one of your segments entitled A Tenet's Guide to Aging in Place. Why was that topic important to include this year?
SPEAKER_04It was important because one, um the world is aging in place. Two, it was important because tenants in the district need to have a conversation about aging in place. Uh, three, it was it was important because we need to make sure that we are protecting the rights of those who help to create such a beautiful city over time.
SPEAKER_10Great stuff. Um uh Chief Shree, before we close, I want to make sure listeners know that OTA is there as a resource, hence why we gave out your number several times today. Folks, again, that number is 202-719-6560. Any last comments, uh, Chief Shree before I have to let you go?
SPEAKER_04I just want to make sure that tenants know that we're we're waiting and welcoming them on Saturday, September the 19th. And we look forward to a full day of information that will be a vital, vital. We are giving away gifts. We'll be giving away some fire extinguishers, uh, roach and infested packets, things that they can use to help them make sure that their units are staying decent, safe, and sanitary.
SPEAKER_10Johanna Shreve, Chief Tenant Advocate for the District of Columbia. Once again, thank you, uh, my friend. Again, OTA's annual tenant summit takes place Saturday, September 19th, and I'll be there moderating a tenants guide to aging in place. Johanna Shreeve, thank you for spending time with us here on the scene design once again.
SPEAKER_04Thank you so much, Sean, for having me.
SPEAKER_10Look forward to having you back. 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, news, events, and resources that you can use. We'll be right back.
SPEAKER_07Today 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_02Happy birthday.
SPEAKER_07Happy birthday. Happy birthday.
Birthdays of the Week
SPEAKER_10Welcome back, everyone. It is now time for our favorite weekly tradition right here on the senior zone, and that's honoring, recognizing, and celebrating some of our amazing seniors who are adding another candle to their life's cake this week. So let's get the celebration started. First up, we have Charles Isham, 82 on Tuesday, September 8th from Fort Washington, Maryland. Happy birthday, Charles. Marjorie Dunn, 80 years young on Tuesday as well. September 8th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Marjorie. Becky DeLeon, 63. Tuesday, September 8th from Arlington, Virginia. Happy birthday, Becky. Jan Clanton, 72 on Tuesday as well. September 8th from Hamtrack, Michigan. Happy birthday, Jan. Jennifer Harper Huggins is 74 on Wednesday. September 9th from Baltimore, Maryland. Happy birthday, Jennifer Joyce Powell, the lady with all the energy, my friend, Joyce Powell, 71 on Wednesday, September 9th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Joyce. George Smith Jr., 76 years young on Thursday, September 10th from West River, Maryland. Happy birthday, George. Sorell Gring, an Icon at DPR, D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation. Sorell turns 80 years young on Thursday, September 10th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Sorrell. Ramel Gamble, 63, on Thursday, September 10th from Baltimore, Maryland. Happy birthday, Ramel. Jared Smith, 58. Baby of the Bunch, I believe. Today, Thursday, September 10th from Tacoma Park, Maryland. Happy birthday, Jared. Donald Perry, my namesake. No relations. Donald Perry, 66 on Thursday, September 10th from Dallas, Texas. Happy birthday, Donald. Tamika Shipman, 57. No, she's the baby of the bunch. 57 on Friday, September 11th from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Happy birthday, Tamika. Eric Williams, 57 on Friday, September 11th from Rockville, Maryland. Happy, happy birthday, Eric. Gene Harvey is 70 years young on Friday, September 11th from Sunrise, Florida. Happy birthday, Gene. A few more here. We have Talusia Hatcher 63 on Sunday, September 13th from Chula Vista, California. All over the map here today, folks. Happy birthday, Talusia Ronald Huntley, 76 on Sunday, September 13th from Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Happy birthday, Ronald. And last but not least, Sherry Ellison, 65 years young, Medicare eligible on Sunday, September 13th from Tucson, Arizona. Happy, happy birthday, Sherry. And to each and every one of you again that are celebrating this week, from all of us here at the Senior Zone, happy birthday. May this next trip around the sun bring you good health, good people, plenty of laughter, and even more reasons to get up every morning excited about what's still ahead. Because around here, we believe every year lived is wisdom earned, and you are celebrated, you are appreciated, and you matter. Family, preparedness is often
Dear Grave Woman
SPEAKER_10discussed in terms of documents, legal instructions, and funeral arrangements, but there are also many family stories and traditions and essential pieces of everyday information that can disappear when the person carrying them is no longer here. So let's now turn to this week's edition of Dear Grave Woman featuring Joelle Simone. Joelle, the mic is yours, my friend.
SPEAKER_00Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Dear Grave Woman. I am your host, Joelle Simone. I am known internationally as the Grave Woman, and this is your three-minute segment here on the Senior Zone where we talk about life, death, grief, and everything related to planning for the end. Today I want to talk about preparedness beyond the paperwork. For those of you that are unfamiliar, September is national preparedness month, and even though that preparedness has nothing to do with funeral service, I felt like it would be a good idea to tie it into this month. And so my question for you this week is what happens when the person who knows everything is common? And how do you prepare for that? How do you prepare for the loss of your family historian? Every family, for the most part, has someone who knows the stories, the names, the recipes, the relationships, the military history, the burial traditions, and who belongs to who. But when that person dies, families can lose knowledge that was never written down. Preparedness isn't only about documents, it is about preserving the stories and the information that help a family understand itself after a death. So if you died tomorrow, what would your family wish that they had asked about you? Another thing that I want to talk about is that the first 72 hours after someone passes away outside of the funeral, we spend an enormous amount of energy preparing for the funeral, but very little preparing for the immediate aftermath of death. Who has access to your home? Who has information about medications, heads, bills, passwords, appointments, and important context? Who should not be making decisions? That's something that we need to consider. The first few days can feel a bit chaotic, especially when grief collides with practical responsibilities. And so a funeral plan tells people what to do with your body, a preparedness plan can tell them how to navigate your absence. And last but not least, I want to touch on preparing your loved ones for the reality of your death. One of the greatest gifts that you as a senior or older adult can give your family isn't just a plan, it's emotional preparation. A lot of times I see that families often protect one another by avoid or try to protect one another by avoiding conversations about death, but very little does that achieve that goal at all. Talk about what your death means to you, what you're afraid of, and what brings you peace, who you want around you, and what you don't want your family carrying on after you're gone. Have you prepared your family to lose you, or have you only prepared them to bury you? Thank you so much for listening. And Sean, back to you for the later life lowdown.
SPEAKER_10Thank you, thank you, thank you, Joel. That question stays with you. Have we prepared our families to live through our absence or only prepared them to handle our burial? Our stories, passwords, medications, responsibilities, and final wishes should not exist only in our heads. Having these conversations now may feel uncomfortable, folks, but it can spare the people we love confusion, conflict, and unanswered questions later. And speaking of being
Later Life Lowdown
SPEAKER_10prepared, informed, and connected, let's move now into this week's Later Life Lowdown. First up in the District of Columbia, if you're looking for something active and social this upcoming weekend, the 10th annual DC bike ride rolls through Washington on Saturday, September 12th. And even if cycling isn't your thing, keep in mind that major events like this can mean temporary street closures and transportation changes. So plan ahead if you will be moving around downtown. Also on Saturday, September 12th, several neighborhoods will be celebrating art all night, including events around the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Congress Heights, and Shaw. These are opportunities, folks, to get out, enjoy the city, experience local art and music, and maybe discover something new in your own backyard. Now, checking out Maryland, if you or someone you love is approaching Medicare or just needs a refresher, Frederick County State Health Insurance Assistance Program, also known as SHIP, is holding an in-person Medicare workshop at the Brunswick Library on Friday, September 11th from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. It's a great opportunity to get unbiased information and ask questions before making important coverage decisions. And for our Howard County family, the Office on Aging and Independence continues to offer its resource guide for older adults, persons with disabilities, and caregivers. It connects residents with information on things like transportation, housing, health and wellness, legal assistance, financial help, and programs that support aging in place. Sometimes the hardest part isn't getting help. It's simply knowing that help exists. And over in Northern Virginia, if Medicare is on your horizon, Arlington County is hosting What We Should All Know About Medicare on Thursday, September 10th at 12 noon. The session is designed especially for people approaching 65 and explains how Medicare works alongside employer insurance, retiree coverage, COBRA, and federal employee health benefits. And in Fairfax County, the 2026 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics, it gets underway Friday, September 11th and runs through October 4th. So whether you participate, volunteer, or simply cheer on somebody, I love what this represents. Older adults staying active, competitive, engaged, and refusing to let a number dictate what they should still do. And caregivers, this one is especially for you. On Saturday, September 12th from 9 a.m. to 2 30 p.m., Fairfax County is presenting The Dementia Journey, what Caregivers Need to Know. The program will cover home care, adult day programs, legal and financial planning, long-term care, and strategies for avoiding caregiver burnout. Registration is requested by today, September 7th. And finally, your weekly reminder: if money is tight or you're simply wondering whether you may qualify for assistance with prescriptions, health care, food, utilities, housing, or other everyday expenses, take a few minutes and visit benefitscheckup.org. It's a website, benefitscheckup.org. It's a free resource from the National Council on Aging designed to help older adults identify programs that they may qualify for. Because, family, you've worked too hard and come too far to leave help sitting on the table simply because nobody told you it was there. And just like that, family, we've reached the end of another hour together here on the senior zone, from celebrating another year of life to taking a moment for reflection to making sure you know what's happening and what resources are available throughout the DMV. This is what our Senior Zone family is all about. Whatever this week
Closing Thoughts
SPEAKER_10brings you, remember this: you don't need to have everything. You don't have to have everything figured out. And you certainly don't have to move at someone else's pace. Just keep moving, keep learning, keep showing up for yourself, and making room for the people and experiences that bring something good into your life. And one more thing, the Cinder Zone has always been about more than a moment. It's about creating conversations, information, and encouragement that can stay with you long after Monday morning. That's why we're now available as a podcast so these conversations they can live on, they can be revisited, and they can be shared with someone else who may need to hear them. So just search the senior zone with Sean Perry wherever you listen to podcasts. And as always, thank you for allowing me into your homes, your cars, your workplaces, and your lives. I'm Sean Perry, and this has been the Senior Zone. So 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_05Be sure to join us on our next broadcast.
SPEAKER_11Until then, live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God.
SPEAKER_05Have 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.
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