S10 E229 - Neighborhood Hub & Retirement Reimagined

In this episode of Next Steps for Seniors, host Wendy Jones welcomes Lynn Breuer and Beth Seelbach from Jewish Family Services to discuss two valuable programs: the Caring Connections Neighborhood Hub and Retirement Reimagined. Lynn and Beth share resources to support family caregivers and help retirees create purposeful next chapters.

Caring Connections Neighborhood Hub:

• Located at the J in West Bloomfield (open to all faiths)
• Monthly Memory Cafes with music, art, and activities for caregivers and loved ones with dementia
• Caregiver support groups, workshops, and respite services
• Evidence-based cognitive training classes (Mind Aerobics)

Retirement Reimagined:

• Nine-week workshop series helping recent retirees rediscover purpose, set goals, and build meaningful lives after work
• Addresses isolation, loss of structure, and finding new fulfillment
• For more information, call 248-592-2313.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is Next Steps for Seniors with your host, Wendy Jones. Each week, Wendy brings resources and information to help guide you through those next steps with elderly parents and loved ones. If you have questions or topic suggestions, you can call us at 248-651-5010.

SPEAKER_03 0:19

Good morning and welcome to Next Steps for Seniors Conversations on Aging. I am your host, Wendy Jones. We are here today with two beautiful women from Jewish Family Services, Lynn Brewer and Beth Salbeck. And we're blessed to have them because they understand wellness, they understand health, and they're here to educate and train us. And there's a new program, Caring Connections Neighborhood Hub, which is our title of this segment, because, you know, knowledge is power, right? So we're trying to educate and share information as we age. So we're all aware of the resources that are available. Lynn, I'm going to start with you because Caring Connections Neighborhood Hub, we'd like to know how and why you brought something like this to Metro Detroit.

SPEAKER_02 1:02

You know, we have been working to support family caregivers, people who are caring for a loved one with either dementia or sometimes other chronic health conditions for years. And we survey them occasionally. And one thing we kept hearing over and over is that there just aren't enough meaningful activities that family caregivers can enjoy together with their loved ones, particularly loved ones who have dementia. So what happens is all the caregivers' energy goes into planning activities and taking care of all the things that need doing. And then they end up just too tired to really enjoy quality time together. So the hub is our answer to that because it's a place that brings services for someone with dementia and support for that caregiver together in one place.

SPEAKER_03 1:54

So talk a little bit about the services people can find at the hub. And the hub is at your community, correct? It's at the J in West Bloomfield, which is located at Maple and Drake, right across the street from the very familiar. And if you haven't been there, first I want to say they do open the doors to all people of faith. Absolutely. So I definitely don't think because it's Jewish family services, you can't go. They are fantastic. My son actually went to kindergarten there. We love the Jewish family school. So I want you to be able to know that this is an area of opportunity for everybody to take advantage of.

SPEAKER_02 2:26

Thank you for mentioning that, Wendy, because it is very, very true. So the hub has a whole variety of services. There's a memory cafe, a dementia-friendly movie, there's caregiver support and respite services available. So there's really a lot offered there.

SPEAKER_03 2:42

Let's talk about those one at a time. Like the memory cafe, first of all, sounds fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 2:47

It is. And boy, Beth runs that program and she's amazing at it. The memory cafe provides a meaningful activity once a month that family caregivers and their loved ones can enjoy together. There's always some sort of engaging entertainment component, whether it's a musical performance and interactive, like a drumming circle, or singing favorite songs with a musician, or an art component, or a hands-on cooking demonstration as well. So the best part is that those family caregivers didn't have to do a thing to plan it. They walk in together. There's no cost. They can just relax and enjoy doing something together.

SPEAKER_03 3:26

Well, and I'll tell you, I have learned over the course of time music, song, the voices, whatever, the musicians, it brings back memories of people and they connect with music. Is that true? Have you seen this?

SPEAKER_02 3:39

It's very, very true. There's some famous videos that actually show people with advanced dementia actually being able to sing the words to songs if they've lost the ability to speak. But music also touches us emotionally. It's a great way to help with mood. Our plan was to offer the memory cafe on the first Wednesday of every month at 1 p.m., which we're still doing. But it's been so well received that we're hoping that next year we'll go to two memory cafes a month to add. Twice the enjoyment. So you said the first Wednesday? First Wednesday of every month at one o'clock at the J.

SPEAKER_03 4:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 4:11

Wow. I love this idea. One thing that I also want to mention is that Beth, as our family caregiver support manager, is at every single memory cafe. So if a caregiver has a need or would like to find out information about some support in the community, Beth is right there to share that information in real time. They don't have to wait to make a call at another time or make an appointment. They certainly are welcome to do that, but that spot-on assistance is so valuable.

SPEAKER_03 4:40

So, Beth, can you share just an example of a story of somebody who came to you during that time and you were like, oh, I got you.

SPEAKER_01 4:46

Yeah, for sure. I mean, we've had a lot of people that are just looking for other resources in the community that they can connect to. So, you know, sometimes our caregivers and the people that they're caring for are somewhat isolated. So they're not really aware of what resources may exist for them in the community. And so by talking with them and linking them to other resources, it's been so beneficial. I love this.

SPEAKER_03 5:11

It's so great. Okay, so Lynn, tell me a little bit about the cognitive training classes that you offer.

SPEAKER_02 5:16

So we are so blessed in the Metro Detroit area to have two different kinds of evidence-informed or evidence-based, which means proven to be effective forms of cognitive training. The first is called minderobics, and those are classes that meet twice a week for an hour for 12 weeks. They increase in difficulty over time, they increase in speed. It's like going to the gym for your brain, starting with one pound weights and ending up with 25 pound weights. The classes are fine.

SPEAKER_03 5:45

Wait, wait, wait, wait. Who does that?

SPEAKER_02 5:47

Well, I'm at 15 right now, but hope springs eternal, right? That's great. Over three months. But the classes are fun, they're engaging, but there's five levels of curriculum because we need the class that's like Goldilocks just right. If a class is too challenging, it'll be too frustrating and we won't enjoy it. All right.

SPEAKER_03 6:05

So, Beth, I've got a question for you. What types of caregiver support are available at the hub?

SPEAKER_01 6:11

So a few of the things that we provide, one of which is our caregiver support groups. So we have two caregiver support groups. One is just a general support group, and the other group is a men's only caregiver support group. And we've had a really great turnout at both of those groups. They meet every Thursday for one hour each time. Another thing that we provide is called Powerful Tools for Caregivers. And that's a workshop that we're currently running, and we run periodically throughout the year. It's a six-week session, and basically we're talking about all different types of things like relaxation, how to build your confidence in caregiving, communication tools, connecting with resources. So any of those things we're doing for our caregivers, it's free of charge. And then we also do a program that's called Share for Dementia, and this is an evidence-based program. And it's also a six-week session where we sit down with the caregiver and the person that they're caring for who has a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease who's still able to make decisions and can participate. And we talk about a plan for the future. So, you know, inevitably somebody who's getting care from somebody wants the person that's caring for them to provide for every need for them. But through this program, we're identifying other people who may be a support for them. So it could be other relatives, it could be people in the community, it could be anything. And so we sit down, we make a very good plan. Plan. Yeah. And we include the family at the end who can then be involved and know what the plan is. And then they have this plan for future needs.

SPEAKER_03 7:48

I have a question for you. How do you build confidence and caregiving? I thought that was a great statement that you made. Can you give us like a step?

SPEAKER_01 7:57

Sure. I mean, I think communication is key. I think, you know, people have difficulty communicating with others who aren't in the same situation. So the fact that other caregivers can rely on each other for support makes a huge difference and builds their confidence because they know if somebody else is in the same boat as them, it makes them feel more confident and they can communicate that more effectively.

SPEAKER_03 8:20

So a big thing is isolation with these caregivers. I I never really thought of that before, but I'm so glad you're bringing that to our attention.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

Yeah. And I think like what Lynn mentioned earlier, too, about, you know, caregivers have to do all the daily tasks, right? Of making sure somebody gets to their medical appointments, taking care of their needs. But through these other programs like the memory cafe and other things that we're offering, these are more fun, engaging things that they can do that they don't have to do, but they're choosing to do because it makes a big difference.

SPEAKER_03 8:48

So tell us a little bit about some of the feedback you've heard because it sounds like this is definitely something people are enjoying. They need, it's a necessity, and it's helping them. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

Yeah, I think the memory cafe activities are really geared towards something that the caregiver and the care receiver can enjoy together. So, like Lynn mentioned, you know, we're doing art projects, we're doing culinary arts projects as well, we're doing planting a little herb garden. So those are things that both the caregiver and the care recipient can enjoy, and they're enjoying it together. The caregiver support group, we've been running that for so long. I literally have people who say, I'm not gonna miss this support group for anything. I just had somebody last week who said, My friend invited me out to lunch, one of my favorite restaurants. I told her no, because I'm going to my group. So it's so beneficial. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:37

That's fantastic. I love that they're enjoying things together because when you're in a caregiving situation, it always seems a little tense, like I'm doing this and they're receiving it, and people don't want to be a burden. And you've got all these emotions that are just kind of flying in that situation. But when you remove them from that situation and let them enjoy an activity together, isn't that just a whole different feel?

SPEAKER_01 10:01

It is. It's definitely a whole different feel. And that's why we usually do the music first at the memory cafe because it really gets people engaged. And it's music from their generation. And people literally get up and dance. They sing along, they request songs. So it's just so fun for everybody. And even people who have dementia, you're surprised at how much they can remember the words from certain songs.

SPEAKER_03 10:24

I'm telling you, music is the key. I think we just all need to do one thing. We need to think of the best song that they used to love all the time and play it. So thank you for tuning in to Next Steps for Seniors. I love what we're doing in our community here locally. This is an opportunity to get involved.

SPEAKER_02 10:40

Yeah. So if people would like more information, they can call 248-592-2313 and ask for information about the Caring Connections Neighborhood Hub or cognitive training classes through Mind University.

SPEAKER_03 10:52

And there you have it. Thanks. We'll be back in just a moment. Welcome back to Next Steps for Seniors Conversations on Aging. We are here today with Lynn Brewer, who is a social worker and certified dementia practitioner, as well as Beth, who is the same social worker and CDP. And it's so important the wealth of knowledge that they have, and it's incredible what our community is doing to help our seniors. I absolutely love this. Transitioning into this next segment, we're going to talk more about retirement and different programs that are out there for us regarding that. So when we talk about retirement first, I just want to say a lot of people plan financially for retirement. I have heard it a thousand times. Well, I can retire now, I have enough money. Or I'm worried about the money, but I'm still going to retire because I'm just done. But at the end of the day, so much goes into all of our working years that when the moment comes, I don't know how much we're actually preparing in all the other areas.

SPEAKER_02 12:10

You're spot on, Wendy. You really are. And you know, people are living so much longer. So now it's not uncommon for someone to live between two and three decades of their life in full retirement. And while having enough financial stability is important.

SPEAKER_03 12:27

It is don't get me wrong.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

But it's only one of many things that are important. And you know what's interesting is that we spend so many years of our lives preparing for a really important transition from student to working professional, right? In high school, we're already taking career-related courses, or people have internships, go on to college, have field placements, residencies, or trade schools, because we know that we need to be successful at that. But then where is all the preparation for that equally important transition when working years are ending? And this overlaps in time with our aging years. So one of the reasons that we wanted to bring this sort of program here, one reason is sitting right across from me because Beth went to a conference, heard a presentation on this type of program, came back full of passion, and we decided to bring it to Metro Detroit. But we really want to flip the model for what healthy aging looks like in Metro Detroit. Instead of having people experience decline, being home more and losing core strength and balance issues and having falls and being isolated. Lonely. And then that's the typical aging pattern we see. We're hoping to catch people, very vital, transitioning from work and help them create the next phase of life to be equally engaging for them and change the aging trajectory. Also have them connected with helpful resources if they need them as they age.

SPEAKER_03 13:58

Exactly. I love this. Well, that clearly is why we need this type of program.

unknown 14:03

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 14:04

So tell us a little bit about the program. It's called Retirement Reimagined, correct? It is.

SPEAKER_02 14:10

Can I set the stage for you a little bit, Sharon? Sure. So most people, I bet you have friends who fall in this category, Wendy, would say, Oh, I'm so excited. They have a countdown, they have a day circled and run on their calendar for when they can finally shed responsibilities of work. And I get that. But for so many people, talk to them a month later after this fantastic vacation. They're bored. Oh, or a few weeks of sleeping in, and they're just unprepared for what reality feels like. You know, an empty calendar. So a Tuesday and a Saturday, well, they don't feel all that different. Not really realizing how much of their social interaction every day came from time spent with colleagues or clients or customers, not really appreciating how much of the work they do or the place they work for.

SPEAKER_03 15:00

Right, purposes meeting exactly. 100%. And that's what we pour, right? We pour ourselves in. We see our people at work more than we see our family. I mean, let's be real. It's true.

SPEAKER_02 15:11

And that sense of purpose becomes such a big part of our identity. Then that's a loss when we stop working.

SPEAKER_03 15:17

It really is. There's no doubt in my mind. So the community, which I love, has created a program that will help you get back to the purposes and get back to the core reasons.

SPEAKER_02 15:28

Absolutely. Let me tell you about it. So this program that Beth heard about was from another country because other countries often have mandatory retirement ages. Really? Oh, yeah. At 60 in Europe, at 60, 63, 65. So they've had to figure out how do we make this work? How can people thrive? And so we took one of their programs and transitioned it and translated it for a North American audience to bring it here. And it's a really innovative program that empowers recent retirees to discover what they really need and what they really want in order to create a next chapter that's uniquely fulfilling to them. Likely the three of us would all want something different to have a really fulfilling retirement. And then the course also provides the tools and techniques that are needed to create a roadmap to make that happen. At the end of the workshop series, people have a deepened sense of purpose in their lives, have identified steps to take to really bring their highest retirement vision into reality, and sometimes have formed really great connections with people around the table.

SPEAKER_03 16:38

Okay, so Beth, talk to us about the passion that you had when you left that conference.

SPEAKER_01 16:42

Yeah, I just thought that it was such an interesting concept because, like we've just talked about, everybody focuses on the financial piece, which is of course vitally important. But there's so many other things that are important. And I hear it all the time from my clients that I'm working with that they're either bored or they just don't have purpose. They're just not sure what to do in these retirement years. And so this is really just a great program to focus on what are their interests at this point in their life? What can they do to find purpose and meaning? So it's been a great program.

SPEAKER_03 17:15

There are so many things as we age that we plan for. And I just find it fascinating that we don't do a better job. I gotta tell you, this is interesting. I had a client, he was retired for almost a year. He said, I feel like I'm a Ferrari, like ready to rev my engine, and I'm in the garage with the garage door closed.

SPEAKER_02 17:34

Ooh, that's a good way to put it.

SPEAKER_03 17:35

Right? Like no way to get out, just stuck in the garage, but has so much to offer the world.

unknown 17:42

Right.

SPEAKER_02 17:42

You know, I have a similar story that I was actually talking to someone about our cognitive training classes, and something they said made me think I have to switch gears and talk about retirement reimagined. This woman looked at me and said, I'm living a wonderful life. I'm blessed to have many friends, I'm busy all day. But at the end of the day, I think to myself, what did I do today that really mattered? And then she said, I've never felt less relevant.

SPEAKER_03 18:10

Relevant, interesting. And you know what I do find? We have an inner self that wants to do something maybe that we never did before. We got to step outside of our box, like we already talked about in our segments, and do it. Just do it.

SPEAKER_02 18:26

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 18:27

If it's parasailing, go parasailing. If it's right, I mean, if it's skiing for the first time, put on a pair of skis. I mean, my goodness, let's just open up our creativity. And I just want to add, giving back, I feel like when we do something for others, it kind of brings us into the whole picture, right? Definitely.

SPEAKER_02 18:48

And the example that you gave of the gentleman in the garage, right, as the Ferrari, sometimes when people feel stuck in the garage or less relevant, they don't feel empowered to let their creativity loose and to really jump into life. And it's around the table in these nine weekly sessions that helps people see that the parts of themselves that they thought they lost when they stopped working aren't lost at all. They're still there. All still there. And how to bring them out and bring them into this next chapter. So tell us about the program. So it runs for nine weeks. Runs for nine weeks. It's like a two to three hour session, depending on how many people are in the group, because it's very sharing-driven and problem-solving. We touch on themes for this time of life, like what's missing from our lives right now, what we'd like to bring in, what was missing when we were working, that we can work back into our lives in some way now. Have our values changed? How has retiring impacted our family dynamics? Because that can happen in a myriad of ways. Envisioning our futures, our best optimal futures, goal setting, action planning, and how can we help others? And how can we get comfortable asking for help? And the fact that there are nine or 10 or 12 people around the table in the same circumstance makes it a very safe space and an empowering one.

SPEAKER_03 20:09

Well, and they're not alone, right? There's other people going through the same thing they are through retirement years, and that you can have a conversation and be open and transparent. I would say that's a big key. Absolutely. Because everybody wants to put on a happy face and say, Oh, it's great. One of the other things is I stopped asking people how is retirement. And I started asking, tell me your favorite thing that you get to do now that you couldn't do before. Absolutely. Because the big blanket, how's retirement? Everyone gets overwhelmed. They're like, oh, I don't know. But being more specific in that question.

SPEAKER_02 20:45

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 20:45

Okay. So tell us some of the key takeaways and feedback that you've heard, Beth, throughout the program.

SPEAKER_01 20:51

I think just the whole finding purpose. I think, you know, a lot of people have struggled with what they should do. And so I think, you know, a lot of people have told me that they started volunteering after this. And so I think that's huge because I just think people just don't know where to go, what direction to take, but they're like, oh, I know I want to volunteer, but I just don't know what or what I want to, you know, focus on. And so there's been a big component to that that I've heard.

SPEAKER_03 21:16

Well, I just want to say thank you both for this amazing message. I love that you're doing so much for our community and giving back to people. Share your phone number one more time for me.

SPEAKER_02 21:24

248-592-2313 and just ask to speak to someone about retirement reimagined.

SPEAKER_03 21:29

And there you have it. You're listening to Next Steps for Seniors Conversations on Aging. And remember, the next years can be the best years. Thank you for tuning in to Next Steps for Seniors. Our podcast drops twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays at 7 a.m. Find us on your favorite podcast platform and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. To learn more about Next Steps for Seniors, visit us at Next Steps Number 4Seniors.com.