Next Steps 4 Seniors: Conversations on Aging with Wendy Jones

Pastor Tim Helland joins host Wendy Jones on Next Steps 4 Seniors: Conversations on Aging to discuss how faith and perspective can transform the way we face life’s trials especially while caring for aging loved ones. Drawing from personal experience as a caregiver and a father, Pastor Tim shares how biblical truth brings lasting hope in the midst of grief, stress, and uncertainty.

He reflects on the emotional and physical toll caregiving takes—citing that 70% of caregivers over 65 die before the person they care for and emphasizes the importance of spiritual resilience. Using Scripture like James 1:2 (“Consider it pure joy when you face trials…”), he explains how true blessing is found not in comfort, but in trusting God’s eternal kingdom.

This conversation offers encouragement, reminding listeners that real hope isn’t in this life alone, but in the life to come.

Resources & How to Contact Next Steps for Seniors:

Website: nextsteps4seniors.com

Podcast Schedule: Tune in to Next Steps for Seniors with new episodes dropping twice a week at 7:00 AM!

Every Tuesday: Educational and insightful content to help you navigate the practical steps of aging.

Every Friday: Spiritual and emotional support to encourage your heart and mind.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, IHeart Podcasts so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed today's show, please leave us a rating and review!

Can leveraging home equity and reverse mortgages actually help seniors manage retirement expenses and care costs? In this enlightening episode, host Wendy Jones sits down with Joe Bigelman, a mortgage loan consultant with John Adams Mortgage.

Joe shares his expertise on how seniors can use their homes—their largest financial asset—to cover high costs of care, including assisted living and in-home support. He explains strategies that can provide funds while allowing seniors to remain in their homes and maintain ownership. Joe demonstrates how proper planning can relieve financial stress and preserve quality of life.

Whether you’re a senior, caregiver, or someone planning for retirement, Joe offers actionable advice on maximizing home equity, securing financial stability, and ensuring peace of mind in later years.

Key Highlights in this Episode:

• Home Equity Options: Joe explains how refinancing, cash-out loans, and home equity lines can provide flexible funding for seniors’ care needs.
• Reverse Mortgages Demystified: Learn how reverse mortgages work, including ownership, loan balance growth, and how they can eliminate monthly payments while allowing seniors to remain in their homes.
• Real-Life Case Studies: Stories of clients navigating care costs and limited retirement funds highlight practical applications and benefits of these strategies.
• Financial Planning Tips: How to preserve equity, plan for long-term care, and maintain financial security in retirement.
• Veteran Benefits: Information on aid and attendance programs offering monthly financial support for eligible veterans and their spouses.

Resources & How to Contact the Guest:

Call Joe Bigelman at 248-302-3652
Visit: John Adams Mortgage

Podcast Schedule: Tune in to Next Steps for Seniors with new episodes dropping twice a week at 7:00 AM!

Every Tuesday: Educational and insightful content to help you navigate the practical steps of aging.

Every Friday: Spiritual and emotional support to encourage your heart and mind.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, IHeart Podcasts so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed today's show, please leave us a rating and review!

Navigating senior care be easier when you have the right support system by your side. In this heartfelt episode, host Wendy Jones welcomes longtime friend Kristi Kirschmann and Spiritual Support team leader Roz Burns to discuss the journey families face when caring for aging loved ones and the importance of supporting seniors both physically and spiritually.

The conversation explores the mission of the Next Steps for Seniors Foundation and its Spiritual Support Team, which provides companionship, prayer, encouragement, and comfort to seniors after they move into care communities. Through powerful stories of faith, connection, and compassion, Wendy, Kristi, and Roz highlight the profound impact that emotional and spiritual support can have on seniors during life's later chapters.

Whether you're caring for an aging parent, exploring senior living options, or looking for meaningful ways to serve your community, this episode offers hope, practical guidance, and inspiration.

Key Highlights in this Episode:

Navigating Dementia Care:
Kristi shares the challenges her family faced as her mother's Lewy body dementia progressed and how professional placement guidance helped them make informed decisions.

The Value of Senior Placement Services:
Learn how placement specialists help families identify the right senior living communities based on care needs, finances, location, and personal preferences—at no cost to the family.

Support Beyond the Move:
The conversation emphasizes that care doesn't end once a senior moves into a community. Ongoing guidance and advocacy help families navigate changing care needs over time.

The Spiritual Support Team:
Roz explains how trained volunteers visit seniors, offer companionship, prayer, and meaningful conversations, helping reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.

The Blanket Ministry:
Hear touching stories about the Foundation's gift blankets, which provide comfort, connection, and a tangible reminder that seniors are cared for and valued.

Finding Peace and Purpose:
The team discusses the importance of helping seniors explore spiritual questions, strengthen their faith, and find assurance and comfort during later stages of life.

Volunteer Opportunities:
Learn how churches and community members can partner with the Next Steps for Seniors Foundation to serve seniors and make a lasting impact.

Resources & How to Contact Next Steps for Seniors:

Website: nextsteps4seniors.com

Podcast Schedule: Tune in to Next Steps for Seniors with new episodes dropping twice a week at 7:00 AM!

Every Tuesday: Educational and insightful content to help you navigate the practical steps of aging.

Every Friday: Spiritual and emotional support to encourage your heart and mind.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, IHeart Podcasts so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed today's show, please leave us a rating and review!

In this episode of Next Steps 4 Seniors: Conversations on Aging, host Wendy Jones sits down with Kristy Kirschmann and Roz Burns to discuss the vital work of the Next Steps for Seniors Foundation. While the business helps families with the logistics of senior living transitions, the foundation focuses on the most critical piece: spiritual care.

Listen in to hear moving stories about how simple acts—like gifting a cozy blanket or singing a hymn—can bring immense comfort, peace, and spiritual connection to seniors facing difficult transitions.

Key Takeaways:

• The Three Pillars of Care: Assisting physically, supporting financially, and sharing spiritually.
• The Blanket Ministry: How a simple gift opens the door to meaningful conversations about faith and eternity.
• Transcending Decline: A touching testimony proving that spiritual connection and the love for Christ remain, even when memory and words fade.
• Your Presence Matters: A passionate call to action to visit, call, and spend time with the seniors in your life.

Connect with Us: Questions about navigating next steps with an elderly loved one? 📞 Call us at: 248-651-5010

Please share this episode with anyone who might be lonely and needs encouragement today!

Can enhancing brain function actually help seniors improve mobility, memory, and overall quality of life? In this enlightening episode, host Wendy Jones sits down with Jennifer Krieter, a physical therapist and founder of Mind in Motion Performance Training, LLC.

Jennifer shares her journey from traditional physical therapy to exploring applied and functional neurology. She reveals how simple sensory inputs—like smell, sight, and movement—can dramatically improve balance, posture, memory, and pain management for seniors. Through practical exercises and real-life examples, Jennifer demonstrates how leveraging neuroplasticity can empower seniors to regain independence and confidence in daily activities.

Whether you’re a senior, caregiver, or someone interested in innovative health strategies, Jennifer explains how targeted brain-body exercises can enhance performance, reduce the fear of falling, and even restore skills thought lost with age.

Key Highlights in this Episode:

The Mind in Motion Approach: Jennifer explains functional and applied neurology, neuroplasticity, and how sensory inputs can be used to retrain the brain for improved movement and memory.

Real-Life Transformations: Stories of clients—from an 81-year-old improving his mobility in minutes to individuals managing chronic pain and memory challenges—highlight the effectiveness of her methods.

Practical Exercises for Seniors: Simple, at-home exercises using smell, eye movements, and sensory stimulation to improve spatial awareness, mobility, and memory retention.

Innovative Pain Management: How targeted brain input can reduce or eliminate chronic pain, such as back pain from previous injuries or conditions like shingles.

Memory Enhancement: Techniques that pair movement with recall exercises to help seniors strengthen memory and cognitive performance.

Resources & How to Contact the Guest:

• Visit Jennifer's Website: mindinmotionperform.com
• Call: 248-670-3853

Podcast Schedule: Tune in to Next Steps for Seniors with new episodes dropping twice a week at 7:00 AM!

Every Tuesday: Educational and insightful content to help you navigate the practical steps of aging.

Every Friday: Spiritual and emotional support to encourage your heart and mind.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, IHeart Podcasts so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed today's show, please leave us a rating and review!

Can creativity actually help us heal from trauma and build a lasting legacy? In this inspiring episode, host Wendy Jones sits down with Sheryl Hawk, a retired music director of 41 years and the award-winning author of Piece by Piece: A Memoir of Survival, Resilience, and the Power of Creativity.

Sheryl shares her deeply personal journey of overcoming childhood trauma and navigating life’s unexpected hardships—including her young son’s terrifying medical emergency. She reveals how a shattered LEGO Millennium Falcon became a beautiful metaphor for rebuilding life "piece by piece."

Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, Sheryl explains how everyday acts of creativity from gardening to storytelling can trigger healing endorphins, combat stress, and even help stave off neurological conditions as we age. Tune in to learn how to reframe your past, find stillness in a busy world, and give yourself the ultimate permission to be creative.

Key Highlights in this Episode:

The Origin of Piece by Piece: The touching story of Sheryl’s son and how a shattered LEGO set taught her that broken pieces can always be rebuilt.

Creativity as Healing: How engaging in creative acts (like music, decorating, or cooking) releases endorphins that counteract cortisol and support brain health.

Reframing Trauma (PACE): Sheryl shares a thrilling story from the French Riviera to illustrate how trauma-induced traits, like hypervigilance, can be repurposed as life-saving strengths.

Leaving a Legacy: Sheryl’s 15-year legislative advocacy journey in Hawaii for childhood trauma survivors and the special moment she shared with her grandson at the state capital.

Everyday Creativity for Seniors: Practical, accessible ways to embrace creativity, such as raised container gardening and sharing stories of the past.

Resources & How to Contact the Guest:

Visit Sheryl's Website: SherylHauck.com 

Read the Book: Grab your copy of Cheryl’s International Impact Award-winning book, Piece by Piece: A Memoir of Survival, Resilience, and the Power of Creativity, available on her website and on Amazon.

Podcast Schedule: Tune in to Next Steps for Seniors with new episodes dropping twice a week at 7:00 AM!

Every Tuesday: Educational and insightful content to help you navigate the practical steps of aging.

Every Friday: Spiritual and emotional support to encourage your heart and mind.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, IHeart Podcasts so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed today's show, please leave us a rating and review!

Does age really dictate what we can and cannot do? In this episode of Next Steps for Seniors: Conversations on Aging, host Wendy Jones sits down with Chris Moore—certified Aging in Place specialist, owner of Senior Remodeling Experts, and author of Age Out Loud. Together, they explore the profound impact that mindset has on the aging process and why "old" is truly just a state of mind.

Chris shares incredible, real-life stories that will change the way you view your later years, from an 82-year-old setting records on the Appalachian Trail to a 100-year-old who still plays tennis every day. He also opens up about his own journey through personal tragedy, offering a powerful testament to choosing joy, gratitude, and purpose even in the darkest of times.

Whether you are navigating the aging process yourself or caring for an elderly loved one, this episode will inspire you to redefine retirement, break free from self-limiting beliefs, and start "aging out loud."

In This Episode, We Cover:

• The Power of Mindset: Why society's "anti-aging" movement misses the mark and how our beliefs shape our physical reality.
• Inspiring Stories of Vitality: Meet Dale "Gray Beard" Sanders and other seniors who are defying the odds and breaking records.
• The "Two Wolves" Metaphor: How to consciously choose between the positive and negative cultural perceptions of getting older.
• Choosing Joy Through Grief: Chris shares a deeply personal story about the loss of his wife and how he found the strength to focus on gratitude.
• Debunking Retirement Myths: Why we are inherently designed to be creative, and how to find purpose, volunteer, and pay it forward in your later years.

Resources & Links:

• Chris Moore’s Book: Get your copy of Age Out Loud on Amazon or visit ageoutloudbook.com
• Chris Moore’s Podcast: Listen to Aging in Place is a Team Sport on your favorite podcast platform.
• Learn More About Next Steps for Seniors: Visit nextsteps4seniors.com
• Have questions or topic suggestions? Call us at 248-651-5010.

Podcast Schedule: Tune in to Next Steps for Seniors with new episodes dropping twice a week at 7:00 AM!

• Every Tuesday: Educational and insightful content to help you navigate the practical steps of aging.
• Every Friday: Spiritual and emotional support to encourage your heart and mind.

Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, IHeart Podcasts so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed today's show, please leave us a rating and review!

Are anxiety and depression stealing your joy as you age? In this episode, Jennifer explains how to tap into your Vagus Nerve to consciously shift your body from stress and isolation into calm and purpose. Discover how God designed our bodies to heal and regulate themselves using simple, non-pharmaceutical, everyday tools.

Show Schedule:

Fridays: Deep dives into the emotional and spiritual components of aging (like today's episode!).

Tuesdays at 7 AM: Focuses on the educational aspects and insights of aging Key Takeaways:

The Brain-Body Connection: Depression and anxiety are neurological and hormonal, not just "in your head."

The 17-Second Rule: Emotions pass in 17 seconds if not reinforced. Simply naming your emotion reduces its power over your brain.

Anxiety is Misinterpreted Joy: The aging brain tries to predict an uncertain future, creating anxiety loops that you can interrupt.

Quick Vagus Nerve Tools: You can instantly calm your nervous system by humming, gargling in the morning, rocking, self-hugging, or doing extended exhales (inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6 seconds).

Spiritual Truth: God designed your body's healing mechanisms, and as long as you have breath, you have a purpose!

Resources & Contact:

Guest (Jennifer): mindinmotionperform.com | 248-670-3853 (Mention the podcast on her website for a special listener offer!)

Contact the Show: Call 248-651-5010 with questions, resource needs, or topic ideas.

This week on Next Steps 4 Seniors: Conversations on Aging, we explore the growing conversation around brain health, cognitive wellness, and neurological support with a discussion focused on My Brain Restore™ and their 2X Active Formula. We discuss the body’s glymphatic system, emerging research surrounding brain function, and why so many families are searching for proactive ways to support cognitive health and overall wellness.

Learn more about the product discussed in this episode here:
My Brain Restore 2X Active Formula

This episode is intended for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding medical concerns or treatment decisions.

🎙️ New episodes release every:
Tuesdays → Educational conversations on aging, healthcare, and resources
Fridays → More personal, emotional, and caregiver-focused conversations

Subscribe and follow Next Steps 4 Seniors: Conversations on Aging on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Wendy Jones sits down with financial expert Joe Mackey, founder of MKD Wealth, to break down what financial preparedness really looks like—especially if you’re juggling kids and aging parents (aka… welcome to the sandwich generation).

With over 20 years of experience, Joe shares practical insight on why most families avoid these conversations—and why that’s exactly the problem.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why 1 in 3 adults are supporting both children and aging parents
• The real cost of long-term care (hint: Medicare won’t save you here)
• What legal documents you actually need in place
• How to start the conversation with parents… without it getting awkward fast
• Why “living your legacy” might matter more than leaving one

Key Takeaways:
Planning ahead isn’t optional anymore—especially with rising care costs and longer life expectancy. Open conversations, clear legal planning, and financial transparency can make all the difference for your family’s future.

Listen & Learn:
Tune in to gain clarity, confidence, and a game plan for navigating aging, finances, and family dynamics—before it becomes a crisis.

New Episodes:
Tuesdays – Educational & expert insights
Fridays – Emotional & spiritual conversations around aging

Surrender to Serenity: Finding Peace in Caregiving Through Spiritual Surrender

Caregiving can be overwhelming—but peace doesn’t come from trying harder. In this episode, Wendy Jones and Pastor Tim Holland explore how true serenity comes through surrender, not control.

They share how faith, prayer, and letting go of anxiety can bring a deeper kind of peace—even in the middle of stress, grief, and uncertainty. A powerful reminder: peace isn’t something you chase—it’s something you receive.

Every week brings two ways to grow: Tuesdays offer real-life guidance for seniors and families, and Fridays uplift the heart with spiritual encouragement, faith, and hope.

✨ If you’re feeling overwhelmed, this one’s for you.

Caregiving doesn’t always go as planned—and that’s where this conversation begins.

Wendy sits down with Pastor Tim Helland to talk about releasing control, shifting how we pray, and finding peace in “Not my will, but Yours.” This episode offers encouragement for caregivers navigating exhaustion, uncertainty, and the emotional weight of it all.

💭 Takeaway: Sometimes peace comes not from changing the situation—but from surrendering it.

📅 About the Show:

New episodes every week—
Tuesdays: practical, educational guidance
Fridays: spiritual and emotional encouragement

📞 Questions or support: 248-651-5010

Listen, follow, and share.

What does “the senior space” actually mean—and why does it feel so overwhelming?

In this episode of Next Steps 4 Seniors: Conversations on Aging, Wendy Jones sits down with Director of Operations Erica Ancel to break down the full landscape of care, support, and services available to aging adults.

From in-home care and therapy to senior living communities, pharmacy coordination, transportation, and visiting physicians—this conversation simplifies what can feel like a full-time job for families.

You’ll learn:

• What the “senior space” really includes (hint: way more than assisted living)
• The difference between medical vs. non-medical support
• How to choose the right care based on lifestyle—not just need
• Why starting early (before a crisis) changes everything
• The key questions every family should be asking

If you’re navigating care for a loved one—or just want to be prepared—this episode gives you clarity, direction, and a plan.

Every week brings two ways to grow:
• Tuesdays: real-life guidance for seniors and families
• Fridays: faith-filled encouragement for the journey

📞 Need help navigating next steps? Call 248-651-5010 (24/7)

Caregiving can push you to your limits—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If you’ve ever felt like you have nothing left to give, this episode is for you.

Wendy Jones is joined by Pastor Tim Helland to talk about caregiver exhaustion, the weight so many carry silently, and how to find strength when you feel completely drained. Together, they explore how faith, community, and simple reminders of God’s love can refill what feels empty.

You’ll hear:

• How to recognize caregiver burnout before it takes over
• Why feeling “done” doesn’t make you a bad caregiver
• A powerful reminder from Ephesians 3:19 about being filled—even in exhaustion
• Practical ways to stay grounded and supported

If you’re caring for a loved one and feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone—and you don’t have to do this without support.  

Need support or prayer?
📞 Call: 248-651-5010
🌐 Learn more: nextsteps4seniors.com