Suzanne Newman knew there needed to be an easier way for seniors and their families to navigate senior care. She spent many sleepless nights worrying about life-changing decisions to make on behalf of her mom. She felt like she never had “enough” information to grasp onto. Her own life as a caregiver fell into shambles. What should she do? Where should she turn?

She realized that, with the proper guidance and resources, the journey of caring for a senior loved one doesn’t have to be hard. That’s when Answers for Elders was born.

Our Specialists are at the top of their field. They are vetted, experienced and credible providers who are the way showers in various areas of expertise: Health and Wellness, Money & Law, Life Transitions, and Living Solutions. They have the Answers that help us light the path of a deeply complicated journey, with the hope that those who listen can feel empowered in the journey.

We invite you to experience us! if you are running errands, out for a walk, or any activity on the run, know that we are always “in your back pocket” on your favorite podcast app on your phone! We hope that you’ll give us a try, and we would love to hear your feedback!

Life Transitions

Our latest episodes on the transition to senior living, moving & logistics, hospice care, real estate, grief counseling, and more:

Health and Wellness

Our latest episodes on fitness, exercise, caregiver support, geriatrics, physical therapy, diet, nutrition, and more:

Money & Law

Our latest episodes on estate planning, wills & trusts, long term health care insurance, tax planning, veteran and government benefits planning, and more:

Living Solutions

Our latest episodes on senior living, independent living, fall prevention, adaptive living, skilled nursing, home health care, dementia and memory care, assisted living, and more:

Walk to End Alzheimer's

One out of nine Americans over 65 has Alzheimer’s, touching families deeply. This month, we support fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association. We’ll cover everything from Walk to End Alzheimer’s events to clinical research advancements.

Our Latest Episodes

Angel Averman, the Chief Financial Officer of Chateau Retirement

Senior Living Behind the Curtain, Part 2

At Answers for Elders this week, we continue our conversations to open up the hood, peel back the curtain, and talk about what goes on behind the scenes at senior living communities. And we're honored to have conversations today with two incredible C-level executives here at Chateau Retirement. Angel Audino Averman, the Chief Financial Officer of Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show from Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood.
Jason Brooks, the Chief Operating Officer of Chateau Retirement

Senior Living Behind the Curtain, Part 1

This week, we're going to open up the hood, peel back the curtain, and talk about what goes on behind the scenes at senior living communities. And we're honored to have conversations today with two incredible C-level executives here at Chateau Retirement. Jason Brooks, the Chief Operating Officer of Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show from Chateau Pacific in Lynnwood.
Rob Haynie, Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc.

Sell Your Life Insurance Policy, See What You Can Do With It

Hear some examples from Rob Haynie of what people have done with the proceeds from selling their life insurance policy. Rob describes a family who had been donating money to a ballet center, but were running low on funds around 2008. "They were able to write off the donation while they were alive. And they also were able to go to the ballet center and see their name above the doors as you walked in for a number of years, before they passed away."
Rob Haynie, Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc.

No Catch: You Really Can Sell Your Life Insurance Policy

Rob Haynie joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about selling your life insurance policy for cash. Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) and is a charter member of the Association’s PPC committee, which is charged with the regulatory and legislative activities of the industry. The Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc., he has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.
Rob Haynie, Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc.

Sell Your Life Insurance Policy, Invest the Proceeds

Believe it or not, you don't have to be sick to sell your life insurance policy. You can sell it and repurpose the proceeds in a life settlement. Rob Haynie joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about how Life Settlements work.
Rob Haynie, Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc.

You Can Repurpose Your Life Insurance

Rob Haynie, Managing Director of Life Insurance Settlements, Inc., joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to talk about Life Settlements: selling your life insurance policy and repurposing the proceeds. Rob serves on the Board of Directors of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) and is a charter member of the Association’s PPC committee, which is charged with the regulatory and legislative activities of the industry. He has been proactively in the industry for more than 31 years.
Lacy Steed and Michelle Oleas at Chateau Retirement

Life Enrichment for Memory Care

Chateau Gardens memory care director at Chateau Valley Center Michelle Oleas joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders podcast with Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement. This episode was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington. Michelle and Lacy talks about how memory care interfaces with with Life Enrichment at Chateau, and how they work together.
Lacy Steed and Cindy Serrano at Chateau Retirement

Vibrancy of Resident Life at Senior Living

Why is senior living the next adventure, and not your grandma's nursing home? Cindy Serrano, community relations director of Chateau Retirement at Chateau Valley Center, joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders podcast with Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement. Chateau's services are helpful and consultive, guiding seniors through a journey to live a happier, healthier, longer life – providing resident and family support, and increasing family involvement. This episode was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington.
Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement

Life Enrichment at Senior Living: Much More Than Activities

Lacy Steed, Vice President of Life Enrichment for Chateau Retirement, joins Suzanne on the Answers for Elders podcast to talk about the ways Chateau supports independence and successful aging with a varied activity schedule. But life enrichment goes beyond social activities to quality of life, quality of care, as well as resident and family support. Family-owned Chateau Retirement is Greater Seattle's expert in senior living, with a legacy of success in its culture, tenure, and dedication of staff to its residents. This episode was recorded at Chateau Valley Center in Renton, Washington.
Dr. Shawn Weiss

Springing Forward for Senior Safety: Walking

Our common denominator with indoor and outdoor safety is walking. Dr. Shawn Weiss joins Suzanne Newman on the Answers for Elders Radio Show to share tips for seniors on how to be more mindful of how we walk. Dr. Shawn says, "The initial response of most older adults is they don't want an assisted device [like a walker], because they feel like that's the beginning of the end, right? It's all going to go downhill from here. But actually, those devices allow you to walk safely, give back independence, make people more independent."