Seniors in the Building

Seniors in the Building

di Elaine Sauer, Rick Sauer, Signe Swanson, Jack Waschenfelder
Salute & BenessereSocietà e cultura
Stagione 4
What Makes a Good Day?
What we now think of as a good day is different than when we were younger. Now a good day can mean being able to roll with what comes, making connections with others, getting out and exercising, checking one thing off the list or simply acknowledging and accepting we are out of sorts. As we laugh and talk about not going to the emergency room as a good day and that eating ice cream makes everything better, we touch something deeper in the human condition. Acknowledging that we are complex as humans helps us understand that pain and joy coexist on a continuum. We cannot appreciate one without the other. Knowing ourselves and understanding how our minds works help us develop the strategies to make our days and our lives richer as we navigate our “good” and “bad” days. Listen to our slightly off the wall yet, insightful podcast.
S4 · E3
22 lug 2026
36:11
Decluttering
What things do we keep, why do we keep them and how do we know when it’s time to let them go? That is the question we asked ourselves today. We have gathered and acquired things over a lifetime and now, as we transition from work to retirement and start downsizing, to make it easier for our children when we’re gone, we must figure out what to do with all this stuff. When are we going to get at all those boxes of photos that we have already moved several times? What about the things that belonged to our parents? What about the t-shirts we have hung onto? Or the books? Or the notebooks? Discerning what belongs with us now as we continue to live, remember and become who we want to be is tough. It requires being ready to feel the emotional ups and downs of a well lived life and to let go. It requires establishing a process for making those decisions especially one that works for both partners when the decisions are joint. It requires some grieving. It’s not about rejecting the past or stripping the house bare, it’s about keeping only what belongs with us now and sustains us as we move forward.
S4 · E2
8 lug 2026
39:33
Are We Still Trying?
We are socialized to be competitive from an early age and given messages about being the smartest, most athletic, or best looking. Conversely, we are told that we are not smart enough to go to university, or athletic enough to make the team or that we are average looking. Were we competitive at a younger age to prove something? Are we still competitive? Can being competitive motivate us? Perhaps seniors are competitive in a different way than when we were young. It is hard to let go of the competitiveness that we once had, especially if we have health issues but the motivation seems to shift from trying to be better than someone else out of fear or insecurity, to bettering ourselves as a way to find joy or contentment.
S4 · E1
1 lug 2026
33:21
Stagione 3
Is This Still Possible? Fragile Wishes and Longing
In earlier years we had bucket lists, things we put on a list and checked off as we accomplished them. In our 70’s we find our lists have become wishes or desires and each thing on it must be examined as to whether it is still possible. We now live under the shadow of health and financial circumstances that may be limiting, family realities and the shortening horizon of time. But that does not limit our wishes, desires or longings, we still have them and having them brings hope. Living by the ocean, becoming a personal trainer, reconciliation with a sister, seeking a way to express our spirituality, are all works in progress that capture our hearts and imaginations. We also have previous desires that we have let go of, no longer running or traveling in the United States or driving across the country are conscious choices we have stopped pursuing. Finding inspiration and meaning in our retirement is the universal impetus for our wishes and desires and is reflected in the choices we make as well as the ones we discard.
S3 · E20
24 giu 2026
36:15
Feeling Secure as Seniors?
In our last podcast on what surprises us we discovered that we experience more fear than we had expected. So how do we thrive and live as full a life as possible in the face of things that make us fearful? What does feeling secure look like? Our discussion identified physical, financial and social components among others, that can create areas of uncertainty. We identified that knowing what our resources are and having a security plan that we can rely on as our needs change are both important. Some of our insecurities have come with us from childhood and we are still looking for ways to overcome them. Being supported by others as we tace our insecurities helps; an affirming shop owner, a good hair stylist, someone to play music with, and a mantra of "I belong here". Being connected to our gym and taking the classes that maintain our mobility is a source of security, as well as knowing that it is a rich resource for the future. The tenacity of others we find there inspire us. Acknowledging what we still have, rather than what we don't have, can be the best way to help us feel secure.
S3 · E19
17 giu 2026
36:43
Surprises in our Elder Years
Surprise! We are now in our 70’s and calling ourselves seniors. What are the surprises? What isn’t a surprise? While exploring these questions we discover that we are most surprised about how busy we are with less time than anticipated to pursue our own interests. We are also surprised that out of all the places we have once lived, we find ourselves in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. We are surprised by grandchildren. We are surprised by the nature of the health problems we have but not surprised that we have them. We are surprised by the increase in anxiety and worry; where once we would jump at solving problems, we now would like them to just go away Our conversation about surprises covers the gamut from daily experiences to the political and economic landscape of our lives with some hilarious stops in between. What are your surprises?
S3 · E18
10 giu 2026
39:36
Where is Music in Our Lives?
Music can do many things; evoke memories, make us feel younger, connect us to others and help us express grief or joy. As we talk, we discover that music also connects us to our culture, to our parents and to our own story of a life lived. It can give us a shared experience with our children and grandchildren and serve as a vehicle to express political unrest. Music has always been there in the background and as we move through our senior years, we seek out the music that gives us what we need at this time in our lives. Whether it’s for comfort, beauty, resonance or self-expression, music has an important part to play.
S3 · E17
3 giu 2026
41:02
Navigating Life with a Significant Other (Who's behind the wheel?)
Is it a minefield or a walk in the park? Today we talk about navigating life’s ups and downs in the context of a long-term relationship. Starting with the dynamics that occur in the car as one person drives and the other is a passenger, we acknowledge the communication patterns that can linger as we navigate new challenges and continue to wrestle with old ones. What are we really saying when asking if the other wants to drive? How does knowing someone so well help or hinder working through problems and making decisions? What underlies the tension that can suddenly be present when trying to talk about an issue? Can simply stating, “I’m getting worried and I wonder if we can think this through together” begin a conversation that avoids a misunderstanding? And if we did this, would we still be in the garage deciding who is going to drive today? Join us as we both laugh and talk honestly about living in long term relationships.
S3 · E16
27 mag 2026
41:02
Grief and Hope with Colette Howery
“I believe that everyone’s grief is very unique & personal. But as seniors, we may mourn differently because our life experiences have taught us a variety of coping skills that are transferable now to help us mourn our losses.” That is from today’s guest Colette Howery, answering the question, “Do seniors grieve differently?” Colette is a retired registered nurse and companion to those who grieve. She has recently written a book called Running with the Angels: A bereaved mother’s journey from hopelessness to hope” and talks to us about that journey in today’s podcast. We learn about layered or pancaked grief, how bereavement, grief and mourning are different from each other and we talk about the difficulty in being present to someone who is grieving. Most importantly we hear Colette’s story of loss and how she found hope. Please listen with us. (Running with the Angels is available from Friesen Press, Amazon, Chapters, Indigo, Coles, Barnes &Noble, E-Bay and local libraries)
S3 · E15
20 mag 2026
50:19
May Bravery Be Your Baseline
What are the brave things that we do every day? We often think of bravery as huge acts of courage in times of war or national disasters instead of something we use every day. Gloria Steinem referred to bravery as outrageous acts and everyday rebellions in her book of the same name. Every time we set a boundary with someone or speak out about something we are acting bravely. When we continue to live with dignity, tenderness, curiosity and hope we are acting bravely. When courage fails, we bravely find it again. As we talk about what it might mean to have bravery as a baseline, we discover those ways that bravery has made it into our lives; getting up in the morning even when it’s difficult, going for a walk instead of knapping, asking for what we need, facing crisis, even facing death. We discover that we choose bravery in our daily lives more often than we think.
S3 · E14
13 mag 2026
38:54
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