#104- In this touching episode, I share invaluable wisdom garnered from two decades of working intimately with older adults. Through personal anecdotes and professional experiences, I share five transformative life lessons that challenge and inspire. You'll embark on a journey exploring:  the fleeting nature of life and the importance of embracing every moment, the profound impact of human connection, the relentless pursuit of meaning and purpose, the eternal presence of love, and the never-ending potential for personal growth and transformation at any age.These stories not only provide a deeper understanding of aging but also offer universal insights that resonate with individuals across all stages of life. Join me for a heartfelt exploration of what it means to live fully, love deeply, and grow continuously, guided by the wisdom of those who have journeyed before us.🔗 Helpful Links:Download Dr. Koepp's free guide for mental health professionals working with older adults: www.mentalhealthandaging.com/guideVisit Dr. Koepp's website for more resources: www.Mentalhealthandaging.com💬 Let's Connect:Share your own life lessons from working with or knowing older adults Follow Dr. Koepp on social media for daily insights and inspiration.Thank you for listening, and here's to finding wisdom at every age  Stop feeling ineffective and stuck when working with older adults with memory loss in your therapy practice. Click here to get access to my free 10-minute training and bonus workbook. Attention Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits

#103-Ever wondered if older people get anxious just like young folks do?  Turns out, older adults can get anxious too, but it might look a bit different than what younger people experience. In this episode, we explore the questions:1. How does anxiety manifest differently in older adults compared to younger individuals?2. What biological, psychological, and social factors contribute to anxiety in seniors?3. What is the difference between everyday stress and an anxiety disorder in an older individual?4. What strengths and resiliencies do older adults bring with them to help them cope with anxiety?5. What is an effective CBT tool that can assist older adults in managing their anxiety?6. What can healthcare providers do to better support older adults who are experiencing anxiety?7. What can family caregivers do to better support older adults who are experiencing anxiety?About today's guest: Dr. Julie Erickson is a clinical psychologist in private practice and adjunct faculty member in the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Erickson is interested in optimizing evidence-based psychological treatment for older adults and reducing their barriers to treatment-seeking. She maintains an active clinical practice with adults across the lifespan and provides education to the public and mental health professionals on aging and mental health. Her book, The Aging Well Workbook for Anxiety and Depression, was released on October 1, 2023 by New Harbinger Publications.  Stop feeling ineffective and stuck when working with older adults with memory loss in your therapy practice. Click here to get access to my free 10-minute training and bonus workbook. Attention Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits

#102- Dive into '3 Myths About Aging and Intimacy', inspired by lessons from the Golden Bachelor. We'll debunk common myths surrounding love and relationships in our later years using research, not stereotypes. The Golden Bachelor, with his own love stories, teaches us that age doesn't stop true connections. Plus, if medical conditions have you worried about intimacy, we've got you covered. This episode includes 5 essential tips for keeping the spark alive, even when health challenges arise. Whether you're into senior dating, curious about love in the later years, or looking for ways to strengthen bonds when health gets tricky, this is for you. Learn, laugh, and discover the ageless power of love and connection.Get access to the Sexual Health & Aging CE Course [3 CE Credits] I mentioned in this episode. Learn more about Dementia and Sexual Health [1 CE Credit] here Stop feeling ineffective and stuck when working with older adults with memory loss in your therapy practice. Click here to get access to my free 10-minute training and bonus workbook. Attention Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits

#101- Unlock the mystery behind the leading cause of cognitive impairment. Expert insights on prevention and management strategies.If you're a professional, learn how to navigate cognitive impairment when it shows up in your clinic. Click here to access this free training now.  Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits

#100 - Learn the difference between cognitive impairment versus memory loss, and the answer to the question "is mild cognitive impairment dementia?"Are you therapist, social worker, counselor, psychologist working with older adults?  If you're like most therapists, you haven't had training addressing cognitive issues in therapy leaving you feeling ineffective, stuck, and unsure of how to best help your client.  You're not alone. I created a free 10-min video training where I walk you through 5 steps for helping your clients presenting with memory loss. Get access to this free training and a BONUS workbook that you can start using in your clinic today. Download here: https://www.mentalhealthandaging.com/clarity/  Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits

#099- When couples experience life altering medical conditions, like Parkinson's Disease, their level of intimacy can plummet. Here are 5 strategies that you can use to cultivate intimacy and connection with your partner. Learn more about aging and sexual health hereIn honor of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Awareness Month, I'm partnering with the American Parkinson Disease Association on the release of their ParkinSex book and kit, a guide to intimacy for people with PD and their partner.Life altering medical conditions, like Parkinson's Disease, can impact couples in profound ways, including their intimacy... but there are strategies to cultivate intimacy and connection when living with Parkinson's 💚.Even if Parkinson's changes your body, it doesn't have to change your love life.Download or listen to the book at https://lnkd.in/e8mZBgZ6  Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits for Listening to this podcast

#098- Learn the difference between therapist, psychiatrist, and neuropsychologist when it comes to finding mental health care for older adults. Knowing what each professional does will help you to identify the mental health professional best able to address your most immediate need. Here’s an overview of the three most common licensed mental health professionals who specialize with older adults.LEARN MORE about each professional here. ARE YOU A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER WHO WORKS WITH OLDER ADULTS? Join our national provider directory here! It's FREE!   Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits for Listening to this podcast

#097- Expert advice for seniors new to therapy. In this episode I share common causes of depression in older adulthood  and key advice for older adults who are new to the mental health space. Go to the show notes hereFIND A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER FOR OLDER ADULTSGET CONTINUING EDUCATION  Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits for Listening to this podcast

#096- Do you regularly screen for depression in the older adults you work with? Do you know which screening tools are best to use with older adults? With adults with mild cognitive impairment? With adults with moderate to severe dementia? No worries! I got you covered.  In this week's video, you'll learn: ⭐️ 5 must have (and free) depression screening tools to use with older adults⭐️ the screening tools to assess for depression and anxiety when older adults are medically hospitalized⭐️ Which depression screening tools are best for use with older adults who have mild cognitive impairment or early stages of dementia⭐️ A screening tool to identify depression in the moderate to severe stages of dementia. Click here to get access to each of these screening tools  Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits for Listening to this podcast

#095- What are the signs of depression in older adults? How common is depression among older adults? How to help older adults get connected to care?  What happens when depressed older adults do not receive mental health care?In this podcast, you'll learn the answers to each of these questions and more. You have an important role in helping older adults get the mental health care they need. Learn more about supporting the mental health of older adults at www.mentalhealthandaging.com.   Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits for Listening to this podcast

#094- [CEU Podcast] More than half of the people in the US living with HIV are 50 years old and older. With the use of antiretroviral medications, people who were diagnosed with HIV decades ago have been able to live well into older adulthood.  Sadly, stigma due to age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and HIV status contributes to poor mental and physical health among older adults living with HIV. In this continuing education podcast, you’ll learn current statistics related to HIV among people aged 50 and over, you’ll discover: the social, cultural, and medical reasons that adults 55 and older live with HIV longer before getting a diagnosis.  intersections between HIV and mental health concernstools for helping older adults living with HIV.Click here to Visit Show Notes Page  Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits for Listening to this podcast

#093  - CEU Episode. Elder abuse is underreportedElder abuse and exploitation have a significant impact on older adults who experience it, including an increased risk for death, worsening of chronic illness, increased likelihood of hospitalization and placement in a nursing home, as well as increased rates of depression, anxiety, among other consequences.In this 60min continuing education podcast episode, you’ll discover:The impact of elder abuse on older adultsBarriers to reporting elder abuseRecommendations for mandated reportersIn this episode, Dr. Regina Koepp interviews Page Ulrey, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the King County Prosecutor’s Office.Link to the show notes page here  Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits for Listening to this podcast

One out of every 20 older adults in the U.S. is a victim of financial exploitation, losing an average of $80,000 to $186,000 (olderadultnestegg.com). The vast majority of elder financial abuse cases are most likely to be somebody the older adult knows: 54% family members, 31% care workers, and 13% partners (Jackson, 2016).Banks and money service businesses reported a 400% increase in suspicious activity from 2013-2017. The vast majority of this suspicious activity involved people over 60 (olderadultnestegg.com).Today’s guest, Dr. Peter Lichtenberg, is a national expert in preventing financial abuse and exploitation and reducing its impact on older adults.In this 60min continuing education podcast, you’ll discover: -  Examples of elder financial exploitation- What puts older adults at risk for financial exploitation-  Resources to help older adults, caregivers, and professionals prevent elder financial exploitation and recover from identity theft.Click here to go to the show notes page  Attention! Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, Aging Life Care Experts... Click here to get Continuing Education Credits for Listening to this podcast

#091 - [CE Podcast] Does it surprise you to hear that the majority of adults between 65 and 80 are sexually active?​In fact, a recent survey of more than 1,000 adults between 65-80 years old, found that 50.9% of men and 30.8% of women reported being sexually active.​Despite older adults remaining sexually active, they are not often discussing sexual health with their health providers and when they do, older adults tend to be the ones initiating the conversation.​So, in an effort to help mental health, senior care, and health care providers reflect on our own values and attitudes and sexuality and aging, I interview sexual health and aging expert, Dr. Maggie Syme.In this interview, Dr. Maggie Syme and I discuss:What it means to be a sexual citizenAttitudes about sexuality and agingCurrent research on intimacy and agingBenefits of sexuality and intimacy in older adulthoodDementia and sexual expressionWhat sexual liberation looks like for older adultsWant to learn more about sexual health and aging? Download our free Sexual Health Assessment Tool Kit Click here to learn more about earning CEUs for listening to this podcast.CEUs available for Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, Therapists, Aging Life Care Experts. 

#090- [CE Podcast]  Older white men have the highest rates of suicide, more than any other age group. Thus, it is essential that you have tools for addressing and preventing suicide among older adults. Click here to earn continuing education credits for this episodeIn this one hour continuing education podcast, you'll discover: Statistics about older adults and suicide,  Cultural factors that may increase or mitigate risk for suicide, The “5 D” framework for understanding suicide risk among older adults How to help older adults who may be suicidalToday's expert guest is Yeates Conwell, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, where he directs the Geriatric Psychiatry Program and the UR Medical Center’s Office for Aging Research and Health Services, and co-directs the UR Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide. Dr. Conwell received his medical training at the University of Cincinnati and completed his Psychiatry Residency and a Fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. In addition to teaching, clinical care, and service system development, Dr. Conwell directs an inter-disciplinary program of research in aging, mental health services, and suicide prevention. Click here to learn more about earning CEUs for listening to this podcast.CEUs available for Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, Therapists, Aging Life Care Experts. 

CEU Podcast- The opioid crisis has highlighted just how harmful opioid-based pain management approaches can be. In this continuing education podcast you will learn the unique challenges and obstacles that face patients suffering with chronic pain and coexisting disorders, including medication misuse abuse or addiction and mental health concerns. You will discover that treatment for chronic pain requires an integrated concurrent team approach to achieve successful treatment outcomes. You will obtain the proper understanding, skills and treatment techniques you need to address the neurobiological psychological/emotional, social and spiritual aspects of chronic pain when potentially addictive medications are no longer a viable option.See the show notes page for more resources. Today's guest, Dr. Stephen Grinstead, has  a doctorate in Addictive Disorders (Dr. AD) and was the Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer of a Triple Diagnosis Residential and Intensive Outpatient Chronic Pain Management Program in California. He is author of the book Thank You Adversity for Yet Another Test: A Body Mind Spirit Approach for Relieving Chronic Pain Suffering Click here to learn more about earning CEUs for listening to this podcast.CEUs available for Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, Therapists, Aging Life Care Experts. 

#088- Is it safe to prescribe opioids to older adults to manage chronic pain?  Many older adults are prescribed opioids to manage chronic pain. But in the midst of the opioid crisis and risk for addiction, the question arises, "can older adults use opioids safely?" In this continuing education (CE) podcast episode  you'll learn: the history of opioid crisisthe challenges and stigma faced by those living with chronic pain and substance use disorders. the impact of involuntarily withdrawing opioids from patients, new methods for openly discussing painthe difference between "physical dependence" and "addiction"get an expert answer to the question: "is addiction really a disease?"Click here to learn more about earning continuing education (CE) credits for this podcast.About today's guest... Dr. Sudheer Potru is a triple-board-certified anesthesiologist, interventional pain specialist, and addiction medicine specialist with strong interest in both opioid safety and addiction medicine. He is an assistant professor at Emory and the medical director of the Atlanta VA's complex pain clinic, which specializes in treating veterans who have chronic pain associated with high-dose opioid use or substance abuse problems. He sits on multiple national committees related to pain and substance use disorders and is actively involved with research and advocacy related to these topics. He has given numerous regional and national talks to both anesthesiology and pain societies on the topic of addiction and how best to manage vulnerable patients around the time of surgery and when they have chronic pain issues as well.Go to the show notes page here Click here to learn more about earning CEUs for listening to this podcast.CEUs available for Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, Therapists, Aging Life Care Experts. 

#087 [CEU Podcast]  There are currently unprecedented levels of stress in the United States. Stress directly impacts mental and physical health, including heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, 50% of Americans are living with high blood pressure. With the combination of high levels of stress and high percentages of people living with high blood pressure. It is critical that we have tools to help people living with high blood pressure, heart disease, and other cardiovascular concerns manage stress and live a healthier life. Today, I'm delighted to bring you a 60 minute continuing education episode on biofeedback therapy for cardiovascular health with Dr. Maggie JohnsonDr. Johnson is a clinical psychologist at the Western North Carolina VA Health Care System where she provides behavioral health interventions to veterans coping with chronic health conditions, chronic pain, depression, PTSD and anxiety disorders. She specializes in Health Psychology and Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She is certified in HeartMath biofeedback and very passionate about mind body interventions. Click here to see show notes & resources from this episode Click here to learn more about earning CEUs for listening to this podcast.CEUs available for Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, Therapists, Aging Life Care Experts. 

#086 [CEU Podcast] - Chronic pain impacts more than 1 in 5 adults living in the United States and can have a significant negative impact on all aspects of a person’s life, including ability to work or attend school, finances, social and romantic relationships, and sense of self. Research shows that chronic pain is associated with an increase in risk for depression and suicide. Yet, high rates of stigma, bias in health care, and limited access to trained mental health providers  contributes to people living with chronic pain not receiving the care they need. This CEU podcast will address the widespread impact of chronic pain on the whole person, with focus on the pain-depression cycle.After listening to this episode, you'll be able to: Identify 3 psychosocial ways in which quality of life is impacted by chronic painDiscuss why it is important to attend to both mental/emotional wellness and physical health when working with people chronic painExplain the bidirectional relationship between chronic pain and depressionToday's guest, Dr. Jennifer Steiner, is a board certified clinical health psychologist, founder of Beyond the Body Health Psychology Services, LLC, Co-Director of Center for Mental Health & Aging's Continuing Education Program, Adjunct Faculty at Emory School of Medicine, Board Member of the Georgia Psychology Association Board of Directors, Co-Chair of the Continuing Education Committee for Georgia Psychological Association, and Member of the Committee on Health Psychology and Integrated Practice.  Click here to learn more about earning CEUs for listening to this podcast.CEUs available for Social Workers, Psychologists, Therapists, Aging Life Care Experts. 

#085 [CEU Podcast] - The prevalence of delirium is highest among older adults who are medically hospitalized. In fact, 33% of general medical patients who are 70 and older have delirium. It’s imperative that mental health professionals have a keen understanding of delirium and how to distinguish it from look-alike conditions. This continuing education course will: provide an overview of delirium and the various forms delirium can takediscuss cognitive screenings used in medical settingsillustrate how to distinguish delirium from dementia, depression, and psychosis among medically vulnerable adultsLink to the show notes page hereGet access to the BONUS Video when you subscribe to the CEU podcast Attention Social Workers, Psychologists, Therapists, Aging Life Care Experts: Click here to learn more about earning CEUs for listening to this podcast.