Rock Your Retirement Show

Have you ever experienced vertigo? What are the causes of dizziness? Dr. Kimberley Bell, DPT has been a Physical Therapist for nearly 15 years, and she specializes in helping people with dizziness.  She assesses and treats vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance in people of all ages.  She also helps with other issues thought to be related to aging as well. I brought her on the show to talk about the causes of dizziness, and also some potential treatments that can help. What is Balance? You might have heard of the five senses. These five senses are hearing, taste, sight, smell, and touch.  But there is another sense that we don't talk about. That is the sense of balance.  Without it, you wouldn't be able to sit or stand upright because you wouldn't be able to tell which way “up” was.  And you couldn't tell where “here or “there” was.  Without a sense of balance, gravity, wouldn't mean anything.  It would be fair to say that without any sense of balance, life would be unimaginably disab

One in three people over the age of 65 in San Diego have symptoms of dementia. Today we are talking about dementia symptoms. Ana González Seda is the Program Director for the San Diego/Imperial Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.  Her position is instrumental in providing face to face and online education and programming for caregivers, people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias. Ana has been working in the non- profit sector for leading health organizations in San Diego for over 15 years. I asked Ana to come on the show to tell us about dementia symptoms. If you have a parent or loved one that gets diagnosed with Alzheimer's, I  want you to know what to expect. If you lose your keys, that is not a part of symptoms of dementia. But if you find them in the refrigerator, that could be a sign of dementia What are the early signs and symptoms of Dementia? * Memory Loss that disrupts daily life * Challenges in planning or solving problems * Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home,

I interviewed Hank Coleman on how we can avoid an unhappy retirement Hank Coleman founded several popular personal finance websites such as Money Q&A, Own The Dollar, Military Money Might, The Dividend Pig, and many others.  He is a freelance writer. Hank focuses on personal finance topics such as savings, investing, retirement, and many other money topics. I asked Hank to come on the show to talk about his parents and how much they hated the reality of retirement. It's never too early to plan for retirement Hank has never spoken with his parents about their retirement, however, as an only child, who visits often, he can see that their retirement isn't as amazing as they thought it would be. His parents had a grandiose idea of what retirement would be like, but when reality set in, it wasn't as good as the dream they envisioned.  I talk with him about his parents' retirement over the past 10 years and what he thinks went wrong. For Hank, it was heartbreaking to watch. So what are Hank's tips on how to avoid

Ted came onto my show as a guest to talk about stages of life, namely the 6 stages of retirement. Mr. Carr is a podcaster himself, with the show, Retirement Journeys, which discusses similar topics as this show, but he also includes financial topics on his show. In case you're wondering, the stages of life (retirement life) include: * Pre-retirement * Retirement * Disenchantment * Reorientation * Retirement Routine * Termination of Retirement (death) Ed was young (mid-50s) when he retired in 2010 from a biotech company in San Francisco.  Because so many people had asked him how he was able to retire so young he decided to take his story online. Let's look at some of these stages of life that Ted went through: Pre-retirement: This is the time while you are working that you are saving and investing for the time when you will be able to stop working.  Ted did a good job at this, or he wouldn't have been able to retire in his mid-50s.  Many people don't plan far enough in advance, for whatever reasons, and so t

Ellen Williamson retired in 2007 after 36 years of Federal service with the Department of Defense.  She was also a professor for 15 years as a “jobby”.  I love this combination of hobby and job, or a hobby with pay! Anyway, she continues to consult with firms interested in Federal Government Acquisition on an ad hoc basis. Although she has varied interests, including travel, hiking, charity and cultural events, we spent most of our time talking about a senior services club she belongs to called GetOffYourRockers.org. I took the liberty of going on the website to see what this senior services club was all about.  Here is a list of currently available activities: * Biking.  Every Monday * Bowling.  The second and fourth Thursdays * Camping * Chair Yoga * Charitable Work * Cultural Events * Foot Golf (I'd never heard of this before now!) * Golf * Hiking (once a month on Fridays) * Kayaking and Stand Up Paddle Boarding * Potlucks * Sailing * Skiing * Social Hours * Tennis * Travel * Ushering (volunte

Life is a journey. Lot's of retirees think about retiring as a couple. But what about retirement as a surviving spouse? In this interview, I talk with Ann Nelson. After suddenly finding herself a widow in 2009, Ann needed to learn – and fast – about finances, survival, and ultimate retirement. Ann is the author of Retire Well, Retire Happy. On her journey, she has found that in the end, it is not all about the money. Living a happy and worthwhile life is extremely important. Her book is about how she navigated through the retirement maze and found her way after being left a widow. In 2009, Ann was semi-retired but still working part-time flipping houses with her husband when he passed away. Ann knew she had to figure out her retirement as a surviving spouse We talked about the very sudden and surprising passing of her husband who had a heart attack at the dinner table. This was the catalyst for the following chain of events in her life: * She found herself making burial and funeral arrangements * Anne had to

Alan was nicknamed “Motorbutt”. How did Alan Mindell get his nickname?  After dancing for years, Alan started running.  He wound up with some injuries, but got into shape.  At age 76, Motorbutt runs three times a week.  How often do you run?  (I don't run. Ever.) He wanted to come on the show to talk about the Senior Games. The Senior Games are San Diego's (and other counties) answer to the Senior Olympics. They are 50 years old in 2017 and there is a wide list of sports that are covered. These sports include Track & Field; Pickleball; Archery; and Ping Pong to name a few.  If you do a Google search, you can find a list of contests and sports.  In San Diego, for the 2017 games, there will be 25 sports, including individual and team sports such as softball, volleyball, and soccer. Alan's sport is the 400 meter. That's once around the track.  He said that the coolest thing he ever saw was a 100 year old man who competed in the Pole Vault.  Because he was the only participant, he was able to set a wo

I interview Michelle Brelaz to talk about putting relationships back together. Michelle puts relationships back together and her goal is to reduce the divorce rate one couple at a time. She is a certified coach, trained through the official school of Anthony Robbins. Michelle also has a Diploma of Counseling and a Degree in Psychology. She has a deep desire to understand the differences between men and women so that she can provide training that facilitates respect between the genders. In time, she would like to take her training to schools – to help prevent relationship problems before they start. Michelle had no intention of going into this line of work, but an incident where her husband lashed out and hit their daughter was the catalyst for her starting this path for her career.  She felt the counseling they went to “un-did” them and pulled them apart. She decided she wanted to focus on putting relationships back together. Pain talks. Pain has a language all of its own. People say things when t

I talk with Lisa Woodruff about organizing your home Lisa Woodruff believes organization is not a skill you are born with. It is a skill that is developed over time and changes with each season of life. She has helped thousands of women reclaim their homes and finally get organized with her practical tips, encouragement, and humor through her blog and podcast at Organize365.com. Got clutter? I Do. I am the “queen of clutter” or, as Lisa put's it, “I have a hard time separating the memory from the object”. Makes perfect sense right? Since listening to Lisa's show, I have been making progress. I am a HUGE fan of Lisa's show and wanted YOU, my listener, to be able to learn tips on organizing your home. Paper.. how to deal with all of the paper! When you look at a stack of 100 sheets of paper, you think that is 100 different items that you need to deal with. Lisa looks at your stack of 1000 pieces of paper and she knows that there are no more than 8 categories in that stack of paper and sh

In this interview, we talk about the emotional aspect of retirement. Becky Kueker was 69 years old when she decided to retire from a 20-year career as a partner in a successful woman-owned commercial architectural firm in St. Louis. This was all part of her grand plan. It was the “Plan” she had created and was totally invested in since she was 40 years old. She was ready to close that door and walk out embracing a whole new chapter in her life. She and her husband had saved, invested, researched and carefully planned their retirement. They even kept a “retirement binder” for all those years with laminated financial spreadsheets, great places to retire, exciting long-awaited trips to take, and all the “how-to self-help” retirement books she could read. What she never expected was that her retirement plan had covered everything except the emotional aspect of retirement. Becky became depressed after she retired. She lost a lot of self-esteem and self-worth. Becky's husband sti

Henry talks with Dorothy Nicol about her vintage dresses and gowns. Dorothy is 87 years old. She has lived her entire life in the small town of  Lismore which is located in Victoria Australia. She absolutely loves her hometown and she wanted to do something to help the town and the community when she retired. Dorothy says her hobby is living in the 20th century Dorothy has an amazing collection which includes thousands of 20th-century vintage dresses and gowns. She began collection many years ago and the collection grew so much, she needed more space! Henry and Dorothy talk about how she purchased a property she had cherished since she was a young girl, and turned it into a small tourist attraction. Sometimes Dorothy feels like she is unorganized because she has so many items! She admits she isn't like a boutique shop, she prefers the quaint, charming feeling of her store. She likes for people to come into her shop and be able to look around and touch the items. Touching most often is not allowed with vintage

I was SO excited that I got to Catherine and Barry Cohen. I am sort of a “fangirl” (but not in a creepy weird way), They have a podcast I listen to all of the time called Together 24/7 and I am a fan! It's about building businesses together but we talked about always being together. Which, they pretty much are! Barry said that he and Catherine were genetically programmed to work together. Catherine's parents built a retail shoe business and have worked together most of their 55 plus years of marriage. Barry's father is 83 years old and still working! They said that he wouldn't know what to do with himself and his wife would end up killing him if he was home all day every day.  (Sound familiar?) Barry and Catherine are business strategists and have a company called Business Solutions for Growth. They work with businesses to help them create a plan of action for their business. We talked about what starting a business as a couple after retirement might look light. Retirement can be boring. A lot of

Henry interviews Di Lockwood on her passion for art. Before retiring at the age of 54, Di was a teacher for about 37 years. She always has a strong love for art and she knew once she retired she was going to pursue her passion for art. She even planned and prepared for it before she retired by studying and taking courses. When she did retire, she took up visual arts and decided she like printmaking the most. Di created an art gallery in her home. It is a not for profit gallery and she only charged a small amount just to help pay for the insurance she has to have. Di doesn't do what she does for the money (she doesn't really make money) she truly loves what she does and has a true passion for art. Henry sat down with her and talked about her passion.  Di talked about her experience teaching art. She told us a story of a young man from Afghanistan who she said, was extremely talented. He had never painted once in his life until he was in the Darwin Detention Center. (Which is an Australian Immigration detention

Let's face it, our spouses can get on our nerves! And once you retire, you're gonna be spending even more glorious (or not so glorious) time together. In this episode, I talk with Lori Ann Davis on marriage advice after retirement. Lori has over 28 years’ experience empowering individuals and couples to live richer, happier lives. I asked her to come on the show because she is the author of Unmasking Secrets to Unstoppable Relationships: How to Find, Keep and Renew Love and Passion in Your Life. You want a marriage that is not only surviving but is actually thriving. According to Lori, just because you don't fight and your marriage seems OK, it doesn't necessarily mean it is. She gives some great marriage advice after retirement. Key Elements for working on your marriage (and Lori says yes, you have to work on your marriage all the time)  * Constantly reconnect with each other * Be interested * Get to know them on a deeper level * Make sure you are spending enough time together * Talk about your expectation

Henry interviews Di and Ross Lawrence who run a business selling deer antler velvet in their retirement. Before Di and Ross retired, they ran a deer farm. Di worked part-time as a bookkeeper and Ross ran the farm. As they got older, they knew they would have to leave their farm as it became too much work for them to maintain. Ross even got pretty seriously injured. In 2014, they decided it was time to sell. Henry talks with them about the transition from farm life to life in the suburbs. It was an easy transition for them. They bought their home before they sold their farm.  Ross and Di downsized their belongings.  They were prepared for it. It was, however, difficult for Ross to leaving the animals he had taken care of for so long. Ross knew he wanted to stay in touch with the deer industry after he retired. He already had a small online business selling deer antler velvet products and he decided he would continue that business in his retirement.  What is Deer Antler Velvet? Deer antler velvet is the entire

If you are like me, your animals are a big part of your family. In this episode, I talk with Von Braschler about dealing with pet loss and grief.  Von is the author of the book Natural Pet Healing and the e-book Healing with Your Pet: Our Psychic Spiritual Connection, which is based in part on his 4-year popular podcast which was called “Healing with your Pet.” He rescues cats and has volunteered as a dog walker and groomer for the Humane Society. He is also a certified pet massage therapist.  There are steps that you really need to go through in dealing with pet loss The most popular names in the US for pets are no longer Fluffy or Spot. Instead, they are names such as Max, Sam, Ginger, Misty, Jake, and Samantha. These are like children's names and they become our family. According to Von, the bond we have with our pets these days is stronger than ever before. Pets are not spending as much time outside, they live in the house with us, therefore, our bond with them gets stronger. Most of us will go through ma

Judith French is breeding dogs in her retirement. In this episode, Henry speaks with Judith French.  Judy was in nursing before she retired.  She has also been married for 54 years!  She was looking forward to her retirement so she would have more time to do things such as gardening and reading. Judith truly loves breeding dogs.  She spends a lot of her free time doing this and she loves her dogs.  Judith began breeding animals even before she retired. In fact. she grew up in a family which bred and showed animals, so she is no stranger to the show arena. Judith initially started with cats, but then switched to breeding dogs.  She and Henry discuss the many breeds she has raised and loved throughout the years. Mentioned in the show:   https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/member.asp?name=WATERMILL *Please note: We realize that dog breeding is a sensitive subject for some of our listeners and readers.  The Rock Your Retirement show does not endorse… nor does it condemn breeding dogs.   Kathe currently enj

Our guest for today is Sue Goldstein, BA, CCRC, AASECT-CSE, IF (That is a ton of credentials isn't that?!) and she's here to talk about Sexual Medicine. In 2007, Sue and her husband moved from Boston to San Diego to open up San Diego Sexual Medicine. She educates people on sex, sexual dysfunction, sexual functionality, basically everything that has to do with sexual medicine. She also recently co-authored a book called “When Sex Isn't Good”. You're never too old for sex According to Sue, you are never too old for sex and it's never too late to regain sexual health. Research tells us that being sexually active actually decreases your stress level. There are a lot of benefits! * It is good for your health and your relationship. * It improves self-esteem * There is more fun in relationships and * There is more of a playful ease in relationships. The oldest man they treated for erectile dysfunction was 91. So, as the saying goes “where there's a will there's a way!” “The man with t

David Mickle has had a passion for steam trains for 50 years. Before David he retired at the young age of 70, he worked as an electrician. He looked forward to retiring so he would have more time to pursue his passion for steam trains. When David was a young child he was fascinated with steam trains. His passion for steam trains only grew as he got older. Henry and David discuss his volunteer work on the on the Puffing Billy which is a voluntary Railway group that operates a steam train in Australia. David was a volunteer laborer and helped to restore the cars and railways after a landslide. They also discuss David's involvement with the Melbourne Steam Traction Engine Club. David was one of the very first members of this club and was also involved in the club for over 50 years. Dave also restored a steam engine with the help of his friend. It was manufactured by the Yorkshire Steam Wagon Company and has a horizontal boiler on the front with Ackermann steering. There is nothing automatic about this steam wago

I am talking poop with Melissa Ramos! Melissa is a Nutritionist focusing on Chinese Nutrition Therapy and owner of Sexy Food Therapy Inc. She helps people feel sexy from the inside out with a focus on digestion and hormone imbalances. Melissa's journey began when she got sick. She started to see a nutritionist and discovered she had digestive issues. Melissa went and studied nutrition and from there, she studied Chinese Medicine right afterward. She began a blog basically just for fun. In the beginning, she was blogging about how she emotionally ate the right way and was documenting a lot of dating stories. To her surprise, a bunch of people started reading it and the business focus changed. A lot of it changed based on her personal struggle with digestion and a near death experience that she discusses in the interview. The Poop Whisperer People get nervous about talking openly about poop. They will go to an entirely different floor of an office building to poop just so that no one knows they are going. Talki