This week on the Art of Aging, Rev. Beth Long-Higgins and Rev. Dr. Anna Hall explores how so‑called “aging congregations” can move from a mindset of decline and scarcity to one of wisdom, abundance, and imaginative discipleship. They discuss why focusing on deficits, shrinking numbers, and attracting young families at all costs harms both churches and communities, and how shifting to seeing congregations as beloved, gifted communities changes everything. Key themes include addressing anxiety and grief about change, practicing Sabbath and slowing down, engaging in deep listening and community-based interviews, embracing intergenerational and accessible ministry, and cultivating imagination and creativity as spiritual practices. Listeners are invited to reimagine church not as a building to preserve, but as a people called to love, justice, and courageous experimentation in their neighborhoods.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Welcome to Today’s Episode with Anna Hall (0:26)
• Why Aging Congregations Are Not a Problem to Solve (2:09)
• What Gets Lost When Churches Fixate on Decline (5:37)
• Why “Attract Young Families” Can Be Exhausting and Harmful (9:51)
• Listening Before Acting and Avoiding Program “Quick Fixes” (12:22)
• Small Churches, Discernment, and Refocusing on Calling (15:53)
• Midlife Discernment for Individuals and Congregations (20:07)
• What Are Community-Based Interviews and Why They Matter (24:56)
• Learning How the Neighborhood Sees the Church (27:17)
• Intergenerational Ministry as Countercultural Witness (32:28)
• New Models for Forming Children and Families Spiritually (38:29)
• Imagining Spiritual Life for 2100 and Beyond (40:05)
• Myths of Aging and Growing Creativity Later in Life (45:38)
• Surprised by How Life Aligns With Early Callings and Dreams (48:07)
• Where to Find Anna’s Work and How Congregations Can Connect (51:02)
• Final Thoughts and Takeaways (52:04)

Abundant Aging is a podcast series presented by United Church Homes. These shows offer ideas, information, and inspiration on how to improve our lives as we grow older. To learn more and to subscribe to the show, visit abundantagingpodcast.com.

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This week on the Art of Aging, Rev. Beth Long-Higgins talks with Amy Kotterman of United Church Homes about the CMS GUIDE model, an innovative Medicare program designed to improve life for people living with dementia and support their unpaid caregivers. They explain what CMS and the GUIDE model are, who is eligible (including the need for a formal dementia diagnosis and traditional Medicare), and how care navigators provide ongoing education, care coordination, and essential respite services. The conversation tackles caregiver stress, loneliness, stigma around dementia, and the importance of early diagnosis and proactive health, including often-overlooked factors like hearing loss and social isolation. Amy also outlines how to find GUIDE providers nationwide, where United Church Homes currently serves (primarily in Ohio), and closes with personal reflections on aging well, lifelong learning, and examples of abundant aging in her own life and work.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Welcome to Today’s Episode with Amy Kotterman (0:26)
• What CMS Is and Meaning of the GUIDE Model (1:14)
• Amy’s Passion for Dementia Care and Culture Change (2:30)
• Comfort Matters, Music and Memory, and Creative Dementia Programs (3:42)
• Why GUIDE Focuses on Caregivers and Home-Based Support (5:10)
• Eligibility Requirements and How GUIDE Enrollment Works (7:44)
• Role Of Care Navigators and Building Ongoing Support Plans (9:29)
• What Respite is and Why Caregivers and People With Dementia Need It (11:48)
• Alignment, Re-Application, and Importance of Early Diagnosis (15:08)
• Dementia vs Alzheimer’s and Diagnosis Codes That Qualify (17:27)
• Lifestyle, Hearing Loss, and Social Isolation Links to Dementia (29:39)
• How To Find GUIDE Providers Through CMS Website (36:10)
• How To Contact United Church Homes and Its GUIDE Program (37:31)
• Amy’s Reflections on Her Own Aging and Health Habits (38:42)
• Lifelong Learning, New Roles, and Abundant Aging Inspirations (40:16)

Abundant Aging is a podcast series presented by United Church Homes. These shows offer ideas, information, and inspiration on how to improve our lives as we grow older. To learn more and to subscribe to the show, visit abundantagingpodcast.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week on the Art of Aging, Rev. Beth Long-Higgins talks with Hannah Albers, Director of Program Development at the National Center to Reframe Aging, about how language shapes our understanding of aging and drives policy, programs, and everyday interactions. Hannah shares her journey into aging services, the impact of mentors and age-diverse teams, and her own experiences with internalized ageism and “owning” her age. They trace how the reframing aging movement has evolved since 2015, moving from marketing and communications into direct practice and cross-sector work, and discuss the tension between using common search terms like “senior citizen” and striving to change the broader culture. Key takeaways include the power of small shifts in language, the importance of inviting people into the work rather than calling them out, the need to engage sectors beyond traditional aging services, and the value of personal reflection in confronting ageism at every stage of life.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Welcome to Today’s Episode with Janice Hannah Albers (0:26)
• What the National Center to Reframe Aging Is and What It Does (2:35)
• Learning Patience in Systems Change (4:29)
• Working on Age Diverse Teams and Confronting Internalized Ageism (7:18)
• How Reframing Aging Research and Language Have Evolved Since 2015 (11:39)
• Balancing Culture Change With SEO and Public Messaging on Aging (15:40)
• Moving Beyond Aging Services to Engage Age Adjacent Sectors (19:23)
• Light Bulb Moments, Personal Reflection, and Small Shifts With Big Impact (24:00)
• Hope for the Future of Aging, Longer Lives, and Practical First Steps (32:47)
• Hannah’s Personal Reflections on Her Own Aging and Inspiring Role Models (36:50)
• How to Access Reframing Aging Resources and Stay Connected (39:23)

Abundant Aging is a podcast series presented by United Church Homes. These shows offer ideas, information, and inspiration on how to improve our lives as we grow older. To learn more and to subscribe to the show, visit abundantagingpodcast.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.