Specifically for Seniors - A New Direction

I don’t usually invite a sponsor on to a podcast, but today I’m going to do just that because I think it's important for you to hear what my guest has to say about his product.Regular listeners to Specifically for Seniors realize that I have accepted a sponsor for the podcast and, hopefully, it will help keep us on the air. I’ve held off because I wanted to make sure that any product or service that we recommended was validated by clinical research. Memory Lane TV was that product.I know many of you are saying “Yuh, we’ve heard that before” - a commercial is just that a commercial. So I’m going to take a chance and let you judge for yourself.Our guest on the podcast today is Alban Maino, founder and CEO of Memory Lane TV.    Alban spent ten years developing something that traditional television simply couldn't provide— clinically-validated, multi-sensory content that's showing remarkable results in reducing anxiety and improving quality of life for both individuals with dementia and their caregivers and we're going to give you a chance to validate that for yourself by providing access to research documentation and the organizations that have worked to prove it. This podcast was more important than I had imagined. Alban’s approach to the betterment of the lives of both those suffering with dementia and their caregivers is admirable. His ultimate goal is to be able to offer his video content to all that need it free of charge is obvious. He pleaded for the help of a philanthropist or organization willing to help reaching that goal especially since the current administration has negated the grants under which he and his company have been working. For now, however, the subscription fee will help keep the program in operation.Please contact me directly from the contact section of this podcast from our web site specificallyforseniors.com and I will put you in touch directly with him.For the benefit of those who would like to share in the research that validates his approach there is a White Paper entitled “Sensory Stimulation as a Means of Managing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia” that Alban will make available upon request. Drop me a note from the contact section of this podcast from our web site specificallyforseniors.com and I will send you his email address.ARTICLEhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/albanmaino_memory-care-innovation-award-winner-alban-activity-7325190241588236288-uC7A?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABMrH0QByj043fv_Hrpv7l0OYIv07Xhl1scSOCIAL MEDIATwitter: https://x.com/forgetdementiaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/memorylanetv/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC031n0ORReeIUIBchB0AccQLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albanmaino/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/memorylanenetwork/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@memorylanetvIMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6480753/MEMORY LANE INFORMATIONWeb Pagehttps://www.memory-lane.tvFor Individuals, Family and Caregivershttps://bit.ly/4mtTG2hThere is a 30% discount for annual subscriptions, please use code SFORSENIORS in the promo box.For Professional Care Facilitieshttps://www.memory-lane.tv/contact-adult-carePlease place "Specifically for Seniors" in the Ambassador LineResearchhttps://www.memory-lane.tv/research

With  the appointment of Robert F Kennedy, Jr.  as Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Trump administration has systematically targeted the next generation of scientists and public health leaders. He has cut science funding to its lowest level in decades. More than 20,000 jobs were eliminated, billions of dollars in scientific research has been threatened or paused, and a budget draft proposes a major restructuring of Health and Human Services.The Trump administration has asked Federal agencies to cancel contracts with Harvard worth an additional $450 million after canceling more than $2.2 billion in federal research grants. Among these grants and contracts were medical research projects.The proposed budget for the NIH includes a 40% cut, the CDC faces a budget cut of about half its spending, and the NSF (National Science Foundation) 2026 budget would be cut in half. These budget cuts could  drastically affect the health of Americans for generations.RFK, Jr , fired 17 expert members of a committee that advises the CDC on what vaccines people in the United States should take and when, making families less safe.And RFK, Jr. aims to prohibit government scientists from publishing in top journals, citing pharmaceutical influence and corruption concerns. He proposes new in-house journals for NIH-funded research, questioning the peer-review process of established journals.To help us understand the ramifications of all of this, we invited Stephen Spielberg, MD to help us through the complexities of this strange time in medicine and science.I asked Steve for some background information so I could introduce him properly on this podcast.  He replied “if you wake me in the middle of the night and ask what I “do”, I would say I am a doctor, a pediatrician, and all I have done as a basic and clinical scientist, as a medical school dean, as deputy commissioner of the FDA – all that comes back to a focus on the care of sick children, the prevention of disease, and optimization of health, and remembering humbly that we are all human, all on a vast journey of learning and striving for a better world.”I urge you all to read Steve’s full biography at our web site (https://www.specificallyforseniors.com) about this podcast.Steve and I discussed medical research in the time of the Trump administration, the arbitrary cuts in funding of the NIH FDA and CDC, vaccines, RFK's proposal that research documentation be submitted to a government controlled journal, the status of medical research and the United States standing in the international order, public health and funding cuts and his personal experience treating two brothers with a rare genetic disorder.MEMORY LANE INFORMATIONFor Individuals, Family and Caregivershttps://bit.ly/4mtTG2hThere is a 30% discount for annual subscriptions, please use code SFORSENIORS in the promo box.For Professional Care Facilitieshttps://www.memory-lane.tv/contact-adult-carePlease place "Specifically for Seniors" in the Ambassador LineResearchhttps://www.memory-lane.tv/researchDisclaimer: Specifically for Seniors receives a small stipend with each subscription that helps to keep the podcast on the air. Please use the links for further information

We’re going to take a break from politics and the voices of older adults on today’s podcast and talk with the younger generation that keeps us inspired.I was recently introduced to a compelling new voice in filmmaking, a bold young screenwriter and director whose creative vision and storytelling instincts mark him as one to watch. At this year’s NYC Short Film Showcase at New Plaza Cinema, audiences were treated to a standout debut from the rising young screenwriter and director behind the sharply observed short film Thank You for Your Interest. With a confident voice and a keen eye for detail, Ethan explores the awkward, often absurd dance of job hunting in today’s world—delivering a story that is as poignant as it is darkly funny. Front and center in the film is the talented young actress, a compelling new face whose performance is equal parts raw, relatable, and refreshingly real. Carmel brings the lead role to life with quiet power, capturing both the frustration and hope that define so many of life’s transitional moments. A breakout performer whose screen presence is impossible to ignore, with nuance and depth far beyond her years, Carmel delivers a performance that anchors the film and lingers with the audience long after the credits roll. Together, Ethan and Carmel mark an exciting new chapter in independent film—two emerging artists with voices worth listening to and stories worth telling.Now, full disclosure — today’s guests are very special to me, not just because they’re incredibly talented, but because they also happen to be my grandchildren. So if I sound a little extra proud today… well, I am. I apologize in advance for any grandparental gushing.Thank you for supporting new talent — and for indulging me just a little.

A Fact Sheet at whitehouse.gov is entitled President Donald J. Trump Keeps Promises to Our Veterans and Establishes New Center for Homeless Veterans.Fact Sheet Linkhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/05/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-keeps-promises-to-our-veterans-and-establishes-new-center-for-homeless-veterans/On this page is the statement “President Trump strongly believes that every veteran deserves our gratitude, and that the federal government should treat veterans like the heroes they are."Despite this the Department of Veteran’s Affairs is reportedly planning a major reorganization that includes cutting 80,000 jobs in an effort to reduce the agency’s workforce. To clarify what’s going on we asked Elizabeth Jamison to help us out.Elizabeth Jamison is an attorney with nearly two decades of experience in veterans’ benefits and federal employment law. She has served as an Attorney Advisor at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and as a Senior Advisor to the White House’s Joining Forces Initiative. Libby played a key role in shaping the 2023 Executive Order on Economic Security for military spouses, caregivers, and survivors. Today, through her law firm, she helps veterans and their families navigate the VA system with clarity and confidence.Libby and I talk about her background and the fact that she worked for both the Obama and Biden Administrations through "Joining Forces" and what the cuts to veteran's services will do to medical care, mortgage-rescue programs, research and veteran's jobs. Libby also presented important information on what veterans can get help if they run into problems.Website L:ink:https://www.egracelaw.comMEMORY LANE INFORMATIONFor Individuals, Family and Caregivershttps://bit.ly/4mtTG2hThere is a 30% discount for annual subscriptions, please use code SFORSENIORS in the promo box.For Professional Care Facilitieshttps://www.memory-lane.tv/contact-adult-carePlease place "Specifically for Seniors" in the Ambassador LineDisclaimer: Specifically for Seniors receives a small stipend with each subscription that helps to keep the podcast on the air. Please use these links for further information.

A FACT CHECK at the White House website proclaims “President Trump will always a protect Social Security and Medicare.” It goes on to quote Elon Musk saying “The waste and fraud in entitlement spending — which is most of the federal spending is entitlements — so, that’s, like, the big one to eliminate. That’s the, sort of half-trillion, maybe $6-700 billion a year.” After a list of “facts” about fraud, improper payments to deceased individuals and improper payments to both SSA and Medicare and Medicaid services, the page goes on to ask “What kind of a person doesn’t support eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending that ultimately costs taxpayers more?”Link to the Whitehouse web site:https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/03/fact-check-president-trump-will-always-protect-social-security-medicare/Am I missing something? First, Social Security and Medicare are not entitlements, they are services for which older Americans have paid for by deductions from THEIR salaries. And , second, where is, in this so-called Fact Sheet, plans for how President Trump is going to preserve Social Security and Medicare except for a statement that reads “The Trump Administration will not cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits. President Trump himself has said it (over and over and over again).”Conversely, President’s Trump’s budget seeks to reduce or eliminate the Older Americans Act, to dissolve the Administration for Community Living, and cut funding to critical services that help older adults to live independently.In order to be able to understand more completely what’s going on, we called on Nathan Boucher, to explain the effect of Trump’s real budget proposals on senior care. Nathan is Associate Research Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy and Duke University faculty at Sanford School of Public Policy, the Medical School, and the Nursing School. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Duke Center for the Study of Aging & Human Development as well as Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy Core Faculty. Nathan and I talked about the Older Americans Act and the Administration for Community Living which provide services like Meals on Wheels, Adult Day Care, Falls and Elder Abuse Prevention and Respite care as well as services for younger people with disabilities. We discussed that despite reassurances that Medicare and Medicaid will not be touched, plans are in the works for reducing Medicaid and adding a work requirement and more difficult paperwork which would affect at least 7.6 million people.

A recent space tourism flight on the Blue Origin capsule featuring an all-female crew including Katy Perry and Gayle King sparked some controversy over whether it was a publicity stunt to promote Jeff Bezos’ space tourism business or whether it had some scientific purpose. We were curious about humans’ venture into space, so we called on the go-to-expert on all things space flight Dr. Jonathan McDowell. Dr. McDowell is an astrophysicist on the Chandra X-ray Center team at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard and Smithsonian, supporting NASA'sChandra X-ray Observatory space telescope mission. He studies black holes and quasars, and leads the science software algorithms team for the Chandra X-ray Observatory.Jonathan's astrophysics publications include studies of cosmology, black holes, galaxies, quasars, nearby galaxies, and asteroids.Jonathan is the editor of Jonathan's Space Report, a free internet newsletter founded in 1989 covering technical details of all space launches.Jonathan and I talked about space tourism, the Chandra Xray Observatory at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics right here in Cambridge, Massachusetts, how he became interested in space, learning from Stephen Hawking, and all things spaceflight. Jonathan discussed satellites and space junk, commercial and government entities in space, the Big Bang, and whether Klingons and Vulcans exist and what the likelihood is that we will ever meet one.My only disappointment in this whole discussion was that Dr, McDowell did not agree that tom Baker was the only real Dr. Who.

A Free ranging discussion of freedom of the press.Dictators hate a free press. Victor Orbán in Hungary built his own media universe while simultaneously dismantling the free press. The Nazis smashed printing presses of opposition newspapers. One of Trump’s first actions was to dictate who would cover him in the White House and on Air Force One and refuse to allow the Associated Press admittance to press briefings. Social media and press giants like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk control or rather eliminate control over truthfulness of content placed on Facebook and X; Jeff Bezos, owner of the Washington Post, stated he will not print opinions that oppose his subservience to Donald Trump.My guest today on Specifically for Seniors is Rebecca Hamilton a Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law. Her research and teaching focus is on national security law, technology, international law, and criminal law. Her scholarship draws on her experience in the prosecution of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, as well as her journalism background, including work in conflict zones as a foreign correspondent for The Washington Post. She is the author of FIGHTING FOR DARFUR: PUBLIC ACTION AND THE STRUGGLE TO STOP GENOCIDE, which analyzes citizen activism and the effort to stop mass atrocities.Rebecca and I talk about the First Amendment, control of media by billionaires who wish to control thought, Trump and his efforts to interfere with public access to the news, the punishment of non-profits and universities, the constitution crisis we are experiencing, law firm, academic freedom and what we as citizens can do.Links to interviewshttps://www.justsecurity.org/107377/trump-control-us-media-information/https://www.justsecurity.org/109439/collective-law-firms-universities-media/ Also - on a different note - The joy that is becoming a hearing aid userhttps://slate.com/technology/2024/10/hearing-aids-loss-sudden-deafness-apple-airpods.html

A recent article in the Washington Post described the current administration's attempts to cancel leases for many National Park Service buildings saying that it could save taxpayers millions of dollars. This move came after the firing of about 1000 probationary workers.I wanted to learn more about the National Park Service and how funding cuts will affect visitors this summer, but more than that - about the cultural and historical background of our national parks and the politics affecting them.So I called on Alan Spears to help us out. Alan is currently the Senior Director of Cultural Resources in the Government Affairs department. He serves as the National Parks Conservation Association's resident historian and cultural resources expert. Alan and I talked about his experience when working on a clean-up project that necessitated a helicopter rescue. We discussed the totality of the National Park Service, the number of visitors each year, and how the extent of funding cuts will affect visitors' experience at the parks and the affect it is having on the park workers. We talked about the mission of the National Parks Conservation Association.We discussed the fact that recently there has been an attempt to rewrite and erase part of American history by an executive order to remove content that "disparages Americans". Trump issued an executive order entitled "Restoring truth and sanity to American History". The order directed the Department of the Interior to conduct a review of history monuments, memorials and other properties for "partisan ideology".We briefly touched on the treaty with Tribal lands, mining on public lands, climate change, air quality and what we, as citizens, can do.NPR Interview and Article: Trump wants to restore statues and monuments. Will that happen?https://www.npr.org/2025/03/28/nx-s1-5343613/trump-executive-order-smithsonian-monuments

I was 6 years old when Voice of America first broadcast during World War II. It was established in 1941 initially focused on countering Nazi and Japanese propaganda during World War II and later played a significant role during the Cold War broadcasting to communist countries. Very recently, however, the White House moved to close down Voice of America to "ensure taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda. "To get an up-close and personal view of what’s happening at VOA, we asked Steve Herman to be a guest on the podcast. Steven Herman is the chief national correspondent for the Voice of America. From 2017 to 2021, Steve was senior White House correspondent and subsequently VOA's White House bureau chief. Steve is the author of five books, the most recent of which is His latest, Behind the White House Curtain: A Senior Journalist’s Story of Covering the President — and Why It Matters, is a 2024 release from Kent State University Press.In our conversation, Steve and I discussed why the Voice of America was so vital and why it was supported by all American presidents for the past 80 years with the exception of the current president. We talked about the dedication and diligence of the 1300 employees of VOA who have been put on leave and the closure of VOA. Steve pointed out that since VOA was shuttered, the world now can only hear the voices of Moscow, Beijing Pyongyang and Tehran and the danger that causes. We discussed Steve's appearance on 60 Minutes and his book Behind the White House Curtain: A Senior Journalist's Story of Covering the President - and Why It Matters.Book Availability:https://a.co/d/6zaFTL8About the Bookhttps://www.c-span.org/program/book-tv/behind-the-white-house-curtain/643228

The news that the Trump administration plans to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency's offices and the future implications of Trump's energy policies on the environment and climate led to my concern about how it will affect my children and grandchildren and yours. Because I didn't understand what all the implications could be and what we could do about it, I invited David Cain from the Citizens' Climate Lobby to talk with us about the organization, what it does, and how he became active in the CCL. We talked about what the Citizen's Climate Lobby is and its mission, its climate solutions and how to volunteer.Links:Citizens' Climate Lobbyhttps://www.citizensclimatelobby.orgPodcastshttps://www.youtube.com/@CitizensClimateLobbyMonthly Speakershttps://www.citizensclimatelobby.org/monthly-speakersWrite Congress to Protect NOAAhttps://community.citizensclimate.org/tools/protect-noaa#/152/Write Congress to defend the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) climate provisionshttps://citizensclimatelobby.org/get-loud-take-action/protect-climate-ira/