Shows / Aging With Dignity
Aging With Dignity
Hosted by Varsha, this podcast launched in 2025 to fill a critical gap she witnessed in Montreal’s 1st & 2nd generation immigrant communities - a lack of awareness, understanding, access and dialogue around aging and end-of-life support. Inspired by her own journey caring for her parents, Varsha created this space to inform, connect, and empower families navigating these often-overlooked challenges.
Episodes
- Aging With Dignity
The Retirement Revolution - Designing Your Most Purposeful Years - AWD Season 5 Episode 7
What if retirement isn't the finish line? Anne van Leynseele introduces Preferment®, a new approach that helps women redefine retirement through purpose…
- Aging With Dignity
Dementia and Driving: Independence, Safety and the Road Ahead - AWD Season 5 Episode 6
When should someone with dementia stop driving? Drs. Gary Naglie and Mark Rapoport explore driving, independence, safety and the difficult transition away from…
- Aging With Dignity
12 Years of Alzheimer's: Lessons from a Son's Journey - AWD Season 5 Episode 5
Bob Andrade shares his family's twelve-year Alzheimer's journey, reflecting on difficult care decisions, the impact of COVID, creative use of technology, and…
- Aging With Dignity
Protecting Your Brain: What the Science Says - AWD Season 5 Episode 4
Can healthy habits reduce the risk of cognitive decline? Jade Crystal from Women's Brain Health Initiative shares the latest science on brain health, dementia…
- Aging With Dignity
Who is AgeTECH Really Designing For? - AWD Season 5 Episode 3
What does the future of aging look like? Join Varsha Bhat at AgeTech Discovery Days at McGill and Université de Montréal as she explores emerging technologies…
- Aging With Dignity
Beyond Memory: The Future of Brain Health - AWD Season 5 Episode 2
What if protecting your brain health starts long before symptoms appear? Dr. Ziad Nasreddine, creator of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), discusses…
- Aging With Dignity
The South Asian Experience: Dementia Through A Cultural Lens - AWD Season 5 Episode 1
How do culture, language, and family values shape the dementia journey? Dr. Navjot Gill-Chawla discusses dementia in South Asian communities, culturally…
- Aging With Dignity
That’s a Wrap! Where the Conversation Takes Us - Aging With Dignity Season 4 Episode 12
Season 4 took Aging With Dignity beyond the podcast studio and into communities, conversations, events and new resources. Join Varsha as she reflects on the…
- Aging With Dignity
Aging at Home: Care, Costs, and Tough Decisions - Aging With Dignity Season 4 Episode 11
Exploring aging in place, downsizing, and senior care transitions in Canada with expert Matt Del Vecchio. We discuss home care costs, public vs private…
- Aging With Dignity
From Dementia to Purpose: Rebuilding Community Through Lived Experience: Aging with Dignity Season 4 Ep. 10
Educator and founder Andrew Karesa explores his personal dementia journey and how it led to building BlueBell Village and The Dementia Collective. We discuss…
- Aging With Dignity
Staying Home Safely: The Hidden Economics of Aging in Place - Aging with Dignity Season 4 Ep. 9
Can aging in place be safer and more affordable than assisted living? Erica Sell shares practical strategies for home safety, accessibility, and planning…
- Aging With Dignity
Can Dementia Be Prevented? What the Science Is Telling Us - Aging with Dignity Season 4 Ep. 8
Can dementia be prevented? Research suggests many risk factors may be modifiable. Dr. Stéfanie Tremblay shares the latest science on brain health, lifestyle…
- Aging With Dignity
What Could Go Wrong? Legal Lessons For Aging Families - Aging with Dignity S4 Episode 7
What happens when aging plans fall apart? Litigation attorney Stewart Litvack shares lessons from real-world family disputes involving powers of attorney…
- Aging With Dignity
Aging with Dignity Season 4 Episode 6 - Loving Through Dementia: A Husband's Journey of Care
How do you care for someone you love while helping them continue to truly live? Colin Acheson shares his deeply personal journey caring for his wife through…
- Aging With Dignity
Aging with Dignity Season 4 Episode 5: Building a Culture of Care: One Year of Aging With Dignity
Celebrating one year of Aging With Dignity, this special anniversary episode reflects on a year of conversations, connections, and lessons about caregiving…
- Aging With Dignity
Aging with Dignity Season 4 Episode 4: Through a Sister's Eyes: Family, Down Syndrome, and Dementia
Kevin lived a full and meaningful life with Down syndrome before developing Alzheimer's disease. His sister, Colleen Kelly, shares their family's caregiving…
- Aging With Dignity
Aging with dignity Season 4 Episode 3: What's Next in Alzheimer's Care? Emerging Treatments, Tests & More
What does the future hold for Alzheimer's care? Julia Cappelli from the Memory Clinic explores earlier diagnosis, emerging treatments, clinical research, and…
- Aging With Dignity
Aging with Dignity Season 4 Episode 2: Beyond Retirement: A Conversation Every Family Should Have
What happens when retirement plans meet the reality of needing care? In this episode, Raymond Lavine joins Aging With Dignity to discuss family conversations…
- Aging With Dignity
Aging with Dignity Season 4, Episode 1 - The Silent Cost of Caregiving: Education, Burnout & Community
In this powerful Season 4 opener, Claire Webster shares her insights on dementia education, caregiver burnout, and the urgent need for stronger community and…
- Aging With Dignity
Aging with Dignity, Episode 12 - Walking together: Stories of Hope, Memory and Community
In this Season 3 finale, we join the Alzheimer Society of Montreal Walk to hear powerful stories from families, caregivers, volunteers, and community leaders…
- Aging With Dignity
Aging with Dignity Season 3, Episode 11 - Holding It All: Care without Backup
Avi Parmar shares his journey as an only child navigating his mother’s illness and loss, while now caring for his father living with early dementia—revealing…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 3, Episode 10 - Dividing Care Between Parents: A Son’s Caregiving Journey
Charlie Pechousek shares his caregiving journey supporting both parents as their needs evolve into separate living arrangements. A story of difficult…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 3, Episode 9 - Three sisters. Two parents. One ongoing caregiving journey.
Three sisters share their family’s caregiving journey: supporting their mother through dementia until her passing, and now caring for their father in early…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 3, Episode 8 - The Only Child: Care Across Distance, Culture, and Loss
Jerry Godinho shares his caregiving journey as an only child supporting aging parents from a distance—navigating dementia, cultural expectations, and loss. A…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 3, Episode 7 - 17 Years of Care: A personal journey of Family, Burnout, & Self care
Seventeen years, two young children, and a mother with dementia - Karine Saba shares her journey as a caregiver, the toll of burnout, and the lessons that…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 3, Episode 6 - Different Lenses: Caregiving Isn’t One Story
Caregiving is not one story. It’s many; shaped by family, culture, system gaps, and identity shifts. This episode offers a reflective entry point into upcoming…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 3, Episode 5 - Beyond the Diagnosis: Hope in the Face of Dementia
In this episode, Camille Isaacs Morell and Hope for Dementi’s founder Parsa Famili share how their personal caregiving journeys sparked a movement focused on…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 3, Episode 4 - Planning the Next Chapter: Moving On from the Family Home
Selling a longtime home later in life can be emotional and complex. Real estate broker Suzanne Larmour shares practical guidance on preparing for this…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 3, Episode 3 - Future-Proof Your Health: Balance, Brain, & Independence
Discover how Tamara Williams of Innergetic helps Older Adults and the sandwich generation “future-proof” their health. Learn low-impact, brain-boosting…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 3, Episode 2 - A Neuropsychologist’s Personal Journey: Family, Distance & Care
Join Dr. Rachel Goodman as she shares her personal journey supporting her parents - her mother with Alzheimer’s in Toronto and her father with Parkinson’s -…
- Aging With Dignity
A new Launch: Prevention, Purpose & the Power of Community
Season 3 launches with purpose. With gratitude for legacy and community, we look ahead to weekly episodes on prevention, balance, caregiving, music therapy…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 13 - No Golden Handbook: Caregivers’ Questions, Answered
Caregivers asked. I answered. In this episode of Aging With Dignity, I respond to real questions from adult children and older adults navigating a host of…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 12 - Big Stuff: Laughing Through The Tears
A moving conversation with Naomi and Matt, creators of Big Stuff, on grief, marriage, and using comedy to survive loss. A tender exploration of death, love…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 11 - Caring for Her Mind: What Families Need to Know About Women’s Brain Health
Women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s and mental health conditions, yet often overlooked in research and care. Neuroscientist Dr. Antonella…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 10 - Caring For Tomorrow: Leading Change in Geriatric Care
As our population ages, how do we design care that truly supports older adults and caregivers? In this episode, Dr. Julia Chabot explores innovation, system…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 9 - It Takes a Village: The Compassion Advantage
We close Alzheimer’s Month by reflecting on dementia, caregiving, and community - through January’s guests and my mother’s rare corticobasal degeneration. If…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 8 - It Takes a Village: The Compassion Advantage
What if care didn’t end at the hospital door? In this episode, we explore Compassionate Communities with Cynthia Lapointe, examining how culture, community…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 7 - Mind the Gap: Why Dementia Care Is Failing Families
Why does dementia care feel so hard to navigate? In this episode of Aging With Dignity, Dr. Saskia Sivananthan breaks down the Mind the Gap report and explains…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 6 - Caregiver Guilt: Why It Shows Up & How to Work With It
Caregiver guilt is real, heavy, and rarely talked about. Ron Beleno joins us to unpack why guilt shows up, how it affects our decisions, and what practical…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 5 - You’re Not Alone: Facing Alzheimer’s as a Family
January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. If Alzheimer’s has touched your life, this is a key episode. Jeane Day and Anouk Coxon of the Alzheimer Society of…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 4 - Happy Holidays
As the calendar year comes to a close, Varsha shares a moment of reflection with the Aging With Dignity community. We’re taking a short holiday break to rest…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2, Episode 3 - Silence Isn’t a Plan: Why Legal Documents Matter
In many families, talking about death or legal planning feels uncomfortable, even taboo. But as Varsha learned in her own family, planning ahead isn’t about…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2 Episode 2 - Who Gets What Why It Matters More Than You Think
An insightful episode on inheritance, taxes, and what really happens when a parent passes. With expert Tom Hamilton Piercy, we explore taxes, estate planning…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2 Episode 1, Part 2 - One Table, Many Stories: Caregivers in Conversation
The conversation continues. In Part 2 of The Many Languages of Care, our caregivers go deeper, exploring the emotional side of caregiving, what they wish their…
- Aging With Dignity
Season 2 Episode 1, Part 1 - One Table, Many Stories: Caregivers in Conversation
Today we are kicking off season 2 with a conversation that is a little different. I’ve gathered a small circle of caregivers to join me today, each with their…
- Aging With Dignity
While We Pause: The Power of Your Stories
This special in-between-seasons episode is a little different — the tables are turned! Our talented videographer, Vinay Dhalla, steps in as host and puts me in…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 13 - Because You Listened: A Love Letter to Season 1
In this special episode Varsha looks back on Season 1: from deeply personal moments to expert insights on elder care, grief, and end-of-life planning. It’s…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 12 - Unprepared: What I Didn’t Know About Our Finances
Some parts of life are heavy, and planning for them is easy to postpone. In this episode, we talk about how to ease that weight, with two remarkable guests who…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 11 - Navigating Grief: Finding Support When Loss Hits Home
Losing an elderly loved one is never easy, and grief can feel overwhelming, confusing, and isolating. In this episode, Varsha sits down with Emelie…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 10 - Final Rites with Dignity: Resources for Hindu Funerals in Montreal
Honouring a loved one through Hindu funeral rites is deeply spiritual. But navigating the logistics in a city like Montreal can be overwhelming. In this…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 09 - Sacred Time: What Palliative Care Offers Our Loved Ones
Palliative care is about more than just end-of-life. It’s about living well, finding comfort, and supporting both patients and families through one of life’s…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 08 - Before the Crisis - Aging in Place At Home
When life changes suddenly, an aging parent needs more help, the house no longer feels safe, or palliative care becomes part of the conversation. How do you…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 07 - Mic Check: The Heart and Hustle Behind AWD
In this special episode, I share the personal story of how Aging With Dignity came to life- from a casual conversation after losing my parents, to the lessons…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 06 - Helping Parents Move Forward: Finding a Private Care Facility
Choosing and transitioning into a private senior residence is never just a checklist, it’s a deeply personal journey. Especially so for families separated by…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 03 - No Time to Plan: Finding Care in a Crisis
When a caregiving emergency turned her world upside down, one woman channeled heartbreak into hope, creating Care4giver to help families in their most…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 05 - When Home Care Isn't Enough: CHSLD Cost Effective Options
When caring for aging loved ones becomes too much, and finances may be stretched too far for private solutions, families face a heartbreaking choice: stay at…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 04 - In Their Final Days: In-Home End-of-Life Nursing Support
When a loved one is approaching end-of-life, home becomes more than just a place; it becomes a space for care, dignity, and peace. In this episode, Varsha…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 02 - Caregiver VS Care Provider
Digging into a crucial but often overlooked part of Québec’s care system: the difference between caregivers and care providers. Understanding this distinction…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 01 - We Need to Talk: The Conversation Every Family Puts Off
There are so many issues around aging and elder care that either elicits fear, shuts people down or are outright taboo. In this episode Varsha shows how to…
- Aging With Dignity
Episode 00 - Why "Aging with Dignity" is Important
The journey of aging, caregiving, end-of-life planning and how we care for each other along the way touches all of us. In this episode Varsha shares why she…