Welcome
Hello, it’s Dr. Jen, and this week I’m inviting you to join me for a deeply human conversation, one that many of us shy away from. We’re exploring what it really means to become less independent as we age, not just in body, but in mind and spirit too. Are we truly prepared for this inevitable shift, and could there be unexpected beauty in needing others?

Episode Summary
In this episode, I reflect on the gradual loss of independence - how it feels, why it’s so uncomfortable, and what society often gets wrong about it. I share stories, including a moving encounter with an elderly woman and a listener’s experience of her fiercely independent mother, to illustrate the reality of health decline and the emotional weight of asking for help. We’ll look at health, mobility, and mental wellbeing, and I’ll ask: how can we prepare, both practically and emotionally, for this chapter of life? And can we find connection, purpose, and even liberation in interdependence?

Key Takeaways

• The Myth of Permanent Health: Most of us hope we’ll be the exception, but health is a phase, not a guarantee.
• Mobility as Quiet Grief: We rarely notice its loss until it’s gone. Planning for mobility is an act of love for our future selves.
• Mental Wellbeing & Shame: Needing help doesn’t make us less whole - it makes us human. Our worth isn’t measured by productivity.
• Cultural Wisdom: From Japan’s Respect for the Aged Day to India’s multigenerational homes, many cultures honour elders and embrace interdependence.
• A New Perspective: What if becoming less independent is not a loss, but a shift towards deeper connection and wisdom?

Resources & Links

• Research on Ikigai and ageing in Japan
• Articles on intergenerational living in India
• Support for carers and families: Age UK, Carers UK

This week, I invite you to take ten quiet minutes and ask yourself: Where am I already relying on others, and how does that feel? What would it mean to prepare for a future where I need more help, without shame? Open up these conversations with someone you trust, or simply reflect in writing. Remember, independence is not the ultimate goal, connection is. If this episode resonates, please share it with someone who might need to hear it. Let’s start a kinder, more honest conversation about what it means to be held, as well as to hold.

Thank you for listening, and until next time, take care of yourself and honour the beauty in both giving and receiving support. You are a story worth telling, and we are here to archive it together.

I'd love to hear from you - text the show!

Resources and Links:

• Website: https://escendant.ai
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehumanarchiveofficial/