45 Forward

If you or a member of your family have ever been affected by medical errors—a serious public health problem and a leading cause of death in the U.S.—you should know about Pulse: The Pulse Center for Patient Safety Education & Advocacy. In today’s episode, Ilene Corina, the Founder and President of Pulse, will talk about her decades-long journey advocating for patients, sitting at their bedside, working with families and a host of experts and providers, dedicated to building a health care system that is better and safer for everyone. Pulse’s work is important for patients of all ages, but especially for older people, who often may not always be able to advocate for themselves. Ilene will describe the wide range of Pulse training and education programs, classes and workshops designed to empower patients and their families—like the Healthcare Equity Project that explores challenges faced by vulnerable populations; and the unique TakeCHARGE Campaign that works directly with the general public BEFORE people become patients, teaching them how to take charge of their own health care decisions. Research shows that when patients are engaged in their health care, there can be measurable improvements in safety and results. Ultimately, Pulse’s mission is not about health, but health CARE, the journey to better health—a collaboration of patients, families, volunteers, advocates and safety organizations. When it comes to Pulse’ work in the community, Ilene says, our motto is: We Listen, We Learn, We Lead.

The next time you go to the supermarket, you may notice that some products have what’s known as a BBE (“Best Before” date) stamped on the packaging. It’s the date after which the food may be OK, but perhaps not at its best, in terms of flavor and texture. While we normally don’t think of other aspects of our lives as having best-before dates, longevity expert Scott Fulton has developed a creative approach to apply this concept to our living environment, our health and well-being—indeed, our overall lifespan. In today’s episode, Scott, the Founder and President of Home Ideations, returns to 45 Forward to offer the second of a trilogy of conversations on “Extending Your Best Before Date”—with this chapter focusing on how the science of connectivity relates to the extension of a healthier lifespan. Of all the things we take for granted when we consider factors that impact longevity, connections are often at the top of the list. Take them away, and life ceases. Scott will explore all the places where connectivity plays an important role in our longevity, from the level of microbiology—our cells, hormonal system, and neural pathways—to macro-level relationships between people and our shared biology with nature. Connections are easy to overlook, and Scott will talk about the many ways we can use them to foster a supportive environment for all of us.

Several years ago, John Leland, a reporter for the New York Times, wrote a series of articles following six men and women for a year, chronicling how people in one of America’s fastest growing demographic groups—those 85 and older—led their lives. The series became the basis for his book, “Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year among the Oldest Old,” which became a Times bestseller, and, as he wrote in the Times, “No work I have ever done has brought me as much joy and hope, or changed my outlook on life as profoundly.” In today’s episode, Leland talks about his experiences writing this remarkable, hopeful and often surprising book, and the lessons he learned about our pursuit of happiness. Certainly, the examination of “happiness” in today’s frenetic society has become a frequent topic in recent years, the source of best-selling books and wildly popular courses among Harvard and Yale students. But Leland’s unique perspective explores what sociologists often point to as the paradox aging: How can people whose bodies and minds are in decline be happier than those in the “prime of life?” He’ll explain what happiness means, relating it to a sense of fulfillment and purpose, and how a positive attitude can help contribute to overall health and longevity. As he takes us along his heartfelt journey with these elders, Leland talks about the role of gratitude in fostering happiness; how older people find happiness alongside great pain, hardship and loss; and how to live in the moment—still thinking about living long—but not forever. Leland, who previously dubbed himself a chronic “grumpasaurus,” offers a valuable collection of lessons he learned from the oldest old, noting that the good things in life—happiness, purpose, contentment and love—are there all along, whether we’re young or old. We just need to choose them.

America has become a “foodie” nation, with a constant stream of information and debate about diets and nutrition, the latest studies, opinions and prescriptions about what we should be eating—or not. In today’s episode, nutritionist and dietician Alexandra Cerone takes a holistic, common-sense and refreshingly non-judgmental approach to not only what we eat, but how we eat every day–what she calls “Mindful, or Intuitive Eating.” Of course, healthy eating does involve food choices, and Alexandra will talk about some of the basics of an anti-inflammatory diet, the research behind the benefits of foods like complex carbs, fats, various protein sources and daily products. But she’ll also talk about the psychological underpinnings of nutrition, how the foods we eat impact the way we feel, and the importance of thoroughly appreciating our meals, eliminating distractions and engaging all our senses. Ali will offer practical tips on creating good food habits, from portion control to managing snack cravings and safe food shopping, whether you’re buying organic or searching for good-quality vitamins and supplements.

As the world opened up again after two years of a brutal pandemic, Americans have returned –for the most part—to socializing, dining out, enjoying entertainment and community events and booking travel and tours they put off for many months. Now, with the holidays in full swing, getting out (whether to local destinations or far-away locations) has resumed as part of the new normal—but there are still lots of questions about how best to get out, how to make the most of new experiences, and what to watch out for—especially for older folks, who remain more vulnerable to COVID and other physical challenges. In today’s episode, we talk with two experts who offer an array of insights from distinctive perspectives. Roberta Rosenberg, founder of Destination Accessible, will describe how her nonprofit organization provides first-hand accessibility information about leisure locations for people with mobility limitations. She’ll tell us what specific questions to ask to determine the true accessibility of venues like restaurants, parks, museums, theaters and other popular places. And Bruce Frankel, the President of The Mindful Traveler, will offer the latest information and practical advice about how to navigate the constant uncertainties of travel: How to best prepare for trips and adapt when things go wrong; how to use technology as a valuable planning tool; and what to look for in new and unexpected opportunities. Both Roberta and Bruce believe that everyone deserves to have fun and fulfilling experiences, including those with mobility challenges. And they believe in serving as a comprehensive information resource for the public: They don’t tell anyone where to go. They simply want people to “know before they go.”

With the year-end season of major movie releases upon us, it’s the perfect time to listen to the wide-ranging perspective of an acclaimed film critic who’s been in the cinematic trenches for five decades—Ty Burr. Ty, who has programmed movies on Cinemax and HBO; reviewed movies and other pop culture For Entertainment Weekly; and was a long-time film critic and cultural columnist for the Boston Globe, now writes a Substack newsletter called “Ty Burr’s Watch List,” devoted to reviews and commentary on theatrical and streaming films, TV and other popular culture. In today’s episode, Ty, who by his own account has seen a “ridiculous number of movies” in his lifetime, will discuss an assortment of questions he hears from viewers. Are the days of the old-school movie star largely a thing of the past? Where did all the compact-to-midsize-model movies? Why does Netflix have no good movies these days? Does the stand-alone movie even exist anymore, or is it all sequels and reboots, and should we just shut up and watch “The Mandalorian”? Ty will also assess some of the major shifts in the film and TV landscape and what trends he foresees in streaming services—even the prospect of DVDs coming back. Of course, he’ll provide a sampling of reviews and commentary from his Watch List, which every week offers new movie recommendations as well as curated choices from years past, a little history and an anecdote or two—something to make you laugh or ponder.

For 40 years, Jay Newman was a legendary hedge fund portfolio manager, traveling across the globe to recover billions of dollars in debt defaults by countries like the Congo, Panama, and Argentina. When he retired in 2016, he considered writing a biographical, non-fiction account of his storied career. Instead, he decided that fiction would be a better vehicle to capture the essence of the people and events he encountered over the years. In today’s episode, Jay talks about his new novel, “Undermoney,” a blockbuster financial thriller about a group of Americans who secretly take over the world’s largest dark money fund. He’ll talk about what he learned about how the unseen confluence of money, power and corruption has shaped the destiny of nations. “Undermoney,” in fact, is a term invented by Jay—it’s the money you don’t see on the surface, but you know it’s there, influencing people and events. Jay will also describe how he made the transition to a first-time novelist in retirement, learning how to use research, along with his experiences, to create a richly fictional world that eerily appears to foreshadow today’s evolving geopolitical landscape. And he’ll offer some insights and observations about what we can learn from the world’s mega-crooks, and how we might limit the corruption that inevitably pervades each generation.

Many of us have been to an emergency room during our lifetime, but rarely have we had the opportunity to see it through the eyes of someone like Jay Baruch—a veteran emergency physician who is also an extraordinary storyteller. In today’s episode, Dr. Baruch will share his wide-ranging—often surprising—experiences in emergency medicine, many of which are described in his new book, “A Tornado of Life: A Doctor’s Journey Through Constraints and Creativity in the ER.” He'll offer a sample of his short, profoundly affecting stories, where it becomes clear that the biggest part of an ER doctor’s work is often caring for people who come in, not only with medical problems, but with social and emotional issues—sometimes all of them at once. Patients like Cheryl, who told Dr. Baruch that he felt “stuck in a tornado of life”; and Fawn, a homeless woman with a history of drug addiction, but whose only request for treatment was “a hug.” Dr. Baruch will explain how he views medicine as a fundamentally creative act, much like his writing, and how the arts and humanities are essential clinical skills for embracing the complexity and uncertainty at the heart of clinical decision-making and patient care. (Indeed, he discovered over the years that he’s a better doctor when he’s writing.) Dr. Baruch will also talk about what he learned as a patient, himself, in the ER; what we should be teaching students in medical school that we’re not; and how we need to change the way we view doctors, illness, and the “emotional and moral contact sport” that is emergency medicine.

In an age driven by science and technology, Dr. Stephen G. Post is a rare blend of scientist and humanist, a best-selling author and transformative speaker who has inspired thousands of people with his profound work on giving behavior. As we look forward to Thanksgiving, Stephen Post will begin today’s episode by talking about the life-enhancing benefits of giving. “Give and live better,” says Dr. Post, who is the lead author of “Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How to Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life by the Single Act of Giving.” A growing body of research shows that when we give of ourselves, everything from self-satisfaction to self-realization and physical health is significantly affected. Depression is reduced. Well-being is increased. Mortality is delayed. Beyond his broad research on giving, Stephen will talk about a particular kind of giving—caregiving. The author of the recently published book, “Dignity for Deeply Forgetful People: How Caregivers Can Meet the Challenges of Alzheimer’s Disease,” he has earned international recognition for his acclaimed work on bioethics and compassionate care for people with dementia. Currently, Stephen is Director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University School of Medicine in New York—“a place where the human side of medicine is elevated, examined, and revered.” He also serves as President of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, which he co-founded with philanthropist Sir John Templeton. Indeed, there has been a spiritual side to Stephen from the start, and his life work blends an extraordinary exploration of positive psychology, altruism, love, happiness, and the mystery of the human mind.

November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to honor caregivers across the country, raise awareness about caregiving issues and increase support for the roughly 53 million family caregivers across America. There’s so much for caregivers to manage: concerns like legal and financial planning, coordination of health care needs, lots of household tasks—not to mention the emotional concerns of parents and their adult children dealing with the reversal of their traditional roles. That’s why many experts say that caring for an older loved one is one of the most generous gifts we can give—and perhaps one of the most challenging jobs we’ll ever undertake. In today’s episode, we talk with Iris Waichler, the award-winning author of “How to Care of Yourself and Your Aging Parents,” about her personal and professional journey as a long-time patient advocate and counselor to individuals and families. Iris will explain how she facilitates family conversations to plan appropriate care plans; how she helps family members through emotional struggles with anxiety, isolation and depression; and how she confronts issues of ageism and “youngism”—misperceptions on the part of both younger and older generations. And she’ll talk about difficult transitions toward the end of life: dealing with change loss, and grief; and helping people create “ethical wills,” finding avenues to leave behind an emotional legacy, not just physical assets, to family and friends.