45 Forward

On the cusp of what many observers are calling one of the most important mid-term elections in decades, we’re bombarded every day with political advertising for both Democrats and Republicans, each side lambasting the other as a danger to our safety, our economic future and freedoms—our very way of life. Americans are more polarized than ever, and we don’t seem to change much as we get older. But in today’s episode, Ciaran O’Connor, a leading member of Braver Angels, tells the story of how this organization came together after the 2016 election with a bold mission: to bridge the partisan divide, bring Americans together and strengthen our democratic republic. The determined group of founders wanted to see if we, the people, could still disagree respectfully—and just maybe, find common ground. They reject the normalization of extreme polarization, saying no to the breakdown of political and social life that it causes. Today, Ciaran will talk about how Braver Angels has worked to rebuild civic trust and heal the wounds between left and right. He’ll describe the organization’s local alliances, its workshops, one-on-one conversations, town halls podcasts and other events across the country. And he’ll talk about how each of us can join the efforts of a network of volunteers to help bring Americans together, bridge our differences and continue to build a more perfect union.

A few decades ago, when Mary Pipher was a working mother in the midst of a busy career as a clinical psychologist, she realized she might find some precious time during her days to do what she always wanted to do: To write. She read dozens of books on writing, attended workshops and joined a writers’ group. In 1994 she published “Reviving Ophelia,” her first of 11 books, four of which became New York Times bestsellers. In today’s episode, Mary talks about her latest book, “A Life of Light: Meditations on Impermanence,” an illuminating memoir that not only offers heartfelt stories, but profound insights and wisdom into loss, change and hope as we age. Drawing on her own life, which began with a hard, dark childhood, she explores what she’s learned about how to balance despair with joy, trauma with recovery, attachments with separation from the people and things we deeply love. Mary, who has earned the title of “cultural therapist” for her generation, will share the coping skills and resilience she has honed during her lifetime. And she will talk about how each of us can look inside ourselves to write our own story as a life in light.

Everywhere we look these days we’re bombarded by talk: social media, TV news and opinion shows, podcasts, blogs, emails, texts. And yet, we’re living in an age where social isolation and loneliness are on the rise, leading many to call this an epidemic. More than one-third of Americans over the age of 45 report feeling lonely, with prevalence especially high among those under 25 and over 65 years old. While this alarming trend has grown, so has the understanding and evidence of its impact: Social connection significantly affects the health of all of us. In today’s episode, Kasley Killam, a leading expert in social isolation and loneliness, talks about the need to go beyond our traditional thinking that physical and mental health are all that matter. There’s a third dimension to well-being, Kasley points out, that is related to social health—the dimension to well-being that comes from our relationships, our connection and community. Kasley, the Founder of Social Health Labs, will explain how over a decade of studying, sharing and applying the science of human connection has led her to elevate the idea of social health to help individuals, organizations and communities become more socially healthy. She’ll describe the evolution of many key components of social health, such as the role of healthy community design in significantly addressing major societal problems, including health disparities and climate change. Kasley will describe an array of compelling programs and initiatives, such Connect+Conversations, an event series created by Social Health Labs and the Foundation for Social Connection that convened 26 experts and over 2,500 community members from 55 countries to discuss how to reduce and prevent loneliness. And not only will Kasley explain why all this matters, she’ll offer steps each of us can take to strengthen our social health in our day-to-day life.

Every October 15 marks the beginning of Medicare’s annual open enrollment period, when Medicare recipients can change their Medicare health plans and prescription drug coverage for the following year. It’s an important time for everyone to review their plan to determine whether it’s the best one to fit their needs. But with hundreds of choices, this process can be a complex maze for any individual to handle—and the enrollment period ends December 7. In today’s episode, Independent Senior Health Representative Jane O’Malley explains the A, B, C’s (and D) of Medicare—from traditional Medicare (Parts A & B) to Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Supplement Plans (Medigap) and Part D prescription drug plans. Jane will talk about the process of signing up; what the options are in choosing plans; and how she guides families through the changes that Medicare health and drug plans can implement each year—things like costs, coverage, and which providers and pharmacies are in their networks. She’ll also discuss the latest changes in Medicare policies and provisions, like coverage for telehealth and vaccines, and new requirements for recording calls between agents and clients. Every person has distinctive needs, and Jane’s goal is to make sure that they are enrolled in the most comprehensive, suitable, yet affordable, plan. Simply put, she says, “I am happy to be the voice of their choice.”

As we kick off National Aging in Place Week, surveys tell us that an overwhelming majority of older adults want to remain in the comfort and security of their own homes for as long as possible. But many families are not equipped with the resources and expertise to accomplish this goal. In today’s episode, the Executive Director of the National Aging in Place Council, Tara Ballman, talks about her organization’s mission to provide families and caregivers with the education and tools they need to age with grace and dignity. Tara will describe how NAIPC has grown over the years into a proactive nationwide network of experts in health care, financial services, elder law, Medicare and Medicaid specialist, home design, home care, assisted living, and dozens of other fields—virtually every area of expertise that families might need to age in place, wherever that place might be at later stages of life. Tara, who has worked in the aging services field for almost two decades, is co-author with 19 other NAIPC members of the Council’s just-published first book, “Aging In Place Conversations: What Industry Experts Have to Say.” She’ll detail the book’s impressive array of resources and commentary, listed by NAIPC’s “Five Pillars of Aging,” as well as talk about the organization’s online tool-kits, YouTube TV channel, events, blogs and practical advice. Just as many of us made a plan to go to college (and then put our kids through college), we should have a plan for our aging years—a plan that need to be just as detailed, and just as commonplace, in our society.

More than a decade ago, officials from the Town of North Hempstead on Long Island noticed a significant trend in the Town’s Census data: the region’s older population—residents aged 75 to 84—increased 40%, while those over 85 had increased 60%, since the last national census. They also had discovered another important trend: many of these older residents were long-time members of their community who wanted to remain in their homes, aging in place independently for as long as possible. So the Town created an innovative program called Project Independence, which over the years has grown into a multi-faceted program with one primary goal: to help seniors live healthy, active and engaged lives by connecting them to valuable services and programs in their communities. In today’s episode, Rebecca Miller, Deputy Director of the Town of Hempstead’s Department of Services for the Aging, will talk about how Project Independence serves thousands of local seniors every year, linking them to health care professionals, social workers, taxi rides to doctors, shopping, socialization and fitness programs and home-repair services. Rebecca will describe how the program has created unique partnership with community organizations, health care professionals, social service agencies and businesses. And she will explain how Project Independence has evolved into a nationally recognized NORC—a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community. While NORCs have been springing up across the country, they’re more common in urban settings—which has made Project Independence a distinctive and valuable model for suburban communities across America.

The next time you go to the supermarket, you may notice that some products have what’s known as a BBE (“best before end” date) stamped on the packaging. What does this mean? It’s not that the food will be unsafe after that date, but it may not be at its best—its flavor and texture might not be as good after a certain period of time. While we may not think of other products or aspects of our lives having best before dates, longevity expert Scott Fulton has developed a creative approach to apply this concept to our living environment, as well as our health and well-being. In today’s episode, Scott, who is Founder and President of Home Ideations, will talk about the best before date of our house. In many instances, we buy our homes and remain in them for decades, but most houses are not designed for older adults. The renovations we make are often not the kinds of design changes that will support our future needs, so we end up living in houses that are essentially beyond their best before date. But as Scott points out, that doesn’t mean we can’t devise plenty of strategies to extend the functional lifespan of our home environment to fit our needs as we age. Scott will explain how he collaborates with homeowners to combine functional design features with striking styles that add aesthetic value to their homes. He’ll talk about “forward flow” solutions to accommodate a spectrum of all ages; no-step solutions to minimize falls as we age (September is Fall Prevention Awareness Month) and describe how cost-effective technologies are being introduced in our entrances, kitchens, and living areas. Call it “Aging with Grace” or “Thriving in Home-Based Retirement,” what matters, Scott says, is that you have a realistic plan that shields you from potential crises, while providing an inviting and secure lifestyle for years to come.

Every year, millions of consumers are affected by fraud and scams—especially elderly Americans. These incidents have been growing at an alarming rate and have assumed troublingly creative tactics: a variety of identity theft schemes; phone scams like callers claiming they’re with the IRS, Social Security or company customer service departments; lottery or sweepstakes scams; or callers pretending to be family members in financial distress. The Federal Trade Commission estimates the cost of financial fraud reached nearly $6 billion last year, and the real cost is likely much higher because many victims are too ashamed to come forward and report the incidents. But you don’t have to be a victim. In today’s episode, Kathy Stokes, Director of Fraud Prevention Programs with AARP, talks about her mission to educate older adults on the risks that fraud represents to their financial security—and what they can do about it. A nationally recognized expert in consumer fraud issues, Kathy will describe how she and her team have expanded AARP’s leadership in this arena, including the creation of a new victim support program and a multi-year campaign to end the use of gift cards in fraud. Besides offering some strategies for people to protect themselves, she’ll talk about the formation of a national effort to fundamentally transform how our society addresses consumer fraud. In fact, a major study by the AARP Fraud Watch Network, which teamed up with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Education Foundation, found that our “victim-blaming” culture exacerbates the deep sense of shame and low self-esteem felt by financial fraud victims, shifting the focus away from perpetrators and allowing these horrific crimes to flourish. But these practices can shift, Kathy argues, and she’ll explain how AARP and the FINRA Foundation are seeking to engage institutions—financial, law enforcement, legislative and judicial— the media, and the general public to drive long-term change in how victims of financial fraud are treated.

As a child in the 1940s in Philadelphia, Ray Scott idolized the Harlem Globetrotters, whom he credits with introducing him to professional basketball in an era when it was a predominantly white spectator sport. So when he was drafted by the National Basketball Association’s Detroit Pistons in 1961 he was already familiar with the Black ground-breakers in the League, figures like Earl Lloyd, the first Black man to play in an NBA game. Little did he expect that just over a decade later he would become a coach, and soon a basketball icon himself, as the first Black coach to be named the NBA’s Coach of the Year. In today’s episode, Ray Scott talks about his experiences as a player and coach—and much more—that he recounts in his new memoir, “The NBA in Black and White: The Memoir of a Trailblazing NBA Player and Coach.” He will offer a storied history of several other prominent Black players of his time, including Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Roberson and Bill Russell, and the impact they had transforming the game. Along with his favorite memories as player and coach, Ray will detail his formative role in the creation of the modern-day NBA through his contribution in establishing the NBA players’ union in the 1960s. He’ll provide his perspective on issues of racial discrimination and integration over his lifespan, including his involvement in the civil rights movement, from meeting Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X to working alongside Coretta Scott King. And finally, Ray will talk about how he transitioned from his NBA years into a successful post-basketball life of business and social service.

Planning for retirement triggers all sorts of thoughts: excitement, hope, expectation—and yes, a dose of anxiety. We worry about financial security (did we save enough?) but we’re often not prepared for the emotional and social aspects of this major life transition. In today’s episode, Leah Frankel— who has created the entrepreneurial role of “Retirement Journey Advocate”—offers a sharp and refreshing perspective on how to prepare for this next chapter of life. Whether you want to launch a second career; have a side-job or hobby, volunteer, travel, or just sit back and relax, Leah will guide and support you through a stress-free workplace exit, prepared for a new identity and fulfilling experiences. Leah, herself, retired three years ago from a highly successful 30-year career with L’Oreal, and in the process discovered how to transfer her skills and talents into a meaningful second act—and guide others how to do the same. In today’s conversation with host Ron Roel, Leah will explain her simple, 3-step process for leaving a long-time career—a common-sense approach that combines attention to administrative and procedural details with strategic goals and priorities. She’ll also provide a list of 7 key tips and insights to start your retirement journey, from creating a list of “hard and soft skills”; to adapting from a corporate structure to flexible time schedules; creating new relationships and social networks; and learning how (and when) to take breaks to recharge. Finally, drawing from her own personal experiences, Leah will talk about the importance of finding fulfillment, not just happiness, in retirement—finding ways to continue making a difference, imparting your experiences to the next generations, and feeling that life is important and meaningful.