45 Forward

As we live longer and healthier lives, this question has become our biggest worry: How do we make sure we don’t outlive our retirement savings? Of course, it’s important to live our current life to the fullest—as we’ve learned from the sudden losses inflicted by the pandemic. But it’s also important to put together our best plan to meet the challenges, known and unknown, we’ll probably face in the later chapters of life. In today’s episode, Ronald Rogé, a widely recognized wealth manager and Certified Financial Planner, talks about how to create such a plan, starting with the key questions we all need to ask ourselves: How does our plan relate to our personal pursuit of happiness? What’s things are really important in our life, and what aren’t? And what do we want our legacy to be? Ron, the author of the incisive, yet down-to-earth book, The Banker and the Fisherman: Lessons in Life, Happiness & Wealth for the 21st Century, will take us through changing strategies for saving and investing during these volatile times, as well as the new rules of retirement planning we may need to explore as we move 45 Forward. Ron will also offer some lessons in “financial geriatrics,” what we should consider in “right-sizing” our senior lifestyle, planning for later-life health care needs, and passing on of our estate. Ultimately, Ron notes, we should be calculating what it will take for us to live to 100. Will we make it? Who knows, but the odds are getting better all the time.

Over the last 40 years, China has increasingly wreaked havoc on U.S. manufacturers, undercutting their business with high-volume, low-cost products. So when Lance Cheney, the fourth-generation owner of Braun Brush Company on Long Island, took the reins from his father, he sensed that he had to make a risky strategic shift—or the company might never make it to the fifth generation. Lance decided that Braun would no longer compete in the inexpensive “commodity brush” market. Instead, they would produce highly specialized brushes that accomplished unique tasks for companies that needed them done exactly right. Since that decision, Lance, who as a young man had gone to school to be a sculptor, has blended his artistic talents with his business acumen to take Braun Brush on an extraordinary creative journey. In this thought-provoking conversation with Host Ron Roel, Lance talks about the company’s many forays into innovative brush-making—from producing brushes dedicated to putting a sheen on chocolate; to others that keep the pigeons off the top of New York City’s Freedom Tower; to tiny brushes that have helped the Mars rovers dust debris away from drilling sites. And along the way, Lance has continued to find new avenues for his artistic sensibility, creating fiber-based projects for major companies and fabricating dozens of sculptures for a renowned American artist, the late Richard Artschwager.

As we close out the month of June—Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month—today’s episode features Judy Cornish, an author and founder of the Dementia & Alzheimer’s Wellbeing Network (DAWN). Several years ago, Judy, a retired elder law attorney, had planned to lead a quiet life a small Idaho town. Instead, through a chance encounter with a neighbor, she became deeply involved in the world of dementia care, creating an unusual approach she calls the DAWN Method. This “patient-centered approach” focuses not on a medical model of dementia, but on an understanding of how people experience the disease, particularly how they respond to the loss of skills such as memory, language, judgment and perception--and how this response affects their emotions and subsequent behaviors. In confronting this devastating disease, the DAWN method acknowledges the impact of these losses, but also emphasizes the skills that remain. Skills like intuitive thinking and “mindlessness”—automatic mental tools like muscle memory that can extend a person’s ability to function. Judy, who has written two books, The Dementia Handbook and Dementia With Dignity, will explain how finding the strengths in these remaining skills can help shape how people react and enhance companionship with caregivers. In the process, we can discover the unexpected gifts of dementia, appreciating the ability to be fully present in the “now,” enjoying life’s beauty together, while ensuring a sense of safety, security and dignity for our loved ones.

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and today’s episode features Elizabeth (Beth) Smith-Boivin, the Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association Northeastern New York Chapter. Each year at this time, the Alzheimer’s Association helps promote a global dialogue about Alzheimer’s, which affects more than 6 million people across the U.S., two-thirds of them women. Today’s episode coincides with The Longest Day—the summer solstice —a special day when thousands of participants from across the world create unique programs to raise funds and awareness for the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. In her conversation with Host Ron Roel, Beth Smith-Boivin focuses on the latest research aimed at combating this devastating disease. Covering the research landscape as a whole, she will highlight the latest major development—the recent approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of a new drug, Aducanumab, produced by Biogen, as a treatment for Alzheimer’s. This is the first FDA-approved therapy that, while not a cure, may potentially delay cognitive decline from the disease, compared to current medications that only address symptoms. Beth will also describe significant research studies, including a major European research project known as the FINGER study and similar ongoing research in the U.S. known as the Pointer Study. These studies examine how improved diet, increased exercise, and enhanced cognitive training and social activity may have a significant impact on reducing the risk of dementia. In addition, Beth will explain how members of the public can advance Alzheimer’s research by participating in clinical trials through a service called Trial Match, which connects individuals with Alzheimer’s, caregivers and healthy volunteers to current research studies.

When you talk to health experts about the factors that promote human longevity, they invariably cite good nutrition, in addition to regular exercise and an active, socially engaged, lifestyle. In today’s episode, host Ron Roel will be talking about key health and nutrition issues with Keri Ann Lipperini, Director of the Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs at the U.S. Administration on Aging. Keri, a proud Navy Veteran, was initially trained as a Hospital Corpsmen, taking the oath to care for sick sailors, a commitment she remains passionate about today. Since then, she has spent 20 years developing programs that promote health and nutrition in both government and nonprofit sectors. In today’s conversation, Keri will go beyond talk about the latest diets to help us set the stage for healthy aging. She will outline nutrition and health concerns affecting all of us, but particularly the challenges we encounter in our 45+ years, whether we’re taking care of ourselves, or our 75+ parents. And Kerri will describe her agency’s various health, prevention and wellness programs; where to find these resources; and how they also can help address growing issues like social isolation and loneliness.

When we plan for our later years, most of us consider factors like health, housing, financial security, lifestyle and caregiving, but we tend of overlook one distinct possibility: What if end up aging alone? Recent studies have found that between 30 and 35% of older adults in the U.S. are expected to age alone within the next decade. About 45% of older women will find themselves aging solo. Many of these “elder orphans” have no assistance in making financial decisions, no designated caregiver, little access to transportation, and no help in times of crisis. In today’s episode, host Ron Roel talks with Carol Marak, one of the nation’s premier experts in solo aging, about how to plan a safe and independent older life — even without family. Drawing initially from the experiences taking care of her parents, Carol created her own plan for self-care, self-reliance, and creating a family-like community; now she teaches other solo adults how to do the same. Carol will explain how to avoid some of the potential adverse effects of aging alone; describe specific ways to map out a solo aging plan; and how to access unique resources, such as her Group Coaching Support services and Elder Orphan Facebook Group. The ultimate goal: Helping people build the kind of strong support system they’ll need to solo age with confidence.

We celebrate friendship as one of the true joys—and necessities—of life, from our childhood through our elder years. But what does true friendship really mean, and how to we sustain it in our fast-paced and changing world — especially in these difficult times of social distancing and social unrest? Host Ron Roel and Dr. Andrea Gould-Marks, a clinical psychologist with decades of experience guiding people through relationships and life transitions, share wide-ranging thoughts about the many “nutritional values” and facets of friendship. How do we preserve and renew relationships with cherished old friends, and how do we find and develop dynamic new friendships as our lives and locations change? What are realistic expectations from different kinds of friendships — at work, at school, in our places of worship, and community? And how do we deal with loneliness —which experts say has become a has become an epidemic worldwide, despite the profusion of social media and technology?

It’s not often that someone can recite the verses of Walt Whitman, then belt out the motto of the U.S. Marine Corps—Semper Fedelis! (Always Faithful). But that’s Evelyn Kandel, the Poet Laureate of Nassau County, who enlisted in the Marines 70 years ago right out of high school on the whimsical advice of an aunt who told her, “Why not join the armed services and see the world?” In today’s conversation with host Ron Roel, Evelyn talks about how she became one of the few, the proud-- actually very few — women Marines during the Korean War. She’ll tell what it was like to be one of these pioneering women as she worked in public relations and recruiting, travelling across the West Coast to speak to young college women about officer training. Afterward, Evelyn went to college on the G. I. bill, and continued to pursue her passion in painting, sculpture and teaching. Evelyn will talk about how she evolved through her art as a poet, expanding on how she views her craft, how she finds inspiration (and joy) in her work, and her philosophy of teaching aspiring adult poets. And of course, Evelyn will recite some of her favorite poems from four published books and anthologies, reflecting on various periods of her life, from childhood to the pandemic—and her continuing proud association with today’s Marine Corps. She was recently honored as a Marine veteran by “Heroes Among Us,” an organization helping veterans in need started by “Gold Star Mothers.”

Patricia King has had a long, extraordinary career —and she continued to evolve over the last decade, taking on a new literary identity as Annamaria Alfieri. In Part 1 of Ron Roel’s conversation with Pat earlier this year, she talked about her time as an international management consultant, working with Fortune-50 companies like PepsiCo, Chase Bank, and Pfizer and publishing five business books, including Never Work for a Jerk, which landed her on the Oprah Winfrey show. In today’s conversation with Pat — Part 2 of her extraordinary journey — she talks about how she made the transition to yet another career as a historical mystery writer Annamaria Alfieri. It wasn’t easy. Pat will reveal how she used her writing and research skills to produce finely detailed historical mysteries—and get a publisher to take a chance on a first-time novelist. Pat will take us through her early mysteries, set in South America, which have garnered critical acclaim. Some years later, she moved across the Atlantic to set her second series of historical novels in British East Africa. Described as Out of Africa meets Agatha Christie, Strange Gods, The Idol of Mombasa, and The Blasphemers are stories that capture the beauty and complexities of imposing a colonial culture on a foreign land. These adventures, in turn, have led to a surprising chapter in Pat King/Annamaria Alfieri's real-life story: a transcontinental effort to radically change the future of young Maasai girls in Kenya.

There’s no place like home—especially as folks get older. A recent AARP survey found that more than three-quarters of adults aged 50 and older want to stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible, yet many don’t see that happening. Enter NAIPC—the National Aging In Place Council. This organization was founded on the belief that although an overwhelming majority of Americans say they want to age in place, they lack awareness of the resources, services and expertise that make independent living possible. In today’s conversation with Host Ron Roel, Tara Ballman, Program Director for NAIPC, will explain how this organization has grown to provide a dynamic network of 400 members who are experts in health care, financial services, elder law design, home remodeling and dozens of other fields dedicated to supporting seniors. Tara, who is has worked in the aging services market for almost two decades, is passionate about connecting and supporting professionals serving older Americans. She’ll talk about the array of valuable NAIPC resources, including virtual educational programs, seminars and events, practical tools and downloadable guides on the organization’s website, and a nationwide directory of service providers that people can search by geographic area. Just as we make plans to go to college and pursue a career, we need to start thinking about a plan to age in place before we retire. And Tara will show us how NAIPC can open the window to that plan.