45 Forward

About six years ago, as Scott Fisher and Ben Green approached their 70th birthdays, the challenges of aging loomed ever larger for these two lifelong friends. Both of us had known people who had reached their eighties and nineties with enduring vitality—but also family members and friends who seemed to have given up on life. Scott, an organizational psychologist, and Ben, a psychoanalyst, were curious about these divergent paths, so they decided to explore together what kept some elders going strong while others lost interest or drive, or both. And they were determined to learn as much as possible about how to make their own elder years as satisfying and fulfilling as possible. In today’s episode, we take a closer look at the outcome of Scott and Ben’s still developing journey—their forthcoming book called “The Aging Wisely Project.” This is their second appearance on 45 Forward, as part of a series probing the concepts in their book, which presents a powerful and immensely useful approach to help propel our understanding of aging forward, especially at a time when public perceptions about “old people” and their mental competence are often badly misinformed. The co-authors propose the emergence of a new, distinct developmental stage of elderhood, which they call “Elder Identity Revision.” Scott and Ben will talk about several critical psychological tasks we face during this period, such as dealing with the loss of control and competence in our lives. They’ll also delve deeply into some of the skills and attitudes (they call them “Healthy Habits”) to address these challenges. By strengthening these healthy habits, they explain, we can make a substantial difference in how we experience this stage of life. “The Aging Wisely Project” offers a compelling journey into old age, and by understanding the psychological tasks that await us—despite the inevitable setbacks—we can bolster our hopes and expectations for improved health and happiness—a meaningful, well-lived life.

Dr. Ken Redcross is an internist with over 20 years of medical practice. He also is a concierge doctor to a number of families; volunteers as a physician tending to dementia patients in assisted living facilities; appears as an on-camera medical expert for TV news programs; and serves as an advisor and consultant to several companies, including supplement manufacturers and a leading manufacturer of adaptive wear for seniors and disabled people. Welcome to the fast-evolving world of medicine and entrepreneurship. In today’s episode, Dr. Redcross recounts his storied cross-country career, starting as a provider to farm workers in California, to his current multi-platform practice in the New York metropolitan area. He acknowledges that he “wears many hats as a solo practitioner,” but what connects his various enterprises is his commitment to “emotional intelligence” or E-IQ—what it takes for doctors and patients to be “true partners in wellness.” In his best-selling book, “Bond: The 4 Cornerstones of a Lasting and Caring Relationship with Your Doctor,” Dr. Redcross outlines the essential elements of a successful doctor-patient relationship: “trust, communication, respect, and empathy on both sides of the stethoscope.” When these four are paired with proper nutrition, daily movement, and a strong spiritual foundation, true health and healing can take place, Dr. Redcross says, and remarkable health outcomes can be achieved—something he has witnessed countless times over the course of his career.

As we begin the annual celebration Women’s History Month, it’s a good time to take a closer look at how women are progressing in their careers and in the workplace—specifically women of color. While women of color represent 20 percent of the U.S. population, they represent only 6 percent of C-level positions—that is, CEOs, chief operating officers and chief financial officers—compared to white women (22% )and white men 56%. In today’s episode, we talk with Analiza Wolf, the founder of Women of Color Rise, a firm dedicated to helping women of color get a seat at the table. As an executive coach, facilitator, author and keynote speaker, she has worked with hundreds of senior executives in organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and nonprofits. Drawing on her own wide-ranging experiences over the years and the stories of hundreds of women she’s interviewed for her podcast and new book, “The Myths of Success: A Woman of Color’s Guide to Leadership,” Analiza will describe some of the obstacles that have turned the glass ceiling into a “concrete ceiling” for many women of color. She’ll reveal the 9 myths that hold women back from the advancement they seek. And, she’ll offer an array of practices that can help women break through to the next level in their careers, as well as specific ways that organizations can create clear pathways to leadership in the workplace, not only advancing women of color, but making their organizations more innovative, more productive, have happier customers—and employees who feel valued and motivated.

Since 2020, the COVID pandemic has had a brutal impact on nursing homes, accounting for more than 200,000 deaths of residents and staff in long-term care facilities. Subsequently, the nursing-home industry has been the subject of intense public scrutiny, with critics pointing to insufficient staffing levels and low wages, cases of financial abuse or neglect, and the need for greater government oversight. But a growing number of advocates are moving beyond criticizing nursing homes and stepping up efforts to reform what they call is a “broken long-term care system.” In today’s episode, Rick Gamache, the CEO of Aldersbridge Communities in Rhode Island, talks about his decades-long involvement as a distinguished administrator, a thought leader, teacher and mentor to many individuals in the elder care industry. Mr. Gamache, who oversees four Aldersbridge communities—from independent and assisted living to skilled nursing facilities—does not shy away from the myriad challenges of long-term care. He describes the trauma of the pandemic, but also the heroic efforts of staff members at every level to pitch in under extremely high-risk situations. He explains the need to change how we pay for long-term care, as well as redesign buildings and shift to smaller communities to better serve residents and reduce the risk of spreading infectious diseases. Mr. Gamache believes we need a new paradigm for nursing home care, and ultimately, his goal is to help train the next generation of leadership.

Hudson Cooper is proof-positive that career reinvention can be a lifelong enterprise—past our 50s and continuing well into our so-called “retirement” years. Hudson initially thought he would have a career in medicine and then law, but fortuitous events led him to a stint writing sports books for young adults and doing stand-up comedy. And that, in turn, led to an acting career which landed him roles in numerous movies and TV shows like “Law and Order,” “Madame Secretary” and “Bull.” In today’s episode, Hudson recounts the latest twists and turns of his career, first, as the writer of a wry and incisive newspaper column, “Random Thoughts,” for an upstate New York newspaper, and most recently, the host of a unique radio show, “ShowBuzz,” which recounts his behind-the-scenes experiences and stories with Hollywood celebrities and insiders. Hudson will share his own story of how his show was created and how he puts together refreshing and candid interviews each week with a wide-ranging roster of writers, directors and actors from across his career. Through it all, Hudson offers us lessons in persistence, resilience, humility and risk-taking—and the readiness to leap when life’s unexpected opportunities arise.

In an era of increasing longevity, we have the opportunity to lead vital and meaningful lives far into our later years. But there are lots of decisions facing “longevity adults” that require thoughtful, sometimes difficult, conversations with family, friends, colleagues, as well as experts in senior living. In today’s episode, Scott Fulton and Catherine Owens, the co-hosts of a lively podcast called “Tattered Capes,” present their rare blend of expertise in senior living and longevity lifestyles, offering sometimes widely divergent perspectives to achieve a common goal: Engaging people in life’s “missing conversations” that can spur us to a higher quality of life as we age. Catherine, a nationally recognized senior living expert, is the author of “Be Your Own Hero: Senior Living Decisions Simplified.” Scott, the co-author of influential works such as “Eldercare 101,” guides consumers and companies in designing better housing solutions for our longevity needs. Together, Catherine and Scott believe that while our experiences may leave our capes “somewhat tattered,” everyone has the power and capability to be the everyday hero of their own lives.

Over the last several decades, the job market has gone through a roller-coaster of change: the Black Monday stock market crash, the 1990s recession, 9/11 terrorist attacks, the 2008 financial crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by the Great Resignation, and the ascent of artificial intelligence. Along the way, our careers have gone through dynamic changes, too. As we live longer (and hopefully healthier) lives, we often decide to work longer, have multiple careers, delay retirement, and seek new work experiences well into our later years. And Scott Passeser has seen it all. In today’s episode, Scott, who is Senior Vice President of the national recruiting firm, Executive Alliance, will offer his observations and insights about jobs for older, as well as younger folks, in a perplexing economic environment that seems both strong and vulnerable. The host of the widely popular weekly radio show, Jobline, Scott will talk about what employers are looking for in job applicants; what are some hot areas for job growth (think “climate change”); and how AI will affect us all on the job. He’ll also highlight some of his pet job-hunting peeves, like “easy apply” websites that enable people to avoid doing important homework; and he'll provide some valuable tips and tools for acing job interviews. And yes, for older workers who want to keep working, he’ll offer some thoughts about ways to consider a “progressive retirement.”

Every week, we see a stream of news stories about opioid addiction, drug overdoses, and mental health issues—people from teens to seniors coping with stress, burnout, depression, anxiety, loneliness and suicidal ideation. We live in an Age of Anxiety. And while there are numerous recovery programs and treatments, it seems as if the problems are growing, and the solutions are insufficient. In today’s episode, we talk to Asher Rabinowitz, a New York State licensed clinical social worker and credentialed counselor, who has worked in the field of alcohol and substance abuse treatment for the past 28 years. Over the course of his career working with thousands of individuals, he has developed an incisive approach to recovery, which he aptly calls, “simple—but not easy.” Plainspoken and passionate, Asher explains his new system of the “ABCs of Recovery” (a mnemonic sequence of Awareness, Boundaries and Consequences) and how it differs from other current approaches. He’ll talk about how he has used storytelling as an unusually powerful therapeutic tool that can offer people insights into the possibilities of change. And he’ll tackle the challenge that faces many individuals who successfully complete their recovery programs—but can’t take their progress to the outside world.

When we think about our later years, we know that because we’re living longer these days, we need to create a realistic financial plan for retirement—to make sure we don’t run out of money. But we still have a hard time talking about how to deal with long-term needs, even though the data show that two-thirds of us will need some sort of care after age 65. And we also have trouble facing the fact that adult children often become the caretakers and decision-makers for aging parents—and that a lack of planning can ruin our families. In today’s episode, Carroll Golden, a renowned expert in the field of extended and long-term care planning, offers a pragmatic, but personal and refreshingly accessible approach to this complicated and emotional subject. Carrol, the author of “How Not to Pull Your Family Apart: A Practical Guide to Caregiving and Financial Stability,” will spell out her three-step guide that provides a multi-generational approach to proactive planning, enabling families to gather information, put together a planning process, and structure a care planning team. She’ll unpack the emotional obstacles to effective family communication and present specific financial options to help families sort through the maze of alternatives. Ultimately, Carroll’s goal is to help us avoid the handwringing of uncertainty and live our best possible lives as we age.

In an age when health care is driven by specialization and technology, Dr. Stephen Post is a rare and remarkable blend of scientist and humanist, a best-selling author and transformative speaker who has inspired thousands of people with his acclaimed work on “the human side of medicine.” In today’s episode, Dr. Post, who is Director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University School of Medicine in New York, will talk about how we can educate our medical students and professionals to foster an approach of “compassionate flourishing”—supporting the healing and well-being of patients by uplifting “the full measure of their being, including their life meaning and social roles.” From the start, there has been a spiritual side to Stephen’s work in caregiving, a continuous exploration of positive psychology, altruism, love, happiness, and the mystery of the human mind. He’ll talk about his ground-breaking research into the dynamics of compassionate care of persons with dementia and their caregivers, as well as the striking phenomenon of unexpected lucidity of “deeply forgetful” people. And broadening the issue of bioethics, Stephen will tackle the troubling issue of the widespread lack of public trust in medicine as well as other sectors and institutions in society.