45 Forward

Whenever Americans are asked where they’d like to live as they get older, a vast majority say they’d like to remain in their homes for as long as possible. They prize the independence, comfort, and dignity that come with the ability to “age in place.” But many older homeowners also face major challenges, such as the risk of falling, health problems, overwhelming household tasks, and isolation—a constant worry for their adult children, who often find themselves in the role of family caregivers. In today’s episode, Ryan Herd, the founder of Caregiver Smart Solutions, talks about his own struggles to care for his dad, who had been diagnosed with cancer, which led to the creation of an innovative technology company designed for caregivers just like him. Ryan will describe how the company’s products—small, sensors, about the size of a quarter—help caregivers keep track of the health and well-being of their loved ones while respecting their privacy, without the use of cameras or other intrusive methods. In addition to his work with Caregiver Smart Solutions, Ryan will talk about his broader vision as a technology entrepreneur, focusing his efforts on developing tools that make homes and communities safer and more enjoyable. A sought-after speaker, author and consultant, he has worked with clients such as Google, Coldwell Banker, and Home Advisor, and presents a unique ability to humanize technology and explain it in terms that everyone can understand.

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.

Six years ago, Virginia Cervasio decided to dedicate her life to helping veterans. The mother of a young Iraq War vet who died by suicide, she learned that veterans have an unspoken bond that “no one could break—a mutual understanding and a trust that they are going to support one another and help each other out.” So, Virginia founded Heroes Among Us, a nonprofit whose mission is to help veterans and their families readjust to life after war. In today’s episode, Virginia recounts her journey that led to the creation of this inspiring organization, which supports many vets who are coping with emotional struggles and trying to find their footing when they return home. She’ll describe the wide-ranging work of the nonprofit, from helping veterans pay their bills to finding therapists and organizing school supplies drives for their families. Virginia will also discuss her continuing advocacy focusing on suicide prevention support and education. She’ll talk about her organization’s participation in various national events, such as the hosting of the traveling Vietnam Memorial, known as “The Wall That Heals,” which, along with an education center, moves from state to state each month. And Virginia will explain how people can get involved and contribute to Heroes Among Us, finding meaningful ways every day to thank our veterans for their service.

Many older homeowners say they want to age in place for as long as possible, but as the years go by, they aren’t sure if they’ll have enough money to cover their daily expenses. They may have substantial equity in their homes: but find themselves “house-rich and cash-poor.” One financial tool to generate more cash flow, retirement experts say, is a reverse mortgage. These instruments have been around for decades but are still misunderstood by many consumers. In today’s episode, Tim Kennedy, a Certified Reverse Mortgage Specialist, explains how homeowners can use reverse mortgages as a tax-efficient retirement income tool, while he dispels the myths about these products. The host of a weekly radio show, “It's Just A Mortgage,” Tim will describe the various types of reverse mortgages, how these loans work, and how consumers can use them for different needs, including monthly expenses, renovations, or purchase of another property. And he’ll offer an update on the latest events affecting the housing and financial markets, what they mean for consumers right now— and what their impact might be on our retirement years.

Last month, Diane Jacobowitz, the founder of the Dancewave Company in New York, spoke to 45 Forward about her life teaching “Creative Movement,” focusing on healing, self-care, and a functional fitness approach called Essentrics. In today’s episode, Diane returns to the show to explain another kind of healing therapy—an alternative treatment known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping. EFT is a mind-body method of tapping acupuncture points on the hands, face, and body with your fingertips while focusing on an issue or feeling you're hoping to resolve. This method has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve performance, lessen cravings, and help resolve fears. Diane will go through several tapping sequences with the listening audience, explain how it works, and how people can use it to take charge of their emotional state any time they want to move out of a painful feeling. This is Part 2 of a unique two-part series.

Most of us are well acquainted with salsa—the spicy mixture of tomato and chili sauce we enjoy with tortilla chips at Mexican restaurants and at parties with friends. But now we can learn about another kind of SALSA—no, not the Latin dance, but a zesty Texas-based initiative known as Successful Aging and Living in San Antonio—SALSA, for short. In today’s episode, we talk with Jane Paccione, the Managing Director of Collective Impact for the San Antonio Area Foundation, which created SALSA with the mission of transforming the community by advancing practices that improve the quality of life of older adults. A passionate and insightful advocate, Jane will explain how SALSA “brings everyone to the table”—connecting businesses, nonprofits, and government entities—thus creating a movement that turns collaboration into “collective impact,” an approach that is more likely to solve complex problems. She’ll describe the work of SALSA partners on issues such as housing, transportation, social engagement, health, and caregiver support. She’ll also talk about “Reframing Aging,” a key national initiative designed to change the narrative about what aging means, combat ageist stereotypes and language, and improve the public’s understanding of the many ways that older people contribute to our society.

April is National Poetry Month, launched more than 25 years ago by the Academy of American Poets to recognize poets’ integral role in our culture. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, and in today’s episode, we talk to an unusual poet who came to this craft later in life—and through the most unimaginable of experiences. Hank Bjorklund, a former professional football player for the New York Jets, became a business lawyer in New York City after retiring from football, then an educator and coach. Then, on one otherwise ordinary day, Hank found himself suddenly hospitalized due to dysautonomia, a severe disruption of his autonomic nervous system possibly caused by the repetitive head hits he received during years of tackle football. An idyllic, healthy life in retirement with his wife was unalterably changed. In his newly published book, “Head Hits I Remember,” Hank recounts his daily struggles to cope with this baffling, life-altering illness, and how he eventually turned to poetry as a way to connect with his thoughts and feelings and deal more gracefully with the profound realities of life previously unseen. He’ll recite a selection of poems from his book, some of which he’s turned into songs and performed with musicians who heard his poems and decided to put his words to music. Hank will talk about how poetry and music have helped him heal and brought meaning back into his life—and hopefully will inspire others seeking the strength to persevere through difficult and debilitating challenges.

We are in the midst of a Parkison’s pandemic—and yet, this pandemic is a relatively silent one. Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest growing neurological disorder, increasing in virtually every region in the world. In the U.S. alone, the economic cost of the diseases exceeds $50 billion a year—a staggering $50,000 per person with the disease. In today’s episode, we talk with Dr. Ray Dorsey, Professor of Neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center and co-author of a thought-provoking new book, “Ending Parkinson’s Disease: A Prescription for Action.” As one of four leading physicians who co-author this book, Dr. Dorsey calls for a bold, comprehensive approach to help end Parkinson’s called PACT, which stands for Prevent. Advocate for, Care, and Treat the disease. He will talk about the most promising treatments on the horizon, from immune therapies to vaccines, surgical treatments, and new developments in nutrition and microbiome research. He’ll discuss the troubling use of pesticides and toxic chemicals linked to the disease, which particularly affect farmers, veterans, and high-tech manufacturing workers, as well as the rest of us. Dr. Dorsey will also outline some of the latest advances in care, including the dramatic increase in the use of telemedicine to treat Parkinson's patients. And he will examine the lessons learned from other health crises, from polio to AIDS and COVID-19—and how we might apply them to this pandemic. And finally, he will give us an action plan for what the average citizen can do right now to help end Parkinson’s. “Parkinson’s disease is not an inevitable disease that happens with age,” he notes. “It is a preventable disease, and we need to get around to preventing people from developing it in the first place.”

Every year on April 22, we look forward to Earth Day, the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970, when some 20 million people attended inaugural events across the country. This year’s theme is “Invest in Our Planet”—and there’s certainly much investment needed as we face an increasing number of extreme weather patterns, natural disasters and rising global temperatures. At the same time, beyond environmental activism, it’s important to explore more deeply, more personally and spiritually our relationship with nature. In today’s episode, we talk with Rebecca Wildbear, the creator of a yoga practice called Wild Yoga, which empowers individuals to tune in to the mysteries that live within the earth community, dreams, and their own wild nature so they may live a life of creative service. Rebecca, the author of Author of Wild Yoga: A Practice of Initiation, Veneration, & Advocacy for the Earth, empowers individuals to create a personal practice that stretches their awareness and awakens their connection to the place we all most deeply belong to: the Earth.

“Movement is Life.” Such is the mantra of Diane Jacobowitz, who founded the Dancewave Company more than 25 years ago with the mission of developing programs to capture the talents and imagination of young dancers. In today’s episode, Diane talks about her singular journey, from her own dance and choreography company; to connecting with young artists early to teach them the rigors of high-level performance; to now focusing her teaching on healing, fitness and self-care, including “Creative Movement” workshops for elders. Diane will describe the concept of Essentrics fitness, how we can be fit at every age and stage of life—a physical state not calculated in miles, muscle mass or speed, but rather measured by one’s ability to move freely, live actively and without pain. She’ll break out the elements of rebalancing our body; how movement patterns affect body type; the healing of scar tissue; and strategies to increase our energy. And Diane will talk about the special role dance plays in how our culture moves and the opportunity it offers to change our one-dimensional world of computer screens. This is Part 1 of a unique two-part series on creative aging through dance, healing, wellness and how to stay young through movement.