45 Forward

Originally broadcast 2021-11-29.
Encore broadcast 2023-04-17.
We are in the midst of a Parkinson'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.”
An archival conversation from 45 Forward.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/45-forward--6550893/support.

Originally broadcast 2021-11-29.
We are in the midst of a Parkinson'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.”
An archival conversation from 45 Forward.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/45-forward--6550893/support.

Originally broadcast 2023-08-14.
Encore broadcast 2024-04-08.
When we graduate from college, we often have little idea of where we’ll find ourselves in the second half of life. We wonder how our career will evolve; how we will grow a family and move into our middle ages; what surprises will be revealed; and what legacy we will leave our family and friends—and the planet. In today’s episode, we talk with Leslie Danoff, a long-time friend who graduated in the ground-breaking first freshmen class of women at Yale; embarked on a career in professional broadcast journalism and documentary filmmaking; raised a family of three sons; and took an unusual turn into the world of conservation, co-founding Global Forest Generation, a nonprofit whose mission is to accelerate meaningful forest restoration—and help stave off the scourge of climate change. Leslie will offer her wide-ranging observations about lifelong learning and how she made unconventional moves into uncharted territory later in life, and how we can all continue to grow—45 Forward.
An archival conversation from 45 Forward.


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Originally broadcast 2024-01-29.
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.
An archival conversation from 45 Forward.


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Originally broadcast 2023-05-01.
Encore broadcast 2023-12-25.
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.
An archival conversation from 45 Forward.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/45-forward--6550893/support.

Originally broadcast 2023-05-01.
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.
An archival conversation from 45 Forward.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/45-forward--6550893/support.

Originally broadcast 2021-11-15.
About a decade ago, Michael Potteiger and his sister, Nacole, decided to teach their 85-year-old grandmother how to use an iPad. Not only did their Gram learn how, but she is still an active iPad user and loves seeing her grand (and great) grandchildren on FaceTime. Inspired by “Gram the Great,” Michael and Nacole founded Generation Connect, a cutting-edge firm that integrates health care with technology to help people with dementia, their families and their caregiving team through “digital therapeutics”—the use of technology as a tool to implement effective non-drug therapy treatments. In today’s episode, as part of National Family Caregivers Month, we talk with Michael and Robin Lombardo, Generation Connect’s director of business development, about their commitment to senior care and to developing new tools for the caregiving community. Michael has spent his entire career working in technology consulting, and today he continues to work closely with seniors, their families, and care organizations to better understand how technology can help support care teams. Robin, a geriatric and dementia specialist, is a veteran of the senior care field, serving in leadership positions in various healthcare settings and at nationally recognized nonprofits for people with Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias. Having exclusively worked with older adults, it is her passion to foster joy in their lives. Together, Michael and Robin will explain how Generation Connect provides a system of mobile apps, tablets, digital engagement and reporting features to help home care providers improve well-being and enhance caregiver relationships through personalized therapeutic routines and rituals. And while they believe that technology can greatly enhance the caregiving experience, technologists, too, have much to learn from the caregiving community. Thus, research remains a central component to Generation Connect’s mission, and Michael and Robin will describe their ongoing research and key findings from studies around the country—and their views on how technology will profoundly affect the future of health care.
An archival conversation from 45 Forward.


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Archive episode date: December 2, 2024.
You can't open a newspaper or go online today without seeing articles about anxiety, depression, burnout or suicide rates—clearly, we're struggling with our mental health, individually and as a society. But the fact that we're all talking about mental health is a step forward, acknowledging how important it is to move these issues out of the shadows and take care of ourselves. In today's episode, I'll be talking with Jamie Rosen, chair of the Mental Health Law Group at Meister Seelig & Fein, who specializes in representing individuals and families in crisis situations relating to mental health as well as substance abuse disorders. Jamie will highlight some of the emotional and complex issues of mental health law, which often affect parents of adult children with serious mental health issues, and in some cases, adults managing elderly parents with mental health issues. She'll explain some of the obstacles people face when trying to get their loved ones mental health treatment. And she'll break out some specific areas of practice, such as psychiatric hospitalization, assisted outpatient treatment, guardianship and estate planning. There are myriad challenges—but also success stories—and you'll want to hear them.
Original episode: https://45forward.org/45-forward-episode-204/

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Originally broadcast 2023-06-12.
There’s a saying that “Everyone has a book in them,” but the question for many of us is, “How do I get it out?” In today’s episode, award-winning author Dr. Jan Yager reflects on her life as a writer, sociologist, speaker, and book coach, talking about her canon of more than 50 books—an eclectic list of nonfiction topics, novels, and illustrated children’s books. Jan will talk about her unique experiences writing a number of her major titles, including “How To Finish Everything You Start”; “When Friendship Hurts: How to Deal With Friends Who Betray, Abandon, or Wound You”; “Work Less, Do More: The 7-Day Productivity Makeover”; “Victims,” her classic book about crime victims; and her recently published memoir, “Looking Backward, Going Forward.” A book coach, workshop leader, college professor, and founder of a small press, Jan will also offer insights into the writing process, as well as how to get published and promote your book—hands-on advice for aspiring writers, but thoughts that even seasoned authors might find useful.
An archival conversation from 45 Forward.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/45-forward--6550893/support.

Originally broadcast 2023-06-05.
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.
An archival conversation from 45 Forward.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/45-forward--6550893/support.