Try looking at any familiar object — say, a chair — and then drawing it freehand. Now, turn the chair sideways and draw it again. Chances are the second drawing, once you turn it right side up again, is fresher and more accurate. It's free of the baked-in assumptions you have about the whole concept of "chair."

What if we could do the same thing with aging? That creative exercise is the exact one that prompted the title of social gerontologist and journalist Jeanette Leardi's book Aging Sideways: Changing Our Perspectives On Getting Older.

Join host Jan M. Flynn in conversation with Jeanette Leardi, and come away with a refreshed outlook on living our elder years with purpose, vitality, and joy.

Jeanette Leardi bio: Jeanette Leardi is the author of the book Ageing Sideways: Changing Our Perspectives On Getting Older. She is a social gerontologist, community educator, writer, editor, public speaker, and aging wellness leader with a passion for older adult empowerment. She finds personal fulfillment helping Boomers and older generations identify and share their wisdom with others. 

As a journalist she's worked with Newsweek, Life, People, Condé Nast Traveler, Sesame Workshop and The Charlotte Observer, as well as Next Avenue and 3rd Act Magazines. She holds presentations and classes on ageing-related topics, and has been a guest on numerous podcasts. 

Links:

Jeanette's website: jeanetteleardi.com

Buy her book, Ageing Sideways: Changing Our Perspectives On Getting Older 

This episode includes Music by Juan Sanchez from Pixabay

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“Make some plans and live!” say the ‘traveling nanas,’ viral sensations Ellie Hamby, an international documentary photographer, and Dr. Sandy Hazelip, a geriatrician. The two met 25 years ago, becoming fast friends and intrepid travelers. On this edition of the Crow’s Feet: Life As We Age podcast, Hazelip and Hamby discuss their re-creation of  Philieas Fogg’s Around the World in 80 Days journey--in their 80s--while sharing tips on traveling, their philosophies on friendship, life, and living fearlessly, as well their new book, Here We Go, a guide to getting out of your comfort zone, seeing the world and making a difference. Hosted by Nancy Franklin.

The Nanas book, Here We Go

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In this eye-opening episode of Crow's Feet, journalist and thought leader Carl Honoré explores the complex world of status—how it shapes our lives, changes as we age, and can be reimagined for greater meaning. Drawing from his 5-part BBC series and personal experiences, Carl reveals how status is not just about professional achievements, but about human connection, community, and personal growth. Key insights include: Why status is fundamentally about respect given, not taken

• How social media has transformed our understanding of personal worth
• The importance of finding status beyond workplace achievements
• Strategies for maintaining dignity and influence as we age. 

Carl challenges listeners to look beyond traditional status markers and embrace a more holistic, compassionate view of personal value—one that celebrates contribution, wisdom, and human connection.

For more information about Carl Honoré and his work, check out his website, where you'll find links to his books, podcasts, and videos.   

And check out the insightful daily perspective by Crows Feet writers at www.crowsfeetlifeasweage.com.

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Betsy Allen talks with Carol Shamon about her divorce, the challenges she faced, what surprised her in good and not-so-good ways, and finding love again. 

To read more from Carol, visit the following links:

On Substack:

https://carolshamon.substack.com/ 

On Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/carol_shamon/

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With the rate of divorce happening faster than it is for any other demographic, an increasing number of adults over 50 are navigating the uncharted waters of singlehood. It can be a challenging ride as they adjust after a so-called “Gray Divorce.” For some, it’s a rough journey. Others cruise toward a new era of self-discovery and reinvention. But even under the best and most mutual of arrangements, it can be tough to keep things on an even keel.

Host Betsy Allen dissects the aftermath of Gray Divorce with clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, and author Dr. Judith Rabinor, including how to optimize chances for a positive way forward. You'll also hear from four older divorcees on the challenges they faced and the wisdom they gained from their experiences. This episode is the second of a two-part special on Gray Divorce presented by the Crow’s Feet: Life As We Age podcast. If you’d like to hear Part I (Split Decision: Busting the Gray Divorce), you can listen here.

For more information on Dr. Judith Rabinor, go to: judithruskayrabinorphd.com/

Book: Befriending Your Ex After Divorce: Making Life Better For You, Your Kids, and, Yes, Your Ex

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While overall divorce rates are falling, one group is bucking the trend. For those over 50, divorce rates have doubled or even tripled (depending on what source you consult) since the 1990s. So, when Crow’s Feet wants to know what’s causing the spike in divorces for older adults and how more couples might stay together, who are we gonna call? A divorce-buster, of course.  

Relationship therapist, author, and educator Michele Weiner-Davis, author of the best-selling book Divorce Busting: A Step-by-Step Approach to Making Your Marriage Loving Again, joins host Betsy Allen to talk about the issues, both large and small, that tear relationships apart and how older couples can start to think differently, communicate better, and regain those loving feelings. Even if you’re not considering divorce, Michele has advice that can make any relationship stronger and more resilient. 

If you’d like to read/hear more from Michele Weiner-Davis, visit the following links:

https://www.divorcebusting.com/

Book: Divorce Busting: A Step-by-Step Approach to Making Your Marriage Loving Again 

TheMarriageIntensive.com

Book: Healing from Infidelity: Sanity-Saving, Expert Advice for Ending the Affair's Grip on Your Marriage NOW! (her new audiobook); Link to the ebook; Read the first chapter  

Book: The Sex-Starved Marriage: Boosting Your Marriage Libido

Video: TEDx talk- The Sex-Starved Marriage

Video: The Walkaway Wife Syndrome 

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Jean Anne Feldeisen hosts Dr. Kerry Burnight, a gerontologist, researcher and writer on a mission to “Make Older Better.” After decades of work with aging adults, and studying the things that go wrong in old age, including the ageism that hampers change, Kerry is determined to spend the rest of her career helping “fortify” people for old age. Or in her words, aging need not be “the downhill slide that people believe it is." Her recently released book, Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half. is based on decades-long research: 

Join Jean Anne, a retired social worker, as she and Kerry discuss how older adults can take specific actions to fortify ourselves against the inevitable problems, while creating a more joyous life as we age.

 Kerry’s website: https://drkerryburnight.com/

On Instagram: @the_gerontologist 

Kerry’s book, Joy Span, is now available online and wherever books are sold.

Quote from the book:

“What struck me most was the radical differences in how people experienced their own aging process.

For some, it is a frustrating, degrading, painful trajectory of ever-increasing decline. For others, there is visible delight, spirituality, and joy in occupying their eighth, ninth, and tenth decades.”

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Employment to age 65 used to be a given. If not a career run at the same company, non-profit, or government agency, a worker armed with a skillset and expertise honed over decades could be reasonably assured that the acquired knowledge remained marketable. 

Recently, that assumption has been turned on its head, especially in the technology sector. But there is also opportunity.

Here are three stories about being laid off at 55+ and finding the “what’s next.” 

• Krista was a 25-year veteran in software management at a major healthcare insurance company. She was months away from eligibility for Medicare when her job was suddenly sent to India. Her “what’s next” was a scramble for short-term health coverage. 
• Mike was trained in User Experience (UX), attaining a master’s degree in the field in 2004. After 18 years, he was laid off in his late 50s.  His “what’s next”? Broaden his skill set, strategically update his resume, and pledge loyalty as he seeks his next employer.  
• Lee, at 71, brings a long history of career adaptation. He transitioned from sales to technical research and writing in his late 60s; he now works in AI content curation for a Global Top 10 tech corporation. 

Link Mike’s Medium article:

https://medium.com/crows-feet/i-may-never-find-a-full-time-job-again-one-year-update-e73fbc51af3f

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At 68, Lee Bentch doesn’t fit the stereotype. He’s still working, and after his day job, he cooks dinner for his five grandchildren and daughter. Lee is one of more than a million grandparents helping to raise their grandkids, and he’s also a Crow’s Feet writer. In this episode he tells us how he manages to plan and cook healthy meals seven days a week. Lee is interviewed by Jean Feldeisen, another Crow’s Feet writer, therapist and grandmother. Join her as she discovers how the multigeneration household enriches Lee’s life, and how the grandchildren’s presence, filled with love and caring, extended his wife’s life.

This episode originally aired June 15, 2022.

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Join host Jan M. Flynn in conversation with Lenore Guido, Bereavement Coordinator for a New Jersey hospice program, who has a private counseling practice focusing on compassionate grief care. Grief is something we often shy away from thinking about, but it’s also something we’ll all experience. Lenore, who is drawing on more than 45 years’ experience in the field to write a book on healing from loss, shares a perspective both clear-eyed and hopeful. There is, she says, life after loss — and even joy. 

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