Can seniors save the world through social activism in their life after retirement? Dr. Thelma Reese thinks so. And, she knows so, too. She's the co-author of the new book How Seniors Are Saving The World: Retirement Activism to the Rescue! with BJ Kittredge. While we often see examples of senior volunteering, this book highlights seniors who are activists in various ways on a range of issues.

Seniors Helping Others in Retirement

The book tells the stories of seniors from various walks of life, ages, and backgrounds who are doing just that. They are investing their time, energy, and passion into causes that matter— and they’re making a difference. Whether it's volunteering or activism that's a fit for you, you'll find these stories inspiring ways to get involved - in ways big and small.

We discuss:

Why she wrote this new book

What the diverse group of 24 seniors profiled in the book has in common

Some of the stories and causes detailed in the book of seniors changing the world

What she thinks we can learn from the pandemic

How her thinking has evolved during the pandemic on topics like ageism

Why intergenerational relationships are so important

The story of a new intergenerational course she's creating with a group at Temple University and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Philadelphia

Her advice for seniors who want to get engaged in saving the world

Dr. Reese joins us today from Center City Philadelphia.

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Bio

Thelma Reese, B.S., M.Ed., Ed.D., all from Temple University, began teaching third grade in 1954.  When her two daughters were in school, she began her graduate studies in Educational Psychology, was awarded a pre-doctoral fellowship, and was active first in the field of Reading Psychology and Education.  She taught as an adjunct professor at Temple University and Arcadia University. When her children were grown, she became a professor of English and director of special programs at Community College of Philadelphia.

After early retirement at CCP, she created the Advisory Council for Hooked on Phonics and was its spokesperson in the '90's. In that role, and as director of the Mayor's Commission on Literacy for the City of Philadelphia, she appeared frequently on television and hosted a cable show in Philadelphia. She was a founder of Philadelphia Young Playwrights, chaired the Board of Children’s Literacy Initiative, and organized the World Symposium on Family Literacy at UNESCO in Paris in 1994.

She is co-author, with Barbara M. Fleisher, of The New Senior Woman: Reinventing the Years Beyond Mid-Life (Rowman & Littlefield).  Their second book, The New Senior Man:  Exploring New Horizons, New Opportunities was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2017.  Her latest book is How Seniors Are Saving the World:  Retirement Activists to the Rescue!, co-authored by BJ Kittredge, published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2020.

Reese and Fleisher created the blog www.ElderChicks.com in 2012, which is ongoing since the passing of Dr. Fleisher in October of 2016.

She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Harvey Reese, who is an artist and the author of several books, including How to License Your Million Dollar Idea (John Wiley, publisher).

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Wise Quotes

 On Activism vs. 'Clicktivism'

"I think activism really is just doing something that goes beyond thinking about it. I love the word that I found somewhere clicktivism, where we just click on or like something on Facebook. It goes another step. In some ways, I think we just redefined activism tremendously with the pandemic. I think seniors just by staying in, have been activists - just by not making things more dangerous for themselves and others.