Older Women & Friends: Real Women. Real Experts. Real Talk About Aging

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         I’m a big fan of the AARP Bulletin and was particularly taken by a cover article titled Super Agers. I’d never heard that term before. Is a Super Ager someone whose appearance belies their age? Or is it someone who can do the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle in pencil? Or are we talking about something much bigger? Who better to answer my questions than cognitive neuroscientist Emily Rogalski, director of the Super Aging Research Initiative at the University of Chicago?        Emily does a stellar job of talking about the human brain and the many ways our memory can be affected both positively and negatively.  Many people think they have a good memory, but super agers are quite rare.  Less than ten percent of the men and women 80+ that sign up to participate in her studies at the Super Agers Research Initiative meet the scientific criteria.  We’re talking about a memory as sharp as folks twenty to thirty years younger! That leaves me out.        Studying that ten percent is providing keys to successful aging, as well as clues to what goes awry in cases of dementia.         Lucky genes don't fully explain why some older people have the memory of “an elephant.”  Is it a diet that makes the difference? Exercise? Social connections? Good mental health, low stress?  Do the brains of super-agers look and behave differently? You bet.Join Dr. Rogalski and me for a rousing discussion about people who are living long and living well, and why others are not. And, who knows, maybe you're a super ager.          Discover more about Emily and the SuperAgers Research Initiative. https://voices.uchicago.edu/haarc/join/

https://neurology.uchicago.edu/news/emily-rogalski

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-rogalski-phd-642204/

https://twitter.com/ERogalskiPhD

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      Diana was that bookish girl who sat in the front of the classroom and always had her homework done. A self-described latch-key kid with a lot of time on her hands, she loved to record bits of Disney and other cartoons in many different voices and then sit back and listen to herself. It’s no surprise that years later, she landed a job as an on-air music talent, and for fifteen years, she hosted radio programs like “Light Rock Love Songs. and "Night Magic with Diana Wilde." She adored the job but dealt with sexism and ageism at every turn. “Isn’t it funny how all the rules and regulations that are supposed to protect us are explained away, brushed aside?” she says. These days, Diana, as the “irreverent elder goddess,” hosts the hilarious podcast, “Granny Has A Podcast,” which is unlike any other podcast out there. When I first heard it, I wanted to dump mine and start all over again. Treat yourself to my conversation with Diana and then enjoy her unique brand of humor a la Irma Bombeck. We all need a good laugh!

Diana’s Profile

linkedin.com/in/dianawildeWebsites

• dianawilde.com 
• backstage.com/u/dianabwilde 
• mooretalent.com/sites/default/files/2020-02/Diana%20Wilde_Female_Commercial.mp3  

backstage.com/u/di

• anabwilde 
• mooretalent.com/sites/default/files/2020-02/Diana%20Wilde_Female_Commercial.mp3 
• grannyhasapodcast.com

         www.dianawildevoiceover.com

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     We all have bumps in our lives ranging from not-so-major (Think: a fender bender or a lost credit card) to the big stuff, like divorce, the death of a loved one, or the loss of a job. The challenge is navigating life’s biggest changes and coming out stronger and happier on the other side. How the heck do we do that?       Linda Rossetti, business leader and author of Dancing with Disruption, shares more than a few suggestions in this thought-provoking conversation. She encourages us to welcome instability. Yep, welcome the stress and the self-doubt. She challenges us to sit with the instability and to take our time naming and exploring our emotions.  Sit with uncomfortable, often painful emotions? What’s she talking about? Listen as Linda gives listeners a series of steps that can help women (and men) change their personal lives and find their own, true voice.

https://lindarossetti.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/destination-unknown-a-field-guide/id1445942178

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/destination-unknown-a-field-guide/id1445942178

https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?fetchDeterministicClustersOnly=true&heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAAEZgi0BzD6En_b0xG1VZ-crSj9cNn62csw&keywords=linda%20rossetti&origin=RICH_QUERY_TYPEAHEAD_HISTORY&position=0&searchId=17bb1114-d327-4cb6-be89-2ea83c765f99&sid=b%40Q&spellCorrectionEnabled=true 

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Janine Vanderburg is one of those women I’d want to be on my team. I don’t know if she can play pickleball, but I do know that her commitment to, as she says, “slaying the ageism dragon”  is vital—some might say all-consuming. She does a lot of great stuff, but it is “Changing The Narrative,” the organization she founded in 2018 that has been the leader in working to change how people think, talk, and act about ageism, that has garnered national recognition.  And that’s no easy task because the stereotypes about older people in this country run deep.  This episode is a rousing exploration of what makes Janine tick and how her childhood helped groom her to call out what’s “unfair” and to do something about it.

https://changingthenarrativeco.org/intergenerational-conversations/in-the-news/

https://medium.com/@janine_44604

https://www.ucdenver.edu/change-makers/people/janine-vanderburg

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janinevanderburg/

https://twitter.com/encore_janine?lang=en

https://encorenetwork.org/janine-vanderburg/

https://encore.org/janine-vanderburg/

https://www.facebook.com/janine.vanderburg/

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Shannon Jarrott’s grandmother never lived in the family’s home but played a big role in Shannon’s and, eventually, her younger brother’s lives. Her grandmother was there when she got off the school bus. She was there for the long, carefree summer days. She is, says Shannon, why she became a gerontologist and expert on intergenerational relationships—relationships between a much older or much younger person. In this episode, Shannon discusses the many ways and places to make new friends. She talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic spotlighted the need to be socially connected with each other. Research has shown that being socially isolated can affect our heart health, our brain health, and our longevity. Having friendships, says Shannon, keeps us healthy. Bringing together people from different age groups is a win-win.

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Ageism does its best to stereotype older women (and men) as invisible, unhappy, and dependent. The message is: "If you think life sucks now, just wait because the longer you live, the worse it's going to get." Yikes!But Ashton Applewhite, age advocate and author of "This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism," shakes down the myths of ageism and showers listeners with the facts. You may be surprised and definitely encouraged. Here are some facts that may surprise you:  

• Only 2.5% of Americans 65+ live in nursing homes
• Older people enjoy better mental health than the young or middle-aged
• Serious mental decline is not an inevitable part of aging.

So, put in your earbuds and listen to my interview with Ashton Applewhite. 

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“Your decisions should be based on your curiosity, not your fear.”  

Are you curious why older people are the happiest demographic in the country? I know I am, which is why Sky Bergman, photographer, professor, and documentary filmmaker, is my guest in this not-to-be-missed episode. Sky’s first documentary, “Lives Well Lived,” is based on interviews with forty older women and men with a combined 3,000 years of life experience. The film celebrates the incredible wit, wisdom, and lives of these older adults whose stories are about perseverance, the human spirit, and staying positive. 

Currently, Sky has two films in production: “Mochitsuki” about an intergenerational family that prepares Mochi to celebrate the Japanese New Year, and  “Prime Time Band,” about a group of older men and women who pick up instruments that they haven’t played for years, even decades, and who make music together.

What are you waiting for? Listen to this conversation on “Older Women And Friends.” And when you're done, please take a minute to participate in the questionnaire below. Email your responses to [email protected]* Please rate this episode on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest.★★★★★* What question(s) would you like to ask Sky?*  Will you watch the film, "Lives Well Lived?" by using one of the links below?*   What are subjects that you'd like to be discussed in future episodes?THANK YOU

https://www.skybergmanproductions

https://www.lives-well-lived.com/

https://cogenerate.org/people/sky-bergman/

https://www.lives-well-lived.com/

https://www.lives-well-lived.com/upcoming-airdates

https://www.lives-well-lived.com/stream-the-film

https://www.skybergmanproductions.com/mochitsuki

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 We’re so beyond periods. Hell, it’s menopause and post-menopause that we care about.

      And as for changing the world . . . well, we’ve got a lot on our minds that does not include young girls and their periods.

      Hold up. There’s a story here that reads like fiction. Millions of girls have no idea what is happening to their bodies and what to do about it. All they know is that every month, they have to stuff themselves with feathers or rags or anything else they can find. Or they sit on a piece of cardboard until the bleeding stops so they can return to school or work. Some girls are desperate enough to exchange sexual favors for one single pad. The shame is overpowering.

      Then along comes Celeste Mergens who while visiting an orphanage for girls in Kenya is shocked by the stories she hears and overnight decides to help provide these girls with the supplies, education, and encouragement they deserve.

 And Days For Girls was born.

      Why Celeste? How did her sparse childhood and years of working with non-profits groom her to launch an organization that has reached more than 3 million young women and girls in 145 countries? 

      You won’t want to miss her story and how she overcame a challenging childhood, survived serious health issues, and created an unlikely global movement for menstrual health.

http://celestemergens.com

http://www.daysforgirls.org

https://www.linkedin.com/in/celeste-mergens/https://www,[email protected]

The Power of Days: A Story of Resilience, Dignity, and the Fight for Women's Equityhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/731292/the-power-of-days-by-celeste-mergens/

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Joanne Greene was the take-charge mother, wife, professional who never saw a challenge she couldn't meet. Busy, busy. Constantly on the go. No time to take a breath and consider what was driving her to live her life at break-neck speed. And then a traumatic accident forced Joanne to give up total control and depend on others for everything. During her recuperation, which took over a year, Greene learned the vital lesson of letting go, the importance of gratitude, and the realization that “This, too, shall pass.” She understood deep in her gut that control is an illusion, and that none of us can dictate the twists and turns our lives will take. What began as a book for Joanne's family and friends turned into By Accident: A Memoir of Letting Go,  a moving, sometimes funny, always truthful tale about loss, positive thinking, and counting our blessings.I love this interview and hope you will, too! By Accident: A Memoir of Letting Go – available in paperback and audioJoanne-greene.com – sign up for her newsletter“In This Story” Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-this-story-with-joanne-greene/id1672680342

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Patricia Greenberg was on a track to be a dentist. But her path changed when she took a home economics class in college and fell in love with dietetics and wellness. Since then, she has been a dietician, a chef, the owner of a vegetarian restaurant, and now a sought-after spokeswoman for taking care of ourselves from the inside out—what she calls “an Inside job.” Patricia is the author of Eat Well, Live Well, Age Well and teaches wellness seminars nationwide. You’ll want to hear what Patricia, dubbed the FitnessGourmet, has to say about diets,--restricted eating doesn’t work, aging peacefully, and how women can change the narrative about aging.POLL - Please answer and email to [email protected] you embrace your age or "pretend" that you are younger?*   I embrace my age*   I pretend that I am younger whenever I canwww.thefitnessgourmet.comEat Well, Live Well, Age Well - https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Well-Live-Age/dp/0578602725 or wherever you buy bookshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/patgreenbergthefitnessgourmet/https://www.instagram.com/thefitnessgourmet/