Seniority Authority

Show Notes:

As we enter retirement, we're faced with a new challenge: navigating the unstructured time and the need to find purpose and fulfillment. In this episode, we're joined by 68-year-old author Andrew Robin, who shares his insights on living a "tapas life" after retirement, as introduced in his book, Tapas Life.

Andy offers advice on adding structure and cadence through routines, rediscovering passions, and exploring interests from earlier in life. We dive into the concepts of convergent and divergent thinkers and how they approach life after long careers. 

We explore the VIA (Values in Action) Happiness Survey, created by Martin Seligman, as a tool to identify personal strengths and interest. And finally, we explore reevaluating and reinventing relationships, letting go of old mental models, and embracing the freedom and spaciousness offered by a “tapas life”. 

Get Andy’s book, Tapas Life.
  
What's Next?

What are your views, comments, or questions on living a fulfilling life after retirement? Share them with us at [email protected]!
  
Stay Connected

Get in touch with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

You can also find Seniority Authority on Facebook, on Instagram, or you can connect with us on our website!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Aging gracefully and staying healthy is a priority for many of us. In this episode, we're joined by certified yoga instructor Will Thomas, who shares his insights on the importance of stretching and strengthening as we age. Will, who began practicing yoga in grad school, explains how maintaining muscle mass and bone density is crucial for protecting our joints and preserving mobility.

We explore breathing and stretching exercises that help listeners connect with their bodies, emphasizing the significance of focusing on how everything feels and incorporating breath into the practice. Additionally, we discuss the challenges of deep breathing and how strengthening muscles can improve lung capacity and overall health.

Discover more about Will Thomas and his approach to yoga and aging by tuning into this enlightening episode.

What's Next?

What are your views, comments, or questions on stretching, strengthening, and aging? Share them with us at [email protected]!

Stay Connected

Connect with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

Find out more about Seniority Authority on our website! You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Join us in this live edition of Seniority Authority from the Leading Age Summit in Washington, D.C., where our host interviews Bryant Johnson, former paratrooper, Army reservist, and personal trainer to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Bryant shares his journey to becoming a certified personal trainer, his experiences working with Justice Ginsburg, and the impact their training sessions had on her health and his approach to fitness.

Together, they discuss the importance of functional fitness and the dynamic wisdom concept, which involves the interaction of the biological, psychological, and social dimensions (body, mind, and soul). Bryant shares anecdotes about training his mother and Justice Ginsburg and his motivation for writing his book, "The RBG Workout," which focuses on functional exercises for people of any age.

Learn about "prison anchors" – excuses people use to avoid working out – and the importance of overcoming them. The host praises Justice Ginsburg for her humility and willingness to learn, even at the pinnacle of her career.

Bryant shares recommendations for listeners who want to start incorporating his methods into their daily lives and emphasizes the importance of movement and seeking professional guidance for exercising. In a lightning round of questions, Bryant reveals his guilty pleasures, favorite healthy practices, and favorite book, among other things.

Discover how you can incorporate Bryant Johnson's functional fitness methods into your own life and embrace the power of exercise for aging well by tuning into this inspiring episode.

Episode Resources:

"The RBG Workout" by Bryant Johnson

   
What's Next?

What are your views, comments, or questions on functional fitness and aging gracefully? Share them with us at [email protected]!

  
Stay Connected

Get in touch with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

You can also find Seniority Authority on Facebook, on Instagram, or you can connect with us on our website!

  
Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

In this enlightening episode of Seniority Authority, we're joined by Dr. Jennifer Smith, Director of Research at Mather Institute and an expert on positive aging. Dr. Smith shares her insights on the importance of savoring positive experiences for happier minds and healthier outcomes. She highlights her research on increasing positive emotions and offers practical advice for incorporating savoring practices into daily life.

Dr. Smith delves into her recent research, the Age Wealth Study, a five-year longitudinal study on life plan community residents. She discusses her excitement in analyzing changes in savoring and wellbeing over the five-year period, which also encompasses the pandemic.

Episode Resources:

• Mather Institute Website
• Harvard Business Review article on “busyness”

What's Next?

What are your views, comments, or questions on savoring positive experiences and mental wellbeing? Share them with us at [email protected]!

Stay Connected

Get in touch with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

You can also find Seniority Authority on Facebook, on Instagram, or you can connect with us on our website!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Optimizing your brain health is essential for living a fulfilling, vibrant life at any age. In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Vonetta Dotson, a gerontologist, neuropsychologist, and the director of Aging Well for Everyone at Georgia State University. Dr. Dotson sheds light on the lifelong journey of brain health and the simple, yet powerful habits we can adopt to maintain cognitive wellness.

Together, we debunk common myths surrounding brain health, discuss the significance of exercise and social connections, and explore the unique challenges faced by older Black adults. Dr. Dotson also introduces her innovative business, Cerebro Fit, a one-stop-shop for brain health services designed to make it easier for individuals to access the support they need.

Tune in for a fascinating conversation on the intricacies of brain health and take away actionable tips to enrich your cognitive wellbeing.

What's Next?

What are your views, comments, or questions on brain health and wellness? Share them with us at [email protected]!

Stay Connected

Get in touch with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

You can also find Seniority Authority on Facebook, on Instagram, or you can connect with us on our website! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Discover the secrets to designing a meaningful and fulfilling retirement with Joe Casey, a podcast host, author, and executive coach specializing in retirement planning. Joe shares his unique approach to helping clients envision and plan their next chapter in life using the Design Your Life process. He emphasizes the importance of exploring one's values, generating ideas, testing experiences, and maintaining strong social connections.

In this episode, Joe discusses his journey and provides insights on overcoming challenges in retirement, such as boredom and societal expectations. He also shares a technique for rediscovering interests by going back in time, decade by decade. Additionally, Joe talks about the importance of experimentation in retirement, trying several small things instead of focusing on one main thing.

Learn more about Joe Casey's coaching practice, which offers one-on-one and group coaching sessions, by visiting retirementwisdom.com and checking out his Retirement Wisdom Podcast. Don't miss this enlightening conversation on how to create a meaningful and satisfying retirement.

What's Next?

What are your views, comments, or questions on designing a fulfilling retirement? Share them with us at [email protected]!

Stay Connected

Get in touch with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

You can also find Seniority Authority on Facebook, on Instagram, or you can connect with us on our website!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

"Data shows that if you know about the scam, you’re far less likely to engage with it."

Show Notes

We hear about prevalent scams and fraud in today’s world and we all like to think “it couldn’t happen to us”. But in today’s eye-opening episode, we dive into the world of fraud and scams with Kathy Stokes, the Director of Fraud Prevention Programs at AARP. Kathy has led national efforts to transform the US approach to consumer fraud and currently serves on an advisory council to the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigations. She discusses the alarming rise in fraud losses and the importance of filing a police report if you fall victim to a scam.

Together, we explore different types of scams, the role of organized crime in fraud, and the frightening use of AI technology to deceive victims. Kathy highlights the need for increased awareness and education to combat these threats.

Kathy provides practical advice on protecting yourself from scams and shares information about the AARP Fraud Watch Network, which offers valuable resources and alerts to keep you informed about potential frauds.

  
What's Next?

What are your views, comments, or questions on scams, fraud prevention, and protecting seniors in the digital age? Share them with us at [email protected]!

  
Stay Connected

Get in touch with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

You can also find Seniority Authority on Facebook, on Instagram, or you can connect with us on our website!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Ageism is something that you may not always spot if you experience it, but it can really affect your day-to-day life as you get older. That’s why Dr. Tracy Gendron is actively fighting it.

Dr. Tracy Gendron is a researcher and author of the book Ageism Unmasked. She has 25 years of experience examining and studying age bias and its effects on society. Dr. Gendron has given talks and interviews on the topic of ageism and its consequences, and she has been featured in publications such as The Guardian, BBC, and Forbes. She is a strong advocate for confronting ageism and redefining what it means to age. 

In this episode, we discuss ageism and how to recognize and combat it. Dr. Gendron discusses the origins of the concept of retirement, and suggests that the term “elderhood” be used instead. We’ll provide resources for learning more about ageism, as well as ways to combat the ageism we impose upon ourselves.

Learn more at oldschool.info or the Reframing Aging Initiative 

What's Next?

What are your views, comments or questions on ageism?  Share them with us at [email protected]!

Stay Connected

Get in touch with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

You can also find Seniority Authority on Facebook, on Instagram, or you can connect with us on our website!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

The science is in—expressing gratitude is amazing for our well-being. Then why is it that so many of us have a hard time doing something that so clearly helps us every day?

Janice Kaplan is an acclaimed writer and producer who has popularized the concept of a gratitude journal. She is the author of two books - The Gratitude Diaries and The Genius of Women - both of which explore the power of gratitude and how it can help us be happier and more content. Janice's journey to understand the power of gratitude started when she conducted a national survey and discovered that while most people thought being grateful made them happier, only a few people actually expressed gratitude. This prompted her to challenge herself to spend a year living more gratefully and the result was the best year of her life. 

On this episode of the podcast, we’re joined by journalist Janice Kaplan to discuss the power of gratitude. Janice shares her own journey to understand the power of gratitude and how it can help us be happier, more content, and less thrown off by life’s curveballs. Janice talks about how being grateful can help decrease stress, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep. She also shares her tips for how to start a gratitude practice, such as keeping a gratitude journal, reframing difficult moments, and focusing on the positives. 

What's Next?

What are your views, comments or questions on gratitude?  Share them with us at [email protected]!

Stay Connected

Get in touch with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

You can also find Seniority Authority on Facebook, on Instagram, or you can connect with us on our website!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Living a fulfilling, long, happy life is pretty much the number one thing on our wish list, particularly as we get older. But what are some things we can do to get there? 

Dr. Roger Landry, a Tufts-Harvard University Decorated Military Veteran and Preventive Medicine Physician who is the President of Masterpiece and author of Live Long Die Short. Dr. Landry discusses how society has traditionally marginalized older adults and is determined to help people reach peace, fulfillment and joy, no matter your age.

On this episode Dr. Landry explains the importance of resilience, including the work of the Healthy Aging Work Group. He also talks about the inventory he created from his book, which helps people take an objective look at their lifestyle and make small changes to live a long and healthy life. Dr. Landry shares 10 tips to help people reach a level of peace and fulfillment. He stresses the importance of movement, social connection, purpose, emotional intelligence, and being mindful and present in life. 

What's Next?

What are your views, comments or questions on living a long, happy life?  Share them with us at [email protected]!

Stay Connected

Get in touch with our host Cathleen Toomey on LinkedIn

You can also find Seniority Authority on Facebook, on Instagram, or you can connect with us on our website!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.