The Agewyz Podcast

In the United States there are 1.5 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults — a number that’s expected to double by 2030. LGBT older adults came of age at a time in the US when discrimination was the norm for the LGBT population; as a result many LGBT seniors don’t trust the medical system, and the idea of moving into a long-term care facility means going right back into the closet. LGBT aging is compounded by a lack of resources, and laws and public policies that favor biological families. So how do LGBT seniors get the care they need? And where do LGBT caregivers find support? In today’s episode we break down the issues and learn about an innovative program that’s improving the lives of LGBT seniors and caregivers. Tune in for a candid and inspiring conversation with Bethany Henderson, program manager of the SAGECAP (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders – Caring and Preparing) program at Chase Brexton Health Care’s LGBT Health Resource Center. Learn more about the SAGECAP program: http://bit.ly/1q9ewqg Click here for additional resources: http://www.sageusa.org Music: “Somewhere New” by Lee Rosevere | CC BY NC SA | Free Music Archive

Todd Bonlarron has spent over a decade lobbying in Tallahassee and in Washington on behalf of the residents of Palm Beach County, Florida, where nearly 23 percent of the population is age 65 or older. In today’s episode he talks about priorities for the county and Florida’s latest budget package, how laws get made and the value of individuals participating in the policymaking process. Todd also talks about the major role his grandparents played in his life, and how growing up around lots of older adults shaped his views on aging and quality of life.

MARCH 2026 UPDATES:

After an incredible 30 years of public service, Todd is leaving his role as Chief Deputy County Administrator for Palm Beach County to spend more time with his wonderful wife Rachel and their two beautiful little girls. He will undoubtedly remain active in the community.

How older Floridians fared in the 2026 legislative session: https://tinyurl.com/m4x3epku

Music: “Rythme Gitan” by Latché Swing | CC BY NC SA | Free Music Archive

Caring for a loved one can be so stressful that the positive gains are often overlooked. In today’s episode New Yorker Priya Soni talks about how caring for her late father transformed her life. Her father had a neurological condition that was never properly diagnosed, and grew worse over the course of twelve years. Priya’s journey with her father through his “mystery illness” led her to create The Caregiving Effect, a project whose mission is to build a movement of mentors through the power of shared stories. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about family, culture and spirituality, and a dad from Punjab who lives on through his daughter’s work. Learn more about Priya: http://www.priyasoni.net The Caregiving Effect Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thecaregivingeffect/?fref=ts Music: Deep Singh and Ikhlaq Hussain Khan – Live on WFMU's Transpacific Sound Paradise broadcast from Barbes, Sep. 13 2008 | CC BY NC SA | Free Music Archive

When her husband proposed that they spend the month of February in Mexico, Susan Reid was fearful of being away from her elderly parents for so long. Her mother is diabetic and her father has dementia. Neither parent drives, unless you count the golf cart that Susan calls “the clown car.” In today’s episode she tells us how that trip to Mexico played out, and how moving her parents to an elder-friendly community helped her survive a caregiver breaking point. Susan also talks about her mother’s near-fatal trip to the hospital on a Halloween night and the surreal experience of seeing orderlies in costume, aging in America and what it’s like to get the senior discount without even asking for it. And then there’s the free-spirited brother who raises goats in Nevada.

Music: “Kelli's Number” by U.S. Army Blues | Public Domain | Free Music Archive

Author Judith Henry was living in Los Angeles when she noticed a pattern emerging in her weekly phone calls with her parents, who lived in Florida: her mother’s voice was getting weaker while her father’s was getting louder. In today’s episode, Judith shares her story of returning to Florida for the last years of her parents’ lives and she tells us how her “caregiver-in-training” childhood prepared her for those years. She also talks about her moving and funny memoir, which mixes anecdotes from her childhood with practical caregiving advice. Tune in for a lively conversation that features an astrologer’s prediction, a time-out for dad during Chanukah dinner and the tale of a mother who planned her own funeral.

For a transcript of this episode click here: Transcript

Check out Judith’s memoir and work: website  

Music: “Barbara” by U.S. Army Blues (Public Domain); and “Swing 39” by Latché Swing | CC BY NC SA | Free Music Archive

Brooklyn-born attorney and empowerment guru Tamesha Keel was riding high in her career when her father died and she instinctively took on the role of her mother’s sole caregiver. Years earlier her mother had survived a massive brain hemorrhage, but she couldn’t live alone so she moved in with Tamesha. Then her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and terminal cancer. In today’s episode Tamesha talks about powering through work as she coordinated her mother’s multiple care needs, letting go of her “perfect daughter” mindset, tough-love fights with mom and their complicated but magical trip to New Orleans, sponsored by the Dream Foundation. Later in the show: the demographics of care. Learn more about Tamesha: http://www.lawportunities.com Music: “Harp Calling” by Ketsa | CC BY NC ND | Free Music Archive

In the blink of an eye, author Liz O’Donnell went from speaking out on the challenges faced by working mothers to losing sleep as a working daughter caring for her terminally ill mother and father in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. In today’s episode Liz shares what she learned juggling the competing demands of work and family life during her crash course in eldercare, and we follow up on her recent article in The Atlantic magazine: “The Crisis Facing America’s Working Daughters,” which examines the hidden, often ignored troubles of working mothers with aging parents. Tune in for a spirited conversation. 

For tons of tips and resources, check out Liz’s website: http://www.workingdaughter.com

For a transcript of this episode click here: Only Way  Through Is Through

 Music: “Pre-Vertex (Limited Functionality Is My New Jam)” by Lee Rosevere | CC BY NC SA

When her father crawled out of a window in the middle of the night, Lisa Howland had to make a thousand calculations at once to coax him back inside her house. What happened next was equally harrowing for this only child of divorced parents, whose father—a retired businessman—was incorrectly diagnosed many times before he was given a correct medical diagnosis. In today’s episode Lisa describes the progression of her father’s Lewy Body dementia and the extreme measures she took to keep him safe, she offers advice for stressed-out caregivers and her thoughts on long-term care in the US. Tune in for this vivid account of a fiercely devoted daughter, who learned to sleep with one eye open during her unpredictable ride. Learn more and get help here: https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/lewy-body-dementia/introduction Music: “Ascent” and “Mangata” by Jon Luc Hefferman | CC BY NC | Free Music Archive

Pioneering gerontologist and Penn State University professor Steven Zarit has spent decades studying the effects of caregiving on families. In today’s episode he shares the dramatic results of a study that measured stress levels in people caring for a loved one with dementia on days when the care recipient was at home versus at adult day care. Zarit also provides stress-reducing tips for caregivers, including strategies that have emerged from support group sessions, he weighs in on long-term care in the US compared with other countries and he tells us what he’d say to the presidential candidates about support to family caregivers.

More about Steve: http://hhd.psu.edu/news/2013/Steve-Zarit.html

MUSIC: “Departures (Green Wall)” by Lee Rosevere | CC BY NC SA | Free Music Archive

Imagine your spouse waking up in the middle of the night desperate to know where he is and anxious to locate his family. That’s just the tip of the iceberg for Denise Sleeper, whose husband Scott was diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 48. In today’s episode Denise speaks candidly about this “tsunami” that hit their family, its emotional and financial toll, the changes she’s observed in her husband over time and how her sons, and extended family and friends have rallied around Scott. Tune in for a powerful story that focuses like a laser beam on what it means to live moment to moment with guts and grace. Scott’s Go Fund Me Page: https://www.gofundme.com/vaan4c Keep up with Denise’s work on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/denise.sleeper.5?fref=ts Music: “Triumph” by Jon Luc Hefferman | CC BY NC | Free Music Archive