Untrained Wisdom

In June 2020, Mary Jo Laupp posted a short video on TikTok instructing her 1,002 followers to reserve tickets under fake email addresses to a campaign rally for President Donald Trump in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The video went viral and the 19,000-seat arena attracted a mere 6,200 to the event, which was held during the coronavirus pandemic. 

In this interview, Mary Jo reflects on her journey with social media, which began on MySpace as way to ensure her then 13-year-old daughter stayed safe on the platform. A high school musical director and accompanist in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Mary Jo shares how so she learned about TikTok, why she got on it, and what she finds appealing. The mother and grandmother also talks about how her use of the platform has compelled others, including people 55+, to begin exploring it and provides her thoughts on how TikTok can be more inviting to older adults.

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If you have a unique story involving helping an older adult with technology or if you are an older adult who learned a tech-related skill from someone younger, share your story by recording a short voice memo on your phone. Include your first name, city and state and email the recording to [email protected] no later than Tuesday, June 22. Submissions may be used in a future episode.

Mary Jo's Recommendations:
- State of Mine band
- Books by mystery writer Laura Del

Shuva's Recommendation:
- The Queen's Gambit Netflix miniseries

Find these recommendations and others on the Untrained Wisdom Pinterest page.

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Device Advice is an organization at the University of Iowa in which college students teach senior citizens in the community about technology while making meaningful connections. In this interview, organization president Evita Woolsey and faculty adviser Ken Brown share their thoughts about why the group is beneficial for students as well as older adults. 

Starting with the origin story, Ken Brown explains how a prominent donor from St. Louis pitched Iowa's Tippie College of Business to start a chapter after giving the organization its start at Washington University's Olin School of Business. In addition, Evita Woolsey talks about what it was like leading the organization during a pandemic and how a recent rebranding – which resulted in the Device Advice name – further enhances the group's mission and vision so more students can get involved.

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If you have a unique story involving helping an older adult with technology or if you are an older adult who learned a tech-related skill from someone younger, share your story by recording a short voice memo on your phone. Include your first name, city and state and email the recording to [email protected] no later than Tuesday, June 22. Submissions may be used in a future episode.

Evita's Recommendations:
- The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
- Radio Headspace podcast

Ken's Recommendations:
- Antarctica
- Do something fun with people you enjoy being around.

Shuva's Recommendation:
- Arctic Circle sign in Alaska

Find these recommendations and others on the Untrained Wisdom Pinterest page.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. If this enjoy this podcast, consider making a recurring contribution on the Untrained Wisdom Patreon page.

Interested in starting your own podcast? Sign up here for your own Buzzsprout account.

Driven by a desire to have a transitional living option that positions itself between completely independent living and assisted living, Susan Shullaw and a group of friends co-founded TRAIL of Johnson County. As Iowa's first aging-in-place organization TRAIL modeled itself after the Village to Village Network and has grown to more than 200 members since opening its doors in 2017. In this interview, Susan shares why it's important for the community to have an aging-in-place organization, the benefits provided to members, and her vision for the future of TRAIL. She also shares how locals who are not older adults can become TRAIL volunteers, as well as advice for communities that want to consider starting their own aging-in-place organization.

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Susan's Recommendations:
- Hot Tamale Louie (trailer) by John Rapson
- Olive Kitteridge and Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
- Some Kind of Heaven documentary

Shuva's Recommendation:
- At The Ready documentary

Find these recommendations and others on the Untrained Wisdom Pinterest page.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
If this enjoy this podcast, consider making a recurring contribution on the Untrained Wisdom Patreon page.

Interested in starting your own podcast? Sign up here for your own Buzzsprout account.

Devin Perreault, a personal trainer in Boulder, Colo., was a teenager when he was encouraged by his grandfather, Ernie, to start strength training. That love of lifting came around full circle when Devin started training his grandfather at the age of 95. Ernie had just come home from the hospital after a 2.5-month recovery from hernia surgery when the duo started going to the gym twice a week. Under Devin's guidance, Ernie went from walking with a cane to jogging across a basketball court during their workouts.

In this interview, Devin shares how he helped his grandfather increase his strength – all while admiring how much the elder maintained a positive and humble attitude in life – and documented his progress on the 99yearsyoung Instagram account. Ernie passed away in February – months shy of his 100th birthday. But Devin hopes to inspire as many people as possible to get stronger at an older age so they can get as much out of their years as his grandfather did.

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Devin's Recommendations:
- Prince
- Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Shuva's Recommendation:
- Stacks books and reading list app

Find these recommendations and others on the Untrained Wisdom Pinterest page.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
If this enjoy this podcast, consider making a recurring contribution on the Untrained Wisdom Patreon page.

Interested in starting your own podcast? Sign up here for your own Buzzsprout account.

Jami Morton and Mary Olson live in the same neighborhood in Washington state. But their friendship began with sharing a love of music through jam sessions with other neighbors and eventually morphed into one-on-one conversations about what life has to offer – specifically for perennial women like them. Driven by a desire to inspire others of their generation, the two friends created Ola Possible as a place for women to look forward to their next chapter in life, "break down the stigma around aging, and believe in what IS possible."

In this interview, Mary and Jami share about how Ola Possible began, as well as the other women involved as partners and what they offer. In addition, the two friends talk about their hopes for expanding their community. Ola Possible can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube. 

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Mary's Recommendation:
- Play a musical instrument

Jami's Recommendation:
- Maui
- The 5AM Club

Find these recommendations and others on the Untrained Wisdom Pinterest page.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Keyanna Blass' dad was in and out of her life growing up. A veteran in his 70s, Joseph Blass has struggled with drug addiction, schizophrenia, dementia, and homelessness. However, throughout the years, he has created unique and imaginative pieces of art.

In this interview, Keyanna reflects on how the relationship with her father has evolved over time and how his psychological conditions motivated her to amplify the spotlight on mental health in the black community. Furthermore, she talks about Joseph's artwork, which she is featuring on the @art_by_josephblass Instagram account.

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Keyanna's Recommendations:
- Brené Brown
- Dr. Andrew Huberman
- Esther Hicks

Shuva's Recommendation:
- Law of Attraction Changed My Life podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Renae Perry is the chief operating officer at The Senior Source, a nonprofit organization serving older adults and family caregivers in the greater Dallas area for nearly 60 years. Since the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Texas, Renae and her team have been instrumental in ensuring older adults stay informed and have their questions answered.

In this interview, Renae discusses how The Senior Source has helped elderly residents get vaccine appointments. Furthermore, she talks about the importance of collaborating with the health department and other local officials to make sure information about vaccine availability and effectiveness is adequately communicated – especially among underserved populations. Finally, Renae shares ideas on how someone can help an elderly person – such as a neighbor or family member – who has yet to be vaccinated.

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If you have someone in your life unsure about being vaccinated, check out Vaccine Resources: Benefits vs. Myths. This document, created by The Senior Source, includes links to relevant YouTube videos that address common concerns.

Renae's Recommendations:
- Stamped From The Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
- The Great British Baking Show

Shuva's Recommendation:
- Libby app (for checking out e-books and audio books from your local library)

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Interested in starting your own podcast? Sign up here for your own Buzzsprout account.

In Season 4, I have eight episodes of guests whose experiences have shaped their narratives and aim to challenge our own beliefs of what’s possible.

Four of my guests are from my home state of Iowa. The others are from Texas, Arizona, Washington state, Colorado, and England. This preview episode introduces the following guests:

• 5/4      Ep. 32: Dallas-Based COVID Vaccine Resource Leader Renae Perry
• 5/11   Ep. 33: Mental Health Advocate + Caregiver Daughter Keyanna Blass
• 5/18   Ep. 34: Ola Possible Creators Jami Morton + Mary Olson
• 5/25   Ep. 35: Grandfather's Health Journey Chronicler Devin Perreault
• 6/1      Ep. 36: Iowa Aging-in-Place Nonprofit Co-Founder Susan Shullaw
• 6/8      Ep. 37: University of Iowa Device Advice Leaders Evita Woolsey + Ken Brown
• 6/15   Ep. 38: Tik Tok Grandma Mary Jo Laupp
• 6/22   Ep. 39: Re-Creator of Iconic Album Covers Robert Speker     

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Find out more about podcast on the Untrained Wisdom blog, where you can find some FAQs about the show. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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In late February 2021, host Shuva Rahim presented a webinar to a group of senior citizens that focused on introducing learners about how to listen to podcasts. This bonus episode is an edited version of that class, which was made possible through TRAIL of Johnson County and the Iowa City Senior Center.

Listeners can follow along by viewing the visual presentation.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Patrick Bradley learned a lot about Bald eagles in the most unexpected way imaginable: spending three years in the Canadian wilderness after returning home from the Vietnam War. The isolated experience up north helped him recover from what is more commonly known today as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Years later, Patrick's life would lead him to help other wounded warriors – his efforts formalized through the Avian Veteran Alliance, a nonprofit he co-founded that pairs veterans suffering from PTSD and physical injuries with injured birds of prey. The book The Eagle on My Arm: How the Wilderness and Birds of Prey Saved a Veteran's Life by Dava Guerin and Terry Bivens chronicles Patrick's story of how the soldier used his years of study and solitude to face his demons and turn his pain into helping others.

In this interview, Patrick talks about his first experience seeing a Bald eagle in Canada – the starting point of what would serve as a lifelong love with birds of prey. He shares about how he reshaped a volunteer program in a nature preserve in Florida and witnessed the transformation in his son Skylar, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, when given a bird to walk. Patrick also discusses birds he's worked with, the experience vets have after walking with the injured creatures, and how his work led him to spend time with former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, who gifted the younger veteran with his challenge coin. (To learn about challenge coins, listen to this episode of 99% Invisible).

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Patrick's Recommendations:
- Books by Dava Guerin
- 22aDay Movement

Shuva's Recommendation:
- Iowa Raptor Project

Check out these recommendations and more on the Untrained Wisdom Pinterest page. Find out more about podcast on the Untrained Wisdom blog, where you can find some FAQs about the show. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Interested in starting your own podcast? Sign up here for your own Buzzsprout account.