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Did you know that sometime between 2030 and 2035 it will be the first time in American history that more people will be 65+ than people 18 years and younger?Crazy!Today's guest, gerontologist Jeanette…

Did you know that so…

Did you know that sometime between 2030 and 2035 it will be the first time in American history that more people will be 65+ than people 18 years and younger?Crazy!Today's guest, gerontologist Jeanette Leardi, is one of this podcast's favorite guests. We first talked in June 2003, and since then she has a new book out, Aging Sideways: Changing Our Perspectives on Getting Older.Jeanette's story is fascinating. She became a gerontologist in her late 50s after taking care of her older parents for ten years. She was blown away at how poorly older people were treated and decided to try to change peo…

How did your recent doctor's appointment go? Did you get the care you needed? Were all your questions answered? Did you feel as if you were a valued patient whose health mattered?If you're like many p…

How did your recent …

How did your recent doctor's appointment go? Did you get the care you needed? Were all your questions answered? Did you feel as if you were a valued patient whose health mattered?If you're like many patients--often older women--the answer to some of these questions is "No!". Everything was rushed. You were in and out too quickly—the time you spent jotting down questions before your appointment seemed like a waste. What was the point if you left the doctor's office confused, frustrated, and angry?After an episode of "Older Women & Friends" about breast Cancer, one about problems associat…

What is the pelvic floor? Where is it located in the body? What does it do? What are the potential issues created by a weak pelvic floor?You might be surprised to learn that millions of young and old…

What is the pelvic f…

What is the pelvic floor? Where is it located in the body? What does it do? What are the potential issues created by a weak pelvic floor?You might be surprised to learn that millions of young and older women experience problems--many of them uncomfortable and embarrassing--with their pelvic floor.Dr. Nabila Noor, a urogynecologist and physician specializing in pelvic floor problems, joins me in this informative episode. Dr. Noor explains how we can take preventative measures like specific exercises to strengthen our pelvic floor and, if those measures are unsuccessful, the simple, fast surge…

Yep, we are all caught up in habitual ways of thinking and acting. We turn on our default programming to autopilot and more often than not talk to our boss, partner, or child the same way we have fore…

Yep, we are all caug…

Yep, we are all caught up in habitual ways of thinking and acting. We turn on our default programming to autopilot and more often than not talk to our boss, partner, or child the same way we have forever.Ronnie Loaiza is a certified life coach and a certified habit coach. Who knew there was something called a habit coach? Ronnie explains that she helps people create doable habits that get them to their goals instead of temporary or unsustainable hacks, militant discipline, or willpower. "People grow with tiny steps," Ronnie says.My methodology, called Thought Work™ helps clients make BIG cha…

Deborah Charnes has been a solo traveler since she was sixteen. She has been around the world on a quest of sorts to learn as much as she can about the cultures, traditions, and people of other countr…

Deborah Charnes has …

Deborah Charnes has been a solo traveler since she was sixteen. She has been around the world on a quest of sorts to learn as much as she can about the cultures, traditions, and people of other countries. During her travels, she has met mentors and gurus, each of whom taught her something important about achieving health and happiness. Her book, FROM THE BOXING RING TO THE ASHRAM, is a distillation of some of those teachers and the ways they have impacted her life. When she’s not on the road, Deborah blogs about Travel and currently writes for the “Ethel” a newsletter for women 55+ spons…

Send us a textBased on the most recent data available, 272,454 women were diagnosed with breast cancer.  In 2022, 42,211 women died from the disease..Deb Krier got the call that most women over fifty…

Send us a textBased …

Send us a textBased on the most recent data available, 272,454 women were diagnosed with breast cancer.  In 2022, 42,211 women died from the disease..Deb Krier got the call that most women over fifty dread. She’d barely made it home from her annual mammogram when the phone rang, and her doctor told her to return for a second mammogram and biopsies that thankfully came back negative. The initial diagnosis was Stage 0 breast cancer. No big deal. But within short order, the cancer had spread to eight lymph nodes and a new diagnosis of Stage 4. Her journey was one hellish ride. Anything that co…

Send us a Text Message."Aging is a process of living." ______ Tracey GendronGuest Tracey Gendron, professor, author, and activist, reminds listeners that we don't want to be younger versions of o…

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Send us a Text Message."Aging is a process of living." ______ Tracey GendronGuest Tracey Gendron, professor, author, and activist, reminds listeners that we don't want to be younger versions of ourselves: We've worked too hard to get where we are today. However, the way we learn about aging is filled with misconceptions. We've never learned the truth; instead, we think of aging as a process of physical decline and don't look at the "Growth part." Yes, Tracey says, loss and decline are real. There's no getting around that. But so is change and growth. Research shows tha…

Send us a Text Message.Women over 50 are a force to reckon with. There are 63 million of us. On average, we women live six years longer than men, yet, sadly, many older women spend on average the last…

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Send us a Text Message.Women over 50 are a force to reckon with. There are 63 million of us. On average, we women live six years longer than men, yet, sadly, many older women spend on average the last 14 years of their lives in a cascade of poor health. “Men die quicker, but women get sicker.”  Maddy Dychtwald, national best-selling author and co-founder of Age World, is out to change that. Her latest book Ageless Aging: A Woman’s Guide to Increasing Healthspan, Brainspan, and Lifespan, is a call to arms.  In this episode, Maddy talks about the kind of kid she was, her nomadic family t…

Send us a Text Message.THIS IS A REPOST OF AN EPISODE THAT FIRST RAN ON DECEMBER 15, 2022. IT HAS HAD MORE LISTENS THAN ANY OTHER EPISODE on "OLDER WOMEN & FRIENDS."  ENJOY!If you have a Sleep pr…

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Send us a Text Message.THIS IS A REPOST OF AN EPISODE THAT FIRST RAN ON DECEMBER 15, 2022. IT HAS HAD MORE LISTENS THAN ANY OTHER EPISODE on "OLDER WOMEN & FRIENDS."  ENJOY!If you have a sleep problem, you’re not alone. More than 30 percent of women over 50 are dealing with sleep issues. You’ve probably tried any number of solutions. Sadly, nothing has worked, or the sleep you get doesn't get the job done. The clock may say that you slept for six or seven hours, but you feel sluggish and foggy.Lucinda Sykes, a retired physician and now a personal sleep coach, explains that both …

Send us a Text Message.How can playful dares and simple activities transform your journey, no matter your age? Join us as we chat with the vibrant Jodi Silverman, who shares her inspiring path from pl…

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Send us a Text Message.How can playful dares and simple activities transform your journey, no matter your age? Join us as we chat with the vibrant Jodi Silverman, who shares her inspiring path from playful childhood adventures in Northeast Philadelphia to becoming a beacon of joy for midlife women. Jodi takes us through her career transitions from Retail to outside sales, and finally to entrepreneurship with her own commercial printing services business. Facing the prospect of an Empty Nest, she didn’t retreat but instead looked forward to new possibilities, emphasizing the critical role of …

Send us a Text Message.Are some or most of your precious memories stuffed in a box (boxes) and stuck in a closet? Have you sworn you’ll organize the photos, keepsakes, and letters from an old boyfr…

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Send us a Text Message.Are some or most of your precious memories stuffed in a box (boxes) and stuck in a closet? Have you sworn you’ll organize the photos, keepsakes, and letters from an old boyfriend but just haven’t found the time? It’s understandable. You’ve been crazy busy.  But you’re not getting any younger, and in those boxes are stories you want to share with your children and other relatives and friends. Martie McNabb is a believer in objects and the stories they tell. She is a "Legacy artist" whose nomadic childhood shaped her constant search for deep connections. Marti…

Send us a Text Message.This episode is the first of several that celebrates older female artists.  If you or someone you know fits the bill, please email me at j.leder@comcast.net.What makes an artis…

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Send us a Text Message.This episode is the first of several that celebrates older female artists.  If you or someone you know fits the bill, please email me at j.leder@comcast.net.What makes an artist tick? How can she find the time to create, given all the demands of everyday life? What barriers do female artists face that many men do not? How important is having a purpose in life about which you feel passionate ?What do you do when you wake up one morning with a voice in your head saying, "What's wrong with your life is that you're not writing poetry." That's what happened to…

Send us a Text Message.As older women and men, we have seen a lot: suffering, miracles, and so much more. "And we're not finished yet," says guest Janis Johnston, retired therapist, author, and b…

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Send us a Text Message.As older women and men, we have seen a lot: suffering, miracles, and so much more. "And we're not finished yet," says guest Janis Johnston, retired therapist, author, and blogger. "We can ask ourselves what is the next thing we might learn. What is meaningful? Answering questions like these helps us find creativity in our lives."  Okay, I can hear the rumbling: I'm never going to be an artist or writer or musician. I'm not creative.  Janis would beg to differ. "There are so many things that we can do to be creative: edit photos you take on your cell phon…

 Here's a whopper: there are approximately 67 million grandparents in the U.S. today. Slightly more than twenty-six percent of them in the U.S. are mid-lifers.  That's crazy, right?  Many…

 Here's a whop…

 Here's a whopper: there are approximately 67 million grandparents in the U.S. today. Slightly more than twenty-six percent of them in the U.S. are mid-lifers.  That's crazy, right?  Many grandparents are still working, many have older children living in the house, and many may be taking care of their parents. While there is little research, millions of grandparents live 200 miles or more away from their grandchildren. They are the long-distance grandparents.Kerry Byrne is the founder of The Long Distance Grandparent, an Online Learning hub that also speaks to grandparents who liv…

 For some of us, turning 80 is right around the corner; for others, 80 might seem a lifetime away. No matter your age, listening to the stories of older women and the Wisdom they’ve earned can be i…

 For some of us, tu…

 For some of us, turning 80 is right around the corner; for others, 80 might seem a lifetime away. No matter your age, listening to the stories of older women and the wisdom they’ve earned can be instructive and uplifting. I don’t know about you, but every time I read about someone who has lived beyond the current life expectancy averages of 79.3 years for women and 73.5 years for men, I give a fist pump and feel even more optimistic about my chances of spending more time creating a legacy and enjoying life.Katharine Esty will celebrate her ninetieth birthday later this year. For her, be…

I believe in the power of stories, and Yvonne Marchese's story is a doozy. She is what she calls a "serial pivotal,"  person, a person who has changed course many times in her life. For many yea…

I believe in the pow…

I believe in the power of stories, and Yvonne Marchese's story is a doozy. She is what she calls a "serial pivotal,"  person, a person who has changed course many times in her life. For many years, she was filled with frustration, anger, and even Depression. The future held little promise.  But when she was in her late 40s, she had what she calls a "Mid-Life Awakening," not a Mid-Life Crisis.Yvonne began to understand why she'd never been comfortable with the uncomfortable and the steps that lead to emotional and physical health. Three years ago, she launched her podcast, "Late Blo…

In the late 70s, Jan Yager was single and convinced she'd never find a life partner. So, she turned her attention, research, and writing to the importance of friendships and the many ways friends…

In the late 70s, Jan…

In the late 70s, Jan Yager was single and convinced she'd never find a life partner. So, she turned her attention, research, and writing to the importance of friendships and the many ways friends impact our lives.  Studies show that a network of good friends makes our lives more satisfying and that, as we age, it is important to replenish our circle of friends.Yager divides friends into three categories: best, close, and casual. Although there are no hard and fast numbers, she suggests we need one to two best friends, four to six close friends, and, for better or worse, a slew of casual …

 One of the first questions I ask a guest is to describe her childhood. It never fails that the child they describe is in so many ways the older woman they’ve become, As either a Jesuit or Aristotl…

 One of the first q…

 One of the first questions I ask a guest is to describe her childhood. It never fails that the child they describe is in so many ways the older woman they’ve become, As either a Jesuit or Aristotle said, “Show me a child until he (she) is seven and I will show you the man (woman.)” Diana Place is the  founder of the 333 Collective, QUEST Gathering & Celebration for women 50+, & Third Act Quest.  So, what was the young Diana like? Until the age of five, she was a “totally free spirit” who climbed trees, chased butterflies, and put dog poop in holes so that neighbor kids wo…