Don't Be Caged By Your Age | Pro Aging Podcast

Why does contribution matter so much as we grow older? It's a question I hadn't thought about in quite this way until my delicious conversation with David McNally. Like many of us, I used to think being on purpose was the goal. But David offered a beautiful reframe: our purpose doesn't change, our contribution does. Whether we're mentoring a younger generation, starting a podca...

What if the most creative chapter of your life is still ahead of you? In this episode, I'm joined by my dear friend Irene Buchine, whose life beautifully reminds us that creativity, purpose, and self-expression don't have an expiration date. At 77 years old, Irene celebrated her very first gallery show, Beyond Words, a collection of artwork, photography, embroidery, writing, and personal...

What are you waiting for? How many times have you told yourself you'll get around to it someday? Someday you'll pick up the guitar again. Someday you'll take that trip. Someday you'll start the business, write the book, learn the skill, or pursue the passion that's been quietly waiting in the wings. But what if life's too short for someday? My guest is musician Ray To...

What can riding a motorcycle thousands of miles across North and South America teach us about thriving after 60? Quite a lot, according to Michael Yang. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Michael immigrated to California as a teenager and embraced the opportunities of the American Dream. He went on to earn degrees from UC Berkeley and Columbia University, build a successful Silicon Valley startup, and ev...

What if turning 60 wasn't the beginning of the end, but the beginning of your most confident, fulfilling, and exciting chapter yet? Too often, society tells women that life gets smaller as they age. My guest today is here to challenge that narrative and prove that life after 60 can be a time of reinvention, growth, purpose, and unapologetic ambition. Ali Miles-Jenkins is the founder of Sassy...

What happens when you return to the memories you buried for more than half a century? In this moving episode of Don't Be Caged By Your Age, I chat with Mario Cartaya, acclaimed architect, Cuban exile, and debut author for a deeply human conversation about memory, identity, resilience, and reinvention. Born in Havana in 1951, Mario left Cuba at the age of eight when his family immigrated to th...

What if thinking about the end of your life… could actually help you live more fully right now? In this powerful and uplifting conversation, I sit down with bestselling author Karen Salmansohn to explore how embracing aging - and even mortality - can become a catalyst for living with greater intention, courage, and joy. Karen shares the inspiration behind her bold new book, Your To-Die-For Life ,...

What happens when you’ve spent over 50 years at the top of your field… and then decide to start over? In this episode, I sit down with Steve Robinson , 79, whose extraordinary career in public radio spans decades of leadership, innovation, and storytelling. But what fascinates me most is what he’s doing now. After years as an executive producer and general manager, Steve chose to step back into th...

What if a health scare at 58 led you to the most joyful decade of your life? That's exactly what happened to Sirenna Beyer.  After facing high blood pressure and alarming cholesterol levels, she picked up a hula hoop - and everything changed.  Now at 68, she's built a thriving business, a vibrant community she calls "Hoop Love," and a complete transformation of her health, conf...

Your greatest limitation as you age might not be your body… but what you believe is possible. In this conversation, I sit down with David Stewart, founder of AGEIST and the visionary behind the Super Age movement, to explore what it really means to age by design, not default. We talk about how internalized ageism quietly shapes our lives: the risks we don’t take, the things we tell ourselves we “c...

At 83, Linda Tatum is living proof that reinvention has no expiration date. She’s built multiple lives within one lifetime - from hypnotherapist to luxury interior designer at 70, to transformational guide and storyteller - continually saying yes to what’s next. And here’s what she wants you to know: You are not too old. You are not too late. And you are not done. In this powerful and deeply human...

What if the aches and pains we’ve been told are “just part of getting older”… aren’t? In this episode I’m joined by an 80-year-old trailblazer who is challenging one of the most accepted beliefs about aging - that physical pain is inevitable. With decades of experience helping people understand the muscular causes of chronic pain, Julie Donnelly shares a powerful perspective: many of the aches, st...

What does it look like to keep growing, exploring, and breaking barriers at 79? You’re about to find out. Our guest, Nancy Shear , has been defying expectations her entire life - from sneaking into Philadelphia Orchestra concerts at 15 to becoming the personal librarian to Leopold Stokowski in a field that had very little room for women at the time. Nancy shares what it took to navigate and succee...

Do you ever notice how age can feel like a barrier instead of a bridge?  I’ve discovered one of the most powerful ways to dismantle ageism isn’t policy, awareness campaigns, or corporate training - it’s relationships across generations. In this episode, I’m sharing why intergenerational friendships, mentorships, collaborations, and workplace partnerships are so effective at breaking down stereotyp...

What if retirement isn’t the end of something… but the ignition switch for your most powerful chapter yet? In this energizing and deeply honest conversation, I’m joined by Deborah Holliday - international flight attendant of more than 30 years, storyteller, and Founder of The Flying Treasure Hunter - to talk about aging, reinvention, and why it’s time to stop buying into the cultural narrative tha...

What does aging with wit and wisdom really look like? In this episode, I have a delicious conversation with Melinda Blau - veteran journalist, New York Times bestselling author, and the author of The Wisdom Whisperers: Golden Guides to a Long Life of Grit, Grace, and Laughter . At 82, Melinda isn’t slowing down ... she’s still writing, still questioning, still challenging ageism, and yes, she ran...

What if retirement doesn’t mean retreat - but rediscovering? In this episode I sit down with Judith Horn for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about adaptation, creativity, and continuing to serve after 65. When vision impairment led Judith to retire from her lifelong career as a physical therapist, her story didn’t end - it shifted.  Retirement didn’t mean retreat. Instead, it opened the do...

In this heartfelt episode I sit down with bereavement specialist, grief educator, and author Patti Comeau-Simonson for a deeply meaningful conversation about love, loss, and thriving after 65. I first met Patti years ago when I helped her e-publish her first book, and it’s been a joy to witness how her life and work have evolved since then. After the loss of her beloved husband, David, when she wa...

What if aging isn’t something to resist ... but something to rethink? In this episode I sit down with Chris Moore, founder of Senior Remodeling Experts and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, for a thoughtful conversation about mindset, purpose, and what aging teaches us from the inside out. After decades of working closely with older adults, Chris has seen firsthand how attitude - not age - of...

What does it truly mean to age with purpose? In this episode, I’m joined by Robin Kencel - founding real estate broker at Compass in Greenwich, Connecticut, reigning Ms. Connecticut Senior America, and U.S. Pro-Am Ballroom Champion - for a delicious conversation about aging with intention, confidence, and joy. Robin shares how her lived experiences, leadership, and deep listening skills shaped the...

What happens when women refuse to fade quietly with age? In this powerful episode of Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, I sit down with renowned feminist scholar and cultural critic Susan J. Douglas , author of In Our Prime - How Older Women Are Reinventing the Road Ahead , to explore the intersection of sexism and ageism — and why older women are uniquely positioned to reshape the road ahead. Susan shar...

What does it mean to age with purpose, curiosity, and conviction — especially while living in another country? In this episode of Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, I sit down with Robert W. Norris, a 75-year-old Vietnam War conscientious objector, longtime resident of Japan, retired university professor, and author of multiple novels and memoirs ... two of which he wrote in his seventies. Robert shares...

As soon as I turned 65, something shifted in the exam room… and not for the better.  In this episode, I’m sharing my personal experience with ageism in health care - how the tone of my medical appointments changed, why the attention to my symptoms dropped, and why so many of us suddenly get a pat on the shoulder instead of real care. This isn’t just about Medicare or paperwork. It’s about what hap...

In this deeply illuminating conversation, Conscious Dying Coach Laurie Reese joins me to explore how we can approach the end of life with intention, creativity, and a profound sense of personal agency. Laurie brings over 15 years of experience as a Household Manager and Personal Assistant supporting vibrant seniors and families through major life transitions. Her compassionate philosophy — “I walk...

Have you ever felt the pull to let go of who you’ve been and step into a life that feels more aligned, more authentic, and more you? In this episode, I chat with Ray Martin, executive coach, global citizen, and author of Life Without a Tie , about how to embrace your later years with purpose, freedom, and joy.  Ray shares the pivotal moments that led him from a successful corporate career to a lif...