Specifically for Seniors - The Next Generation

Maggie Scarf is a former visiting fellow at the Whitney Humanities Center, Yale University, and a fellow of Jonathan Edwards College, Yale University. She was for many years a Contributing Editor to The New Republic and a member of the advisory board of the American Psychiatric Press. Maggie is the author of seven books for adults and two books for children. She s the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including a Ford Foundation Fellowship and a Nieman Fellowship in Journalism at Harvard. She has received several National Media Awards from the American Psychological Foundation. Her articles have appeared in the New York Times, The New Republic and Psychology Today She has appeared on many television programs, including Oprah, Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS News, and CNN, and has been interviewed extensively on radio and for magazines and newspapers across the nation. Maggie's books include the acclaimed New York Times bestsellers Unfinished Business: Pressure Points in the Lives of Women and Intimate Partners: Patterns in Love and Marriage. Body, Mind, Behavior (a collection of essays, most of them first published in The New York Times Magazine); Intimate Worlds: How Families Thrive and Why They Fail; Secrets, Lies, Betrayal: How the Body Holds the Secrets of a Life, and How to Unlock Them; and, most recently, September Songs: The Bonus Years of Marriage. Maggie and I talk about her life and career, her books, and the Supreme Court.

There is an organization in Massachusetts that is focused on caring for an aging population, that develops services that meet older adults’ needs and preferences and advocates for us. I had not heard of this organization before so we invited Elissa Sherman, the President of LeadingAge Massachusetts. to explain it to us. Dr. Sherman has worked in aging policy for more than 30 years, beginning her career in state government as an analyst for the Massachusetts state legislature’s Joint Committee on Human Services and Elderly Affairs and later working at the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Elder Affairs where she was involved in the development and implementation of regulations governing assisted living. She joined LeadingAge Massachusetts (then called MassAging) in 1998 as Director of Public Policy and has overseen the Association’s public policy and government relations work since that time. During her tenure at LeadingAge Massachusetts, Dr. Sherman has brought the voice of not-for-profit aging service providers to the development of state policy through her work leading the Association’s advocacy activities, and through her involvement on numerous state advisory boards. Dr. Sherman completed her PhD in Social Policy at the Heller School at Brandeis University and received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont. Elissa. and I discuss Leading Age Massachusetts and the services it provides both for not-for-profit organizations and consumers alike.

Rick Mater is a longtime runner and Emmy-nominated TV executive living in Los Angeles. He was born in Pinner, England, and grew up in California, New Jersey, and Munich, Germany.

A miler in high school, he lettered in cross-country in college and has run the Grand Canyon twice as a cardiac patient. A heart attack survivor, he has four stents in his left anterior descending artery and a defibrillator implanted in the side of his chest. He is the author of Six Hours: Running for My Life in the Grand Canyon.Rick and I talk about overcoming medical problems and facing the challenge of a 17 mile run in the Grand Canyon - twice.

Rick's books:

Beat - https://www.amazon.com/Beat-Richard-Lewis-Mater/dp/1736823019

Six Hours: Running for My Life in the Grand Canyon - https://www.amazon.com/Six-Hours-Running-Grand-Canyon-ebook/dp/B0BGQNPWMK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=39ETR5NAJTFZ3&keywords=beat+by+rick+mater&qid=1707662706&sprefix=beat+by+rick+mater%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-1

As many of us age we develop physical problems, we have difficulty seeing, hearing and mobility. We require a walker, wheelchair or motorized device to get around. And we feel that our physicians don’t understand our problems. So we asked Dr. Lisa Iezzoni to be a guest on the podcast to help us work through the challenges we face. Lisa I. Iezzoni, MD, MSc is Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and based at the Health Policy Research Center, Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital. Her research for the past 25 years has focused on improving the life experience of people with mobility disability. Dr. Iezzoni has conducted numerous studies examining the health care experiences of persons with disability. She has also explored home-based supportive services; her book Making Their Days Happen: Paid Personal Assistance Services Supporting People with Disability Living in Their Homes and Communities was published in 2022. During the 2022-2023 academic year, she was the Sally Starling Seaver Fellow at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Dr. Iezzoni is a member of the National Academy of Medicine in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dr. Iezzoni and I discuss her disability and use of a wheelchair for the past 47 years, we talk about her career and research, the problems of independent living with a disability, health disparities, and the fact that many physicians are reluctant to trreat patients with a disability. We also discuss the problems of getting good dental care. We talk about the contents of her book - Making Their Days Happen: Paid Personal Assistance Services Supporting People with Disability Living in Their Homes and Communities. We close with a discussion of a phrase she used in a previous podcast - "OK, what can I do to make that person's life better? Book Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Their-Days-Happen-Communities-ebook/dp/B09KQ5LVML/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1GHX8CLXARWQA&keywords=making+their+days+happen&qid=1707093399&sprefix=makingg+their+days+happen%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1

On today's podcast, it is my distinct honor to introduce MT Connolly to those of you who have never had the privilege of meeting her. M.T. Connolly is a leading national expert on elder justice and a MacArthur “genius” grant awardee. In issuing the award, the foundation said Connolly has “ devoted her career to laying bare the many forms of elder abuse: physical and psychological, as well as financial exploitation and wrongful deprivation of rights.” MT is the author of the 2023 book, The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money, and Meaning Later in Life. She was the architect of the federal Elder Justice Act, founder of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, and lead author of the Elder Justice Roadmap, shaping federal, state, and local research, policy, and practice. She is also co-designer of the community-based “RISE” model intended to introduce holistic, hopeful, and effective ways to empower older adults, reduce harms, and promote elder justice. MT Connolly talks wth me about what we do with the 30 additional years of life we've gained since the 1900's, geriatric medicine, the challenges older adults face, the federal elder justice act and her book The Measure of Our Age.

Elizabeth Keating is a professor of Anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin who specializes in culture and communication. Her book, The Essental Questions: Interview Your Family to Uncover Stories and Bridge Generations, reached #1 on Amazon’s “Movers & Shakers in Books” in the first week of publication, and was #1 in cultural anthropology the week after. The book takes an anthropological approach to finding out about your own family history, and will help you to uncover new sides of family members you’ve known all your life. Elizabeth’s academic research and writing focuses on culture and communication and impacts of technology on communication. She’s done fieldwork in several world areas including Micronesia, Europe, South Asia, and the U.S. She has presented talks and papers in 15 countries on a variety of topics in language and culture, and authored or co-authored over 50 publications. We at Specifically for Seniors, a podcast designed for a vibrant and diverse senior community, feel it is important to bridge the generational gap in our podcasts by bringing together representatives of a young generation and representatives of an older one. Dr. Keating's book, The Essental Questions: Interview Your Family to Uncover Stories and Bridge Generations, provided an opportunity to do just that. My granddaughter, Carmel Barsh, was invited to co-host the podcast to provide the viewpoint of the younger generation.

Our guest today on Specifically for Seniors, Dr. Rosanne Leipzig is internationally recognized in the field of geriatrics. Dr Leipzig is the Gerald and May Ellen Ritter Professor and Vice Chair, Emerita of the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Dr. Leipzig’s latest book, Honest Aging: An Insider’s Guide to the Second Half of Life, describes what to expect physically, psychologically, functionally, and emotionally as you age, what you can do to adapt to your new normal.She has been repeatedly named as one of the Best Doctors in America, America’s Top Physicians, a New York Times SuperDoc, and one of New York Magazine’s Top Doctors for Geriatric Medicine. Dr. Leipzig has appeared on The Today Show, CBS Evening News, CBS Sunday Morning, CNN, and AARP Webinars, and has been published in TIME magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bottom Line Health, AARP The Magazine, and American Medical News, among others. Dr. Leipzig and I talk about the unique aspects of a geriatric physician's outlook, normal and abnormal changes as we age, the importance of exercise, medication use and the importance of establishing a health care proxy. Dr. Leipzig introduces us to a newsetter you might be interested in subscribing to and walks us through her book Honest Aging: An Insider's Guide to the Second Half of Life.Web Site: RoseanneMD.com Newsletter:RosanneMD.com/focus-on-healthy-aging Other sites of interest:MyHealthPriorities.org https://themesh.tv/2023/06/06/what-caregivers-need-to-know-about-the-loved-ones-second-half-of-life-with-dr-rosanne-leipzig/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/10/15/aging-guide-medication-exercise-alzheimers/ 30% Book Discount Visit www.press.jhu.edu/books and enter the promotional code HTWN when checking out.

Jonathan Alter is an award winning author, political analyst, documentary filmmaker, columnist, television producer and radio host. His most recent book is “His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life.” Jonathan is a former editor and columnist at Newsweek, politics analyst for NBC news and MSNBC. He has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Washington Monthly, the New Yorker, Bloomberg and the Daily Beast. He hosts a weekly Substack newsletter called “Old Goats, Rumination with Friends" - which features his conversations with accomplished people of wisdom and experience. Jon and I discuss his Substack Column -Old Goats. Rumination with Friends and Jon gives me some tips on how to interview guests effectively. We discuss his newest book - His Very Best: Jimmy Carter , A Life and how a second term in office for Jimmy Carter would have been different than what a second term for Donald Trump is likely to be. Jon discusses Trump's January 6 trial, and the dangers of a Trump second term. He offers suggestions on what everyone concerned about another Trump presidency can do. We conclude wth Jon's thought's on whether democracy would survive another Trump presidency. This podcast with a veteran journalist must be shared with all who might be considering voting for Trump and those who ask what we can do to prevent Trump from serving another term.

Links:Substack - https://oldgoats.substack.com/p/norman-lear-he-kept-the-moment-goingBook - https://www.amazon.com/His-Very-Best-Jimmy-Carter/dp/1501125540/ref=sxts_entity_rec_bsx_s_def_r00_t_aufl?content-id=amzn1.sym.a36c3969-f821-4d5b-a8e8-be129cf4aa4a%3Aamzn1.sym.a36c3969-f821-4d5b-a8e8-be129cf4aa4a&crid=1P6WFGXOC2JPH&cv_ct_cx=jonathan+alter&keywords=jonathan+alter&pd_rd_i=1501125540&pd_rd_r=8169eb5d-9cb8-4c04-8f95-0196b9e291de&pd_rd_w=9KxDc&pd_rd_wg=5uJMk&pf_rd_p=a36c3969-f821-4d5b-a8e8-be129cf4aa4a&pf_rd_r=ZM15NHQG9HXTV0BGWMG1&qid=1703168939&s=books&sprefix=jonathan+alter%2Cstripbooks%2C80&sr=1-1-ef9bfdb7-b507-43a0-b887-27e2a8414df0

Book bans have reached a record high over the past two years. Books targeted have overwhelmingly been about people of color and LGBTQ individuals. And nowhere has that been more evident than in Florida. Our guest today on Specifically for Seniors, Tania Galiñanes had to face Florida House Bill 1467 head on as a school librarian in Florida. House Bill 1467, signed by Governor DeSantis on March 25, 2022, and effective July 1, 2022,requires school districts to be transparent in the selection of instructional materials and library and reading materials. This legislation preserves the rights of parents to make decisions about what materials their children are exposed to in school. And she’s here today to tell us her story and why she had to leave a job she loved. My conversation wth Tania is one that you have not heard on television, she speaks frankly about the dangers and the kids it affects.

Be advised: Adult language is used during this podcast Those of you who are fans of the TV show -Amerca's Got Talent - will recognize my guest this week. Maureen Langan was a semi-finalist on Season 18 of AGT where her performance landed her a standing ovation and four "Yeses" from the judges. Maureen is an internationally acclaimed standup comedian, broadcaster, Tedx Talk speaker and corporate event host. She has performed with entertainment, literary and cultural icons that include Robin Williams, Jay Leno, Rosie O’Donnell, Jack Canfield, Joy Behar, Gloria Steinem, Danny Glover and Gladys Knight ­– and she roasted comedy royalty Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. As a broadcaster, Maureen created and hosted Bloomberg Television and Radio’s award-winning entertainment programming, where her most memorable moments were interviewing Joan Rivers and George Carlin. Her astute observations and interviewing style earned her the title of “Best Female Commentator” by the Newswomen’s Club of New York. Her TEDx Talk, “The Business of Fun,” is inspired by her time performing in South Africa at the first ever Johannesburg International Comedy Festival. Maureen’s message of inclusion had 600 people on their feet when first presented at Monmouth University. Maureen and I talk about her broadcasting career, her solo show "Daughter of a Garbageman", her Tedx Talk, what it's like being talent on AGT, her comedy tour "Don't Make Me Hate You", hosting corporate events and a TV pilot she'd like to make. Sit, relax and enjoy the story behind appearing on AGT and the differences between what you say on TV and in a comedy act.

Adam Mansbach is a novelist, screenwriter, cultural critic and humorist. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Go the F**k to Sleep, which has been translated into forty languages, named Time Magazine's 2011 "Thing of the Year," and sold over three million copies worldwide.

Mansbach's novels include Rage is Back, The End of the Jews (winner of the California Book Award), and Angry Black White Boy, which is taught at over a hundred schools and was adapted into a prize-winning stage play in 2008. and his most recet novel - The Golem of Brooklyn.

Adam's debut screenplay, for the 2016 Netflix Original BARRY, was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and an NAACP Image Award. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, New York Times Book Review, Esquire, The Believer, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, and on National Public Radio's All Things Considered, The Moth Storytelling Hour, and This American Life.

Adam and I talk about being multi-genre author, the rise of antisemitism, public figures and anti-semitism, Adam's book - The Golem of Brooklyn and why the Golem learns English from watchng Curb Your Enthusiasm and the danger of Elon Musk's ownership of a social media platfform and a whole bunch of satellites.And no podcast with Adam Mansbach would be compete without the back story of Go the F**k to Sleep.

Watch for Adam's commercial for the upcoming presidential election - he promised to do one at the end of the podcast.

This is one podcast you want to watch and share!

Link to The Golem of Brooklyn purchase on Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Golem-Brooklyn-Novel-Adam-Mansbach/dp/059372982X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ZPIDO5M5857J&keywords=the+golem+of+brooklyn&qid=1701025577&sprefix=the+goem+of+brooklyn%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-1

An hour without notes and a script. We talked ice cream sandwiches, Death Wish and Red Barn coffee, the pandemic, a life in Improv and teaching, Batman, super heroes, radio and ImprovBoston. If you want to spend an hour listeninhg to a pleasant, no-stress conversation about things that really matter very little, get connected. It's like a version of Jerry Seinfeld without Larry David.

Today on Specifically for Seniors, we're going to do something just a bit different. We have three guests who are here to tell you three completely different stories about parts of their lives. You've met two of them on previous podcasts, but they didn't have the time to tell you the rest of their stories. The third is new to Specifically for Seniors, but it's the story of a part of American history that our generation cannot forget.

So make yourself a cup of coffee, sit back, relax, and let these three men tell you about a part of each of their lives.

Those of you who are regular listeners to specifically for seniors will recall Alistair Henry from our May, 2023 podcast. Alistair retired at 57, shed his possessions and went to live with the First Nations band in the Northwest Territory, then left Canada's North to volunteer, working with local NGOs. Those are nonprofit organizations in Bangladesh. He and his wife enjoyed budget pack packing for four months at a time in Central America and Southeast Asia in their sixties. In 2020, Alistair endured a double lung transplant. Alistair is back today to talk about the transplant and the work he is now doing as a Trillium Gift of Life advocate.

On November 22nd, 1963, a 26 year old junior duty officer was on duty at Bethesda Naval Hospital when the casket containing the body of Jack Fitzgerald Kennedy arrived from Dallas. You met that naval officer on this podcast on May 3rd, 2023. Sorel Schwartz today is a professor emeritus of pharmacology at Georgetown University Medical Center, and Senior Pharmacology advisor at the FDA Sorel is with us today as we near the 60th anniversary of JFK's assassination.

My third and final guest on today's podcast is Robert Norris. Robert's story is one that many of us who were draft aged during the Vietnam War era will have faced in one way or another. Robert is a Pacific Northwest, native Vietnam war, conscientious objector who served sometime in a military prison, an expat resident of Japan since 1983. He's the author of The Good Lord Willing, and The Creek Don't Rise. But, but let me let Robert tell you his story. We're talking to Robert from his home in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan.

Book Availability: The Good Lord willing and The Creek Don't Rise https://www.amazon.com/Good-Lord-Willing-Creek-Dont/dp/180100000X

It was just a few months ago that Neo-Nazis and white supremacists paraded in front of Disney World in Orlando spreading antisemitic messages, more recently an outbreak of antisemitism on college campuses, war in Israel after a deadly Hamas attack on Jewish settlers and amidst all that Yiddish language is making a comeback due to our guest today on Specifically for Seniors. Avi Hoffman was recently awarded Congressional recognition, was invited to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis and was inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame for his lifetime work advancing Jewish culture, Yiddishkayt and Holocaust awareness through the charity he founded - Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc. (YILoveJewish.org). As an actor, he was nominated for a NY Drama Desk Award for his Yiddish language portrayal of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. He is best known for his Too Jewish Trilogy: Award winning one man shows. On TV, he was featured as Sid Raskin in the Starz TV series Magic City, as well as on Netflix’ Bloodline, A&E’s The Glades and on the NBC series Law and Order. He recently starred in the Film Festival favorite: You Will Not Play Wagner and the International Award winning short Yiddish Films: Shehita, BOXED and the motion picture – The Imported Bridegroom. He was seen in the PBS documentary They Came For Good: A History of the Jews in the US. Avi has performed all over the world, has numerous acting and directing credits and has received multiple awards and nominations. Avi and I discuss his childhood, his acting background, antisemitism, but, most of all, the comeback of Yiddish

Website and Books:

https://yilovejewish.org/product-category/books/

Links to interviews, articles:

https://yilovejewish.org/yilove-jewish-live/

Our guest on specificallyfor Seniors this week, MT Connolly unfortunately had to cancel her podcast at the last minute but MT wIll be on later in the year. MT Connolly is the architect of the federal Elder Justice Act, founder of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, a MacArthur “genius” grant awardee, and author of the 2023 book, The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money, and Meaning Later in Life

But we thought it would be fun to revisit a very early podcast from March, 2022 with comedian Robert Klein. This podcast was originally recorded and played only in audio but we found the recording and will rerun it for the first time with the original video

We all know Robert Klein from hir more than 80 appearances on the Johnny Carson Show, and his more than 79 film and TV credits. He hosted Saturday Night Live twice and was in the original Cheeseburger Sketch with John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd. Robert was the frst comedian to have ab HBO SPecal and went on to star in 8 more. He's been nominated for 2 Emmy's, 3 Grammys and 1 Tony. His most recent film, Befre I Go , is a sometimes funny, but always moving experience.

You will get to know Robert as a person as he and I talk about his career, medicine and dentistry, Johnny Carson, SNL, his family, quitting smoking, politics, health and even the picture on the wall behind him..

One of the most common problems that older adults have is hearing loss and the inability to hear conversations clearly in a group setting especially when there is a lot of background noise even when they are wearing their hearing aids

So we asked Brian Taylor, AuD, the senior director of audiology for Signia to come on Specially for Seniors to talk about the problem and the solution.Brian is the editor of Audiology Practices, a quarterly publication of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, and an adjunct instructor at the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Taylor has been an American Academy of Audiology member since 1991.

Brian and I discuss the social implications of hearing loss, diagnosis and tyes of hearing loss and a new type of hearing aid by Signia.

This podcast is a must listen for both you and your family's well-being. The stories that Diane Dimond tells about senior guardianship can happen to anyone.

Journalist Diane Dimond and I discuss the problems that can occur what happens when a system designed to protect goes horribly wrong. Using stories gleaned from years of research, Diane illustrates how unscrupulous guardians can drain resources designed to allow those incapacitated by mental and physical disability to live comfortable lives and robs family of their inheritance. We’re Here to Help, When Guardianship Goes Wrong is must reading for families who have become caregivers.

Diane Dimond has enjoyed an award winning career in radio and television news.She is the recipient of theAmerican Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award. Perhaps you know her from her coverage of some of the nation's biggest stories - including the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, the Michael Jackson case, the O.J. Simpson Murder Case and the Bush-Gore election recount in Florida- in a career that has included NPR, CNBC, Court TV, MSNBC and the "Today" show.

Are you looking for ways to improve your brain health and cognition? Look no further than the latest episode of "Specifically for Seniors" podcast, where Dr. Jennifer Brinckerhoff and Jodi Bornstein discuss the link between quality sleep and brain function. From the importance of deep sleep to tips for improving sleep habits, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to boost their brainpower. 

Jennifer Brinckerhoff, M.D. is medical director at Orchard Cove's Wellness Center. Dr. Brinckerhoff received medical degree from the University of Virginia School Of Medicine AND completed her residency in internal medicine with a primary care focus and a fellowship in geriatrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Dr. Brinckerhoff is certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine with a certificate of added qualifications in geriatrics.

Jodi Bornstein is an Occupational Therapist with Hebrew Senior Life’s Therapy House Calls program. Jodi has published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy and for the last 6 years has been a guest faculty member at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Institute of Health Professions. 

Priscilla Long is a Seattle based writer of science, poetry, creative non-fiction, fiction and history and a longtime independent teacher of writing. Her awards include a National Magazine Award, ten of her essays have been honored as “notable” in various editions of the Best American Essays. She wrote a science column for The American Scholar online. Priscilla has an MFA from the University of Washington and grew up on a dairy farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, USA. Priscila's book, Dancing with the Muse in Old Age, is about thriving in old age. It reflects the new ways of looking at old age as a potentially dynamic, happy, and productictive time. Priscilla and I chat about ageism and creativity and her concept that old age is a time to begin creative work. We talk about "models" - people who in their later years were creative and productive. We consider the meaning of the word "retirement" and share our thoughts on whether that word should not be used any longer. We talk about the advantages and challenges to being an oder creator and her feeling about how we should shape a new sort of old age.

Dr. Robert Krim is a leading expert on the factors that have driven and continue to drive Boston (and Massachusetts) to be the most innovative city in the US.. He Co-authored Boston Made: From Revolution to Robotics: Innovations that Changed the World. His revelations about Boston have been made into a permanent exhibit at Boston’s Logan Airport Terminal C - From Massachusetts to the World: Four Centuries of Innovation which draws millions of visitors each year. Most recently he co-founded the Innovation Trail a 2- hour guided tour through Kendall Sq and Downtown Boston of 21 sites of innovations which originated here and changed the nation or the world. Boston Magazine awarded the Trail tour as “the Best Walking Trail” In Boston in its Best of Boston July ’23 special edition. Bob taught for a decade at Clark University and became a tenured professor at Framingham State University. Now, a semi-retired professor at Framingham State, He teaches Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and founded the “co-working” Entrepreneur Innovation Center. Bob is the author of Boston Made: From Revolution to Robots: Innovation That Have Changed the World. He headed up a 20+ year long study of moree than 450 inovations that originated in Boston and changed the nation and the world. He worked with hindreds of organizations, universities and companies to tell the story. Please take a moment to take this brief survey, submit the results to https://www.specificallyforseniors.com/contact. Thank you. Question 1: Would you like to see more presentations like this one? Question 2: Would you be interested in watching and listening to a live, streaming podcast in which you couuld ask questions of the guest while the podcast was in progress? Question 3: Would you be interested in participating in a podcast club in which participants would watch a podcast and then discuss?

"Best If Used By" is a new play about aging and ageism inspired by, and performed by, 2 senior-citizen actors beloved on the North Shore. Written by North Shore writer/actor Doug Brendel (DougBrendel.com) the world premier is presented by Firehouse Center for the Arts and Ipswich Art Association with performances October 12-15,2023 at Firehouse, Newburyport. We talked with the author, Doug Brendel and director Kristina Grundmann as well as the two actors in the play Rebecca Axelrod and Barbara Bourgeois who shared their views on the play, their lives and presented a brief sketch from the show.

This is the fourth episode in Specifically for Seniors podcasts in conjunction with Hebrew Senior Life and Orchard Cove's kseries on cognitive fitness, In the first episode we spoke with Dr. Alvaro Pascual-Leone on Brain Health and Cognitive Fitness. In the second episode of the series, we reviewed the relationship of physical exercise and brain health, in the third we discussed challenging your brain and learning new things.

John Ralston has been the Director of Culinary Services at Orchard Cove Senior Living Community in Canton Massachusetts for 14 years. He previously held similar positions with Hilton and Marriott Hotels.

Tina Reilly is the Clinical Nutrition Manager at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center. Previous to this position, Tina was the Director of Food and Nutrition Services at Kindred Hospital, Boston. Her experience includes being a dietician at several Boston hospitals, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Tina has a B.S. in Clinical Dietetics.

Link to Mind Diet Component Servings and Scoring:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KY0qeZFyxgPypQFJGjbl4jLd2M2JGnF3/view?usp=share_link

Alexander Keyssar is the Matthew W. Stirling Jr. Professor of History and Social Policy. An historian by training, he has specialized in the exploration of historical problems that have contemporary policy implications. His book, The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States (2000), was named the best book in U.S. history by both the American Historical Association and the Historical Society; it was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Award. A significantly revised and updated edition of The Right to Vote was published in 2009. 

Prof. Keyssar chaired the Social Science Research Council's National Research Commission on Voting and Elections, and he writes frequently for the popular press about American politics and history. Keyssar's latest book, entitled Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? (2020), is published by Harvard University Press.

problem for President Biden than Donald Trump,

Judy Kugel currently is a columnist at The Boston Globe, writing regularly on issues related to aging.  JUDY Retired AS Associate Dean of Students at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She has helped people to make life choices since 1970 when she co-founded the Boston Project for Careers, one of the first organizations to promote job-sharing for professionals.

Her personal essays and travel articles have appeared in major newspapers, magazines and on several websites and on her twice-weekly blog at www.70-something.com  Her latest post was her 1,627th.

A graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Political Science, she holds an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College and  is the author of 70-Something:  Life, Love and Limits in the Bonus Years.

Judy and I talk about whether we older adults are our own worst enemies when it comes to ageism, and how our perception about age changes as we get older. We talk about eating healthfully, exercising and training our brains, her blog and her book 0-Something: Life, Love and Limits in the Bonus Years. Judy advises us to wring the most out of every day and be grateful

.

Robert Krim, author of Boston Made will be presenting alive discussion at Orchard Cove, a senior living facility in Canton, MA on September 7, 2023. The presentation will be recorded and played as a podcast in early September, 2023. This is a promotional video for that podcast.

Video of Bob Krim on Innovation Trail Courtesy of Sam Seidel, Unplanned Podcast

A man, his beanie and Harry Potter glasses, an umbrella and a sign that reads "Free Advice Offered and Accepted". That's George Vaill's story as he sits in Harvard Square offering advice to all who pass. Al Roker and so many Harvard students drop by to chat.

Ageism, according to the World Health Organization, refers to how we think, feel and act towards others or ourselves based on age. It affects people of all ages and exists in our institutions, our relationships and ourselves. Many of us have experienced the effects of Ageism when it comes to older adults in the workplace, in hospitals, in public, in nursing homes, and in both the media and the entertainment industries. 

Kyrié Carpenter was trained as a therapist and works as a facilitator and public speaker, specializing in ageism and dementia. She is the editor of the Changing Aging blog, author of Healing Dementia, and is adjunct faculty at USI and Pacifica Graduate Institute,

Ryan Backer is an age activist, public speaker and self-proclaimed old person in training. Ryan was a fellow with Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research’s Antibigotry Convening. Ryan does care work, organizes interage events and groups, writes zines, and sits on the board of two community-based nonprofits .Ryan has an undergraduate degree in Gerontology with a minor in Black Studies from York College, City University of New York.

Old School curates, creates, commissions and disseminates free resources to educate people about ageism and how to end it; hosts and facilitates spaces where age advocates around the world can connect; collaborates with other pro-aging organizations; and shows up for other social-justice movements.

Old School is working towards a world where everyone has the opportunity to live long and to live well. We are advancing the movement to dismantle ageism, and we are leveraging the fact that everyone ages (and experiences age bias) in order to address the intersectional nature of all oppression—and of all activism.

Rob Surette's speed painting performances and fine art creations are a testament to his exceptional talent and passion for the arts. Through his dynamic speed painting displays, he brings art to life in a way that captivates audiences and leaves them in awe. His fine art pieces, on the other hand, offer a glimpse into the creative depth and technical mastery that define his work. Rob Surette's contributions to the world of art are nothing short of extraordinary, reminding us of the boundless possibilities that can be achieved through artistic expression. Rob Surette's motivational messages are an integral part of his artistic journey. He believes that art has the power to ignite positive change, to uplift spirits, and to inspire transformation. THE CHALLENGE Rob and I challenge you to create something new - a photograph, a poem, a story - and send it to me larry(at)specificallyforseniors.com. (Use the @ to substitute for (at), of course) with your name, email address, and title for your work. We will pick about 10 entries to be featured on another podcast with Rob. And just maybe youwill be able to tell your story of creativity on the podcast in person.

The number of Americans over the age of 65 is projected to more than double in the next forty years, increasing from 40.2 million in 2010 to 88.5 million in 2050. As many of us. know from personal experience, we start to have problems remembering names or where our car keys are or whether we took our morning pills. Specifically for Seniors in conjunction with a program instituted by Hebrew Senior Life and the residents of Orchard Cove, a senior living facility near Boston has embarked on a series of presentations about maintaining cognitive health. Today we are going to discuss the benefits of exercise on your brain from the perspective of non-scientists but rather from the viewpoint of those who work on a day-to-day basis with older adults.  Chris Young, has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology and is senior fitness instructor and Tim Parke, DPT a Board Certfied Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical therapy. Both work at Orchard Cove. We discuss the benefits of exercise on both the body and brain, exokines and cytokines, lactate, the brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), aerobic exercise and strength training, mind and body exercise, VO2 Max, the benefits of exercise for those with physical limitations and the safety of exercise. Chris and Tim further stress the importance of movement. Tim Recommends: Move the Body, Heal the Mind: Overcome Anxiety, Depression, and Dementia and Improve Focus, Creativity, and Sleep by Jennifer Heisz, PhD (https://a.co/d/1UDyetU)

Today’s podcast is being recorded on June 15, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. we at specifically for seniors and our guest from the national center on elder abuse, encourage you to share this episode of the podcast with friends and relatives who know an older adult who may be in jeopardy.

 Lori Mars, JD, LLM, is the Deputy Director of the National Center on Elder Abuse. She is an assistant professor of clinical family medicine in the Department of Family Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. After practicing law for more than 20 years, LORI’S concentration lies at the intersection of law, aging, and elder abuse. She has a master’s degree in law in alternative dispute resolution and serves as a volunteer long-term care ombudsman. She is passionate about elder justice and advocating for the rights of all older adults to live with dignity and respect.

Lori and I talk about the role of the National Center on Elder Abuse, elder mistreatment, socio-cultural perceptions of mistreatment, types of elder mistreatment, its impact, the physical, emotional and financial signs of elder mistreatment, the risk factors of abuse and intervention and prevention.

We apologize for the technical problems with Lori Mars recording.

Adam Centamore has presented more than 2000 classes and events and written more than 70 articles in magazines like Saveur, Culture Cheese, WGBH and other print and online magazines. He is a professional certified food and wine educator. Adam is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals where his first book - Tasting Wine and Cheese: An Insider's Guide to Mastering the Principles of Pairing - was a finalist for Cookbook of the Year.

Adam takes your host, an admitted wine and cheese novice, on a journey through the basics of choosing a wine and pairing that wine with food and cheese. He teaches me about great wines at various price points, choosing a wine as a host gift, the temperature at which wine should be served and the very basics of pairing wines with cheese. We talk about various apps that help with wine selection.

Adam also discusses the value of his book - Tasting Wine and Cheese: An Insider's Guide to Mastering the Principles of Pairing.

Alastair Henry retired at 57, shed his possessions and went to live with a First Nations band in the Northwest Territories. Alastair and I talk about his life-changing 2 years in a fly-in community in northern Canada, his life in Lutsel K'e, the cultural differences and challenging environment. Alastair explains how his experience there led to learning a larger purpose in life. Alastair will return for a second podcast with more adventures and how he endured a double lung transplant.

Sorell Schwartz, PhD is Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology at Georgetown University Medical Center, Senior Pharmacology Advisor at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has had advisory appointments at the National Library of Medicine, the FDA, the EPA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the FTC, the U.S. House of Representatives, OSHA, the Department of Defense, the FBI and WHO.

Dr. Schwartz explains the confusion between the FDA and CDC and their roles, the importance in taking our medications as directed, the interaction among our mutiple medications, the difference between side effects and adverse effects, the efforts toward deprescribing, the proper way to stop a medication and the current thinking about Mifepristone and Misoprostol.

This is a podcast you cannot miss. Your life could literally depend on it.

Dan and I chat about ChatGPT, AI uses and abuses, the future of AI, what it can and cannot do, benefits for seniors. Dan wrote three books using Chat GPT and tells how and why. Dan introduces an app for grandparents that uses AI to create bedtime stories. It's available for iPhone on the App store - the app is called Tall Tales - Bedtime Stories.

Jane Caro - author, novelist, social commentator, award winning columnist, broadcaster, documentary maker, TEDX speaker, feminist and self-proclaimed troublemaker speaks out on the issues of ageism, feminism and sexism, topics close to heart. And then she and I talk about America's issues with abortion legislation and guns and how we appear to the rest of the world.

Dr. Giannobile and I discuss the importance of dentistry as an integral part of overall health and the integration with physicians as part of the healthcare team. We talk about the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the training that students receive that differs from other dental schools. Dr. Giannobile and I then address specific needs of senior adults and the problems dentists can encounter when dealing with older adults. We also chat about what the future holds for dentistry.

Marty and I discuss all aspects of a senior move whether they are managing the move for themselves or for aging parents. We talk about the psychological and physical moving process including downsizing, organizing and the actual move itself. We discuss the extra problems when a member of the move has dementia or a physical infirmity. Marty clarifies the role or a move management company.

For those who are wishing to age-in-place, Marty presents tips on how to safety-proof and organize for convenience.

Whether you planning a move yourself or helping another in their move, this podcast will make things easier.

This is the story of three remarkable women - a 79 year old champion weight lifter and body builder, an 88 year old holder of the Guinness Book of World Records for the oldest working female comedian and a 103 year old blue ribbon prize winnng baker.  Each woman has a different story to tell but each will serve as an inspiration and will share their secrets for a long, health and active life.   So sit back, relax, and get ready to be inspired by the wisdom and resilience of these incredible women.

We promise you will have some laughs and come away with a new prespective of what being older than 75 really means. Despite their ages, these women continue to challenge stereotypes about age, break multiple ageism tropes, and prove that it's never too late to pursue one's passions, achieve one's dreams and live life to the fullest.

Andrew Budson, MD and Elizabeth Kensinger, PhD are the Authors of the newly published book "Why We Forget and How To Remember Better: The Science Behind Memory". In easy-to-understand layman's terms, the doctors discuss how we create and store memories and why we forget things. We discuss normal age-related forgetfulness and how to distinguish between that and forgetfulness associated with diseases like Alzheimer's and that associatd with various medications. They offer simple suggestions on how to improve our memories, remember names and the importance of sleep.

This podcast and their book are essential listens/reads as we age.

Natalie Dattilo, PhD is a clinical psychologist who treats patients with depression. Her treatment approach is based on wellness science. We chat about mental health in general and specifically about the importance of playfulness and laughter in our daily lives. Natlie and I discuss the scientific effects of laughter both spontaneous and self-initiated laughing and why we older adults should dismiss the ageist trope "We must act our age" and include play in our daily routines.

Sebastian and I talk about his mission to teach photo artistry and to urge participants to live a photo artistic life. What is it all about? Listen to Sebastian as he talks about the joy he gets when he sees his students succesfully create art. 

Brett Johnson holds the distinction of being the only guest on the podcast who has ever been on the U.S. Most Wanted List.  He was convicted of 39 felonies, sentenced to more than 7 years in prison, escaped and built the first cybercrime community known as Shadowcrew, a precursor to today's dark web.  The United States Secret Service called him "The Original Internet Godfather." Brett found redemption and is today one of the leading authorities on cybercrime, identity theft, and cybersecurity on the planet. He works to protect us, as he likes to say, from the person he used to be. Brett discusses his criminal past and how and why he now works to protect us.  Brett and I discuss online crimes and scams and how to protect yourself.  This is one podcast you literally cannot afford to miss.

AARP Fraud Watch - 877-908-3360

Rick and I talk about his art, philosophy and passion for taking photographs and teaching photography. We discuss travel photography, what gear you should bring on a trip, the value of the camera in the iPhone. Rick talks about the interrelationship of music and photography.  His many books are available on Amazon.

Ashton Applewhite, author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism and TED speaker, and I discuss what ageism is. We talk about how the attitude and published article of a prominent physician may be one of the best examples of out-and-out ageism. We discuss the tell tale signs of ageism, why we are our own worst enemies, how to combat ageism and its relationship to all prejudices and other -isms . Ashton's book is available in both written and audio format at Amazon and other book sellers.