EP 63 Navigating Age with a Longevity Mindset
Listener, get ready for a deeply inspiring and eye-opening convo that flips the script on aging.
Our guest is Helen Hirsh Spence - a distinguished educator, thought leader, and unapologetic age equity advocate who's rewriting the narrative around growing older.
After decades of leadership in Canada’s education system, Helen had her own run-in with ageism, and instead of fading quietly into the background, she lit a fire.
That experience sparked her to found Top Sixty Over Sixty, an innovative platform that celebrates the wisdom, resilience, and immense value of older adults in our workplaces and communities.
From her career pivot to her hit 2024 TEDx Talk (over 100K views and counting!), Helen is redefining what it means to age boldly.
We dive into:
💥 Her firsthand experience with ageism and how it galvanized her mission
🧠 Why we need a longevity mindset now more than ever
🤝 The power of intergenerational collaboration and reciprocal mentorship
💼 Why older women in the workplace are still overlooked and how to change that
🌎 The economic and societal upsides of embracing age equity
🗣️ Plus: elder speak, workplace bias, and how we can shift the culture - together.
Helen’s clarity, compassion, and conviction will leave you nodding, cheering, and rethinking everything you thought you knew about aging.
As Helen says: “Age is not a barrier—it’s an asset.” And wow, does she walk that talk.
📌 Links & Resources:
•Learn more about Top Sixty Over Sixty
•Watch Helen’s TEDx Talk: A Longevity Mindset Can Change the World
•Follow Helen on LinkedIn
If you found inspiration from this conversation, please rate, review and share this episode.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to hop on over to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age on LinkedIn or Instagram. Or leave a message on the website here.
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Waving from Boston – cheers!
Ande ♥
CONNECT with me online - I'd love to learn how you're shattering ageism!
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Helen Hirsh Spence
Founder/CEO
Helen Hirsh Spence – Keynote Speaker | Age Inclusion Advocate | Social Entrepreneur
“Age is not a barrier—it’s an asset. We must reimagine aging for the 21st century.”
Helen Hirsh Spence is a powerful voice at the intersection of longevity, leadership, and age inclusion. She draws on decades of executive leadership in the education sector.As the founder of Top Sixty Over Sixty, she leads a movement to challenge ageism and champion intergenerational equity—offering practical insights on age-inclusive strategies, the future of work, and how to harness the power of experience in a multigenerational world. Whether addressing corporate leaders, policymakers, or grassroots changemakers, Helen brings clarity, energy, and inspiration. Her style is equal parts visionary and grounded, backed by research, lived experience, and a lifelong commitment to equity and innovation
Her TEDx talk—"Embrace Age with a Longevity Mindset"—captivated audiences worldwide, garnering over 100,000 views in its first month and sparking international dialogue around how we perceive and vallue older adults.
