Episodes

The people around us can either expand our sense of possibility or quietly shrink our world. Have you ever stopped to consider how much the people around you influence the way you age? In this episode I chat with Walt Hampton - attorney, executive coach, author, interfaith minister, lifelong adventurer, and mountaineer - to explore why the company we keep may be one of the biggest factors in how fully we live after 65. While healthy habits and a positive mindset certainly matter, Walt believes ...

What if the next chapter of your life is waiting behind a door you haven't opened yet? My guest, Mary Foerster, is living proof that life doesn't stop unfolding after 70 - it expands. At 75, Mary has reinvented herself time and again, building a life filled with purpose, connection, and contribution. From librarian to legislative advocate at AARP, from government affairs executive to house flipper and Realtor, from Rotary leader to podcast host, Mary's journey reminds us that we don't have ...

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 podcast at 67, going back to college at 72, or simply showing up each day with curiosity and compassion, we're all help...

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 reflections that span decades of her life. I had the privilege of attending the exhibit, and it inspired...

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 Toole, the creative force behind The Yellow Room, a musical community that brings together talented musicians from multiple g...

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 eventually sell his company during the dot-com era. But Michael's most surprising chapter began in ...

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 and Successful After 60, an award-winning transformational coach, TEDx speaker, trainer, and champio...

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 the United States in search of freedom. Decades later, after building a celebrated architectural caree...

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, and introduces us to the idea of Mortality Awareness - a mindset shift that helps you stop postp...

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 the craft itself, learning digital audio production from scratch after a career that began in the ...

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, confidence, and joy. In this episode, Sirenna shares the emotional journey behind her wake-up call, why fun and...

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 “can’t” do, and how, over time, we may be lowering the bar on what we believe is possible. David...

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 conversation, Linda shares what it really looks like to begin again, especially after loss, c...

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, stiffness, and limitations we experience may not be about aging at all. This conversation is an ...

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 succeed in a male-dominated field, and how curiosity, courage, and persistence opened doors that once s...

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 stereotypes and creating a more age-inclusive world. When generations truly connect, amazing things happe...

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 that says growing older means growing smaller. Deborah and I first connected after being featured in ...

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 through the streets of Paris shouting, “I’m eighty!” Her energy, honesty, and humor are a power...

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 door to rediscovering her artistic side, creating imaginative illustrations for her grandchi...

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 was 46, Patti’s life took an unexpected turn - one that led her into hospice volunteering, grief educ...

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 - often shapes how we experience later life. Together, we explore common myths about aging and reti...

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 social impact work she’s doing today around empowered aging. We explore her Five Pillars...

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 shares what fueled her decades-long focus on sexism in media and culture, and why she believes gender...

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 his extraordinary life journey, from growing up in Northern California to refusing to fight in the...