The Life & Times of a Tireless Champion for the Aging
April 26, 2021
Hosted by Ron Roel
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
As a young boy, Jack Kupferman was always surrounded by older adults—his parents ran a rest home in upstate New York and his family lived in the back. So it’s no surprise that today Jack is at the center of a major online event next month to honor the nursing home lives lost as a result of COVID-19, while raising awareness of the need for nursing home transformation. As the volunteer President of the Gray Panthers NYC and a former attorney for New York City’s Department for the Aging, Jack has been an indefatigable fighter for the rights of older people. In today’s wide-ranging conversation with host Ron Roel, Jack will offer a healthy slice of his storied career—everything from local programs and projects to improve the lives of older New Yorkers, to global initiatives to tackle illiteracy in Nepal and help older women start microbusinesses in Pakistan. Throughout his life of advocacy, Jack’s passion has been to change the perception of aging—and to promote a deeper understanding of how pervasive ageism really is. You’ll learn of one of his dreams for the future: mobilizing older persons of the world to demand more of their governments, to secure their rights and claim their power. And, oh yes, Jack will reveal what it took to become a mid-life National Aerobics Champion.
45 Forward
Monday at 12 Noon Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
Thanks to advances in medicine and health, most of us are just at half-life when we reach our mid-40s, with many potentially productive years ahead. But there’s no road map to prepare us for this period. That’s where 45 Forward comes in.
My show provides you with strategies to shift the traditional waiting-for-retirement model to a journey of compelling life chapters. Each show tackles an aspect of health, finance, family and friends, housing, work and personal pursuits as part of an integrated plan. Experts discuss topics like revitalizing relationships, creating mini-retirements, managing the maze of technology, finding your next homestead and caring for aging parents.
The show instills confidence, and hopefully some comfort, amid the stresses permeating today’s society. Fear of the future is not knowing how to prepare for it. 45 Forward does not proffer prefabricated answers, but helps you shape your life amid the daily anxieties of our time.
Ron Roel
I’m a veteran journalist who spent a wide-ranging career covering business, politics and social issues, the last two decades focusing on the blend of diverse life skills I call successful aging.
I have written extensively on aging topics, spoken at conferences, radio and TV shows, and launched several entrepreneurial ventures, discovering along the way that the path to aging well also requires an unexpected entrepreneurial vision. I spent 20 years as a writer and editor at Long Island’s daily newspaper, Newsday, helping to found Act 2, a weekly section for 50-plus readers. I created Roelresources.com, a website offering practical advice and inspirational essays for people ages 40 and above. I have been a volunteer and consultant to AARP Long Island, writing articles, advocating for seniors, and developing action plans for the AARP Age-Friendly Communities initiative.
I am active in programs and organizations that support seniors, such as the National Aging In Place Council and the Senior Umbrella Network. I have developed a special expertise in family caregiving, as one of four brothers who took care of their mother for almost 25 years. I regularly collaborate with many professionals who provide services and support for older Americans, and I am completing a book for caregivers on Long Island, “The Caregiving Navigator/How to Plan, What to do, and Where to Turn When Caring for you Aging Loved Ones. And Yourself,” scheduled for publication in early 2021.
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