How to Have Those ‘Missing Conversations’ about Later Life
February 12, 2024
Hosted by Ron Roel
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
In an era of increasing longevity, we have the opportunity to lead vital and meaningful lives far into our later years. But there are lots of decisions facing “longevity adults” that require thoughtful, sometimes difficult, conversations with family, friends, colleagues, as well as experts in senior living. In today’s episode, Scott Fulton and Catherine Owens, the co-hosts of a lively podcast called “Tattered Capes,” present their rare blend of expertise in senior living and longevity lifestyles, offering sometimes widely divergent perspectives to achieve a common goal: Engaging people in life’s “missing conversations” that can spur us to a higher quality of life as we age. Catherine, a nationally recognized senior living expert, is the author of “Be Your Own Hero: Senior Living Decisions Simplified.” Scott, the co-author of influential works such as “Eldercare 101,” guides consumers and companies in designing better housing solutions for our longevity needs. Together, Catherine and Scott believe that while our experiences may leave our capes “somewhat tattered,” everyone has the power and capability to be the everyday hero of their own lives.
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.
