Where Do We Come From? Finding Your Roots with Modern Genealogy
August 19, 2024
Hosted by Ron Roel
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
As a nation of immigrants, we’ve long been interested in genealogy, curious about our home countries, the families we left behind, and what motivated them to come to America. In recent years, genealogical research seems to have taken off as a hobby, with the availability of internet resources and DNA technology. It’s particularly popular among older people, who enjoy the challenge and activity—it’s also a good way to keep your brain sharp. But researching family history can be frustrating; there are so many blanks you often must fill in. In today’s episode, I talk with Kerri Tannenbaum, a genealogist who has turned her passion into a dynamic—and often surprising—profession as the owner of Family Dot Connector. Kerri will explain how modern genealogy has developed into much more than DNA tracing through Ancestry.com or 23andme, providing a range of specialties in areas like geographical or ethnic searches. She’ll tell us where to find resources to get started on your genealogy journey; when and how to hire a professional; and what kind of training and education it takes to become a pro. Most of all, she’ll share an array of compelling stories about her detective-like work with families, helping them find the clues they need to reveal long sought-after pieces of their history. “As people get older,” Kerri says, “they want answers. I like to give them answers.”
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.