Widows Who Age Alone
June 27, 2024
Hosted by Dr. Connie Mariano
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Guest Information
Episode Description
The loneliness of widowhood can be particularly painful and challenging for older widows. In the United States, 10% of widows live alone, 70% reside with adult children, and the remaining 20% are in home care facilities. What does this stage of life look like for widows, who often outlive their husbands by an average of 15 years? In this episode, we welcome Bonnie Shimko, a Certified Senior Advisor and advocate for seniors and individuals with special needs. As the co-founder and CEO of Arizona Care Management Solutions, Bonnie shares her insights and experiences in supporting widows and helping them navigate this complex phase of life.
The Widow's Walk
Thursdays at 3 PM Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Empowerment Channel
Dedicated to the journey of recovery and re-birth after losing one’s spouse. Dr. Connie Mariano, former White House Physician, is used to being a groundbreaker. She was the first military woman to become the President’s physician; the first woman Director of the White House Medical Unit; and the first Filipino American to become a Navy Rear Admiral. She is also a successful businesswoman, author, and a devoted mother, wife, and friend. The one thing life didn’t prepare her for was becoming a widow. After losing her beloved husband John in a soaring plane accident in July 2019, Dr. Connie joined the one million women who are widowed each year in the United States alone. As with all her life experiences, however, Dr Connie didn’t let this sudden loss stop her. While her journey as a widow has been one of intense grief and sorrow, it has also been one of growth and re-birth. With this show, Dr Connie hopes to use the knowledge gained from her walk through widowhood to help other women struggling with this deeply personal and often lonely journey of their own.
Dr. Connie Mariano
Dr. Connie Mariano’s life is THE American success story. Born in the Philippines and raised as the daughter of a Navy enlisted serviceman, she moved frequently, landing in Southern California where she graduated high school Valedictorian, earning her Bachelor’s degree with honors at the University of California at San Diego. In 1981, she received her M.D. from the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, board-certified in Internal Medicine. In 1992, she became the first military woman in history to be appointed as White House Physician. She was named Director of the White House Medical Unit and chosen by President William Clinton to serve as his personal physician. Dr. Mariano served nine years, attending to three American Presidents. Completing 24 years of active duty service, Dr. Mariano retired as a Rear Admiral – the first Filipino American in history to do so. In 2001, Dr. Mariano was a consultant in the Executive Health Program at the Mayo Clinic. In 2005, she founded the Center for Executive Medicine, a medical concierge practice which provides presidential-quality medical care to CEOs and their families. An expert in presidential health care including the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, Dr. Mariano is a frequent speaker on the topics of care to VIPs, presidential disability, travel medicine, and optimizing quality of care. She is the author of The White House Doctor: My Patients were Presidents, a Memoir.
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