Don't Be Caged By Your Age

EP 86 Retirement Doesn’t Mean Retreat

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 grandchildren, and stepping even more fully into her advocacy for healthy aging, eye health, and aging in place.Judith spent decades specializing in geriatric physical therapy, supporting older adults with complex needs and championing quality of life at every stage. In our conversation, we explore what first drew her to this vocation, how caring for older adults shaped her philosophy on aging, and how she navigated the emotional and practical realities of vision loss.This is a grounded, generous conversation about change, creativity, connection, and what thriving after 65 truly looks like - even when life unfolds differently than planned.If you’re navigating a transition or wondering what’s still possible in this season of life, Judith’s story is both reassuring and energizing.If you found inspiration from this conversation, please rate, review and share this episode.I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to hop on over to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age on LinkedIn or Instagram. Or leave a message on the website here.☕ Love listening to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age? Join the movement to end ageism and celebrate pro-aging!For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:✨ Amplify inspiring voices✨ Break age-related stereotypes✨ Reach more listeners worldwide💻 Visit: Buy Me A CoffeeEvery cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡Waving from Boston – cheers!Ande ♥CONNECT with me online - I'd love to learn how you're shattering ageism!https://www.linkedin.com/in/andelyons/ https://www.instagram.com/dontbecagedbyyourage SPONSORSHIPIf you resonate with the show’s mission of shattering ageism and age-related expectations so folks can thrive after 65, please reach out to me to learn more about making an impact through sponsoring the Don’t Be Caged By Your Age podcast – ande@dontbecagedbyyourage.com.

EP 85 Working Through Grief, One Recipe at a Time

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 education, peer leadership, and authorship.Now 79, Patti shares how grief didn’t shrink her world - it expanded it. We talk about the power of community, the importance of peer support, and her newest book - Recipes for Healing: Working Through Grief, One Recipe at a Time - how storytelling and food can nourish both body and soul. Patti also reflects on how cooking became a grounding force during her husband’s illness and a meaningful way to create connection and healing for others.This episode is a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to begin again, and that thriving after 65 can be filled with purpose, service, and joy.In this episode, we talk about:Turning profound loss into purpose later in lifeWhy peer support matters in grief and healingHow food and storytelling create comfort and connectionWhat thriving after 65 really looks likeWhy it’s never “too late” to live a meaningful lifeLearn more & connect:Visit Patti’s website here.Buy Patti’s book: Recipes for Healing: Working Through Grief, One Recipe at a Time here.If you found inspiration from this conversation, please rate, review and share this episode.I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to hop on over to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age on LinkedIn or Instagram. Or leave a message on the website here.☕ Love listening to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age? Join the movement to end ageism and celebrate pro-aging!For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:✨ Amplify inspiring voices✨ Break age-related stereotypes✨ Reach more listeners worldwide💻 Visit: Buy Me A CoffeeEvery cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡Waving from Boston – cheers!Ande ♥CONNECT with me online - I'd love to learn how you're shattering ageism!https://www.linkedin.com/in/andelyons/ https://www.instagram.com/dontbecagedbyyourage SPONSORSHIPIf you resonate with the show’s mission of shattering ageism and age-related expectations so folks can thrive after 65, please reach out to me to learn more about making an impact through sponsoring the Don’t Be Caged By Your Age podcast – ande@dontbecagedbyyourage.com.

EP 84 Rethinking Aging From the Inside Out

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 retirement, the importance of intergenerational connection, and why living with intention matters more than ever as we grow older.Chris is also the author of Age Out Loud, a book that challenges fear-based narratives around growing older and invites readers to live with purpose, vitality, and intention at every age. We touch on the ideas behind the book in this conversation.In this episode, you'll hear us chat about:Why aging isn’t a decline — and what really shapes the experienceHow attitude influences vitality at every ageThe cultural myth of “waiting for retirement” to start livingWhat working with older adults reveals about purpose and relevanceThe value of intergenerational relationshipsWhy aging in place is as much about mindset as it is environmentAbout my guest:Chris Moore is the founder of Senior Remodeling Experts and a nationally recognized leader in aging-in-place solutions. With nearly four decades in construction and remodeling, Chris is passionate about challenging fear-based narratives around aging and helping people live with purpose, vitality, and intention as they grow older.Learn more:🔗 Visit Senior Remodeling Experts  and grab a copy of Chris' book Age Out Loud here.If you found inspiration from this conversation, please rate, review and share this episode.I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to hop on over to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age on LinkedIn or Instagram. Or leave a message on the website here.☕ Love listening to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age? Join the movement to end ageism and celebrate pro-aging!For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:✨ Amplify inspiring voices✨ Break age-related stereotypes✨ Reach more listeners worldwide💻 Visit: Buy Me A CoffeeEvery cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡Waving from Boston – cheers!Ande ♥CONNECT with me online - I'd love to learn how you're shattering ageism!https://www.linkedin.com/in/andelyons/ https://www.instagram.com/dontbecagedbyyourage SPONSORSHIPIf you resonate with the show’s mission of shattering ageism and age-related expectations so folks can thrive after 65, please reach out to me to learn more about making an impact through sponsoring the Don’t Be Caged By Your Age podcast – ande@dontbecagedbyyourage.com.

EP 83 The 5 Pillars of Aging Well with Robin Kencel

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 of Aging Well, the importance of emotional health and acceptance, and why aging can be an expansion of possibility rather than a limitation.This conversation is an invitation to reflect on your own life, reconnect with what matters most, and embrace aging as a powerful chapter of growth and purpose.In this episode, we explore:Why aging can be an expansion of possibilities, not a narrowingHow emotional well-being and acceptance support aging wellHow living with intention helps uncover purpose at any ageIf you’re ready to stop being caged by age and start living more fully, this episode is for you.To learn more about Robin work in Aging with Purpose, please visit: https://robinkencel.comIf you found inspiration from this conversation, please rate, review and share this episode.I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to hop on over to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age on LinkedIn or Instagram. Or leave a message on the website here.☕ Love listening to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age? Join the movement to end ageism and celebrate pro-aging!For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:✨ Amplify inspiring voices✨ Break age-related stereotypes✨ Reach more listeners worldwide💻 Visit: Buy Me A CoffeeEvery cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡Waving from Boston – cheers!Ande ♥CONNECT with me online - I'd love to learn how you're shattering ageism!https://www.linkedin.com/in/andelyons/ https://www.instagram.com/dontbecagedbyyourage SPONSORSHIPIf you resonate with the show’s mission of shattering ageism and age-related expectations so folks can thrive after 65, please reach out to me to learn more about making an impact through sponsoring the Don’t Be Caged By Your Age podcast – ande@dontbecagedbyyourage.com.

EP 82 How Older Women Can Reclaim Power, Purpose & Visibility

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 gendered ageism is one of the most urgent — and overlooked — issues facing women today. Together, we unpack how society pressures women to become invisible as they age, why intergenerational solidarity matters, and how reclaiming visibility is both a personal and political act.This conversation is a rallying cry for women 65+ who are seeking fulfillment, purpose, and success on their own terms — and a reminder that aging can be a time of expansion, activism, and becoming.✨ If you’re ready to age out loud, challenge limiting narratives, and step fully into your prime, this episode is for you.In this episode, we discuss:Why sexism alone doesn’t explain women’s experiences of agingWhat gendered ageism looks like in media, marketing, and cultureThe importance of intergenerational feminism and bridge-buildingReclaiming visibility, purpose, and agency after 65Why older women matter — now more than everThis episode is an invitation to women 65+ — and to anyone who believes aging is about becoming, not declining — to step fully into their prime.To learn more about Susan, her current book In Our Prime, and her other extraordinary achievements and books, and her current role as the Catherine Neafie Kellogg Professor of Communication Studies at The University of Michigan - please visit her website here.If you found inspiration from this conversation, please rate, review and share this episode.I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to hop on over to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age on LinkedIn or Instagram. Or leave a message on the website here.☕ Love listening to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age? Join the movement to end ageism and celebrate pro-aging!For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:✨ Amplify inspiring voices✨ Break age-related stereotypes✨ Reach more listeners worldwide💻 Visit: Buy Me A CoffeeEvery cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡Waving from Boston – cheers!Ande ♥CONNECT with me online - I'd love to learn how you're shattering ageism!https://www.linkedin.com/in/andelyons/ https://www.instagram.com/dontbecagedbyyourage SPONSORSHIPIf you resonate with the show’s mission of shattering ageism and age-related expectations so folks can thrive after 65, please reach out to me to learn more about making an impact through sponsoring the Don’t Be Caged By Your Age podcast – ande@dontbecagedbyyourage.com.