Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined

For Phyllis Walden, life experiences offer abundant opportunities for learning. Reading The Second Sex near completion of her doctoral program in Philosophy in the late 1960s reinforced Phyllis’ feminist perspectives. As a mentor and teacher in innovative college programs, Phyllis brought her daily practice of journal writing to the classroom. After retirement at age 57 from college life, Phyllis trained as a volunteer docent at The Field Museum in Chicago where she became an unanticipated expert on dinosaurs. For over 30 years, Phyllis is Tia (aunt) to her dear friend’s adopted daughters from Peru and China. She treasures her experience as a mentoring figure in their daily lives and as a member of this multi-cultural family. Phyllis’ love of travel took a new turn during the pandemic. She now enjoys learning virtually about Broadway musicals and world religions along with immersive travel to places like Provence, France. Aging is another learning project; what do I need to know now? - Phyllis Walden PhDConnect with Phyllis:Email: [email protected]

At age 65, Jane Llewellyn (PHD, RN) decided to retire from her rewarding and demanding positions as Vice President of Nursing and as Associate Dean of the Nursing College at Rush University Medical Center. Why retire when she was on top of her game? Having survived aggressive breast cancer at age 43, with only a 20% chance to live beyond five years, Jane wanted to “experience more and enjoy life while I am able.” Thus began her new life as a world traveler--a temporary local--to exotic places in all seven continents. Jane says her favorite place is the next trip although she especially loved Antarctica and Africa. Jane’s continued involvement in health includes serving on the Board of a local hospital and on the Oak Park Action Team for End-of-Life Options Coalition--Compassion & Choices. She travels with and anticipates providing more care for her sister who has Alzheimer’s disease. Jane is writing her own extraordinary life story. Life is short, take the trip, buy the shoes.Contact Jane Llewellyn [email protected]

Ever since she came to the United States from Kobe, Japan, at 10, Lily Liu has devoted herself to living up to the role models she found in her grandparents, aunt and mother. Her grandmother raised her while her mother, widowed at 32, worked to support her children. Every Sunday was Mother’s Day because it was the only day her mother was off from her work. She came to spend quality time with Lily and her brothers and planned adventurous activities. Lily Liu took full advantage of the world her mother shared with her. Lily was a sought-after model as a teenager. Later, she gave her own three children the same opportunity when each was born during the years she owned her agency. Soon other mothers approached her to find modeling jobs for their children. Lily’s Talent Agency grew out of these early years. Lily shares how she became a model and how important it is to her to guide the talent she represents to excel, be professional, and pay it forward. Live your life to your fullest, but remember to take care of yourself. Don’t let others influence you to give up what you love. - Lily LiuAs president and founder of a 501(C)3 non-profit, “Mentoring Artists Chicago” since 2010, Lily helps young performing artists in the Chicagoland area with monetary as well as financial awards. She is also the founder, owner, and manager of Lidi Real Estate L.L.C. since 2000 and invests in properties to rent, as well as sell, at the most opportune time.CONNECT WITH LILY LIU:Website: https://lilystalent.comEmail: [email protected]

Martha Hansen knows what it’s like to age. What she didn’t know was that 7 Days at Sea would be the first play she wrote and self-produced. Or that it would hit, head-on, the sexuality of women at older ages, as well as bring her close up to illness, gayness, and the growing insignificance women experience as they age.Martha says a lot of the credit for mounting the play goes to Kristina McCloskey who helped her with development. And, Margaret Knapp, who helped with structure and production and ultimately became the director. She couldn’t believe the support the theater community heaped on her and said she could never have come to this day without them. Not bad for a woman whose entire career was in science! ”I’m a big storyteller. I was such a wild child that I have a lot of stories.”7 Days at Sea is enjoying a limited run in Chicago at the Edge Theater on Broadway. Connect with Martha:Email: [email protected]: https://www.lightandsoundproductions.org/

As a child of the 1960s drug culture, Stephanie Raffelock dropped out of high school. Her return to formal education in her mid-thirties opened the doorway into examining her own life and providing platforms for other women to tell the stories of their truths. In her recent book, Creatrix Rising--Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women--Stephanie changes the last stage of a woman’s life cycle from the dried-up Crone to the blossoming Creatrix. Aging, she believes, “is a remarkable and noble passage.” Through telling her own and others’ stories, Stephanie offers a reflective guide to embody and celebrate the Creatrix in each of us. I am replacing the archetype of the Crone with the Creatrix--women with resounding voices who inspire us with their personal stories.- Stephanie RaffleockConnect with [email protected]://www.byline-Stephanie.comBooks by StephanieCreatrix Rising--Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women (2021)A Delightful Little Book on Aging (2020)

Dr. Katharine Esty’s husband was seriously ill when she turned 80. It put her in a funk. Even hiking with her family, an ordinary event, sent her deeper into the doldrums. Katharine couldn’t make it to the top of a favorite hill during one hike and it (removed only) made her realize she couldn’t keep doing everything she did. She decided it was time for research. As a psychotherapist, Katharine knew what to do. She searched for a diverse group of people across the country in their 80s to interview: men and women, most were flourishing, primarily in a positive economic space; most lived independently, some in retirement communities and a few in nursing homes. She interviewed some of their children, too, to understand how family dynamics changed as elders aged.“I was paralyzed with fear about aging until I began to feel, 'I can do this.' My picture of aging was completely out of date." Dr. Katharine EstyThe conclusion was very clear. The picture she held of old age was completely out of date. Her image came from her grandparents’ lives and that provided a grim reality. Some 11 million people are in their 80s today and this group is growing faster than any other decade. Her research revealed that, in part, people are thriving due to modern medicine and can continue to enjoy active, pain-free lives as long as they are healthy. Surprisingly, they are much happier. They stay involved, continue to learn, and have a purpose. This happiness is psychological and stems from having dropped regrets and striving in the rat race, as well as feeling gratitude for just being alive.Connect with Katharine:Book: Eightysomethings: A Practical Guide to Letting Go, Aging Well, and Finding Unexpected HappinessAvailable at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Eightysomethings-Transitions-Letting-Unexpected-Happiness/dp/151074312XSign up for her monthly newsletter: https://www.katharineesty.com/newsletter-subscriptions

Vicki Thomas, 76 is a life-long journalist, producer, writer and purpose-driven business woman.She started her career as a media writer for a multi-state trade association, worked for ABC Chicago and, in 1988, started her own company. At 75, she realized it was time to do more and, with partner, Joyce Cohen, they created My Future Purpose, which fulfills her desire to help individuals harness the power of purpose. She believes “doing what fulfills you makes your days fly by”. “Purpose gives us a sense of identity.” - Vicki ThomasVicki believes aging is an extraordinary process and wants to continue making a difference. She has no desire to retire and told us she intends to be carried out on a flip chart! And she knows about aging. Her mother recently turned 100. A very pleasant person, still, there is necessary care-giving that Vicki must provide.Connect with Vicki:Email: [email protected]: MyFuturePurpose.comAudioSeries: I Quit, Now What?

In recognition of National Poetry Month, we bring you Joyce Sutphen.Joyce Sutphen discusses her love of teaching and writing poetry, her attachment to rural life, and her decade-long experience living with Parkinson’s. Farm girl becomes college professor becomes Minnesota Poet Laureate. In her eight published collections of poetry, Joyce meets head on the challenges of living and dying, conveying beauty and peace, love and acceptance. Listen to Joyce’s reading of Crossroads about the second half of life, and How I’m Doing about her reckoning with Parkinson’s. Joyce has been heard to say, “I never want to know what the last line will be….”“Poetry is my way of finding out what I think.” – Joyce Sutphen, Ph.D.Take-Aways:Follow the thing you love the most, using the means you haveBody behaving badly—understand, accept, maintain itPoems tell us things in a language we didn’t know we spoke. They say things in ways we didn’t know we knew.Contact information:[email protected]’s latest publication:Sutphen, J. (2019). Carrying water to the field: New and selected poems. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press.Connect with Gail & Catherine:Facebook: facebook.com/womenover70Website:https://womenover70.comEmail: [email protected]

Joan Sotkin, 81, is the creator of 3 books and 5 audios and a financial coach whose approach is based on brain science. She is also the host of the podcast The Prosperity Show. “What you believe affects what happens in your life. Every decision has an emotional component.” - Joan SotkinIn 1976, while living in Venice, CA, Joan gave away all her possessions and wandered for four years learning how to always follow her inner voice. While staying with her parents at Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, during a deep meditation, she heard: “Go buy a pound of tumbled stones”. She soon built a successful business selling crystals and minerals nationwide. Unfortunately, she never learned how to manage cash flow, went bankrupt and dedicated herself to honing her business and financial skills. After suffering from a range of physical problems for many years, Joan studied and adopted a range of alternative techniques. She is now remarkably healthy and vibrant. Today, Joan is a successful money and mindset mentor who guides people to uncover the habitual thoughts, beliefs, and emotions that affect their business and financial outcomes. Connect with Joan:Email: [email protected]: https://ProsperityPlace.comPodcast: The Prosperity ShowBook: Build Your Money Muscles: Nine Simple Exercises for Improving Your Relationship with Money

Francine Russo grew up in New York - a lower middle class Jewish girl. Her parents felt strongly that her MRS. Degree was more important than getting her PH.D. She did marry, twice. Both husbands died and she was left to find Love After 50: the title of her latest book, which is a comprehensive and intimate guide to finding, keeping, and enjoying love after fifty, the best kind of love there is. Today she lives with Michael, her current partner of 6 ½ years. Francine has a PhD in English literature and is a successful journalist. In this episode, she offers many tips for aspiring magazine writers and is known for being ahead of the curve, finding trends to write about before others. At 75, Francine loves life and has many more articles in her to write. Watch for her next one in Scientific American, a story about a female archaeologist who learns about Viking women. If you like someone and don’t hear back, there’s no harm in following up yourself - Perseverance gets you what you want, in work and in dating. -Francine RussoConnect with Francine Russo:Email: [email protected]: https://francinerusso.com/Current Book: Love After 50: How to Find It, Enjoy It and Keep Ithttps://www.amazon.com/s?k=francine+russo+love+after+50&i=stripbooks&crid=U6TWK1J8OL7H&sprefix=Francine+Russo%2Cstripbooks%2C70&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_14

For Agnes Loughlin, a former nurse and nurse practitioner, the path to internal wellness begins with awareness. She emphasizes being aware of how we direct our attention and energy to our thoughts and emotions and encourages us to use these powerful tools to create our inner desires. Agnes describes how her own feelings of loneliness and disconnection for many years were masked by busyness, until she had an awakening experience at age 64. Always curious, Agnes is devoted to exploring multiple dimensions of spirituality and healing. She is certified in five modalities and as a life coach. As founder of Miracles in Wellness, Agnes speaks and conducts retreats and coaches individuals and groups to create and explore their own joyous realities. We create our own joy as we become more aware of feeling love, connection, and aliveness in our relationships. -Agnes LoughlinContact InformationAgnes Loughlin, Joy FacilitatorCell 773-791-9590Email: [email protected]: https://miraclesinwellness.comFree gift--Meditation to Embrace More Love https://mailchi.mp/f99c1fcdc0ef/meditation

Cindi Elstienfinds herself in a pretty satisfying stage of life. Having overcome both breast cancer and a recent debilitating bout of pneumonia, along with several other difficult issues, she weathered 3 weeks in the hospital and has come out stronger and feeling positive. Cindi believes your mental attitude is critical in the healing process. "I feel very young. I’m lucky to have found a passion I love." - Cindi Elstien With Covid waning, she is now ready to fully get back to the business of helping people. A long career working in human resources, and for various insurance brokers, led her to open her own company, People by CFE in 2020. Her company provides HR consulting. As a licensed property & casualty and life & health insurance agent, she is qualified to review and recommend group health benefit plans that enhance total rewards for employees within an organization. She has relationships with insurance brokers who collaborate with her to make recommendations for the client and place coverages with the insurance companies. Cindi Elstien is known for sharing friends and offering resources to mentor others needing help. Upbeat and generous, she easily interweaves professional and personal relationships. She believes companies must build a foundation of respect, cultural diversity, and inclusion. Connect with Cindi:Email: [email protected]: https://www.peoplebyCFE.com

“Brain-Boosting Nutrients are key to real-time, real-world approaches to maintaining and improving health.”Dr. Patricia Walicke is a 40 year veteran in neuroscience. She earned her MD from Harvard-MIT Health Science and Technology program and her PhD from the Harvard Dept. of Neuroscience. Her primary area was Alzheimer's disease research under Dr. Robert Katzman. In 1989 she started a clinical neurology practice where participation in clinical research sparked a new passion related to the development of medications. Subsequently, she joined the biotechnology industry working to develop medications in several different areas. An important author of book chapters and papers, Dr. Walicke also holds 3 patents. Since 2017, she has lived in Sedona AZ, and maintains a small wellness coaching practice. Feeling that drug development had become complex and expensive she turned her studies to inexpensive interventions such as food, nutrition, and natural supplements.Dr. Walicke is now on the scientific advisory board of Blue Lake, where she serves as an expert in beta-caryophyllene (BCP) and phosphatidylserine (PS) both found to support memory and brain function.She also carefully monitors studies around the world to capture trends in dementia disease and Alzheimer's. Dr. Walicke is a strong proponent of the 6 Pillars of Memory approach advocated by Blue Lake and the use of their memory chocolates.Connect with Dr. Patricia Walicke:Website: https://bluelakeminds.com

Janie Petkus is an internationally renowned interior designer. She works in all aspects of design including architectural plans, lighting and landscape. Her love for this work oozes out of her. Janie’s mother, and Doris Day were both role models and inspirations for her to pursue this career. She served as President of the Illinois Chapter of the International Society of Interior Designers (ISID) and, later, was Vice-president of finance for the International Society. She has participated in many designer showcases and housewalks over the years, all to benefit charities. Janie also had a show on HGTV for a number of years."Younger people keep your mind alive & alert." - Janie PetkusBut life has been tricky. Her beloved husband of 44 years, passed away suddenly of a rare disease at the age of 67. He was Janie’s closest friend for all those years and he deliberately retired young to become her partner in her business. The story of how she learned to be on her own, maintaining the business and her family, is one worth listening to. This is a woman who loves life, experimenting with new ways of being, and developing friendships with all ages.Connect with Janie:Email: [email protected]

Frances Fuller grew up in poverty. All of her books belonged to the state of Arkansas. Her mother had a 4th grade education. It is a wonder, then, that Frances became a writer and publisher and left a legacy in the form of an entire body of literature in Arabic, for Arabic children.From an early age, Frances was a devotee of the American columnist, Ernie Pyle. Committing to a lifetime of missionary work in Lebanon and Jordan combined her two loves: the Christian faith and journalism. Initially, she worked with groups of Americans as their press representative, and reported to America what was happening in Beirut. Soon, she purchased a small publishing house and produced children’s curricula. On one of her furloughs home, she determined to teach others how to write so that the curricula could be produced in Arabic by Arabs for the Muslim world. That was when decided she had to know what the process of writing was in order to teach Arabs how to write. She earned her Master’s degree in English and then returned. Author of 2 books, we spoke extensively with Frances about her recent memoir.Takeaways:Children thrive in uncertain circumstances when they believe in your passion for your work.Journalism is a tool with which to do many things.Life during wartime in Lebanon was chaotic, but manageable.Connect with Frances Fuller:Email: [email protected]: https://inborrowedhouseslebanon.comBlog: https://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com/blog/Books: In Borrowed Houses: A True Story of Love and Faith Amidst War in Lebanon Helping Yourself Grow Old: Things I Said to Myself When I Was Almost NinetyConnect with Gail & Catherine: Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined

Vinyls are Couch Covers: Improv & Long-Term Care Insurance!Quote: Life can be so hard when you believe Medicare insurance covers you and it does not.Gail Steingold is a go-getter whose life contains a lot of improvisation. From clinical speech pathology to long term care insurance, learning and laughing have been her constant companions. It makes sense when your work is serious and deals so much with feelings. When Gail transitioned to selling long-term care insurance she took up improv to satisfy her love of theater and performance. And, to reduce the frustration she feels because of the numerous misconceptions older people have about what Medicare covers. Gail will tell you the optimal age to get Long-Term Care insurance is when you are healthy and between 45-65. She is known for the depth of her knowledge of the everchanging LTC insurance marketplace. Her clients are the recipients of her experience, contacts and empathetic approach and commitment to designing a plan that meets their needs and challenges of the extended long term care event. CONNECT WITH GAIL:Company: Burling Insurance GroupWebsite: https://www.bigltc.com/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gail-steingold-ms-ltcp-cltc-007b763/

For the last 32 years, Louise reinvented herself many times. After her husband died when she was 44, she realized she had never lived on her own. Two big questions arose: “Why am I here?”. “What am I supposed to do with my life?”. Through coursework, metaphysics and hypnotherapy, she slowly found her way. Always the extrovert, she learned to tone down her enthusiasm and take time to listen. Today she helps baby boomers who experience loss - of careers, of soulmates, and illness. Louise has had many titles in her life: Queen of Networking, Candy Lady, Lady Farmer. The one she cherishes most is Lady Lou, the Baby Boomer Babe. If she could, she would tell every younger person, “Be more awake - be aware of the possibilities.”The future is wide open. I’m excited there are still so many discoveries to make and so many new ways to help people. - Louise DeweyConnect with Louise:Email: [email protected]: 281-406-1092