Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined

Susan Stall, Ph.D. CREATIVE HOUSING OPTIONS for the MISSING MIDDLEIn 1985, sociologist and activist Dr. Susan Stall designed and taught a college course entitled Gender and the Built Environment: Redesigning the American Dream. Since then, her scholarship and activism have expanded to innovations in housing that center on affordability, design, and the capacity for community building. She highlights the ‘missing middle’--those who are neither poor nor rich-- whose housing needs tend to be ignored. Susan describes ‘age-friendly living’ options such as co-housing, cooperative housing, shared housing, and accessory dwelling units. [email protected]

Elaine Soloway writes “because it’s therapeutic for me and can be helpful to others.” Although her stories are deeply personal, Elaine considers the themes to be universal. She tackles, for example, ageism, care giving, joint replacement, pet friends; housing options; Jewishness; solo living. She is proud of her adult children’s production of the TV series, Transparent--a fictional portrayal based on their family life--for shining a realistic and positive light on transgender. Currently, Elaine is writing opinion pieces along with hosting two book groups: unrecognized history of racism and Jewish Women Writers. Foregoing embarrassment, Elaine is learning to swim, speak Spanish, and play piano--aspirations from long ago. And she proudly owns her age--83." None of my secrets are so different from anyone else’s." - Elaine Soloway Contact Information:[email protected]://www.facebook.com/elainesolowaywww.elainesoloway.com see Elaine’s writing--Books, available for purchase at Women & Children First Bookstore; and AmazonOp-edsBlogs

Jill Stewart honed her talents in public relations and writing for more than 20 years as founder and head of her own PR firm that was committed to “issues that matter.” She and her teams were there in the early stages of the AIDS epidemic and the end-of-life options movement. Most recently, Jill and her husband teamed up to produce a three-part series, Hidden History: Understanding the Origins of Racial Inequity. In her second career as communications faculty at DePaul University, Jill has approached teaching professional writing as an essential skill for communications students to level the playing field in their career advancement. Turning 70 has gotten Jill’s attention – to being even more intentional about using her time, energy and resources in ways that suit her best. "Throughout my communications career, I have been drawn to promoting social causes." - Jill O’Mahony StewartContact Information:Email: [email protected]: @jillostewart YouTube: Hidden History – Understanding the Origins of Racial Inequity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78PmjkSEpnw

Growing up with a schizophrenic mother, experiencing violence most of her young life, and surviving breast cancer all contribute to Lin’s mantra: Resilience | Decisiveness | Courage. 25 different careers, first corporate and then entrepreneurial, made Lin unstoppable. And, today, she continues to be a trailblazer. “People fight change. I am always willing to pivot and change.” - Lin O'NeillLin pays tribute to her grandmother, the wisest woman she knew in her life. This woman saved her and helped her build the skills necessary to overcome her upbringing. Listening to Lin’s story of personal and professional accomplishment is a testimonial to women’s journeys.CONNECT WITH LIN:Email: [email protected]: https://oneill.enterprises

Frances “Poppy” Northcutt gained national fame as the first and only woman in NASA’s mission control room working on the Apollo Program. Poppy and her team designed the Return-to-Earth trajectory that took the Apollo 8 crew around the Moon and back to Earth. She worked on missions 10-13 and helped retrieve the Apollo 13 astronauts after their mid-flight disaster. After cuts in the space program, Poppy continued her advocacy for women’s rights as a felony prosecutor in a domestic violence unit. Now in semi-retirement, Poppy’s advocacy is focused on reproductive justice, as the attorney for Jane’s Due Process, providing legal services to pregnant teen-age girls. She holds leadership positions with NOW, nationally and in the state of Texas.I’ve always been involved with something that has to do with an equal state for women. - Frances "Poppy" NorthcuttEmail: [email protected]: @poppy_northcutthttps://now.org/wp-content/poppy_northcutt.mp4 49 years after the passing of Roe-vs Wade.

Martha Holstein passed away on November 24, 2021. We are releasing her episode to honor Martha's lasting contributions to women aging.Dr. Holstein, a vocal advocate for women aging, speaks both to individuals and the larger politic. She urges women to own their age—if you are old, acknowledge it. Live by your norms, not those for people far younger: Intergenerational conversations are important. Dr. Holstein raises awareness of how differentials concerning race, class, religion, and sexual identity affect the problems we encounter and the choices available for how we age and live. Individual solutions are insufficient; political-systemic answers are needed to remedy ills around aging, especially aging women. If we don’t accept and respect our age, how will we identify those problems associated with being old and work toward resolving them?The personal is political–ageism and social disparities inhibit women from making meaningful choices of how to live well while aging. – Martha Holstein, Ph.D.Watch: Martha Holstein: Own Your AgeContact Information:[email protected], M. (2015). Women in Late Life: Critical Perspectives on Gender and Age. Rowman & Littlefield.Connect with Gail and Catherine:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimaginedInstagram: WomenOver70Website:https://womenover70.comEmail: [email protected]: Women Over 70 – Aging ReimaginedListen on: Apple Play, Stitcher,Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow.

Talking with Bindy Bitterman is full of laughter and humor. She recently published her first children’s book, Skiddley, Diddley, Skat, a beautifully illustrated limerick and has returned to frequently writing limericks to the delight of all who know her. Even as a full time business woman, owning and running an antique store in Evanston IL, Bindy was successful because her customers knew they would feel better after shopping there. As she gets ready to turn 91, Bindy is grateful for finding a retirement community that adores her sense of play. Never bored, never at a lack for friendship and fun, she thrives on living, playing and creating. "I can’t figure out how I got to be 90. It seems my sense of humor and play have developed since I’ve retired and moved to a retirement community." - Bindy Bittermanhttps://video.wttw.com/video/childrens-author-bindy-bitterman-writing-limericks-aufkbw/Connect with Bindy:Website: BindysVerses.comEmail: [email protected]: Skiddley Diddley Skat - Children’s BookAvailable at (temporarily out of stock until early February, 2022) : Unabridged Book Store, Lake ViewBooked, EvanstonBook Stall, WinnetkaBook Cellar, ChicagoTown House Books, St. CharlesSee Bindy’s interview on Chicago TonightEmail: [email protected]

Sandra Whitmore, age 73 from Brevard NC, couldn’t wait to grow up so she could travel--to 33 countries, 17 Caribbean islands, and on 45 cruises (and still counting). Twenty years ago, she was new to community theatre, working her way from stage manager to lead roles. After Sandra was widowed at age 68, she pursued online dating and married date #17, Steve, in October 2021. This commitment required private lessons in ballroom dancing. Bored during the pandemic, Sandra pursued two ventures which required extensive new learning. She has written over 70 travel blogs under the moniker, Silver Voyager. In February 2021, she launched a YouTube channel, Sandy Over 70. “Getting in front of the camera is like being on stage and I love it!” Her next adventure is moving with Steve to a continuing care retirement community in North Carolina, after returning from their dance cruise. If I can imagine it, I can make it happen. - Sandra Whitmore Contact InformationEmail: [email protected]: YouTube.com/c/SandyOver70Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandyOver70

At every stage and turning point in her life, Marcia Whitney-Schenck asks herself, “What could I do? How might I think about this?” Each of her undertakings is underlined by a creative spirit that, she believes, is the essence of all humanity. Witty, direct and compelling, Marcia shares stories from her youth, a 9-month stay in Northern Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, and life as she experiences it today.Writer and multimedia artist, Marcia began her career as a journalist and worked in public relations. She founded a magazine, Christianity & The Arts and was its editor for 8 years. All of her work calls upon the spiritual, including her novel, Tryptych. Today her art centers on finding the humanity in ancient figures and reinterpreting them visually to be accessible in our modern lives. Recently, Marcia has tiptoed into the subject of dementia through her art and has also created a philosophy of life she names H.E.A.L. "The written word and visual arts help us maintain our enthusiasm despite the pain of humanity." - Marcia Whitney-SchenckConnect with Marcia:Email: [email protected]: marciawhitney-schenck.comHer Book: Triptych - available on Amazon.

Ricki (mchealthy) McKenna is an entrepreneur, author and functional certified nutritionist who believes healthy eating is the key to a vibrant life. She started her business in Colorado by visiting farmers’ markets to buy ingredients for soup, building an inventory of 12 different ones and selling them to her nutrition clients and the public. Today, Ricki’s Kitchen-PAN-tuitive Cooking is a well-known show on YouTube (found at USA GLOBAL TV - THE UNITED KITCHENS) and she is a favorite on various TV programs. "I bring the spirit of life and healthy living into everything I do. Life is good." - Ricki MckennaContinuously reinventing herself, Ricki chefs for seniors, bikes, and loves to play pickleball. She believes aging is an attitude and works at helping other seniors eat their way to a healthy, energetic, joyful life. Laughter and fun are her middle names. Connect with Ricki:Email: [email protected]: https://rickiskitchen.netEBook: Ebook, “YES YOU CAN EAT WELL and EAT RIGHT and Find the Joy of Cooking." A quick Guide to Stretching your food dollar. Available at https://Patreon.com/rickimchealthy

Vanessa Kettler has danced all her life. She became an exercise coach 20 years ago and now focuses on older people so they, too, can experience a higher quality of life as they age. Feelings of fear, depression, anxiety and stress can be controlled through a continuing active lifestyle, including exercise, stretching and breathing.A specific regime is to move for 5 minutes every ½ hour and exercise daily for 30 minutes. Vanessa assures us that optimum muscle strength and bone health will be your reward.We do not have to accept the traditional, less active path older people think is inevitable. I still dance at 78 because I follow my own approach. After a severe fall causing a broken shoulder and wrist, I regained full motion in only 4 months.Connect with Vanessa:Website: https://building-better-balance.comDVDs available for purchase

Karen Bennett, from Baltimore MD, entered adulthood in the 1960s amongBeatniks and ‘starving’ artists. After leaving art studies and a first marriage, as a mother of three, Karen became a nurse practitioner working in correctionalinstitutions, including Riker’s Island, NYC jail. Her first fiction writing drew onher experience with women’s prisons, where “the extraordinary soon becomes the ordinary.” Since 2006, Karen’s life adventures and misadventures have nourished her fiction writing about an array of other topics--travel, choir, horses, ballet. Karen’s quest is to publish as many of her books as possible, while she is still on the “moving sidewalk of life.”Contact Information:Email: [email protected]: https://www.karensbennett.comPublications:Beautiful Horseflesh (2021). Apprentice House Press.The Farewell Tour (2019). Available on Amazon.

Sue Smith’s life has educated her as much as she educates others in her position as teacher, trainer and consultant, first for middle school children, and then 30 years for Keep America Beautiful. Sue recently retired from KAB. The love in her voice as she recounts the exciting career she had with them is reason enough to listen. For a woman who had a 50-year love affair with her husband, you wouldn’t detect that he recently died from the stories she shares. This is a person who, as she says, was lucky enough to find her passion and purpose living alongside a partner and children who supported her every step of the way. Sue’s positive attitude reigns supreme, allowing her to face new challenges and make an impact on everyone she serves. "What are the odds that a Michigan farm girl would visit Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand and teach litter prevention, improving recycling and beautification, overseas and throughout the United States?" - Sue SmithConnect with Sue:Email: [email protected]: 312-933-9709Keep America Beautiful: https://kab.org/

Ilene’s life is colorful and eventful. Overcoming her own fear and anger has allowed her to experience adventure in unique and satisfying ways. Author, social worker and host of Full Power Living for 12 years, she now lives primarily in an RV and continues to coach 1 day a week. In an earlier life she spent 5 years on a houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle. At 30, Ilene asked herself, “Is it possible to put anger under one’s own direction?” After two decades, she declared herself a self-proclaimed recovered angry person. Then she asked “Is it also possible to curtail fear in my life?” Indeed, it was. The focus of her career moved to working with people to understand and take control of their debilitating emotions. Isolating emotions in this way became a new field which emerged because emotions had not been investigated separately from diagnoses of mental illness.Connect with Ilene:Email: [email protected]: https://emotionalpro.com Book: Emotions in Motion: Mastering Life’s Built-in Navigation SystemBook: The Wellness Universe Guide to Complete Self-Care: 25 Tools for Stress Relief

Create diverse communities and better the lives of all people. This one sentence perfectly describes Margo Morris, 78. The communities themselves were diverse: corporate America, education, Lincoln Park Zoo, Garfield Park Conservatory and other non-profits, and in each one she worked to engage a broader swath of American life. Margo retired 13 years ago and returned to an earlier love: art, settling on figurative art in water media. Recently she became widowed and now plans to move to an independent senior community to start a new chapter in her life. Margo believed aging was just getting wrinkles. As she ages it's become clear that aging is so much more. She has a strong sense of humor and as you listen you will hear it in everything she says.Once I accepted that everyone has to die, I felt relieved. No one gets the privilege of not dying. - Margo MorrisConnect with Margo:Email: [email protected]

Dr. Jane Traies, from Brighton, England, has lived through defining moments of LGBTQ+ history. In her late-60s, Jane earned a Ph.D. in Gender Studies from the University of Sussex. For the past ten years, Jane has devoted her writing career to documenting oral and life history about the lives of older Lesbian women. Jane describes herself as “an old historian [who] is putting my generation back on the map” through speaking and writing. She is an advocate for the Lesbian Immigrant Support Group, a grassroots organization that offers support to lesbian and bi women seeking asylum from the violent homophobia of their home countries. Jane’s latest book, Free To Be Me, features experiences of immigrant women in the UK. Contact Information Email: [email protected] by Jane Traies Free To Be Me (2021) Now You See Me: Lesbian Life Stories (2018) The Lives of Older Lesbians: Sexuality, Identity, and the Life Course (2016)

How do you describe a woman, in a few short paragraphs, whose passions are so numerous, her curiosity endless, and her life filled with joy in all she pursues? This is Dr. Linda Seger. Never satisfied to only do, Linda seeks the best teachers in each of her endeavors. She has learned not to put age in the equation or live her life with regrets. She says: When you feel the need to do something, do it right away. Flow with it. Find joy in it.Linda looks at social justice from the female point of view. She studied at the seminary to see if creativity and spirituality are connected and took apart words in the bible to answer the question: “What do these words mean for us as artists?” You become memorable because you applaud everybody and find joy in the mere doing of all you decide to pursue. - Dr. Linda SegerConnect With Linda:Email: [email protected]: https://lindaseger.comHer Books on Screenwriting - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=linda+seger+making+a+good+script+great&crid=1YLCBQ7C1A5M1&sprefix=Linda+Seger%2Caps%2C167&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_4_11Most Recent Book: God’s Part in our Art: Making Friends With the Creative Spirithttps://www.amazon.com/Gods-Part-Our-Art-Creative/dp/1737798204/ref=sr_1_18?crid=1YLCBQ7C1A5M1&keywords=linda+seger+making+a+good+script+great&qid=1637346417&sprefix=Linda+Seger%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-18