Don't Be Caged By Your Age

Who says fulfillment has to stop when your career does?

A lifelong writer whose remarkable career has taken him from the newsroom to the boardroom - and now into the world of positive aging advocacy - Don Akchin’s decades of lived experiences ideally prepared him to bring us the insights and wisdom we need to thrive after 65.

In this inspiring conversation, Don shares how he transitioned from a traditional career into a fulfilling, p...

What does it really mean to age boldly and unapologetically? 

In this episode, I chat with Angel Cicerone — entrepreneur, author, and creator of Old Broad. New Tricks. — about living out loud, staying curious, and thriving as we age.

Angel shares her experience of moving to New York City at 60, building new connections, and using TikTok to challenge outdated ideas about aging. We talk about entrepreneurship, understanding m...

In this episode I chat with John Jay Wiley, a retired Baltimore police sergeant who reinvented himself as a nationally syndicated broadcaster.

John Jay is the creator and host of Law Enforcement Talk Radio, which is carried on more than 147 AM and FM stations across the country.

John Jay shares his transformative journey — from overcoming personal struggles to finding his voice as a storyteller and advocate for f...

What does it look like to rebuild your life after homelessness, depression, and loss, while also dissolving the heavy weight of ageism?

At 67, Lori Kirstein is living proof that adversity can be fuel for transformation. Through her Goodbye Good Girl Project, Lori empowers women to ditch the “shoulds,” find their true voice, and step unapologetically into their power.

In our conversation, Lori shares how resilience, authenticity, and ...

When widowhood meets financial uncertainty, where do you begin? 

Meet Debra L. Morrison, a trailblazing financial expert, grief coach, and best-selling author of My Husband Died Now What? A Widow’s Guide to Grief Recovery & Smart Financial Decisions.

Debra empowers widows and women over 65 with smart money strategies to reclaim their confidence, safeguard their future, and embrace the life they deserve. From investment ...

Boomers aren’t “bad at tech”—we built it. 🚀

In this solo episode of Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, I’m celebrating my 69th birthday (and Episode 69!) by busting one of the most persistent myths about my generation: that we struggle with technology.

From manual typewriters to PCs, rotary phones to smartphones, vinyl to streaming, punch card gaming to Pac-Man, and mimeographs to Zoom, we’ve adapted to—and often invented—more tech than an...

What happens when ADHD goes undiagnosed until midlife or later? And how does it affect women as we age?

Thriving after 65 means embracing every part of who we are … including the parts that may have been overlooked or misunderstood for decades.

In this episode of Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, I’m joined by Diann Wingert - a former psychotherapist turned coach and unapologetic truth-teller - to talk about what it really means to discove...

If you think reinvention is impossible later in life - or that fashion and construction can’t possibly mix - Brenda “Maxx” Cumbie McGee is here to prove you wrong.

In this uplifting and eye-opening conversation, Maxx shares her remarkable journey from professional model to union carpenter, and now to Founder of GottStreet Blues®, a fashion-forward workwear brand designed for women who build, weld, dig, create, and do.
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What does it look like to lead with purpose, advocate for equity, and thrive at 70?

In this episode of Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, I’m joined by Robert Baker, a globally respected DE&I consultant, speaker, coach, and age-positive leader, whose decades-long career continues to inspire change across generations and industries.

After 42 years at Mercer, Robert launched Potentia Talent Consulting, where he delive...

What happens when you stop bending to other people’s expectations and start honoring your own? 

Meet Marilynn Larkin - a 76-year-old journalist, health communicator, certified fitness professional, and the fierce founder of Get UnBent Now.

Marilynn is living proof that aging doesn’t mean slowing down or playing small. In fact, she just competed in her second bodybuilding competition (yes, really!). In this episode, we dive ...

What does it look like to stay vibrant, visible, and powerfully creative in your 70s?

I was honored to chat with A’Lelia Bundles - renowned journalist, bestselling author, and great-granddaughter of the unforgettable A’Lelia Walker, a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance.

Her new book, Joy Goddess: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance, is more than a biography. It’s a vibrant celebration of a woman who helped shape a cultura...

Listener, get ready for a deeply inspiring and eye-opening convo that flips the script on aging. 

Our guest is Helen Hirsh Spence - a distinguished educator, thought leader, and unapologetic age equity advocate who's rewriting the narrative around growing older. 

After decades of leadership in Canada’s education system, Helen had her own run-in with ageism, and instead of fading quietly into the background, s...

What if the key to thriving after 60 isn’t about pushing harder... but rebalancing your brain?

In this mind-expanding episode, we're joined by Liam Naden - researcher, teacher, and creator of the Transformative Brain Rebalancing Method - who shares how a total life collapse led him to discover the brain's true power to create a life of clarity, joy, and purpose.

From sailing off the coast of Italy to ditching outdated goal-...

Please join me for a special Pride Month episode on the Don't Be Caged By Your Age featuring Sadiya Abjani, Director of Training and Instructional Design at SAGE - the country’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ elders.

🏳️‍🌈 As we celebrate Pride, it's vital to honor and uplift the trailblazers who made this movement possible - many of whom now face unique challenges as ...

“When a woman over 60 sees herself - truly sees herself - in a portrait that reflects her power, joy, and wisdom, something shifts. She becomes visible not just to the world, but to herself.” ~ Susie Lang

In this inspiring episode, host Ande Lyons chats with visionary photographer and pro-aging advocate Susie Lang, whose portraits are redefining how we see women over 60. 

From her Australian roots to her creative ...

May marked both Older Americans Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to bring attention to a topic we don’t discuss nearly enough: the mental health of older adults.

In this enlightening and essential episode, I’m joined by Dr. Regina Koepp, a Stanford-trained, board-certified Clinical Geropsychologist and founder of the Center for Mental Health & Aging.

With decades of experien...

I'm so thrilled to introduce you to Beverley Glazer - a true trailblazer in the world of reinvention and a force for pro-aging empowerment. 

As a transformation coach, seasoned psychotherapist, and founder of Reinvent Impossible, Beverley has spent nearly 40 years helping women over 50 navigate bold life pivots with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

Beverley and I had a lot of fun busting the 10 most stubborn...

“We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for. There’s no one else - it’s up to us to show leadership and refuse to be caged by our age.”

Meet Janine Vanderburg, 72, a keynote speaker, writer, trainer, and consultant who is fiercely committed to slaying the Ageism dragon.

As the CEO of Encore Roadmap and co-founder of Changing the Narrative, Janine has spent decades leading social change initiatives, training over 3...

“No work of art is ever finished, including you.”

This week’s guest, Randye Kaye, is a dynamic force of creativity, courage, and reinvention. From cabaret stages to public radio, from voice-over booths to bestselling books, Randye has never stopped evolving - and she’s still saying yes to new opportunities at 72.

In this inspiring conversation, we explore how Randye’s colorful career has shifted through decades of...