Don't Be Caged By Your Age

What happens when you return to the memories you buried for more than half a century?

In this moving episode of Don't Be Caged By Your Age, I chat with Mario Cartaya, acclaimed architect, Cuban exile, and debut author for a deeply human conversation about memory, identity, resilience, and reinvention.

Born in Havana in 1951, Mario left Cuba at the age of eight when his family immigrated to the United States i...

What if thinking about the end of your life… could actually help you live more fully right now?

In this powerful and uplifting conversation, I sit down with bestselling author Karen Salmansohn to explore how embracing aging - and even mortality - can become a catalyst for living with greater intention, courage, and joy.

Karen shares the inspiration behind her bold new book, Your To-Die-For Life, and introduces us ...

What happens when you’ve spent over 50 years at the top of your field… and then decide to start over?

In this episode, I sit down with Steve Robinson, 79, whose extraordinary career in public radio spans decades of leadership, innovation, and storytelling. But what fascinates me most is what he’s doing now.

After years as an executive producer and general manager, Steve chose to step back into the craft itself, le...

What if a health scare at 58 led you to the most joyful decade of your life?

That's exactly what happened to Sirenna Beyer. 

After facing high blood pressure and alarming cholesterol levels, she picked up a hula hoop - and everything changed. 

Now at 68, she's built a thriving business, a vibrant community she calls "Hoop Love," and a complete transformation of her health, confidence, and joy.

In this episode, Siren...

Your greatest limitation as you age might not be your body… but what you believe is possible.

In this conversation, I sit down with David Stewart, founder of AGEIST and the visionary behind the Super Age movement, to explore what it really means to age by design, not default.

We talk about how internalized ageism quietly shapes our lives: the risks we don’t take, the things we tell ourselves we “can’t” do, and how...

At 83, Linda Tatum is living proof that reinvention has no expiration date.

She’s built multiple lives within one lifetime - from hypnotherapist to luxury interior designer at 70, to transformational guide and storyteller - continually saying yes to what’s next.

And here’s what she wants you to know: You are not too old. You are not too late. And you are not done.

In this powerful and deeply human convers...

What if the aches and pains we’ve been told are “just part of getting older”… aren’t?

In this episode I’m joined by an 80-year-old trailblazer who is challenging one of the most accepted beliefs about aging - that physical pain is inevitable.

With decades of experience helping people understand the muscular causes of chronic pain, Julie Donnelly shares a powerful perspective: many of the aches, stiffness, and limi...

What does it look like to keep growing, exploring, and breaking barriers at 79? You’re about to find out.

Our guest, Nancy Shear, has been defying expectations her entire life - from sneaking into Philadelphia Orchestra concerts at 15 to becoming the personal librarian to Leopold Stokowski in a field that had very little room for women at the time.

Nancy shares what it took to navigate and succeed in a male-dominated field,...

Do you ever notice how age can feel like a barrier instead of a bridge? 

I’ve discovered one of the most powerful ways to dismantle ageism isn’t policy, awareness campaigns, or corporate training - it’s relationships across generations.

In this episode, I’m sharing why intergenerational friendships, mentorships, collaborations, and workplace partnerships are so effective at breaking down stereotypes and creating a more age-...

What if retirement isn’t the end of something… but the ignition switch for your most powerful chapter yet?

In this energizing and deeply honest conversation, I’m joined by Deborah Holliday - international flight attendant of more than 30 years, storyteller, and Founder of The Flying Treasure Hunter - to talk about aging, reinvention, and why it’s time to stop buying into the cultural narrative that says growing older means...

What does aging with wit and wisdom really look like?

In this episode, I have a delicious conversation with Melinda Blau - veteran journalist, New York Times bestselling author, and the author of The Wisdom Whisperers: Golden Guides to a Long Life of Grit, Grace, and Laughter.

At 82, Melinda isn’t slowing down ... she’s still writing, still questioning, still challenging ageism, and yes, she ran through the stree...

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 rediscoverin...

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...

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...

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 wo...

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 ...

What does it mean to age with purpose, curiosity, and conviction — especially while living in another country?

In this episode of Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, I sit down with Robert W. Norris, a 75-year-old Vietnam War conscientious objector, longtime resident of Japan, retired university professor, and author of multiple novels and memoirs ... two of which he wrote in his seventies.

Robert shares his extraordinary...

As soon as I turned 65, something shifted in the exam room… and not for the better. 

In this episode, I’m sharing my personal experience with ageism in health care - how the tone of my medical appointments changed, why the attention to my symptoms dropped, and why so many of us suddenly get a pat on the shoulder instead of real care.

This isn’t just about Medicare or paperwork.

It’s about what happens when the medical system...

In this deeply illuminating conversation, Conscious Dying Coach Laurie Reese joins me to explore how we can approach the end of life with intention, creativity, and a profound sense of personal agency.

Laurie brings over 15 years of experience as a Household Manager and Personal Assistant supporting vibrant seniors and families through major life transitions. Her compassionate philosophy — “I walk beside people, not ahead ...