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July 10, 2025 42 mins

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, she lit a fire. 

That experience sparked her to found Top Sixty Over Sixty, an innovative platform that celebrates the wisdom, resilience, and immense value of older adults in our workplaces and communities.

From her career pivot to her hit 2024 TEDx Talk (over 100K views and counting!), Helen is redefining what it means to age boldly. 

We dive into:
💥 Her firsthand experience with ageism and how it galvanized her mission
🧠 Why we need a longevity mindset now more than ever
🤝 The power of intergenerational collaboration and reciprocal mentorship
💼 Why older women in the workplace are still overlooked and how to change that
🌎 The economic and societal upsides of embracing age equity
🗣️ Plus: elder speak, workplace bias, and how we can shift the culture - together.

Helen’s clarity, compassion, and conviction will leave you nodding, cheering, and rethinking everything you thought you knew about aging.

As Helen says: “Age is not a barrier—it’s an asset.” And wow, does she walk that talk.

📌 Links & Resources:
•Learn more about Top Sixty Over Sixty
•Watch Helen’s TEDx Talk: A Longevity Mindset Can Change the World
•Follow Helen on LinkedIn

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!

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✨ Amplify inspiring voices
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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

SPONSORSHIP
If 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.

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