Older Women & Friends: Real Women. Real Experts. Real Talk About Aging
What does it really mean to grow older as a woman? Forget the stereotypes. Older Women & Friends is a podcast about the real experiences of women in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond, and the many unexpected possibilities that come with getting older. Host Jane Leder talks with fascinating women and leading experts about the subjects that matter throughout later life: healthy aging, longevity, relationships, friendship, ageism, money, body image, sexuality, grief, loss, reinvention, purpose, independence, and finding meaning as life changes. Some guests bring professional expertise. Others bring extraordinary stories from their own lives. Together, these conversations explore the realities of aging not as something to fear or simply “fix,” but as a stage of life filled with challenges, surprises, growth, connection, and possibility. Jane brings a unique perspective to these conversations because she is experiencing this stage of life herself. She began podcasting at 77 and is now 81. She continues to learn, question, and explore alongside her listeners. Growing older can be joyful, complicated, difficult, liberating, funny, and surprising all at the same time. Whether you're a woman over 50 or simply interested in understanding what life can really look like as we age, Older Women & Friends offers honest stories, thoughtful conversations, and perspectives worth hearing. Real women. Real experts. Real conversations about what it actually means to grow older.
Episodes
Real women. Real experts. Real conversations about what it actually means to grow older—and why the best parts of life may still surprise and excite us.
What does it really mean to age well, and how can we prepare for the life we want in the years ahead?
In this episode of
What happens when the career, identity, and titles that once defined your life no longer feel like enough? In this powerful episode of Older Women & Friends, Jane Leder welcomes empowerment speaker, leadership development professional, author, and life coach Eva Kennedy for an honest conversation about purpose, resilience, self-discovery, and remembering who you ...
It's amazing, but research shows that 98 percent of five-year-olds rate themselves as a creative genius. But that number drops to two percent by adulthood. Creativity gets trained out of us, and we need to figure out how to get it back. Today's guest, therapist, coach, and wisdom sharer Claudine Marchand has a toolbox filled with science and ancient traditions. She was born in Morocco, now lives in Switzerland, and has spent time w...
In this episode of Older Women & Friends, I welcome geologist, author, educator, entrepreneur, and world traveler Dr. Tamie Jovanelly for a fascinating conversation about reinvention, purpose, adventure, and creating a life without limits.
After nearly two decades as a successful geology professor, internationally funded researcher, and Fulbright scholar, Tamie made the courageous decision to leave her tenured academic career an...
In this inspiring episode of Older Women & Friends, Jane Leder sits down with actress, writer, producer, director, singer, and lifelong creative Judy...
The older we get, the more loss and grief we experience.
For me, my brother's death by suicide when I was 33 and he was 30 turned my life upside down.
I turned to writing a book to help me work through my grief. Dead Serious: A Book For Teenagers About Teen Suicide tells the stories of parents who lost a child to suicide, teens who attempted suicide, and friends of teens who took their own lives.
I am dedicating today, my 81st birthd...
Evelyn challenges many of society's assumptions about aging. She explains why curiosity, lifelong learning, resilience, and purpose matter far more than the number of candles on a birthday cake.
Jane Leder sits down with Evelyn Kelly, a Read more
Jane sits down with Diane Heiler to talk about her memoir, A Widow's Fire. Diane shares the remarkable story of losing her beloved husband of 25 years to lung cancer and the emotional reality of becoming his caregiver during the...
In this episode of Older Women & Friends, Jane Leder welcomes bestselling author, leadership expert, and aging well advocate Erika Andersen for a thought-provoking conversation about what it truly means to create your best life after 60.
Drawing from her acclaimed book, The New Old: Crafting Your Best Later Life, Erika shares a practical roadmap for aging well, finding purpose, embracing change, and staying engaged, curious, and...
Jane Leder sits down with legendary fashion designer, entrepreneur, breast cancer survivor, and pro-aging advocate Diane Gilman for an unforgettable conversation about women over 50, aging well, reinvention, purpose, confidence, and creating a meaningful life at every age.
Known worldwide as the ...
This episode explores how our earliest family experiences—especially the complex bond between mothers and daughters—shape our mental health, emotional patterns, self-worth, and relationships across the lifespan. From childhood attachment and unmet emotional needs to adulthood independence and identity, this discussion uncovers the hidden layers that influence how women navigate life after 50, retirement, and aging well.
...
What happens when women over 50 are forced to take control of their finances after divorce, retirement, caregiving, or the loss of a partner? Or what about women who want to be financially savvy at any time in their lives?
In this episode of Read more
Oh, boy, this is an episode that a ton of older women need to hear, and that includes yours truly!
In this episode, my guest is Deb Benfield, registered dietitian, nutritionist, and author . Our focus: how older women can break free from decades of body shame, ageism, and diet culture—and begin rewriting their relationship with their bodies with compassion, dignity, and truth.
For many women over 50, body image struggles don&r...
In this compelling episode of Older Women and Friends, host Jane Leder | Aging Well Advocate for Older Women Read more
What does it really mean to age well?
In this thought-provoking episode of Older Wome...
In this thought-provoking and uplifting episode of “Older Women and Friends,” host Jane Leder | Aging Well Advocate for Older Women,
"Without IMPERNANCE There Is No Expansion" - Kat Miller
Welcome to Older Women and Friends, where host Jane Leder | Aging Well Advocate for Older Women, meets fascinating women who are redefining what it means to grow older with wisdom, independence, and purpose.
In this powerful episode, Jane talks with psychotherapist Kat Miller, who challenges everything that we think we know about aging. While many believe aging means decline and...
Join me and guest Sara Zeph Geber, an expert on solo aging, as we discuss the growing number of adults 50+ choosing to live independently. This episode explores...
#aging #older women #wisdom #resilience #self-care #determination #purpose #courage
If you watch the Winter Olympics, you have seen and heard about luge, a sport where athletes race down an icy track on a small sled, lying on their backs with their feet pointing forward, reaching speeds over 90 mph.
At age 34, today’s guest, Anne Abernathy, set t...
I've been asked a zillion times to do an episode about me and to answer many of the same questions I ask guests. Listeners (now viewers, too) are curious about who I am, how I started a podcast, the books I've written, the experience of losing a brother to suicide, and life as an 80-year-old. It's taken me three years to get to this solo episode, not because I underestimated the value, but because of all the stellar guests I've bee...
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