Cultivating a “Growth Mindset” to Help You Age Well and Wisely
Several years ago, as Scott Fisher and Ben Green approached their 70th birthdays, the challenges of aging loomed large for these two lifelong friends. Scott, an organizational psychologist, and Ben, a psychoanalyst, were curious about what kept some elders going strong while others lost interest or drive, or both. And they were determined to learn as much as possible about how to make their own elder years as purposeful and fulfilling as possible.
In today’s episode—the third appearance for Scott and Ben on 45 Forward—we’ll be deepening our discussion about their intriguing, recently published book, “The Aging Wisely Project.” In our previous episodes, the co-authors expanded on a number of their major concepts, particularly the emergence of a new, distinct developmental stage of elderhood, which they call “Elder Identity Revision.” They talked about the critical psychological tasks we face during this period, such as dealing with the loss of control in our lives, as well as some of the skills and attitudes (they call them “Healthy Habits”) we need to strengthen to address these challenges. Even as Scott and Ben have launched their book, they’ve discovered a somewhat unexpected, and heartening response from their readers, which they’ll reveal in today’s conversation. They call it the “Growth Mindset”: a welcome feeling of optimism—that is, amid the inevitable setbacks in our later years, people can continue feel a renewed sense of hope and expectations for improved health and happiness—a meaningful, well-lived life, all the way through our elderhood.
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The Unexpected (and Rewarding) Journey of a Later-Life Actress
When we think about the career track of actresses today, we often envision a challenging path, auditioning for myriad jobs, hoping for breaks, and meeting the right director—but more often than not, working as a restaurant server or in some other temporary job to pay the rent. That’s not how Judi Allaire started her acting career. In today’s episode, Judi tells her singular journey as an actor, after starting out in the fashion business, then founding a women’s sportswear chain, then owning a Long Island winery, and now garnering multiple roles in film and TV. She’s talk about what it’s like behind-the-scenes of movie-making, what she learned from her various career “reinventions,” and what she discovered about relationships—and herself—along the way. Judi’s story is refreshing, honest and inspiring for many of us looking for renewed purpose and challenges, no matter what our age.
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Navigating the Challenging Landscape of Mental Health Law
You can’t open a newspaper or go online today without seeing articles about anxiety, depression, burnout or suicide rates—clearly, we’re struggling with our mental health, individually and as a society. But the fact that we’re all talking about mental health is a step forward, acknowledging how important it is to move these issues out of the shadows and take care of ourselves. In today’s episode, I’ll be talking with Jamie Rosen, chair of the Mental Health Law Group at Meister Seelig & Fein, who specializes in representing individuals and families in crisis situations relating to mental health as well as substance abuse disorders. Jamie will highlight some of the emotional and complex issues of mental health law, which often affect parents of adult children with serious mental health issues, and in some cases, adults managing elderly parents with mental health issues. She’ll explain some of the obstacles people face when trying to get their loved ones mental health treatment. And she’ll break out some specific areas of practice, such as psychiatric hospitalization, assisted outpatient treatment, guardianship and estate planning. There are myriad challenges—but also success stories—and you’ll want to hear them.
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A Different Perspective on Family Caregiving—from Hong Kong
As National Family Caregivers Month comes to a close, we have the unusual opportunity to take a different view of caregiving from abroad—from Hong Kong. In today’s episode, we’ll be talking with Grace Cheng, the founder and CEO of Agewhale, a social organization whose mission is to provide solutions to help caregivers of older persons identify suitable services and resources so they can age well in place. Grace has always had a deep connection with older people. She took care of her grandparents in their final years and experienced firsthand the numerous challenges faced by family caregivers. She’ll describe how caregiving practices and policies are implemented in Hong Kong, which has one of the longest lifespans and lowest birth rates, and where the economic needs of the elderly exceed those of children. Grace will talk about the challenges confronting the caregiving field in Hong Kong, and how her organization strives to help businesses ensure that their employees effectively balance work and caregiving responsibilities. “Caring for our loved ones shouldn't come at the cost of our career, personal life and health,” she says. With the right resources, guidance and community, caregiving can be a positive and meaningful experience for all of us. Our loved ones deserve to age well—and so do we.”
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Can We Stay on the Crest of Ken Dychtwald’s Age Wave?
The first time I met Dr. Ken Dychtwald was in 1989, when I was writing a cover story about older workers as a business reporter for Newsday, Long Island’s daily newspaper. I remember it well. I was interviewing job experts and workers who talked about the frustration they felt being overlooked by employers—especially at a time when most companies, facing acute labor shortages, could ill afford to do so. Ken was the author of a best-selling book, “Age Wave,” (he now has written 19 books) and was the founder of an acclaimed think tank bearing the same name. At the time Ken explained what has become commonly known today: that the U.S. was experiencing a “senior boom.” Older workers were living longer; the baby-boom generation was turning forty-something; and the nation’s birth rate was continuing to decline. “A young country is growing old,” Ken told me. He foresaw a time when most older workers would routinely work longer and leave jobs in their 50s for entirely new careers. “It will happen within the next decade,” he said. “We’re tiptoeing on the edge of the ice, testing the surface.” Well, folks, we are now at center ice. Ken Dychtwald was absolutely right—as he has been about many observations in the field of aging. In today’s episode, you’ll get to hear an array of Ken’s latest thoughts—observations, reflections and sage advice from America’s foremost thinker regarding the many consequences of our aging society. He’ll talk about how we can close the gap between our lifespan and healthspan; how we need to recast the conversation about what older people really want as they age; and how many of us are choosing to redefine our legacy from success to significance. All that, and much more!
Thanks to advances in medicine and health, most of us are just at half-life when we reach our mid-40s, with many potentially productive years ahead. But there’s no road map to prepare us for this period. That’s where 45 Forward comes in.
My show provides you with strategies to shift the traditional waiting-for-retirement model to a journey of compelling life chapters. Each show tackles an aspect of health, finance, family and friends, housing, work and personal pursuits as part of an integrated plan. Experts discuss topics like revitalizing relationships, creating mini-retirements, managing the maze of technology, finding your next homestead and caring for aging parents.
The show instills confidence, and hopefully some comfort, amid the stresses permeating today’s society. Fear of the future is not knowing how to prepare for it. 45 Forward does not proffer prefabricated answers, but helps you shape your life amid the daily anxieties of our time.
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