A Pragmatic (and Light-Hearted) View of Turning Shades of Gray
January 23, 2023
Hosted by Ron Roel
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
As we get older, it’s important to find ways to embrace aging with grace, dignity and positivity. And yes, a little humor, too. In today’s episode, Barbara Paskoff and Carol Pack, two long-time friends and former award-winning journalists, offer a host of observations from the latest of their “Over-Sixty: Shades of Gray” series, the “Book of Lists.” The duo explains their latest venture—a collection of lists offering practical tips about appearance, relationships, entertainment, health (and a lot more)—but noting that as they entered the second half of life, they realized that time seems to fly really fast, “so getting to the point is more important than ever.” We don’t want to have to read everything that goes around to support aging, they joke—just give us a list of what to do.” Thus, the book of lists was born. In their litany of lists, Barbara and Carol do not shy away from serious subjects, like loneliness, changing relationships and dementia. But they also integrate the lighter side of graying, reassuring us all that we’re not alone in the trials that come. And sometimes, they may offer up answers to questions you never knew you had.
45 Forward
Monday at 12 Noon Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
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.
Ron Roel
I’m a veteran journalist who spent a wide-ranging career covering business, politics and social issues, the last two decades focusing on the blend of diverse life skills I call successful aging.
I have written extensively on aging topics, spoken at conferences, radio and TV shows, and launched several entrepreneurial ventures, discovering along the way that the path to aging well also requires an unexpected entrepreneurial vision. I spent 20 years as a writer and editor at Long Island’s daily newspaper, Newsday, helping to found Act 2, a weekly section for 50-plus readers. I created Roelresources.com, a website offering practical advice and inspirational essays for people ages 40 and above. I have been a volunteer and consultant to AARP Long Island, writing articles, advocating for seniors, and developing action plans for the AARP Age-Friendly Communities initiative.
I am active in programs and organizations that support seniors, such as the National Aging In Place Council and the Senior Umbrella Network. I have developed a special expertise in family caregiving, as one of four brothers who took care of their mother for almost 25 years. I regularly collaborate with many professionals who provide services and support for older Americans, and I am completing a book for caregivers on Long Island, “The Caregiving Navigator/How to Plan, What to do, and Where to Turn When Caring for you Aging Loved Ones. And Yourself,” scheduled for publication in early 2021.
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