Glowing Older

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, host Nancy Griffin interviews Eric Blake, a financial planner specializing in retirement planning for women. They discuss the unique financial challenges faced by women, particularly solo agers, and the importance of having a clear financial plan. Eric emphasizes the need for women to be involved in financial conversations and decision-making, especially in the context of couples. The conversation also touches on the significant wealth transfer occurring as women inherit more wealth and the importance of holistic financial planning that aligns with personal goals and values. About Eric Eric Blake is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and the founder of Blake Wealth Management, [https://blakewealthmanagement.com/] specializing in helping women navigate retirement with confidence. With 25+ years of experience, Eric provides clear, practical strategies that help women optimize their investments, create reliable income streams, and minimize taxes. His personal passion for helping women stems from beingraised by a single mother and grandmother being widowed at 62, providing a deep understanding of the financial challenges many women face later in life. As the host of The Simply Retirement Podcast [https://thesimplyretirementpodcast.com/], Eric educates and empowers women to take control of their financial future. Key Takeaways * Optimizing investments for retirement is different than strategizing for an accumulation portfolio. Planning for retirement starts with determining what is most important to you. * Not prioritizing women a failure of the financial services industry. 70% of women change their financial advisor within 12 months of losing their husband when he passes away. * If you are married woman, make sure you are part of the financial conversation. Be willing to ask hard questions. * Women are set to inherit approximately $30 to $34 trillion in the next few years and will potentially control as much as 67 % of the stock market wealth in the U.S.

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, host NancyGriffin interviews Erin Thompson, founder of Aspire for More [https://aspireformorewitherin.com/] and co-founder of The Mentoring Company [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thementoringcompany/]. They discuss the importance of leadership in senior living, the challenges of navigating change in the industry, and the critical role of supporting caregivers. Aaron shares insights from his extensive experience in senior living, emphasizing the need for strong leadership to enhance resident experiences and the importance of personal growth for caregivers. The conversation also covers practical advice for families seeking the right senior living community and the emotional complexities involved in caregiving. About Erin With over 20 years of experience in the Senior Living Industry, Erin Thompson has built a legacy of turning struggling communities into thriving places to live and work. As a former Executive Director, she led teams to record breaking occupancy, near-perfect survey scores, and award winning workplace cultures—earning her communities the Great Place to Work distinction two years in a row. Now, as the Founder of The Mentoring Company and Aspire for More with Erin, Erin is on a mission to mentor, motivate, and equip the next generation of senior living leaders. Through her executive coaching, leadership courses, cohort programs, and national leadership community, she helps new and emerging leaders own their story, develop their leadership voice, and create environments where both residents and teams thrive. She is also the host of the Aspire for More with Erin Podcast, where she shares real-life leadership insights, industry expertise, and conversations with top thought leaders in senior living. Her approach is simple: Great leaders create great communities. When leaders grow, communities flourish, retention improves, and resident experiences are elevated. Key Takeaways  * Leadership is crucial for creating a positive resident experience in a senior living community. A strong leader doesn't just operate the community, they shape the environment and culture. * Staff turnover is a detriment to tech adoption and stops the innovative changes inside of a community. * Finding the right senior living community requires understanding individual needs. What is most important? Survey scores matter, but they are not the “end all be all.” * Sometimes being home alone is not the best option. The desire to be in control can override every system of rational thinking.

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, host Nancy Griffin interviews Lauren Dunning, Director of the Milken Institute Future of Aging [https://milkeninstitute.org/health/future-aging]. They discuss the importance of intergenerational connections, the role of the Milken Institute in promoting healthy aging, and the challenges of financial security and loneliness among older adults. Lauren shares insights from recent studies and reports, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and innovative solutions for aging well. About Lauren Lauren Dunning is a Director for the Milken Institute Future of Aging, where she develops initiatives and strategic partnerships that advance healthy longevity and financial security across the life course. In her role, Dunning leads work on integrated care solutions leveraging technology and oversees the Future of Aging Advisory Board, a group of global leaders from across sectors who provide advisement,expertise, and collaboration to maximize collective impact. Before joining the Milken Institute, Dunning served in key policy leadership roles for over 10 years at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, where she was most recently the director of government affairs, working with officials at all levels to shape public health policy. She has written and presented on a variety of topics across public health, aging, and health care; held an appointment as an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center; and serves in an advisory capacity to several organizations, including LeadingAge California and the Atria Research Institute. Dunning earned a JD from Georgetown University Law Center, a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University. She works at the Milken Institute’s Santa Monica office.  Key Takeaways * The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank with offices in the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East that collaborates across business, philanthropy, government, nonprofit and academia. * The two domains of social connectedness are social isolation, which is objectively having few relationships and infrequent social interaction and loneliness, which is the state of perceived isolation or inadequate social connections. * Loneliness is a significant health risk, comparable tosmoking fifteen cigarettes a day and associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, anxiety, and depression. * In a 2023 Gallup study of 142 countries, younger adults reported greater loneliness levels than adults over 65. The rates of loneliness were 10% higher among people 19 to 29 (27 % reporting they were fairly lonely) than for older adults over 65 (17%). * Children that participate in mentoring programs with older adults improved their physical and mental health and educational status. Civic engagement among college students increases when paired with older volunteers. * Intergenerational relationships benefit both younger and older generations by reducing ageism and age discrimination, bridging differences, and identifying shared values. * Eight in 10 older adults would like to connect across generations and 92% of Americans believe intergenerational activities can help reduce loneliness across all ages.

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, host Nancy Griffin interviews Ashton Applewhite, author of 'This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism [https://thischairrocks.com/].' They discuss Ashton's journey into understanding ageism, the current state of awareness, the importance of policy, and the intersectionality of ageism with other social issues. Ashton introduces her initiative, YODA, aimed at fostering intergenerational connections to combat ageism. About Ashton An internationally recognized expert on ageism, Ashton Applewhite is the author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism [https://thischairrocks.com/book/] and a co-founder of the Old School Hub [https://oldschool.info/]. She speaks widely at venues that have included the United Nations [https://vimeo.com/188544118] and the TED mainstage [https://www.ted.com/talks/ashton_applewhite_let_s_end_ageism], and is at the forefront of the emerging movement to raise awareness of ageism and make age a criterion for diversity. In 2022 the United Nations named Ashton one of the Healthy Aging 50 [https://www.decadeofhealthyageing.org/topics-initiatives/other-initiatives/healthy-ageing-50]: fifty leaders transforming the world to be a better place to grow older. Key Takeaways * OldSchool.info [https://oldschool.info/] is an anti-ageism clearinghouse—a central repository of tools and resources for the emerging movement against ageism. * Ageism is a pervasive issue that affects all aspects of life. We are all biased, but we can control our attitudes about aging. * The first step in any social change is awareness, because most bias is unconscious and we can't challenge something when we don't even know exists. * Building intergenerational connections is vital for combating ageism. The YODA initiative (Youngers and Olders Dismantling Ageism) aims to connect younger and older generations as a tool to end ageism. * Older people resent younger people for having more social and cultural visibility, and young people resent older people for having more political access and moreeconomic clout. Both are true. * Fear divides us and people make money off fear. When people are divided, they tend to not come together to change ways of thinking or the ways institutions work. Follow This Chair Rocks [https://thischairrocks.com] on Facebook [facebook.com/ThisChairRocks], Twitter [https://twitter.com/thischairrocks] & Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thischairrocks/] Follow OldSchool.info [https://oldschool.info/] on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/oldschool.info], Twitter [https://twitter.com/oldschool_info] & Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/oldschool_info/] Check out Ashton’s TED Talk [https://www.ted.com/talks/ashton_applewhite_let_s_end_ageism?language=en]Read This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism [https://thischairrocks.com/book/], review and share!

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, host Nancy Griffin interviews Jeff Weiss, President and CEO of Age of Majority [https://www.ageofmajority.com/why-we-exist/]. They discuss the importance of understanding the needs and desires of this demographic, the impact of social media, and the positive aspects of aging. Jeff shares insights from his TEDx talk, emphasizing the potential for happiness and fulfillment in later life, and highlights the need for brands to adapt their messaging and approach to resonate with older consumers. About Jeff Jeff is the President and CEO (Chief Evagelist Officer) of Age of Majority, a research-driven marketing consultancy thatbreaks the myths and crushes the stereotypes and stigmas associated with aging.  As the last of the Baby Boomers with over 40 years of marketing experience on both the client and agency sides of the business, Jeff has witnessed the dramatic changes of the aging population. In his experience of working for and with major brands including Pepsi, Gillette, Dannon, KitchenAid and Unilever, he understands why corporations are missing the boat on the over 55 crowd and he knows what’s necessary to take advantage of this largest and fastest growing segment in business. Key Takeaways * Currently a third of the population in North America is 55 and older. By the year 2100, the percentage of 55+ population will be 42%. * It is a mistake to view the older adult market as homogeneous. When marketing to older adults, don’t segment by generations. Target by stage not age. * People have a fear of getting older (FOGO), because of all the pervasive stereotypes in our society that getting older is bad. * Ninety-five percent of adults 55 and older are on socialmedia platforms. Facebook is the top platform with 85% of users using the platform. Almost three quarters of older adults are on YouTube, 45% are on Instagram, and a third are on Pinterest. * Brands are enlisting influencers (social media contentcreators) to motivate and engage older adults—63 % of adults 55 and older are following influencers. 60 % on YouTube and over 50 % on Instagram. * Half of influencers followed by older adults are over 50. Popular topics include food, travel, entertainment, health and wellness.