What does it look like to keep growing, exploring, and breaking barriers at 79? You’re about to find out.

Our guest, Nancy Shear, has been defying expectations her entire life - from sneaking into Philadelphia Orchestra concerts at 15 to becoming the personal librarian to Leopold Stokowski in a field that had very little room for women at the time.

Nancy shares what it took to navigate and succeed in a male-dominated field, and how curiosity, courage, and persistence opened doors that once seemed firmly closed.

We also explore her memoir, I Knew a Man Who Knew Brahms, a fascinating look behind the curtain of classical music’s golden age. Through her stories, she preserves a world few people experienced, and reminds us of the power of paying attention, staying engaged, and sharing what we’ve lived.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Curiosity doesn’t fade with age - it fuels us
• Barriers can be broken at any stage of life
• Your experiences and stories truly matter
• There is always more ahead for you

Nancy’s life is a beautiful reminder: we are never done becoming.

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!

For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:
✨ Amplify inspiring voices
✨ Break age-related stereotypes
✨ Reach more listeners worldwide
💻 Visit: Buy Me A Coffee

Every cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡

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.

Do you ever notice how age can feel like a barrier instead of a bridge?

I’ve discovered one of the most powerful ways to dismantle ageism isn’t policy, awareness campaigns, or corporate training - it’s relationships across generations.

In this episode, I’m sharing why intergenerational friendships, mentorships, collaborations, and workplace partnerships are so effective at breaking down stereotypes and creating a more age-inclusive world.

When generations truly connect, amazing things happen:

• Curiosity replaces assumptions
• Wisdom meets innovation
• Experience meets fresh perspective

I also share a personal story about my dear friend Emily, who is 30 years younger than me. She’s a light in my life and heart, and our friendship is a daily reminder of the joy, insight, and perspective we can gain when we embrace relationships across ages.

And it’s not just about friendships. Research shows that age-diverse teams are more innovative, productive, and effective. Intergenerational connections can fuel our purpose, passion, and yes… even our pocketbooks.

If we truly want to dismantle ageism in our culture, the answer may be simpler than we think: start connecting with people from different generations, today.

In this episode, I share why ageism thrives when generations are separated, how being the oldest person in the room can actually be a gift, and the surprising ways younger and older generations learn from each other ... all through real stories, research, and my own friendships.

A Personal Invitation
This week, I invite you to start a conversation with someone from a different generation. Listen. Share your story. Ask questions. Be curious.

Because when generations connect… ageism doesn’t stand a chance.

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!

For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:
✨ Amplify inspiring voices
✨ Break age-related stereotypes
✨ Reach more listeners worldwide
💻 Visit: Buy Me A Coffee

Every cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡

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.

What if retirement isn’t the end of something… but the ignition switch for your most powerful chapter yet?

In this energizing and deeply honest conversation, I’m joined by Deborah Holliday - international flight attendant of more than 30 years, storyteller, and Founder of The Flying Treasure Hunter - to talk about aging, reinvention, and why it’s time to stop buying into the cultural narrative that says growing older means growing smaller.

Deborah and I first connected after being featured in Vogue Business in an article about the Baby Boomer beauty consumer. From that moment, I knew we were kindred spirits - women committed to challenging ageism and celebrating vitality at every stage of life.

In this episode, we explore:

✨ Internalized ageism and how it quietly shapes the way we see ourselves
✨ The damaging “anti-aging” messaging in the beauty industry
✨ Why language around women and aging matters more than we think
✨ What 30 years as an international flight attendant taught Deborah about vitality, resilience, and intergenerational connection
✨ Returning to flight attendant training at 66 after a traumatic brain injury
✨ What it truly means to not retire… but reignite and refire

Deborah shares candidly about approaching 70 and recognizing the subtle ways she had absorbed society’s beliefs about aging. Together, we chat about how to confront those internalized narratives and choose something more expansive.

If you’ve ever wondered:

“Am I too old to start something new?”

“Is this chapter supposed to be quieter?”

“What’s next for me?”

This episode is your invitation to challenge that thinking.

Because aging isn’t about decline. It’s about discovery.

It’s about treasure hunting your own life experiences and recognizing the wisdom, courage, and spark you already carry.

✨ So here’s my question for you, Pro-Ager:
Where in your life are you ready to reignite?
What part of you is waiting to refire?

If this conversation moved you, share it with another Pro-Ager who needs to hear it.

And most importantly - keep aging out loud and proud!

Visit Deborah's website here, and follow her on Instagram @deborahjholliday.

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!

For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:
✨ Amplify inspiring voices
✨ Break age-related stereotypes
✨ Reach more listeners worldwide
💻 Visit: Buy Me A Coffee

Every cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡

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.

What does aging with wit and wisdom really look like?

In this episode, I have a delicious conversation with Melinda Blau - veteran journalist, New York Times bestselling author, and the author of The Wisdom Whisperers: Golden Guides to a Long Life of Grit, Grace, and Laughter.

At 82, Melinda isn’t slowing down ... she’s still writing, still questioning, still challenging ageism, and yes, she ran through the streets of Paris shouting, “I’m eighty!” Her energy, honesty, and humor are a powerful reminder that aging isn’t a fade-out - it’s a deepening.

We talk about how her lifelong curiosity about relationships began in childhood, listening closely to the adults around her, and how that fascination shaped her 16-book career.

Writing, she shares, has been more than a profession - it’s been a companion through every season of her life. Melinda models what it means to evolve creatively instead of retreating and becoming invisible.

We also dive into the very real ageism she encountered in publishing her latest book - even as a bestselling author. Her original title, “My Old Ladies,” was deemed offensive by publishers, though the women themselves wore the label proudly. That experience opens a larger conversation about whose voices are considered relevant, and why stories of older adults are more necessary than ever.

At the heart of our conversation are the nine extraordinary women in their 90s and beyond featured in The Wisdom Whisperers. These vibrant, thoughtful, fully engaged women reshaped Melinda’s understanding of aging — and they may reshape yours, too.

We talk about navigating the aging body and mind with honesty and humor, about intergenerational relationships, and about what becomes clearer, freer, and more joyful as we grow older.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s possible in your 70s, 80s, or beyond, this conversation is for you. Tune in, soak up the wisdom, and then share this episode with someone who needs a fresh, expansive vision of aging.

Be sure to pick up The Wisdom Whisperers and follow Melinda on Substack here ... her voice is one worth keeping close.

Thank you for tuning in - together, we can continue dissolving ageism, one powerful story at a time.

Photo Credit: Yasmin Ayala Azuz | Instagram: @yasminazuz

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!

For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:
✨ Amplify inspiring voices
✨ Break age-related stereotypes
✨ Reach more listeners worldwide
💻 Visit: Buy Me A Coffee

Every cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡

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.

What if retirement doesn’t mean retreat - but rediscovering?

In this episode I sit down with Judith Horn for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about adaptation, creativity, and continuing to serve after 65.

When vision impairment led Judith to retire from her lifelong career as a physical therapist, her story didn’t end - it shifted.

Retirement didn’t mean retreat. Instead, it opened the door to rediscovering her artistic side, creating imaginative illustrations for her grandchildren, and stepping even more fully into her advocacy for healthy aging, eye health, and aging in place.

Judith spent decades specializing in geriatric physical therapy, supporting older adults with complex needs and championing quality of life at every stage. In our conversation, we explore what first drew her to this vocation, how caring for older adults shaped her philosophy on aging, and how she navigated the emotional and practical realities of vision loss.

This is a grounded, generous conversation about change, creativity, connection, and what thriving after 65 truly looks like - even when life unfolds differently than planned.

If you’re navigating a transition or wondering what’s still possible in this season of life, Judith’s story is both reassuring and energizing.

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!

For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:
✨ Amplify inspiring voices
✨ Break age-related stereotypes
✨ Reach more listeners worldwide
💻 Visit: Buy Me A Coffee

Every cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡

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.

In this heartfelt episode I sit down with bereavement specialist, grief educator, and author Patti Comeau-Simonson for a deeply meaningful conversation about love, loss, and thriving after 65.

I first met Patti years ago when I helped her e-publish her first book, and it’s been a joy to witness how her life and work have evolved since then. After the loss of her beloved husband, David, when she was 46, Patti’s life took an unexpected turn - one that led her into hospice volunteering, grief education, peer leadership, and authorship.

Now 79, Patti shares how grief didn’t shrink her world - it expanded it. We talk about the power of community, the importance of peer support, and her newest book - Recipes for Healing: Working Through Grief, One Recipe at a Time - how storytelling and food can nourish both body and soul.

Patti also reflects on how cooking became a grounding force during her husband’s illness and a meaningful way to create connection and healing for others.

This episode is a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to begin again, and that thriving after 65 can be filled with purpose, service, and joy.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Turning profound loss into purpose later in life
• Why peer support matters in grief and healing
• How food and storytelling create comfort and connection
• What thriving after 65 really looks like
• Why it’s never “too late” to live a meaningful life

Learn more & connect:
Visit Patti’s website here.
Buy Patti’s book: Recipes for Healing: Working Through Grief, One Recipe at a Time here.

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!

For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:
✨ Amplify inspiring voices
✨ Break age-related stereotypes
✨ Reach more listeners worldwide
💻 Visit: Buy Me A Coffee

Every cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡

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.

What if aging isn’t something to resist ... but something to rethink?

In this episode I sit down with Chris Moore, founder of Senior Remodeling Experts and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, for a thoughtful conversation about mindset, purpose, and what aging teaches us from the inside out.

After decades of working closely with older adults, Chris has seen firsthand how attitude - not age - often shapes how we experience later life. Together, we explore common myths about aging and retirement, the importance of intergenerational connection, and why living with intention matters more than ever as we grow older.

Chris is also the author of Age Out Loud, a book that challenges fear-based narratives around growing older and invites readers to live with purpose, vitality, and intention at every age. We touch on the ideas behind the book in this conversation.

In this episode, you'll hear us chat about:

• Why aging isn’t a decline — and what really shapes the experience
• How attitude influences vitality at every age
• The cultural myth of “waiting for retirement” to start living
• What working with older adults reveals about purpose and relevance
• The value of intergenerational relationships
• Why aging in place is as much about mindset as it is environment
  
  

About my guest:
Chris Moore is the founder of Senior Remodeling Experts and a nationally recognized leader in aging-in-place solutions. With nearly four decades in construction and remodeling, Chris is passionate about challenging fear-based narratives around aging and helping people live with purpose, vitality, and intention as they grow older.

Learn more:
🔗 Visit Senior Remodeling Experts and grab a copy of Chris' book Age Out Loud here.

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!

For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:
✨ Amplify inspiring voices
✨ Break age-related stereotypes
✨ Reach more listeners worldwide
💻 Visit: Buy Me A Coffee

Every cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡

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.

What does it truly mean to age with purpose?

In this episode, I’m joined by Robin Kencel - founding real estate broker at Compass in Greenwich, Connecticut, reigning Ms. Connecticut Senior America, and U.S. Pro-Am Ballroom Champion - for a delicious conversation about aging with intention, confidence, and joy.

Robin shares how her lived experiences, leadership, and deep listening skills shaped the social impact work she’s doing today around empowered aging.

We explore her Five Pillars of Aging Well, the importance of emotional health and acceptance, and why aging can be an expansion of possibility rather than a limitation.

This conversation is an invitation to reflect on your own life, reconnect with what matters most, and embrace aging as a powerful chapter of growth and purpose.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why aging can be an expansion of possibilities, not a narrowing
• How emotional well-being and acceptance support aging well
• How living with intention helps uncover purpose at any age

If you’re ready to stop being caged by age and start living more fully, this episode is for you.

To learn more about Robin work in Aging with Purpose, please visit: https://robinkencel.com

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!

For just $5 a cup, you can sponsor the podcast and help:
✨ Amplify inspiring voices
✨ Break age-related stereotypes
✨ Reach more listeners worldwide
💻 Visit: Buy Me A Coffee

Every cup makes a difference - thank you! 🧡

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.