Mariann Aalda: Becoming ‘age-full’: Snapping out of internalized ageism

Mariann Aalda—actor, hypnotherapist, and joyful “pro-aging evangelist”—invites us to rethink what it means to grow older. She interrogates ageism, asking“ Why should youth get all the good press?” And declares, “My vibrancy and vitality are due to my being Age-full, not Youth-full!” Drawing on a 30-year television career and her work in hypnotherapy and neurolinguistic programming (NLP), Mariann explores how language shapes our inner lives—“the words we use become internalized and we behave accordingly.” Today, through stand-up and solo performance, she shares her authentic self with candor and humor, encouraging women to pursue their dreams and “use our time wisely with curiosity, creativity, and joy.”“I’m not an older version of myself—I’m the Newest Model.” - Mariann AaldaConnect with MariannEmail: [email protected] Shamelessly https://www.mariannaaldainherprime.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSOur Sponsor: Plymouth Place in LaGrange Park, IL. has redefined senior living with options and opportunities to fit individual needs and preferences. From well-designed residences to fitness and wellness classes to social gatherings, arts experiences and care services – this is a place to thrive. As an entrance-fee based Life Plan community, Plymouth Place offers a full continuum of care including residential living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehab – all conveniently on one campus. www.Plymouthplace.orgAge-Wise Collective: Women Over 70-Aging Reimagined connects with other women podcasters to shine the light on remarkable women in mid-life and beyond.We recognize Jane Leder, host of Older Women and Friends: Stories of Aging Well, whose guests take a deep dive into the joys and challenges of being an older woman. Older women know a thing or two about living with a keen sense of wonder and an abiding appreciation for the gift of longevity. The second wave of the journey has just begun. https://janeleder.nethttps://www.youtube.com/@olderwomenandfriendshttps://www.instagram.com/older_women_and_friends_/

At 86, Sandra “Sandy” Taenzer reflects on a lifetime of innovation in Early Childhood–Special Education that began in the 1960s in Germany and still resonates today. Working in a large Illinois School District, Sandy helped initiate early childhood special education through a Federal “First Chance Grant” in 1972. She and a multi-disciplinary team championed “natural, play-based assessment and play as the basis for early learning” She also pioneered collaborative partnerships with school districts and agencies, building interdisciplinary teams to serve children and families more holistically. Since moving to Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior in 2004, Sandy has become affectionately known as “Grandma Sandy,” volunteering through home visits, childcare centers, and one-on-one mentoring. Active with Arrowhead Indivisible, she speaks publicly about the Holocaust, sharing stories she heard firsthand from an older neighbor while living in Germany in her early twenties. Sandy warns that she now sees troubling parallels in today’s America."I’ve been an activist all my life, working to ensure that every child has the chance to be their best self." - Sandra TaenzerConnect with SandyEmail: [email protected] more about Sandy’s ground-breaking work. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library--Oral History Interview - Educational Reform Act 1985 Sandra Taen zer https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/oral-history/collections/taenzer-sandra/interview-detail/ Thanking Our Sponsor: Plymouth Place, LaGrange Park, IL. Discover the extraordinary at Plymouth Place—a vibrant community designed for active adults. Elevate your retirement living experience with tailored independent options, premier amenities, and a full continuum of care. Explore diverse living choices and embrace the joy of a life well-lived. http://plymouthplace.orgRecognizing the Age--Wise Collective: Women Over 70-Aging Reimagined has joined other women podcasters to amplify the voices of women over 50. We shine the light on gerontologist Sally Duplantier, founder and host of My Zing Life, dedicated to helping older adults live their best lives longer. Her current Healthspan work focuses on improving health behaviors and mental well-being for vulnerable populations through community-based health coaching. https://[email protected]

Some people discover their purpose early in life. For Karen Olson, 81, that moment came at age 18 when she offered a simple sandwich to a homeless woman outside a New York train station. Decades later, after retiring from her marketing career, she revisited that memory—and learned that nearly 35% of people experiencing homelessness are families. That realization sparked the beginnings of Family Promise.In her book, Meant for More: Follow Your Heart and Find Your Purpose, Karen shares how Family Promise grew from a compassionate idea into a nationwide organization helping families return to independence. Through transitional shelter, counseling, education, and job resources—supported by partnerships with local congregations and community organizations—Family Promise ensures that parents preserve their dignity and children remain in school during times of crisis.An unfortunate accident during a cryotherapy session left Karen wheelchair‑bound, but it has not diminished her determination to combat poverty and homelessness. Her work continues to inspire thousands of volunteers and families across the country.";Passion First. Plan. Persistence-this is the way to make change happen."CONNECT WITH KAREN:Email: [email protected]: Meant for More: Follow Your Heart and Find Your PurposeWebsite: https://familypromise.org/what-we-do/programs-services/

Ilana Landsberg-Lewis went to law school to understand how power works—so she could help transform it in the service of justice, especially for women. Alongside her father, she co-founded and led a nonprofit funding community-based organization in sub-Saharan Africa working to turn the tide of AIDS and support African grandmothers raising a generation of grandchildren orphaned by the pandemic. When others dismissed older women as “not a sustainable investment,” Ilana helped launch an international movement of grandmothers across Canada, the UK, and the United States—raising more than $50 million and supporting millions of grandchildren. At the center of this work is her unwavering belief that older women are not only caregivers, but leaders, change-makers, and moral anchors for their communities.Through her podcast and fund, Ilana lifts up older women’s stories and their power-- a practice of love and a commitment to liberation—from the chains of inequality and from the limits placed on whose lives are valued. Her work invites us to see the human family more fully, and to recognize older women as essential architects of justice across the globe.Connect with IlanaEmail:[email protected]: wisdomatworkpodcast.comThank you to our SPONSOR—AARP Illinois, dedicated to empowering adults 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. AARP Illinois advocates for the health, financial security, and overall well-being of Illinois residents through community programs, expert resources, and member benefits. [email protected] the Age-Wise Collective. Women Over 70-Aging Reimagined has joined other women podcasters to amplify the voices of women over 50. We shine the light on gerontologist Sally Duplantier, founder and host of My Zing Life, dedicated to helping older adults live their best lives longer. Her current Healthspan work focuses on improving health behaviors and mental well-being for vulnerable populations through community-based health coaching. https://[email protected]

At 75, Arlene Borner may not be running marathons, but she is still running—and skiing on snow and water and playing pickleball. She may no longer be teaching children how to swim or speak English in places like Sweden or Bangladesh, but she is teaching future teachers at her local college how to help students find their voice through service learning.Arlene’s purpose continues to be shaped by her love of adventure, movement, and staying open to where life might lead next. She rides her own Harley Davidson, touring the countryside alongside her husband of 55 years. Her commitments also include five grandchildren who, following in her example, “pursue their passions and don’t quit.” As she reflects on growing older, Arlene says, “I don’t love aging, but I work hard to have a positive mindset and guard against deficit thinking.”"Purpose changes yet it doesn’t, influenced by life choices. Discovering your real purpose might just come from sticking your neck out." - Arlene Borner Connect with ArleneEmail: [email protected] Our Sponsor—-Plymouth Place, LaGrange Park, IL. Discover the extraordinary at Plymouth Place—a vibrant community designed for active adults. Elevate your retirement living experience with tailored independent options, premier amenities, and a full continuum of care. Explore diverse living choices and embrace the joy of a life well-lived. http://plymouthplace.orgRecognizing the Age-Wise CollectiveWomen Over 70 is a proud member of the Age-Wise Collective, comprised of women-led podcasts for women 50+, featuring women’s stories and addressing topics that promote the pro-aging movement.MEET: Sally Duplantier, gerontologist and founder of My Zing Life, whose mission is to help older adults live their best lives longer. Sally hosts Wellness Wednesday, an online program featuring cutting-edge researchers, best-selling authors, and health professionals. https://myzinglife.com

Diane Heiler shares her deeply moving journey of caring for her husband during his 20‑month “death sentence” from an incurable disease — a journey she chronicles with raw honesty and artistry in her memoir, A Widow’s Fire: An Intimate Memoir of Heartbreak, Survival, and Moving On. With poetry and art as lifelong companions, Diane turned to daily journaling to navigate the relentless progression of her husband’s illness. Out of that quiet practice, poetry emerged — a lifeline and a mirror to her grief. In her poem See Me, she writes: See me… standing here with my broken heart in my hand… blowing kisses into the air and sending love up into the heavens… so far from where I am. After his passing, Diane retreated to her mountaintop home in North Carolina, seeking solitude in her sorrow. Months later, at her sister’s urging, she reluctantly attended a country club dance — and unexpectedly, a new chapter began. From her poem My Christmas Blessing: I have been blessed with the presence of living in the light of someone special. He is gone from me now. But the afterglow of his goodness and his love is still shining through the windows in his heart and gracing my existence. I follow a light in the pathway he has drawn for me and see that in his wisdom he wants me to be safe, happy, and fulfilled. I am blessed. Diane’s story reminds us that love continues in many forms — and that healing often begins in the most unexpected moments. “We stay true to ourselves even when others unfairly judge us.” - Diane Heiler CONNECT WITH DIANE: Email: [email protected] Book: A Widow’s Fire: An Intimate Memoir of Heartbreak, Survival, and Moving On. Acknowledgments Plymouth Place: Thanks to our Sponsor, Plymouth Place in LaGrange Park IL where senior living is redefined with options and opportunities to fit individual needs and preferences. Age-Wise Collective: Women Over 70 is proud to share the spotlight with Gerontologist Sally Duplantier, host of Wellness Wednesdays. These free and recorded webinars feature experts on topics about healthy aging. Visit MyZingLife.com to learn more.

When Patricia (Pat) Koko, age 82, reflects on her life’s work as a young homemaker turned consummate volunteer and community change-maker, she often says things like, “that was kind of fun,” or “there just was a need”—-simple phrases that belie an extraordinary legacy.Driven by a lifelong love for older people, Pat has spent more than 50 years helping to create, grow, and sustain programs and services that support older adults. What began as local, grassroots efforts in and around Oak Park, IL, evolved into initiatives that attracted state and federal funding and ultimately became models for nationwide programs serving older adults.Pat’s impact continues today. In addition to being a volunteer extraordinaire, she is the owner of RBC Jewelry Designs, where she creates stunning gemstone pieces—many of which she generously donates to fundraisers benefiting older adults."The services I helped create many decades ago are enduring and robust, and I’m still here to help where help is needed." - Patricia KokoConnect with PatEmail: [email protected] Koko: for 50 years, a volunteer extraordinaire in & around Oak Park - Inside Edge PRThanking Our Sponsor—-Plymouth Place, LaGrange Park, IL. Discover the extraordinary at Plymouth Place—a vibrant community designed for active adults. Elevate your retirement living experience with tailored independent options, premier amenities, and a full continuum of care. Explore diverse living choices and embrace the joy of a life well-lived. http://plymouthplace.orgRecognizing the Age-Wise CollectiveWomen Over 70 is a proud member of the Age-Wise Collective, comprised of women-led podcasts for women 50+, featuring women’s stories and addressing topics that promote the pro-aging movement.MEET: Sally Duplantier, gerontologist and founder of My Zing Life, who’s mission is to help older adults live their best lives longer. Sally hosts Wellness Wednesday, an online program featuring cutting-edge researchers, best-selling authors, and health professionals. https://myzinglife.com

Living high throughout the 1960s and early ‘70s filled Suzi’s life with glitter, dazzle, and celebrities who sadly, broke her heart. As a luxury designer of women’s clothing in New York, Suzi was sought after by big name clothiers. This is Suzi’s life: from design to yoga to memoirist to children’s tales. She always chooses “gratitude over grumpy” and carries with her learnings from Krishna, which hold her steady while living a life in which “nothing stays the same”. “What people forget about when they’re living their lives is that everyone dies. “I don’t want to waste time with anything negative.” Suzi’s latest adventures include The Doggos, her 6-book children’s series about the love that dogs bring to children’s lives. As a digital artist, Suzi creates all the beautiful illustrations herself. “After success, my whole sense of self changed.” - Suzi K Edwards CONNECT WITH SUZI: Email: [email protected]. Facebook:   / suzi.k.edwards   Memoir: Quiet Mind Crazy Heart Children’s Series: The Doggos Thanks to our Sponsor: The Chicago Women's History Center was founded in 1971 with the mission to elevate the contributions of ALL women to advance the historical record of the city of Chicago; To empower younger generations to learn about the history of Chicago women’s social justice; and to enrich the historical research by presenting our history through an intersectional lens inclusive of LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, ethnicities, with thoughtful representation of gender non-binary, class, and differently-abled voices. https://www.chicagowomenshistory.org Recognizing the Age-Wise Collective Women Over 70 is a proud member of this group of women-hosted podcasts that feature stories from women 50+ and on topics that promote the pro-aging movement. If you enjoy listening to our podcast, then you might like Wendy Battles, host of Reinvention Rebels - a podcast that celebrates bold women 50-90+ who are rewriting the aging narrative and designing the lives they want to live. https://reinventionrebels.com/

n writing her memoir, BROKEN PIECES (and the fun things you can do with them), Reedy is hopeful that her life's missteps might help others. When she began studying Method Writing with a brilliant teacher, “her life's stories came pouring out like a waterfall", she said. It took a few decades to complete her manuscript to her satisfaction. She found searching for a publisher tedious and finally chose to self-publish with Paper Raven Books. In her book, Reedy shares the many phases of her life, the ups and downs, successes and failures, in a raw honest account. Through her publication journey, she met three other first time published memoirists, all women in their 70s, and now they are collaborating on a book to inspire future memoirists. Academics was not Reedy’s strong suit, but she excelled in the arts, ballet and acting. Unfortunately, she had a much older mentally troubled brother she had to contend with. Her desperate attempt to escape family dysfunction took a traumatic turn causing her to lose her footing and stumble down a dark path. But there was light at the end of the tunnel and a happy ending in sight. "It doesn’t always help if your friends sympathize with you when you’re in a bad situation." - Reedy Gibbs CONNECT WITH REEDY: E. [email protected] Memoir: Broken Pieces and the fun things you can do with them https://www.amazon.com/s?k=broken+pie... A special thanks to our sponsor Plymouth Place in LaGrange Park IL where senior living is redefined with options and opportunities to fit individual needs and preferences. A shout-out to Age-Wise Collective member Ilana Landsberg-Lewis, host of Wisdom at Work: Older Women, Elderwomen and Grandmothers on the Move, features energizing and inspiring conversations with older women activists and artists the world over. Https://www.wisdomatworkpodcast.com

Debra Morrison invites us to reimagine our lives where money takes on new meaning and purpose. Founder of the We Can Do It Women Movement, Debra works with mature women (50+) who are ready to stop defining themselves by financial missteps and start moving—intentionally and courageously—toward what still matters most. Money, Debra reminds us, is part of the picture, but not the whole story. It sits alongside physical, mental, relational, and spiritual well-being. Hermission is to “reframe women’s mindsets around wealth…be in relationship with our money as a tool…and uplevel women’s confidence around money,” including managing risk.With compassion and clarity, Debra creates a space where women can “ imagine ways to flame the embers, to move on to the next thing”—aligning their financial lives with their values, purpose, and soul’s calling.Connect with Debraemail: [email protected]://www.wecandoitwomen.com/Facebook Group: https://www.wecandoitwomen.com/groupLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debralmorrison/https://www.instagram.com/debralmorrison/https://www.youtube.com/@DebraLMorrisonBook: My Husband Died, Now What? (2025)Thanks to our Sponsor AARP-ILMeet Age-Wise Collective Member Illana Landsberg-Lewis, podcast host ofWisdom at Work—Older Women, Elderwomen, and Grandmothers on theMove…disrupters and influencers. http://www.wisdomatworkpodcast.com