Specifically for Seniors - A New Direction

On today's podcast, it is my distinct honor to introduce MT Connolly to those of you who have never had the privilege of meeting her. M.T. Connolly is a leading national expert on elder justice and a MacArthur “genius” grant awardee. In issuing the award, the foundation said Connolly has “ devoted her career to laying bare the many forms of elder abuse: physical and psychological, as well as financial exploitation and wrongful deprivation of rights.” MT is the author of the 2023 book, The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money, and Meaning Later in Life. She was the architect of the federal Elder Justice Act, founder of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, and lead author of the Elder Justice Roadmap, shaping federal, state, and local research, policy, and practice. She is also co-designer of the community-based “RISE” model intended to introduce holistic, hopeful, and effective ways to empower older adults, reduce harms, and promote elder justice. MT Connolly talks wth me about what we do with the 30 additional years of life we've gained since the 1900's, geriatric medicine, the challenges older adults face, the federal elder justice act and her book The Measure of Our Age.

Elizabeth Keating is a professor of Anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin who specializes in culture and communication. Her book, The Essental Questions: Interview Your Family to Uncover Stories and Bridge Generations, reached #1 on Amazon’s “Movers & Shakers in Books” in the first week of publication, and was #1 in cultural anthropology the week after. The book takes an anthropological approach to finding out about your own family history, and will help you to uncover new sides of family members you’ve known all your life. Elizabeth’s academic research and writing focuses on culture and communication and impacts of technology on communication. She’s done fieldwork in several world areas including Micronesia, Europe, South Asia, and the U.S. She has presented talks and papers in 15 countries on a variety of topics in language and culture, and authored or co-authored over 50 publications. We at Specifically for Seniors, a podcast designed for a vibrant and diverse senior community, feel it is important to bridge the generational gap in our podcasts by bringing together representatives of a young generation and representatives of an older one. Dr. Keating's book, The Essental Questions: Interview Your Family to Uncover Stories and Bridge Generations, provided an opportunity to do just that. My granddaughter, Carmel Barsh, was invited to co-host the podcast to provide the viewpoint of the younger generation.

Our guest today on Specifically for Seniors, Dr. Rosanne Leipzig is internationally recognized in the field of geriatrics. Dr Leipzig is the Gerald and May Ellen Ritter Professor and Vice Chair, Emerita of the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Dr. Leipzig’s latest book, Honest Aging: An Insider’s Guide to the Second Half of Life, describes what to expect physically, psychologically, functionally, and emotionally as you age, what you can do to adapt to your new normal.She has been repeatedly named as one of the Best Doctors in America, America’s Top Physicians, a New York Times SuperDoc, and one of New York Magazine’s Top Doctors for Geriatric Medicine. Dr. Leipzig has appeared on The Today Show, CBS Evening News, CBS Sunday Morning, CNN, and AARP Webinars, and has been published in TIME magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bottom Line Health, AARP The Magazine, and American Medical News, among others. Dr. Leipzig and I talk about the unique aspects of a geriatric physician's outlook, normal and abnormal changes as we age, the importance of exercise, medication use and the importance of establishing a health care proxy. Dr. Leipzig introduces us to a newsetter you might be interested in subscribing to and walks us through her book Honest Aging: An Insider's Guide to the Second Half of Life.Web Site: RoseanneMD.com Newsletter:RosanneMD.com/focus-on-healthy-aging Other sites of interest:MyHealthPriorities.org https://themesh.tv/2023/06/06/what-caregivers-need-to-know-about-the-loved-ones-second-half-of-life-with-dr-rosanne-leipzig/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/10/15/aging-guide-medication-exercise-alzheimers/ 30% Book Discount Visit www.press.jhu.edu/books and enter the promotional code HTWN when checking out.

Jonathan Alter is an award winning author, political analyst, documentary filmmaker, columnist, television producer and radio host. His most recent book is “His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life.” Jonathan is a former editor and columnist at Newsweek, politics analyst for NBC news and MSNBC. He has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Washington Monthly, the New Yorker, Bloomberg and the Daily Beast. He hosts a weekly Substack newsletter called “Old Goats, Rumination with Friends" - which features his conversations with accomplished people of wisdom and experience. Jon and I discuss his Substack Column -Old Goats. Rumination with Friends and Jon gives me some tips on how to interview guests effectively. We discuss his newest book - His Very Best: Jimmy Carter , A Life and how a second term in office for Jimmy Carter would have been different than what a second term for Donald Trump is likely to be. Jon discusses Trump's January 6 trial, and the dangers of a Trump second term. He offers suggestions on what everyone concerned about another Trump presidency can do. We conclude wth Jon's thought's on whether democracy would survive another Trump presidency. This podcast with a veteran journalist must be shared with all who might be considering voting for Trump and those who ask what we can do to prevent Trump from serving another term. Links:Substack - https://oldgoats.substack.com/p/norman-lear-he-kept-the-moment-goingBook - https://www.amazon.com/His-Very-Best-Jimmy-Carter/dp/1501125540/ref=sxts_entity_rec_bsx_s_def_r00_t_aufl?content-id=amzn1.sym.a36c3969-f821-4d5b-a8e8-be129cf4aa4a%3Aamzn1.sym.a36c3969-f821-4d5b-a8e8-be129cf4aa4a&crid=1P6WFGXOC2JPH&cv_ct_cx=jonathan+alter&keywords=jonathan+alter&pd_rd_i=1501125540&pd_rd_r=8169eb5d-9cb8-4c04-8f95-0196b9e291de&pd_rd_w=9KxDc&pd_rd_wg=5uJMk&pf_rd_p=a36c3969-f821-4d5b-a8e8-be129cf4aa4a&pf_rd_r=ZM15NHQG9HXTV0BGWMG1&qid=1703168939&s=books&sprefix=jonathan+alter%2Cstripbooks%2C80&sr=1-1-ef9bfdb7-b507-43a0-b887-27e2a8414df0

Book bans have reached a record high over the past two years. Books targeted have overwhelmingly been about people of color and LGBTQ individuals. And nowhere has that been more evident than in Florida. Our guest today on Specifically for Seniors, Tania Galiñanes had to face Florida House Bill 1467 head on as a school librarian in Florida. House Bill 1467, signed by Governor DeSantis on March 25, 2022, and effective July 1, 2022,requires school districts to be transparent in the selection of instructional materials and library and reading materials. This legislation preserves the rights of parents to make decisions about what materials their children are exposed to in school. And she’s here today to tell us her story and why she had to leave a job she loved. My conversation wth Tania is one that you have not heard on television, she speaks frankly about the dangers and the kids it affects.

Be advised: Adult language is used during this podcast Those of you who are fans of the TV show -Amerca's Got Talent - will recognize my guest this week. Maureen Langan was a semi-finalist on Season 18 of AGT where her performance landed her a standing ovation and four "Yeses" from the judges. Maureen is an internationally acclaimed standup comedian, broadcaster, Tedx Talk speaker and corporate event host. She has performed with entertainment, literary and cultural icons that include Robin Williams, Jay Leno, Rosie O’Donnell, Jack Canfield, Joy Behar, Gloria Steinem, Danny Glover and Gladys Knight ­– and she roasted comedy royalty Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. As a broadcaster, Maureen created and hosted Bloomberg Television and Radio’s award-winning entertainment programming, where her most memorable moments were interviewing Joan Rivers and George Carlin. Her astute observations and interviewing style earned her the title of “Best Female Commentator” by the Newswomen’s Club of New York. Her TEDx Talk, “The Business of Fun,” is inspired by her time performing in South Africa at the first ever Johannesburg International Comedy Festival. Maureen’s message of inclusion had 600 people on their feet when first presented at Monmouth University. Maureen and I talk about her broadcasting career, her solo show "Daughter of a Garbageman", her Tedx Talk, what it's like being talent on AGT, her comedy tour "Don't Make Me Hate You", hosting corporate events and a TV pilot she'd like to make. Sit, relax and enjoy the story behind appearing on AGT and the differences between what you say on TV and in a comedy act.

Adam Mansbach is a novelist, screenwriter, cultural critic and humorist. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Go the F**k to Sleep, which has been translated into forty languages, named Time Magazine's 2011 "Thing of the Year," and sold over three million copies worldwide. Mansbach's novels include Rage is Back, The End of the Jews (winner of the California Book Award), and Angry Black White Boy, which is taught at over a hundred schools and was adapted into a prize-winning stage play in 2008. and his most recet novel - The Golem of Brooklyn. Adam's debut screenplay, for the 2016 Netflix Original BARRY, was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and an NAACP Image Award. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, New York Times Book Review, Esquire, The Believer, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, and on National Public Radio's All Things Considered, The Moth Storytelling Hour, and This American Life. Adam and I talk about being multi-genre author, the rise of antisemitism, public figures and anti-semitism, Adam's book - The Golem of Brooklyn and why the Golem learns English from watchng Curb Your Enthusiasm and the danger of Elon Musk's ownership of a social media platfform and a whole bunch of satellites.And no podcast with Adam Mansbach would be compete without the back story of Go the F**k to Sleep. Watch for Adam's commercial for the upcoming presidential election - he promised to do one at the end of the podcast. This is one podcast you want to watch and share! Link to The Golem of Brooklyn purchase on Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Golem-Brooklyn-Novel-Adam-Mansbach/dp/059372982X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ZPIDO5M5857J&keywords=the+golem+of+brooklyn&qid=1701025577&sprefix=the+goem+of+brooklyn%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-1

An hour without notes and a script. We talked ice cream sandwiches, Death Wish and Red Barn coffee, the pandemic, a life in Improv and teaching, Batman, super heroes, radio and ImprovBoston. If you want to spend an hour listeninhg to a pleasant, no-stress conversation about things that really matter very little, get connected. It's like a version of Jerry Seinfeld without Larry David.

Today on Specifically for Seniors, we're going to do something just a bit different. We have three guests who are here to tell you three completely different stories about parts of their lives. You've met two of them on previous podcasts, but they didn't have the time to tell you the rest of their stories. The third is new to Specifically for Seniors, but it's the story of a part of American history that our generation cannot forget. So make yourself a cup of coffee, sit back, relax, and let these three men tell you about a part of each of their lives. Those of you who are regular listeners to specifically for seniors will recall Alistair Henry from our May, 2023 podcast. Alistair retired at 57, shed his possessions and went to live with the First Nations band in the Northwest Territory, then left Canada's North to volunteer, working with local NGOs. Those are nonprofit organizations in Bangladesh. He and his wife enjoyed budget pack packing for four months at a time in Central America and Southeast Asia in their sixties. In 2020, Alistair endured a double lung transplant. Alistair is back today to talk about the transplant and the work he is now doing as a Trillium Gift of Life advocate. On November 22nd, 1963, a 26 year old junior duty officer was on duty at Bethesda Naval Hospital when the casket containing the body of Jack Fitzgerald Kennedy arrived from Dallas. You met that naval officer on this podcast on May 3rd, 2023. Sorel Schwartz today is a professor emeritus of pharmacology at Georgetown University Medical Center, and Senior Pharmacology advisor at the FDA Sorel is with us today as we near the 60th anniversary of JFK's assassination. My third and final guest on today's podcast is Robert Norris. Robert's story is one that many of us who were draft aged during the Vietnam War era will have faced in one way or another. Robert is a Pacific Northwest, native Vietnam war, conscientious objector who served sometime in a military prison, an expat resident of Japan since 1983. He's the author of The Good Lord Willing, and The Creek Don't Rise. But, but let me let Robert tell you his story. We're talking to Robert from his home in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan. Book Availability: The Good Lord willing and The Creek Don't Rise https://www.amazon.com/Good-Lord-Willing-Creek-Dont/dp/180100000X

It was just a few months ago that Neo-Nazis and white supremacists paraded in front of Disney World in Orlando spreading antisemitic messages, more recently an outbreak of antisemitism on college campuses, war in Israel after a deadly Hamas attack on Jewish settlers and amidst all that Yiddish language is making a comeback due to our guest today on Specifically for Seniors. Avi Hoffman was recently awarded Congressional recognition, was invited to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis and was inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame for his lifetime work advancing Jewish culture, Yiddishkayt and Holocaust awareness through the charity he founded - Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc. (YILoveJewish.org). As an actor, he was nominated for a NY Drama Desk Award for his Yiddish language portrayal of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. He is best known for his Too Jewish Trilogy: Award winning one man shows. On TV, he was featured as Sid Raskin in the Starz TV series Magic City, as well as on Netflix’ Bloodline, A&E’s The Glades and on the NBC series Law and Order. He recently starred in the Film Festival favorite: You Will Not Play Wagner and the International Award winning short Yiddish Films: Shehita, BOXED and the motion picture – The Imported Bridegroom. He was seen in the PBS documentary They Came For Good: A History of the Jews in the US. Avi has performed all over the world, has numerous acting and directing credits and has received multiple awards and nominations. Avi and I discuss his childhood, his acting background, antisemitism, but, most of all, the comeback of Yiddish Website and Books: https://yilovejewish.org/product-category/books/ Links to interviews, articles: https://yilovejewish.org/yilove-jewish-live/