Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined

Sara Zeff Geber, PhD, considers the years beyond 65 as the ‘bonus years.’ As a nationally recognized leader in planning for aging and retirement, in 2013 Sara began pursuing solo aging with a passion. The baby boomers--some 15 million--who do not have children and/or are single, Sara says, “are living without a safety net and a script for their future.” Sara offers guidance and hope in her 2018 book, Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers: A retirement and aging roadmap for single and childless adults.” She addresses key topics such as preparing for the future, enjoying life, investigating where to live, and planning for end-of-life choices. Sara advises that we face the realities of aging and explore all the options as we prepare to live our ‘bonus years’ to the fullest.Connect with Sara:Email: sara@lifeencore.comWebsite:  https://sarazeffgeber.com/Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers is available on Amazon.

Nora Natof, age 87, now resides in Oak Park, IL, the village that is home to the studio of her grandfather, Frank Lloyd Wright, and many of the homes he designed. The summers Nora spent at Talieslin, her grandfather’s ‘almost’ sustainable community in Wisconsin, influenced her strong advocacy for the environment, the arts, education, and civil rights. Nora highlights her years lobbying against nuclear power plants and co-founding a Montessori school as causes most directly affecting her life. Work enabled Nora to cope with devastating losses through the deaths of family members and divorce after 30 years of marriage.  “My nature,” say Nora, “is to keep moving forward. I always feel I can do it.” At age 77, Nora retired from geriatric nursing, a profession which has fed her passion for end-of-life options and planning. Two themes are threaded throughout Nora’s “good, full life”: living in community and nurturing deep spiritual beliefs. I have a very strong belief that you must give back to the society you live in. -Nora NatofConnect with Nora:Nnatof64@verizon.net

As a marriage and family therapist in private practice for more than 4 decades, Sally Strosahl (LCPC) has heard countless stories from couples about distresses in their relationship as they move into retirement and get older. She felt called to write Loving Your Marriage in Retirement: Keep the Music Playing (2018). Sally offers an authentic and reassuring voice for couples who face a myriad of changes during this critical phase in their long-term relationship.  Connect with Sallysally@sallystrosahl.comStrosahl, S. (2018). Loving Your Marriage in Retirement: Keep the Music Playing. In the Round Publishing.

Dr. Janice Hooker-Fortman, relationship coach, is a former Chicago Public School educator, motivational speaker, and producer and host of “The Mother/Daughter Relationship Show. and Relationship Matters tv. She is an award-winning author, relationship communication coach, a 50+ model, and was crowned Ms. Senior Illinois America 2022.  Dr. Jan believes that communication is the foundation for all relationships, both personal and professional.  Her mission is to improve the quality of relationships between adult daughters and their mothers through the use of effective communication.  She was selected as the female entrepreneur to watch by Woman Entrepreneur Magazine and is on the cover of the February 2022 issue of Courageous Woman Magazine. Her articles appear in Global Achievers Magazine and Woman Entrepreneur Magazine. She was also recognized by Age Options for her outstanding volunteer service to older adults. “My relationship with my mother was difficult - I learned to listen in a way that was helpful.” - Dr. Janice Hooker-FortmanConnect with Jan:  Email: Jan4now125@gmail.com and Relationshipmatterstv@gmail.com Office: 1-887-667-7325Text: 773-443-2058Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/RelationshipMattersTVShowPodcast: https://winwinwomen.tv/show/the-mother-daughter-relationship-showBook: "The Secrets To How Not To Throw Mama From The Train" Hardback and Ebook available on Amazon.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RelationshipMattersTVShowhttps://e360tv.com/https://www.jd3tv.com/Producer/Host, The Mother/Daughter Relationship Showhttps://winwinwomen.tv/show/the-mother-daughter-relationship-showWebsite: www.drjanicespeaks.com

Alice Matzkin is an internationally known artist whose works fearlessly depict women aging. Alice has 2 paintings in the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian and has appeared on Oprah. Her  portrait of Chelsea hung in the White House during the Clinton administration, and she is recognized in Marquis Who's Who of American Art.  She, and her husband, Richard, a sculptor and award winning author, share a precious  love that provides a powerful foundation for their art. Together they authored THE ART OF AGING:Celebrating the Authentic Aging Self where they explore the experience of aging through their paintings, sculptures and writings. " Every age has its own beauty inside and out. Our body is our vehicle of transportation, abode to our senses , and home to our mind and spirit. We are ageless beings and a true miracle of the universe.  Young or old, we have the ability to create beauty and contribute to the world" - Alice MatzkinConnect with Alice:Email: thematzkins@gmail.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorsartistsandlovers Book: THE ART OF AGING: Celebrating the Authentic Aging Self  (available at Amazon.com)Website and blog:  thematzkins.com

In her third career, Sally Duplantier, gerontologist and healthspan educator, founded her mission-driven company, Zing, to help older adults live as long as possible without chronic disease and disability. Through Zing, Sally offers Wellness Wednesdays, free educational webinars featuring experts on relevant topics. She is guest faculty with the Be Well program at Stanford University. Sally has added a research component to her mission--toincrease diversity in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s patients.Connect with Sally:Email: sally@myzinglife.comWebsite: https://myzinglife.com/

Annie Korzen’s career dreams finally came true in her 80’s. Atage 83, she is a TikTok sensation with young fans who love herwit and wisdom about living life as an older woman. Annie bringsher talents as an actress, writer, storyteller, and teacher toTikTok and other performance venues as she speaks about life’sserious moments. She also takes on ageism for underestimatingand underappreciating what older women have to offer. For thefirst time in her life, Annie is being told that she is beautiful, and shewears her age as a badge of honor.Some people are overnight successes, and some people,like me, just have to keep doing it wrong until they get it right.Now I’m in my third act. -Annie KorzenConnect with Annie KorzenWebsite: www.AnnieKorzen.comEmail: annykorzy@gmail.comwww.TheMoth.orghttps://www.tiktok.com/discover/Annie-Korzen?lang=en

As a queer, biracial woman, Jacqueline Boyd, BA, BS, CGCM,  has advocated for her community by offering services that address specific care needs. She is especially interested in how to provide people with continuing care in their homes. Her company, The-Care-Plan, guides anyone over age 18 to plan and coordinate care needs.Jacqueline’s cool and service-oriented demeanor shows in everything she says. When she talks about quality of life it is evident that it comes from a place deep within her heart. She asks, “What is the role of comfort in care? In only 30 minutes, you will walk away with a wealth of information.Connect with Jacqueline:Email: jacqueline@the-care-plan.comWebsite: https://the-care-plan.comOffice: 877-6WE-PLAN

Mary Isabel Azrael, age 78, from Baltimore MD, is a poet, editor, and teacher. She is the author of four books of poems, and in her 60s, wrote the libretto for an opera, Lost Childhood, which has been performed in Los Angeles, New York, and Tel Aviv Israel. Mary Isabel is publisher and co-editor of Passager Books and Passager, a national literary journal featuring the work of writers aged 50 and older.  When Mary Isabel’s husband left after 40 years of marriage, a collection of poems written during the following years resulted in a book, The House No House (2017). Mary Isabel collaborates on artistic projects with her life partner of 10+ years, John P. Wise, an abstract artist and designer. Ageism still exists in the arts. More than ever, we need the voices of older writers whose life experience offers much that's essential to our survival. - Mary Isabel AzraelConnect with Mary Isabel:Email mpazrael@aol.comhttps://www.passagerbooks.comhttps://www.dogbonearts.com

Bett Martinez has experienced more death-defying accidents than most in her lifetime.An auto accident at 33, and again, later in life caused 2 serious head injuries, badly smashed broken legs and ongoing auto-immune issues. But Bett, who began to advocate for others early on, only dug in harder to find the answers that would help her walk again and manage the pain. Bett’s advocacy has taken many paths. She believes our society would do best if children of different ethnicities could learn to co-exist. Thus began years of working to bring Jewish and Arab children together.As a veteran health care insurance agent, specializing in Medicare and long-term care protection, her interest in preparing for death has grown as she ages. She would like it if it were a  requirement for all people to create a thumb drive video that expresses their end of life wishes. She asks: “If you knew the date of your death, what actions would you take?”Staying up to date and helping others keeps my brain straight – straight as can be given my age and complex health history. - Bett martinezResearch has led her to adopt Qigong, Tai Chi, acupuncture and herbs as a way to maintain her own hard won fitness. And now, she is turning her attention to advocating for relief for Alzheimer patients.Bett finds answers through her unique combination of perseverance, research and purpose. Connect with Bett:Email: well-being@pacbell.netWebsite: http://possiblesociety.org/programs.html Bett’s website: bettmartinez.comSoaking Retreat: Therma Qi-2024 at Palma Hot Springs, Ikaria Islands, south of Greece. Contact Bett directly for informationhttps://www.visitikaria.gr/en/useful/news/ikaria-has-the-secret-of-longevity#.Yzsdu3bMKUk  Author: We’ll Face That When We Have To…P.S. It’s Later Than You Think! The Case for Long Term Care Protection http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UCGCXMK