Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined

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  

As a young adult, Joby Kennedy became fascinated with how different people cope with trauma. This led her into a clinical psychology career during which she worked with adults, some families and school children. She refers to herself as a generalist, serving in many settings with a wide variety of clients.8 years ago, Joby retired. She thought music might be her way forward until she inadvertently set her childhood accordion on fire. Joby believes (as did Jung) that “synchronicity is a meaningful experience”. Still she craved music and soon was invited to sing in a local chorus.“I get busy, then there’s a lull. I wonder what will happen next? Something always presents itself to me. If not, I will go and find it.” - Josephine "Joby" KennedyIt is painting, however, that has her heart singing. She is currently working on a presentation entitled “One Heart, Many Paths”. Combining music and her own art, she inspires engagement by asking people to share the paths of their hearts.And, she loves to dance.CONNECT: Email: docjoby@aol.comFine Art America: Josephine Joby Kennedy@FineArtAmerica

Originally from the West Indies, Cynthia Barnett, Ph.D., from Norwalk CT,retired at age 59 to pursue the question--Why Are There So Few Women in theSciences? Cynthia became CEO and founder of a non-profit program--AmazingGirls Science-- whose goal is to ignite the spark in girls for STEAM (science,technology, art, engineering and math). As a STEAM champion, Cynthia won theInaugural AARP Purpose Award and the Community Innovation and LeadershipAward for the Connecticut Technology Council. At age 79, Dr. Barnett says she“leads a vibrant, purpose-driven life” with many new initiatives underway,including intergenerational programs and robotics. She lives her life as a “thankyou.”We need to catch girls at a young age to bring them into the sciences. - Cynthia Barnett PhDConnect with Cynthiawebsite: www.amazinggirlsscience.comEmail: drcynthiabarnett@gmail.com

Susan Reed, PhD, age 70, has led a life of social-political actionsince her teens. She campaigned for McGovern and later forObama; interned with the Chicago Women’s Liberation Union;protested the Vietnam War; worked on social policy for equities inaging and health; and continues to teach adult college studentsabout ways to be civically engaged. Susan is a person who feels“responsible for problems” facing our city (Chicago) and country.She finds other people to be activists with her--for example, theGirlfriend Group, because “for me, political activism is social;social action can be fun.” On the home front, Susan continues tolearn how best to support her two adult daughters and, with herhusband, plan for how to ‘age in place.’" My goal is to help people be active citizens, especiallyduring really difficult times." Connect with Susan:sreed@depaul.edu

Born in Poland, Sara​ Levinson, 75,​ migrated to the United States in 1963 when she was 16. She traveled by ocean liner to Montreal and later moved to Chicago. She practices an open-ended thought process and has learned to go for any opportunity that comes her way.As a young mother raising children, Sara picked up a Nikon camera that she had used earlier and began photographing images while her children were at school. She realized her skills needed upgrading and began attending workshops and taking courses on her own. Her specialty is portraits and as her children grew, she became more and more serious about her craft, learning how to process, develop and print her film. In the beginning, it was strictly black & white. She ​soon moved to color and digital photography and ​continues to edit and manage all aspects of the creative process.Save the easiest places to travel for when you get older so you will never have to stop having amazing experiences. - Sara LevinsonSara takes exotic trips to unknown remote locations. She uses her lens to witness diverse spiritual ceremonies and customs. She has also been touched by the plight of discarded widows. Especially moved by their circumstances, she plans to return so she can hug every woman she meets, a forbidden action in many areas.A new project is called Beauty Past Its Prime and Sara is currently working out just how to bring it to fruition.

Diane Deaderick DeMartra, a professional who has worked in corporations, non-profits, and higher education, devotes her passions and talents to “enlighten,educate, and empower inner-city teen girls and young women, especially teenand young, single mothers at risk of continuing the intergenerational cycle ofpoverty and complex trauma that are rampant among women and children in theBlack community.” This is the mission of Just For You Girlfriend, the nonprofitorganization that Diane founded in 2017 and continues to lead. Having lived herpre-teen and teen years in ‘the projects’ in Chicago, Diane understands theenvironment where, without access to resources and support, many people “liveand die like they did in the projects--in abject poverty.” In 2022, Diane wrote abook to pass on crucial life lessons and wonderful witticisms learned from herown momma--Momma Wit: Words of wisdom, encouragement, inspiration, andlove. Diane lives each day with energy, enjoyment, and gratitude. "Connect with DianeEmail: dddemartra@gmail.comWebsite: https://www.justforyougirlfriend.orgBook: Momma Wit (available on website)

Amy Temperley’s passion centers on Active Aging--helping olderadults stay social, active, and engaged. As a life coach andconsultant, and entrepreneurial business owner, Amy focuses onhelping 60+ adults find their passion and continue to live, laugh andlearn. Amy is co-founder and CEO of Aging Is Cool and mostrecently, co-founder of A Mighty Good Time. She and her colleaguesfollow trends in areas such as technology (e.g., augmented reality)and brain health as they create more opportunities for older adults toengage fully in life.Connect with Amy:amy@amightygoodtime.comwww.AMightyGoodTime.comhttp://www.agingiscool.com

Betty Grebenschikoff, age 92 ½ , continues to speak out about the horrors of the Holocaust and her experiences as a refugee without a passport: from Germany to China to Australia and, finally, to the United States where she gained citizenship. At age 9, Betty was separated from her beloved friend, Ana Maria Wahrenberg, only to be reunited after 82 years--like “finding the end of the rainbow.” On a weekly basis, Betty (in Florida) and Ana Maria (in Chile) talk about their childhood, similar paths taken, commitment to telling their stories, and the joys of family and friends. As a long-time refugee, Betty learned to adapt to everyday hardships with the support of “family around me. We were the lucky ones who got through it.” Betty advises: “don’t take anything for granted, never travel without a passport, and appreciate that home is not a place-- it is a feeling of belonging with family.”There are very few of us left who can talk about the Holocaust; the lives of individuals,not just the numbers, have to be remembered. - Betty GrebenschikoffConnect with Betty:Website: www.bettygrebenschikoff.comMemoir: Once My Name Was Sara (1992), Original Seven Publishing Co.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfkDAk2IRPI. The New Reality: The Untold Story of How 2Best Friends Separated by the Nazis Reunited After 82 Years.https://www.holocaustedu.org/survivor-testimonies/in-my-own-words-with-betty-grebenshikoff/ Interviewed by daughter, Jennifer, Special Kristallnacht CommemorationProgramhttps://www.idcfl.org/betty-grebenschikoff-international (International Diplomatic Core ofFlorida)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK6WrOrL3j4 [Shanghai Ghetto, Part I]

The Upgrade is a gateway for the best years of our livesFor years, women have been told by society to dread the second half of life, with no support available beyond expensive ointments and procedures promising to reverse the signs of aging. But thanks to Dr. Louann Brizendine’s latest book: The Upgrade: How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond, that’s all about to change. Dr. Brizendine, bestselling author of The Female Brain and The Male Brain, Lynne and Marc Benioff Endowed Chair in Clinical Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco and founder of UCSF’s Women’s Mood and Hormone Clinic. delivers actionable, science-backed steps for preserving brain health. A Stanford Study affirms that people get happier with each decade of their lives up until their 90s. With compassionate and ongoing self-care we become more available to ourselves and others who need us. Diet, exercise, sleep and mindset all aid cognitive health. Dr. Brizendine shares intimate stories in a lively and upbeat way that emphasizes there is nothing selfish about paying attention to our bodies in order to be the best we can be. The Upgrade is a gateway for the best years of our lives - Dr Louann BrizendineThe Upgrade is the time of life where things get better. As your hormones change, the fluctuations that make things feel stressful float away and a new clarity takes hold. The hormone swings that helped you through childbearing and rearing are no longer needed. Your body chemistry adjusts to bring you calm, directness, and focus. You have time to focus on yourself again.

Why is grief so complicated and why does grieving take such a long time,possibly never ending? In The Grieving Brain (2022), renowned grief expert,neuroscientist, and psychologist, Mary-Frances O’Connor, PhD, offers newperspectives on understanding love, loss, and learning. Complicated grief sets inwhen we cannot move into the natural healing process. Our brains need tolearn how to process grief and grieving, to deal with the paradox of our lovedone who feels here, yet physically is not here. Dr. O’Connor offers hope for howwe can learn how to navigate loss with more ease and grace.Connect with Mary-Frances O’Connor:Website: www.maryfrancesoconnor.com/bookBook: The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Loveand Loss (2022)YouTube. There are several. Eg.,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLh1F41RsM85 Things You Should Know About GriefKatie Couric MediaLearning from Grief and Loss (Video) PurposeCastTwitter: @doctormfoFaceBook: @maryfrancesoInstagram: @doctormfoconnorLinkedIn: Mary-Frances O’Connor