Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined

Janie Petkus is an internationally renowned interior designer. She works in all aspects of design including architectural plans, lighting and landscape. Her love for this work oozes out of her. Janie’s mother, and Doris Day were both role models and inspirations for her to pursue this career. She served as President of the Illinois Chapter of the International Society of Interior Designers (ISID) and, later, was Vice-president of finance for the International Society.  She has participated in many designer showcases and housewalks over the years, all to benefit charities. Janie also had a show on HGTV for a number of years."Younger people keep your mind alive & alert." - Janie PetkusBut life has been tricky. Her beloved husband of 44 years, passed away suddenly of a rare disease at the age of 67. He was Janie’s closest friend for all those years and he deliberately retired young to become her partner in her business. The story of how she learned to be on her own, maintaining the business and her family, is one worth listening to. This is a woman who loves life, experimenting with new ways of being, and developing friendships with all ages.Connect with Janie:Email: janie@janiepetkus.com

Frances Fuller grew up in poverty. All of her books belonged to the state of Arkansas. Her mother had a 4th grade education. It is a wonder, then, that Frances became a writer and publisher and left a legacy in the form of an entire body of literature in Arabic, for Arabic children.From an early age, Frances was a devotee of the American columnist, Ernie Pyle. Committing to a lifetime of missionary work in Lebanon and Jordan combined her two loves: the Christian faith and journalism. Initially, she worked with groups of Americans as their press representative, and reported to America what was happening in Beirut. Soon, she purchased a small publishing house and produced children’s curricula. On one of her furloughs home, she determined to teach others how to write so that the curricula could be produced in Arabic by Arabs for the Muslim world. That was when decided she had to know what the process of writing was in order to teach Arabs how to write. She earned her Master’s degree in English and then returned. Author of 2 books, we spoke extensively with Frances about her recent memoir.Takeaways:Children thrive in uncertain circumstances when they believe in your passion for your work.Journalism is a tool with which to do many things.Life during wartime in Lebanon was chaotic, but manageable.Connect with Frances Fuller:Email: frances0516@att.netWebsite: https://inborrowedhouseslebanon.comBlog: https://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com/blog/Books: In Borrowed Houses: A True Story of Love and Faith Amidst War in Lebanon Helping Yourself Grow Old: Things I Said to Myself When I Was Almost NinetyConnect with Gail & Catherine: Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined

Vinyls are Couch Covers: Improv & Long-Term Care Insurance!Quote: Life can be so hard when you believe Medicare insurance covers you and it does not.Gail Steingold is a go-getter whose life contains a lot of improvisation. From clinical speech pathology to long term care insurance, learning and laughing have been her constant companions. It makes sense when your work is serious and deals so much with feelings. When Gail transitioned to selling long-term care insurance she took up improv to satisfy her love of theater and performance. And, to reduce the frustration she feels because of the numerous misconceptions older people have about what Medicare covers. Gail will tell you the optimal age to get Long-Term Care insurance is when you are healthy and between 45-65. She is known for the depth of her knowledge of the everchanging LTC insurance marketplace. Her clients are the recipients of her experience, contacts and empathetic approach and commitment to designing a plan that meets their needs and challenges of the extended long term care event. CONNECT WITH GAIL:Company: Burling Insurance GroupWebsite: https://www.bigltc.com/Email: steingold@bigltc.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gail-steingold-ms-ltcp-cltc-007b763/

For the last 32 years, Louise reinvented herself many times. After her husband died when she was 44, she realized she had never lived on her own. Two big questions arose: “Why am I here?”. “What am I supposed to do with my life?”. Through coursework, metaphysics and hypnotherapy, she slowly found her way. Always the extrovert, she learned to tone down her enthusiasm and take time to listen. Today she helps baby boomers who experience loss - of careers, of soulmates, and illness. Louise has had many titles in her life: Queen of Networking, Candy Lady, Lady Farmer. The one she cherishes most is Lady Lou, the Baby Boomer Babe. If she could, she would tell every younger person, “Be more awake - be aware of the possibilities.”The future is wide open. I’m excited there are still so many discoveries to make and so many new ways to help people. - Louise DeweyConnect with Louise:Email: TexasLadyLou1@gmail.comText:    281-406-1092

Susan Stall, Ph.D. CREATIVE HOUSING OPTIONS for the MISSING MIDDLEIn 1985, sociologist and activist Dr. Susan Stall designed and taught a college course entitled Gender and the Built Environment: Redesigning the American Dream. Since then, her scholarship and activism have expanded to innovations in housing that center on affordability, design, and the capacity for community building. She highlights the ‘missing middle’--those who are neither poor nor rich-- whose housing needs tend to be ignored. Susan describes ‘age-friendly living’ options such as co-housing, cooperative housing, shared housing, and accessory dwelling units.  stallsusan@gmail.orgwww.oakparkcohousing.org

Elaine Soloway writes “because it’s therapeutic for me and can be helpful to others.” Although her stories are deeply personal, Elaine considers the themes to be universal. She tackles, for example, ageism, care giving, joint replacement, pet friends; housing options; Jewishness; solo living. She is proud of her adult children’s production of the TV series, Transparent--a fictional portrayal based on their family life--for shining a realistic and positive light on transgender. Currently, Elaine is writing opinion pieces along with hosting two book groups: unrecognized history of racism and Jewish Women Writers. Foregoing embarrassment, Elaine is learning to swim, speak Spanish, and play piano--aspirations from long ago. And she proudly owns her age--83." None of my secrets are so different from anyone else’s." - Elaine Soloway Contact Information:elainesoloway@gmail.comhttps://www.facebook.com/elainesolowaywww.elainesoloway.com  see Elaine’s writing--Books, available for purchase at Women & Children First Bookstore; and AmazonOp-edsBlogs

Jill Stewart honed her talents in public relations and writing for more than 20 years as founder and head of her own PR firm that was committed to “issues that matter.” She and her teams were there in the early stages of the AIDS epidemic and the end-of-life options movement. Most recently, Jill and her husband teamed up to produce a three-part series, Hidden History: Understanding the Origins of Racial Inequity. In her second career as communications faculty at DePaul University, Jill has approached teaching professional writing as an essential skill for communications students to level the playing field in their career advancement. Turning 70 has gotten Jill’s attention – to being even more intentional about using her time, energy and resources in ways that suit her best. "Throughout my communications career, I have been drawn to promoting social causes." - Jill O’Mahony StewartContact Information:Email: jill@stewcommltd.comTwitter: @jillostewart YouTube: Hidden History – Understanding the Origins of Racial Inequity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78PmjkSEpnw

Growing up with a schizophrenic mother, experiencing violence most of her young life, and surviving breast cancer all contribute to Lin’s mantra: Resilience | Decisiveness | Courage. 25 different careers, first corporate and then entrepreneurial, made Lin unstoppable. And, today, she continues to be a trailblazer. “People fight change. I am always willing to pivot and change.” - Lin O'NeillLin pays tribute to her grandmother, the wisest woman she knew in her life. This woman saved her and helped her build the skills necessary to overcome her upbringing. Listening to Lin’s story of personal and professional accomplishment is a testimonial to women’s journeys.CONNECT WITH LIN:Email: Lin@ONeill.enterprisesURL: https://oneill.enterprises

Frances “Poppy” Northcutt gained national fame as the first and only woman in NASA’s mission control room working on the Apollo Program.  Poppy and her team designed the Return-to-Earth trajectory that took the Apollo 8 crew around the Moon and back to Earth. She worked on missions 10-13 and helped retrieve the Apollo 13 astronauts after their mid-flight disaster. After cuts in the space program, Poppy continued her advocacy for women’s rights as a felony prosecutor in a domestic violence unit. Now in semi-retirement, Poppy’s advocacy is focused on reproductive justice, as the attorney for Jane’s Due Process, providing legal services to pregnant teen-age girls. She holds leadership positions with NOW, nationally and in the state of Texas.I’ve always been involved with something that has to do with an equal state for women.  - Frances "Poppy" NorthcuttEmail: poppynor@gmail.comTwitter: @poppy_northcutthttps://now.org/wp-content/poppy_northcutt.mp4  49 years after the passing of Roe-vs Wade.

Martha Holstein passed away on November 24, 2021. We are releasing her episode to honor Martha's lasting contributions to women aging.Dr. Holstein, a vocal advocate for women aging, speaks both to individuals and the larger politic. She urges women to own their age—if you are old, acknowledge it. Live by your norms, not those for people far younger: Intergenerational conversations are important. Dr. Holstein raises awareness of how differentials concerning race, class, religion, and sexual identity affect the problems we encounter and the choices available for how we age and live. Individual solutions are insufficient; political-systemic answers are needed to remedy ills around aging, especially aging women. If we don’t accept and respect our age, how will we identify those problems associated with being old and work toward resolving them?The personal is political–ageism and social disparities inhibit women from making meaningful choices of how to live well while aging. – Martha Holstein, Ph.D.Watch: Martha Holstein: Own Your AgeContact Information:Mbholstein360@gmail.comHolstein, M. (2015). Women in Late Life: Critical Perspectives on Gender and Age. Rowman & Littlefield.Connect with Gail and Catherine:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimaginedInstagram: WomenOver70Website:https://womenover70.comEmail: info@womenover70.comShow: Women Over 70 – Aging ReimaginedListen on: Apple Play, Stitcher,Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow.