Living to 100 Club

In this episode of the Living to 100 Club podcast, Dr. Joe Casciani sits down with Christian Ross. Christian is the Chief Happiness Officer at Happy Talks. We explore innovative ways for combating social isolation and loneliness among older adults. We discuss the critical role of social engagement, the unique training of Happy Talks’ “buddies,” and the importance of family involvement in the process. The conversation delves into the mindset required for successful aging. This includes the emotional challenges of downsizing, and the significance of building on individual strengths to help seniors age in place. Join us as we uncover the strategies that make a difference in the lives of older adults. Learn about upcoming projects aimed at enhancing the aging experience. This show provides listeners with insights into the innovative ways professionals are working together to enhance the lives of older adults. And it offers practical takeaways for families, caregivers, and those interested in the aging process. Mini Bio Christian Ross is the Founder and Chief Happiness Officer at Happy Talks. With over 15 years of experience working with hundreds of families in real estate, Christian noticed a growing need for families to better support the older adults in their lives. Driven by a passion for enhancing connections, she created Happy Talks. This is a social phone call membership service for combating social isolation in older adults. It provides joyful, meaningful conversations while offering families and care providers peace of mind through transparent post-call reporting. Happy Talks is honored to deliver happiness and strengthen bonds across generations! For Our Listeners Christian's website: HappyTalks.com

Are you interested in learning how to live longer, happier, and a healthier life? What are the secrets to living longer? David Edey has a conversation with Dr. Joe Casciani, founder of the Living to 100 Club. He is also the author of "Living Longer is the New Normal." Dr. Casciani shares valuable wisdom on navigating the complexities of aging and addressing cognitive challenges. Also discussed is the importance of having a positive mindset for healthier living. For David's book, other resources and more visit www.davidedey.com

We invite as our guest on this Living to 100 Club podcast Caryn Leventhal. Caryn is a Licensed General Contractor, Certified Aging in Place Specialist and Fall Prevention Expert. In this conversation, we discuss many aspects of remaining safely in our own homes. This may be through do-it-yourself projects or hiring specialists to make the necessary modifications. What does it take to "future proof " our home? What are the safety concerns regarding fire, electrical systems, emergency evacuation, and fall prevention? Where do seniors often go wrong when making their own modifications? And why do so many resist making these home modifications in the face of growing physical changes. Caryn also discusses her work with adult children and how they can be more successful in their conversations with parents about safely aging in place. Be sure to tune in to this very educational conversation with an experienced aging in place specialist. Mini Bio Caryn Leventhal is the founder and owner of Seniors' Choice. She brings knowledge, experience, and a passion for helping people to her comprehensive assessment of home safety concerns and solutions. Seniors' Choice was founded in 2008 as a handyman service, helping seniors make minor home repairs and modifications. It grew and became a General Contracting company, which enabled the owners to expand their services to include accessible renovations and whole home remodels. While managing construction projects, and helping clients design safe, functional spaces, Caryn developed a passion to help people develop an individualized plan for aging in place. As a Certified Aging in Place Specialist, a Designation by the National Home Builders Association, Caryn can recognize potential problems and provide practical answers. With over 20 years of experience as a Social Worker and senior service provider, she is an expert in fall prevention, senior care options, and accessible home modifications. Caryn offers in person or virtual in-home and business solutions addressing accessibility issues. Caryn's website: SeniorsChoiceSD.com

On this Living to 100 Club podcast, we learn about the exciting travel and learning opportunities found with Road Scholar, the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for older adults. We have as our guest Kelsey Knoedler Perri, an experienced traveler and PR Director for the organization. Approaching its 50-year anniversary in 2025, Road Scholar hosts nearly 5,000 educational programs each year. It brings its travelers to over 100 countries around the world, including the U.S. These group travel experiences are focused on learning about the destinations from local experts and promoting authentic cultural interaction, for solo adventurers, couples, or friends or siblings traveling together. We learn about the many destinations and examples of the learning programs available, including virtual travel programs, as well as grand-parent to grand-child programs. Tune in to this informative program and see if your next journey may be as a “Road Scholar." Mini Bio Kelsey Knoedler Perri, Director of Public Relations at Road Scholar Kelsey Knoedler Perri has spent her career doing sales, marketing, and communications in the travel and hospitality industry. She has worked at this travel organization, the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for older adults, since 2016 as a writer, social media manager, and PR professional. An active traveler herself, Kelsey caught the travel bug when studying abroad in Ireland. She holds a BA and MFA in creative writing and lives in Providence with her husband and son. Connect with her on LinkedIn. For Our Listeners Road Scholar website: RoadScholar.org

On this Living to 100 Club podcast, our guests introduce us to The Assistance Fund. TAF is one of a handful of Independent Charitable Assistance Funds. Danielle Vizcaino, President and CEO of The Assistance Fund (TAF), and Margaret Figley, Director of Communications, are the guests. They describe how TAF provides financial assistance to patients facing high co-payments, deductibles, and other health-related expenses. We learn how manufacturers support this non-profit program through donations and make affordable health more accessible. In turn, these donations get passed on to the underinsured patients across the country. What are the eligibility criteria, what types of financial assistance are there, and what resources are available for people who have health insurance but can’t afford their out-of-pocket costs for treatment? Tune in to learn about these relatively little-known programs that may help you. Mini Bios Danielle leads a diverse organization of more than 80 employees in Orlando, Florida, and Washington, DC. TAF has consistently been named by Forbes as a top 100 charity and The NonProfit Times as one of the 50 best nonprofits to work for. She oversees TAF’s nearly 90 disease programs, which since 2009 have helped nearly 190,000 people access the critical treatment they need to manage a life-threatening, chronic, or rare disease. Danielle is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Danielle earned an MBA and MPH from the University of North Florida. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology and Microbiology from the University of Central Florida. Margaret (Meg) Figley is a seasoned communications leader with nearly two decades of experience shaping communication strategies for impactful health care nonprofit organizations, hospital trade associations, and the federal government agencies. As the Senior Director of Communications at The Assistance Fund, Meg is the driving force behind the organization's communications and branding initiatives, ensuring that its mission and message resonate across all key audiences. In addition to her work at The Assistance Fund, Meg has held senior communications positions at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center, the Patient Access Network Foundation, the American Hospital Association, the New York State Health Foundation, and the Greater New York Hospital Association. Meg has an MPA in Health Policy and Management from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a BA in Government and Politics from George Mason University. For Our Listeners The Assistance Fund website: TAFCares.org

On this Living to 100 Club program, our guest is Joe Simonetta, a multi-dimensional humanist and widely respected author and speaker. He has written ten books, many about the mix of crises our world faces today and about solutions that implore us to understand and align with the reality in which we exist and its behavioral demands. Rather than always playing catch up with our health, finances, and education, Joe writes and speaks about the basic steps needed to be and remain healthy, be kind to one another, and respect the environment — the sum of our ecosystems — out of which we evolved and require for our existence. How to stay ahead of the 8-ball, so to speak. We also discuss his first-place, gold medal finish in the sprint triathlon in the 80-84 age division in the U.S. National Senior Games held in July 2023 in Pittsburgh, PA. Because of the level of fitness he maintained through his life and continues to maintain, he was able to accomplish this — despite the fact that it was the first race in which he ever competed and that he used a rented bicycle. Tune in to this compelling and thought-provoking conversation. Mini Bio Joseph R. Simonetta holds a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School where he studied ethics, global environmental problems, world religions, cosmology, and evolutionary biology. He also studied at Yale Divinity School. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Colorado. Joe also studied architecture at the University of Southern California. He holds a B.S. in Business Logistics from Penn State University. Born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, he is the second of three sons of an immigrant blue-collar steelworker and his wife. He was raised in the shadows of the blast furnaces of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. He has since lived for significant amounts of time in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Florida, Greece, New Zealand, and Ecuador. As a young man, disturbed at the extraordinary amount of unrelenting suffering in the world, he vowed to himself to do something to alleviate it. He went on to live a very unusual life. He has been an Army officer, professional athlete, entrepreneur and businessman, architectural designer, real estate developer, home builder, environmental activist, author, senior editor of the World Business Academy, and twice a nominee for the U.S. Congress. Intermittently, he wrote a mix of fiction and nonfiction books about humanity and the state of the world. He serves on the board of directors of The Secular Community. At the 2023 U.S. National Senior Games held in Pittsburgh, PA in July 2023, he won the gold medal in the Sprint Triathlon in his age division, 80-84. He is married to Susana Rojas Simonetta. They have a son, Russell, born April 22, 2013 (Earth Day) and a daughter, Fiorella, born October 12, 2015. For Our Listeners Our Guest's Website and Books: Joe Simonetta

Our guest on this Living to 100 Club podcast is Niki Feret, an independent Medicare Health Insurance Agent. Niki is licensed in 35 states and specializes in all aspects of Medicare insurance options. We discuss a range of topics in this conversation about navigating Medicare: How and when to enroll, what to consider when choosing a Medicare plan and what type of plan you need, and Parts A, B, C, and D. What are Medicare Advantage plans? And what are the pros and cons of these Advantage plans, as compared with traditional Medicare coverage? Our guest shares her experiences about Supplement plans, as well as specialty coverage for different medical conditions, such as dental, vision, and hearing plans. Listeners will benefit from ways to make informed decisions about avoiding late enrollment penalties as well as upcoming major changes this fall, including cost adjustments and caps on drugs. Tune in for this very up-to-date information. Mini Bio As a licensed insurance agent specializing in Medicare for almost a decade, Niki Feret is dedicated to helping retirees navigate the complexities of Medicare insurance plans with confidence. She proudly owns Brickhouse Agency, LLC, which holds licenses in over 30 states, and Chicagoland Medicare, serving Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Niki believes in educating her clients, answering all questions, and providing them with personalized guidance. Whether you're exploring Medicare options for the first time or have questions about your current plan, she is here to help. When the time is right, she will assist you with enrolling in the best Medicare insurance plan for your needs. Niki’s commitment doesn't end there— she is always available to address any questions or concerns that arise about your plan. Simplifying Medicare is at the core of what she does. She strives to empower her clients, ensuring they feel confident and satisfied with their insurance choices. Your peace of mind is her priority. For Our Listeners Niki's Websites: Brickhouse Agency and Chicagoland Medicare

This is an encore Living to 100 Club appearance by our guest, Sky Bergman. Sky was a guest on this podcast in August 2019, just after the release of her film documentary, Lives Well Lived. This film told the stories of adults 75 to 100 years old, thriving and enjoying their senior years. In today’s program, Sky shares her continued role as a film producer to combat ageism through intergenerational connections. Her latest book is Lives Well Lived – GENERATIONS. We explore the topics of resilience, positivity, and insights from older adults with 3,000 years of collective experience. How do intergenerational connections combat ageism? How can we learn from one another and what are some examples of intergenerational programs around the country. We also hear about Sky’s latest films in production, Prime Time Band, a collection of musicians in their 60’s through their 90’s in Santa Barbara California. The other is Mochtisuki, the Japanese tradition that brings generations together through food. Be sure to tune in for this uplifting conversation about the positives of aging. Mini Bio Sky Bergman, Professor Emeritus of Photography and Video at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, is in her third act after a 30-year teaching career. Her artwork is in prestigious museum collections, and her commercial work has appeared in renowned magazines like the Smithsonian. Sky’s passion is creating films and projects that inspire intergenerational connections, emphasizing the power of shared stories. Following her successful PBS documentary "Lives Well Lived," her book "Lives Well Lived — GENERATIONS" distills wisdom from the film, celebrating life’s essence across generations. For Our Listeners Sky's Website: https://www.skybergmanproductions.com/ New Book: Lives Well Lived: GENERATIONS

On this Living to 100 Club podcast, our guest is Peter Mangan, founder of Freebird Club. Freebird is a growing social and travel community for the 50+. Members can connect, share travel tips, arrange meet-ups, serve as local hosts in their own cities. And they can book homestays with other host members. We learn from our guest the ways that Freebird enables people to travel, connect, meet, and stay with one another as members of a trusted membership community. Why are seniors so inclined to travel more than ever today? How can someone book friendly stays while traveling? And how can someone become a host to list one’s own home or guest room. And make them availabile to other approved, verified Freebird members? Tune in for this story about the birth of Freebird Club, how it was inspired, imagined, and shaped. Mini Bio The Freebird Club story began in beautiful county Kerry, Ireland, when founder Peter Mangan started renting out his country cottage to visitors from around the world. While Peter was away working in Dublin, his retired and widowed father Owen was on hand to meet and greet the guests. At this stage in his life Owen had more time on his hands; sometimes he felt too much time. Meeting new people in this way was an enjoyable outlet for him generally. But when a series of older adults came to stay, something special happened. There were nights out in the local pub, sightseeing trips, dinners, games of golf – all with Owen at the helm. Fun was being had and friendships formed that went way beyond the usual host/guest interaction. Seeing the enriching social benefits his father was now enjoying with travelling peers, Peter was inspired to try and replicate these life-enhancing experiences for the benefit of older adults everywhere. Freebird Club’s Website https://freebirdclub.com

On this Living to 100 Club podcast, our guest is Joel Geiderman, MD. Our guest has served as the co-chair of Emergency Medicine at Cedars-Sainai Medical Center in Los Angeles for thirty years. The focus of this podcast, however, centers on Dr. Geiderman’s concerns about the ethical, social, and economic consequences of stopping the natural aging process. What happens if people no longer get old? In his new medical thriller, The Plasma Cell Report, our guest has taken up the serious societal dilemmas that are posed if and when the aging process is cured – that is, stopped. If the aging clock starts at some point, what will happen when science learns how to stop it? Will there be competition for life-prolonging treatments? Can we run out of resources to provide for everyone on the planet? Will a policy like “death control” become necessary to pare down the elderly population? Alarming questions that are explored in our guest’s new book of fiction, but questions that must be raised as science flirts with prolonging life indefinitely. Mini Bio Dr. Joel Geiderman has been practicing medicine for more than forty years. He has been the co-chair of Emergency Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for thirty years. He is a professor at both Cedars-Sinai and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Geiderman was also formerly the vice chair of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, appointed by President George W. Bush. He has authored more than one hundred peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. This is his first novel. Dr. Geiderman lives in Beverly Hills with two of his four children and his dog, affectionately named Reagan. Website for Dr. Geiderman's Book: https://theplasmacellreport.com