"Old" shouldn't be a four letter word!

The words “aging” and “old” seem to carry a lot of baggage, don’t they?  We are ALL aging.  

If we’re lucky enough to still be alive in 10, 20 or 30 years we'll be “old”, but what does that really mean?  One person’s old age doesn’t and shouldn’t look like the next person’s old age.  We have a choice in how we look at it.  We have an opportunity now to start redefining and reimagining what we want our “Elderhood” to look like.  

I am so excited to have Dr. Tracey Gendron join us on the podcast.  Dr. Gendron is the Chair of the Department of Gerontology, and Executive Director of the Virginia Center on Aging at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is also the author of Ageism Unmasked: Exploring Age Bias and How to End it.

In this candid conversation we discuss the importance of challenging ageism and redefining our attitudes towards getting older. Dr. Gendron says,  "Aging is a slow and steady process of change that ultimately leads us to becoming our unique individual selves." 

The worst sort of ageism is the kind we inflict upon ourselves, but we can find hope if we can learn how to become more conscious of our own biases.

Join us as we dive into the dynamics of ageism and gain insight into how to create a more positive attitude towards aging. 

If you'd like to learn more about Tracey Gendron's work you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn.

* Tracey will also be a keynote speaker for the American Society on Aging’s conference this March 27-30th. 

During our conversation we referenced other books and resources that you might be interested in:

 - Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long & Well You Live by Becca Levy, PhD

- The Beauty of Dusk: On Vision Lost and Found  by Frank Bruni

- This Chair Rocks by Ashton Applewhite

- CIRKEL -  A platform connecting a community of professionals ages 20-70+ who connect for two-way career support and mentorship.