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Welcome to The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, a dedicated platform where we explore the unique needs and concerns of solo aging with a focus on empowerment, connection, and proactive planning. As a trusted healthcare advocate and national expert in solo aging, I am thrilled to launch this podcast to provide valuable insights, practical advice, and supportive resources for solo agers navigating the complexities and opportunities of aging independently. The Navigating Solo™ Podcast aims to: - Highlight innovative strategies and best practices for creating a fulfilling and secure future as a solo ager. - Equip solo agers with the knowledge and tools to thrive in their later years. - Foster a supportive community where listeners can share experiences and learn from and with one another. - Offer allied professionals interested in learning more about the unique needs and concerns of solo agers in-depth understanding, expert perspectives, and practical advice to help meet the needs of their clients and community members. 30 - 45 minute episodes will be released one the first and third Wednesdays of each month! Join Our Mailing List and more: https://navigatingsolo.com/navsolopodcast
EPISODES
Episodes
22 hours ago
22 hours ago
In this engaging 47 minute episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, host Ailene Gerhardt welcomes Dr. Jackson Rainer, a board-certified clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience in psychotherapy and a background as an emeritus professor and former Dean in the university system of Georgia. Dr. Rainer shares his personal and professional insights into the complexities of solo aging. This episode delves into the emotional and practical complexities that men face when navigating solo aging, from the initial transition to building meaningful connections.
Key Topics Discussed:
- The Journey to Solo Aging: The emotional process of moving from being part of a couple to embracing solo life, and the unique ways men experience and cope with this transition.
- Challenges in Building Connections: Why many men struggle to actively seek companionship and how traditional gender norms may influence their hesitancy to reach out and initiate relationships.
- Vulnerability and Loneliness: The importance of understanding and accepting vulnerability, and the distinction between being alone versus feeling lonely. We discuss strategies men can use to open up and create meaningful networks of support.
- Taking Risks and Stepping Out of Comfort Zones: Our guest candidly reflects on the fears and uncertainties that come with solo aging. He shares personal insights about how taking risks, like traveling alone for the first time in years, can lead to growth and self-discovery.
- Practical Tips for Connection: Encouraging men to be proactive in forming connections—like picking up the phone and making plans—rather than waiting for others to reach out. We also touch on how to practice self-reassurance and build inner confidence, especially during moments of isolation.
This episode is a rich and reflective discussion on the ways men can navigate solo aging with courage and curiosity. We hope it inspires listeners, men and women alike, to think about how they can better support themselves and each other.
Tune in and join the conversation on navigating vulnerability, making connections, and finding a sense of belonging as a solo ager.
View this discussion on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingsolonetwork/videos
Subscribe and follow us for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to visit navigatingsolo.com for resources, updates, and more!
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Connect with Dr. Jackson Rainer, Ph.D., ABPP:
- Website: https://www.drjacksonrainer.com/
Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:
- Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
- The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
- The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com
© 2024, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday Oct 16, 2024
Wednesday Oct 16, 2024
- American Association of Daily Money Managers (AADMM)
- Patient Advocate Certification Board who confers the Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA) Credential
- Society of Certified Senior Advisors who confers the Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) Credential
- Honoring Choices: A program that provides advance care planning tools.
- The Conversation Project: A resource focused on helping individuals discuss their end-of-life wishes with loved ones.
- Five Wishes: An advance directive resource helping people plan for future healthcare decisions.
- Next Avenue Article on Shaking Up Advance Care Planning
National Resources Mentioned:
- Senior Planet by AARP: A technology education program offering classes for seniors.
- GetSetUp: an online platform that celebrates every older adult, offering opportunities for physical, mental, and social growth and enabling participation in communities
- The Idaho Statesman Article About Population, January 15, 2024
- Learn Idaho (Lifelong Education and Aging Resource Network): An organization that offers free educational resources and senior technology classes in the Boise area.
- HAPPEN (Healthcare Associates Providing Positive Education and Networking): A professional network offering educational sessions and healthcare resources in Boise.
- Idaho Careline 211: A phone line providing resources and support for non-emergency services in Idaho.
- Website: www.blackswanmoneymanagement.com
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethanneedwards
Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:
- Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
- The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
- The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com
© 2024, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday Oct 02, 2024
Wednesday Oct 02, 2024
In this 40-minute episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, host Ailene Gerhardt speaks with members of Limelight LLC's Creative Team about their innovative theater production Solo Acts, which brings to life the stories of 18 solo agers from Southeast Michigan and Western New York.
The performance offers a glimpse into the diverse experiences of this growing demographic, with themes such as health, independence, and creative resilience emerging from the stories collected during the pandemic.
The conversation highlights the work of an intergenerational creative team—Decky Alexander, Sharon Cramer, Tyler Calhoun, and Hananiah Wiggins—who collaborated to develop and script these narratives. They discuss the challenges of conducting interviews during COVID-19, how these stories were gathered, and the powerful impact of seeing solo agers' experiences affirmed on stage.
This episode also touches on the broader mission of the project, aiming to challenge societal perceptions and advocate for the needs of solo agers.
You can also watch this discussion on The Navigating Solo Network's YouTube channel where you will be treated to a recorded "taste" of Solo Acts! View the discussion here!
Solo Acts: A Theatrical Compilation on Solo Aging is a generative performance designed to catalyze dialogue, raise awareness, and affirm the experience of solo agers. Each show is followed up by a dialogue/discussion based on the intended audience and/or organization/event.
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Connect with Limelight LLC: Limelight is a theatre consulting company. They create theatre and use theatre as a story-telling, community-building, and problem-solving tool. They devise and craft situational-specific works of theatre that are framed by a theory of change. Essentially, they want to use theatre TO DO something.
- Website: https://www.limelightlive.org/
- Solo Acts: https://www.limelightlive.org/solo-acts
- Email: decky@limelightlive.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/LimelightLLC
- Instagram: instagram.com/limelight_llc
Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:
- Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
- The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
- The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com
© 2024, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday Sep 18, 2024
Thriving Solo: Navigating Life's Unexpected Journeys with Dr. Peggy Crawford
Wednesday Sep 18, 2024
Wednesday Sep 18, 2024
In this 40-minute episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, host Ailene Gerhardt speaks with Dr. Peggy Crawford, who shares her deeply personal journey into solo aging, which began not by choice but by circumstance. The transition started with her husband Denny’s illness, a period that altered their shared life and routines in profound ways. The loss of Denny, both as a partner and a source of emotional support, was pivotal, leading Peggy to embrace solo aging while navigating the grief and isolation that followed. Through this transition, she reflects on the importance of staying connected with others and seeking out new connections. Peggy also discusses the challenges of decision-making as a solo ager, from health care proxies to everyday life choices, which had previously been shared with her husband.
The conversation highlights how Peggy's professional background as a health psychologist helped her cope, as did support from new friendships and mindfulness practices, such as meditation and gratitude. Peggy explores the importance of taking risks to create new support systems. Peggy shares how she formed a kinship group for solo agers, which has flourished beyond expectations.
Listeners will be moved by the resilience, growth, and wisdom shared in this conversation, and gain valuable insights into navigating solo aging, grief, and the importance of self-care and community.
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Connect with Dr. Peggy Crawford by emailing our podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com
Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:
- Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
- The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
- The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com
© 2024, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.