What does it mean to stay active, engaged, and curious as we grow older?

In this episode of Honestly Aging, Friends Life Care member Gerrie Schmidt shares her perspective on active aging and how retirement has given her the opportunity to embrace new experiences, stay connected, and make time for the things that bring her joy.

Gerrie talks about the role physical activity plays in maintaining strength and resilience, the importance of friendships and community, and why continuing to learn, volunteer, travel, and try new things adds meaning to this stage of life. She also reflects on adapting as we get older and one of her biggest realizations: aging well doesn’t simply happen by default.

She also shares what has surprised her most about getting older, including feeling more comfortable with herself and more present in the moment than ever before.

Whether you're approaching retirement or already enjoying this chapter of life, this conversation offers an encouraging look at staying engaged, connected, and open to what comes next.

#HonestlyAging #FriendsLifeCare #VigR #Podcast #ActiveAging #HealthyAging #AgingWell #VibrantAging #PositiveAging #HealthyRetirement #RetirementLife #StayActive #StayConnected #CommunityConnection #PurposefulLiving #AgingInPlace

Resources:

https://friendscentercity.org/fitc

Friends Life Care:

https://www.friendslifecare.org/

https://www.facebook.com/friendslifecare/  

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/friends-life-care-/  

https://www.instagram.com/friendslifecare/  

© 2026 Friends Life Care. All Rights Reserved.

Caring for aging parents while raising children, managing a career, and keeping up with everyday life can leave you feeling stretched thin. For many adults in the sandwich generation, caregiving responsibilities build gradually, often before they even recognize themselves as caregivers.

In this episode of Honestly Aging, we're joined by Marni Blank, founder of Begin With The End, to talk about the emotional, logistical, and financial challenges of caring for others while still making space for yourself.

Marni shares practical ways to start difficult conversations with aging parents, understand their wishes, set boundaries, organize important information, and take small steps toward planning ahead. She also explores how families can move from feeling overwhelmed to having greater clarity about what matters now and what needs to be in place for the future.

Whether you're already caring for an aging loved one or beginning to think about what may lie ahead, this conversation offers a reminder that you don't have to tackle everything at once. Planning can start with one conversation, one decision, and one small step.

#HonestlyAging #FriendsLifeCare #VigR #Podcast #SandwichGeneration #Caregiving #FamilyCaregiver #AgingParents #CaregiverSupport #PlanningAhead #VibrantAging #AgingWell #LongTermCarePlanning #CaregivingJourney

Resources:

https://beginwiththeend.co/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marni-blank-esq-a335b28/

https://www.instagram.com/beginwith_theend

https://www.margaretamagnusson.com/books/swedish-death-cleaning

Friends Life Care:  

https://www.friendslifecare.org/  

https://www.facebook.com/friendslifecare/  

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/friends-life-care-/  

https://www.instagram.com/friendslifecare/    

© 2026 Friends Life Care. All Rights Reserved. 

In this episode of Honestly Aging, we welcome humor expert, educator, and speaker Joyce Saltman for an uplifting conversation about the powerful role laughter can play as we age. Having spent more than four decades studying the science of humor, Joyce explains how laughter can reduce stress, strengthen social connections, improve our physical well-being, and help us navigate life's inevitable challenges with greater resilience.

Throughout the conversation, Joyce shares practical ways to bring more joy into everyday life, from surrounding yourself with positive people and seeking out opportunities to laugh, to embracing the changes that come with aging rather than fearing them. We also explore humor's place in caregiving, grief, and loss, discussing why laughter doesn't diminish difficult experiences but can help us honor the people we love and find moments of light even during life's hardest seasons. Joyce leaves listeners with simple, memorable advice for aging well, including her favorite reminder: don't postpone joy.

#HonestlyAging #FriendsLifeCare #VigR #Podcast #HumorAndAging #HealthyAging #AgingWell #PositiveAging #JoyfulAging #VibrantAging #OlderAdults #HealthyLiving #EmotionalWellness #SocialConnection #DontPostponeJoy

Resources:

The Joys of Being Chronologically Endowed: https://youtu.be/DyriFelOMGY

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyce-saltman-2a02b71b/

Friends Life Care:

https://www.friendslifecare.org/

https://www.facebook.com/friendslifecare/

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/friends-life-care-/

https://www.instagram.com/friendslifecare/

© 2026 Friends Life Care. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of Honestly Aging, we welcome Pilates instructor Jule Lane for a conversation about how Pilates can support strength, balance, posture, and confidence as we age. Jule shares the origins of Pilates, explains why it's a uniquely adaptable form of movement, and breaks down how it can help older adults build core stability, reduce fall risk, improve mobility, and feel more at home in their bodies.

Throughout the conversation we explore both the physical and emotional benefits of Pilates, from supporting bone health and easing back pain to reducing stress and helping people feel more confident and independent in everyday life. Jule also offers practical guidance on how to get started, what to look for in an instructor, and how Pilates can be modified for people living with arthritis, osteoporosis, or limited mobility. The episode concludes with a gentle Pilates demonstration focused on strengthening the core and supporting healthy aging.

#HonestlyAging #FriendsLifeCare #VigR #Podcast #PilatesForAging #HealthyAging #ActiveAging #AgingWell #Pilates #MindfulMovement #StrengthAndBalance #FallPrevention #MobilityMatters #WellnessForOlderAdults #AgingIndependently

Resources:

https://pranacollective.net

https://www.facebook.com/JuleLaneYoga/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pranacollectivenj/

https://www.instagram.com/pranacollectivenj/

https://www.youtube.com/@julelaneyoga

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jule-lane/

https://www.friendslifecare.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Jule-Lane-Parana-Class-Flyer-1.pdf

Friends Life Care:

https://www.friendslifecare.org/

https://www.facebook.com/friendslifecare/

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/friends-life-care-/

https://www.instagram.com/friendslifecare/

© 2026 Friends Life Care. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of Honestly Aging, we welcome Nina Foster, daughter of artist Harold Weston, for a conversation about family legacy, aging, advocacy, and her work preserving and sharing her father's art through the Harold Weston Foundation. Nina is also a Friends Life Care member.

Throughout the episode, Nina reflects on her unique childhood growing up in the Adirondacks with an artist father whose work would later become recognized as an important contribution to American art. She shares stories about family life, the role her mother played in supporting Harold’s career, and the inspiration behind preserving his legacy through the Harold Weston Foundation.

The conversation explores themes of family legacy, independence, advocacy, aging, and the responsibility of carrying meaningful work forward for future generations. Nina also discusses her own professional journey, including her work in volunteer leadership and patient advocacy during the early AIDS crisis, as well as the importance of planning ahead for aging and remaining connected to purpose throughout life.

As a special tribute, Nina honors fellow Friends Life Care member and poet Fred Dawson by reading one of his poems and reflecting on the creativity, curiosity, and lifelong growth that can continue well into older adulthood.

Viewers will also enjoy a guided look at several of Harold Weston's paintings and learn how the Foundation continues to preserve, promote, and share his artwork with new audiences.

For listeners, you can watch this episode on YouTube here.

This conversation offers insight into art, family, service, and what it means to leave a lasting legacy.

#HonestlyAging #FriendsLifeCare #VigR #Podcast #OlderAdults #VibrantAging #FamilyLegacy #LifeStories #HaroldWeston

Resources:

https://haroldweston.org/home

Friends Life Care:

https://www.friendslifecare.org/

https://www.facebook.com/friendslifecare/

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/friends-life-care-/

https://www.instagram.com/friendslifecare/

© 2026 Friends Life Care. All Rights Reserved.

Claudia Apfelbaum, licensed clinical social worker and founder of Claudia Listens, joins Honestly Aging for a heartfelt conversation about friendship, loneliness, resilience, and the importance of meaningful connection as we age.

We explore how friendships evolve over time, why social connection is essential for emotional well-being, and the ways older adults can begin building new relationships later in life. From navigating retirement and life transitions to overcoming isolation after loss or during periods of loneliness, this episode offers compassionate insight and practical encouragement for anyone seeking deeper connection.

Claudia shares reflections from her therapy practice and friendship support groups while discussing:

• The difference between solitude and loneliness

• How vulnerability deepens relationships

• Rebuilding social confidence after COVID isolation

• Why volunteering, hobbies, and shared interests can foster connection

• The importance of resilience, self-worth, and "befriending yourself"

• Communication skills that strengthen friendships, including listening and paraphrasing

Whether you are looking to strengthen existing relationships, reconnect with old friends, or build new social connections later in life, this conversation offers hope, wisdom, and practical ideas for cultivating friendship at every age.

#HonestlyAging #FriendsLifeCare #VigR #Podcast #VibrantAging #Friendship #ConnectionMatters #LonelinessAwareness #MentalWellness #PositiveAging

Resources:

https://www.claudialistens.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-apfelbaum-35862611/

https://www.bluezones.com/

https://www.idealist.org/volunteermatch

https://www.usa.gov/agencies/americorps-seniors

https://www.unitedway.org/how-you-can-help/why-volunteer

https://pcacares.org/services/community-connection/volunteer/

https://www.philafound.org/engaging-volunteers/individuals/retirees/

Friends Life Care:

https://www.friendslifecare.org/   

https://www.facebook.com/friendslifecare/   

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/friends-life-care-/  

https://www.instagram.com/friendslifecare/

© 2026 Friends Life Care. All Rights Reserved.

In this Honestly Aging by Friends Life Care VigR® episode we welcome Mike Liskai, Director of Program Operations at Zemplee and Beth Morley, Care Coordinator at Friends Life Care. This episode explores the impact of Zemplee's passive AI monitoring system in the homes of at-risk Friends Life Care members, highlighting how non-intrusive sensors and data-driven alerts support independence, safety, and peace of mind. Hear firsthand experiences from the Friends Life Care pilot study, learn about the balance between technology and human touch in care coordination, and discover innovations on the horizon for aging in place.

#HonestlyAging #FriendsLifeCare #VigR #Podcast #Zemplee #AgeTech #CareCoordination #HomeSafety

Resources:

https://zemplee.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Zemplee

https://www.instagram.com/zemplee_inc/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/zemplee/

https://www.youtube.com/@zemplee6567

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-liskai/

https://www.friendslifecare.org/about-us/care-coordinators/beth-morley/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-morley-msw-cdp-flc-cca-9749b8109/

Friends Life Care:

https://www.friendslifecare.org/   

https://www.facebook.com/friendslifecare/   

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/friends-life-care-/  

https://www.instagram.com/friendslifecare/

© 2026 Friends Life Care. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of Honestly Aging by Friends Life Care VigR®, we explore the powerful connection between community engagement and vibrant aging with guests Kerry Roeder, Executive Director of Historic Fair Hill, and Jean Hurd, a Friends Life Care member and dedicated volunteer.

Located in North Philadelphia, Historic Fair Hill is a Quaker burial ground turned community hub, where literacy, green space, and social impact come together. Kerry and Jean share how the organization is addressing a local literacy crisis by reopening school libraries, supporting students through Reading Buddies, and creating meaningful opportunities for volunteers of all ages to make a difference.

Jean offers a firsthand perspective on how volunteering has shaped her own sense of purpose, while Kerry highlights the lasting impact older adults can have as mentors, role models, and advocates for the next generation.

Together, this conversation highlights how staying engaged, giving back, and building intergenerational connections can bring purpose, joy, and momentum to the aging journey.

#HonestlyAging #FriendsLifeCare #VigR #Podcast #HistoricFairHill #Community #EarlyLiteracy #Greening #OlderAdults #Volunteer

Resources:

https://historicfairhill.com/

info@historicfairhill.com

https://www.instagram.com/historic_fh/

https://historicfairhill.com/news/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-roeder-8978b71b/

https://www.paliteracy.org/

https://www.readby4th.org/

https://www.restorephillylibrarians.org/

Friends Life Care:

https://www.friendslifecare.org/   

https://www.facebook.com/friendslifecare/   

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/friends-life-care-/

https://www.instagram.com/friendslifecare/   

© 2026 Friends Life Care. All Rights Reserved.