Growing Bolder Magazine Summer 2021

TIPS FOR NEW CAREGIVERS

GAMING COMES OF AGE

LOOKING BEYOND THE PANDEMIC

Influencer Spotlight

CREATE YOUR OWN DREAM JOB

WOMEN TO WATCH

DISPELLING AGEIST MYTHS IN THE WORKPLACE

READERS' TIPS FOR AGING WELL

EMOTIONAL RESIDUE

Kirt + Maxine Earhart discuss challenges and triumphs of owning a restaurant

Passion+

Perseverance

GOOD TIMES, GOOD FOOD AND GOOD RELATIONSHIPS

WORK. RETIRE. GROW BOLD. Living the life you want in retirement requires a plan that can protect and grow your money.

An annuity provides protected income that can help cover your essential monthly expenses — now or in the future. The right financial professional can show you how.

Find out more at protectedincome.org/bolder

PROTECTED INCOME FOR THE BEST OUTCOME:

THIS IS WHAT AN ANNUITY CAN DO.

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SUCCE SS AND SUCCE SSION

The Sallin family's future is rooted in its shared goals and dreams

PA SSION + PE RS E VE R ANCE

Kirt and Maxine Earhart serve up good food, good times and good relationships at their restaurant

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BE BR AVE AND CRE ATE YOUR OWN DRE AM JOB

S HUT UP AND RIDE

Paddleboard entrepreneur Ned Johnson's reality exceeds his wildest dreams

Shantell Williams is breaking barriers and world records

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Summer 2021 We believe life is better with friends. We're not just talking about the friends you've had forever (they're great, too!) but studies show one of the most powerful and life-changing relationships you can develop in life is with someone from a different generation. That's one of the reasons we're launching the world's first intergenerational esports tournament. Oh yes, we said esports. It just may be your favorite new hobby and in this issue, we'll explain how and why it's long past time for you to get your game on!

HIG HLIG HT S

Twitch.

GB Launches a New Channel p.78 Esports.

Gaming Comes of Age p.76 Bold Social.

Meet these 50+ Gamers p.74

Summer 2021

ME E T SOME OF OUR FAVORITE INFLUE NCE RS AND GAME RS ON PAG E S 3 2 & 74

IN E VE RY ISSUE

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YOU R TAK E

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QU ICK PICK S

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GROWING BOLDER WITH

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5 QU E S TION S

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INFLU ENCER S POTLIGHT

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FEED YOU R SOU L

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THE TAK E AWAY

Growing Bolder fans share their best tips for aging well Our team shares its picks for summer reading, watching and playing Catching up with Rosie Perez and Kenny Loggins The benefits of useful delusions Follow these Women to Watch and get inspired This skillet jerk chicken will be on the table in no time Timothy Shriver's call for unity

ORDINARY PEOPLE LIVING E X TR AORDINARY LIVE S® 36 FINDING THE RIGHT WORDS : B ELENDA C Y PRE S S 4 6 ORGANIC AGRICU LTU RE WITH DR . J ENNIFER TAY LOR 60 S U PERMAN ' S NOT COMING: ERIN B ROCKOVICH 6 8 PL ANTING THE S EEDS OF A NE W TOMORROW:

ERICK A COT TON

8 4 MEE T THE J U MPIN ' J OHN S TON S 8 8 A HAND U P : DAVID WILLIAM S HE ALTH + FITNE SS 2 8 HE ALING FROM THE GROU ND U P

C AREG IVING

4 2 HOW TO S TAY SAFE ON YOU R B IK E

51 TIP S FOR NE W C AREGIVER S

5 8 VACCINE M Y TH S VS . FAC T S

56 SCIENCE E XPERIMENT S WITH GR ANDK IDS

6 6 COMBATING COGNITIVE DECLINE 82 INTU ITION MEE T S N UTRITION

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TECH

90 HOW PE T S HELP U S LIVE HAPPIER ,

HE ALTHIER LIVE S

14 TR AN S L ATING TECH

94 EMOTIONAL RE S IDU E

56 S POT TING FAK E NE WS

ADVE NTURE

C ARE E R + FINANCE

4 0 A NIGHT TO REMEMB ER

3 5 WHAT ' S YOU R RI S E SCORE ?

6 4 LOOK ING B E YOND THE PANDEMIC

WITH RICK S TE VE S

4 4 WH Y THE ROLLING S TONE S ' TOU R

BOS S LIK E S TO PL AY IT SAFE 96 DI S PELLING AGEI S T M Y TH S IN THE WORK PL ACE

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NOTE FROM THE CEO

rise from the ashes It’s time to get our phoenix on. The phoenix is a mythical bird from Greek mythology that is said to live 500 years before bursting into flame and burning to ashes. Then, it rises, reborn from the ashes. The phoenix is a great metaphor for life in general. To rise like a phoenix means to emerge from a catastrophe stronger, smarter and more powerful. That’s the challenge that is now facing all of us.

We all lost something significant in the pandemic: loved ones, health, businesses, jobs, homes or relationships. We lost the ability to travel and to be with kids and grandkids. Sadly, there is no way to avoid the never-ending and unforeseen challenges of life. There is only confronting them and finding a way forward.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. Rising from the ashes requires optimism and belief. It takes resilience and the ability to pivot. It takes Passion + Perseverance, which is the title of our cover story this month. The pandemic nearly destroyed Maxine and Kirt Earhart’s restaurant business. A passion for the business they love gave them the strength to persevere. But they couldn’t have bounced back alone. None of us can. It takes a community of support and encouragement.

We’ve lost much in the pandemic but, hopefully, not our desire to bounce back, our willingness to help others, and our belief that the rest of our lives can be the best of our lives. As Maya Angelou once said, “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”

We’re battered but not beaten. Together, we can rise from the ashes.

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Suparat Malipoom / EyeEm via Getty Images

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Contents

Summer 2021

“Rising from the ashes requires optimism and belief. It takes resilience and the ability to pivot.”

Issue No. 46

This issue features photography from our new collaboration with award-winning photographer Mike Dunn. @MIKEDUNNUSA

Let's Get Digital

Volume 46 PUBLISHER Jackie Carlin CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ashley Heafy GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Katie Styles, Sarah Brown EXECUTIVE EDITOR

The Bold Start Get a daily dose of inspiration curated from our most popular social media posts.

Doris Bloodsworth

Sign up at growingbolder.com/insider

Emily Cummings

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Jill Middleton SENIOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS George Diaz, Amy Sweezey, Kay Van Norman,

Watch GB NOW Weekly

Monthly Digital Digest

Stream live episodes Fridays at 10 am ET on our Facebook, Twitch, YouTube and LinkedIn pages

A free monthly publication filled with interviews and inspiration straight to your inbox when you become a GB Insider.

@growingbolder

Carl Honoré, Dr. Vonda Wright, M.D., Matthew Heafy, Jonathan Taylor, Mary Shanklin, Mary Lou Janson, Jane Harrison GROWING BOLDER PRESS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Marc Middleton PRESIDENT Robert Thompson COMMENTS Contact us via social media @GrowingBolder or email us at feedback@GrowingBolder.com ADVERTISING AND MEDIA SALES For information about advertising and sponsorships, email Kevin Houseknecht at advertising@growingbolder.com

Want To Keep Your Mind Sharp?

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YOURTAKE What’s your best tip for aging well?

Be grateful, keep moving, give back, and don’t sweat the small stuff.

—@donutsandpiefitness

Laugh a lot and make sure you have young people in your life—of course, they may give you something to laugh about!

—Steven E. Bunn

😂

Shed the weight of everyone else’s expectations and perspectives of you.

Don’t take things too seriously, have humor even when things are bad. Focus on the step after to get through a trial with positivity.

Get out in nature!

—Amy TC

—Cheryl James

Get up, get out, and move.

—Mary Therese Jackson Lutz

Smiling makes all your downward wrinkles go away

😊

—Jeanette Menter

Eat clean, move your body and enjoy life!

A sense of humor and a "glass half full" outlook.

—Wendy Foster Rose

—@marilyn.chrisman.9

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Issue No. 46

The mindset of what a gift and privilege it is to grow older with gratitude and grace —Sandy Rolon Navas

️​️

Move it or lose it! My Mom died of a heart attack (with no previous cardiac issues).

I won't sit around waiting for the same to happen to me!

—Nancy Smith

Never miss the opportunity to DANCE! —@silverswagbox

💞

Never forget the child within Care for yourself from the inside out.

A primarily plant based diet, light alcohol, regular skin care, regular exercise.

—Jeanette Menter

—Dynise Basore

Drink water, get sleep, be kind, walk outside everyday, reach out to people and try to connect.

Get a dog or cat. They make everything better.

—@la_la__g

—Jill Norburn

WA N T TO S H A R E

YOUR TAKE?

We ask our community a thought-provoking question every week on social media. Leave a comment in the digital discussion with 'your take' on the subject, and your response may be featured here in an upcoming edition of Growing Bolder Magazine! @GROWINGBOLDER

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team From the growing Desks of bolder WHAT WE ’ RE RE ADING:

WHAT WE ’ RE LI S TENING TO :

I just finished “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know” by Adam Grant. A powerful narrative on the importance of letting go of beliefs that no longer serve you and the wisdom that comes with rethinking your perspectives.

Ashley Creative Team

You wouldn’t think a book about breathing could be interesting, but this wild ride shows you how our breathing (and eating) habits have changed over thousands of years and how it affects our health.

jacob

I've been listening to the Rich Roll Podcast for nearly a decade. Rich is a legend in the worlds of endurance sports and plant-based lifestyles, but over the past five years he’s also progressed as a thought leader in a wide range of social and cultural topics. Most of his podcasts now have very little do with sports or nutrition—they're all about going deep in conversation with changemakers, authors and experts across a long list of categories. If you’re looking to challenge norms and get lost in entertaining thoughts for a couple hours, this podcast is for you.

Emily Marketing Team

Production Team

FROM THE GB BOOK S TORE :

Tim Shriver is know for his amazing work as an American disabilities rights activist and is the CEO of UNITE. In his book he captures the spirit of a 24-hour event in 2020 when he called upon communities to share messages of hope, inspiration, and love.

GROWINGBOLDER .COM/ BOOK S TORE

RE AD TIM ' S TAK E AWAY ON PAGE 98

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FAVORITE APP :

Calling all bookworms! If you already have a library card, Libby is a free app for your phone or tablet that allows you to digitally borrow and instantly access thousands of e-books and audiobooks from your local library’s online collection. Anyone can download it from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. You'll quickly become obsessed with this app—it’s like having an entire library on your digital device.

Sarah Creative Team

WHO WE ’ RE FOLLOWING:

WHAT WE ’ RE WATC HING:

Lorraine Miano Menopause Influencer @magicofmenopause

Arlinda McIntosh Fashion Designer @funkinafter50

Alyson Walsh Fashion Journalist @thatsnotmyage

With a lot more time at home, our family decided to watch the ABC hit series “Lost” (2004-2010). My husband and I had watched it when it first ran, but it’s our 13-year-old's first time seeing it. The show holds up incredibly well and inspired a lot of conversations in our family about the role of faith, science and fate.

Our experience is even richer, thanks to a popular “Lost” re-watch podcast called “The Storm.” The podcast cleverly divides each episode into two parts—for first-time watchers and re-watchers like me.

jackie Editorial Team

WHAT WE ’ RE PL AY ING:

“Beat Saber” is a virtual reality rhythm game with music where you slash at cubes as they fly toward you.

It’s a fun, fast-paced game in which you can get your heart rate up on days when you know you should work out—but you don’t really want to do so! You can play solo or online with others. I play with my daughters, who live out of state, which is a blast.

Jill Editorial Team

Timing is everything. I have a 10-minute drive to swimming practice at 4:50 a.m. That’s the exact time that the local NPR station plays an episode of BBC’s “Witness History.” The 9-minute program relives extraordinary moments from the past as told by the people who were there. It’s well-produced, always fascinating, and you can listen to episodes online. BBC.com/ witnesshistory

marc CEO + Founder

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TRANSLATING TECH Get in the Game!

Livestreaming. Esports. Twitch. Gaming. These are phrases we keep hearing in different facets of our lives, but what does it all mean? Here’s a simple primer to get you in the game.

Matthew Heafy

For more info on Growing Bolder’s upcoming BolderX iGen gaming tournament, see page 81

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Summer 2021

Esports

Gaming

Esports, (electronic sports), refers to competitive gaming.

It began with people playing console video games against each other in houses and stores and then eventually moving to halls, and most recently, arenas. There are several games recognized as professional league games; there are all kinds of sizes of competitive esports. There are organizations that have multiple players across many games. Think of esports as team sports—such as basketball or football—on a professional level.

It’s similar to any competitive sport.

Playing any game for fun or hobby—solo or with friends—is gaming. Gaming runs the gamut, from online word games to “Call of Duty” and everything in between. Games are only considered e-sports when it’s played in an established league or competitive environment. Some of the most popular professional esports leagues will have teams in games like Counter Strike, League Of Legends, Overwatch, Call Of Duty, and Starcraft 2.

Livestreaming

Twitch

Livestreaming involves people streaming themselves live.

It’s unlike YouTube, because a normal YouTube video is pre-filmed and edited, meant to be consumed at any time. A livestream is meant to view live, in the moment, allowing the person filming and viewers to experience the activity at the same time. Livestreamers do not have to be esports pros, nor do esports pros need to livestream. You can livestream practically anything—from gaming, cooking and exercise to a podcast chat between host and guest. The most important aspect of livestreaming is the host and viewer relationship. That is what truly makes a livestream a reciprocal experience.

Twitch is the social media platform that brought livestreaming gamers to the spotlight. Twitch was initially known as the platform where professional esport players, casual gamers and serious gamers alike could go to livestream. Twitch has recently exploded into a powerhouse of a social media platform after it was acquired by Amazon and grew into a destination where millions of viewers tune in daily. Twitch is a platform where people can choose to simply watch for free or pay monthly to their favorite channel(s) as a subscriber.

Subscriptions, donations, merchandising and endorsements are some of the ways streamers make money off of Twitch.

D O YO U H AV E A PA S S I O N YO U ’ D LOV E TO S H A R E W I T H T H E WO R L D ?

CONSIDER LIVESTRE AMING!

Anyone who thinks they have a skill to perform or knowledge to teach can become a livestreamer. People coming from successful paths, or looking to build something entirely new, are turning to livestreaming for the experience and extra income.

Craftspeople, musicians, yoga teachers, hobby gamers, talk show hosts, DJs, woodworkers—there is an audience for nearly every craft imaginable. So, why not build an amazing community of your own viewers, have fun doing what you enjoy, and earn a living at the same time?

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How to Spot Fake News Amy Sweezey

In today’s world, the information superhighway is in overdrive. From old school newspapers, to magazines, to websites, to endless social media sites, stories and “news” come at us from all directions. Often when people read something with which they do not agree, they cry “fake news.” Just because you don’t think something is true, doesn’t mean it’s not.

Remember, news and opinion are not the same thing. What some people call “fake news” is often based on not knowing the difference between news stories and opinion or analysis pieces.

News stories are meant to be objective and just report the facts. Opinion and analysis reports are meant to be told from a point of view, with the goal of trying to persuade the viewer or reader.

It’s more important than ever to read things with an objective mind.

Recognize that the author could be writing an opinion piece or could be trying to sway you over to their belief.

However, true journalists should work hard to present all the facts with equal balance of evidence.

Democracy and personal wellbeing depend on people making informed choices after they are presented with all the facts. Here are a few tips on how to tell the difference between fact and fiction.

Be Skeptical If it sounds too good to be true or too outrageous, it probably is. What or who are the sources for the story? What is the evidence? Is anyone else reporting it?

Consider the Source Is the story being reported by a legitimate news site or an unfamiliar blog post?

Consult Fact-Checking Websites Try snopes.com, factcheck.org and politifact.com.

Read Beyond the Headline See if the story matches the title and makes sense. Always open the article and read it before sharing. Headlines can be intentionally misleading, sometimes referred to as “click bait” (getting you to open/share a story that doesn’t match the headline).

Read the “About Us” Section on the Website The site that fabricated a story about Pope Francis endorsing an American presidential candidate called its articles “satire or pure fantasy.”

Most people know that theonion.com is a satirical website laced with sarcasm and non-truths, yet it’s hard to find anywhere on the site where it divulges that. Instead they call themselves “America’s finest news source.” You can’t always tell what a site is or who is behind it by looking at the site itself.

Sometimes you have to dig deeper.

The best rule of thumb is, “When in doubt, don’t.” If you aren’t sure a news story is a real news story, don’t share it. If it sounds too good (or bad) to be true, it probably is. It’s up to each person to use wisdom and discernment to avoid spreading fake news.

Amy Sweezey graduated from Loyola University Chicago with an undergraduate degree in Communication focused in Journalism. She spent 25 years working in local TV news before becoming a regular contributor for Growing Bolder.

Source for tips: Newseum

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Department

Summer 2021

Issue No. 46

When things get difficult, just keep on floating!

FOR MORE DAILY MEM E S :

@GrowingBolder simonapilolla via Getty Images

SUP? What’s your be own brave dream and job create 18

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mike dunn

photos by

Department

Summer 2021

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by Marc Middleton

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Feature

Eleven years ago, in the midst of a down economy, 46-year-old Ned Johnson made a bold move: He quit his job of 19 years to chase a dream.

Johnson bought a small stand-up paddleboard business, because he loved the water and believed that the sport’s many health benefits represented a major business opportunity. That was especially true in his home state of Florida, which is surrounded by ocean and has countless rivers and lakes.

“I had a passion for SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) and a belief in my ability to build a business around it,” he said.

It helped that his wife, Marla, agreed.

“Ned works very hard; and if he’s excited about something, he gets everyone to be excited about it,” she said.

When Ned Johnson took over the business, it had four boards and a few regular customers. He began personally leading tours in any body of water he could navigate. His passion for teaching, and his contagious energy, resulted in one satisfied customer after another—the kind of unsolicited, word-ofmouth recommendations that money can’t buy.

Today, Johnson is 57 and has more than 30,000 customers that include individuals, families and businesses. If it has anything to do with stand-up paddleboarding, he’s done it or is willing to try it.

Why has interest in the sport grown exponentially over the past decade?

“Because the learning curve is really simple,” he said. “It’s a gentle activity that anyone can pick up quickly and safely. And other than being a lot of fun, the benefits are three-fold and immediate: It’s good for your body. It’s good for your mind. And it’s good for your soul. It’s a great core exercise that requires some mental focus, while being a calming activity. There’s nothing better for our overall wellbeing than reconnecting with nature, and SUP is a great way to do it.”

In addition to giving lessons, leading tours and corporate outings, hosting private parties and staging races, Johnson has become the exclusive SUP vendor at Wekiva Island, a unique recreation complex on the pristine, spring-fed Wekiva River in Central Florida.

“Just walk up and SUP up,” Johnson said. “It’s the perfect place to paddleboard. There are no boats and it’s wind-protected.“

It’s been a fun and successful decade for Johnson. His business is booming, and a smile rarely leaves his face.

“I honestly didn’t think it would be possible to enjoy my 50s as much as I did my 20s, 30s or 40s,” he said. “Was I wrong! My 50s have been incredible. The risk I took 11 years ago was definitely worth it.

Every day, I get to do what I love to do. Every day I have an opportunity to meet, influence and bring joy to people’s lives. And I have two healthy children and a loving and supportive wife. If all of that doesn’t make me a rich man, nothing can.”

While it has been a successful decade for Johnson, it’s not been an easy one. His story is not about luck or simply being the right guy, in the right place, at the right time. It’s about passion and persistence.

It’s about a lot of hard work.

“Nothing that I’ve done has ever come easily,” he said. “Everything has literally taken me 10 to 20 years. It takes a long time to figure something out. But that’s OK. I enjoy the process. I never let my early defeats define me. I’ve always been willing, even anxious, to take a step back in order to take two steps forward.”

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Unlike many entrepreneurs, who become over-stressed and develop unhealthy habits, Johnson has never lost his focus on or his love for fitness.

“It’s actually what led me to SUP in the first place,” he said. “It was a fun way to challenge my body and develop both endurance and strength, an amazing form of cross-training. I work out every single day, one way or another, and I have since I was a teenager. I’m also super conscientious about what I eat. I try to eat as close to the earth as possible, avoiding processed foods. But let’s be honest. I’m not a fanatic. I regularly enjoy stuff that I shouldn’t.”

Johnson’s Growing Bolder move 11 years ago was a big risk. They always are.

But driven by his passion and a remarkable work ethic, he’s become a great example of an ordinary person living an extraordinary life. His advice for other would-be entrepreneurs?

“Belief in yourself, above all else, will help you get where you want to go,” he said. “But you have to take that first step. You have to try. Otherwise, it will just remain a dream. And it helps to have someone by your side to encourage you. I couldn’t have done this without my wife. I’ve been blessed to have a partner who says, ‘Yes! Be brave. Go for it. Take that step!’”

Ned Johnson loves the life he’s created and has no plans to make another big change.

“This is it. I’m gonna ride this horse into the sunset,” he said. “Life just keeps getting better and better, so why stop doing what I love? Right now, I can’t wait for my 60s!”

Feature

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‘'Yes! Be brave.

Go for it.

Take that step!’”

A DV I C E F R O M NED' S SUPPORTIVE WIFE

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“Life just keeps getting better and better, so why stop doing what I love?

Right now, I can’t wait for my 60s!”

N E D O N G R OW I N G B O L D E R

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GROWING BOLDER WITH

Rosie Perez

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Rosie Perez spent her childhood bouncing around group foster homes and dealing with her mother’s schizophrenia.

Despite the odds, she knew she was destined for greater things in life.

“Even as a little child, I always knew I was better than the situation I was placed in. I just needed an opportunity,” she said. “I readied myself for success. I made sure my mind was sharp for any opportunity that presented itself.”

That opportunity came at 19 when a “Soul Train” scout saw her dancing in a club. Even though she wasn’t a professional dancer, she seized that opportunity; and before long, she was choreographing dances for “In Living Color” and music videos for the likes of Janet Jackson and Diana Ross. By 24, Spike Lee cast her in “Do the Right Thing” and the rest is history.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Perez was one of the first well-known figures to contract the virus. She was diagnosed with the emerging virus while shooting the HBO Max series “The Flight Attendant” in Thailand in late 2019.

“I had contracted COVID when we flew to Bangkok,” Theo Wargo / Staff via Getty Images

Perez told the publication Uproxx. “And at that time, they were saying ‘It’s a new respiratory tract infection. We don’t really know what it is and what it does. It was terrifying. I remember my manager was with me, and I said, ‘Tarik, don’t let me die in Bangkok.’”

Perez recovered and finished shooting the critically acclaimed show after productions opened back up with new safety protocols in place. Perez became an outspoken advocate of wearing masks and even recorded a series of PSAs for the public transportation systems in her hometown of New York City.

Today, the Oscar-nominated actress wants other women to know not only are they, too, capable of incredible things, she wants women to celebrate their achievements.

“Women should start patting themselves on the backs, especially the ones who have overcome such great difficulties. I don’t want them to shy away from their strength and their courage. I’m really proud of myself, and I want other women to feel proud, as well,” Perez told Growing Bolder.

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Kenny Loggins 73 Few artists enjoyed more success in the 1970s and ’80s than Kenny Loggins. From his mega-hits for movies, such as “Caddyshack” and “Top Gun,” to “Celebrate Me Home,” his songs and sound defined a generation. In the process, he picked up an Oscar nomination for his iconic “Footloose,” two Grammy Awards and nine nominations.

In the 1990s, while in the middle of raising his children, he found himself tired of the same old, not-so-great kids’ songs. He had an idea to record an album of music that children and their parents could enjoy together, so he turned to an old friend – Winnie the Pooh. “Return to Pooh Corner,” featuring original songs, as well as covers of songs by artists, such as John Lennon and Paul Simon, sold more than 500,000 copies and earned Loggins a Grammy nomination.

That success, though, wasn’t enough to guard him against the brutality of his business.

“When I was 50, Sony Records, my home since I was 21, dropped me. That was devastating. It was like being fired without knowing why or where I was supposed to go,” he told Growing Bolder.

Theo Wargo / Staff via Getty Images

Loggins quickly realized that sailing off into the sunset wasn’t for him.

“I realized I am one of those people who must write every day and stay creative, or I’ll be depressed,” he said.

“So, I dug into my savings and recorded an album that no one ever heard because I couldn’t afford to market it the way record companies do. It taught me that I need to stay active, and part of that is learning to use new technologies and to adapt.”

These days, he’s still recording music, touring (when shows aren’t canceled by the pandemic) and taking his own advice on adapting. In recent years, he released a children’s book titled, “Footloose,” which reimagines his classic song as a wild day at the zoo.

“I’m having much more fun now than I did in my 30s or 40s,” he said. “There’s no one way to do this life; but I try to teach my children to believe that if they follow their hearts, they can make a living at it and find happiness. My advice?

Follow the fun.”

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Passion + Perseverance

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Feature

Summer 2021

story by george diaz / photos by mike dunn Couple serves up good times, good food and good relationships at their Orlando restaurant

The menu at Maxine’s on Shine should come with a disclaimer.

Somewhere below the Fried Green Tomatoes and Crab Cakes or the Skillet Lasagna, it should be noted that this funky juke joint restaurant on Shine Avenue, in downtown Orlando, has come close to shuttering its doors many times. It should be noted that owners Kirt and Maxine Earhart almost lost everything, including each other. And — maybe in boldface — it also should note why they are still standing, both professionally and personally: passion and perseverance.

Every day that they open their doors is a tribute to their stick-to-it-iveness. They’ve made it to year nine, managing to survive five years of daily uncertainty. It did them a great deal of good in some ways.

It prepared them, as best as possible, for another challenging twist: a global pandemic.

“When Kirt would wake up, he’d go, ‘Bring it on. What have you got for me?’’’ Maxine said. “So, when COVID happened, it was like, ‘Babe, we got this. We’re going to make it work.’ He never had any hesitation.”

Forced to shut down for a month, they amped up their takeout service for two months, and then they re-opened at limited capacity. They made creative use of their small parking lot by converting it into an outdoor space called “Islands of Dining,” placing cabanas, tables and chairs on wooden platforms. They strategically placed mannequins to keep customers socially distanced at the bar.

Maxine—a former Miss New York—is the face of the place that bears her name. Her face (now masked) is on the logo. She is the one you will see greeting every customer. She will mix and mingle with old friends or newbies, and eventually she will take a picture to post on the restaurant’s Facebook page. There are 95,000 pictures on her Cloud. It’s very much her style, much like her eclectic wardrobe and signature red glasses.

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All of this reflects Kirt’s vision. When his wife initially pushed back on all the attention focused on her, he pushed back.

“Oh, Honey, you’re a natural. This is going to be great,” he said.

And it has been. The restaurant, nestled in the middle of a residential community off Shine Avenue in Orlando’s Colonialtown neighborhood, has earned yearly rave reviews for serving up one of the best brunches in town, otherwise known as the “Rejuiceanation Brunch.”

Indoors and out, the vibe is, as Maxine calls it, “sexy, comfortable and delicious.” You will see nudes on the wall, courtesy of resident artist Panther Brunotte. You may also find a piece of Tampa Bay Bucs memorabilia on the wall, an homage to Kirt’s favorite NFL team. There’s an outdoor mural that reads: “Love You to the Moon and Back,” a favorite among customers.

Also, there are the mannequins. Cracker Barrel, it is not.

“I want that cozy kind of sexy vibe,” Maxine said. “And I want people to feel comfortable.”

While Maxine is front and center, Kirt holds up the business end and counts the money. It was his vision to start the restaurant, a vision that wasn’t in sync with his first marriage. Kirt’s soon-to-be ex-wife had moved out six days prior to meeting Maxine at the Copper Rocket in Maitland. Eugene Snowden and the Legendary JC’s were playing that night in October, 2001.

She looked at the wine menu and thought it was trash. He said he was the guy who put the wine menu together. And away they went. It was a bit of a rocky road for a few years. Maxine had a toddler from a previous relationship. Kirt struggled with the conflicting vibe of whether he was in a rebound relationship or whether it was true love. They broke up. They made up. Rinse and repeat.

Their ability to ride out those storms prepared them for the dynamics of opening a restaurant. It’s a great business to be in if you want to lose money.

About 60% of restaurants fail within the first year of operation, and 80 percent% shut down within the first five years.

They opened Maxine’s on Jan. 6, 2012. Cue second act of “rocky road.”

They hoped they would have a good weekend so they could make payroll.

They scrambled when one of their servers got a DUI or their chef cut his finger.

They woke up every morning wondering, “What next?”

“We struggled,” Maxine, 61, said. “Everybody kept saying, ‘Oh, five years. If you’re in business five years, you’ll start to see...’ In five years, I was like, ‘Babe, can we please just sell the restaurant? We could get jobs at McDonald’s and make more money than we’re making now.’ And he’d be like, ‘No.’

“We were driving cars with no air conditioning in Florida, because we couldn’t afford to get our air conditioning fixed, because it was like $1,800. And there was an electric bill here or maybe even more than that. But I’m just saying we couldn’t. It was very difficult.”

But they persisted—much like their personal life, which bleeds over into their professional obligations for much of the day. They moved in together in 2005 and married in 2015. The ceremony was at the restaurant, of course. And they had to do it a second time because the notary public, who initially married them, did so with an expired license. The party went on, since everyone, including the lovely couple, was oblivious to that fact.

They have their dustups, like everyone else does, and their coping mechanisms. Kirt, 55, has a bush he passes on the walk from the parking lot to the restaurant, and that marks the spot when he shuts down the personal stuff and makes it strictly business.

Maxine has her own marker. It’s in the bathroom of their Maitland home. In her own letters, in orange ink, it reads: “Apologizing does not always mean you

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are wrong and the other person is right. It just means you value your relationship more than your ego.”

It’s not easy because their relationship is in the proverbial bubble.

There’s no getting out, even though they take the occasional separate day off together.

“It’s important that you have your shared time as a couple, and then you have your time to identify as the individual that you are,” Kirt said.

“Compound that with being people that you are, while working through a crowd where levels of expectations are high. And you have to believe and trust in your relationship with one another, knowing that everything that you do and say is on full display to the public.

“So, it is tricky at times. Because we both have our own ways of how we handle situations or the way that we talk.

But we’ve known that for years, and that’s who we’ve become. We understand and appreciate one another.”

It’s the human connection that binds people to Maxine’s on Shine.

It’s the personal and professional connection that binds Kirt and Maxine to each other.

You won’t find that anywhere on the menu, either. But all you have to do is look around. The eyes don’t lie.

MA XINE'S ON SHINE IS AN ECLEC TIC NEIGHBORHOOD B A R A N D R E S TAU R A N T I N O R L A N D O , F LO R I DA .

Maxine's on Shine 337 Shine Ave Orlando, FL 32803 maxinesonshine.com

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Maxine and Kirt are proud and passionate supporters of Central Florida's vibrant arts scene.

In these photos, Maxine is wearing jewelry designed by Panther Brunotte, who not only sells her custom jewelry at the restaurant, she also paints live weekly to the delight of the restaurant's patrons.

Maxine's bold red dress cover look is the creation of Orlando designer Inna Rodenko.

On this page, Maxine is wearing a coat and hat once owned by the late Harriett Lake, Orlando's fashion and philanthropy icon.

It’s important that you have your shared time as a couple, and then you have your time to identify as the individual that you are.

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Healing From

The Ground Up Jonathan Taylor

T RY G R O U N D I N G FO R YO U R H E A LT H A N D H AV E F U N GET TING A LIT TLE DIRT Y!

Illustration: Maria Korikova Via Getty Images

Summer 2021

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Have you ever heard of that weird activity known as, “grounding,” also referred to as, “earthing?”

Well, over the last several months, grounding has picked up a lot of traction in the health and wellness field. So, what is it and why is it becoming so popular?

First of all, grounding is simply the action of the human body being in direct contact with the earth, without any barrier of interruption, such as shoes, clothes, etc. For example, walking barefoot on grass, organic ground or beach sand is its simplest form of practice. But what is the basis of this concept? Let’s run through a quick tutorial: We are all made up of matter, and matter consists of many atoms. Each atom is made of a combination of protons, neutrons and electrons.

So, when equal amounts of protons and electrons are contained within an atom, it is considered to be balanced, or stable, having a net charge of 0. However, through many metabolic processes, an atom will lose its electrons, causing it to be positively charged with a greater number of protons. This is then known as being an unstable atom. These unstable atoms are also known as free radicals. Stay with me!

Free radicals can be completely neutralized by the body via antioxidants. These antioxidants will come alongside the troubled atom and share an electron in order to make that atom balanced, or stable, once again. However, when the body is under high oxidative stress, this means that the free radicals have outnumbered the antioxidants that are trying to help.

Prolonged oxidative stress can damage cells, proteins and DNA, which greatly contributes to the process of aging. It also can play a major role in the development of health conditions such as diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Unfortunately, free radicals form not only through internal processes but also through environmental exposures to things such as cigarette smoke, radiation, air pollution, cell phones, Wi-Fi and ingested pesticides on foods, just to name a few. So, what can we do to combat all this exposure? The answer is, take your shoes off. A body high in oxidative stress, when the free radicals outnumber the stable atoms, is a body that is positively charged.

Direct contact with the ground can infuse the body with much needed electrons, helping to transform unstable atoms into stable ones, thus affecting the human body for good. Health is waiting for you right under your feet.

Summer 2021

The practice of grounding is not new, as humans have been walking in bare feet since their beginning. However, science is just catching up to its many benefits. To begin deriving benefits, try the following: → Take your shoes off and stand in your

yard 10-15 minutes multiple times during the week. Watch out for ant piles. Grip the ground with your toes or just enjoy a stroll.

→ Use your hands and grab the earth.

Spending a few minutes touching the ground or soil can do a body good.

You are feeding your body a healthy dose of electrons. Now there’s an excuse to get out and garden.

→ If you live near water, spend time in

the wet sand. Salt water contains healthy minerals, such as magnesium, potassium and iodine. They can be absorbed through your feet. It's like a mineral smoothie for your anatomy.

Long walks on the beach don’t just enhance relationships. They enhance the body as well.

→ Living in a concrete jungle? One can

receive benefit from grounding at home by purchasing a simple grounding mat (earthing universal grounding mat kit). Once plugged in, it can have similar effects as the ground itself. Try spending some time on and off the mat throughout the day.

→ Sleeping under a grounding mat or

conductive bed sheets has been shown to significantly increase deep sleep patterns. The more the body is balanced, the more it can relax, resulting in much deeper sleep.

Science has shown that the effects of a negative charge on the body, or an increased exposure to electrons, can reduce inflammation, cortisol levels, stress and pain; improve sleep and blood flow; calm the sympathetic nervous system and ultimately heal the body.

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Issue No. 46

QUESTIONS WITH

Shankar Vedantam

How deceiving ourselves may not be such a bad thing Jackie Carlin

Photo Courtesy of Shankar Vedantam

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Shankar Vedantam is the host of the popular podcast and radio show, “The Hidden Brain,” and a New York Times bestselling author. In his latest book, “Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain,” he makes the case that sometimes honesty may not be the best policy.

In a world of rampant conspiracy theories, mistrust of leaders and scientists and widespread lies across social media, are you worried the subtlety of your book’s message might get lost?

Yes. My book is about science and how the brain works.

It speaks about delusions; but it also suggests that sometimes delusions can be useful, and that's a potentially dangerous message at this time because people are thinking so much about dangerous delusions. I am worried that people are going to take my book and assume that delusions are good for you, which is not at all what I'm saying.

What are some examples of “useful delusions?”

Let me give you the simplest of all examples. Parenting is often shaped by heaps of delusional thinking. When my own daughter was born, I believed that this was the most special child in the entire universe. Logically, it can’t be correct that millions of parents are simultaneously correct when they believe their child is the most special child in the world. I call this a "useful delusion." Through evolution, our brains have realized that this delusional love in parents helps keep the species alive. It helps protect children. It helps parents invest all the things needed to raise children successfully.

At Growing Bolder, we preach the importance of a positive attitude, especially during tough times.

Have you found that to be true?

Absolutely. A variety of studies find it helps to look at your own life and conditions, certainly any disorders or diseases you have, with an optimistic mindset. People who do so might not be right, but they often have better outcomes than patients who look at their own conditions with pessimism. The theme of my book is that our beliefs help construct the world in which we live. When we are suffering from disease, but believe we're going to beat the disease, that optimistic attitude is part of what helps us beat the disease. The belief has a way, in some cases, of becoming reality.

What delusion would you like to dispel?

One of the most profound delusions is thinking we are the same person over many decades, when at a biological level and a psychological level, we're constantly being reconstructed. The cells you have in your body today are not the cells you had 10 years ago. Everything has been replaced, but you still think of yourself as being the same person as you were 10, 20 or 30 years ago. Our mind, thoughts, beliefs and attitudes have been constructed over many years through layers of revision.

You have a degree in electronics engineering, you’ve been a journalist, a social scientist and a writer. You've written plays, including a comedy.

What can we learn about stepping out of comfort zones to take chances?

I’ve always tried to pursue my passions and interests, and those have changed over time. Focusing on your passions buffers you from a lot of the setbacks you might experience. If you choose a career that’s only about making money or becoming famous, even when you get those things, you may feel unsatisfied. But when you pursue what you genuinely care about, regardless of whether you succeed or fail, you derive an intrinsic satisfaction. Plus, you're most likely to succeed when you pursue the things you love.

You can purchase Useful Delusions from the carefully curated list of books at GrowingBolder.com/bookstore.

This conversation is adapted from our Growing Bolder Radio interview with Shankar Verdantam. Visit GrowingBolder.com to listen to the entire, in-depth conversation and learn his self-delusion trick for wine drinking that may not only save you money but also make you happier.

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influencer spotlight:

Women to Watch Lorraine Miano

The Magic of Menopause Lorraine Miano discovered her passion for offering menopause advocacy, support, resources and a "whole lotta love” to women in all phases of menopause through health coaching, proper nutrition and preventive lifestyle choices. Miano has recently published her first book, “The Magic of Menopause: A Holistic Guide to Get Your Happy Back.” themagicofmenopause

TheMagicOfMenopause

Linda Peavy

Cultured Curves Linda Peavy believes sophisticated fashion and beauty have no age or size. Her blog provides inspiration and motivation as a reminder of how beautiful, bold, and bodacious her readers and followers are each day, every day. Look to her content to find style ideas, beauty tips and lifestyle inspo. culturedcurves1

culturedcurves

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Do you follow any bold influencers? Share your favorites with us at feedback@growingbolder.com.

Maricia Johns

This is Your Best Year Fort Worth, TX resident Maricia Johns is a lifestyle blogger who shares inspiration, guidance and wisdom that pertains to women of a “certain age.”

Her wide array of posts topics include education, travel, health, marriage and retirement and many more. But they all have one thing in common: inspiring you to live your best year. thisisyourbestyear

thisisyourbestyear

Hillary Barnett Bitar

The Silver Storm Miami-based silver fox Hillary Barnett Bitar shares her experiences in modeling, fitness, aging and more. She’s a fierce advocate for healthy aging and representation of all types of women in beauty. She embraced her long gray locks at a young age and never looked back. She finds more self-confidence in herself every day and inspires us to do the same. silverstorm777

Nina Bandoni

Sharing A Journey Nina Bandoni started her blog when she found herself adjusting to major life shifts. Newly single and an empty nester, she reconnected with her passions for fashion, beauty and writing. She shares her journey in an effort to create a community of like minded, heart guided women sharing and comparing notes while navigating new life chapters. sharing_a_journey

Sharingajourney

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Department

Growing Bolder is now airing on public broadcasting stations nationwide. Check local listings.

STARTING MAY 8: WUCF/Orlando, Saturdays @ 9:30 am WGCU/Fort Myers/Naples, Saturdays @ 2:30 pm WUFT/Gainesville, Saturdays @ 3 pm WEDU/Tampa, Saturdays @ 6:30 pm JAX PBS/Jacksonville, Saturdays @ 10 am WXEL /South Florida PBS, Saturdays @ 12:30 pm WPBT/South Florida PBS, Sundays @ 12 pm STARTING JUNE 27: WFSU/Tallahassee, Sundays @ 11:30 am WFSG/Panama City, Sundays @ 11:30 am STARTING JULY: WSRE/Pensacola, Saturdays @ 3:30 pm STARTING AUGUST 14: WDSC/Orlando, Saturdays @ 6:30 pm

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Partner Content

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Summer 2021

What’s Your RISE Score?

By Jean Statler, CEO of Alliance for Lifetime Income

From the moment we get our first job or move away from home, Americans learn almost immediately the importance of a credit score. Yet, millions of Americans retire each year without knowing their “RISE Score®.”

Let’s start with why it’s such a big deal. Your RISE Score, also known as Retirement Income Security Evaluation Score, can tell you whether you’re on track with your retirement income, and how well it will cover basic living expenses. Simply put, it will gauge how likely you are to outlive your money.

To determine your RISE Score, simply use the free and easy online calculator developed by the Alliance for Lifetime Income and answer some basic questions about your income, expenses, savings and investments. It takes no more than 10 minutes. Don’t worry, the information you provide is completely anonymous, strictly confidential and never shared with other parties.

Like a credit score, the RISE Score uses a scale from zero to 850 and like a credit score, the results may be a rude awakening or a reassuring pat on the back. If there’s a gap between what you have and what you’ll need for retirement, it’s not too late to print out your score and take it to your financial advisor to discuss how to cover that gap.

Our research consistently shows that a great many Americans have significant questions and concerns about having too little monthly income to cover their basic expenses in retirement, things like a mortgage or rent, utilities, food or a gym membership. The RISE Score is a powerful tool for anyone planning for retirement or already retired. So, if you’re even a little concerned about running out of money in retirement, knowing your RISE Score could be a simple first step to re-thinking your retirement plan with a financial advisor, and putting you back on track to living the life you want.

Go to protectedincome.org/rise to determine your RISE Score.

Is an Official Personal Finance Partner of Growing Bolder

Jean Statler is CEO of the Alliance for Lifetime Income, a non-profit educational organization based in Washington, D.C., that creates awareness and educates Americans about the value and importance of having protected lifetime income in retirement. As a Boomer herself, she’s passionate about living life boldly each day, and loves to help educate people about the planning it takes to live the retirement they want.

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I knew it was my time to grow into someone I never expected to become.

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OPLEL

Summer 2021

Bill Shafer

Belenda Cypress FINDING THE RIGHT WORDS

Belenda Cypress couldn’t sleep. Her mind was racing too fast. She thought of how far she had come — from the little girl picking oranges for money, who moved all over Florida, as the family went where the jobs were. It’s why, just a year after high school graduation, she married Jerry Cypress.

Her parents wondered if it would last. After all, the first time they met, he announced, "That's going to be my wife one day." And sure enough, it was a happy union.

Belenda and Jerry had three daughters. He started a trucking company, and they built a fine life together. How pleased her parents would be to know that the happy couple were about to celebrate their 45th anniversary.

What should have been one of the best days of their lives turned out to be the darkest. On their anniversary, without any warning, the love of her life collapsed from a heart attack and died. She felt half her soul was torn away.

“In Jerry, I had everything I ever wanted,” she said.

“The pain, the unrelenting sadness was nearly unbearable; but I knew that I had to get up and move on.”

Belenda Cypress needed to set an example for her children. She also had to support them, and that meant taking over her husband’s company.

“I sure wasn’t ready for it,” she remembers. “But who is? I just knew I had to go on.”

Cypress turned to her faith for support, which led her to look deep within herself.

“I couldn’t help but cry,” she said. “But they began to change to happy tears, because I knew it was my time to grow into someone I never expected to become.”

Cypress discovered comfort in a most surprising way, by expressing herself through writing poetry.

"I was too shy to articulate my feelings verbally,” she said. “But through poetry, I was able to explore all kinds of emotions. The surprise for me was from how deeply they (the poems) touched others.”

Cypress wrote enough poems to fill two books. The more she shared them, the more positive feedback she received. She read to her family, to church groups; she even read in prisons where the reactions of the inmates touched her heart.

“They all started clapping on my very first visit. Do you know how that made me feel?” she said. “That confirmed to me that people out there are hurting, and they need to know that someone cares about them.”

Cypress had discovered a new calling.

“My purpose in life is to be a blessing to somebody, it’s that simple,” she said.

Cypress realized that everyone suffers from grief at some point and that life seldom goes the way we expect.

“Don’t give up,” she said. “When you tumble into those valleys of darkness, look up and find the light. Go ahead and cry, if you have to; but always put someone else ahead of yourself, because that is the secret. Nothing in life is perfect; but by loving one another and reaching to help someone else up, that is about as close as any of us are ever going to get."

Photos: Jacob Langston

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TV

New season now airing on public broadcasting stations.

GrowingBolder.com/TV

Podcast

New episodes each Sunday. Subscribe at GrowingBolder.com/podcast

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Growing Bolder is not just media, it’s a movement.

Follow us @GrowingBolder

Radio

Check your local NPR listings or visit GrowingBolder.com/radio

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Opportunity to receive our monthly digital publication full of inspiration, motivation, tools, and resources.

Live

Watch GB Now, live on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and LinkedIn, every Friday at 10 am ET.

Gaming

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Summer 2021

Your Roadmap to Navigating Midlife Transitions Navigate midlife’s most common transitions with confidence, community and perspective.

JUNE 05, 2021

MEA has developed their in-person campus experiences into practices that translate beautifully online to help you feel empowered in optimizing your life path and impact in the world. With a focus on how to become more successful at navigating transitions, this 8-week course offers community building, unique immersion, and amplified learning about midlife transitions.

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A Night to Remember Mary Shanklin

D E E P D O W N A N A R R OW FO O T PAT H , I N A DA R K E N E D N O R T H F L O R I DA FO R E S T, O U R W E T FAC E S I L L U M I N AT E D E AC H T I M E L I G H T N I N G S PA R K E D T H E F E B R UA RY S K I E S .

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Hypothermia and hunger clawed at us. Our once-merry band of eight friends was more than midway through a 225-mile, bike-camping trip on backroads across Florida. Now we were down to just four. Some bailed for a hotel, and at least one was lost in the woods.

Frankly, we were all lost.

We knew going into this that the weather didn't look good. But when our Tampa cycling friend, Susan Gryder, texted us all weeks earlier with the plan, we were all in regardless. I mean, how many times do the meteorologists get it right anyway?

We pushed bikes with flat tires deeper into the Etoniah Creek State Forest. Soaked and shivering in our spandex gear, we searched for the elusive Iron Bridge Camp Shelter, where we intended to escape the tornado-warning weather and bunk overnight.

My friend Rorie scouted the trail ahead. One person had already missed one of the orange trail blazes and gotten separated from the group. We didn’t need to lose another.

“There’s a SWAMP!” Rorie yelled back at us. With temperatures dipping into the low 40s, no bullfrogs croaked.

Her voice pierced only the sound of rain thrashing the cold, black bog.

Disbelief stung more than the downpour. How could there be a swamp? Rorie had purchased the trail notes for this old, natural-Florida route, and there was no mention of such an impasse. We stood paralyzed.

If we did the unthinkable—turn back—where would we go? The trail notes mentioned that a mile back there was a bathroom where people on this route had slept before.

Had it come to this: Feeling half-starved and sleeping in a bathroom at a stage in life when I should be luxuriating? Back home, my wonderful husband awaited me in our comfortable home with our sweet, little dog. I grew herbs and attended book clubs. I was a grandmother, for crying out loud. How did I get to this place? What were my sane friends doing with their Saturday night? I’ll bet they were sipping pinot noir and grilling marinated ribeyes. Their kitchens probably smelled like baking brownies that they would soon smother in Blue Bell vanilla ice cream. Bastards.

Here, on the other side of the universe, at the warped edge of a swamp, one member of our remaining crew began to crack. Another lamented that our friends at the hotel were the ones who got it right. Thanks for that insight.

And yet at some point during the many years I’ve ridden bikes, I realized that you never remember the perfect days.

Flawless experiences vanish in a sea of smiley cell-phone photos, while the cataclysmic ones become the storied legends of our lives. You can’t buy these adventures, and you can’t find them at home. They are the fabric that defines us.

Those shared experiences weave us together like tree limbs wrapped in wet Spanish moss.

And then there was the cold reality. Reversing course and

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You can’t buy these adventures, and you can’t find them at home. pushing heavy bikes for at least a mile in the rain-pelted darkness—with only a hope of sleeping on a probably disgusting bathroom floor—was demoralizing.

The bunkhouse was probably just 100 yards ahead and might as well be in Budapest. The swamp was impassable.

With our options played out, we turned around to pay for our mistake.

Working our way back, we saw a streaming, single light ahead. It was our wrong-turn friend and the person who went in search of him. Our spirits buoyed, but no one dared forget our situation. We spoke of pitching our tents in a power easement. Or maybe there was a barn somewhere. A nice rat-free hayloft sounded good. With every step, I clung to the idea of an overhang in front of the restroom building. I was ready for anything but the latrine floor.

Our bike lights shined on the wet trail ahead to help us traverse fallen trees and avoid slippery rocks. Then we heard the familiar sound of nearing civilization—a car. When we finally reached the dirt road, we veered left and girded ourselves for what was ahead. A sick feeling pitted in my empty stomach.

When you squinted, the shape of structures started to emerge in the murky darkness. Suddenly, about 100 feet ahead of us stood the most beautiful, new, spacious picnic shelter I have ever seen. My God, it had concrete floors!

Within 10 minutes we were setting up tents, firing up Sterno stoves, unearthing camp food, and digging out sleeping blankets. (Thank you outdoor gear companies for devising waterproof stuff sacks.)

The emotional scars from our forest travails vanished overnight. The dawn brought a hint of blue skies. Starbucks instant coffee and Quaker Oats instant oatmeal further revived us. With varying degrees of success, we fixed flattened tires. That third and last day of our trip was picturesque. Our sun-carved shadows danced on the pavement of the Palatka to Lake Butler State Trail. We devoured omelets and hash browns near the St. Johns River at Florida’s oldest diner. We took in the potato fields near Hastings and rode miles of a largely abandoned brick road built in 1916, sometimes called Florida’s Ghost Highway. With the sun at our backs, we ascended the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway in Flagler Beach. Nearing the age of 70, Rorie looked like a blond-ponytailed teenager as she sailed into the parking lot where we had parked cars just days before.

When I got home, I embraced my husband and I told my friends I would never do the trip again—better to plow new ground, I told them.

Then, less than a week later, I was plotting a repeat.

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Health + Fitness

Summer Cycling How to Stay Safe on Your Bike Amy Sweezey

Once the weather turns nice — it’s rarely NOT nice in Florida — droves of bicyclists hit the roads and trails to enjoy the outdoors in the Sunshine State.

From rural pathways to side streets to densely urbanized cities, Florida has many places where one can ride a bike. Miles of trails, dedicated bike lanes and mostly beautiful weather make the state an ideal place for leisurely bike riders and serious cyclists. But sharing the road with motorists comes with some significant hazards, especially for older adults.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children and teens have the most nonfatal bike accidents, while adults 50-59 years old suffer the most fatalities. When a bike and a car collide, it’s usually the cyclist who is injured. Many accidents can be avoided if motorists and bicyclists pay attention and follow the rules of the road.

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Before you hit the pavement, take a peek at these basics of bicycle safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

Before the ride:

During the ride :

Ɂ Make sure your bike fits your body’s frame. It’s harder

Ɂ Obey driving rules: observe street signs and signals. Ɂ Ride with the flow of traffic, not against it. Ɂ Stay alert: avoid distractions like headphones and texting. Ɂ Don’t ride on sidewalks. Watch for cars and pedestrians. Ɂ Ride with a friend for safety and visibility.

Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ Ɂ

to control a bike that’s too big for you.

Tune up: check your brakes, handlebars, seat and tires.

Wear a helmet to prevent head injury.

Choose bright, highly visible clothes.

Use reflectors and lights both day and night.

Map your route: opt for less-traveled traffic areas.

Pack a flat-tire kit and know how to use it.

Secure shoelaces, pant legs and other loose items.

Helmet Safety: Ɂ Make sure your helmet fits properly. Visit the NHTSA’s website (nhtsa.gov) for tips.

K N OW T H E S TAT S :

Every season, bike deaths

Bicycle deaths occur most

Deaths from bike riding

In 2017, alcohol was

occur most often between

often in urban areas (75%)

are 8 times higher for

involved in 37% of all fatal

6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

compared to rural

males than females.

bicycle crashes.

areas (25%).

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Issue No. 46

Why the Rolling Stones’ Tour Boss Likes to Play it Safe

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Partner Content

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As one of the most sought-after production directors in the music industry, Dale “Opie” Skjerseth is a rock star in his own right. In 2020, he was the production director for the Rolling Stones’ No Filter tour—and like so many others in the industry, he went virtual after the coronavirus shut down concerts everywhere. But he’s seen a lot of venues and after decades of witnessing how easily things can go wrong at a rock concert, he’s learned to prepare for the worst. Night after night, every unique venue presents new challenges. He’s been in the business since 1979—back when harnesses weren’t standard equipment for workers climbing up to the ceiling to rig lights.

“Myself, I’ve only fallen once. It was about 13 or 14feet, and I bounced off of what I hit,” recalls Opie. “So, at that young age, I probably bruised myself more than I broke anything. And then if I broke anything, I didn’t care. I wanted to make my career. I’d say, ‘Okay, wrap me up. Put duct tape around me. I’ll be fine.’”

Plenty of other situations call for something stronger than duct tape: “There’s the risk of storms rolling in and lightning hitting towers and people being electrocuted,” Opie cautions. “I’ve had people being unprepared for something and fall out of a cart and break a leg.”

The risks that Opie and his crew face aren’t always physical. They’re financial, too. “Our biggest risk is when the tour shuts down,” he says. “Honestly, that’s where it’s a big financial hit to people.” The Covid pandemic was the great equalizer for bands of all size and stature when it hit last year. As unlikely as that scenario was, it was a reminder to leave nothing to chance.

Today, he not only acknowledges risk but plans for it.

If you know there’s a chance you might fall and hurt yourself at work, you need to create a financial cushion to catch yourself, not just for your immediate needs but for your retirement plan too.

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Issue No. 46

“No one’s going to do it for us, especially in the entertainment world,” he says. “We had a lot of cash flowing around in the early days, so it was nice. But you have to put it away somewhere. It can’t sit in a safety deposit box all your life.”

This is the advice an 18-year-old Opie was given by his dad back when he had dreams of going on tour and he took it to heart. Today, he passes his dad’s words of wisdom along to the crew he travels with. He’ll share it with anyone who wants to listen because he knows how important it is to create your own financial plan for retirement in a freelance career that doesn’t offer a pension or 401(k).

“A lot of them have called me later and thanked me,” he says. “I have a couple of guys that are really good friends that have since invested in annuities and other funds.”

As any hardworking crew member knows, success comes from teamwork. That’s why Opie not only shares his advice—he solicits it from others, too. He has worked with financial professionals over the years and has found experts that match his investment style.

“As my dad said to me, if you leave the financial advisor’s office confused, he is not the guy for you,” Opie says.

With the help of trusted professionals, Opie has secured a financial future for his family. He has three annuities—one fixed rate annuity and two variable annuities—plus other accounts, which are connected to a trust.

“People should pay attention to their finances,” Opie says. “Yeah, I took a summer dream and turned it into my job, but I also made sure to save so I could have something for the future.”

So how does he define protected income? “It gives you the freedom to do what you need to do.”

People should pay attention to their finances.

Yeah, I took a summer dream and turned it into my job, but I also made sure to save so I could have something for the future.

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OPLEL

Summer 2021

Organic Agriculture A profile on Dr. Jennifer Taylor Mary Lou Janson

Photo: Rowland Publishing Inc., Lawrence Davidson

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We, as organic farmers, chose to do what we do for the good of the soil, to grow healthy plants and animals and to provide for the well-being and health of local and global populations.

OPLEL

Summer 2021

Bountiful, delicious family dinners, featuring harvested-at-its-peak, farm-grown produce, served as Jennifer Taylor’s childhood introduction to foods plucked fresh from the fields.

Juicy peaches, peppery mustard greens, field peas and sweet sugar cane and syrup were among the handpicked goods gracing those gatherings, all a product of the toil of Taylor’s grandmother.

The farm life and farm table were both nourishing and nurturing, providing wholesome food while also promoting goodwill between the generations seated at the table. It was from those kinds of family moments and meals that the first seed of an idea began to take root in Taylor’s mind. She recognized the valuable contributions family owned and operated farms made to health and happiness.

“Moving from a sharecropper to owning a farm was an amazing vision my grandmother had for herself and her family,” Taylor recalled. “My experience with the farm came from seeing her love of the land, the array of vegetables, fruits and animals, the successful production and her joy of living there. The memories of her enjoyment of the farm and stories of her life on the farm probably were the good foundation for me to think about how that life could be for me.”

Taylor continues this same work throughout Florida, as well as on the Georgia farm. After remaining fallow for years, the family farm has been replanted, reinvigorated and re-purposed as productive, organic acreage. Today, Taylor and her husband, Ron Gilmore, use environmentally friendly farming strategies to cultivate crops on the USDA-certified Lola’s Organic Farm. Muscadines, blackberries, strawberries, ginger, turmeric, kale and sweet potatoes are picked there, and educational workshops and farm tours are conducted to encourage others to farm responsibly.

“We are using our knowledge of organic farming to build healthy environments, as indigenous people would do, growing healthy food for our families and creating healthy conditions for farming communities and local environments,” Taylor said.

Ways they encourage healthy environments through organic seeds and strategies include integrating pollinator habitats, crop rotations, cover crops, mulching, composting and worm composting that enhances the fields as well as surrounding grounds.

“Everything counts, no matter how small it is. We, as organic farmers, chose to do what we do for the good of the soil, to grow healthy plants and animals and to provide for the well-being and health of local and global populations.”

While traveling to Florida’s small farms, Taylor focuses on an all-encompassing approach to building healthy Florida farms, farm environments and communities.

She enables small farmers to maintain and manage their fields through regenerative organic farming practices, connects consumers with neighboring farms to help families source locally grown foods and promotes access to seasonally fresh foods in all communities.

Taylor currently serves as the coordinator of small farm programs, and as an associate professor at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU). Her firsthand experience as an organic farmer, combined with her ability to provide hands-on training to ensure farmers have the information and tools needed to implement organic, agroecology farm practices. She effectively interacts with farmers while listening and learning from them directly about their challenges.

Taylor prepared for her career by earning a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agronomy, the science of soil management and production of field crops. Additionally, she earned a Ph.D. in vocational and technical education.

As the architect of Florida’s statewide Small Farm Program, she has been instrumental in reducing farmers’ reliance on fertilizers and pesticides that contaminate the environment. Through its initiatives, the program addresses the “well-being, sustainability and thrivability of underserved small farm populations —Black, indigenous and farmers of color.”

Issue No. 46

When COVID-19 closed restaurants, diminished deliveries to supermarkets and forced many households to seek new sources of foods that needed more preparation than simple heating and eating, small farms found new ways to bring food to the table.

“Distribution systems had broken down but small farmers were able to continue to grow and get their produce and value-added items to markets. It was wonderful to see how local food resources in communities could be successful and meet demand,” she said.

As essential service providers following social distancing protocols, some farms adapted to selling directly to consumers while other farms marketed through alternate means, such as direct-to-consumer farmers markets.

Sales increased, demand for organic goods expanded and meals made from those foods renewed connections and increased interactions between family members sheltering together. Those are trends Taylor remains optimistic will continue to grow.

“The coronavirus pandemic slowed everyone down and let us reassess what is important and valuable,” she said. “We had to relearn how to be around our family—a lot. Learn how to cook again. How to be kinder. How to practice good acts toward each other. It seemingly took the tragedies of a pandemic and the Black Lives Social Movement to persuade families to be accountable and re-examine how we can enable inclusiveness and gain racial equity for Black, indigenous and people of color in our communities and our nation.”

Taylor’s efforts have earned her numerous honors, including being tapped as the Woman of the Year in Agriculture by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in January 2020. During her five-year service on the National Organic Standards Board, she chaired the Material Committee and GMO ad hoc subcommittee. She also serves on the USDA Advisory Committee for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers.

IN ADDITION SHE IS CURRENTLY:

→

→

→ → → →

Vice president of the Organic Farmers Association and its southern region representative Vice president of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements - North America Member of the Rodale Institute Board of Directors Member of the U.S. Food Sovereignty Alliance Advisory member for the National Organic Coalition Standards board member of The Real Organic Project

When asked what achievement stands out from all of the others, Taylor cites the impact her efforts have on her family, the land, communities and the food we eat.

“I try to encourage people to do good and make good choices that will give them life and give hope to others,” she said. “It is my hope that small farms, as essential providers to our food system, will continue to be successful in regenerative organic farming systems, enabling healthy benefits, value, goodwill and well-being, not only to Florida farmlands and Florida communities, but locally and globally.”

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I try to encourage people to do good and make good choices that will give them life and give hope to others...

MEDICARE

Moved to Florida in the last 60 days?

You may now qualify to switch Medicare Advantage plans!

To learn more visit GrowingBolder.com/Medicare or to speak to a representative call 1-844-396-2579.

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$15

Summer 2021

NEW IN THE SHOP:

Live Boldly Postcard Book Our inspiring set of 20 tear-and-share postcards features original artwork and bold messages for any occasion.

BRIGHTEN A LOV E D O N E ’ S DAY WITH SOME SNAIL MAIL MERRIMENT!

To purchase, visit growingbolder.com/shop

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Caregiving

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Summer 2021

Tips For New

Caregivers

COVID-19 created a new generation of caregivers, but help is available Jackie Carlin

An estimated 44 million adults in the United States have provided unpaid care to adults ages 65 and older in the past 12 months. With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, the number of caregivers will continue to grow over the next two decades.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, caregivers found themselves stretched thin in challenging and oftentimes heartbreaking new ways. Once again, this raised alarms that help, support and resources are critically needed for these invaluable helpers in our communities.

As the pandemic approached the one-year mark, the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving released a report called “Caregivers in Crisis,” which focused on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the mental health and well-being of caregivers. In a survey of more than 400 caregivers across 46 states, 83% reported increased stress related to caregiving since the start of the pandemic. Dr. Jennifer Olsen, executive director of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, said their findings reinforced their worst fears about existing and new caregivers.

“This is our emergency room moment; and if we do not begin to seriously address the needs of caregivers and provide the necessary supports, this indispensable, largely invisible component of our health care system is in danger of collapse,” Olsen said.

One of the first things new caregivers should do is educate themselves about the role they’re taking on.

“Don’t tell yourself that you know how to do this.

There’s a lot to learn,” said Amy Cameron O’Rourke, who has more than 30 years of experience in health care, including 25-plus years in the field of aging, is a licensed nursing home administrator and is a certified care manager. “Get some really good books to read, do some research, go to educational series or workshops (many of which are now available online), and give yourself time to learn what you don’t know.

Then seek professional help when you’re in over your head.”

O’Rourke said it’s also important for families to learn how to advocate on their loved one’s behalf, a skill that takes patience to develop. She said that includes standing your ground with physicians. shapecharge via Getty Images

“There are so many really good physicians; but they’re in a hurry, they’re on a time clock, they’ve got to pay attention to volume,” O’Rourke said. “They don’t always have the time required to have the conversation. So, I say, ‘If now’s not the time, let’s talk when you do have the time because this is important.’ I try to be nice, but very firm and say, ‘We’re not going to make a decision until we get the time we need to make the decision.’”

O’Rourke advises her caregivers to give themselves grace to make mistakes and learn as they go. She said this is particularly true for adult children of older adults, many of whom try hard to be a perfect champion and caretaker for their aging parents.

“These are the difficult decisions you’ll be faced with as a caregiver. Don’t put pressure on yourself to be perfect, to do everything right. It’s not possible,” she said. “Just be with your parent and understand that at times it’s going to be messy, and that’s really OK.”

1

Encourage your care team, including physicians, to hit pause before making big decisions.

B E PAT I E N T.

These are your and your loved one’s decisions to make, and sometimes that means going against your physician’s advice.

BE FIRM.

2

Mentally and emotionally prepare yourself that this may be your new reality for years ahead.

B E P R E PA R E D .

3

4

Remember you’re advocating for your loved one, not yourself. Follow their values.

B E AWA R E .

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Story by Amy Sweezey | Photography by Mike Dunn

Feature

Summer 2021

Issue No. 46

As a little girl growing up in New York, Shantell Williams didn’t have a lot of heroes who looked like her.

Fast forward to her early 40s, when she discovered a woman named Bessie Stringfield, who in the 1930s was the first Black woman to ride a motorcycle across the country.

Stringfield looked like Williams. She rode like Williams. Finally, Williams had found a hero and needed to tell everyone her story.

“I kept thinking, ‘What can I do to draw attention to Bessie and what she had done?” Williams told Growing Bolder. “If another little girl wants a hero that looks like them, I want them to know about Bessie Stringfield.”

From 1936 to 1946, Stringfield traveled the 48 contiguous states eight times as an Army dispatch rider during World War II. She delivered orders to Army bases on her motorcycle at a time when women weren’t allowed to enlist and before interstates even existed. Sometimes Stringfield slept in trees because most hotels wouldn’t allow women of color. She faced racism, sexism and danger. Williams thought Stringfield had done a great service for our country, but it seemed no one knew. Since Stringfield owned 27 Harley-Davidson motorcycles in her lifetime, Williams’ goal was to get Stringfield inducted into the HarleyDavidson Hall of Fame.

In 2016, Williams set off on her own road trip to retrace Stringfield’s journey. Little did she know that she would break a record by becoming the first solo rider to take this trip since Stringfield. Williams rode through 48 states in 27 days breaking a Guiness World Record. Later that year, HarleyDavidson inducted Bessie Stringfield into their Hall of Fame and created the Shantell Williams Mileage Award, which is given annually.

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Issue No. 46

Bessie Stringfield, the first Black woman to ride a motorcycle across the country.

Photo via Ann Ferrar, biographer of Bessie Stringfield

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What’s amazing about Williams’ record-setting ride is that she had only been riding a motorcycle for eight months when she embarked on her journey. She bought her first bike without even knowing how to ride.

“I didn’t know anybody who knew how to ride, but I only had the money for the bike instead of the car I wanted,” Williams explained. “I remembered riding a three-wheeler when I was 12; so, I got on the motorcycle, and my kids followed behind me in the minivan.”

Williams laughed as she recalled the memory.

“I was in second gear the entire ride!” she said. “Two days later, I decided I should take some lessons. On day seven I was not the same person I was on day one. I remember crying that day. I was just trying to find a reason to quit. There was nobody more shocked than me that the trip actually happened.”

Netflix approached Williams in 2020 and asked her to ride again for a docuseries featuring her tribute to Stringfield. Williams decided to document the series herself and titled it, “Shut Up and Ride.”

“It means get out of your head,” she explained. “Shut up your brain and do it. You’ll be fine.”

It was her own message to herself whenever she considered quitting. Her second trip through 48 states lasted 23 days, beating her previous record. She took her film crew with her and rode 500-1,000 miles each day, stopping at gas stations and Harley-Davidson dealerships.

She raised money for charity along the way, mainly for The Hen House, which gives financial relief to people and small businesses hurting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Williams understands all too well how businesses have suffered. As the owner of Shantell's Just Until Café, in Sanford, Florida, she struggled to stay afloat without any government help. (Learn one of her restaurant's signature recipes on page 64).

“We were blessed to have what I called My PPP— People Protecting People,” she said.

Williams managed to keep her 17 workers employed through generous donations, some from complete strangers. Instead of throwing food away, when no one was eating in her restaurant, Williams delivered meals to hospitals and first responders. Once word got out, the donations came pouring in.

“I’d go to the mailbox and find a check for $50 or $100 with a note to use the money to keep feeding people,” Williams said. “That was people protecting people.”

Everywhere she goes, Williams finds family. Her husband and 10 children are her family. Her restaurant employees and customers are her family. And her motorcycle community is her family.

“I just love the biker world community,” Williams said.

“That’s what attracted me. That’s what’s kept me. We often say on the bikes that two wheels brought us together.”

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Issue No. 46

[ SHUT UP AND RIDE ]

“It means get out of your head... Shut up your brain and do it.

You’ll be fine.”

SHANTELL ON PERSEVER ANCE

S TO R I E S FROM THE R OA D

S TO R I E S F R O M T H E R OA D

“I met a gentleman at a gas station in Winnemucca, Nevada. Frank was about 65 years old, white guy, drives a Chevy S-10 pickup. We exchanged ‘Good mornings’ and pleasantries about where each was headed. Then he asked, ‘Have you ever been stopped by the police for being Black?’

I thought about it for a second and said, ‘Yes, but I’ve also been stopped for speeding.’ We both laughed. Then he said, ‘Well, how did that make you feel?’ and I answered, ‘What it makes me feel right at this moment is that something is changing from this moment forward. The fact that we can have this conversation, that says everything.’ I was glad we had that conversation. I told Frank, ‘I’ll never forget you.

I’ll share this story because it’s a moment for me.’ It was a good conversation. That was something different from my ride in 2016 to my ride in 2020.”

“I was down to my last $10 in Utah, talking to my husband through my helmet microphone. A 90-year-old woman started walking toward me, and I told my husband I needed to go because she might think I was crazy talking to myself. So, I’m pumping gas, and she goes to the garbage can, and then she walked right up to me. I put my hand out and she turned it over like I was her granddaughter and put $20 in my hand. She said simply, ‘I had a bike in the 50s,’ and walked away. I started crying.”

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Fun Weather Experiments for Kids Amy Sweezey

Now that grandparents are able to spend more time with grandchildren, here’s a fun experiment to help youngsters learn more about the weather.

Most children study the water cycle in school. The youngest ones usually learn about the three main stages: evaporation, condensation and precipitation. As children get older, they find out there are actually nine stages: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, interception, infiltration, percolation, transpiration, runoff and storage.

When a liquid, such as ocean water, turns into a vapor, such as steam, that is called “evaporation.” You can show how evaporation works in the atmosphere with this simple experiment. All you need is hand sanitizer!

Illustration: ma_rish via Getty Images

Summer 2021

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Caregiving

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Summer 2021

Creating Evaporation

STEP 1

STEP 2

Pour some hand sanitizer on your hands and rub your hands together as if you are washing them. Now that your hands are wet, do they feel cooler? Yes! Wait a few seconds. Are your hands dry? Yes!

Repeat step 1, but this time move your hands through the air. This simulates the wind. Do your hands feel even colder now? Yes!

What is happening?

What is happening?

The hand sanitizer evaporated off your hands so your hands feel cool, then dry. Evaporation is a cooling process.

Evaporation is a cooling process, and adding wind makes it happen faster. This makes your hands feel colder. It’s why we have a "wind chill" factor. The wind causes the moisture on your skin to evaporate faster, making you feel colder.

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Partner Content

Summer 2021

Myths vs. Facts:

COVID-19 Vaccine The COVID-19 vaccine holds a critical role in helping us fight COVID-19. Florida Blue Medicare is here to help with any questions, every step of the way. Kelli Tice Wells, M.D., Florida Blue’s senior medical director of medical affairs, has broken down the myths vs. facts for quick and reliable information about the COVID-19 vaccine.

M Y T H : I C A N G E T COV I D -1 9 FR O M T H E VACC I N E S .

Fact: You can’t get COVID-19 from the vaccines. It’s impossible. But you may feel some side effects for a day or two. You may have pain, including pain and/ or swelling in the arm where you got the vaccine, a low-grade fever, chills, tiredness, headache or muscle aches. These side effects may hit you even harder after you receive the second dose of the vaccine. But don’t worry. These are normal signs that the vaccines are working and building protection to the virus.

?

M Y T H : T H E VACC I N E S W E R E D E V E LO PE D TO O FA S T TO B E S A FE .

Fact: Thanks to existing infectious disease research, along with increased financial support and focused scientific efforts, the vaccines were developed quickly. Vaccines only receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when they’ve determined that the expected benefits outweigh any potential risks.

Plus, the vaccines have been tested on a diverse group of people. Adults of all races, ages, cultures and ethnicities, as well as those with underlying health conditions, were included in the clinical trials.

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Partner Content

Summer 2021

Issue No. 46

M Y T H : PEO PL E W I T H A L L E R G I E S S H O U L D N OT G E T VACC I N AT E D. Fact: While there have been a few reports of severe allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines, not only are these instances extremely rare, but they are also easily treated. That’s why you’ll be asked to stay for 15–30 minutes after you get your vaccine so you can be watched to make sure you don’t have a reaction.

If you’ve had a severe allergic reaction in the past, talk to your doctor for reassurance that the vaccine is safe for you.

M Y T H : G E T T I N G T H E COV I D -1 9 VACC I N E M A K E S M E M O R E V U L N E R A B L E TO OT H E R I L L N E S S E S .

Fact: It won’t. However, it’s possible to still become ill from exposure to other viruses. It’s best to fully protect yourself by getting recommended vaccines, such as the flu and shingles vaccines or the COVID-19 vaccine, and to stay away from people who are sick.

Safety is a top priority and vaccines are developed under strict guidance from the FDA. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are continually monitoring the safety and quality of authorized vaccines.

As with any vaccine, you should talk to your doctor about its safety and effectiveness for you.

Visit floridablue.com/ covid19/vaccine for more information.

Together, we’re getting through this and with Florida Blue Medicare Advantage plans, all members can receive the COVID-19 vaccine at no additional cost.

Florida Blue and Florida Blue Medicare are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. For more information visit floridablue.com/ndnotice. ©️ 2021 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc., DBA Florida Blue. All rights reserved.

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OPLEL

Summer 2021

Superman’s Not Coming Amy Sweezey

The name Erin Brockovich is familiar to many since the movie based on her life story won Julia Roberts an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2000. The film documents the unemployed mother of three’s fight against a giant energy corporation over water contamination in a small town. It’s based on Brockovich’s real-life battle in court, which showed all of us that just by believing in yourself, and getting involved at a local level in your community, you can affect big change.

Now 20 years later, at the age of 60, Brockovich still speaks out for change.

She told Growing Bolder, “My message is, ‘You are here, you see what's happening, and you can get involved. Take that first step and realize you don't have to be a scientist or Ph.D. to be aware and protect our most valuable resource, which is our right to clean water.’”

Brockovich recognizes that with age comes wisdom and responsibility, and she has learned much about herself while trying to empower others.

“It started for me as a little girl,” she explained. “I have a learning disability (dyslexia), and no one was going to fix it. I had to know who I was and that whatever was in front of me, I could push through. And I did.”

She documents her journey in a new book, “Superman’s Not Coming.” In it, she explains why there is still a water crisis in this country and how everyone can take action, in practical ways, to make big change.

“I have learned that while we may think something else is going to save us, it is really about the power of ourselves,” she said. “We need to start empowering each other again, and reconnecting with our environment again and stop dragging ourselves down over mistakes of the past or angst about the future.”

Her passion for making a difference continues to inspire the entertainment industry. Her life story served as the basis for the recent TV drama series, “Rebel,” starring Katey Sagal, of “Married with Children” and “Sons of Anarchy” fame.

Brockovich is stepping up and continuing to make changes for the better.

Quite simply, she is growing bolder.

“We are in a moment,” she shared. “Live it. See it. Breathe it. Be it. That becomes empowering. That, in itself, will keep you going into tomorrow.”

Chip Somodevilla / Staff Via Getty Images Plus

I had to know who I was and that whatever was in front of me, I could push through.

And I did.

Visit GrowingBolder.com to hear our entire conversation with Erin Brockovich.

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Feed Your Lynne Mixson

Soul In Every Issue

Ready to spice up your summer supper routine? How about some comfort food with a bit of Caribbean soul? At Shantell’s Just Until café in Sanford, FL, this recipe for Jerk Chicken is a customer favorite and is a quick stovetop go-to for the mother of 10.

Usually served with yellow rice, a side of collard greens and a cornbread muffin, you need just five ingredients to create this simple dish, but its peppery flavor is sure to deliver smiles.

Want to learn more? Visit shantellsinsanford.com to attend one of Shantell Williams’ virtual cooking classes. The next live demonstration will be held on June 24 at 7 p.m.

ET. For $20, you get the class plus a shaker of the special Caribbean Kitchen Mild Jerk Seasoning for your own kitchen, shipped right to your door.

Read the feature on page 52 about Shantell's two world recordsetting motorcycle rides across the country.

Photo Courtesy of Shantell Williams

Summer 2021

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In Every Issue

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Summer 2021

Skillet Jerk Chicken INGREDIENTS

DIREC TIONS

1-1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

Heat your skillet to 350 degrees. Season your chicken on both sides with the jerk seasoning and lay the seasoned chicken in the skillet. Flip the chicken after 5 minutes. Then, put the onions and peppers in the skillet beside the chicken. After 5 minutes, turn the chicken again. then slice each piece of chicken into 4 pieces.

2 tablespoons Caribbean Kitchen Mild Jerk Seasoning (9 spices included) 2 tablespoons canola oil ½ cup sliced sweet onion ½ cup sliced mixed bell peppers ½ cup of water

Add 4 tablespoons of water creating a light steam for 2-3 minutes.

Serve atop rice, with greens or whatever you choose.

and let the salad marinate in the fridge at least an hour before serving.

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Adventure

Summer 2021

CarlosManzanoPHOTOs via Wikimedia Commons

Rick Steves:

Looking Beyond the Pandemic George Diaz

Rick Steves is home alone. For a man who is one of the world’s preeminent travel experts, this sounds as painful as entering Dante’s Nine Circles of Hell.

But Steves has learned over the years that a man on the move needs improvisational skills. COVID-19 could have thrown his life into the proverbial ditch. However, Steves continues to move along, only at a different pace.

“I've spent a third of my adult living out of a 9-by-22by-14-inch carry-on, the airplane-sized suitcase, overseas,” he told Growing Bolder in a recent interview. “I love it, but it squished a lot of things that other people get excited about out of my life. And now I can check those out. I've

never really appreciated the beauty of having dogs to take on a walk or cuddling as you're watching TV. Now I do.”

Steves, who recently turned 66, even cut an onion for the first time in his life. Sometimes you find pleasure in the simple things.

He gets the ironic twist. Presumably, so do his legion of followers—affectionally known as “Rickniks”—who lean on his expertise to explore the world.

In another odd twist, he’s as popular as ever. “Forbes,” “Time” magazine, “The New York Times” daily podcast.

Everyone wants to know what it’s like for the Travel Guy to be hunkered down in his home north of Seattle.

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“I've been sharing, just kind of thinking out loud, about how I've been exercising my traveler's spirit right here at home, and it's a beautiful thing,” he said.

Steves is also aware of the challenges that have come with COVID, including unforeseen economic impact on people. Fortunate to have established a solid financial foundation, Steves has not laid off any of his employees.

“For 30 years, I've had good years and made plenty of money, and I've got a great staff of about a hundred. And now I've been dealt a couple of bad years, and I just think it's ethical to keep my team together,” he said. “I should be with my team through good times and bad. They're with me in good times, I'll be with them in bad times.

“Plus, it's just good business to have my team intact, because I know we're going to get through this; and we're going to throttle up when we get through the pandemic,” he said. “I want my team to be intact, so that we can, once again, help Americans enjoy Europe with all of our tours.”

Steves and his backpack are already locked and loaded for the next adventure. Dates are in place for late summer to select destinations, with obvious attention continued to be paid to the impact of COVID on world travelers.

In the interim, he’s taking people on virtual visits to food tours across Europe on Monday nights, stressing the importance of vaccinations and busy promoting his business with the #KeepOnTravelling hashtag to his 141,000 Twitter followers and beyond.

And you can still catch him on his wildly popular show, “Rick Steves' Europe,” now in its 11th season—a span of 137 episodes on public television.

Although the stay-at-home gig has been enlightening, Steves has a unique skill set. We’ll let “The New York Times” explain in this excerpt from 2019: “Rick Steves can tell you how to avoid having your pocket picked on the subway in Istanbul. He can tell you where to buy cookies from cloistered Spanish nuns on a hilltop in Andalusia. He can tell you approximately what percentage of Russia’s gross domestic product comes from bribery. He can teach you the magic idiom that unlocks perfectly complementary gelato flavors in Florence.”

Understandably, the road warrior in him wants to scratch that itch again.

“I don't go to Europe to sit in a bubble and not get a germ,” he said. “I go to Paris to get kissed on the cheeks. I go to Rome to gather in the Piazza with the crowds. I go to Ireland to go into a pub on the West Coast, where they stand in the bluff, and they gaze out at the Atlantic and they say, ‘Ah, the next parish over is Boston.’ I go into that pub to sit close to people, people who they say are just friends who have yet to meet. Now, I think that's going to come back, that kind of normalcy; but it'll take a while.”

In the meantime, here’s to walks, cuddles and cutting onions.

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I've been sharing, just kind of thinking out loud, about how I've been exercising my traveler's spirit right here at home, and it's a beautiful thing.

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Combating The Concerning Trend of Cognitive Decline In Those 50+

Westend61 Via Getty Images Plus

This story is sponsored by Aviv.

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On the heels of the announcement that the average U.S. life expectancy dropped a full year in a single year—the first time since World War II—comes another startling study.

Contrary to previous generations, the Baby Boomer generation appears to be experiencing cognitive decline (i.e. trouble remembering, learning new things, concentrating, or making decisions) earlier than their parents’ or grandparents’ generations.

Researchers from Ohio State University analyzed data from 30,191 Americans and discovered those born between 1948 and 1959 are showing unexpectedly lower cognitive function in their 60s and early 70s than their predecessors.

This group is also experiencing signs of cognitive decline earlier in life, some as young as their mid-50s.

“It is shocking to see this decline in cognitive functioning among baby boomers after generations of increases in test scores,” said study author Hui Zheng, a professor of sociology at Ohio State University. “But what was most surprising to me is that this decline is seen in all groups: men and women, across all races and ethnicities and across all education, income and wealth levels.”

In cognitive tests, study participants were asked to recall words they had heard earlier, count down from 100 by 7s and name objects they were shown. These tests were conducted on those 51 and older and the participants were surveyed every two years. Zheng said the research showed this group’s cognition scores began to decline in the early baby boomers (those born between 1948 and 1953) and decreased further in the mid-baby boomers (born 19541959). These cognitive declines can lead to an avalanche of other issues, including higher levels of depression, physical inactivity and social isolation.

Studies like this serve as a wake-up call to people of all ages. Far too many of us don’t live active, healthy lifestyles.

When we’re younger, we can get away with it, but as we grow older, we have to work harder every year to maintain because when something unforeseen intervenes, like a major health setback or a pandemic, it can accelerate our physical or mental decline.

We remain optimistic, though. At Growing Bolder, we’ve spent more than a decade telling your stories—stories that prove there is always a way forward. Growing Bolder Founder and CEO Marc Middleton put it best in a recent Facebook live.

“There can not only be better times ahead, there can actually be the best of times ahead. Trying times are not the time to give up; they are the time to double down, to work harder than ever to improve our lifestyle,” he said.

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In addition to focusing on healthier habits, as knowledge about brain health the aging process continues to advance, so do treatment options. Our partners at Aviv Clinics offer the only scientifically proven medical treatment in North America shown to improve and restore cognitive function, such as memory, attention, speed of information processing and more.

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“Bad things do happen to good people, but we can’t allow that to be an excuse for not trying,” Middleton said.

“Never allow yourself to think this is the beginning of the end. Start thinking that this is the beginning of what’s next because that is Growing Bolder.”

By investing in your health and your future, you can start your journey toward a better future, full of travel, adventures, sports, fitness, volunteering and time with friends and family.

Visit GrowingBolder.com to learn more about this topic in Marc Middleton’s recent in-depth conversation with Mohammed Elamir, MD, board-certified physician at Aviv Clincs.

There can not only be better times ahead, there can actually be the best of times ahead.

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Plant seeds. Whatever those seeds may be for you.

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Bill Shafer

Ericka Cotton PLANTING THE SEEDS OF A NEW TOMORROW

The television is on, but no one is watching. Ericka Cotton doesn’t much like being inside, because that’s where the reminders are. You see them with every glance: a photo on the wall, a keepsake on the shelf—cherished memories of Renault Layer, the love of her life. Flashes remind her of the long, futile fight against a rare form of pancreatic cancer.

Cotton looks closely at each plant, inspecting the leaves, looking for new blooms. She senses that if she can nurture them until they blossom and thrive, perhaps she’ll be able to do the same. It’s one of the few thoughts she hangs onto. She thinks about how gardening is much like the time she spent as her husband’s caregiver. She never expected to have to do that; but then again, she never liked gardening either. But now, it’s different. She planted flowering purple pentas, flowing vines and an assortment of herbs, both in tribute to what’s left behind and to whatever comes. New growth.

“I believe that you have to feel to heal,” she explains. “And this is a place I can pour my pain into. The salt of my tears nourishes new life. I feel him here; and I can feel me, too.”

Recovery has been especially difficult for Cotton.

Weeks after Layer’s death, she lost her job due to the pandemic. It was too much to bear, and she knew she’d never get over it alone.

“First, I was in denial,” she said. “And I was also ashamed of the physical and emotional toll that it has taken on me.”

She sought out therapy, and it has made a big difference.

The shame began to fade, replaced by understanding and acceptance of what she’s experienced.

Photos: Jacob Langston

“I’m tear stained, I’m in pain and that’s okay because I am grieving,” she said. “Meet me where I am. I’m still going to show up for you. I’m not going to run, but I am broken and doing what I can to make repairs.”

The garden has been the place where those repairs can take root.

“I remember many of the last conversations we had were about planting a garden out back,” she said. “We’d just lay around and fantasize about what we were going to do.”

Layer never had the chance, so Cotton did it for him—a legacy or tribute garden. An area that once felt so empty was now bright and full, with the promise of better days ahead.

Sometimes, it helps to do something special to honor the person you’ve lost. It’s made a big difference for Cotton, who is just starting to feel the sunlight again on her face.

She’s learned what it takes to move on.

“Plant seeds. Whatever those seeds may be for you,” she said. “Understand that you have to create a new future.

Have those seeds in your pocket and be ready to water and nourish them in hopes that you can move past the trauma and see new life.”

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Success & Succession How the Sallin family grew both Story by Doris Bloodsworth | Photography by Mike Dunn for Growing Bolder

As Michel and Veronique Sallin survey their breathtakingly beautiful Cherrylake farm, the husbandand-wife co-founders of IMG Enterprises, the holding company for Cherrylake and IMG Citrus, can justifiably feel proud. Their 10,000-acreage has survived everything from devastating freezes to epic recessions. And now they are facing what could be their biggest challenge: turning over their family business to the next generation.

The Sallins are part of what economists have dubbed the “wealthiest generation in history,” estimated to pass on $30 trillion. For the 5.5 million, family-owned American businesses, decisions go well beyond who will get the family heirlooms. Decades of hard work and the future of their companies —and even family relationships – are on the line.

Sprawling across the rolling hills of south Lake County, Florida, Cherrylake, the largest tree farm in the Southeast United States, is a gem. Endless rows of trees, shrubs and citrus stretch as far as the eye can see. The successful farm and nursery have won many awards, including the 2015 This Farm Cares Award and the 2016 Agriculture Environmental Leadership Award. Michel Sallin, the 70-year-old family patriarch, was named the 2020 CEO of the Year by the “Orlando Business Journal;” and Veronique Sallin was named the 2020 Woman of the Year in Agriculture by the State of Florida.

With so much going right, the Sallins decided the time was ripe to step down from their leadership roles and turn over the business to their three children: Melanie Ressler, Timothee Sallin and Chloe Gentry, who were named co-CEOs.

“I wanted to leave while I was 100% able,” Michel Sallin said. “We were ready.”

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From France to Florida The journey to retirement started decades ago in Paris, where the Sallins married and where Michel and Veronique received their MBAs at the HEC Paris Business School.

Michel worked for an international steel company, and it was Veronique who suggested they experience living in another country. They moved to London, where daughter Melanie was born, came back to Paris in time for son Timothee’s birth and then transferred to New York and welcomed their third child, Chloe.

After a couple of years, the family moved to California.

While there, Michel’s father, an apple grower in France, became interested in acquiring Florida citrus. Michel researched the idea and became acquainted with a Lake County citrus grower and packinghouse owner who wanted to export grapefruit.

In 1982, the Sallins moved to Clermont, Florida, and purchased the Cherrylake citrus groves. A few months later, there was a deep freeze that wiped out much of the citrus in Central Florida. The Sallins thought they could save their damaged groves; but a year later, an even worse freeze killed off what was left.

“We went from 600 truckloads in one season to four,” Michel Sallin said.

The Sallins used their European business connections to export citrus that was still plentiful in south Florida.

Diversification had saved them, and it was a lesson that the family continues to practice today.

Eventually, the Sallins replanted and also began cultivating a wide variety of trees and shrubs, which they supplied to a white-hot Florida construction industry. As years passed, the Sallins started planning for their succession.

It wasn’t a given that their children would fill that role.

Family business 2.0 Melanie Sallin Ressler earned her master’s in finance and aspired to work in corporate America. Initially, she was just going to work at her parents’ company temporarily.

“I found there were lots of opportunities (at IMG Citrus),” she said. “It was exciting and much more than farming.”

Ressler soon found herself in charge of developing the company’s Japanese market, a responsibility that would have been years away at another company. The Sallins found they had an enthusiastic, highly capable person to expand the business—someone who would respect the family’s values and vision.

As the business thrived, Timothee joined the sales team of Cherrylake.

Chloe Sallin Gentry said she never had any intention of being part of the family business.

“I will not join the company,” she told her parents.

With a degree in economics and psychology, and a

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master’s in corporate finance, she had other plans. When her parents invited her to coordinate the company’s marketing, Chloe looked at it as temporary.

“What I found is that they offered more responsibility and a more interesting career than I could find somewhere else,” she said.

The Sallin siblings excelled at different areas of the booming company. Collaboration and teamwork not only became a hallmark for the family but also figured into the company culture.

The siblings touch base throughout the day and meet every Tuesday to discuss operations, strategies and investment opportunities. Veronique Sallin said they had practiced “collaborative control” for years, inspired by a book titled “Reinventing Organization.”

While Michel and Veronique will remain on the board, they are enjoying pursuing other passions. Michel is learning to play the piano and is an avid bridge player. He and Veronique play more tennis now and enjoy more time with their grandchildren. Veronique is busy fulfilling her duties as Florida’s Woman of the Year in Agriculture.

While the idea of having co-CEOs may sound unusual to some, there are Fortune 500 companies that follow this model, such as Samsung and Netflix. Melanie, Timothee and Chloe say distributed decision making is key to the company’s success.

“We couldn’t imagine one of us being over another,” Timothee Sallin said. “It wouldn’t feel right for one of us to be the ‘Big Boss.’”

At Cherrylake, new growth is always on display.

Seedlings take over where mature trees once stood. And for the Sallins, succession just comes naturally.

Collaboration and teamwork not only became a hallmark for the family but also figured into the company culture.

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Veronique Sallin — Florida’s Woman of the Year in Agriculture Behind her charming smile, Veronique Sallin is an intelligent businesswoman who has helped her family-run company, IMG Citrus, become an international success.

Sallin is the organizational genius who put Florida grapefruit on the global map.

Under her guidance, the company was the first Florida business to work directly with supermarkets in her native France. It meant overcoming many challenges. Citrus had to be ready to sell and sustain a 15-day transit across the Atlantic.

Until her recent retirement, Sallin served as vice president of sales and marketing. She also was the organizational director at Cherrylake, the family’s award-winning farm.

Sallin built relationships around the world, and the company went from 10,000 cartons of grapefruit to 1.4 million cartons within seven years.

In 2012, French President Nicolas Sarkozy awarded Sallin the National Order of Merit to acknowledge her professional accomplishments and for highlighting French culture and heritage in the United States.

The State of Florida also recognized Sallin’s achievements, naming her the 2020 Florida Woman of the Year in Agriculture.

“It was an immense honor,” Sallin said.

“It has particular meaning to me as a woman in an industry where I found myself for many years the only woman in the room… or in the fields. it is gratifying to see more women joining the ranks, attracted by an industry with great purpose: to feed the world and to care for the land.”

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Bold Social:

Grand Gamers Age isn’t keeping these playful folks from doing what they enjoy. Follow these gamers’ streams on platforms like Tiktok, Youtube and Twitch to see how the face of gaming is changing. And you just may pick up some great tips for stepping up your game, too!

Duncan McLeod PL AY E R S TAT S : //////// NAME: DUNCAN MCLEOD AG E : M I D - 5 0 S GO TO GAME: APE X LEGENDS

Duncan McLeod, or Duncanas, is helping to create space for his fellow Boomer Gamers. Australian born and now in his mid-50s, he streams almost daily from his current home in Las Vegas, providing less experienced gamers with useful insights, tips and opinions, mostly about his favorite game, Apex Legends.

Youtube: youtube.com/c/BoomerGamingbyDuncanas Twitch: twitch.tv/duncanas Tiktok: tiktok.com/@duncanastv

Shirley Curry PL AY E R S TAT S : //////// N A M E : S H I R L E Y C U R RY AG E : M I D - 8 0 S GO TO GAME: SK YRIM

Streaming from southwestern Ohio, Shirley Curry sweetly starts each of her videos, “Hello Grandkids,” setting the stage for a softer, kinder tone for game streaming. She even makes a point to shout out her newest followers in some videos.

Now in her mid-80s, she’s been gaming for years and streams almost daily.

Youtube: youtube.com/c/ShirleyCurryTheOlderGamer Twitter: twitter.com/ShirleyScurry

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Hamako Mori PL AY E R S TAT S : //////// N A M E : H A M A KO M O R I AG E : 8 9 G O T O G A M E : G R A N D TH EF T AU TO V

Hamako Mori is the “Oldest Videogames Youtuber,” according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Nearing 90 years old, Hamako streams from Japan and has been playing for longer than many gamers have been alive. She posts about 3-4 videos per month on her Youtube channel, with English subtitles.

Youtube: youtube.com/c/GamerGrandma/

Michelle Statham PL AY E R S TAT S : //////// N A M E : M I C H E L L E S TAT H A M AG E : 5 6 G O T O G A M E : C A LL O F DU T Y

Like her moniker Tactical Gramma suggests, Michelle Statham is a proud grandmother of two. Michelle says she’s been playing video games since the days of Pong and has found her happy place in first-person shooter games. Her energetic, entertaining and skilled streams prove that just because you’re older, doesn’t mean you’re outta the game.

Youtube: youtube.com/c/Tacticalgramma Twitch: twitch.tv/tacticalgramma Tiktok: tiktok.com/@tacticalgramma Twitter: twitter.com/tacticalgramma

Marc Middleton PL AY E R S TAT S : //////// N A M E : M A R C M I D D L E TO N AG E : 6 9

To be fair, Growing Bolder’s own Marc Middleton just got his start in game streaming, but he’s enjoying every second of it.

In fact, he’ll be participating in GB’s first intergenerational gaming tournament this June on our new streaming channel on Twitch. If you’re interested in participating or just want to watch the BolderX Among Us Intergenerational, find out the details at growingbolder.com/bolderx.

GO TO GAME: AMONG US

Twitch: twitch.tv/growingbolder

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Esports Gaming

Comes of Age Dr. Vonda Wright, M.D.

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//////// I have a confession to make, and it may be an opinion you share as well.

About 10 years ago, when I started thinking about esports, I spoke publicly about the fact that it was going to be the demise of our children, with increased sitting in the basement, eating pizza and getting yelled at by their parents. Then, I decided to do what I suggest to my patients and my own children—let my curious brain do a deeper dive.

Esports gaming is not new. The first tournaments of digital play took place more than 30 years ago. However, they were hidden in the ivory towers of academia and ultimately crowded arcades and basements.

As digital technology expanded, games became more sophisticated and accessible.

Esports, once solely considered a hobby and frequent source of parental angst, has come of age and driven esports into the mainstream of sports and entertainment. It is a robust $1.4 billion industry fueled by the passion of the players, worldwide participation, corporate sponsorships and big prize money.

Esports has rapidly evolved from the basement to the classroom, as states recognize esports as a high school varsity sport, more than 30 colleges offer scholarships for competitive play and corporate and athletic giants take their place in the gaming arena by fielding teams.

I also realized that for youth, (I’ll get to adults in a minute), who do not participate in traditional sports, life can be isolating and lonely. We glorify sports in this nation.

I’m a sports doctor, so I know how huge a role they play in our culture. When I looked deeper at esports, I started seeing the benefits, and acknowledgement of benefits turned into fascination and respect.

Esports engage players’ imaginations, creativity, strategic thinking and, yes, their bodies. Plus, it provides strong social connections and an opportunity to feel pride in achieving victory and advancement. These are powerful components of a person’s overall health and well-being.

Much like traditional sports, in gaming, the perceived indestructability of youth, the pleasure and profit of winning, as well as the pressure to become legends, drives players and teams alike toward short-term goals—often with a blind eye to the athlete’s long-term sustainability, health or well-being.

Illustration: Anastasiaromb Via Getty Images

I am thrilled that Growing Bolder has embraced gaming, and I’m so excited about the upcoming BolderX Among Us Tournament on June 10. (More on page 80). I’m now so passionate about esports that my team of sports clinicians harnessed the resources and methods we devote to traditional athletes to design some of the first-in-thecountry comprehensive sports medicine prevention programs for gamers. We help them maximize performance while minimizing the career-ending overuse injuries gamers encounter. The multiple joint and body system injuries they experience, such as tendon and back injuries, can be addressed through physical training, ergonomic design, smart nutrition and sleep restoration.

Traditionally, gamers were primarily teens or people in their 20s, but that’s rapidly changing. That’s a good thing. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the critical health need for older adults to socialize. Gaming and esports not only provide that opportunity to anyone wherever they live but also support neurodevelopment and slow cognitive decline.

Here’s what I love best about esports: It's the perfect opportunity to bring together people from different generations. When an older person engages in a game with a younger person, it puts them on an equal playing field.

Many times, teenagers think they have nothing in common with someone over 50 years old, but gaming allows them to speak the same language.

Plus, esports provides strong mental stimulation through complex activities that help stave off the fogginess that can occur with aging. Gaming involves complex eyehand coordination; and if you're walking around with your game, it requires total body movement.

Gaming levels the playing field in ways previously unimagined and provides us an opportunity to connect with our children and grandchildren. Frankly, we should be thankful for gaming for giving us that opportunity.

Dr. Vonda Wright, MD is an orthopedic surgeon, an internationally recognized expert on active aging and a regular contributor to Growing Bolder. Learn more at DrVondaWright.com and follow her on social media at @DrVondaWright.

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Growing Bolder Channel Marc Middleton

Introducing a new way to meet, play, discuss, listen Do you Twitch? Growing Bolder does, and we’re not alone. Thanks in part to the pandemic, Twitch, the world’s No. 1 live streaming platform, had explosive growth in 2020 with more than 17 billion hours watched. That’s 83% higher than 2019, according to research from StreamElements.

Gaming still makes up the largest percentage of Twitch content; but non-gaming content is exploding, with the Music and Performing Arts category up 385% and the Just Chatting category up 138%. There are now live streaming shows on cooking, yoga and just about any other topic you can imagine.

The only thing missing is you.

The average age of active users on Twitch is 21 years old, with 76% of viewers between the ages of 18 and 49.

And that’s where we come in.

Growing Bolder believes that streaming has the potential to become

one of the most powerful socialization and community building platforms for older adults that’s ever been created. The technology has improved dramatically; and the learning curve is quick and easy, making Twitch and its content accessible to everyone.

That’s why we’ve launched the Growing Bolder channel on Twitch, where we’ll bring together creators, makers and influencers from different generations to discuss their shared passions, whether its gaming, music, art, cooking, running.

You name it—we’re going to stream it.

If you want to have fun, we’re there for it. If you want to get serious, let’s talk. Social issues, racial inequality, sexuality, meditation, motivation, fitness or finance—the Growing Bolder channel streams with thought-provoking intergenerational conversation. If you want to learn how to stream your own show, we’ll help.

The Growing Bolder channel on Twitch features live episodes of “Growing Bolder Now,” inspirational Emmy Award-winning features and live special events, such as BOLDER X social gaming and esports competitions.

That’s right, we’re getting into gaming and esports as well, because we believe that both should be part of the media landscape for older adults. They’re not only fun, research proves that they’re also good for our health, helping prevent social isolation and cognitive decline.

We’re in the stereotype-smashing business, and we’re smashing a couple of big ones with our new Growing Bolder Channel on Twitch. Come watch, listen, comment, play and participate. Just go to Twitch.tv/GrowingBolder. All you have to do is try, because that’s Growing Bolder.

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I S N OW O N

Visit Growing Bolder’s channel on the world’s largest livestreaming video site. Enjoy intergenerational content on a variety of engaging topics such as music, gaming, social issues and more! twitch.tv/GrowingBolder

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Florida Blue and Florida Blue Medicare are Independent Licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or gender. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-352-2583 (TTY: 1-877-955-8773). ATANSYON: Si w pale Kreyòl Ayisyen, gen sèvis èd pou lang ki disponib gratis pou ou. Rele 1-800-352-2583 (TTY: 1-800-955-8770). © 2020 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc., DBA Florida Blue.

All rights reserved.

Y0011_35116_C 0520 C: 05/2020 Y0011_35116_C 0520 EGWP C: 05/2020

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Being able to breathe, is a feeling that you want to rejoice instantly.

At 70, Ed Henry lived through a double lung transplant. Today he’s back to work, in the gym, and looks forward to his morning walk at sunrise — a daily reminder of a new beginning. He thanks his donor, his surgeons, and his Florida Blue Nurse Care Manager, who helped get him liquid oxygen when he didn’t know where to turn, which kept him alive until he could get the double lung transplant.

“Florida Blue has carried me through the last year and I know they have my back.”

— Ed Henry

See more stories at floridablue.com/ storiesofstrength

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INTUITION MEETS NUTRITION 954 Days without lupus Jane Harrison

Wake up. Brew coffee. Open blinds. I was thinking back to 2016 when I heard my doctor say, “You have lupus.”

The shock left me half-hearing the words that followed: "Serious. Autoimmune. Long-term."

But fast forward, and today I’ve been lupus-free for almost three years. No signs, no symptoms, no meds.

Skeptics might say, “You can’t get rid of lupus.” I wanted to defy the odds. This is how I did it.

First, I broke the news to Leigh, a bestie, a holistic healer and an occupational therapist.

"Well, it's time to get to work," she said.

Those words were code for: Find your grit. Do your research. Make a plan. Kick some lupus ass.

If I had proceeded like most, I would have followed the doctor's orders and been on medication for the rest of my life. Instead, I spent a few weeks devouring everything I could find on autoimmune diseases and lupus. Funny, Jennifer Aniston's well-publicized quote summed up so much of what I learned: “Stop eating s**t.”

Or, put another way, "There is almost universal agreement among scientists and physicians that the

environmental toxins and chemicals to which we are increasingly exposed are interfering with the immune system's ability to distinguish self from non-self," wrote Douglas Kerr, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of neurology, molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

True, we're exposed to both internal and external toxins and chemicals. But, the more I read, the more I understood that these diseases are caused by inflammation, which in large part is caused by diet and stress. This gave me confidence that I had some control over the outcome.

I also came to realize that I had been disrespecting my body. It was time to start using food as medicine. Enter Team Jane.

Step one was to establish a group of trusted health and wellness professionals. I already had Leigh Muro, a registered occupational therapist. How lucky I am to have someone so informed who cares about me. Next, I added Dr. Daofang Li, a genius acupuncturist who was once named one of China's top 10 super doctors. Add to that Warrior One Yoga -- more than a studio, a tribe of caring yogis. I also

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discovered a talented massage therapist who I nicknamed “Kevin-Rhymes-with-Heaven.” Lastly, I included the best rheumatologist ever, Dr. Gary Sladek. His office wall is covered with “Top Doctor” type magazine covers, and we share the belief that healthcare is more than just prescribing medicine. Dr. Sladek still won't admit that I had lupus, and now I don't.

I also followed the teachings of Dr. Mark Hyman and implemented Dr. Andrew Weil's anti-inflammation diet.

I made a plan. The short version: No sun, no fake food, no alcohol.

Why no sun? My specific form of lupus is called cutaneous. Tragically, it attacks the skin and hair. I was under strict orders to stay out of the sun for nine months. I even had to retint my car windows to make them darker. I only ate what came from Mother Nature. No processed anything. And no alcohol for almost a year. On the weekend, I would make cookie sheets full of roasted vegetables, a habit I continue today. I became a Yin Yoga addict. This type of slow, deep stretching is known for its detoxing and stress-reducing powers.

Illustration: Anastasiia Boriagina Via Getty Images

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Summer 2021

While I was on Plaquenil, which helped with hair loss, I vowed to become medication-free.

Lastly, I did my inner work. My mantra was: “Purge the dull ache of dysfunction." It’s natural to numb or blunt our feelings to get through a stressful time. But a commitment to fully feel our emotions is some of the most important work we can do. Wellness is being completely alive. On some level, we know when something is toxic or when someone makes us even slightly angry, hurt or frightened. I learned to pay more attention to these feelings and then act. Today, I address hurtful comments or eliminate a negative person, place or thing in my life.

Looking back, I see my illness as a gift. It forced me to stop taking my health for granted. I hope my story convinces even those without a diagnosis to do what I did: “Stop eating s**t” and take the road less traveled.

Editor’s Note: Always consult with your physician before beginning a diet or exercise program. Do not change or stop taking medications without consulting your physician.

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"My go-to answer to any malady or problem is always movement.

Just get up and keep moving, and that’s what I plan on doing."

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Issue No. 46

Meet the Johnstons Story by Marc Middleton Photography by Mike Dunn for Growing Bolder

Joe and Janet Johnston recently completed what may be the world’s most unusual home addition for a couple in their 70s—OK, for any couple of any age.

The Johnstons, both retired teachers living on a fixed income, added a 5,000-square foot pole vaulting room onto their 1,800-square foot home.

It’s a serious upgrade from the covered pit, dubbed the “Joe Dome,” that sits in their side yard. The initial plan was to tear down the Joe Dome and replace it with a pole-vaulting building on the same footprint. But the county code would allow only an additional 1,000 square foot building on their property.

The Johnstons were advised that a variance request would be a waste of time and waste of the $650 dollar hearing fee. Undaunted, they paid the fee and Joe made his plea. He also asked a few friends to attend the hearing and speak to the value that the Johnstons have brought to young athletes over years, by offering free pit time and coaching to anyone wanting to learn or improve.

“They made it sound like I was Mother Theresa trying to build a church,” Joe recalled.

As expected, the zoning board denied the Johnstons’ request. But with a wink and an obvious desire to help these good people continue their good deeds, they informed Joe that he could expand the house by 5,000 square feet. In other words, call the building a room, attach it to their house and let the pole vaulting begin.

And that’s exactly what Joe did. He spent two years building a 5,000 square-foot pole vaulting room, with a 100-foot runway and a 17-foot ceiling. How many people told him he was crazy?

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“I don’t keep a record of that,” he said.

The Johnstons definitely aren’t crazy, but both will plead guilty to being passionately optimistic.

“We’re at the age that we’ve got more behind us than ahead of us,” 77-yearold Joe said. “So, I do a lot of reflecting. It may be an affliction, this optimistic thing, but it has served me well. I don’t pay attention to the notion that we’re supposed to be taking it easy and declining by the day. I’ve been flat on my face before and got back up. I reckon I can do it again. My go-to answer to any malady or problem is always movement. Just get up and keep moving, and that’s what I plan on doing.”

Janet shares the same glass-half-full view.

“You can choose to look at everything in a positive light or not,” she observed.

“Abraham Lincoln said, ‘Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.’ I think that’s true. We just make up our minds to be happy, and we are.”

There is one big change for Janet, who can no longer look out of her kitchen window into a large tree-covered backyard. Always looking for the bright side, she said, “Now I can fold clothes and watch Joe pole vault.”

And she doesn’t just watch. Janet, 74, is also a pole vaulter. She doesn’t have quite the competitive resume of Joe, who is a multiple-age group, world-record holder. But she did take home a gold medal at the World Masters Championships in Sacramento a few years back.

“I like the confidence that comes from learning a new skill,” she said. “If you’re willing to stretch yourself, you can learn a lot more than you think. Right now, I’m learning to swim the butterfly.”

If you think Joe and Janet are wealthy, think again. They’re retired teachers living on a fixed income.

“I’m a filthy rich man, but I ain’t got much money.” Joe explained. “I have wonderful things in my life that I deeply appreciate, and that makes me rich. I stumbled onto my soulmate many years ago and somehow managed to marry her.

She thinks I’m everything that I aspire to be.”

What he aspires to be on a daily basis is active. Joe is up by 6 a.m. most mornings; and if he’s not in the pole-vaulting room, you can find him climbing the rafters and swinging from ropes in the old Joe Dome, which still stands in the side yard.

“It’s now basically a ninja warrior playhouse,” he said.

What 77-year-old doesn’t have one of those?

OPLEL

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If you’re willing to stretch yourself, you can learn a lot more than you think.

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Issue No. 46

Fill your life with experiences, not things.

Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.

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A Hand-Up From homelessness to advocacy George Diaz

David Williams bought a 2012 Chevy last November.

It’s a comfortable ride, but his preferred method of transportation is a bicycle.

He rides with a purpose along downtown Orlando, looking for lost and lonely souls down on their luck. He knows them well. He was one of them once upon a time.

There are second chances in life that come at you unexpectedly. Williams might still be walking the streets of Orlando, homeless, without much purpose, had there not been some fortuitous connections along the way.

But those second chances also require active participation and a willingness to overcome. Williams is now a walking billboard for the power of perseverance in his role as a “Downtown Ambassador” for the City of Orlando.

“I never looked for a hand-up,” he said. “But once I got a hand-up, I reached back to bring another one up. That's what I drive myself to live by.”

Williams, who turned 60 in January, spent 14 years as a homeless man in Orlando, most of them in the woods within a 3-acre radius of woods off John Young Parkway. A former Army veteran, Williams lost his way after leaving the military.

He bounced from job to job, dealing with worsening mental and physical problems, including bipolar disorder and lupus.

But Williams made a fortuitous stop one day in 2015 inside a hall at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, where Andrae Bailey, then CEO of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, was speaking to hundreds of people.

Williams introduced himself after the meeting. Bailey, who became a Pied Piper of sorts, trying to rally the community in the fight to address chronic homelessness, made Williams one of his priorities.

“You are my problem now,” he told him. “In a good way.”

Serendipity. It was exactly the hand-up Williams needed.

Bailey was able to get stable housing for Williams and even gave him a job doing homeless outreach for the Commission. In 2018, Williams became a community resource officer, a perfect fit for his skill set and personal experience.

He makes frequent stops to interact with the homeless, giving them advice on a range of services from free meals to finding a suitable shelter to stay overnight.

“Day in and day out, I run across people; and I see some part of me in them,” Williams said. “And so, it drives me to want to talk to the organizations with resources, to see what we can do as a community. I know one thing is that we'll never end homelessness, but we can take one at a time and make a difference.”

Life still brings challenges. Three loved ones, including his only sister, have died from COVID-19. He is there to help and educate on the COVID front, handing out personal protection equipment and hand sanitizers. He also understands that one man is not going to solve chronic homelessness in Orlando.

"I know one thing is that we'll never end homelessness, but we can take one at a time and make a difference."

But David Williams is there for anyone looking for a handup. He knows too well how much of a difference that can make in one’s life.

“This is who I am,” he said. “This is what I do. I'm about helping somebody.”

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Pets—How they help us live happier, healthier lives

Doris Bloodsworth

Healing power The American Heart Association reported pet ownership, particularly dog ownership tends to reduce risk for cardiovascular diseases. These findings are especially significant given the fact that heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. Some of their findings include: → B lood pressure decreased significantly in a patient group that adopted dogs. → A large-scale study reported lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels for pet owners. Another study linked non-dog ownership with an increase in diabetes. → Dog owners tended to be less obese, due to increased physical activity. → One study showed dog ownership decreased the mortality of cardiovascular recurrence by four times.

Maureen Hatcher was alone when she fell face first in her St. Augustine home from a stroke. Her Labrador Retriever, Sadie, came immediately; and Hatcher told the dog, “Mommy needs help.” A home security video shows Sadie and Bella, Hatcher’s other Lab, running out the front door.

Moments later, they returned with a neighbor who dialed 911. Jacksonville doctors removed a blood clot that was cutting off blood to Hatcher’s brain. Sadie’s quick action is credited with preventing permanent brain damage.

Zev, a retired Air Force veteran and neurosurgeon, and his wife, Judy, adopted a 2-year-old rescue dog named Benji on New Year’s Day 2020. A few months later, the couple were among the first to be diagnosed with COVID-19 in Palm Beach County. Zev credits Benji with helping the retirees recover. By walking the dog and playing fetch, the couple gained back their stamina.

Stories showcasing heroic and therapeutic benefits of pet ownership are by no means rare. In fact, researchers have discovered that owning a pet can have many benefits, including lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing stress and risk of depression and improving long-term survival after a heart attack.

It seems Fido really is man’s—and woman’s— best friend.

While canines seem to be “top dog” when it comes to health benefits for pet owners, cats and other household pets also contribute positively to our quality of life.

While increased physical activity likely plays a role, other experts say a contributing factor could be pet owners’ reporting improved mood and emotional state. The journal “Science” reported that oxytocin, the body’s feel-good chemical, is boosted when humans even look into the eyes of dogs.

But what about cats?

For some older adults, and others with mobility challenges, a cat could be the “purrfect” pet. Cats also confer healthy benefits. Cat owners report lower stress and anxiety. A 10-year study found that cat owners were 30% less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than non-pet owners. Cats also are believed to help reduce allergies and help increase immunity due to pollen, grass and other outdoor elements felines bring into the house.

And for insomniacs, there’s more good news. A British poll found that women slept better with their cats than with their partners!

Researchers found that pets can aid people going through cancer therapy, not only providing comfort but a motivation to get better. Additionally, researchers detected improved oxygen saturation levels of their pet-owning patients.

Even Florence Nightingale, the 19th century social reformist and nurse, advocated for chronically ill patients having “a small pet” for a better sense of well-being.

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Older pet owners Trinity, an 8-year-old black Labrador Retriever mix, was rescued and up for adoption. Shelter workers warned 92-year-old James that the dog was sweet and gentle but could not see that well. Not a problem, James assured them.

“We have something in common,” he said with a smile.

Older people may be the biggest beneficiaries of owning a pet, and a University of Michigan national poll shows 55% of Americans age 5080 own at least one. Most participants said pets made aging feel “easier, both physically and mentally.”

Dr. Alice Pomidor, a professor of geriatrics at Florida State University College of Medicine, agrees.

“Loneliness in and of itself is a hazard to your health,” Pomidor said. “Lonely people have greater rates of chronic disease.”

While some experts say people are never too old to own a pet, others say aging may bring special challenges when it comes to pet ownership. Reduced mobility, hospitalization and other factors may require special considerations, even for the most avid pet lovers.

Tips for older pet owners For older people with mobility or balance issues, pets, and their bedding, toys and food bowls, can present a tripping hazard. Large, rambunctious dogs may be too much to handle safely on a walk. As one expert put it, “Dogs have to be walked, but some dogs can walk you!”

Another concern: Some people on a limited pension may find that food and veterinarian bills are prohibitive.

Still, if you love animals, many experts say there are ways to keep them in your life. Here are some tips: → I nstead of a dog, consider a cat, bird or even fish. → Be sure to have a backup plan for pet care in case you face a sudden health crisis that may require hospitalization. Make sure a friend or family member is aware of the plan. → Consider the breed of the dog. Smaller dogs may be easier to handle. Recommended breeds include Bichon Frise, French Bulldog, Maltese and Corgi.

Rescue shelters can also provide ideal companions. In Manatee County, Florida, the local Humane Society created Senior for Seniors, a program that promotes the emotional and health benefits of owning an older dog or cat to adults 65 years and older. Adoption fees are waived.

“We believe matching a senior pet with a senior citizen enhances the lives of both the animal and human,” said Rick Yocum, executive director of the Humane Society.

They won’t get an argument from Maureen Hatcher, the St. Augustine stroke victim.

“By rights, I shouldn’t be in the shape that I’m in,” Hatcher said gratefully, with Bella and Sadie sitting at her feet. “I am blessed, very blessed.”

Doggy medical detectives Doris Bloodsworth

Dogs are super sleuths at detecting cancer, diabetes and even COVID-19, according to “Scientific American.” Dogs have even been known to alert their owners to oncoming seizures.

Just how they do so is not fully understood. But what is known is that a dog’s nose is a million times more sensitive than a human nose; and 35% of a dog’s brain is devoted to smelling, compared to 5% for humans.

There are numerous accounts of dogs alerting their owners to a medical problem by continually sniffing at one body area; sudden, repeated barking or even trying to lick or chew off a cancerous lesion.

Training a dog to be a medical detector can take up to 18 months. Certain breeds are better suited for this work, such as German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Setters, Poodles and Pomeranians.

Scientists are working to try to replicate this canine superpower. Researchers say recent breakthroughs with artificial intelligence software that duplicates dogs' success in detecting certain cancers may soon be available to anyone with a smart phone.

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Earth was created for all of us, not some of us.

-Anthony Douglas Williams

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Download the GB Streaming App Search for Growing Bolder in the app store on your device and soak up our inspirational content anytime of day or night.

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EMOTIONAL RESIDUE Kay Van Norman

Search the term “emotional residue,” and you’ll find scientific studies about whether strong emotions in a physical space can be detected by others—even after the person feeling the emotion is no longer there.

The whole concept of “bad vibes” appears to have some scientific basis. Neurology studies suggest that the nervous system can detect chemical signals lingering in space from strong emotions, such as fear, disgust and happiness.

My definition centers on how personal interactions can leave positive or negative “residue” that impacts people’s well-being. It stems from a lunch with my 95-year-old grandmother. My aunt, (her daughter), joined us and things took a turn for the worse.

My aunt’s criticisms, “You spilled on your shirt,” “Turn up your hearing aid,” “You remembered that wrong,” had a profound effect. Despite my protests, I watched Grandma absorb this negative energy and become more unsure of herself. By the end of lunch, she struggled to walk the three blocks home that had been an easy stroll just an hour before.

I’ve observed similar scenes with others during my 30-year career in healthy aging.

The emotional residue you project and absorb can directly impact well-being.

You’ve likely experienced emotional residue when you’ve seen someone coming down the sidewalk and thought, “Oh, good!” or if you made an abrupt turn to avoid an interaction.

You understand it when you are around someone that always leaves you feeling good or feeling awkward.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

I agree. Recognizing negative emotional residue can help you consciously refuse to give consent.

Interactions without negative intent, but laced with negative stereotypes of aging, pose a different challenge. An example: I once observed 80-year-old Phyllis deflect unintended negative emotional residue while seated in the entrance to a senior living community. Several people greeted her with, “How are you today?” in a patronizing tone of voice. One woman added, “Did you have the nice apple pie today?” Phyllis smiled and said, “No, I was in a meeting with the rest of the board members discussing an expansion plan for the community; but I bet if you ask in the kitchen, they’ll make sure you get a piece!”

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“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

E L E A N O R R O O S E V E LT

Emotional Residue impacts perceptions Research demonstrates how perceptions can impact health. One of the earliest studies, dubbed “Counterclockwise,” was conducted in 1979 by Dr. Ellen Langer of Yale University. She placed two groups of men from nursing homes into carefully constructed environments for two weeks. The control group spent time reminiscing about what their lives were like 20 years earlier. The test group lived as if it were 20 years ago. Their environment was like stepping back in time, including the TV shows, clothes they wore and even topics of discussion. The research assistants treated these men like they would someone who was 20 years younger.

The men in the test group demonstrated improved strength, mobility, cognition and vision. Langer concluded that by expecting independence, and not engaging with them as “old people,” the men felt differently, which in-turn had an impact on them biologically.

Hundreds of studies followed with similar results. Current studies are exploring if positive perceptions can be harnessed to influence diseases, such as cancer and diabetes.

Consider your personal interactions. If they’re overwhelmingly positive, then you’re on the right track! If you’re experiencing a large share of negative interactions, then it’s time to consider what “vibe” you bring to relationships—at home, at work or in your community. Consider how that vibe impacts your experience and the experience of others.

If you’re having a bad day, do you tend to pass it on, leaving a negative emotional residue in your wake? Or do you make a conscious choice to treat others kindly regardless of what frustrations you’re feeling?

Examining the role emotional residue plays in your life can reveal if it supports or diminishes your ability to cultivate social experiences that contribute to lifelong vitality.

If you’re having a bad day, do you tend to pass it on, leaving a negative emotional residue in your wake?

Or do you make a conscious choice to treat others kindly regardless of what frustrations you’re feeling?

For further information, explore studies by Drs. Ellen Langer, Becca Levy, Victor Strecher and Elizabeth Blackburn.

For resources and strategies, visit my website kayvannorman.com.

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OLDER AND BOLDER Dispelling ageist myths in the workplace Carl Honoré

Not long ago, a man named Emile Ratelband marched into a court in the Netherlands and demanded the right to change his birthdate. Although he was 69 years old, he wanted to be 49—at least on paper.

Why erase two decades of his life? One reason, he told the judge, was to boost his chances of landing a job.

Though the media poked fun at him, Ratelband had a point. In a culture enthralled with youth, being older can mean being written off. These days, the word “old” is so toxic that Dame Judi Dench banned its use in her home.

When you type, “I lie about my…” into Google Search, “age” is the first response that comes up.

Ageism is especially rife in the workplace. Older employees are often passed over for promotion, discarded first in hard times or fobbed off with unfulfilling work. Job interviews are harder to come by after you hit middle age.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg once said, “Young people are just smarter.”

But is that true? Are older workers a burden? Is the aging population a one-way ticket to plummeting productivity, dwindling innovation and the end of entrepreneurship?

The answer to all three questions is a resounding, “No.”

During the industrial era, putting older workers out to pasture made sense because factory jobs are harder to perform with an older body. But the world has changed.

For a start, we are staying healthy longer. Today, gerontologists report that the average 65-year-old is in

better shape than ever before. At the same time, brawn counts less in the modern workplace. What matters now is brainpower, which in many ways increases as we grow older.

Aging boosts our ability to see the big picture and weigh multiple points of view. When tackling problems in a familiar field, we get better at spotting the patterns and details that open the door to finding a solution.

Companies with suggestion boxes report that older staff generate more good ideas, with the best ones often coming from people 55 and older.

Harvard University researchers concluded that four key skills—arithmetic, vocabulary, general knowledge and a grasp of how the world works—do not ripen fully until around the age of 50.

Creativity is certainly not confined to young people.

History is studded with artists, from Michelangelo and Matisse to Beethoven and Bach, doing triumphantly creative work in later life. Momofuku Ando invented the instant noodle in his late 40s, Benjamin Franklin was 74 when he invented bifocals and Thomas Edison filed patents until his death at the age of 84. Today, John Goodenough is reinventing rechargeable batteries in his 90s.

Maya Angelou was right when she said, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

It helps that the world is changing in ways that favor those with more mileage. Many disciplines have matured to the point where future breakthroughs will be made by mastering multiple domains and building upon work done

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by others. That means relying on two things only aging can confer: time and experience. No wonder Nobel science laureates are having their eureka moments later in life.

Aging also can make us more socially adroit. We often get better at reading people, cooperating, negotiating, putting ourselves in others’ shoes, finding compromises and resolving conflicts. That’s why productivity rises with age in jobs that rely on social smarts.

Bottom line: The phrase “finished at 40” is nothing more than weapons-grade nonsense. As Peter Cappelli, professor of management at the Wharton School, puts it: “Every aspect of job performance gets better as we age.”

This even holds true when it comes to entrepreneurship.

A study of the 2.7 million new businesses formed in the United States, between 2007 and 2014, reached a conclusion to gladden the heart of anybody on the “wrong” side of 40. Researchers stated: “We find no evidence to suggest that founders in their 20s are especially likely to succeed. Rather, all evidence points to founders being especially successful when starting businesses in middle age or beyond.”

So, who’s smarter now, “Zuck?”

Let’s not get carried away. Aging does take a toll.

Older brains are often slower to retrieve certain memories, absorb information and solve math-based problems.

Yet even that is no bar to thriving in the modern workplace. Why? Because most jobs involve multiple forms of cognition, meaning the older brain can use its strengths—such as greater accuracy—to make up for any speed deficit.

One example: In a survey of typists 19-72 years old, researchers found older people typed more slowly yet finished assignments as swiftly as their younger peers. How? They did so by looking further ahead in the text and therefore made fewer mistakes.

As the old military adage goes, “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.”

The truth is that the biggest challenge in the workplace is not aging but ageism.

How can we meet that challenge? Honesty is a good starting point. Lying about your age gives the number a power it does not deserve and reinforces the canard that younger is always better.

Instead, own your age—then go out there and show the world what you can do.

And that is more or less the advice the Dutch court gave Ratelband when rejecting his plea for a new birthdate.

Ezra Bailey Via Getty Images

Carl Honoré is London-based bestselling author and popular TED speaker. His latest book, Bolder: How to Age Better and Feel Better About Aging, confronts ageism across the various stages of life. Learn more at carlhonore.info

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Issue No. 46

A CALL FOR

Unity

TIMOTHY SHRIVER

Photo: Richard Corman

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In Every Issue

Summer 2021

THE TAKEAWAY

This sense of being united is not just an abstract thing. It is a concrete manifestation of the inner heart that has each of us reaching out across all our divisions: racial, social, economic and political.

Timothy Shriver, Ph.D.

How many of us run away from pain? It's something we all do.

How many of us right now are in pain? I’m sorry to say that millions of our brothers and sisters in this country and around the world are in pain. We are all facing difficult decisions and uncertainty. We are dealing with anger—feeling excluded and invisible. It's a pain we don’t show on the outside but one that runs deep within. It’s the kind of pain that can only be relieved by support, empathy and opportunity.

When we run away from pain, we run toward each other. Doesn’t that seem to be what we’re doing? You don’t hear about it, certainly don’t read about it, but you can see it if you look. We are coming together, leaning on each other, lifting each other. When we go toward each other's pain, we actually discover the tender, compassionate, strong sense that we are more together than we are apart.

It's the basis for a growing sense of unity.

I'm crazy enough to think that it is the biggest story emerging in our country right now. The problem is that unity just doesn't get any play. What does get play is hatred.

What does get play is outrage. What does get play is violence.

You and I both understand why. But a sense of unity is building. It is growing. It’s an important story and one that we are all hungry to hear.

This sense of being united is not just an abstract thing.

It is a concrete manifestation of the inner heart that has each of us reaching out across all our divisions: racial, social, economic and political.

I’m not saying that people are starting to agree on everything. What I am saying is more of us are beginning to listen to each other and to hearing each other. Don’t you feel that listening deepens our wisdom and our understanding?

Listening is the best way to come to terms with our own opinions and beliefs. Listening is how we have always advanced our principles. It never happens through hatred and distrust. Hatred does not change minds and does not change people, and I think deep down we all know that.

I do think people are looking for a sense of oneness, realizing there must be a better way than racism, classism and sexism, a better way than the loss of virtue and faith.

People are realizing both sides have an argument. Both sides are asking good questions. It’s time now to bring the best of our ideas together. We can build a future with greater justice and more joy. It's there. It's emerging. It's in front of us. We won’t find it in hate, but we will find it in unity.

Timothy Shriver holds a doctorate in education and is a disability rights advocate, CEO of UNITE and author of “Call to Unite: Voices of Hope and Awakening.” He is the son of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics, and Sargent Shriver, founder of the Peace Corps.

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MEDICARE

Make Medicare an opportunity to live BOLDER.

SO MUCH MORE!

Go to growingbolder.com/Medicare to download your free, easy to understand guide to Medicare To to speak to a representative call 1-844-396-2579.

Florida Blue and Florida Blue Medicare are Independent Licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or gender. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800- 352-2583 (TTY: 1-877-955-8773). ATANSYON: Si w pale Kreyòl Ayisyen, gen sèvis èd pou lang ki disponib gratis pou ou. Rele 1-800-352-2583 (TTY: 1-800-955-8770). ©2021 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. DBA Florida Blue. All rights reserved.

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