Mar 21, 2022
“Once you label me you negate me”. (Soren Kiekegard)
"If you’re alive, you’re aging. It’s as simple as that" (Jeanette Leardi)
A number of recent episodes on Growing Older
Living Younger have focused on real and perceived judgments
and discrimination on the basis of age, gender, ethnicity and
ability, which leads me to agree somewhat with the quote from
Kierkegard. As soon as we lose sight of the individual, and instead see
only the wrinkles and grey hair, the cane or the wheelchair, skin
color or clothing, and "label" them we negate the wholeness of that person.
I
discuss this with my guest today, who was inspired by her decade
of experiences as the primary caregiver to both of her parents, to
make her encore career goals to change perceptions about the aging
process. She helps people appreciate elders’ inherent dignity,
wisdom, and unique value as mentors and catalysts for social
change.
Jeanette
Leardi is a social gerontologist, community educator, writer,
editor, public speaker, and aging wellness leader. She has a
master’s degree with honors in English from Rutgers University and
a graduate certificate in gerontology from the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte.
Jeanette is passionate about older adult
empowerment. She finds special personal fulfillment helping
Boomers and older generations identify and share their wisdom with
others, through her publications, presentations and
classes in journaling, spiritual writing, memoir writing, brain
fitness, health literacy, ageism, intergenerational communication,
creativity, and caregiver support to people of all ages.
Her publishing experiences include positions
at Newsweek, Life, People, Condé Nast Traveler, and Sesame Street
magazines and The Charlotte Observer.
Our conversation leads us through her early
work in creating educational materials for children to her present
work in aging. We discuss similarities and differences
in age discrimination from other kinds of
discrimination (racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia). She shares
the different workshops she has developed
to promote healthy aging.
Contact Jeanette
Leardi
Email: jeanette@jeanetteleardi.com
Website: www.jeanetteleardi.com
Contact Dr.
Gillian Lockitch
Schedule a Living
Younger Discovery call with me at https://calendly.com/askdrgill/discovery-phone-chat
Order your copy of Growing Older Living Younger: The Science of Aging Gracefully and The Art of Retiring Comfortably at www,gillianlockitch.com