Jane Leder
Podcaster. Author. Blogger

Welcome to JaneLeder.net
I’ve been many things in more than seven decades: a self-assured little girl, a “good girl,” (Yes, a “bad” girl too), a student, a teacher, a dancer (well, an aspiring dancer in my next lifetime), a wife and mother, a single parent, a publicist, a TV assistant producer, an author, a blogger, and, most recently, the host of the podcast, “Older Women & Friends.” Podcasting has sparked my creativity once again and helped make this time of my life one of the most joyous and fulfilling.
Listen to Select Episodes

Award-winning author Jane Leder and guests take a deep dive into the joys and challenges of being an older woman. “Older Women & Friends” is a podcast that sets the record straight, dispels the myths, explores the many contributions older women make and the wisdom they have earned and are anxious to share. Add a sense of humor, and there are many reasons why older women are the happiest demographic in the country today.
“We don’t want to be younger versions of ourselves: We’ve worked too hard to get where we are today.”
“Aging is a process of living.” Guest Tracey Gendron, professor, author, and activist, reminds listeners that we don’t want to be younger versions of ourselves: We’ve worked too hard to get where we are today. However, the way we learn about aging is filled with misconceptions. We’ve never learned the truth; instead, we think of aging as a process of physical decline and don’t look at the “growth part.” Yes, Tracey says, loss and decline are real. There’s no getting around that. But so is change and growth. Research shows that as we age, we tend to focus on things that make us feel better, and we are much more able to “prune” the relationships and things that are not working for us. It’s part of the wisdom we gain. We understand that we’ve wasted a lot of time on people who don’t give us joy. “The world gets smaller but richer because it is filled with people and things we love.””Older Women & Friends” is richer with Tracey as this episode’s guest.Her book, Ageism Unmasked, has garnered oodles of praise like this:“This book is a must-read for anyone who is aging — and that is every one of us! “Jill Vitale-Aussem, author of Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Livinghttps://www.traceygendron.com/homeAgeism Unmasked: Exploring Age Bias and How to End It– https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/700435/ageism-unmasked-by-tracey-gendron/9781586423223/OR wherever you buy books


Award-winning author Jane Leder and guests take a deep dive into the joys and challenges of being an older woman. “Older Women & Friends” is a podcast that sets the record straight, dispels the myths, explores the many contributions older women make and the wisdom they have earned and are anxious to share. Add a sense of humor, and there are many reasons why older women are the happiest demographic in the country today.
What can grandparents do to foster a strong relationship? How can a grandparent be the GEO, Grand Parent Officer?
Are you a grandparent who will spend time with your grandchildren, particularly around the holidays? If not, how will you share and engage with your grandchildren from a distance at any time of year?
There are 47 million grandparents in the United States, with an average age of 67. This may be a surprise: 71 percent of grandparents are still working. So, what can these grandparents do to nurture the relationship? How can they engage? How can a grandparent be the GEO, Grand Parent Officer?
Kerry Byrne is a researcher, collaborator, and entrepreneur in aging, care, and connection. She is the Founder of The Long Distance Grandparent, a mission-driven business, that helps grandparents build strong bonds with their grandchildren – no matter the distance between them.
There is so much to unpack in this episode of “Older Women & Friends.” Perhaps most important are the stories grandparents share, stories that show a grandparent facing challenges, floundering, and then succeeding. These stories are important for generations to come. Even if it seems as if a grandchild is not listening, she is.
Kerry outlines many things that a grandparent can do to foster and nurture a relationship that is beneficial for everyone. Among these suggestions is the over-arching importance of a grandchild feeling seen, heard, and listened to. There are many ways to accomplish this goal:
* Engage in what a grandchild does and your activities as well
* If you’re still working, share your job. Mail some selfies of you in the workplace. Text or write about some of the challenges.
* If you can’t be there for holidays like Thanksgiving, come up with a game like the Gratitude Game. (Listen to the episode to find out how the game is played.)
* Mention qualities of a grandchild that you admire: a good listener, a good friend, a good fill-in-the-blank.
* Relish your high-quality relationships and how your example creates a generation of less ageist generations.
Like any relationship, the one between grandparent and grandchild is a lot of work. You juggle not only that connection but the one with your children and your own. But the payoffs are worth the time, energy, and creativity.
You can assume your role as Grandparent Encouragement Officer (GEO) and create beautiful connections.
https://thelongdistancegrandparent.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thelongdistancegrandparent/p/CcQ-ryLLMj9/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-byrne-phd-20953528/?originalSubdomain=ca


Award-winning author Jane Leder and guests take a deep dive into the joys and challenges of being an older woman. “Older Women & Friends” is a podcast that sets the record straight, dispels the myths, explores the many contributions older women make and the wisdom they have earned and are anxious to share. Add a sense of humor, and there are many reasons why older women are the happiest demographic in the country today.
“I tell women all the time that embracing one’s authentic self in life takes time.
It is like peeling multiple layers of an onion,” said Clare. “You want to be the same person, no matter where you are.”
Clare Beckton grew up “very poor.” Her family lived in a three-room shack with no running water. What she understood early on was how power was wielded by her father, her brothers, and the men in the small farming community where she lived and how women got the short shaft. “I was a feminist at an early age,” Clare said. “I knew that I wanted to make a difference.”
There were no strong, self-assured female role models in Clare’s life. But she decided to go to law school, and with no money, she set out to win all the school awards and land a scholarship, which she did. Upon graduation, she was encouraged to go to graduate school in law and nabbed a teaching fellowship. Later on, she then spent twenty-three years in the Canadian Justice Department.
“I call this stage of life rewirement, not retirement,” Clare said. “I focus only on my passion for making a difference with women entrepreneurs and older women in the workplace.”
“I tell women all the time that embracing one’s authentic self in life–knowing who we are as a person– takes time, like peeling multiple layers of an onion,” said Clare. “You want to be the same person, no matter where you are.”
How do you connect with your authentic self? Clare offers many suggestions:
- Reconnect with your values. Consider what’s driving your life. If you’re out of alignment with the values of the work you’re doing, ask why you’re doing what you’re doing, and make any necessary changes.
- Seek feedback. Listen to what someone has to say. Even if the feedback is not what you’d hoped, learn from it.
- Reflection – Ask yourself what part you played in a situation that went wrong, and learn from your mistakes or misjudgments
- Acknowledge your successes. Celebrate.
- Network. Build connections. Understand how the system devalues your talents and skills, and collaborate with other women about strategies, experiences, and solutions.
- Show Up, Speak Up. Never lose your voice.
- Get up in the morning with a PURPOSE, a reason to look forward to the day.
“We live in a society that doesn’t value the wisdom of older people, particularly women,” said Clare. “Refuse to be invisible. Don’t be sidelined.
The title of Clare’s book says it all: Own It: Your Success, Your Future, Your Life.
https://www.amazon.com/Own-Your-Success-Future-Life/dp/1460252314 or wherever books are sold
https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarebeckton/
https://womensbusinessnetwork.ca/introducing-clare-beckton-honorary-bya-chair/
Check out Clare’s blogs on Huffington Post
Another great podcast to check out:
Aging With Purpose & Passion w/ host, Beverly Glazer
https://www.agingwithpurposeandpassion.com/
Email Bev@reinventImpossible.com
Website https://reinventimpossible.com/podcast
Website: https://www.agingwithpurposeandpassion.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverleyglazer/
https://www.facebook.com/beverley.glazer

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