“Aging is really scary when you’re looking at it from the outside. When you’re inside it, it’s not scary at all. You feel better.” - Jane Fonda
Part of what makes aging look so scary is that no one wants to talk about it, right? A new crop of podcasts is challenging that notion by putting conversations on aging front and center, with hosts, guests, and topics that finally feel relevant to our own experiences at this point in life.
Here are a few of our favorites to enjoy on a walk, a drive, or just around the house.
You know it’s going to be a fun one when the first episode features Jane Fonda. Nearly a year into its run, the incomparable host Julia Louis-Dreyfuss has welcomed an incredible lineup of guests including Diane von Furstenberg, Fran Leibowitz, and Amy Tan. The conversations are casual, funny, honest, and focused on aging – what it means for our work, family, creativity, relationships, and more.
A season 1 highlight was the finale – an interview with the absolute legend Carol Burnett.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: we need to talk about menopause! All too often, conversations about this universal experience for people with ovaries are whispered or shut down entirely. This podcast talks about all of it, openly – from hot flashes and vaginal atrophy – through interviews with menopause experts. And the episodes are not just for those of us experiencing menopause – they’re great for the partners, kids, and caregivers in our lives who just don’t get it, in a quick-hit format.
One of our favorite episodes features a conversation with Professor Lynette Sievert, a biological anthropologist who studies menopause around the world (dream job).
Created by the American Society on Aging, this podcast interviews writers who cover the aging beat. Generation Bylines is a great one for staying on top of the latest research, journalism, and new books coming out about different aspects of aging, and the topics are wide-ranging – from research on elder abuse to new books about the experiences of personal style, unemployment, and love for older adults.
The kickoff to Season 2 features Paula Span, writer of the New Old Age column for the New York Times.
Our collective fascination with Dolly Parton continues in this nine-part audio documentary from 2019, which talks about her life, career, and ongoing impact. At 77, Dolly continues her work in philanthropy and performance, and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Featuring interviews with the icon herself, this series really pulls you in and shows how (and why) she has been a voice for women for more than 50 years.
We especially love the episode titled Neon Moss, produced on the mountaintop where Dolly was raised.
Hosted by “Grandma Gail” and her 25-year-old granddaughter, Excuse My Grandma offers a new twist on advice between generations. After moving in with her grandparents during the pandemic, host Kim and her grandmother started discussing generational differences of dating, sex and relationships – and a podcast was born.
This duo takes on everything from celebrity gossip to real estate, holidays, and global news, and it will have you cackling so wear a liner!
Whether you’re listening to changemaking conversations, or starting them yourselves, we’re always here to talk about what matters to you. Send us a note anytime to hello@attngrace.com.
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