Mending minds through the power of music

Episode 72: Live long and Master Aging

Carol Rosenstein is the cofounder of Music Mends Minds. The nonprofit organization creates musical groups for people with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and similar disorders. Music is a universal language that bridges cultures, defies barriers and brings joy to our lives. 

However, for those with neurological conditions, music can do much more than elevate a person’s mood. Some group members have demonstrated a level of coordination and coherency they hadn’t displayed in years, according to Carol. She believes it’s all thanks to the power of music. 

In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, Carol explains the beneficial impact of music for members of Music Mends Minds, including her husband Irwin, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and early dementia more than a decade ago. 

Carol also discusses why it’s important for a person to have something they care about and work toward later in life. We also hear from Music Mends Minds members Gene Sterling and Diana Davidow – both of whom are living with neurological disorders.  They explain how music has enhanced their lives in recent years.

Kerry Burnight - embracing mobile technology to combat loneliness among older adults

Episode 71: Live Long and Master Aging

Dr. Kerry Burnight is the Chief Gerontologist at GrandPad, a company that designs simple and easy to use electronic tablets for people 75 and older. 

New technology presents a wealth of opportunities for connecting with others. Family members across the world can video chat from mobile phones at a moment's notice, and long-lost friends from elementary school can easily reconnect. But Dr. Burnight believes that for all mobile devices have added to the world, new technology is isolating older demographics. In fact social isolation, leading to loneliness among the elderly, is one of the great scourges on society.

In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, Dr. Burnight discusses how GrandPads keep older family members easily connected with the rest of the family and the world. She also describes how older generations are left behind with technology, and why personal connections are so important to a person's health and longevity.

Tracy McCubbin: Living clutter-free for happier, healthier aging

Episode 70: Live Long and Master Aging

Tracy McCubbin helps others declutter for a living. As we get older, many people find it hard to let go of stuff they've accumulated over the decades. But letting go is often a transformational experience. 

Tracy, through her Los Angeles-based company, dClutterfly, helps retirees prioritize essential items for the next phase in their lives, and advises the elderly on parting ways with items that simply no longer add value to their days. 

In her upcoming book, The Clutter Code, Tracy describes the emotional blocks that prevent people from decluttering their lives, and how to overcome these obstacles. She also discusses the practicalities of clearing our homes of mementoes, furniture, bric-a-brac, books and photos. 

In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, Tracy explains the importance of simplifying our lives and why there is a correlation between healthy aging and living in a clutter-free world. 

Suzi Grant - fashion, fasting and fun for positive aging

Episode 69: Live Long and Master Aging

Suzi Grant personifies the art of growing old with purpose and a huge sense of fun. At 68 she is an Instagram star, a successful blogger and poster girl for healthy aging. A formerly hard-drinking, chain-smoking radio and TV journalist, Suzi traded her unhealthy habits for an alternative way of living, following the sudden death of her mother, at the age of 63. 

It was a wake-up call that saw Suzi reinvent herself, through education and lifestyle changes. She embarked on a successful, second career as a nutritionist and became a role model for older women. Suzi, based in Brighton in the UK, blogs at Alternative Ageing and is the author of several books, including Alternative Aging: The Natural Way to Hold Back the Years. 

In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, she explains the inspiration behind her new career; her passion for taking part in Instagram Lives and creating YouTube videos; how she believes her memory has improved through regular blogging, and the lifestyle secrets behind living each day with vigor and vitality. Suzi and Peter also share stories about their shared love of broadcasting, fasting, exercise and purposeful aging.