NHPBS Offers Online Event on Aging with Seniority Authority’s Cathleen Toomey
(November 7, 2022) DURHAM, NH – “You can blame it on a cocktail party,” says Cathleen Toomey, Vice President of Marketing at the RiverWoods Group, a family of Continuing Care Retirement Communities. “Because I live in a small town and have worked for RiverWoods for many years, people would come to me at pre-COVID cocktail or dinner parties, even at the grocery store, with questions about aging.”
In the last couple of years, the number of people with questions seemed to increase. “Suddenly, many more people were asking, and I realized that adult children need more information.” Toomey recognized there was a need to amplify the answers to reach the growing number of people with questions about aging. “We all know that people are living longer than ever before. Adult children are raising their own children and trying to keep their parents safe, and they don’t know where to go with all of their questions,” says Toomey.
That is when Toomey launched the award-winning SENIORITY AUTHORITY podcast, which covers topics from dementia to downsizing, fitness to finance and more. “My goal is to bring together ideas and strategies from new research, leading writers and scientists to provide answers on aging to everyone,” says Toomey.
And if you’ve ever wondered “what’s the secret to a long, happy and healthy life?” Toomey will be on hand to answer your questions and share her extensive knowledge about growing older during a free, online event — The NHPBS INSIDER SERIES with Cathleen Toomey —on Thursday, November 17 at 7pm. Toomey will also dig into Harvard’s 70+ year-long study about leading a long and healthy life conducted by Dr. Robert Waldinger, Director of Harvard’s Center for Adult Development. Sign up at nhpbs.org/events and jumpstart essential conversations about aging during this fun and informative forum.
NHPBS is also featuring Toomey on-air and online at nhpbs.org/seniorityauthority, tackling topics such as understanding different levels of care, how to build brain health, simple ways to have a long happy life and the challenge of downsizing (sadly, no one wants your Hummels). “I want to change the way people think about aging,” says Toomey.
Toomey focuses on blending current science, thinking and research with actionable tactics people can use. For example, in one episode, she explores the three key things you can do to reduce your chance of dementia by 50 percent. “Sleep, exercise and socialization. Socialization is very important — even more important than brain games,” explains Toomey. “Sleep is important, and exercise is a silver bullet. It is the one thing you have to keep doing because it affects everything.”
“Our society says that growing old is bad, and we have to change that,” says Toomey. “The Boomer Generation is rewriting every social convention. They are marrying later, traveling more, and aging is no different. I really want to flip the script on ageism.”
SENIORITY AUTHORITY is made possible by D.F. Richard Energy, Kennebunk Savings, UnitedHealthcare, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Granite State College, Milne Travel and is a co-production with the RiverWoods Group.
About New Hampshire PBS: New Hampshire PBS inspires one million Granite Staters each month with engaging and trusted local and national programs and services on-air, online, via mobile, in classrooms and in communities. Beyond its award-winning television programs, New Hampshire PBS is a leader in education and community engagement. www.nhpbs.org