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This is my podcast where I talk about things that ya'll want me too or just stories maybe.
If you’re an older adult or have maturing loved ones and welcome inspiration and ideas on leading a more enriching life, this podcast is for you. Untrained Wisdom introduces you to people 55+ who currently redefine the paradigm on what it means to become older, and experienced individuals whose guidance helps seasoned generations live more fully.
Today In Alternative Medicine is a media project established and designed to inform a ever increasing health conscious society about possible alternative remedies that could help people better manage common health afflictions such as hypertension, obesity, acute colds and flu's, diabetes,weaken immune systems, and poor nutrition, without the necessary use of drugs. Today In Alternative Medicine is a marketing,educational, and entertainment production of Xcel Nutraceuticals. Xcel Nutraceutica ...
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54: Panola, Ala. COVID-19 Vaccine Advocate Dorothy Oliver
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Dorothy Oliver, owner and operator of the general store in rural Panola, Ala., joined forces with a local county commissioner in 2021 to get as many people as she could to get vaccinated from COVID-19 in her small black community. Dorothy's efforts included diligently communicating with residents and educating them about the disease, which resulted…
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53: Iowa House Candidate Sonya Heitshusen
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Sonya Heitshusen was a television anchor and investigative reporter for nearly 30 years in the Des Moines, Iowa metro area. She's currently the public information officer for the Iowa Auditor of State and has had the opportunity to work on some investigations performed by the auditor's office. She's also an endurance athlete having completed three …
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52: Grief + Healing Author Jennifer Ohman-Rodriguez
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Tony Rodriguez was a well-respected trauma therapist whose life was cut short in a tragic accident. Some time after, his wife Jennifer Ohman-Rodriguez began journaling. Many of her raw, unfiltered accounts in the first 14 months of grief became the foundation of her 2022 book, "A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance: A Love Story of Grief, Trauma, Hea…
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51: Quad Cities-Based Packing + Moving Expert Gwen Tombergs
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Helping others has always been the center of Gwen Tombergs' being, especially when it comes to the senior population. So when the opportunity came to start her own business, she took a leap of faith and started Fresh Start Living QC in January 2021. Based in the Quad Cities – a region of four cities in southeastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois – …
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50: "In the Heights" Dancer Lillian Colón
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Lillian Colón was the first Latina Rockette to perform at Radio City Music Hall. Her years of experience on stage and backstage prepared her to ultimately audition for and be cast as a dancer in the 2021 musical film In the Heights. In this interview, Lillian shares what it was like to be at the audition and on the set, where she was the oldest dan…
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49: Aging Adult-Focused Music Therapist Alexis Baker
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Alexis Baker is a licensed and board-certified music therapist in Portland, Oregon who started Bridgetown Music Therapy, a subscription-based video library service with lessons targeted for aging adults. In this interview, Alexis talks about what music therapy (and what it's not), who her clients are within the senior citizen population that utiliz…
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48: Illinois Local Elected Leaders Kai Swanson + Jenni Swanson
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Kai Swanson and Jenni Swanson are two of Illinois' local elected leaders. Kai serves as a member of the Rock Island County Board, and Jenni is an alderwoman in Rock Island, Illinois. In this conversation, the two talk about their interest in politics, why they got involved, how it has evolved in recent years, what they've learned about themselves, …
In Season 6, I have seven new episodes of guests whose experiences have shaped their narratives and aim to challenge our own beliefs of what’s possible. All my guests this year are based in the U.S. Guests this season are from Iowa, Illinois, New York, as well as guests for the first time from Oregon and Alabama. This preview episode introduces the…
As we say farewell to another interesting year with the pandemic in our lives, a few guests from the show share some of their highlights from their 2021 after an introductory story from host Shuva Rahim about Ep. 12 guests Pat Provencher and Patsy Dullea. In this episode you'll hear from: Estate Attorney Gordon Fischer, Ep. 2 Personal Video Histori…
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47: Teen Tech Educator for Senior Citizens Jordan Mittler
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At age 12, Jordan Mittler came up with the idea of a technology program for senior citizens after realizing his grandparents couldn't use an iPhone he had gifted them. Now, in 2021, Jordan is a 17-year-old high school senior providing professional technology education to older adults all over the world through Mittler Senior Technology. In this int…
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46: Alzheimer's Family Advocate Karla Hult
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On Father's Day 2021 Twin Cities-based KARE 11 reporter Karla Hult launched So Many Goodbyes, an advocacy service for families who have loves ones living with Alzheimer's. After seeing her father's decline from the disease, Karla wanted to help others in a way she wished was available to her. Through mentoring and workshops, Karla aims to serve fam…
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45: Anti-Ageist Birthday Card Activist Janine Vanderburg
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A longtime community activist in Colorado, Janine Vanderburg leads Changing the Narrative, a campaign started in 2018 to change the way people think, talk and act about aging and ageism. This year Janine created and launched an anti-ageist birthday card campaign to help change the cultural narrative about aging, In this interview, Janine shares how…
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44: Iraq War Doctor-Soldier + Stroke Survivor Jon R. Kerstetter
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Jon R. Kerstetter completed three tours of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Army as a combat physician and flight surgeon from 2003 to 2006. After his return from Iraq, Dr. Kerstetter suffered a stroke while undergoing surgery for a brain aneurysm. The resulting cognitive and physical impairments left him unable to continue his career as a doctor and mil…
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43: University of Nebraska Loneliness + AI Researcher Dr. Valerie Jones
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The influence of Alexa – the voice-powered artificial intelligence assistant – among aging adults who live alone is the focal point of a recent study by Dr. Valerie Jones of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In this interview, the associate professor in the school's College of Journalism and Mass Communications talks about the basic components of…
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42: Dog Biscuit Bakery Co-Owners Alex + Laura Taylor
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Alex and Laura Taylor embarked back to Iowa City, Iowa, after several years away to start a new chapter in their lives with their family of four. Little did they realize that would later include becoming owners of Woofables, a gourmet dog biscuit bakery which has become a thriving business serving hundreds of vendorsddd across the United States. In…
Maria Manning, originally from the Cape Verde Islands in West Africa, came to the U.S. when she was 31. After decades of taking care of family members and navigating through various health issues, she finally achieved one of her biggest goals this past spring by earning her bachelor's degree at the age of 88. She graduated with a double major in li…
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40: TheOlderFolk.com Creator Sam the Senior
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Robert Kaplan, aka Sam the Senior, is the creator of TheOlderFolk.com, an acknowledgement of humor-infused reality on being a senior citizen. The website and Instagram account feature aspects of his life – some in cartoon posts – that articulate the quirky realities of getting older as well as lessons about healthy habits aimed to encourage longevi…
In Season 5, I have eight new episodes of guests whose experiences have shaped their narratives and aim to challenge our own beliefs of what’s possible. All my guests this year are based in the U.S. and range in age from 17 to 89. Two interview episodes feature guests from my home state of Iowa. The others are from New York state, California, Color…
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39: Re-Creator of Iconic Album Covers Robert Speker
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After Sydmar Lodge Care Home in Edgware, England went into lockdown in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, activities co-coordinator Robert Speker – already accustomed to creating fun activities to keep residents motivated, enthused, and engaged – began a long-desired project to recreate iconic album covers. Robert shared a few images on Tw…
In June 2020, Mary Jo Laupp posted a short video on TikTok instructing her 1,002 followers to reserve tickets under fake email addresses to a campaign rally for President Donald Trump in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The video went viral and the 19,000-seat arena attracted a mere 6,200 to the event, which was held during the coronavirus pandemic. In this interv…
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37: University of Iowa Device Advice Leaders Evita Woolsey + Ken Brown
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Device Advice is an organization at the University of Iowa in which college students teach senior citizens in the community about technology while making meaningful connections. In this interview, organization president Evita Woolsey and faculty adviser Ken Brown share their thoughts about why the group is beneficial for students as well as older a…
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36: Iowa Aging-in-Place Nonprofit Co-Founder Susan Shullaw
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Driven by a desire to have a transitional living option that positions itself between completely independent living and assisted living, Susan Shullaw and a group of friends co-founded TRAIL of Johnson County. As Iowa's first aging-in-place organization TRAIL modeled itself after the Village to Village Network and has grown to more than 200 members…
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35: Grandfather's Health Journey Chronicler Devin Perreault
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Devin Perreault, a personal trainer in Boulder, Colo., was a teenager when he was encouraged by his grandfather, Ernie, to start strength training. That love of lifting came around full circle when Devin started training his grandfather at the age of 95. Ernie had just come home from the hospital after a 2.5-month recovery from hernia surgery when …
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34: Ola Possible Creators Jami Morton & Mary Olson
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Jami Morton and Mary Olson live in the same neighborhood in Washington state. But their friendship began with sharing a love of music through jam sessions with other neighbors and eventually morphed into one-on-one conversations about what life has to offer – specifically for perennial women like them. Driven by a desire to inspire others of their …
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33: Mental Health Advocate + Caregiver Daughter Keyanna Blass
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Keyanna Blass' dad was in and out of her life growing up. A veteran in his 70s, Joseph Blass has struggled with drug addiction, schizophrenia, dementia, and homelessness. However, throughout the years, he has created unique and imaginative pieces of art. In this interview, Keyanna reflects on how the relationship with her father has evolved over ti…
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32: Dallas-Based COVID Vaccine Resource Leader Renae Perry
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Renae Perry is the chief operating officer at The Senior Source, a nonprofit organization serving older adults and family caregivers in the greater Dallas area for nearly 60 years. Since the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Texas, Renae and her team have been instrumental in ensuring older adults stay informed and have their questions answered. In this …
In Season 4, I have eight episodes of guests whose experiences have shaped their narratives and aim to challenge our own beliefs of what’s possible. Four of my guests are from my home state of Iowa. The others are from Texas, Arizona, Washington state, Colorado, and England. This preview episode introduces the following guests: 5/4 Ep. 32: Dallas-B…
In late February 2021, host Shuva Rahim presented a webinar to a group of senior citizens that focused on introducing learners about how to listen to podcasts. This bonus episode is an edited version of that class, which was made possible through TRAIL of Johnson County and the Iowa City Senior Center. Listeners can follow along by viewing the visu…
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31: Birds of Prey Facilitator for War Vets Patrick Bradley
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Patrick Bradley learned a lot about Bald eagles in the most unexpected way imaginable: spending three years in the Canadian wilderness after returning home from the Vietnam War. The isolated experience up north helped him recover from what is more commonly known today as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Years later, Patrick's life would lead …
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30: Equine-Inspired Leadership + Life Coach Cheri Villa
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Cheri Villa's affinity for horses stemmed from toys, books, and TV shows she was a youngster – not from being around the majestic creatures like many kids. So, years later, when she articulated her desire to have a horse – something that didn't make conventional sense since she never grew up learning to ride – little did she realize that admission …
Niki Kuklenski of Washington state has been involved with llamas since she was a youngster. After graduating from college, she went on to train the top show llama of all time. Following his success, Eagle became registered for therapy work with Pet Partners, a national organization that registers nine different species of animals for such purposes.…
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28: Arizona Pet Project Executive Director Leanna Taylor
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The Arizona Pet Project is a nonprofit headquartered in Phoenix that focuses on building safer, healthier communities for people and their pets. In this interview, Executive Director Leanna Taylor talks about the work the organization does for people who may be struggling to care for their pets - many of whom are senior citizens on fixed incomes an…
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27: Unicorn Jazz Chief Fun Officer Dr. Chris Herzig
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Dr. Chris Herzig is a full-time radiologist in southern California who – in partnership with his wife, Lisa – produces fun learning tools for young school-aged students. His work with Unicorn Jazz, an educational children's community brand that includes books and an Amazon TV show, allows Chris to explore new technologies and creative projects that…
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26: "Harley's Great Adventure" Author Kim Findlay
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Only one week after she retired as the CEO and president of a science museum in Iowa, Kim Findlay and her husband left their home to explore the western U.S. in their RV. With them was their 10-year-old Golden Retriever, Harley, who the couple adopted when he was 8 weeks old. In the months to follow Kim's observations of how Harley responded to the…
Vivien Fallows of West Sussex, England took horse riding lessons as a child. That experience, though, was not pivotal to her upbringing. She stopped her lessons, grew up, raised a family, had a career, and pursued other interests - including writing a memoir called Travels with George: Diary of a Mum on a Mission published in 2017 about her solo jo…
Welcome to Season 3 of Untrained Wisdom, a podcast featuring people 55+ who are currently redefining the paradigm with amazing and inspiring endeavors, and industry professionals whose expertise improves the lives of seasoned generations. An additional common denominator of all the Season 3 guests is interesting animal-related stories, whether it's…
If you're someone who searches the web to locate a specific episode for a link in the Show Notes, there's now an easier stopping place to turn to: the Untrained Wisdom Pinterest page. In this short episode, host Shuva Rahim explains some of the different Pinterest boards on the Untrained Wisdom page, which include Guest Businesses/Employers and Gue…
In what's been a difficult year for many, a few guests from Season 1 and Season 2 share some positive moments from their 2020 after an introductory statement from host Shuva Rahim. In this episode you'll hear from: Nia Instructor Beth Pelton, Ep. 1 Parent Caregiver & Author Diane Koster, Ep. 7 (Learn about Lindsay's Legacy Fund) Prenatal Yoga Instr…
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24: Organizing Business Partners Cathy Borg & Brad Borg
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Unlike a lot of family businesses, Brad Borg and Cathy Borg began working together only a few years ago. The close relationship between the brother and sister exudes a level of trust that puts the clients of their Toronto-based business, In and Out Organizing, at ease. In this interview, the siblings talk about how their different work backgrounds …
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23: Geriatric Physical Therapist Dr. Serena Liu
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Dr. Serena Liu is a physical therapist who specializes in helping the geriatric population. In addition to working at the Smith Ranch Skilled Nursing Facility in San Rafael, California, she is creator of the @resilientaging Instagram account - an exploration of how to best help older adults navigate the challenges that come with aging outside tradi…
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22: "Women Going For It!" Author Diana Coleman
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Diana Coleman is the author of Women Going For it! Taking Risks After 50. Describing herself as a risk-taking motivator, the Maine-based writer chronicled the stories of 26 women in their 50s through 80s that celebrate their resilience and stamina in taking personal risks. In this interview, Diana talks about how idea of exploring risk-taking after…
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21: Liver Transplant Recipient & OneLegacy/Donate Life Ambassador Peggy Averitt
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Peggy Averitt is a grateful liver transplant recipient in Orange County, California who has raised awareness for organ and tissue donation as a OneLegacy/Donate Life Ambassador. With her second chance at life, much of this nurse's volunteer time goes toward sharing her story to audiences so they understand the impact of being a donor. In this inter…
Leyla Alyanak is a journalist and former foreign correspondent from France who, at 43, made a major decision to reinvent herself and travel the world for solo for six months. That trip ended up lasting four years – before cell phones, apps, and Google. During that time, she had numerous adventures, including getting lost in a Mozambican minefield a…
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19: New U.S. Residents Salehuddin & Nahar Ahmed
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Salehuddin and Nahar Ahmed were accustomed to living in different parts of the world for work and education. But they always returned to their home in Bangladesh. It wasn't until their two daughters moved to the Dallas, Texas-area that moving permanently to the U.S. became a consideration. In 2019, the couple was granted permanent residency. In thi…
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18: Virtual Reality Expert Carleigh Berryman
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After Carleigh Berryman learned her grandmother wasn't as upbeat about life as she used to be, the young woman came up with an innovative idea that would help not only her aging loved one but catalyze a change in the mental health of many senior citizens. Through the 2019 founding of her Washington, D.C.-based company, Viva Vita, Carleigh and her t…
To say Mary F. Lenox has a way with words is an understatement. A retired university dean, the San Diego, California-based poet draws inspiration from her natural surroundings and regular walks. Several years ago, her observations about the physical world, intertwined with her own evolution as a person, led to a "spiritual practice" of writing a da…
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16: Climate Action Organization Co-Founder Ann Christenson
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Ann Christenson observed the impacts of climate change early in her adult life. Her interest in raising awareness about the environment compelled her to participate in protests throughout the last decade in Washington, D.C. – one which resulted in a 2011 arrest while opposing the Keystone XL Pipeline. A year later, in 2012, the Iowa mother and gran…
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15: Children's Author & Illustrator Deepa Balsavar
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For more than 30 years, Deepa Balsavar of Mumbai, India, has been developing curricular materials and collaborating with experts to create educational resources. A few of her works led to an opportunity to write and illustrate children's books beginning in 2005. Since then, Deepa has flourished in her talents as a writer and artist. Her first child…
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14: Card Writer to Senior Home Residents Deborah Widger
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Shortly after the coronavirus pandemic led New York residents to be in quarantine in March 2020, Deborah Widger realized the most vulnerable population would be socially overlooked. So she reached out to assisted living facilities in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and sent out batches of "thinking-of-you" cards to senior residents. The pro…
A few years after being introduced to Girls on the Run of Eastern Iowa at a fundraiser, Nancy Hale become a volunteer coach for the organization in retirement. In this interview, she talks about her experience with exercise from childhood to young adulthood, why GOTR is important for girls, and how being involved with young people has impacted her …
