No woman is an island and rather than let you think I have come up with all of these great ideas by myself I wanted to share some of the people who influenced and inspired me along the way. This list is of my favorite people and why you might want to add them to your list as well.
Joan Medlicott
The author of the Ladies of Covington Series has been a great inspiration to me in my journey. Truly ahead of her time, Joan’s books are filled with strong, older female characters. I’ve had the pleasure getting to know Joan over the years with our first introduction in 2005. She was a contributor to our conference in 2007. I frequently loan her books out to other women who want to know more about shared housing. It is hard to know what the future holds for Joan since she is dealing with an illness now. I am glad to share her legacy with other women.
Click below to read more about my favorite people.
Zelle Nelson and Maureen McCarthy
The Blueprint of We was one of the resources I used when creating our shared household agreements and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for collaborative tools to start their journey. Zelle and Maureen live near me and over time they have become friends and mentors.
Dr. Bill Thomas
Another friend and mentor, Dr. Bill Thomas, is a “nursing home abolitionist” working hard change the way we treat elders in our society. His website, Changing Aging, showcases his green house project – a radical alternative to the current nursing home paradigm. He has written several books, including the novel In the Arms of the Elders which shares the dignity and value of older people in our society.
You can see Bill’s Ted Talk on YouTube here.
Dene Peterson
A former nun wh
o went on to found Elderspirit, Dene is another person I consider a close friend, mentor, and inspiration. I have had the pleasure of co-facilitating workshops with her and we are both helping to spread the message of women for living in community.
Who are some of your favorite people who are changing the way we think about aging?
Join in the conversation at Facebook or contact me directly.
I have worked with Marianne Kilkenny for many years now, and I have yet to see someone so determined and passionate about creating healthy, more positive living experiences for people as they age. I greatly admire her pioneer energy that has helped so many people see that the way it’s been is not what has to be in the future. She’s been a student of the Blueprint of WE Collaboration process and the Center for Collaborative Awareness for many years, and I have grown to love every ounce of who she is and what she’s bringing to the world through Women Living in Community and now her remarkable resource book. Thank you, Marianne!
~ Maureen McCarthy, Director, Center for Collaborative Awareness