CAB Public Forum - August 2024

Pillar

Comment / Observation

Key Takeaway

WNYC

Panelist: Dealing with people with Parkinson’s disease: what are ways to keep the brain and body healthy as they age. Helpful to think about physical activity is neuroprotective. Diet, Stress , Stress Management. Social Isolation is a big issue. Health insurance. Getting access to specialists in a timely manner. Disease affects not just patients but caregivers. Parkinson’s Support Groups. Caregiver Support Groups. A lot of these programs are out there for people. 

Mobility and Movement came up more frequently in this forum than any other issue, but it is a far broader and deeper topic than simply a matter of access and ability. For Senior Listeners, mobility informs their mental, emotional, neuromuscular, and digestive health and is also at the contours of their listener experience. Quite simply: if you’re stuck at home a lot, you’re listening to a lot of radio. Senior Listeners face a large space of challenges and it’s useful to consider which issue involves the most useful entrypoint: mobility is one of them. So is caregiving and social isolation. These issues intersect and the most impactful content will integrate those intersections. 

WNYC

Panelist: Strength coach: training is essential, as we’re older, training is essential, helping the muscles relax, exercise as simple as climbing and taking out the garbage, helps restore physical wellbeing but to reduce. Training can even reverse parkinsons, stretching flexibility is important 

Many topics discussed were filtered through the prism of Parkinson’s, which is itself useful, but also informs a wide range of different issues, like strength and mobility. A useful way to package this is as content is to consider ways the station can highlight and cover fitness for seniors. It’s not just mall-walking: it can be climbing, ballet, even doing basic tasks.

WNYC

Caregiver issues: working with social isolation, falls, caregivers when caregiver isn’t family

Social Isolation is the organizing principle around which the station should understand all Senior-focused content. Seniors, and their caregivers, often have to experience their struggles alone and the station has a role to play in helping bridge the divide of isolation. 

WNYC

People are surprised that as they age they never thought aging would happen to them. It’s a very rare person who expects aging and is prepared for it. How can we better prepare for what is coming? 

Aging happens to everyone. Some of the most vocal advocates for aging these days are people like Jon Bon Jovi(!), who is himself 63 and struggling with age-informed vocal injury. How can the station broaden the dialogue about aging, so that it’s connected communities of interest but also inviting younger listeners in? What about a segment or story idea, a segment, (story idea, story series, community engagement, something along those lines?) where seniors share stories of "I never thought this would happen to me..." Where the theme of those stories are things related to aging that everyone should see coming but often overlooks...

WNYC

Programming-wise: Brian-like regular program ideally with an older host. Hospitals don’t connect patients, NYCH+H in general doesn’t do a great job connecting patients. There’s room on the radio. 

This goes to the earlier point about social isolation. Seniors and their caregivers are experiencing these issues in isolation from one another. The station does not have a dedicated Aging beat, but it’s useful to think of these issues in the context of unmet needs, like what is already on display with a lot of our Housing and transportation reporting. There is room on the radio!

WNYC

We live in an Age-ist culture. We’re afraid to think about aging so we don’t want to highlight it

See earlier point about bringing in younger listeners into a larger dialogue about aging, preparing for it, and forming communities of mutual support. 

WNYC

Panelist: Brooklyn and Queens have the highest number of older adults, the vast majority of them immigrants. Huge unmet need

As with everything, there is a hyper local lens. How are immigrant communities meeting the challenges of an aging population? How does culture inform these challenges? Where can the station help? 

WQXR

Panelist: Ballet Teacher: Senior Ballet Class helped with social connection and mobility, Ballet is for everyone, regardless of age. 

See earlier point about physical activity. Physical activity is a social connection for these populations. 

All parts of the station

Panelist: Gastroenterologist: digestive diseases is a multifactorial process and many things involve good digestive habits. Mobility is a big part of that. Senior patients don’t get out, Parkinson’s patients struggle with mobility. Fiber in diet, fruits and vegetables, moving around, sleep deprivation, all connected. 

It all comes down to mobility, movement, and social connectivity. 

QXR

Panelist: QXR has been innovative and exciting for listeners of all ages. But there’s a different perspective: many were young enough to attend Leonard Bernstein’s young people's concerts as young people. We seniors want our experiences recognized in the world of music. Making room for musical theater. Gilbert and Sullivan, operetta, Sondheim, Lerner and Lowe, pre-John Williams scores, 

This was one of our few QXR-specific pieces of feedback, and from a listener who helped design Avery Fischer Hall! QXR could go a step beyond programming to actual WQXR led events / wider organizational partnerships of bringing grandchildren and their grandparents together physically at a classical event, or the above expansion items playing of movie scores or theater scores as a way to foster bonding across the generations

QXR

Making room for musical theater. Gilbert and Sullivan, operetta, Sondheim, Lerner and Lowe, pre-John Williams scores

Id.

QXR

Panelist: Create programming for young people. Classical for Kids is just minutes long. Instead of just basic musical theory, classical music with unconventional instruments, original vocal music when instrumentals drop it. Non-western classical music. CH World Orchestra Week. 

This listener lives in Forest Hills and was unaware of the Queens Classical Kids Fair

WNYC

WNYC used to do this programming 3-4 decades ago. Lopate’s show used to be the Senior edition. Was interesting, but depressing at times

Tonally, it’s important to note that highlighting struggles and challenges of seniors doesn’t have to be depressing, or confined to any one generation. 

WQXR

How many grandparents are making their parents listen to classical music? Can’t stand modernizing. Marchs might keep people mobile. Music keeps me from being depressed. 

THERE IS A HUGE NEXUS BETWEEN CLASSICAL MUSIC +  MENTAL HEALTH + AND MOVEMENT. Are there ways QXR content and programming choices can incorporate this into listener experience?

WNYC

Dog ownership is a social icebreaker

Social Isolation is, of course, not simply confined to humans. The station doesn’t do a ton of dog programming, but maybe it’s simply a matter of framing. Even a Lehrer segment on how your dog has helped you with social isolation can go a long way for a lot of listeners. NB: This was the same listener as the above comment, and notably this was the first time she had opened up about her struggles with depression in all the forums she has attended. 

WNYC

Most of WNYC is news, but don’t know if there's a dedicated reporter for aging. Infectious diseases, COVID, focus on the aging population as much as we do on child-reading and childcare. Not only important for older people but for the general population. What are safety issues around older people around infectious diseases, sidewalk scooters, etc. 

The more specific the content, the more we see the need for a specific Aging and Disability beat akin to what we already do with Transportation and Housing. 

WNYC

Want general population to have awareness. 

Id. 

WNYC

Senior Centers. Nursing room violations. 

Is there a way to cover this issue in ways that go beyond Gothamist reporting? 

WNYC

CAB Member: Financial Scams, literally only so much bandwidth. Are there other elements the station does use that might be useful. 

See earlier point about dedicated beat. 

WNYC

The current universe of senior issues is the universe of the world’s issues. As people age, the cross currents of the world do not diminish. Their zen to be nurtured by systems does not diminish. DoA program Talent is Timeless did not get out word. Station could have leveraged that. 

A dedicated beat can also shine a light on Department of Aging programs that aren’t reaching their intended populations. 

WNYC

On the air support group where people can call in their concerns. 

This is probably unworkable as station content, but it illustrates the fact that such resources don’t currently exist. 

WNYC

Jean: got information from Senior Planet. Offer older adults to learn more about computers. There’s lot of people who are lonely, don’t have a place to go to communicate with others. They learn on all skill levels One on one help from a technology trainer by calling the senior planet hotline. www.seniorplanet.org. Online classes helped during pandemic. 127 W. 25th. 646-590-0615

See earlier point about City and Non-profit orgs that aren’t reaching their intended populations. 

Abby Weiss: NYC Aging (Follow up with her) 

WNYC

Chloe: raising awareness of bone density in youth, but don't want focus to always be on young people. And if you’re already older, what can you do 

See earlier point about viewing aging as a process that happens to everybody, and bringing everybody into that conversation. 

WNYC

Heather: romantic relationships, what happens when you get older, how do you start over?

There wasn’t a ton of interest in this topic among forum goers, but it is something that would generate a lot of interest among listeners generally. 

WNYC

Isn't there a Seniors for Seniors program in NYC?  Senior animals for senior people.....

See earlier points about animal companionship AND connecting listeners to resources that aren’t reaching their intended populations. 

WNYC

Intergenerational programming: not all older people are the same. 

Important to note that programming *about* seniors don't have to be about aging. 

WNYC

CAB Member: intergenerational caregiving, unpaid portion of fai-rgiving, shame component and hiding caregiving in certain cultures. Parkinson’s being a disease with certain dementia, gender dynamics

Caregiving is the other pig part of this conversation, and as noted earlier, intersects with culture, community, and even gender. This is useful to consider as we try to enter immigrant communities that have huge unmet needs, like in Brooklyn and Queens. 

WNYC

CAB Member: We need a special program for caregivers and how to deal with parents/relatives with dementia.

Id. 

WNYC

CAB Member: And the barbell caregivers.. caring for young children as well as aging relatives.

Barbells caregivers being another term for Sandwich Generation (id.)

WNYC

We have heard a lot of coverage about millennials/gen z moving back in with their parents after college because housing is so expensive, and it pointed out that multi-generational households are more common in many cultures, but the focus wasn't on the senior perspective/caregiver perspective in that conversation.

Id. 

QXR

WQXR who’s in the on air pipeline? It’s like losing a member of the family when someone retires.

QXR listeners are extraordinarily attuned to on air talent; often messaging with them directly. Important to consider the parasocial aspect of listener experience with respect to programming. 

WNYC

Aging population is growing; numbers will be a burden. Make the station the place to be for the upcoming generation of seniors. 

Aging cannot and should not be treated as a niche interest, but something all listeners at all stages of their lives can and should be in dialogue with. 

All parts of station

WNYC can be the megaphone the platform, so that any senior can use it as a resource (fitness). Everyone wants to be spoonfed what the station provides. 

Agreed. 

Gothamist

MTA Senior Pass: OMNY doesn’t require pictures but reduced fare seniors require pictures. 

Even without a dedicated beat, senior struggles inform every part of the station’s coverage, especially transportation. But even this struggle isn’t necessarily one of physical access (though it often is.) The challenges seniors face navigating government discounts is one example. Another, unmentioned at the forum, is the danger of overheating subway platforms for seniors commuters. 

Podcasts

Sean Carlsen has a great new program focused exclusively on MTA. 

This was the first I’ve heard of it. Has the station been promoting this?