Aging ain't for Sissies
Aging isn't easy. My name is Marcy Backhus and I am your host! Make sure your complete well-being is handled with a community and information that can make it easier and FUN. Aging needs humor, which you can find in the "Aging ain't for Sissies" Podcast, along with informational guests that give us the information we need.
Episodes
We come home from the hospital after a cardiac episode, a blackout, and a concussion, then tell the truth about what it feels like when life bulldozes a carefully planned calendar. We hold gratitude and disappointment in the same hand, and we challenge you to stop waiting for the “right time” to do what matters.
• the shock of losing time after blacking out and falling
• grieving a canc...
Retirement looks a lot less like endless leisure and a lot more like managing a calendar that keeps filling itself. We talk through the mindset shift that helps us move from nonstop busyness to an intentional life that includes real rest.
• retirement as a full-time job without the paycheck
• the hidden workload of health care, workouts, and daily logistics
• navigating smaller appetit...
If you have ever caught yourself thinking, “I just want things to go back to normal,” this one is for you. I’m closing out the Aging Survival Guide with the truth I did not fully see when I started: we were never only talking about retirement, downsizing, marriage, friendships, travel, and the holidays. We were talking about change, and how to live with it without spending the rest of our lives loo...
I send a very honest “children of mine” text because I want a holiday with my adult kids, and it sparks a bigger truth about how family traditions change as we age. We talk through the grief and the logistics, then lay out simple strategies for building a new holiday that prioritizes connection over perfection.
• why holidays shift when kids grow up and families spread out
• the hidden ...
We talk candidly about how retirement changes marriage when the old structure disappears and you suddenly have a lot more together time. We share practical ways to protect your independence, lower resentment, and build a life that feels good even when your spouse stays exactly who they’ve always been.
• retirement revealing hidden friction once busyness is gone
• small daily annoyances turnin...
We talk about how travel after 60 changes and why those changes can make us better travelers who enjoy the trip instead of enduring it. We share practical ways to plan for comfort, energy, and real life so the adventure stays fun.
• shifting from proving ourselves to enjoying ourselves
• planning buffer days for recovery and reducing exhaustion
• packing lighter and skipping the fantasy outfits
• choosin...
Nobody warns you that retirement can change your friendships as much as it changes your calendar. One day you’re surrounded by built-in community from work, kids, and routines, and the next you’re realizing how many relationships were held together by proximity instead of true connection. I open with a very real personal update about a hard week, then we get into something I wish more people said out lou...
We tell the truth about downsizing: it’s emotional before it’s practical, and it can be one of the most freeing changes we ever make. We share what we learned moving from 4,000 square feet to 800, including how to release guilt, keep the memories, and build a home that fits our real life.
• downsizing versus moving and why it feels so personal
• advanced hiding versus true decluttering ...
Your phone was supposed to make life easier, so why does one “quick task” turn into a 45-minute spiral of password resets, expired codes, and blurry QR menus? I’m Marcy Backett, and I’m bringing you a summer survival guide to technology that’s honest, funny, and actually useful, especially if modern devices sometimes make you feel like you need a degree just to turn on the TV.
...
Family gatherings can flip from sweet to stressful in one sentence. We’ve all seen it: the best intentions at the table, then a stray comment about politics, money, parenting, or who “never calls,” and suddenly you’re back in an old role you thought you outgrew decades ago.
We talk candidly about aging, retirement, and how family dynamics shift over time. Parents become the ones who ne...
I'm on vacation this week, so I hope you'll enjoy this replay of one of my favorite episodes!
This episode is a fun and honest conversation across generations. We ask each other the questions people don't always think to ask—from friendships and first memories to aging, respect, marriage, health, and what really matters at every stage of life. We don't agree on everything, but that's what makes the conversation...
I'm on vacation this week, so we're revisiting one of my favorite episodes. I hope you enjoy this replay!
This episode makes the case that volunteering isn't just a nice thing to do—it's one of the best things you can do for your health. We talk about how giving just a couple of hours each week can improve your mood, support brain health, reduce stress, and help you build meaningful connections.
In this episode,...
We turn “surviving the doctor’s office” into a practical skill, because nobody teaches us how to be a good patient even though healthcare gets more complex with age. We share the mindset shift that changes everything: the doctor knows medicine, but we know our bodies, so we speak up and ask until we understand.
• laughing at the realities of aging and nonstop appointments
• becoming...
Our Summer Series: Aging Survival Guide
Retirement stops being a vacation fantasy and turns into a real-life identity shift that forces us to answer, “Who am I now?” We share the biggest surprises that hit after leaving work behind and the simple routines that help us rebuild purpose, friendships, and joy.
• retirement as an identity change not a long break
• why too much freedom can fee...
Social Security looks like a simple choice until you realize one decision can lock in your monthly income for life. I break down the key ages, the tradeoffs behind claiming early or waiting, and the practical steps I use to research benefits without getting lost in jargon.
• why Social Security is a permanent decision for most people
• the three key claiming ages and what changes at 62, full retire...
We catch ourselves rushing through days that are actually good, then ask the uncomfortable question of what we’re hurrying for. We talk about retirement, productivity guilt, technology, healing, and why slowing down is how we notice the life we worked so hard to build.
• summer in Chicago and the strange habit of staying rushed
• the pressure to stay productive and the belief that busy equals...
We talk about the hidden workload of aging and why it can feel like everything is suddenly our responsibility, from fitness and food to family and technology. We name the exhaustion, the quiet grief, and the bright side, then remind ourselves we’re doing better than we think.
• the surprise reality that healthy aging takes active management
• the daily checklist of movement, strength, protein...
We tell the truth about how easy it is to slide from comfort into stagnation and why “I’m fine” can be a mask for boredom, fear, and loneliness. We push for intentional aging with small, brave actions that build momentum, expand your world, and make this chapter feel like yours again.
• why stagnation often looks normal and quiet
• “stagnant water gets murky” as a gut-...
Hospice has a terrible reputation, and I want to replace fear with facts so families stop waiting until the last days. I break down what hospice really does, why some people can improve on hospice, and how to talk about comfort and dignity before a crisis hits.
• hospice as a shift from cure to comfort, quality of life, dignity, and support
• the six-month guideline and why doctors cannot predi...
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