Did you hear? Silvernest has a podcast! Welcome to Share Your Story, a series of conversations with expert guests about issues affecting those over 50: retirement, housing, personal finance, friendships, activities and much more. Join Silvernest CEO Wendi Burkhardt and lifestyle and aging expert Patricia Raskin as they dive into topics that help boomers make smart decisions and live their best lives. Tune in for a non-technical look at these topics that touch us at every stage in life—and have fun and learn something new while you’re at it!

When military members serve their country, they have a brigade, a battalion, a shipmate, a battle buddy and many other forms of community and connection. But after they hang up their beret or Kevlar, they have a different battle to fight: loneliness.  

The term “roommate” has a significantly different meaning in your 50s than it did in your 20s. But no matter how your tastes or needs may change, sharing your space with someone may still bring a lot of benefits to your life. From helping with a mortgage or supplementary income, to providing companionship during changing times, having a roommate past 50 is becoming a growing trend, and for good reason.

Although many of us want to age at home, that cherished space can become harder to manage as we get older and our kids move away. We no longer need all those bedrooms. And let’s be honest—our houses are aging just like we are, and they need costly surgery sometimes too. The question becomes, is it even feasible to stay at home? The answer is “Absolutely, yes!”  

If someone handed you an extra $700 cash, you would be pretty excited, right? Maybe you would splurge a bit, go out for dinner, or buy that new pair of shoes or new computer you have been dreaming about.

For many who are empty nesters, semi-retired or retired, life is all about budgets, and fun extras become rare or nonexistent. Many older Americans do not have enough money saved to comfortably retire and maintain the lifestyle they were accustomed to.

Cookie Johnson's stormy courtship with Earvin "Magic" Johnson was a prelude for the very public life they have led since his announcement, two months after their wedding, that he is HIV positive. Cookie Johnson is a woman of substance. And she’s finally telling her story of their 14-year courtship and 25 years of married life in her new book, Believing in Magic.

After the honeymoon of retirement relaxation, the feeling of being on vacation, the relief of leaving the rat race behind—boredom sets in and many people find themselves saying, “Is this all there is to retirement?” This disillusionment is one of six stages of retirement (originally seven) identified in 1975 by Robert Atchley, a professor of gerontology.

With Grandparents' Day quickly approaching, it begs the question, “Why are grandparents so important?” Well, one reason, according to Dr. Karl Pillemer is that the bond between a grandparent and a grandchild rivals only the emotional bond between a parent and a child. What this means is that typically the second closest relative to a person are his/her grandparents. The truth is, we benefit when our grandparents or surrogate grandparents are in our lives. Let’s face it; grandparents are special—really special.

Wendi Burkhardt knows what it means to change the world by being on the apex of innovation. Her career has followed the trends of technology and been right on its heels every step of the way. Now, her company Silvernest is no exception.