Does the thought of traveling solo spark a sense of adventure - or a wave of hesitation and uncertainty?

This episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast is the recording of the most recent Navigating Solo™ Table Talk. During this dynamic and solution-focused Table Talk, we delve into the joy, logistics, and practical strategies of traveling independently. Whether you are navigating a changing life dynamic, exploring the world fresh as a solo ager, or looking to transition from traditional travel to new horizons, this conversation is packed with actionable insights to help you take the leap with confidence.

Host Ailene Gerhardt is joined by three avid solo travelers and experts who share their diverse experiences across all seven continents:

• Kay (Massachusetts) shares how to evaluate group travel styles, assess pacing, and find itineraries that align with your personal need for independence.

• Steve (Virginia) offers "green flags" for spotting solo-friendly travel companies and strategies for building meaningful connections so you are traveling solo, but never alone.

• Susan (California) discusses the mental preparation for major journeys, the power of staying endlessly curious, and practical tips for blending structured group itineraries with independent exploration.

From bypassing the dreaded single supplement and navigating safety in unknown areas, to leveraging technology like AI map-making and securing the right medical evacuation insurance, this episode serves as your comprehensive roadmap for the modern solo explorer.

• Finding Your Travel Pace: How to choose between DIY travel, small focus groups, and larger expeditions without draining your social battery.

• The Solo Toolkit: Practical uses for technology, from dropping location pins and using WhatsApp to leveraging AI for itinerary planning and safety research.

• Smart Logistics: Essential advice on navigating international health insurance, medical evacuation plans, and managing changing mobility needs.

• Overcoming Jet Lag & Transit Hurdles: Unique, traveler-tested routines for arriving energized and ready to explore.

• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP): https://step.state.gov/step/

• TourRadar (Travel Aggregator): https://www.tourradar.com/

• Navigating Solo Network™: https://navigatingsolo.com/

Join our community for future Table Talks and interactive planning tools designed specifically for solo agers navigating life's chapters with autonomy and purpose.

To reach any of our panelists from our discussion, please write to info@navigatingsolo.com.

• Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com | Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com

• The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com | Email: info@navigatingsolo.com

• The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com

• View this discussion on our YouTube Channel: Navigating Solo Network on YouTube

Subscribe and follow us for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to visit navigatingsolo.com for resources, community updates, and more!

© 2026, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In this special episode of the Navigating Solo podcast, we are sharing the live recording of our 3rd Annual Solo Aging Visibility Day (SAVvy Day) celebration! Hosted by Ailene Gerhardt, founder of the Navigating Solo Network and creator of SAVvy Day, this event brought together a vibrant, global community of solo agers joining from California to New York, and across the ocean to Austria, Great Britain, and Ecuador.

This year’s celebration highlights a powerful shift in the movement: moving away from viewing solo aging as a "problem to solve" and stepping fully into a reality to support, design, and celebrate. Tune in to hear inspiring community wins, a "state of the movement" update, and insights from solo-aging champions working to build the tools and infrastructure we need to thrive on our own terms.

• A Global Grassroots Movement: What started as a national initiative has blossomed into a global network. This year, the movement was supported by 23 proud ambassadors and 27 community partners and businesses waving the flag for solo aging advocacy.
• Shifting the Narrative: Solo aging is not a crisis built on fear. It’s an opportunity to use real tools to craft a unique, fulfilling life path.
• Advocacy in Action: Ailene shares a major milestone - receiving an official greeting letter for SAVV Day from the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, backed by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (now the Office of Aging).
• Community Wins & Brainstorms: Hear directly from attendees as they return from geographic breakout rooms to share how they are taking the lead in their local communities:
  • Moving from "issue spotting" to "issue solving" with local professionals.
  • Starting neighborhood solo ager meetup groups to build dependable, local backup systems (like driving each other to medical appointments or dropping off lunch).
  • Auditing senior services and expos to demand solo-aware, inclusive language.
  • Successfully navigating long-term future housing plans.

• The SAVV Day Visibility Wall: Add your name to the mosaic and download your official SAVV Day participation certificate or social media graphics on the website: navigatingsolo.com/mosaic
• Solo Aging Survey: Help shape the future of the movement! Take the survey before it closes next Wednesday at navigatingsolo.com/survey.
• Upcoming Event: Join our next Table Talk on Solo Travel happening Tuesday night, June 2nd.

Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:

• Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
• The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
• The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com

View this discussion on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingsolonetwork/videos

Subscribe and follow us for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to visit navigatingsolo.com for resources, updates, and more!

© 2026, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In this special episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, host Ailene Gerhardt brings together four remarkable solo agers for the inaugural Navigating Solo Table Talk. The panelists shared lived experiences that reveal the challenges, resilience, and creativity involved in aging without "traditional" family support structures. Their stories illuminate both the complexity and the empowerment found in navigating life on one’s own terms.

How each panelist discovered the concept of “solo aging” From caregiving wake-up calls to reading an article that changed everything, each story reveals a moment when awareness shifted.

Building an empowering narrative Natalie shares how redefining stigmatizing labels helped her reclaim agency. Stephen talks about proudly self-defining as a “solo ager" and building a life that balances planning with joy.

Finding or creating supportive community Whether through affinity groups, grief-to-growth programs, gym friendships, online networks, or local Villages, connection plays a crucial role in solo aging.

Taking small but meaningful steps toward planning Stephen highlights the value of “small steps” and “time affluence” post-retirement. Ailene reflects on how “small” looks different for everyone—and that even placing a pen on a desk is a step forward.

The emotional and logistical challenges of paperwork Natalie recounts the frustration and grief involved in updating beneficiaries when forms assume a spouse and children. Jody describes the difficulty of selecting a fiduciary and navigating a system with limited oversight.

The unpredictability of aging Jody reminds us that none of us know how we will age—and that even the best plans need flexibility.

Balancing the serious work with joy and exploration Travel, creativity, comedy, online discovery—even self-driving cars—are part of how this group approaches life with curiosity and humor.

💬 “I didn’t win the social norm lottery—but I still have life in me.” — Natalie 💬 “I’m not in a midlife crisis—I’m in a midlife chrysalis.” — Stephen 💬 “People have no idea what they’re going to face until it happens.” — Sandra 💬 “It’s impossible to plan for aging perfectly. It’s all a roll of the dice.” — Jody

Solo aging is diverse, personal, and deeply human. This candid conversation invites listeners to reflect on their own planning, consider new possibilities for support and connection, and feel less alone in the journey.

Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:

• Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
• The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
• The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com

View this discussion on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingsolonetwork/videos

Subscribe and follow us for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to visit navigatingsolo.com for resources, updates, and more!

© 2025, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, host Ailene Gerhardt sits down with Barbara Hughes Sullivan, Executive Director of the Village to Village Network, to explore how the Village Movement is transforming aging in community. Together, they discuss how villages empower older adults, including solo agers, to remain independent while building strong, trusted networks of support. Barbara shares stories from across the country of neighbors helping neighbors, from volunteers creating men’s social programs to villages organizing emergency responses during natural disasters.

They also unpack why “I’m not ready yet” can delay access to vital community connections, how villages rigorously vet service providers, and why partnerships with local organizations, from assisted livings to contractors, help expand reach and safety.

Barbara offers insight into how new villages form, what’s next for the national movement, and how listeners can get involved or start one in their own area.

• The Village Model connects older adults to community-driven services and social engagement.

• Villages play a vital role for solo agers, providing both safety nets and belonging.

• “I’m not ready yet” often shifts quickly, having a Plan B matters.

• Vetting, peer-to-peer trust, and volunteerism are the backbone of successful villages.

• New models like hub-and-spoke structures and regional incubators make villages more scalable.

• The Village to Village Network’s Healthy Aging in Villages research and 2025 national census will map the movement’s next phase.

About Our Guest: Barbara Sullivan is the Executive Director of the Village to Village Network (VtVN), the national organization supporting more than 300 Villages across the U.S. and internationally. Under her leadership, VtVN fosters innovation, mentorship, and collaboration within the grassroots movement helping older adults age in community with confidence and connection.

• Village to Village Network

• Villages Research Project – Rutgers University

• Navigating Solo™ Network

If you are curious about starting or joining a Village, or how community models like these can support your solo aging journey, explore the Village to Village Network map and resources, and visit NavigatingSolo.com for more episodes and guidance on planning for an independent, connected future.

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Connect with The Village to Village Movement:

• Website: https://www.vtvnetwork.org/
• Email: vtv@vtvnetwork.org
• Facebook: villagetovillagenetwork
• LinkedIn: village-to-village-network

Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:

• Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
• The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
• The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com

View this discussion on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingsolonetwork/videos

Subscribe and follow us for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to visit navigatingsolo.com for resources, updates, and more!

© 2025, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In this deeply personal solo episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, host Ailene Gerhardt, board-certified patient advocate and founder of the Navigating Solo™ Network, shares what it’s been like to shift from supporting others through health challenges to facing a health challenges of her own.

Ailene reflects on the emotional and physical toll of multiple diagnoses, hospitalizations, and ongoing treatments—all while living independently. She speaks candidly about the loss of routine, the disruption to her work, and the vulnerability of stepping into the role of patient after years of advocating for others.

Through sharing her story, Ailene explores:

• The blurred line between professional advocate and patient

• How illness can challenge identity and sense of control

• The critical importance of compassionate, person-centered care

• What it means to be present for yourself when your life feels upended

• How asking for help and acknowledging limitations can be acts of strength

This episode is a reminder that behind every diagnosis is a whole person—and that even those who guide others through healthcare systems need support too.

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the Navigating Solo™ Network: https://navigatingsolo.com

• Listen to past episodes of the podcast: @navigatingsolo

• Ailene has also written an article for Next Avenue about her experience and you can read it here!

Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:

• Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
• The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
• The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com

View this discussion on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingsolonetwork/videos

Subscribe and follow us for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to visit navigatingsolo.com for resources, updates, and more!

© 2025, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.

If this episode resonates with you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need to hear it. And don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review.

In this insightful episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, host Ailene Gerhardt sits down with Cathleen Toomey, host of the podcast Seniority Authority to discuss all things aging! They dive into the evolving landscape of solo aging, exploring how living longer presents both unique opportunities and challenges. Cathleen shares insights on the importance of social connection and community involvement as we age, highlighting how volunteering and small acts of kindness can build meaningful relationships and improve well-being.

They also discuss the impact of negative self-talk and the barriers it can create when trying to form new connections, as well as practical ways to overcome these challenges by stepping slightly out of our comfort zones. Additionally, we address common misconceptions about solo aging, especially around living arrangements like continuing care retirement communities, assisted living, and memory care.

Tune in to gain practical tips for embracing longevity with intention and planning, and learn why social connection remains a vital component of healthy solo aging.

Books and Websites Mentioned During This Episode:

• The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness

• Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live, Becca Levy

• Six Steps to Managing Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: A Guide for Families, Maureen O-Connor

• Seven Steps to Managing Your Aging Memory, Maureen O-Connor

Websites:

• Medicare Plan Options
• Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade
• Where You Live Matters
• National Good Neighbor Day
• National Healthcare Decisions Day

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Connect with Cathleen Toomey:

• Website: seniorityauthority.org
• Email: info@seniorityauthority.org
• Facebook: SeniorityAuthority
• LinkedIn: cathleen-toomey-8889531
• Podcast: seniorityauthority.org

Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:

• Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
• The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
• The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com

View this discussion on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingsolonetwork/videos

Subscribe and follow us for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to visit navigatingsolo.com for resources, updates, and more!

© 2025, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In this special episode of The Navigating Solo™ Podcast, recorded during the Navigating Solo Fall Online Gathering, we hear from a dynamic panel of solo agers sharing their personal experiences, reflections on the past year, and thoughts on planning for the future. Their candid conversations offer insight into the joys, challenges, and opportunities of aging solo and navigating this life stage with intentionality.

Episode Highlights:

• Reflections on Loss and New Beginnings
• Building Meaningful Connections
• Embracing Gratitude and Social Connection
• Practical Tips for Navigating Solo Aging

Key Takeaways:

• Navigating grief and loss takes time and energy, and it's okay to allow yourself space to rest and regroup.
• Maintaining strong social connections, whether through family, friends, or community groups, is crucial for solo agers.
• The end of the year provides a natural time to reflect on what you want to continue doing, what new activities you want to explore, and how to shape your future with intentionality.
• Embrace gratitude and stay proactive in reaching out to others, as relationships are key to building a fulfilling solo aging experience.

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Connect with our Guests: podcast@navigatingsolo.com

Connect with Host Ailene Gerhardt, BCPA, CSA:

• Beacon Patient Solutions LLC: BeaconPatientSolutions.com, Email: info@beaconpatientsolutions.com
• The Navigating Solo Network™: NavigatingSolo.com Email: info@navigatingsolo.com
• The Navigating Solo™ Podcast: podcast@navigatingsolo.com

View this discussion on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingsolonetwork/videos

Subscribe and follow us for more insightful episodes, and don’t forget to visit navigatingsolo.com for resources, updates, and more!

© 2024, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC. All Rights Reserved.