Century Lives

The forgotten middle—seniors with too much money to qualify for the government-subsidized housing offered to low-income folks, and too little to afford market-rate housing accessible to the wealthy—is a growing population. In this episode, we travel to Minnesota to explore housing solutions for the forgotten middle. Can we make housing affordable to this group of older adults—or will they have to figure out creative solutions for themselves?

Age segregation in housing is a relatively new phenomenon in human history. Until very recently, people aged with their families in intergenerational communities. Today, we visit two very different places: the age-restricted community Latitude Margaritaville in Florida and Gorham House in Maine, a retirement and assisted living facility built around the concept of different ages living together.

What is it about architecture that celebrates longevity? The world’s most famous architect, Frank Gehry, was actively at work until his death at age 96, finishing his Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi and still designing the greatest works of his career. Masters Frank Lloyd Wright and Phillip Johnson also worked into their 90s and were even more prolific than Gehry. In this special series, Century Lives introduces Victoria Newhouse, a renowned architectural historian. At age 87, Victoria chats with her contemporaries: the late Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Moshe Safdie, Peter Eisenman, and Raj Rewal—all renowned architects and all in their 80s and 90s. In the final episode of this five-part series, Victoria Newhouse talks with visionary architect Rem Koolhaas, who has been shaping and disrupting architecture for his entire career. At age 80, he is the youngest of Victoria’s guests and remains a prolific writer and one of the world’s most influential architects with multiple new projects, including the expansion of NYC’s New Museum, opening Fall 2025.

What is it about architecture that celebrates longevity? The world’s most famous architect, Frank Gehry, was actively at work until his death at age 96, finishing his Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi and still designing the greatest works of his career. Masters Frank Lloyd Wright and Phillip Johnson also worked into their 90s and were even more prolific than Gehry. In this special series, Century Lives introduces Victoria Newhouse, a renowned architectural historian. At age 87, Victoria chats with her contemporaries: the late Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Moshe Safdie, Peter Eisenman, and Raj Rewal—all renowned architects and all in their 80s and 90s. In this episode, Victoria Newhouse talks with 93-year-old architect, theorist and professor Peter Eisenman, who holds a place in architectural history as one of the New York Five, and the founder of Deconstructivism. He’s the recipient of the Gold Medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. And he has made a lifelong commitment to teaching, serving on the faculty of Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Cooper Union and Cambridge. He now teaches at Cornell University in Manhattan, where he plans to adapt his newest course on the genealogy of architecture as the subject of his 28th book.

What is it about architecture that celebrates longevity? The world’s most famous architect, Frank Gehry, was actively at work until his death at age 96, finishing his Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi and still designing the greatest works of his career. Masters Frank Lloyd Wright and Phillip Johnson also worked into their 90s and were even more prolific than Gehry. In this special series, Century Lives introduces Victoria Newhouse, a renowned architectural historian. At age 87, Victoria chats with her contemporaries: the late Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Moshe Safdie, Peter Eisenman, and Raj Rewal—all renowned architects and all in their 80s and 90s. In this episode, Victoria Newhouse talks with 90-year-old Raj Rewal: one of the most distinguished Indian architects of all time. He is the architect of Delhi’s most important Modern buildings and with many masterpieces published in the History of World Architecture. His work, recently displayed at an exhibition of Post-Colonial architecture at MoMA, is displayed in the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. Raj talks about his latest creative passion – miniature paintings and drawings inspired by historical Indian works of art.

What is it about architecture that celebrates longevity? The world’s most famous architect, Frank Gehry, was actively at work until his death at age 96, finishing his Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi and still designing the greatest works of his career. Masters Frank Lloyd Wright and Phillip Johnson also worked into their 90s and were even more prolific than Gehry. In this special series, Century Lives introduces Victoria Newhouse, a renowned architectural historian. At age 87, Victoria chats with her contemporaries: the late Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Moshe Safdie, Peter Eisenman, and Raj Rewal—all renowned architects and all in their 80s and 90s.  In this episode, Victoria Newhouse talks with 87-year-old Israeli-Canadian-American architect Moshe Safdie, who remains unstoppable with new projects from Singapore to Bentonville, Arkansas. He’s the recipient of the Gold Medal, the highest honor, from both the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the American Institute of Architects. Moshe discusses his Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore, where expansion is about to begin on what’s become Singapore’s national landmark. The huge hotel’s three towers include a casino, a conference center, a shopping mall, an art museum, and a spectacular rooftop infinity pool that overlooks the scenic bay.

What is it about architecture that celebrates longevity? The world’s most famous architect, Frank Gehry, was actively at work until his death at age 96, finishing his Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi and still designing the greatest works of his career. Masters Frank Lloyd Wright and Phillip Johnson also worked into their 90s and were even more prolific than Gehry. In this special series, Century Lives introduces Victoria Newhouse, a renowned architectural historian. At age 87, Victoria chats with her contemporaries: the late Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Moshe Safdie, Peter Eisenman, and Raj Rewal—all renowned architects and all in their 80s and 90s. In episode 1 , Victoria Newhouse talks with Frank Gehry in one of the final interviews of his life. He died just a few months after this conversation, at the age of 96. Frank and Victoria had a friendship spanning more than 40 years, traveling the globe together to visit his buildings. Frank discusses his $1 billion Guggenheim Museum about to open in Abu Dhabi, and other pivotal moments in his extraordinary career.

Look around you: Our communities are filled with people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, even 90s, doing things that would have been unthinkable at their age a generation ago. By 2030, the entire Baby Boomer generation will be 65 and older.  By mid-century, more than 80 million Americans will be over the age of 65.  By any prevailing definition, the United States will be a country full of older adults.  But what does it mean to be old in an era of much longer life?    Welcome to Century Lives: The New Old, from the Stanford Center on Longevity! I’m your host, Ken Stern. In this season, we interview six extraordinary people who are challenging the way we think about aging—and inspiring new ways we can live our supersized lives. Today: Margaret Cho. She is a Korean-American comedian, actress, musician, advocate, and entrepreneur. Most of us know her from her stand-up, where she pokes fun at topics like race, sexuality, body positivity, and politics. Decades after her network debut, she’s still using comedy as activism.

Look around you: Our communities are filled with people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, even 90s, doing things that would have been unthinkable at their age a generation ago. By 2030, the entire Baby Boomer generation will be 65 and older.  By mid-century, more than 80 million Americans will be over the age of 65.  By any prevailing definition, the United States will be a country full of older adults.  But what does it mean to be old in an era of much longer life?    Welcome to Century Lives: The New Old, from the Stanford Center on Longevity! I’m your host, Ken Stern. In this season, we interview six extraordinary people who are challenging the way we think about aging—and inspiring new ways we can live our supersized lives.Today: Billy Collins. He is one of America’s best-known poets, whose poems are beloved for their conversational and accessible style and for their humor. Billy Collins was the Poet Laureate of the United States for two terms, from 2001-2003. He talks here about his new collection of poems about dogs, and about a lifetime of observing the world around him and finding the right words to describe it. He also discusses mortality, which he says is one of poetry’s most common topics. And he reads several of his poems for us!

Look around you: Our communities are filled with people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, even 90s, doing things that would have been unthinkable at their age a generation ago. By 2030, the entire Baby Boomer generation will be 65 and older.  By mid-century, more than 80 million Americans will be over the age of 65.  By any prevailing definition, the United States will be a country full of older adults.  But what does it mean to be old in an era of much longer life?    Welcome to Century Lives: The New Old, from the Stanford Center on Longevity! I’m your host, Ken Stern. In this season, we interview six extraordinary people who are challenging the way we think about aging—and inspiring new ways we can live our supersized lives. Today: Diana Nyad. Her name is synonymous with courage, endurance, and the relentless pursuit of possibility. From Diana's record-breaking swim from Cuba to Florida at age 64, to her trailblazing career as a journalist and motivational speaker, to her latest passion authoring children’s books, Nyad continually redefines what it means to test one’s limits. She shares her story as a woman whose perseverance has inspired millions to “never, ever give up.”

Look around you: Our communities are filled with people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, even 90s, doing things that would have been unthinkable at their age a generation ago. By 2030, the entire Baby Boomer generation will be 65 and older.  But what does it mean to be old in an era of much longer life?    Welcome to Century Lives: The New Old, from the Stanford Center on Longevity. In this season, we interview six extraordinary people who are challenging the way we think about aging. Today: Nina Totenberg. Her voice is one of the most famous in broadcasting. Nina Totenberg is the legal affairs correspondent at NPR, a job she’s held since 1975. She talks here about why she continues to work into her 80s, with no plans to retire. And she regales us with stories about her early career, when there were few women journalists. She also discusses some of her most famous reporting, including her breaking news story about Anita Hill’s accusations against then-nominee to the Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas.

Look around you: Our communities are filled with people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, even 90s, doing things that would have been unthinkable at their age a generation ago. By 2030, the entire Baby Boomer generation will be 65 and older.  But what does it mean to be old in an era of much longer life?    Welcome to Century Lives: The New Old, from the Stanford Center on Longevity. In this season, we interview six extraordinary people who are challenging the way we think about aging. Today: Jacynth Bassett. She is one of the leading anti-ageism activists in the world, and yet she is only in her early 30s (and has already been fighting ageism for a decade). Jacynth Bassett is the founder and CEO of a campaign and a global community called “Age-ism is Never in Style”. She is also the founder and CEO of a women’s fashion brand called “Bias Cut” that proudly, loudly declares itself an “age-inclusive” brand.  She tells the story of how she chose this cause, and explains that ageism can affect the young as well as the old, and is the one form of discrimination we will all experience. She also discusses the ways that ageism can damage our health and the economy.

Look around you: Our communities are filled with people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, even 90s, doing things that would have been unthinkable at their age a generation ago. By 2030, the entire Baby Boomer generation will be 65 and older.  But what does it mean to be old in an era of much longer life?    Welcome to Century Lives: The New Old, from the Stanford Center on Longevity. In this season, we interview six extraordinary people who are challenging the way we think about aging. Today: Rick Steves. In 1978, he was a piano teacher with a touch of wanderlust.  Two months traveling overland from Istanbul to Kathmandu changed that. The trip ultimately made him what he is today: a storyteller, a critical source of information about travel in Europe, and our country’s foremost cheerleader for the value of travel. For the past half century, Rick Steves has taught his fellow Americans how to travel better, through his guidebooks, radio program, app, TV series, and bus tours. He recently turned 70, and many of his globetrotting followers are now older adults, too. We’re here to talk with Rick Steves about how he has reinvented himself—and his industry—as he ages.

Look around you: Our communities are filled with people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, even 90s, doing things that would have been unthinkable at their age a generation ago. By 2030, the entire Baby Boomer generation will be 65 and older.  But what does it mean to be old in an era of much longer life?    Welcome to Century Lives: The New Old, from the Stanford Center on Longevity. In this season, we interview six extraordinary people who are challenging the way we think about aging. Today: Fran Drescher. You might know her as Fran Fine, the star of the hit 1990s TV show The Nanny. After a bout with uterine cancer in her early 40s, she started Cancer Schmancer: a non-profit focused on prevention, early detection, and policy change. More recently, she took on a new role: President of SAG-AFTRA, the union she’s been a member of for decades. Fran Drescher is now 67. She’s here to talk to us about how she has reinvented herself—and her industry—as she ages.

A future season of Century Lives will take a deep dive into the subject of housing. Our focus is inspired by a striking fact: The US is already facing a major shortfall of housing suitable for seniors, and the number of Americans over 65 is expected to grow by 30 million by mid-century. So… we want to hear from you! Please share your concerns and questions, whether it’s about: Cost Aging in place Finding community Moving Arranging care Navigating family ... or anything else related to housing as you age. We may use your question on the final episode of our upcoming season. Please call and leave us a message telling us what’s on your mind at ‪(412) 467-6356. You can also email us at housing.century.lives@outlook.com. We may be able to use your question on the podcast. Make sure to include your name, age, phone number and a brief description of your circumstances.  Ken Stern, the host of “Century Lives”, will be joined by special guest Ryan Frederick, a renowned author, expert on the intersection of health, longevity and place—and a leading voice in the emerging field of place planning, which helps people make more intentional decisions about where to live for each stage of life. Thanks, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Sometimes a single question can open up a whole new world. About ten years ago, a young doctor named Sara Naseri was trying to think of how the field of medicine could be more preventative. It was so difficult to get information about what was going on inside people’s bodies, before they were sick enough to go to a doctor for a blood draw. Suddenly it dawned on her: Women bleed every month. What can we learn from that blood, and why has no one looked at it before? A rigorous scientific study followed—and eventually, a Silicon Valley start-up called Qvin, which produces menstrual pads used for testing women’s blood. Dr. Naseri represents a new generation of women coming up with innovations to close the women’s health gap. We travel to Silicon Valley to meet her, and we talk to two venture capitalists about the impact women in venture are having on private sector efforts to improve women’s health.

Two of the biggest social factors that contribute to health problems are financial insecurity and caregiving for family members. And it’s no coincidence that the burden of both falls more heavily on women. We hear the moving story of a woman named Amy Goyer, whose responsibilities as a caregiver landed her in bankruptcy and prevented her from taking care of her own health. She is now the national caregiving expert for the AARP.  We also talk to three experts about how women’s lower financial status leads to health problems, how health problems lead to lower financial status, and how both are tied to women’s roles as caregivers: Chloe Bird, Director of the Center for Health Equity Research at Tufts Medicine, Ana Hernandez Kent of the Federal Reserve and Heather McCulloch of the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program.

What are autoimmune diseases, exactly? And how many people have them? Experts can’t quite agree on the precise number, but it’s a lot: somewhere between 10 and 15% of the population. And 80% of those people are women. Autoimmune diseases contribute significantly to a lower quality of life, and incidences of autoimmune diseases are dramatically increasing. Autoimmune diseases have typically been under-researched and, as a consequence, are poorly understood. But thanks to new funding and research, efforts are underway to gain new insights into this category of diseases that affect millions of women.

Everyone knows that heart disease is a men’s issue. But as it turns out, everyone is wrong.  Heart disease is also the leading killer of women. And despite significant efforts to educate the public about women’s heart disease, the risks that women face are still badly understood—not just by the public, but by the medical community, too. Why are doctors still ill-prepared to treat women with heart disease? And why do so many women not realize the threat of cardiovascular disease to their own health?

There are very few givens when it comes to menopause - and mostly unanswered questions. Should you treat menopause with hormones? Do hormones cause breast cancer? Do hormones cause heart disease? What about non-hormonal alternatives? Shouldn’t you just stop complaining? In this episode, we’ll offer a few answers about how we got here - decades after the abrupt end of the Women’s Health Initiative, the first study of its kind to look at the effects of hormone therapy on women’s health. We’ll hear from Dr. Marcia Stefanick who worked on the original WHI study and meet Dr. Joann Pinkerton and Dr. Wen Shen, who have devoted their careers to improving women's lives at midlife.