Design + Menopause (Season 5, Episode 5a)
Description
By: Janet Roche & Carolyn Robbins
- Hosted By: Janet Roche
- Edited by: Jessica Hunt
- Guests: Lisa Scully; Nathalie Bonafe; Erika Eitland
- Stock Image: Designed by Freepik
Design + Menopause
(Season 5, Episode 5a)
Menopause is no longer a taboo topic! Join ‘Inclusive Designers Podcast’ in a special episode on ‘Design + Menopause’ that breaks the silence on what menopause is, how it impacts women in the workplace, and what designers can do to create supportive environments!
Our expert panel includes: Menopause Educator Lisa Scully, Women’s Health Advocate Dr. Nathalie Bonafe, and Dr. Erika Eitland from Perkins&Will. Together, we discuss the stages of menopause and offer actionable design solutions.
Through personal stories and professional insights, our guests provide valuable perspectives on fostering a workplace that supports women through every stage of menopause. Tune in for a conversation that’s both informative and empowering.
Panel:
Lisa Scully– is an official Brand Licensed partner with the award-winning ‘Menopause Experts Group’ (MEG). She provides organizations and individuals with up-to-date scientifically based and medically backed information. She is also the Civic Mission Project Manager at Wrexham University,
Quote: “My mission is to demystify menopause, providing support, guidance, and evidence-based information to individuals experiencing this phase of life.”
Nathalie Bonefe, PhD – is a molecular biologist with 25 years of biomedical research experience, who now advocates for women’s health from midlife on. In her private practice, she educates and coaches women through peri-menopause, menopause, and beyond.
Quote: “Menopause is a transition, not a disease, and post-menopause lasts for the rest of a woman’s life!”
Erika Eitland, ScD, MPH – is a Public Health Scientist and the Co-Director of the Human Experience Lab at Perkins&Will. She received a doctorate in Environmental Healthfrom the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and a Master of Public Health in Climate and Health from Columbia University.
Note:
Menopause Cafes– can be a great resource for those suffering with symptoms! We briefly touched upon their existence in this discussion and felt it was important enough to create a separate episode where we share more on what they can do, and how to find one if you or someone you know needs help or support going through these life stages.
– Definitions:
– Menopause Stages: Perimenopause; Menopause; Postmenopause
– Symptoms of Menopause may include: Depression; Anxiety; Panic Attacks; Brain fog; Hot Flashes; Night Sweats; Anger/Mood Swings
– References:
- Menopause Cafe Connecticut
- Menopause Experts Group
- Perkins&Will
- Trauma-informed Design Society
- Understanding Menopause Booklet
- Understanding Symptoms Poster
- Menopause and BIPOC Women of Color
- Newson Health- Impact of Menopause on Work
- UK Workplace Study
- Workplace Menopause Leave
- Increasing Diversity in Design
- Failure to Launch Syndrome
- Caregiving and the Sandwich Generation
- Menopause According to the National Institute of Aging
- End of Life Doula
Book: What to Expect When You’re Expecting
Other IDP Episodes:
Menopause Cafes (Season 5, Episode 5b)
Guests: Lisa Scully; Nathalie Bonafe: Erika Eitland
(Music / Open)
Janet: In this series we will be discussing specific examples of design techniques that make a positive difference for people living with certain human conditions.
Carolyn: The more a designer understands the client and or the community the more effective and respectful the design will be.
(Music / Intro)
Janet: Welcome to Inclusive Designers Podcast, I am your host, Janet Roche…
Carolyn: and I am your moderator, Carolyn Robbins…
Janet: We have a very special episode for our listeners today. We are talking about Menopause and Design… what it is, how it affects women in the workplace, and what we as designers can do about it when creating these environments.
Carolyn: It’s an important topic that we feel needs more attention and is finally starting to be addressed. We’ve assembled a panel of experts in this field: Menopause Educator Lisa Scully; Women’s Health Advocate Doctor Nathalie Bonafe; and Doctor Erika Eitland from Perkins & Will.…
Janet: We’ll discuss the different stages of menopause, and of course, design solutions. They also share their own personal stories in an honest and open discussion. I love that we have women from different generations, including myself. I usually do the interviewing but this time I am a part of this round table discussion…
Carolyn: it’s an incredible group of women… period.
Janet: (laughs) Hey, did you mean that as a pun?
Carolyn: oh yeah…
Janet: Oh my goodness. Well, you usually throw in a couple of puns, and just because this is a serious subject doesn’t mean there can’t be a few laughs.
Carolyn: So true. As long as it’s a part of the natural flow of the conversation?
Janet: Oh no…
Carolyn: too much?
Janet: maybe…
Carolyn: Okay, so before I add to the cycle (J: oh no), and get myself into more trouble, here is our panel discussion on ‘Menopause and Design’…
(Music 2 – Interview)
Janet: Hello and welcome to Inclusive Designers Podcast. I am your host, Janet Roche. Today we’re going to be talking a little bit about menopause and design. And we’ve got a couple of experts on here who will be talking to us about the stages of menopause and how that works, and the trials and tribulations that women go through with menopause and also within the workplace. So I’m going to dive right on in. I’m going to ask them to go around the room and introduce themselves briefly. So, Dr. Eitland, could you go first, please.
Erika: Hi, everybody, I’m Dr. Erika Eitland, and I lead the human experience research at Perkins and Will, an architectural and urban design firm. I am a public health scientist proudly, and I am the first public health scientist to be in a leadership role at a major architecture firm in the industry. So I take that with a lot of humility, and I feel so honored to be joined by all these incredible guests today.
Janet: And we’re thrilled to have you too. So then we’re going to go to Lisa Scully.
Lisa: Thanks, Janet. I’m Lisa Scully. I am a
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