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Everyone under the sun, it seems, has a podcast in 2022. Now, as of last month, a gentle-voiced grandmother from Bowling Green, Ohio, has also jumped into the podcasting waters.
But her goals are a little different from those of many other podcasters. She aims to spread positivity in the world, plus lessons learned and insights gained during her years on this earth — and she's speaking directly to other "wise old owls" all over the country and their families as she sits at her kitchen table.
"At the age I am now," Ann Cavera, 79, told Fox News Digital, "I don’t see a lot of media directed at us."
"Not all [seniors] are in circumstances where we really can’t connect anymore," she also said. "Some of us still have ideas. We still want to connect with people. We still want to relate to the world. And I think all of us have stories to tell. We all have something we want to share."
Ann Cavera began her podcast, "Speeding Past 80," last month — and has received feedback from people all over the country. She spoke to Fox News Digital about her enterprise and what she hopes to accomplish in the weeks and months to come. (Ann Cavera)
New episodes of her podcast, "Speeding Past 80," go live on Tuesdays, very early in the morning.
Cavera’s first episode was released Feb. 1, 2022.
To date, she's published 7 episodes, with more in the works. She aims to deliver kitchen table-like conversations.
"These podcasts are my own way of staying alive — and making use of the possibilities I still have."
Cavera describes her programs as "stories of faith, hope, love and laughter." Her podcasts are available on the usual outlets, including Spotify and Podbean.
"I wanted a way to connect with the outside world, now that we spend most of our day at home," she said. "These podcasts are my own way of staying alive — and making use of the possibilities I still have."
‘My son encouraged me'
Episodes of "Speeding Past 80" encourage listeners to reflect on their lives, passions and relationships as she shares snippets from her own life.
Cavera also draws content from over 700 columns that she and her husband, Jim, wrote for their church paper over the years. Their columns won two national first-place awards from what is known today as the Catholic Media Association.
Podcaster Ann Cavera of Bowling Green with her husband, Jim. Today, in addition to creating her podcasts, Ann Cavera cares for her husband, who has developed Alzheimer's. The couple has been married for 56 years. (Ann Cavera)
Cavera's audio broadcasts are generally in the 5-minute range. She is expanding that time frame in the near future, possibly up to 15 or 20 minutes — the length of a typical commute to work.
The couple's son, Chris, teaches podcasting at Bowling Green State University. He helps his mother with production and technical details.
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"My son encouraged me to read the textbook he uses in his classes," she said. She noted that the book, "Make Noise: A Creator's Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling" by Eric Nuzum, was a useful resource for her.
Today, a full-time caregiver role
Cavera has been married for 56 years to husband Jim. They met as Peace Corps volunteers in Liberia in 1966. She fell in love with him, she said, when she saw how passionate he was about his faith.
Ann Cavera and her husband, Jim, as a young couple in the '60s. (Ann Cavera)
Her roles over the years have included college admissions counselor, middle school teacher, author and youth minister. But her primary role now is caregiver.
Her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four years ago. She cares for him in their home.
Though "Speeding Past 80" is not focused on her caregiving role, she plans to touch on it from time to time in future podcasts, she said.
‘Focus on what they can do in life'
The Caveras have four grown children and four grandchildren who are teens. Ann Cavera's first podcast episode included a story about one of her granddaughters.
"They love it and they’ve been sharing it with their friends," said Cavera about her family's response.
"Now that our [kids and grandkids] are older and we see them slipping off into the world, we want them to remember us," she said. "I want them to know what I’ve learned about life and love and joy, and how to find and keep it. I want to give them our stories with what it’s taken me many years to learn tucked inside."
The Caveras during their wedding ceremony. The stories that Ann Cavera shares today in her podcast "are my way of [passing along] who we are and how we've survived so far," she told Fox News Digital. (Ann Cavera)
She added, "I want them to always focus on what they can do in life, not what they can’t. These stories are my way of [passing along] who we are and how we’ve survived so far."
‘This day is the only thing I have’
Many listeners have found Cavera’s perspective on chronological age refreshing. For her, the candle count on a birthday cake doesn't mean much.
"I have a theory. There is no such thing as age. Life is a gift that is given and can be taken at any moment, regardless of chronological age," she said.
"I want [the family] to know what I’ve learned about life and love and joy, and how to find and keep it. I want to give them our stories with what it’s taken me many years to learn tucked inside."
"So, in my view, everyone on the planet is the same age. We are all ‘this day old,’ because this day is the only thing I have."
She added, "This day is a chance to be, to do, to love. Living in the possibilities makes all the difference."
‘Ideas' for devoted grandparents
Cavera says podcasting offers seniors an opportunity to cement their legacy in a way that’s less intimidating than video. Some seniors, herself included, she said, are reluctant to make videos because they have concerns about looking "old." Audio-only formats like podcasting solve that worry.
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To get started, Cavera suggested using online resources, the local library and nearby colleges. She also said reaching out to children and grandchildren who may be able to help, even if they’re not nearby, is also wise.
"I just imagine sitting at my kitchen table and talking to good friends while we tell family stories."
The centerpiece of each of her episodes, she said, is a story lasting anywhere from 4 to 7 minutes — with topics added.
"Topics [in the weeks ahead] include tips for caregivers," she noted. "Another topic will be tips for people who want to become writers after retirement. There are a lot of us. In the future, I’d like to add ideas for grandparents and continue to offer reviews of books of interest."
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She added, "This venture is very much a work in progress. I am learning as I go, but the feedback has been wonderful."
‘Connect with other people’
Cavera also pointed out, "The idea that I could use the internet as a way to connect with other people and say pretty much what was on my 79-year-old brain fascinated me. I just imagine sitting at my kitchen table and talking to one or two good friends while we tell family stories."
"Find a way to give. It really is in giving that we receive what we most need."
She also said her advice for others "in this stage of life who feel the weight of loneliness is to find a way to give. It really is in giving that we receive what we most need."
She shared some interesting feedback she's received so far. "I feel that the weight of perfectionism through our society is crushing … our younger generations now," one person told her.
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Another listener told her about the podcast episodes, "They're encouraging and pertinent. Thank you for taking the time to do this. You make a difference."
