Your Neighbor: Barbara Fleisher

Whoever thought an active and engaging lifestyle was over after 60 obviously never met Barbara Fleisher.

A retired university professor, Fleisher found an inspiring answer to the question many older people face: What do I do now? With this popular query in mind, Fleisher and her close friend, Thelma Reese, wrote a book, “The New Senior Woman: Reinventing the Years Beyond Mid-Life.”

“We realized we have a third of our lives left to live,” Fleisher said. “We’re living longer and better. We’re healthier. We have a lot left to give.”

Together, Fleisher and Reese interviewed more than 200 American women with diverse backgrounds. They felt by crossing socioeconomic and educational lines, they could reach a better understanding of women over 60. And what they discovered surprised them.

“We found that among these groups, all their concerns about this period in their life were the same,” Fleisher said. “They would articulate them differently, but they were all concerned about exactly the same things.”

With this knowledge, Fleisher and Reese began to compile their findings into chapters filled with wit, emotion and stories of amazing older women. Chapter topics range from “So now I’m Retired: How do I Fill my Days so I Feel Good About Myself at Night?” to “Sometimes I Feel Safest in my Senior Bubble: My World is Shrinking. How do I Expand it?” Each section tackles real issues women face each day, but in a way that is relatable and attainable.

The duo also founded the website ElderChicks.com as a haven for women over 60 across the world. Both the book and the website serve as sources of inspiration and encouragement for this age group.

“I always look to the future,” Fleisher said. “I never say, ‘Oh, my life is done.’ I want to continue to use the skills I’ve learned throughout my life for many more years.”

Neighborhood: Bayport Beach and Tennis Club
Your neighbor since: 2006

IN HER OWN WORDS: “We really wanted to tell the stories of ordinary women leading extraordinary lives … and we found plenty.”

Contact Kelsey Grau at [email protected]