#132 - Stop Projecting: What Midlife Gets Wrong About Older Adulthood

#132 - Stop Projecting: What Midlife Gets Wrong About Older Adulthood

From Mental Health + Aging with Dr. Regina Koepp by Dr. Regina Koepp

January 13, 2026 · 6 min · Episode 132

About this episode

Dr. Regina Koepp reflects on her experience discussing aging and the misconceptions surrounding older adulthood.

A few days ago, I was interviewed for NPR’s Here & Now, and the host asked me about my “aging journey.” I felt a little flustered—not because it was a bad question, but because I’m 50. And when people ask me about aging, my mind goes straight to older adulthood: 65, 75, 85, 95 and beyond. So my answer didn’t land the way I wanted it to. I left the interview thinking, I wish I’d said that differently. What I wish I’d said in the moment is this: when I talk about aging, I’m usually t...

Topics covered

  • midlife
  • older adulthood
  • aging journey
  • perceptions of aging

Keywords

  • NPR
  • Here & Now
  • aging
  • midlife perceptions

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