Lorraine Ladish Proves Aging Fiercely Means Brain Health and Badassery
Lorraine Ladish has built her career reminding women over 50 that age is not an expiration date. Yet her own journey reveals how perspective can change over time. “In my 40s, I felt young because I had children later in life and was busy raising them,” she told FIERCE.
Life as a single mother, even on welfare for a period, left no space to think about aging. Now at 62, she says she feels far from old. But losing friends to illness and living through her own health scares has sharpened her focus. “I’m focused on taking the best care of myself physically, mentally, and emotionally so I can increase the odds of a healthier and functional older age.”
How Alzheimer’s shaped Lorraine Ladish’s approach to brain health
Ladish has also seen aging through a more personal lens. Her husband’s grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, which changed how she approaches her own brain health. “I’m extremely aware of my brain health and constantly challenge myself to learn new things and acquire new skills,” she said. That includes everything from doing her own video editing to taking improv and acting classes. “It’s very stimulating and forces you to think on your feet.”
The Alzheimer’s Association reports that 14% of Hispanic adults age 65 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia compared with 10% of white older adults. Yet Ladish says the disparity rarely gets enough attention. “I feel the Latino/Hispanic communities are just more reticent about sharing openly about mental health and brain health in general. It’s a stigma we can only break by being the ones who talk about it first.”
Reinventing movement after 50
Movement has always been at the center of her life. “I was a fitness instructor in my 20s and 30s and came back to yoga in my 50s due to a hip injury sustained running a half-marathon at 48,” she said. At 55, she became a certified yoga instructor. The practice, she explained, taught her how to work with the body she has on any given day. “Now I know when I can push myself and when to dial it back. This way, I can stay fit without compromising my joints or tendons.”
For Lorraine Ladish, fitness is more than exercise. It is a mindset. “Movement and physical discipline are my main way of coping with life’s hurdles, and they help me stay focused and release tension.”
Lorraine Ladish on creating balance as a digital entrepreneur
Running a bilingual platform like VivaFifty means constant creativity and pressure. However, Ladish has learned how to prioritize her health. “I put my workouts on the calendar, just as I would any other important activity,” she said. She also makes sure to take days off when she feels overwhelmed. “Taking care of ourselves always comes first. Otherwise, we can’t take care of our loved ones or function effectively professionally and even personally.”
Mindfulness rituals also play a big role. She credits journaling, especially gratitude lists, with keeping her grounded during difficult times. “In the toughest times, making lists of just three things I was grateful for kept me going.”
Fear, ageism, and the courage to keep going
When it comes to starting something new after 50, Ladish is blunt: courage matters more than being fearless. “I don’t think it’s always about pushing past fear but acknowledging the fear and doing things afraid,” she said. From having children to writing books to speaking in public, she admits she has often done things scared. “And I’m still here.”
Ageism, however, adds another layer for women. In media and public life, older women are often written off. Ladish refuses to shrink herself to fit that narrative. She points to her own achievements, like mastering her first unassisted pull-up at 61. “It’s not age that determines whether we can do something or not, but our attitude, our mentality, and our willingness to learn.”
Through her work, Lorraine Ladish continues to show that stereotypes crumble when women live loudly, care for themselves unapologetically, and share their stories without fear.
