Podcast
The Grannies
Hosted by Jane Isay and Adesewa Josh · EN
The Grannies brings you intimate interviews and personal stories from real grandmothers, connecting generations through heartfelt storytelling. Hosted by Adesewa Josh and Jane Isay, this show celebrates family heritage and the power of women stories in every episode.
13episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Sibling Rivalry, Resentment, and the Bonds That Last
2w ago00:55:20Tap to summarizeStill Keeping Score?For most of us, sibling rivalry never really ends. It just goes underground. It hardens into estrangement, softens into resigned love, or sits quietly in the room every time the family gathers.In this episode of The Grannies, Adesewa Josh and Jane Isay go there — the unspoken competitions, the wounds that never closed, the grief of watching a sibling die before something was resolved between you. They also go global: the eldest child who never signed the contract they were handed, the sibling who emigrated while one stayed behind, the brothers who inherited and the sisters who didn't.And the question underneath all of it: what did your sibling teach you about who you were — and how much of that is still running your life?This one is for anyone who has ever loved a sibling, resented a sibling, lost a sibling — or is still trying to figure out what to do with all three at once.
Transcribe →Living Alone vs. Elder Community: What Does Belonging Really Mean in Later Life?
3w ago00:55:58Tap to summarizeWhat does it mean to truly belong at the end of life — and who gets to decide?In this episode of The Grannies, we sit down with Alexandra Martin, who made a decision most people spend years avoiding: she chose to move into a retirement community while she was still young enough to choose freely. The turning point came during COVID — a medical emergency that made one thing suddenly, undeniably clear. She wasn't going to wait for life to make the decision for her.Her story opens one of the most urgent and under-discussed questions facing older women today: is living alone a choice, a compromise, or the most radical act of self-determination available to us? And what do elder communities actually offer — connection, or just proximity?We go beyond the practicalities of senior living to ask the human questions: What does home feel like when you're 75? What does loneliness actually cost? And when society starts making decisions for older women, who is really in charge?Whether you're navigating aging in place, supporting an aging parent, or rethinking what community means in later life — this conversation will challenge everything you thought you knew. The Grannies is an intergenerational storytelling platform exploring the human truths of aging, hosted by Adesewa Josh and Jane Isay. Streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and cable across the United States (Spectrum 34 · Fios 33 · RCN 82).Topics: aging in place · senior living · elder community · retirement community · loneliness in older women · aging well · women over 60 · women over 70 · belonging in later life · independent living · proactive aging · intergenerational storytelling
Transcribe →Granny and Inlaws
Jun 1100:57:12Tap to summarizeJoin us as we dive into the complex relationships of grannies and in-laws, sharing personal stories that reflect family heritage and women's voices. This episode highlights authentic storytelling and intimate interviews that connect generations.
Transcribe →How to Be Old
May 3000:46:39Tap to summarizeModern culture treats aging as a failure state instead of a human stage. We celebrate growth in every form except the one guaranteed to happen to everyone: getting old.
Transcribe →Behind our Backs: When Our Children Start Talking About Us
May 1700:57:10Tap to summarizeThere’s a moment that quietly happens in many families whenchildren start having conversations about their parents that they never used to have.Conversations about health. Memory. Independence. Safety.Finances. Sometimes out of love, usually out of fear.This episode explores what it feels like when parents lose autonomy, when the role reverses and children starts making decisions on behalf of their parents...and the emotional toll the experience takes on parents as they must relinquish control they've had all their lives
Transcribe →Mother’s Day: Who Is It Really For?
Apr 3000:57:57Tap to summarizeMother’s Day is meant to celebrate love, sacrifice, and the women who raised us. But as families grow and generations shift… the question quietly becomes—Who is this day really for now?
Transcribe →Grannies & Technology: It's Not You, It's The Stupid Computer
Apr 1300:58:58Summary readyAs technology reshapes how families communicate, this episode explores the widening gap betweengenerations—particularly for grandmothers whose communication styles have been disrupted orreplaced.
SummaryHoliday Sensitivity: Love, Boundaries, and Being Yourself
Mar 3000:54:40Tap to summarizeAs families gather during holidays like Eid, Passover, andEaster, this episode explores the emotional complexity of family time—where love, expectations, generational differences, and personal truth often collide.The conversation centers on how older generations navigatefamily gatherings, maintain authenticity, and keep communication open withtheir children.
Transcribe →What Grannies Know About Living Through War
Mar 1800:52:35Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Granny Jane reflects on life during WWII, as well as living through earlier global conflicts. We discuss the anxiety many grandparents feel today as tensions escalate in the Middle East. The conversation explores fears about the future, including the possibility that younger generations could be drawn into war, and how love, family, and intergenerational connection help people cope in uncertain times.
Transcribe →When Grandma Can’t Pay the Bills: Money, Retirement & Family Responsibility
Feb 2700:33:50Tap to summarizeSomewhere in the world, a grandmother expects her children to care for her. Somewhere else, she insists on never depending on anyone. In this episode, Adesewa Josh and Jane Isay unpack money, dignity, and family obligation across cultures — from Western social safety nets to African traditions of reciprocity. Is independence true freedom… or quiet isolation? And when grannies can no longer make a living, where's the money to take care of them going to come from? the state, the family, or both?
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