Feeling Seen: An Interview with Next Avenue’s Julie Pfitzinger

In the latest in our interview series, we spoke with Julie Pfitzinger, managing editor at NextAvenue.org, a non-profit publication dedicated to covering important issues related to later life. In a deeply personal and honest discussion, Julie shared her views of the changing nature of aging, the lessons learned in her professional career, and how to live a good life after loss. We are grateful to her for sharing her story.

Introduce us to Next Avenue and describe its mission and purpose.
Next Avenue was launched at Twin Cities PBS in May 2012. Jim Pagliarini, who was the president at the time, was in the throes of caring for his mother and finding resources to be limited. He realized that he must not be the only one in search of not only information on caregiving, but on aging issues in general. As public media’s first and only national publication for older adults, Next Avenue remains dedicated to covering the issues that matter most as we age, like health, finances, purpose, and relationships. 

Tell us about your background and career. What was the path that brought you to your current role as Managing Editor at Next Avenue?
I joined Next Avenue in September 2017 as the Living channel editor (in addition to my role as Managing Editor, I am still responsible for that specific channel.) I started my journalism career at a community newspaper and from there went on to work at several parenting publications in the Twin Cities area. I was also a regular contributor to the Star Tribune family page each Sunday. At the time, my children were young and as they grew, I aged into topics pertinent to all stages of parenting. From there, I moved into lifestyle magazines – I was a freelancer for nine publications owned by a Twin Cities media group. I also served as editor for two of them before moving into the Managing Editor role for all the titles. I remain a fan of magazine journalism and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of my role. 

“As public media’s first and only national publication for older adults, Next Avenue remains dedicated to covering the issues that matter most as we age...”

What are some of your observations about the changing nature of aging? How are people living differently today in comparison with prior generations?
In 2022, research showed that 57.8 million people were over 65, or 17.3% of the total population. By 2040, the number will hit 22%. There’s only been a 2% increase in the population under age 65 from 2012 to 2022, and a 34% increase in the population of older adults. This means that society will face some significant challenges – the health and financial situations facing older adults, relationship issues, and a topic that’s often mentioned which is loneliness and isolation. 

Older adults today are frequently more active and engaged than their own parents and grandparents were – many are working longer; many are in better physical health because they’ve exercised more and eaten more healthily over the years. They are paying attention to mental health, too. For those living on their own, either due to circumstance or choice, they may be uncertain about decisions regarding estate planning and end-of-life issues. 

Media coverage of older adults is improving – you’d never see a “Where’s the Beef?” kind of stereotypical ad today. Many leading characters (specifically women) in television series are aging more realistically and are allowed to address authentic angles of aging: Jean Smart in “Hacks,” the women from “And Just Like That,” and Jamie Lee Curtis in “The Bear” are just a few examples.  

What are some unreported (or under-reported) issues of importance to your readers? Do you hear from them on certain subjects that are not being covered by other publications?
One of the top issues that matters to many of our readers, in addition to downsizing, which we cover extensively, has to do with family estrangement. We’ve featured many stories on the topic, and we often hear from readers that they are facing similar challenges in their own families. It also applies to grandparents who don’t see their grandchildren due to difficult relationships they have with their adult children. It can be difficult to find sources willing to talk about their own stories due to their fears of damaging those relationships further.

Our readers are concerned about the economy and the cuts to Medicaid. We are covering the issue very robustly, but again, this is an area where it’s understandably hard to find ‘real’ people willing to talk about their own situations. 

That also goes for caregiving in general – I think caregivers feel unseen as they toil in what can be a really difficult job, depending on the circumstances. Talking about their stories can be daunting. We routinely cover caregiving topics, and that’s only going to ramp up, I believe. 

People in their 50s, 60s, and 70s have immense economic power, and often more time to pursue leisure and personal interests. Why do you think brands continue to disregard this demographic?
That’s a good question. On Instagram, the tide is turning a little bit – makeup/skin care lines like Jones Road and Ilia are certainly leaning into the 50+ demographic, as are some health and wellness brands. Celebrities like Naomi Watts (who talks about menopause), Paulina Porizkova and others are not shying away from authentic perspectives on aging. And while they are ‘top tier’ influencers, I think their voices are important when it comes to normalizing aging, especially for women.

What are some things that have surprised you about this stage of life?
I have had to adjust many things in my life. Two years ago, I lost my husband to cancer. We had been married for 34 years and been in our house for just about as long. I’ve recently gone through a period of extreme downsizing, which was hard, but I’m grateful that it’s done. I like my new life as an apartment-dweller, but I’m still adjusting. I’m still adjusting to life as a widow, too. (I will say that throughout this entire journey, I have personally found Next Avenue to be an extraordinarily helpful resource.) I’m not so much surprised as proud that I am making decisions and tackling the changes I need to make. In spite of all of that, there is peace in this stage of life. 

“....I like the idea of helping people to feel seen, even in small ways. ”

Where do you find your inspiration, professionally and personally?
I’m really inspired by my Next Avenue colleagues, by our contributors who are writing about aging in so many ways, and by others who are writing about and/or talking about what it means to grow older – Anne Lamott, Ashton Applewhite, Paula Span, Margaret Renkl, Louise Aronson, Darcy Steinke. 

My new apartment is in the city and lately I’ve found that I need to find some quiet in nature – which is kind of a new thing for me. There’s a state park that I’ve been visiting every Sunday morning – it’s about 40 minutes away – and I’ve been enjoying hiking for a couple of hours. Honestly, it takes me a while to quiet my mind. I really have to be thoughtful about just being attentive to what’s going on around me on the trails – birdsong, breezes, etc. We’ve had many stories about the mental health benefits of being in nature, so as I mentioned before, Next Avenue is a helpful resource for me!

What is a memorable piece of advice you were given by a parent or older relative? And has it proven true?
My mom was always very friendly and a good conversationalist – she was someone who asked people about themselves instead of talking about herself, and I would have to say that I’m the same way. I guess I took that one step further – having conversations with people (and writing about them) is part of how I make my living! I also believe, as my mom did, in the importance of paying people compliments, even if it’s just as simple as complimenting someone in the elevator at work who is wearing cute shoes. I guess I like the idea of helping people to feel seen, even in small ways. 

To read more and support NextAvenue.org, click here.

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