Transition Network Supports Women Facing Midlife Challenges
Like many women, Marilyn Abedin has faced a series of life-stage transitions as she entered midlife. Over the past decade, the Saratoga resident has divorced her first husband and married another man, watched her youngest child leave home for college and launched a new career as a mortgage broker, after 35 years of hospital-related work.

Abedin, now 62, has embraced these changes, which she describes as "mostly exciting and liberating." But, for many people, the transitions that often occur in their 50s and 60s - in areas such as work, family, romance, housing, health and finance - can prove daunting and stressful.

That's one reason The Transition Network (TTN) was formed. A national organization based in New York City, TTN provides support for the growing population of midlife women who are switching gears and looking for ways to take control of their lives as they navigate the next phase.

"Our mission is to provide resource and support for women over 50," explains Janet Mandelstam, co-chair of TTN's San Francisco/Bay Area Chapter, which launched early last year. "We are the first generation of women for whom work was often as defining a part of our lives as family, and traditional models of retirement don't fit our lifestyles. While retirement is still several years off for many of our members, The Transition Network brings together a community of women to network, build comraderie, and share ideas and concerns about all of the changes we are experiencing."

Jennie Chin Hansen addresses TTN's San Francisco/Bay Area chapter in June 2007.
Hansen is the in-coming national president of AARP and former executive director of On Lok.

TTN goals include "helping women sustain a sense of achievement, maintain intellectual stimulation and have fun as they move through a new phase of life," adds Arlene Reiff, the San Francisco/Bay Area Chapter's other co-chair.

Founded in 2000, TTN now has more than 2,500 members and seven active chapters, in New York, Westchester, Long Island, Chicago, Washington DC, New Jersey and San Francisco/Bay Area. New chapters are also being developed in Boston and Houston. The TTN community consists mostly of women in their 50s, 60s and 70s with professional experience in areas such as business, government, healthcare, academia and the arts.  

Like its counterparts around the country, the San Francisco/Bay Area chapter offers a variety of programs and activities that promote personal growth, renewal and satisfaction. These include chapter-wide meetings, held one evening per month in San Francisco, where topics such as ageism in the workplace, alternative senior housing options and achieving financial security are explored and discussed. About 40 women, many of whom are still working, typically attend these meetings, which have recently drawn such speakers as Washington Post columnist Abigail Trafford and Jennie Chin Hansen, the in-coming national president of AARP and former executive director of On Lok, Inc.

The chapter also organizes social events for its members, such as summer barbeques, holiday teas, and trips to Filoli Gardens and the fine arts museums.

In addition, TTN offers a variety of small group and team activities, including peer groups who meet regularly (usually once a month) to discuss transition-related issues and lend each other support. Peer groups, which are composed of eight to 12 women and usually meet at members' homes, often determine in advance the topics they will focus on. Group members often start off by getting to know each other to make sure they are compatible. The San Francisco/Bay Area chapter currently has two peer groups in the East Bay and one in San Francicso, with additional groups expected to develop.

"The nice thing about a peer group is it provides a group of people with whom one can reflect on life issues that are often not suitable conversation for the dinner table. It's hard to find opportunities to discuss certain issues in daily life," says Sarah Goldman, a 79-year-old San Franciscan who works part time as a therapist. "I'm at a stage where I'm ready for more inward reflection. That's what drew me to the peer group."

Jennie Chin Hansen with members of TTN's San Francisco/Bay Area chapter, June 2007.

Like many members, Abedin heard about TTN through a friend. She joined in November 2006 and hasn't missed a meeting since. Abedin says she was attracted to TTN because her own recent history sparked a realization that "women go through so many transitions, and I am fascinated by the diversity of their experiences. And I love the sharing and learning and support we can offer each other.

"Talking about my history with other women has helped clarify phases of my life and helped me figure out where I want to go in life, how to get there and how to get past some of the hurdles," adds Abedin. "Not all women thrive as they encounter the transitions of midlife. Some get very depressed around issues like divorce. The Transition Network gives us a chance to support each other with advice, encouragement and solutions."

For information about The Transition Network, see http://www.thetransitionnetwork.org. For information about the Bay Area chapter or to receive monthly bulletins of chapter activities, write to sfbayttn@yahoo.com.

(This article originally appeared in the Summer 2007 issue of Bay Area Summit)

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