Despite her star status, Abramson eagerly greeted the production staff in the control room. The previously stoic staff beamed as she remembered their names and asked how they were doing.

Once the Ric Edelman segment was done, I watched as Abramson was ushered into the studio. She was there to discuss products that made life easier for mature adults and she wanted to be sure that the camera would be able to see the items she would be presenting.

Soon, the studio was cleared and the tape was rolling. John Palmer introduced Abramson and without missing a beat, she jumped right into talking about the giant-sized remote control—guaranteed not to get lost in the sofa cushions and easy to read at arm-length. Next, she moved on to a group of products ergonomically designed to make gardening easier for people with dexterity issues.

“I feel strongly that most products are not created or positioned effectively for the mature market so it’s been a passion of mine of how to break down that barrier and how to create mature-friendly products,” she says.

Exciting new media venture
On the way out of the studio, I asked Abramson what we could look forward to on her own Retirement Living show, The Daily Apple.

“The Daily Apple is a fantastic show,” says Abramson. “It’s a show about health and wellness for the mature adult. We want our audience to understand what opportunities are out there. We have a variety of shows ranging from acupuncture and new age issues to what does it mean to get a hip replacement or how yoga can help you feel better. We want to offer opportunities for people to see and learn about things they may never have heard of before.”

As for her larger role as the lifestyle gerontologist for Retirement Living, Abramson says, “I actually spend my days not only hosting The Daily Apple, but making sure the content of the other shows we deliver is appropriate and correct for the market. The executives behind Retirement Living felt it was critical to have a gerontologist with a Ph.D. I have schooled myself to look at the ins and outs of the mature world.”

What’s it like being in on the ground floor of a groundbreaking television enterprise? “It feels like what CNN must have felt like way back when,” says Abramson. “The people they have brought in as producers and executive producers are so incredibly talented. They come from some of the highest rated television and cable shows out there. To be able to see that and be surrounded by that is such a gift.”

Editor’s Note: See the Retirement Living insert in this issue of the Tribune. Or, visit www.RL.tv.

To Discuss Alexis or her TV show, Click Here!