Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Over the years you probably heard the word “Podcast” from close friends, relatives, television, or media. This article will give you a 101-crash course on where podcasts came from, how they got so popular and why this might be a great step into the world of technology.
So, where did the podcast come from? The concept of the podcast has been around since the invention of the radio show but with the invention of the MP3 player or the iPod around 2004, this new form of media was born. A way to describe it to people is, “it’s radio on the internet but it’s better than the radio.” A podcast is a digital audio file made available online for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which will be shared with subscribers automatically.
Anyone can make a podcast; you don’t have to be a radio personality or a celebrity to create one. Podcasts are created by people with an idea or concept that they think is worth listening to. The ease and accessibility of creating a podcast opens the door to many different topics, personalities and subjects that are not on the radio. There are also no rules to what can be said or covered. It is up to the listener to choose if they want to hear it or not.
To listen to a podcast, you don’t need to be a technology wizard. All you need is internet access on your phone, tablet or computer and an email address. You open your internet browser (Google, Bing, Firefox, etc.) and search for a podcast website such as Spotify, Apple Music, Google Podcasts or Amazon Music and create an account. You can create an account by adding your email address, a password, and some basic information. No personal or financial information will be required.
Now the world is yours! You can search any topic you wish. Some examples of common searches are sports, comedy, drama, game shows, health and fitness, news, politics, religion, or true crime. If there’s something you’re passionate about, there’s likely a podcast for it! You can choose any podcast episode you’d like and listen while you exercise, work, or relax. You might even know a friend, relative or a favorite celebrity who has a show that you can listen to. Since there are 2 million to choose from, there is a podcast for everyone.
The benefits that podcasts have over the average radio show are numerous. None of these podcasts are “live” so you can pause the podcast anytime you like and restart it later or you can go rewind and re-listen to a favorite part or jump to a different episode all together. There is no schedule, and you can listen to any episode at any time. How do you know a new episode is out? You can subscribe to these podcasts, so you are notified when a new episode is released, and you never miss a show.
AgeGuide has a podcast! If you haven’t tried podcasts before, let us be your first podcast listen. The Age Guide: Perspectives on the Aging Journey is about putting a face on aging and giving a voice to older adults and caregivers by highlighting their experiences and stories. We want to provide a window into the struggles and joys of aging to dispel myths and combat ageism. Our initial episodes focus on long-term care and the crisis that occurred during the COVID lockdowns. Our goal in this series was to hear the stories of those who lived and worked in facilities and those whose loved ones faced separation from them during the lockdown. These episodes are intended to spread awareness about the challenges so that we, as a society, can all help protect residents’ rights in the future. Most recently, we interviewed Kelly Richards, Suzanne Courtheoux and Darcy White, Long-Term Care Ombudsmen who protect the rights of residents in long-term care and got their viewpoints on what was happening inside locked facilities. We hope that you subscribe and listen to our podcast about the challenges and joys of the aging journey.
You can listen to the Age Guide podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
