ABOUT AGEWYZ
Agewyz Media Founder Jana Panarites
Agewyz Media Group LLC is located in Palm Beach County, Florida, and was founded in December 2014 to raise awareness in the media about the work of caregivers and to promote healthy aging across the generations. Founder Jana Panarites believes that by sharing positive stories and having frank conversations about access to healthcare supports and services, and aging—a subject often framed in negative terms or ignored altogether—we can draw attention to the capacity of individuals to face life with vigor and shed light on the magnitude of the issues facing our rapidly aging world.
Our Mission
To provide individuals, families and facilities with media that promotes health equity so we can all live the healthiest lives possible and make every moment in life count, at every age, even under the most difficult circumstances.
Our Vision
A world free of negative stereotypes about aging, that celebrates and supports individuals at every stage of life.
Our Values
Compassion | Creativity | Inclusion | Integrity
Products and Services
Life Stories for the Ages is a production service of Agewyz Media that gives older adults the opportunity to leave a legacy by capturing their life stories on video or through phone interviews. Our audio-only phone interviews were launched in response to Covid-19 as older adults are especially vulnerable during the pandemic and quarantining in higher numbers than younger generations. Yet they have lived through wars, measles and polio quarantines, so their perspective on the current crisis is unique and invaluable. In our audio-only interviews, veteran producer Jana Panarites conducts phone interviews with older adults for up to two hours, and then edits the recorded content, layering in music and sound effects to deliver a polished audio keepsake delivered on USB flash drive or uploaded as an mp3 file. Our in-person video biography service is currently available on request, implementing strict safety protocols. Combining on-camera interviews with family photos, memorabilia and meaningful music, we create professional, gorgeous visual narratives that celebrate the life your loved one has led and continues to lead. Capturing a life story not only has therapeutic value for the individual being interviewed, it allows younger generations to explore the lives of those who came before them – bringing history to life. It also gives adult children a chance to discover things about their loved ones that they never knew, which can lend perspective and guidance in their own lives.
The Agewyz Podcast is a story-driven digital radio program featuring frank and lively conversations about caregiving and healthy aging. Launched in June 2015, the show’s catalogue of over 150 episodes is available on multiple platforms including iTunes, Stitcher and iHeartRadio. The Agewyz Podcast has been recognized by listeners all over the world for its entertainment value and its candid approach in discussing everyday issues faced by caregivers and individuals determined to age well and wisely. The Agewyz Podcast has also been recognized for its contributions to healthy aging by Elder Guru and Aging Care.
The book,“Scattered: My Year As An Accidental Caregiver” captures Agewyz Media CEO Jana Panarites’ first year of caregiving in the midst of grief and career transition. While many books about caregiving are advice-oriented, with “Scattered” the reader dives in and has the lived experience of a daughter scrambling to keep up with the demands of her own life and the needs of her elderly parent. For anyone who is caregiving now, this book will help you feel less alone and give comfort to your battered soul. For those on the verge of caregiving, the book is a cautionary tale: your life is about to be hijacked so start preparing now. “Scattered” is available online, at bookstores, for request at libraries, on the Agewyz website or directly from the author (jana@agewyz.com). It is also available as an e-book.
About the CEO & Founder
Jana Panarites was born in Washington, DC to Greek-American parents with an infectious zest for life. Her father was an opera-loving lawyer, her mother a homemaker and freelance writer. In her childhood, family trips were frequent and often included her grandparents, which she is convinced cultivated her tendency to care about and for her elders. Jana’s extensive experience in storytelling and media production began in LA when she joined the production team of NBC’s five-part documentary series, “The Human Animal” hosted by Phil Donahue. Additional television experience includes work on The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS); The 44th Annual Tony Awards (CBS); and The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson (CBS). Jana’s book “Scattered: My Year As An Accidental Caregiver” has been praised for its candidness, accessibility and humor – qualities she also strives to maintain in everyday living. As host and producer of The Agewyz Podcast, she has had the privilege of conducting over 150 interviews with people from diverse cultures and age groups, from millennials to the “oldest old” (85 and up). These conversations, filled with joy and heartache, have been widely praised for their honesty and affirmation of the human experience.
These days Jana is helping clients increase their brand awareness and customer happiness by creating high-quality written and visual content used in traditional and digital media. Her written content is used on websites, social media channels, and in handouts, brochures and reports. Her visual content is also used on websites, and in promotional materials, slideshow presentations, short-form videos, and audiograms— audio combined with images and other elements such as music, soundwaves and text to create a marketing asset that can be shared on social media.
Author, producer and visual journalist Jana Panarites is a graduate of the University of Vermont, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications; and the University of Southern California, where she earned a Master’s in Public Diplomacy, a joint degree from the Annenberg School of Communications & Journalism, and the School of International Relations.
