Barbara Lyons

Ever wonder about having a second chance to “do your thing”?

Life certainly provides interesting twists and turns. It seems like the first third of our lives is sometimes planned out, with surviving high school, moving on to college if/when support and finances allow, and shifting into a career that may or may not be what we expect it to be.

My undergraduate degree from Miami University of Ohio served the purpose of differentiating me from other candidates to get my foot in the door as a programmer/analyst with NCR Corporation. I migrated to a software engineering position in Boulder, Colorado, where my career developed over 13 years, with progressive levels of management of large technical and business departments in Colorado as well as in London.

The opportunity to live and work in London, with extensive travel to foreign lands, was life-transforming. But into every life, some tragedy must fall. My career was interrupted by a layoff as my employer floundered in the dot-com crash. Back to the U.S. I came, and struggled for a few years to find employment. And then my mother, age 86, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. This became my next major turning point.

I spent a year being a round-the-clock caregiver for my mother, to support her request to continue to live and eventually die at home. This time gave me the spiritual learning opportunity of a lifetime. I recognized that my life had a higher purpose and my thinking shifted to stewardship toward the tsunami wave of aging adults in the local community.

A volunteer “patient navigator” position at the Boomers Leading Change in Health program in metro Denver became my catalyst for channeling my passion. At age 56, I went back to school to complete a MA in Healthcare Administration, Certificate in Gerontology and management licensure for assisted living facilities.

Barbara LyonsI am currently responsible for the coordination of aging initiatives across five counties in the greater Denver area. My primary emphasis is on fall prevention of adults age 60 and over, empowering them to enhance their quality of life through exercises, cognitive restructuring (changing negative to positive thinking), optimizing their relationships with healthcare providers and leading more active lives.

Opportunities arise when we least expect them. Success comes with the wisdom to recognize them and the willingness to stretch ourselves to become a better person. Wisdom comes with time, practice and making more right choices than wrong choices. I am currently living the dream!

My life is very fulfilling and I am thankful for the second chance to “do my thing.”