Perimenopause, Menopause and Interpreter Performance

Perimenopause, Menopause & Interpreter Performance: What We Know and Practical Strategies for Success

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Perimenopause and menopause can affect sleep, energy, concentration, memory, word retrieval, emotional regulation and physical wellbeing. For interpreters whose work relies heavily on rapid processing, working memory, language retrieval and sustained attention, these changes can have a very real impact at work.

Yet within the interpreting profession, we rarely talk openly about how it affects those experiencing it, or how colleagues can better understand and support them through it.

Join AIMS – Allied Interpreter Mentorship & Support as kick off the first panel discussion in our “The Elephant 🐘 in the Interpreting Room” series for 2027. We will be talking to Dr Jemina Napier (UK) and Jen Kagan (Mexico) for an honest and practical international conversation exploring perimenopause, menopause and interpreter performance.

Our panellists bring different perspectives from interpreting research and evidence-based practice, yoga and Ayurveda, and body-based approaches.

Together we’ll explore:

• Changes to memory, concentration, language retrieval, energy and stamina

• Sleep, stress and recovery from demanding assignments

• Confidence when your brain and body suddenly feel different

• What current research tells us and where the gaps remain

• Workload, assignment length, teaming, breaks and preparation

• Practical strategies for movement, recovery, nutrition, medical support and boundaries

• When adapting the way we work may be a professional and sustainable choice

• What a menopause-friendly interpreting career and workplace could look like

• How colleagues who haven’t experienced menopause can provide meaningful support

Audience questions will follow, before an optional 30 minutes of international networking in Zoom breakout rooms.

Event details

Monday 22 February 2027 | Live on Zoom

5:00–7:00 pm AWST — Perth
9:00–11:00 am GMT — UK
10:00 am–12:00 pm CET — Amsterdam
4:00–6:00 am EST — Montréal/New York
10:00 pm–12:00 am NZDT — Auckland

90-minute panel + 30-minute optional international networking

Presented in English • English captions • Interpreted into Auslan • International Sign

Whether you’re experiencing perimenopause or menopause yourself or simply want to become a more informed and supportive colleague, this conversation is about normalising the experience, knowing you’re not alone, and finding practical ways to support long, sustainable interpreting careers.