Enlightened Aging
Building Resilience for a Long, Active Life
By (author) Eric B. Larson, Joan DeClaire
Publication date:
09 June 2017Length of book:
234 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781442274365
A leading expert in the science of healthy aging, Dr. Eric B. Larson offers practical advice for growing old with resilience and foresight. More than just canned advice, Enlightened Aging proposes a path to resilience—one that’s proven to help many stave off disability until very old age. The steps on this path include pro-activity, acceptance, and building and maintaining good physical, mental, and social health
Using inspiring stories from Dr. Larson’s experiences with study participants, patients, friends, and relatives, Enlightened Aging will help readers determine what their paths can look like given their own experiences and circumstances. It informs readers of the scientific evidence behind new perspectives on aging. It inspires readers with stories of people who are approaching aging with enlightened attitudes. It offers advice and resources for readers to build their own reserves for old age. It recommends ways for readers to work with their doctors to stay as healthy as possible for their age. And it offers ideas for building better communities for our aging population. While especially relevant to the baby boom generation, this work is really for people of all ages looking for encouragement and wise counsel in order to live a long, active life.
Using inspiring stories from Dr. Larson’s experiences with study participants, patients, friends, and relatives, Enlightened Aging will help readers determine what their paths can look like given their own experiences and circumstances. It informs readers of the scientific evidence behind new perspectives on aging. It inspires readers with stories of people who are approaching aging with enlightened attitudes. It offers advice and resources for readers to build their own reserves for old age. It recommends ways for readers to work with their doctors to stay as healthy as possible for their age. And it offers ideas for building better communities for our aging population. While especially relevant to the baby boom generation, this work is really for people of all ages looking for encouragement and wise counsel in order to live a long, active life.
Larson, a clinical professor of medicine, and DeClaire, a health journalist, offer an empowering exploration, targeted to baby boomers, of ways to age healthfully while staving off disability and maintaining an active life. Rather than suggesting some 'magic bullet,' the authors focus on increasing resilience, the ability to recover from setbacks and adapt to changing circumstances, through building mental, physical, and social reserves. They state that baby boomers have a better chance of aging healthfully than any generation before them, and identify factors that lead to better aging, including proactivity, attitude, and acceptance. They also caution against overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and new but not necessarily improved medication, instead lauding lifestyle changes as solutions to age-related problems. Larson and DeClaire advise readers to make decisions that are right for them and be proactive about their healthcare. Building on the subject of attitude, they recommend making aspirations more focused and attainable as one ages, something they see as leading to greater happiness and life satisfaction. Though no one can guarantee a long, healthy life, Larson and DeClaire help stack the odds in readers’ favor with their informative work.