Joyspan

Mary Ann

As you know, the Silver Sage Sisters have written frequently about life in retirement and growing older.  We have tried to share with you good books and ideas to help you ease into this chapter of your lives. I have recently come across a book that I think you would like.  It is Joyspan – The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half and is written by Dr. Kerry Burnight who is known as America’s Gerontologist.  She believes in optimizing dignity, health, and joy with aging.  

Burnight defines joyspan as the experience of well-being and satisfaction in longevity.  She states further that joyspan requires knowledge, intention, and effort and is achievable regardless of where you are starting out today.  Thriving in old age means to live a fulfilling, purposeful, and satisfying life despite the challenges that accompany aging. You must maximize physical health, cognitive function, emotional well-being, social connections, and sense of meaning.  

In Joyspan Burnight determined four essential elements about aging that include the following:

1. Grow: Continue to explore and expand
2. Connect:  Put time into new and existing relationships
3. Adapt: Adjust to changing and challenging situation
4. Give: Share themselves

As you grow through the second half of your life, focusing on these four tenants will help you find meaning.  The book goes into great detail about all of them.  There are excellent surveys to help you determine where you are with them and great examples of each in action.  

Joyspan is written by a gerontologist who understands aging, not just the medical aspect.  Dr. Burnight does not dismiss you because you are older.  She respects you and that is often rare in the medical field.  It is a special doctor who takes time to listen to you and is willing to work with you.  Aging is a partnership between the doctors and the patients.

As you know, my friend Lisa and I have had a non-fiction book club for the last six years, and Joyspan has been one of our favorite books.  I have given it to several friends to help them figure out their journey with aging.  Lisa and I have read numerous books on every aspect of aging, and Joyspan tells the good, the bad, and ugly of it all.  It is full of relatable information that everyone in their golden years can use.  Joyspan is a book that I will return to again and again.  I hope that you will find it a treasure as well and will help you age with grace.