No doubt you’ve heard about the array of efforts underway by both serious scientists and serial entrepreneurs to extend the length of life well beyond current human boundaries. And you’ve also likely read, in both agebuzz and elsewhere, about efforts to extend your “healthspan” along with your life span: that is, to keep you healthier and functional well into your later years and shorten the period of decline and disability at the end of your life. But even if you live longer and stay healthier for longer, what does it really mean if you’re unhappy with your life or don’t find pleasure or purpose in the time that remains? Well, Dr. Kerry Burnight has an answer for you. In her new book, Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half, Dr. Burnight dives into what it means to create and sustain joy as you enter your later years.

Dr. Burnight is a nationally renowned gerontologist who has taught at the University of California, Irvine for 19 years and researched both the biological as well as social and psychological aspects of growing older. Often referred to as “America’s gerontologist,” Dr. Burnight has made a career of helping older adults thrive in their later years, or as she says, she’s “making older better.” She coined the term “joyspan” to create a concept that embraces the positive and the possible as you get older, and to give readers of her book the practical tools necessary to embrace a more upbeat and joyful approach to aging. According to Dr. Burnight, there are 4 “non-negotiable” actions you need to embrace in order to support and sustain your joyspan: You need to grow, through exploration, curiosity, and a willingness to learn new things; you need to adapt and change as your circumstances change, which is a normal experience in all of human life, regardless of your age; you need to give something to others, no matter the size or value; and you need to connect, underscoring the scientifically-proven importance of social engagement for healthy aging. Embracing these concepts provides a foundation for thriving rather than just surviving your later years. As Dr. Burnight has made clear, “Joyspan, or the experience of well-being and satisfaction in longevity, matters because without it, long life is a drag.”

Dr. Burnight has been spreading the word of this new idea far and wide, participating in many podcasts and appearances in the process. For example, you can hear her discuss the book on a podcast called “The Longevity Book Club,” hosted by the Stanford University Longevity Project. She’s also been interviewed by the Next Big Idea Club’s Book of the Day Podcast, which declares that “Anti-Aging is overrated. Joy is the real fountain of youth.” Dr. Burnight has also spoken about the book on the excellent Crow’s Feet: Life as We Age podcast, and separately, was a guest on an earlier Crow’s Feet podcast titled, “Mothers and Daughters: Changing Seats at the Generational Table” for which she was joined by her mother, Betty Parker, who herself has become somewhat of a celebrity for her wisdom and vitality and perspective at the age of 96. Betty and Kerry make appearances on each other’s social media pages and in many ways, Betty is the living embodiment of the concept of joyspan, adapting to the use of a walker to get around and taking pleasure in what she can still do and learn, including regular get togethers with many of her daughter’s peers, and creating a life for herself of connection and purpose. That’s not to say that Betty hasn’t been thrown some curveballs in life, but as her daughter, Dr. Burnight, recommends, she goes with the flow, finds meaning in everyday occurrences, and connects with those around her, so as to stay positive, engaged, and interested in the world each day. Sounds like a pretty joyful life to us!