What does it mean to grow old in America today? Is 'successful aging' our responsibility? What will happen if we fail to 'grow old gracefully'? Especially for women, the onus on the aging population in the United States is growing rather than diminishing. Gender, race, and sexual orientation have been reinterpreted as socially constructed phenomena, yet aging is still seen through physically constructed lenses. The second edition of Margaret Cruikshank's Learning to Be Old helps put aging in a new light, neither romanticizing nor demonizing it. Featuring new research and analysis, expanded sections on gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender aging and critical gerontology, and an updated chapter on feminist gerontology, the second edition even more thoroughly than the first looks at the variety of different forces affecting the progress of aging. Cruikshank pays special attention to the fears and taboos, multicultural traditions, and the medicalization and politicization of natural processes that inform our understanding of age. Through it all, we learn a better way to inhabit our age whatever it is.

This work examines what it means to grow old in America today. The book questions social myths and fears about aging, sickness, and the other social roles of the elderly, the over medicalization of many older people, and ageism. Here the author proposes alternatives to the ways aging is usually understood in both popular culture and mainstream gerontology. She does not propose the ideas of "successful aging" or "productive aging," but more the idea of "learning" how to age. Featuring new research and analysis, the third edition of this text demonstrates, more thoroughly than the previous editions, that aging is socially constructed. The book focuses on the differences in aging for women and men, as well as for people in different socioeconomic groups. The author is able to put aging in a broad context that not only focuses on how aging affects women but men, as well. Key updates in the third edition include changes in the health care system, changes in how long older Americans are working especially given the impact of the recession, and new material on the brain and mind-body interconnections. The author challenges conventional ideas about aging, and brings forth some new ideas surrounding aging in America today.

In this warm, sensitive, fact-filled book, Paul Tournier deals specifically with many aspects of aging: society's attitude towards the elderly; second careers; the quality of life; financial difficulties; boredom; health; loneliness; and facing death. He believes we must all learn to grow old, and that the process is most successfully accomplished when we prepare and plan for it throughout life. Tournier offers a variety of suggestions to help make growing old not an end but a new beginning, filled with purpose and hope. He suggests ways to remain active and to use leisure to its best advantage without letting it become a tyrant. He also provides insights on taking up new interests, such as becoming involved with young people and new ideas, and learning to pray, to meditate, to acquire wisdom, and to draw increasing strength and inspiration from the reality of divine presence and power.

The latest take on aging well from Nancy K. Schlossberg looks at the basic issues facing a growing group of Americans over 55-health, finances, and relationships. With this book, readers will be able to think about and develop a deliberate plan to age happily.

NEUROANDRAGOGY, tells of new advances in brain research. Much of this new research confirms what teachers of adults have been saying for years. A very good example of this is that children and adults do not learn in the same way. The brain of the child does not reach new brain function and true maturity until age 21 and older. This is clearly seen when youth use their emotions to decide and not their executive brain as adults do. NEUROANDRAGOGY includes research that confirms ways adults can improve their IQ and sharpen their mind even into old age. This is possible because "brain plasticity" still occurs late in life. Even more interesting is the fact that we may even be able to experience neurogenesis (new brain cellgrowth) through life if we continue to learn new things and live within a brain stimulating environment. NEUROANDRAGOGY also makes the case for a possible delay of Alzheimer's disease by the activity of new learning (music, a new language, a new town etc.) All this contributes to good brain health which improves on life itself.

Ray Francis' first book, Never Be Sick Again, helped thousands of people put their "incurable" diseases into remission and enabled thousands more to shed excess weight, improve their cholesterol profiles, and achieve peak immunity from disease. Now Francis brings his revolutionary approach to anyone who wants to enjoy robust health and wellness and reverse accelerated aging. As Francis explains, just like an automobile, the body ages as a result of accumulated repair deficits, or a lack of maintenance. Fortunately, the human body is a self-repairing system, and in this latest book, Francis shows readers how to stay in good repair and keep the aging process at bay. His revolutionary approach counters the one-size-fits-all approach of most conventional anti-aging treatments on the market by targeting specific imbalances that manifest through "aging" symptoms. Botox injections, plastic surgery, and even hormone-replacement therapies don't yield meaningful results because they fail to activate the body's self-repair mechanisms; what's more, sometimes these treatments compound the problem by introducing additional toxins into the body. Never Feel Old Again provides a fundamental understanding of why we experience accelerated aging and teaches readers to look and feel their best and be healthy at any age.

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Brilliant and enthralling.”​ —The Wall Street Journal A paradigm-shifting book from an acclaimed Harvard Medical School scientist and one of Time’s most influential people. It’s a seemingly undeniable truth that aging is inevitable. But what if everything we’ve been taught to believe about aging is wrong? What if we could choose our lifespan? In this groundbreaking book, Dr. David Sinclair, leading world authority on genetics and longevity, reveals a bold new theory for why we age. As he writes: “Aging is a disease, and that disease is treatable.” This eye-opening and provocative work takes us to the frontlines of research that is pushing the boundaries on our perceived scientific limitations, revealing incredible breakthroughs—many from Dr. David Sinclair’s own lab at Harvard—that demonstrate how we can slow down, or even reverse, aging. The key is activating newly discovered vitality genes, the descendants of an ancient genetic survival circuit that is both the cause of aging and the key to reversing it. Recent experiments in genetic reprogramming suggest that in the near future we may not just be able to feel younger, but actually become younger. Through a page-turning narrative, Dr. Sinclair invites you into the process of scientific discovery and reveals the emerging technologies and simple lifestyle changes—such as intermittent fasting, cold exposure, exercising with the right intensity, and eating less meat—that have been shown to help us live younger and healthier for longer. At once a roadmap for taking charge of our own health destiny and a bold new vision for the future of humankind, Lifespan will forever change the way we think about why we age and what we can do about it.