In the modern era, aging is one of the most dreaded parts of human life. From Alzheimer’s and dementia to social isolation and deteriorating bodies, mainstream media depicts aging as unnerving at best. Add on top of that the concerns about being able to fund retirement and/or losing our contemporaries, and aging sounds like one of the worst things to happen to us. What we tend to forget, however, is that just as many wonderful things happen when we get older: we have more free time, our families grow with the welcomed addition of grandchildren, and, overall, we get a new lease on life. If approached with the correct mindset, our golden years can truly be our golden years.
In his latest book, Rejuvenaging: The Art and Science of Growing Older with Enthusiasm, psychotherapist Dr. Ron Kaiser chooses to view aging in a much more positive light. He argues that advances in healthcare and science have extended the average life expectancy to the point that our retirement years will outlast our working years, so why not enjoy them? To help readers do just that, Dr. Kaiser presents them with a thorough, insightful guide which covers everything from shifting our view of life to maintaining our health and minds as we grow older. By the end of this book, older readers will have the tools to combat the effects of aging and younger readers will have a plan for enjoying the remaining stages of their lives.
Dealing with the aging process has been thoroughly discussed over the years. However, Dr. Kaiser approaches this topic from a very unique angle. While he does outline ways in which to counteract how aging has already affected someone, he mostly focuses on a proactive approach. He reminds readers that aging is not a spectator sport. Rather, we must work to keep ourselves feeling youthful and happy as we get older or else we really will waste away. As an experienced psychotherapist, the founder of The Mental Health Gym, and the creator of a branch of positive psychology dubbed “Goal-Achieving Psychotherapy”, Dr. Kaiser has the knowledge and first-hand experience to help people become active participants in their aging instead of bystanders.
All of Dr. Kaiser’s advice has roots in his psychotherapy practice, scientific research, and his own experiences as he gets older. He is even kind enough to provide a list of his sources in a bibliography at the end of the book, several of which I plan to read for myself. Nevertheless, Dr. Kaiser does not bog down his writing with too much medical jargon or statistics. Instead, he utilizes plain language and personal anecdotes from his clients and his own life to illustrate his points while keeping the reader engaged. In fact, this book is quite the page-turner, and readers will find themselves simultaneously wanting to continue reading and wanting to try out recommended exercises and websites.
Admittedly, a lot of Dr. Kaiser’s advice seems obvious, such as reading more and taking small steps in order to accomplish a larger goal. Regardless, these are also tips that people either don’t think about because they seem so obvious or simply don’t follow. Dr. Kaiser reminds readers of these concepts, encouraging them to pick and choose what works for them, and gives them ways to keep themselves accountable for executing these concepts.
Overall, Rejuvenaging by Dr. Ron Kaiser is a wonderful read for people of any age looking to enjoy their retirement years. He helps prepare readers mentally, physically, and emotionally for growing old happily and highly encourages people to start this process young to make the most out of life later. Fortunately, Dr. Kaiser’s advice works for those who choose to “start growing old early,” to put it in the psychotherapist’s words, as well as those who are already at retirement age. So, if you’re worried about getting older, need help enjoying your retirement years, or just want to make sure you make the most out of life, I highly recommend Dr. Kaiser’s work.
You can buy a print copy of Rejuvenaging by Dr. Ron Kaiser on Amazon.
Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!
Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011