Award-winning authors Marcy Houle and Elizabeth Eckstrom have teamed up again following the success of their critically acclaimed book The Gift of Caring, winner of the 2016 National Christopher Award. This new book blends frontline science with inspirational stories and insights from wise elders for aging with health, joy, and purpose. The book explains how our bodies and brains age, defining what can be expected with aging and what is unusual. It demonstrates ways we can significantly increase our chances for a positive aging experience into our 80s, 90s and 100s. It offers key strategies for meeting the challenges of aging, informs us of issues of inclusion and equity, and advises on handling legal and financial affairs. The Gift of Aging illustrates how we can make the third act of our lives meaningful and fulfilling, ensuring we as elders can make a difference in our world.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; 1. Map and Compass; Part I. Caring for Your Mind: 2. A goal higher than joy; 3. Why does having purpose matter? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 4. An open and determined mindset; 5. Autonomy: impossible without adaptability Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 6. Dance, Lucille, dance; 7. The golden spurtle; 8. Is retirement bad for my health and well-being? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 9. Humanitude-why human connection is vital for everyone; 10. 106-proof; 11. Killing us quietly. Why social isolation is as bad for us as smoking Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 12. Brain health across the life span. What can I do now to prevent dementia later on? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; Part II. Caring for Your Body: 13. Protect your bones throughout your life Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 14. Why your bladder, kidney and perineal health matters Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 15. Help! My blood pressure is going up, I'm dizzy when I stand, and every doctor tells me something different about my cholesterol! What do I do? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 16. Our muscles throughout the life span: build resilience now to prevent frailty later Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 17. The wonderful world of microbiota and the value of the Mediterranean diet Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 18. What happens to our immune system as we age? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 19. The problem with pain and what we can do about it Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 20. Don't give in and live with pain. First, give physical therapy a try Darla Philips, PT, DPT, ATC, OCS; Part III. Caring for Yourself and Your Family: Practical Planning: 21. Who needs an estate plan? Everyone Wendy K. Goidel, Esq; 22. Financial planning through the decades Wendy K. Goidel, Esq; 23. An ethical will: leaving your legacy to loved ones Wendy K. Goidel, Esq; 24. You've become a caregiver. Now what? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 25. So many living arrangements. Which one for you? Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 26. Do this one simple thing and add 7.5 years to your life! Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; Part IV: Caring for Your Soul: 27. I don't want to go downstairs!; 28. How not to be afraid of dying and ensure that your family remembers your death as a peaceful one Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 29. Only two things; 30. Grief and loss: normal parts of aging. not to be missed Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 31. Living to make a difference; 32. The great leveler; 33. View from the mountain; 34. The healing power of nature Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 35. The best place in the world to grow old Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 36. From revolution to pandemic; 37. The power of positivity Elizabeth Eckstrom MD, MPH, MACP; 38. An incredible journey; Afterword; Acknowledgements; Elizabeth's original Mediterranean diet recipes; Index.