Aging well : surprising guideposts to a happier life from the landmark Harvard study of adult development / George E. Vaillant.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Vaillant, George E., 1934-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Aging--Social aspects--United States--Longitudinal studies.

Aging.

Aging--United States--Psychological aspects--Longitudinal studies.

Aging--Social aspects.

United States.

Psychological aspects.

Genre:

Longitudinal studies.

Physical Description:

viii, 373 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Boston : Little, Brown, [2002]

Summary:

Harvard Medical School has spent more than fifty years studying the basic elements of adult development, looking at life choices, health, and happiness in hundreds of individuals. Now, for the first time ever, the results of this unprecedented study are being made public, and they reveal an extraordinary set of conclusions about how men and women can lead a happier, more fulfilling, healthier life -- into their sixties, seventies, eighties, and beyond. Using these studies and the subjects' individual histories, George E. Vaillant, M.D., the director of the study, shows why some people turn out to be more resilient than others. His extraordinary conclusion is that individual lifestyle choices play a greater role than genetics, wealth, race, or other factors in determining how happy people are in their later life. And Aging Well reveals for the first time which lifestyle choices truly make a difference. Dr. Vaillant explores: the importance of marriage and the impact of divorce. New friends for new life situations. The role of play. Alcohol and other mood elevators. Making contact with new people. And dozens of other factors that can make a huge difference in life. Dr. Vaillant offers step-by-step advice about how we can change our lifestyle and live a more fulfilling, satisfying, and rewarding life in the later years. His definitive and inspiring book is the new classic account of how we live and how we can live better.

Contents:

1 The Study of Adult Development 3

2 Ripeness Is All: Social and Emotional Maturation 39

3 The Past and How Much It Matters 83

4 Generativity: A Key to Successful Aging 113

5 Keeper of the Meaning 141

6 Integrity: Death Be Not Proud 159

7 Healthy Aging: A Second Pass 185

8 Retirement, Play, and Creativity 219

9 Does Wisdom Increase with Age? 249

10 Spirituality, Religion, and Old Age 257

11 Do People Really Change Over Time? 281

12 Positive Aging: A Reprise 307

A The Three Cohorts 327

B An Illustrated Glossary of Defenses 334

C Methodology for Assessing Maturity of Adaptive Mental Mechanisms (a.k.a. Defenses) 336

D Assessment of Childhood Scales 338

E Basic Trust at Age 50 Associated with Childhood Environment and Future Successful Aging 339

F Scale for Subjective Physical Health (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) 340

G Scale for Objective Mental Health (Age 50-65) 342

H Scale for Objective Social Supports (Age 50-70, Harvard Cohort Only) 343

I Scale for Subjective Life Satisfaction 344

J Table Contrasting the Happy-Well with the Sad-Sick and the Prematurely Dead 345

K Graceful Aging Scale 346.

Notes:

Includes errata sheet.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 347-358) and index.

ISBN:

0316989363

OCLC:

46472304