Kirkus Reviews: “He adds that since our years are divided into what he calls ‘healthspan’ and ‘diseasespan,’ we should aim to prolong the former… Good genes are necessary but not sufficient; upbringing and environment play an essential role, and both work best if one takes advantage of opportunities.”
Want to avert Alzheimer’s? There are five main ways, states Levitin: eating your veggies and good fats, moderate exercise, brain training, getting enough sleep, and taking supplements specifically prescribed for your individual needs (based on testing, blood and genetic).
And he has a list of other suggestions/conclusions toward successful aging:
Don’t retire. Don’t stop being engaged with meaningful work. Look forward. Don’t look back. (Reminiscing doesn’t promote health.) Exercise. Get your heart rate going. Preferably in nature. Embrace a moderated lifestyle with healthy practices. Keep your social circle exciting and new. Spend time with people younger than you. See your doctor regularly, but not obsessively. Don’t think of yourself as old (other than taking prudent precautions). Appreciate your cognitive strengths—pattern recognition, crystallized intelligence, wisdom, accumulated knowledge. Promote cognitive health through experiential learning: traveling, spending time with grandchildren, and immersing yourself in new activities and situations. Do new things.
Of course, on that first one, the issue of retirement, it’s not that Levitin is necessarily against it. He basically says sure, leave work if you want and when you’re ready—but replace it with doing something else that’s fulfilling. “Even if you’re physically impaired, it’s best to keep working, either in a job or as a volunteer.”
Why are people happier when they continue with working? “Harvard University economist Nicole Maestas says, ‘You hear certain themes: a sense of purpose. Using your brain. And another key component is social engagement.'”
In addition, “Recall Sigmund Freud’s words that the two most important things in life are to have love and meaningful work. (He was wrong about a great number of things, but he seems to have gotten that quote right.)”
The general outlook is that older age doesn’t have to be an unhappy time of life, contrary to the belief of too many. While retirement is likely to be in the cards someday, consider that unretirement can be as well.
The whole concept of retirement is flawed as it presupposes a time of less activity and a life of leisure. As you mentioned in your article, many just want a long vacation and then get back at it is some form.
I write about this in my blog as I am referred to as ‘The Un-Retired Entrepreneur’. It might be more appropriate to be called the ‘never retired’ entrepreneur as other than some mini-retirements over the years, I have never officially retired.
I encourage folks of all ages to be engaged in meaningful work so that they would not ever consider retiring. The people in Okinawa call it ‘ikigai’ that is roughly translated as “the reason to wake up in the morning”. We are never too old or too young to make a positive difference.
Actually the whole idea of retirement was made up by Otto von Bismarck in the 19th century because of the high unemployment of the younger generation; he decided it was best for people 70 and over to leave their jobs to make room for the younger folk. Of course, other countries followed and here we are left with a faulty concept.
Enjoy life, stay engaged, contribute to others in ways that are enjoyable and make sense so that retirement is a concept that never enters your mind. All the Best, Joseph