The Five Pillars of Aging
Five Pillars of Aging came out of my work as a researcher and therapist. It is the guiding concept behind all my work. Each pillar supports a foundational aspect of aging better and aging well.
It’s time to renew your L~E~A~S~E on life…
LEGACY
ENGAGEMENT
AGE IN PLACE
SPIRITUALITY
ECONOMICS
Legacy
What will you be remembered for?
What do you remember about the people who influenced you most? More than likely it was something they said or did that left an indelible mark. This pillar looks at your values and helps you decide what your legacy will be.
Engagement
Staying connected over time
People long for connection at any age, but it is vital as our lives transition into elderhood. Challenges can include physical change, emotional loss, and relocation. Strengthening, sustaining, repairing, and creating new connections are key to aging well.
Aging in Place
Embracing the changes that aging brings
Aging no longer is just “retirement”. It is a series of functional adaptations to changes in social, cognitive, physical, and environmental conditions. Planning is key to managing these transitions.
Spirituality
Re-purposing our lives after retirement
The work of our later years is less about productivity than it is finding meaning and purpose. “Doing” shifts to “being”. With that come opportunities to explore core values and meaning, whether you believe in a “God” or not.
Emotional Economics
Living life from a place of gratitude
The later stages of aging require that we come to terms with the 4-E’s: I am enough (self-worth is as important as net worth), I have enough (managing resources including time and energy), there is enough (embracing abundance), and I know what is good enough (understanding the different between “settling” and “accepting”.
Learn at your own pace
Check out the Lecture Library where you will find information using the Five Pillars concepts to age better and age well. Offerings include downloadable hour-long lectures, informational hand-outs, workbooks, and thoughtful essays.
There are also self-paced courses on a variety of subjects ranging from solo-aging to how to manage the health risks of loneliness. These come with companion questions and assignments, as well as a facilitator’s guide for those wanting to explore these topics with others.
Working with me
These days most of my time goes to teaching, writing, and the courses in my Lecture Library. I also keep a small number of private clients, most of whom find me through people I’ve worked with. If someone sent you my way, welcome. I’m glad you’re here.
Whether it’s a single consultation to sketch out your blueprint for aging or a few sessions on a specific problem, our work is practical and a genuine back-and-forth. I use my Five Pillars of Aging as a map, because most of what makes aging hard connects to one or more of them: purpose, relationships, change, legacy, or self-worth. You bring your situation. I bring decades of experience, a steady focus on what you can actually do next, and more than a little humor.