Podcast
No Stupid Questions
It was discussed as a book that explored the secrets to aging well, including factors such as relationships, coping styles, and health choices, mentioned in the context of the importance of healthy choices throughout life for successful aging.
I do know a little bit about the work of the psychologist George Valiant. I'm sure you know much more. I love George. So George wrote about aging well. That was the name of the book.
— Episode: 87. What’s So Great About Retirement?
Episode: 87. What’s So Great About Retirement?
It was discussed as a book that explored the secrets to aging well, including factors such as relationships, coping styles, and health choices, mentioned in the context of the importance of healthy choices throughout life for successful aging.
I do know a little bit about the work of the psychologist George Valiant. I'm sure you know much more. I love George. So George wrote about aging well. That was the name of the book.
So much of his professional life. He was a psychiatrist at Harvard. I think he's emeritus now. He followed this cohort of several hundred people. Many of them were Harvard graduates, but they're also a sample of Boston residents who are not Harvard graduates.
And the people who started this study are not alive anymore. Even the subjects of the study who started off in their teens. Most of them I think have passed. So this is a study where you can follow people for an entire life and you can ask like what's a good life? What are the secrets to aging well?
Well, here's what he says are seven factors that do predict positive aging, not being a smoker or having stopped smoking young, adaptive coping style, mature defenses, absence of alcohol abuse, healthy weight.
Those are physiological and potentially cognitive drivers that would make a retirement better. But then here we go. Stable marriage, as you referred to, exercise and years of education.