Description
Based on the concept of an “ethical will,” Dr. Ken Dychtwald hosted a series of twelve unique and evergreen interviews with a prominent and diverse set of leading pathfinders in the fields of aging:
- Larry Curley, MPA, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, is the Executive Director of the National Indian Council on Aging and the former Division of Health Director of the Navajo Nation.
- Marc Freedman, MBA, is CEO and President of Encore.org. An acclaimed author and serial social entrepreneur, he co-founded Experience Corps and is the creator of the Purpose Prize.
- Linda Fried, MD, MPH, is a world-renowned geriatrician and epidemiologist, the first female Dean of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and former President of the Association of American Physicians.
- Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, is President of The John A. Hartford Foundation. She served as Dean of Health Sciences at Northeastern University and Founding Dean of the New York University College of Nursing.
- Kathy Greenlee, JD, is President and CEO of Greenlee Global, LLC, former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging and Senior Health Policy Advisor serving under President Barack Obama, and former Vice President for Health and Aging at the Center for Practical Bioethics.
- Jennie Chin Hansen, RN, MS, FAAN, is the former President of AARP, past CEO of the American Geriatrics Society, and a Board Member of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
- Paul Nathanson, JD, is the Founder of ABA Commission on Law and Aging, past President of the American Society on Aging, former National Secretary of the Gray Panthers, and Chair of the Board of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
- Jack Rowe, MD, was the founding Director of the Division of Aging at Harvard Medical School, former Chief of Gerontology at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital, and former President of Mount Sinai Hospital and School of Medicine.
- E. Percil Stanford, PhD, is Professor and Director Emeritus at San Diego State University, where he founded the University Center of Aging, the Gerontology Department, and the National Institute on Minority Aging. He is the former Senior Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion for AARP and former President of American Society on Aging.
- Jeanette Takamura, PhD, is Professor and Dean Emerita at Columbia University’s School of Social Work, where she served as the first female dean. Dr. Takamura also served as the Assistant Secretary for Aging from 1997-2001, leading the development and enactment of a modernized Older Americans Act and establishing the National Family Caregiver Support Program.
- Fernando Torres-Gil, PhD, MSW, is Director of the UCLA Center for Policy Research on Aging, Professor of Social Welfare and Public Policy at UCLA, former Chair of the American Society on Aging, and was the first-ever U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging, serving under President Bill Clinton.
- Imani Woody, PhD, MS, is a leading advocate of women, people of color, and LGBT/SGL issues, President/CEO of Mary’s House for Older Adults, and the Program Officer for the 50+ Ministry of Metropolitan Community Churches.
Illuminated with captivating stories, this book, Sages of Aging: A Guide for Changemakers, encapsulates their candid views on the “sages” personal journeys, core lessons learned, keys to impactful change-making, and how they envision transforming the roles of individuals, families, communities, and government, and for that matter, the entire field of aging. This book will be interesting to readers young and old, as we all must come to terms with our aging and the legacies we choose to leave behind, and it has the potential to change readers’ views on the future of their studies, their work, and their lives.
Pinchas Cohen, MD, Dean, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, California USA –
In Sages of Aging: A Guide for Changemakers, Ken Dychtwald and Elyse Pellman have assembled an engaging and thought-provoking collection of knowledge and perspectives on aging. Ranging from researchers and clinicians to public servants and entrepreneurs, the experiences of the 12 interview subjects featured here demonstrate just how complex and pressing the issues surrounding aging are, especially as they intersect with other social and economic challenges that we as a society face. As my colleagues and I work to help today’s gerontology students become tomorrow’s changemakers in aging, this book illustrates both the importance of addressing age-related challenges and the wealth of opportunities we have to help people live and age better.
James Firman, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at BellAge Inc. and former CEO of National Council on Aging –
This book is a brilliant contribution to the field and a “must read” for anyone who wants to improve the lives of older adults. Laced throughout are pearls of wisdom to guide people of all ages on their personal and professional journeys.
Helen Dennis, Syndicated Columnist, Author and Lecturer, Aging & the New Retirement, Co-Author of the LA Times Bestseller: Project Renewment: The First Retirement Model for Career, Women –
Students and professionals alike often are unaware of the pillars that have helped us reach this new longevity. This book fills in the gap by informing and reminding us of the “greats” in our field, lessons learned and how one individual can make a difference. This is an important and inspirational read for anyone who touches the lives of older adults. Well done!