America is greying. One in three people will be fifty or older by the end of this decade. Although Baby Boomers have made great strides in changing some of the negative stereotypes associated with ageing, ageism is still prevalent throughout society. These deeply ingrained, harmful prejudices can be changed to benefit everybody, argue Drs. Albert Ellis and Emmett Velten. They believe that everyone can - with the right attitudes, tools and hard work - invent their own lives, not just live out the scripts provided by an ageist society. Written in a humorous and interactive style, "Optimal Aging" should help readers recognize and combat harmful attitudes that hold them back and develop more productive attitudes. The authors address everything from finances to health, personal relationships to retirement planning, dating to coping with loss. Ellis and Velten's methods and tools come from researched, practical forms of self-help and psychotherapy, particularly rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT). "Optimal Aging" seeks to help people: break free of negative stereotypes and prejudices about age; feel happy and committed to life and living vitally; get more of what they want and less of what they don't want out of their longer lives; apply their knowledge and common sense to cope with the practical hassles of older age and to capitalize on its opportunities; cultivate attitudes that will help them plan and act in their own interest; resolve disappointments about past failures and unfulfilled expectations; and create new roles and experiences.
Ellis, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and the author of over 50 books, and Velten, a psychotherapist in private practice who teaches at the University of California, San Francisco, do not deny that there are real challenges to aging. Regrets about the past, fears of declining health, loss of loved ones, financial concerns, and retirement options are all problems that cause unhappiness as we age. The authors argue, however, that such attitudes are not based on reality but result from fear of what aging might be. Using personal anecdotes and other examples, many humorous, they illustrate how patients have applied the authors' realistic ideas to change behaviors, set new goals, and enjoy life as they grow older. Recommended for popular self-help collections.?Jodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fdn.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
