A Man's Guide to Healthy Aging: Staying Smart, Strong, and Active

Updated and revised! An essential guide to healthy aging for men.

In A Man's Guide to Healthy Aging, Edward H. Thompson, Jr., and Lenard W. Kaye explore the new and evolving landscape of men's health over their adult lives. They present a positive outlook on aging, viewing it as an opportunity for continued growth, vitality, and personal agency. Offering an overview of issues and concerns, the authors encourage men to take charge of their health and wellness by maintaining active lifestyles, recoupling if necessary, and engaging in post-retirement careers, among other activities intended to bolster physical, mental, and social health and wellness.

The guide covers important topics including:
- The significance of self-care, especially in terms of physical activity, eating nutritiously, and being socially connected.
- Normal aging's impact on men's bodies, including their sexual health, cognitive function, and physiological changes.
- Navigating post-retirement careers and staying engaged in community life.
- Understanding relationships and recoupling in later life.
- Addressing ageism and resisting negative stereotypes of older men.
- Strategies for maintaining brain health and preventing cognitive decline.
- Practical advice on late life financial planning, including wills, trusts, and estate planning decisions.
- Insights into the social and cultural forces shaping men's health and longevity.
- How aging men can stay connected, maintain friendships, and foster strong social support systems.

New content based on major trends in the last ten years covers the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, planning for housing, the expanding availability of Medicare and Medicaid coverage and telemedicine, and more. While focusing on men, this guide also offers valuable insights for anyone hoping to better understand an aging father, brother, or partner. With a mix of research-backed information and relatable anecdotes, the authors encourage men to take charge of their health, challenge earlier generations' societal expectations of late life, and live with purpose and vitality well into their later years.

Edward H. Thompson, Jr., is professor emeritus of sociology at the College of the Holy Cross. He is the author of Men, Masculinities, and Aging: The Gendered Lives of Older Men. Lenard W. Kaye is a professor of social work and the Director of the Center on Aging at the University of Maine. He is a coeditor of Social Isolation of Older Adults: Strategies to Bolster Health and Well-Being.