Ep. 239 | Renowned gerontologist and author Dr. Kerry Burnight is passionate about changing the way we think about aging. Growing older isn’t a bad thing, she emphasizes, let’s look at what gets better as we get older! Early in Dr. Kerry’s career, she marveled at how elderly people with the same degree of physical health could be absolutely miserable or happily engaged with life, and she dug into finding out why. Her research revealed four pillars of aging that together make all the difference in the quality of our well-being. Kerry urges...
Ep. 239 | Renowned gerontologist and author Dr. Kerry Burnight is passionate about changing the way we think about aging. Growing older isn’t a bad thing, she emphasizes, let’s look at what gets better as we get older! Early in Dr. Kerry’s career, she marveled at how elderly people with the same degree of physical health could be absolutely miserable or happily engaged with life, and she dug into finding out why. Her research revealed four pillars of aging that together make all the difference in the quality of our well-being. Kerry urges us to adopt these practices as soon as we can, because just like with cardiovascular training, the earlier we start, the more benefit we accrue. In fact, the evidence is clear: research shows that people who have a “decline mindset” about aging die an average of seven years earlier than their counterparts with a “growth mindset.” It seems our beliefs about aging can easily become self-fulfilling prophecies.
Finding joy in the second half of life involves not only cultivating connection and growth among other things, but also, very importantly, countering our own internalized ageism. Dr. Kerry gives some telling examples of common derogatory thoughts we have about ourselves as we age, and shows us how we can turn this around and step into our power as older people. In a moving testament to the special beauty and authenticity of the elderly, Kerry expresses gratitude for her opportunities as a gerontologist to be infused with the presence of her patients, in all their humility and greater appreciation of friendships, nature, music, art—of life itself. A poignant, lovely, illuminating, and inspiring conversation with someone who lives her talk and is making a meaningful difference in a culture that has lost its way in its approach to aging and caring for elders. Recorded September 18, 2025.
“When we step into our power, we can revolutionize longevity.”
Topics & Time Stamps
- Introducing “America’s gerontologist,” Dr. Kerry Burnight, author of Joyspan, The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half (00:59)
- What is missing in the field of gerontology in America? (01:52)
- Lifespan, healthspan…what does “joyspan” signify? (02:44)
- The multibillion dollar anti-aging industry works on fear (04:57)
- Stepping into our internalized ageism (06:11)
- From revering elders for their wisdom to depending on youth to help us with technology (07:38)
- How is AI dividing us? (10:05)
- Kerry’s 4 pillars of aging: grow, connect, adapt, give (12:55)
- The psychological & physical benefits of service & the ripple effects of joy (21:51)
- Differentiating joy from happiness: practicing soul-centric activities (23:07)
- Beliefs about aging become self-fulfilling prophecies: the decline mindset vs the growth mindset (27:02)
- What gets better with aging? (30:23)
- How to get this research out to people? (33:24)
- Elder abuse, neglect & exploitation: the critical need to protect elders’ access to healthcare & housing (35:01)
- World wide poverty and the future for elders (40:47)
- Leaning into the older version of ourselves (43:37)
- We will all face tough stuff on this journey… but there are things that get better as we age (44:46)
- Counter your internalized ageist thoughts! When we step into our power, we can revolutionize longevity (46:56)
Resources & References
- Dr. Kerry’s website: https://drkerryburnight.com/
- Dr. Kerry Burnight, Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half
- Roger Walsh, Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind
- Dr. Laura Mosqueda at UC Irvine (Dr. Kerry’s partner in aging research)
- M. T. Connolly, The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money, and Meaning Later in Life
- Bernadette Boden-Albala, founding dean of public health at UC Irvine
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Dr. Kerry Burnight, known as America’s Gerontologist, is on a mission to help people fall in love with the rest of their lives. Fed up with the fear-driven, anti-aging hysteria, millions of people turn to her for a proven approach to navigating the new longevity—one based upon a profound truth: the key to good longevity isn’t the length of your life, it’s the quality of your life. Efforts to maximize lifespan, and even healthspan, don’t address the whole picture. Longevity is meaningless if you don’t like your life. In her New York Times best-seller, Dr. Burnight introduces the critical concept of “joyspan,” based on the science of well-being, contentment, connection, meaning, growth, and choice.
Dr. Kerry Burnight taught Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology for 18 years at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, where she co-founded and directed the nation’s first Elder Abuse Forensic Center. She currently teaches at the University of Chicago and has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Time Magazine, CBS Mornings, Oprah Daily, CNN, and BBC News. She is the longevity health advisor at Forbes Health and in the TIME 100 Health.
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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell
