Gerontologist Kerry Burnight is rewriting the aging narrative. Burnight’s 2025 book Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half advises readers to prioritize four key ways to age with joy, not fear: grow, connect, adapt, and give. Burnight wants to encourage older people to lean into their age and live with gusto and deep-rooted well-being. The book became an instant hit, landing on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. “Joy and purpose and vitality are not limited to younger years,” Burnight says. “The idea that you have to be or look or feel young in order to fully participate in life is so limiting and so harmful.” Burnight coined the term “joyspan”—a take on lifespan and healthspan that has caught on as readers embrace the positive outlook—to help people “see the incredible beauty and power and strength in being older,” she says.
