Join us as Jacquelyn Stephens, PhD, the Senior ResearchAssociate at Mather, shares insights on how cultivating positive emotions through “savoring” can boost resilience,social health, and longevity. Discover practical strategies to enhance your well-being and thrive at every stage of life.

About

Dr. Jacquelyn Stephens is a developmental-health psychologist who conducts research on factors that promote happier and healthier aging. Her research focuses on predictors of well-being across the lifespan, with an emphasis on the protective role of positive emotion in times of stress and adversity. Her research at Mather Institute has focused on how savoring the moment, a form of positive emotion regulation, can contribute to better well-being in older adults. She also evaluates internal Mather programsand initiatives.

Prior to Mather, Dr. Stephens was a Postdoctoral ResearchFellow at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She earned her PhD in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University in 2022.

Key Takeaways

• Positive emotions help us bounce back from stress, overcome adversity, bond with others, and spark creativity.
• Positive emotions are contagious. Sharing a positiveexperience with another person amplifies the joy and creates a deeper bond,
• Savoring is noticing something positive happening and amplifying it. Instead of letting something positive pass by, we notice and acknowledge it. Bask in the moment.
• Savoring has three different time orientations – reminiscing: present moment, and forward thinking/anticipatory . Older adults are good at being attuned to positive things in their environment and tend to be better at savoring in the moment than other generations.
• When we create a repertoire of positive experiences, we are more likely to reach out to other people and form reciprocal relationships to lift each other up.
• People feel better when they focus on small moments of joy every day. The goal is not to surround yourself with constant positivity, but to develop the tools and resilience needed to create a life of happiness, well-being, and meaning despite life's inevitable difficulties.

Visit Mather Institute for reports on aging and well-being.

For exclusive access to the Mather research study onsavoring ,visit: Within- and Between-Person Effects of Savoring Ability and Well-Being in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study

This week’s episode features aging expert Helen Hirsh Spence, co-author of Reset: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life. Helen shares insights on aging well, developing “longevity literacy,” and strategies to combat internalized ageism—empowering you to thrive in later life.

About Helen

Helen Hirsh Spence is a powerful voice at the intersectionof longevity, leadership, and age inclusion. Her TEDx talk—"Embrace Age with a Longevity Mindset"—captivated audiences worldwide and sparked international dialogue around how we perceive and value older adults.

Recognized as a prominent figure in the field of longevity,Helen has been invited to share her insights at conferences, on podcasts, national radio and TV. She seizes every opportunity to promote an empowering perspective on aging, inspiring change for all generations. Her presentations are known to be thought-provoking, engaging, and deeply relevant to today’s shifting social and economic landscape.

Key Takeaways

• Advances in technology, medical advances, and education have given us a “longevity bonus” — our lifespans have increased 20 to 30 years.
• We can influence the trajectory of our lifespan, but itdepends on our beliefs. A longevity mindset means accepting our longer lives as the new normal.
• Targeting older adults requires workplace adaptations like flexible work, phased retirement, and intergenerational collaboration.
• The loneliness epidemic is spread across two primarydemographic groups, older adults and people under 25. Programs to build intergenerational connections and reciprocal mentorship have mutual benefits for young and old.
• Children from the age of three have negative preconceived notions of what it means to be old. Women especially have been conditioned by anti-aging marketing campaigns, not recognizingthat their potential, dreams and aspirations have been limited by ageism.

Follow Helen on LinkedIn

View Helen’s TedX Talk

Order Helen’s book Reset (US and Canada)

Explore the transformative field of gerontology with Dr. Julie Brown, as we delve into misconceptions, language, and innovations shaping aging. Discover how age tech advances can enhance independence, challenge stereotypes, and promote a more inclusive view of growing older.

About Dr. Brown

Dr. Julie A. Brown is an Associate Professor of Gerontologyat Ohio University whose work focuses on how we understand and experience aging in everyday life. She teaches courses on topics such as the business of aging and later life relationships, with an emphasis on how aging shapes identity, decision making, environments, and daily routines. Her work brings together research, teaching, and community engagement to highlight both the complexity and the relevance of growing older in today’s world.

Dr. Brown’s work also explores the intersection of aging, technology, and the home environment. Often referred to as an “AgeTech Gerontologist,” she is widely recognized for her work examining how technology shapes the aging experience, for better or worse. As a Certified Aging in PlaceSpecialist, she is especially interested in helping people navigate decisions about staying in, and thriving within, their homes. Her work is grounded in both scholarship and real world application, with a focus on creating more supportive and age inclusive systems for individuals, families, and communities.

Key Takeaways

• Gerontology is the scientific study of aging and olderadulthood. It examines the aging process from a lifespan perspective, encompassing the physical, psychological, social, and emotional aspects ofgrowing older.
• Age-tech (also known as gerontechnology) is the development, design, and use of technology to enhance the aging experience. Technologies shouldfocus on expanding capabilities rather than simply compensating for deficits. Too often, aging is viewed solely through a medical lens instead of a lifestylelens—prioritizing limitations over opportunities for independence, connection,wellness, and quality of life.
• Because everybody has different experiences and lifecircumstances, there is no one-way to view aging, Older adults are the most heterogeneous population – an 85-year-old can run circles around a 60-year-old,for example.
• More older people are seeking help for mental health. We have come a long way towards understanding the importance of mental health across the entire lifespan.
• We need to think about the importance of language to how we convey ideas and values. Using “anti-aging” is like saying that you are not valued – not good enough.
• Aging in place is less about a specific location and more about a sense of comfort, confidence, and control. It means being able to remain in the environment where a person feels most secure, supported, and connected.
• In the US, there's a dearth of housing, and particularly a dearth of housing that is age friendly. Plan early. The worst time to plan is during crisis.