What does it take to thrive as we age into our bonus years? Let’s find out.

3/22/2026

This week I would like to share highlights of a recent lecture I gave, which I think might be of interest to you, our readers. The title is “The Bonus Years: What Does it Take to Thrive?” 

So, what do we mean by the bonus years? In 1900, life expectancy at birth was 47 years. Today, it’s a little over the age of 79. In the past 125 years, we have gained more than 30 years of life, which is transformational. This change in life expectancy has affected almost every aspect of our lives, including healthcare, business, technology, entertainment, the media, housing, transportation and more. And if we are lucky enough to reach the age of 65, on average, we will have roughly 20 years of life ahead of us. Note this is an average.

We do well with lifespan, which is the number of years we live, but not so well with what is called health span. That is the number of years spent in good health without chronic conditions that often are a part of aging. According to the Mayo Clinic, the difference between lifespan and health span is roughly 12 years. For example, if we live until age 90, we may have poor health and a chronic condition (or two) for the last 12 years of our life. This difference between lifespan and health span is greatest in the US compared to 183 countries surveyed.

So, what does it mean to thrive? According to Kerry Burnight, author of “Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half” (Worthy, 2025), it means living a fulfilling, purposeful and satisfying life, despite its challenges.” 

It’s a feeling of well-being. Burnight identifies four components.       

• To grow: That means continuing to learn, explore and expand what we know.

• To connect: That’s putting time into new and existing relationships.

• To adapt: Thrivers adjust and adapt to changing and challenging situations.

• To give: That means sharing themselves.

She notes that the terms lifespan and health span miss an important component for the bonus years. So, she coined another span: That is the “joy span,” which emphasizes resilience, adaptability and finding joy and value in life. It is subjective. 

I had the opportunity to speak with Burnight and asked her, “If joy is an element of thriving during our bonus years, what are some obstacles that prevent us from achieving it?   

“We may be setting unrealistic expectations, setting the bar too high. Joy is not always automatic, or immediate, and may take a little work,” she said, and sometimes folks aren’t willing to put in the work. “Joy is a choice.” 

Furthermore, she remarked that it’s easier to be cynical than optimistic. The latter does take more effort. Burnight remarked that finding joy has both external and internal components. The external requires lifestyle choices such as good nutrition, exercise, friends and more. 

The internal aspect often requires a more conscious effort. She offered a personal example. Burnight’s daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 24 as she was packing to go to medical school; her daughter quickly became a patient.

Burnight went through grief, fear and lots of crying and finally realized that focusing on herself got her nowhere. So, she thought about the day – a time when someone likely was getting married and colorful flowers were blooming. She thought about music, birds, taking a nap and laughter, and realized she had to get beyond herself. It was a journey that worked for her. Note: Her daughter is now 26 and attending medical school. 

I finally asked if she was optimistic about whether older adults, particularly in our current environment, are finding joy. She replied with an unwavering, “Yes, I have been blessed spending time with so many people (over many years) aged 50 and older. I have seen them sitting up, putting their shoulder back, and yes, laughing.  Burnight has experienced joy in challenging times and has observed it.  

In two weeks, we’ll continue the conversation about what it takes to thrive.

Stay well, everyone. Here is a reminder: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is wasted,” attributed to Aesop.

Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com.  Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity