Elderescence

Jane and Peggy Thayer — a mother-daughter team of psychologists — coined a word for something real: the extended life stage that opens after traditional retirement age and that deserves its own framework rather than being treated as a slow wind-down. Drawing on interviews with actual retirees, Elderescence explores what makes this phase fulfilling, noting that many people voluntarily return to meaningful work and engagement when given the choice. The mother-daughter collaboration itself models the intergenerational theme the book examines. No trade reviews could be located, and the 2005–06 publication predates significant longevity research. But the conceptual move — naming and dignifying elderescence as its own life chapter — gives the book a genuine contribution for readers approaching or inside this stage.