New Book Shares Insights for Making the Most of Life After 50

In a culture so focused on youth, it is easy for older adults to feel that their life is destined to be boring or fruitless after a certain age. According to Dr. Helen Mendes Love, MSW, this could not be further from the truth. In her new book "Reflections on the Upsides of Aging: Living with Joy and Purpose after Age 50," Dr. Mendes Love presents selections of scripture backed up by social science research proving that life after 50 can be the best period of life.

"I am over three-quarters of a century old and am having the best years of a remarkable life," she says.

"Reflections on the Upsides of Aging" is a guide to living a purposeful and joyful life. Dr. Mendes Love presents scripture specifically geared towards older people to show how God's plans carry through people's entire life, not just the years prior to retirement. Additionally, she encourages older people to continue developing their spiritual gifts and talents so they can continue to make a difference in the lives of those around them and further God's kingdom.

Dr. Mendes Love backs up these pieces of spiritual wisdom with social science research from her career as a social worker. Her findings also support that it is healthy for older adults to follow God's call and continue contributing to society and those around them.

"Psychologists are finding that people who are making positive contributions to friends, family and their communities are among the happiest people in society," she says. "These are among those who are 'fruitful in old age' and they live with the peace and confidence that their lives matter."

Dr. Mendes Love encourages those in this stage of life to take advantage of the years God has allowed them to live to make more of a difference and continue to make their lives count.

According to Dr. Mendes Love, "Living with consciousness of the inevitable deaths of our bodies should motivate us to make maximum use of our ever dwindling time to prepare for our soul's Final Exam."

"Reflections on the Upsides of Aging: Living with Joy and Purpose after Age 50"
By Dr. Helen Mendes Love, MSW
ISBN: 978-1-4497-1132-0 (sc); 978-1-4497-1133-7 (hc)
Softcover, $22.95
Hardcover, $37.95
Approximately 316 pages
Available at http://www.amazon.com and http://www.barnesandnoble.com.

About the author
Dr. Helen A. Mendes Love is President of Mendes Consultation Services which she founded in 1976. She and her associates encourage people to cooperate with God in solving stressful personal, marital, family and work-relationship problems. She earned her Masters Degree in Social Work at Columbia University and her Doctorate at UCLA. She also studied theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. Dr. Mendes Love has also worked in higher education at the University of Southern California, Pepperdine University and UCLA. She is also the author of The African-Heritage Cookbook, a history-recipe book, and God's Stress Management Plan - Ten Biblical Principles for Avoiding, Reducing or Better Managing Stress. For more information about Dr. Mendes Love, visit http://drhelenmendeslove.com/.