I’ve been a research scientist for over 40 years. My work has focused on understanding what it means to age successfully. After earning my Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State, I spent years working in research departments in nursing homes in Miami, Philadelphia, and Cleveland. Then I served on the faculties of Bradley University and Boston College. For two decades, I was an Endowed Professor of Medicine and Director of Research at Rowan University’s New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging. I’m now affiliated with the University of South Florida’s School of Aging Studies. My research has been supported by nearly $20 million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health and private foundations, and has helped shape national conversations on eldercare, mental health, and resilience in later life.

Among my proudest contributions is ORANJ BOWL, a 15-year longitudinal project tracking nearly 6,000 adults across New Jersey. Through that work, I uncovered a small but powerful group of people who consistently rated their aging experience a perfect ten of ten. They weren’t the wealthiest or healthiest, but they shared nine behaviors that empowered them to age successfully. I call these people Zesties, and their behaviors can be easily learned. 

My upcoming book, Becoming Zestie, brings my findings to life in a practical guide for anyone looking to age with more joy, purpose, and connection — no matter their background or circumstances.