Jan Hively

Exploring the Dimensions of Healthful Aging

Ageless Mind Project

Aug 23, 2023

An Introduction From Our Founder
At 85 I have just a few people older than myself to look up to. Jan Hively is at the top of the list. I met Jan, who is now in her early 90s, at a Positive Aging conference in Florida back around 2010. Over the years we kept bumping into each other as she kept founding new groups for elders. I am a proud member of the global “Pass It On Network,” the most recent group she established with the equally admirable Moira Allen, who (like my husband, Josh) is from South Africa. Jan's energy and openness to growth continue to inspire me. I love the way we have been able to develop this relatively new friendship so late in life. - Lynne Berrett

Jan Hively is someone who gives new meaning to the expression, age is a state of mind. Jan has never let her chronological age stop her from pursuing her dreams. Below is a short list of how she has designed and continues to keep her mind ageless.

Jan earned her PhD in 2001 at the age 69 with a dissertation entitled, “Productive Aging in Rural Communities;”
Jan co-founded three networks of active aging advocates and is also involved in a number of national and international networks focused on aging well.
Recently, Jan made a major move from Cape Cod, where she had lived for many years, to Portland, Oregon to be close to family. There she is auditing a university course entitled, “Age Friendly Community Development,” has joined both a Unitarian Universalist congregation and the “League of Women Voters,” facilitates conversation circles, and is trying to decide which volunteer groups would best satisfy her passion for intergenerational collaboration for community development.
Jan hopes to find new friends and warm sense of community in her new home.

The Six Dimensions of Wellbeing

When asked what she feels are the most important components of healthful aging, Jan says she believes there are six areas that require ongoing attention and practice. She calls these areas, “dimensions of wellbeing.”

“The six dimensions of wellbeing are: physical exercise, mental/intellectual exercise, social interaction, emotional expression (creativity), vocational productivity (paid or unpaid), and spiritual exploration,” Jan says.“The good news is that there are activities that will make a positive difference in each dimension regardless of our level of ability or stage of life.”

Jan has clearly embraced the ideas and practices that lead to an ageless mind.

To learn more about Jan and how to design an ageless mind, visit:

Pass It On Network: https://www.passitonnetwork.org
Vital Aging Network: http://www.vitalagingnetwork.org

Look for more conversations with Jan on an upcoming AMP podcast.