The Dynamic Aging Program (DAP) at OLLI begins its sixth year this Fall, 2020 term – starting on September 15. The DAP is a one-year (3 OLLI terms) program of proactive and systemic coursework, readings and assignments, class discussion, and dynamic aging practices – taken from the latest research on successful aging from multiple scientific disciplines. The introductory course offered this Fall can be taken as a stand-alone course, or as the first part of a two or three term program.
The DAP has been re-invented to make it more accessible for OLLI students and will be offering in the Fall and Winter terms an introductory course titled DAP #1: Basic Training for Retirement. This class will introduce the student to nearly everything they need to know about aging and retirement from the standpoint of their own psychological and physical health and well-being.
This class is not for everyone. However, to help you decide whether it is right for you, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you feel like there is something missing from your retirement?
- Do you question whether many of the activities you currently participate in are meaningful, fulfilling, challenging, purposeful, joyful, or healthy (physically or mentally)?
- Do you feel like you still have a significant contribution to make to the world?
- Do you feel connected to other people and “alive” at the core of your being?
- Do you really want to learn about how you might optimize your own aging process, and are you willing to employ the necessary practices to do so?
Most people choose to live the last 20-30 years of their life in accordance with our society’s ideas on aging and retirement – which includes dis-engagement from a rapidly changing world, simple activities to keep ourselves busy, and an almost exclusive association with a group of people having similar ideas, opinions, perspectives, and ways of doing things. However, while a majority of retired adults are now living this way, without life challenges and continuous personal growth conventional retirement paradigms are actually a prescription for pre-mature cognitive and physical decline. Keep in mind that if we do not already have a serious health condition, medical science will probably keep us alive well into our eighties, nineties, and even beyond. So, it is our choice whether we want to live this new stage in life as our best selves – or in a state of escalating physical and cognitive decline.
As compared to conventional retirement, dynamic aging is a new and different way of viewing the aging and retirement process. Instead of living in retirement as though our usefulness is over, I believe that – for many people – retirement is the first and only time in our lives where a person already has the necessary experience, time, resources, motivation – and will have gone through a natural developmental process – that allows us to first identify and then actualize our true potential as a human being. In addition to discovering our unique potential (and sharing this gift with the world), a proactive and motivated DAP student can expect improvements in some or all of the following areas:
- Quality of life
- Overall physical and mental health
- Cognitive capabilities (growth in new brain cells and neural pathways)
- Happiness, joy, optimism, hope
- Passion, enthusiasm, zest for life, spirit of adventure
- Meaning and purpose to life
- The ability to control stress and pain
- All our relationships
- Self-awareness and personal development
- Flexibility and adaptability to changing life conditions
- Energy levels
- Acceptance of self, others, and any situation we cannot control
- Self-actualization, enlightenment, and beyond
The DAP is a vibrant, growing force in the Greenville Community, and it will continue to grow and evolve in the future as it becomes more evident that our society needs the individual and collective wisdom of its older population. We strongly advocate community involvement and helping others as a means of supercharging our developmental efforts, helping those in our area who cannot help themselves, and creating for ourselves the highest form of happiness through compassion, empathy, unconditional positive regard, and living on the “edge” of our psychological comfort zones.
If you are still on the fence about whether or not to take this program, I suggest you talk to one of our graduates. I will be more than happy to supply you with an email address and phone number of a DAP graduate to talk with, if you contact me by email at:
The following section contains the most recent testimonials from DAP graduates.
DAP Student Testimonials
I recently received the following in a letter from one of my original DAP graduates, who has also participated in the Aging Mastery class for the past three years, and leads the DAP Mindfulness group on Wednesdays.
“Dudley, words will fail to express what is in my heart for how you, your teachings, my fellow classmates, and my personal willingness to change and grow have affected my life. I wake up eager to see what the day will bring, am often surprised by what unfolds, and am grateful for whatever arises. Confidence in myself, knowledge that I am a worthy person, trust in the unknown, and bonding with people on a deep level, travel with me as I navigate these latter years. Throughout my life, I have had one friend at a time and, knowing better now, I would call these women “acquaintances” because each relationship was superficial. These days I have more people I relate to with profundity than I could have ever imagined prior to DAP. Before, I felt alone, surrounded by people. Now, I feel connected, even when alone. ”Thank you” are two words that are too small to tell you the fathomless appreciation I have for you. My teacher and friend, I love you.” – BB
Some of the other testimonials from graduates of last year’s DAP are as follows:
“While we missed our opportunity to join the initial DAP I class, my wife and I still had the pleasure of attending the next two terms of this program (DAP II & III), taught by Dudley and Christine Tower. To say this was a unique learning experience is truly an understatement! While my wife was quite enthusiastic about becoming a part of this class, I was admittedly a bit wary. As it turned out, our participation with two terms of this special program has given us considerable insight about who we are both as individuals and as a couple. For those of you who are considering this course, I would advise that you simply keep an open mind and feel free to express yourself as your comfort level dictates over time. In return, be prepared to discover it’s really true that “you don’t know what you don’t know”…especially when it comes to living your future years to the fullest and finding new and better ways to engage with others. I give this course as taught by Dudley and Christine my strongest recommendation…absolutely worth the time spent! My wife and I both can honestly say the Dynamic Aging courses have changed our lives for the better…and we truly look forward to progressing further in the program with this wonderful community of mindful and inquisitive individuals.” – CL
“I have just graduated from the DAP and thoroughly enjoyed the classes which were interesting and informative. Multiple topics related to aging, including diet, exercise, physiology, social interaction, and spirituality, were presented. Small group discussions led to a personal bonding with classmates following discussions of shared personal experiences. The depth of Chris and Dudley’s knowledge, in addition to their obvious enthusiasm for the subject matter, added to the enjoyment of the course. I would recommend DAP to anyone interested in the aging process and possible ways to extend the length of time in which chronologically enhanced persons remain happy, healthy, and productive.” – TL
“Thank you, Dudley! It has been a truly amazing three semesters of growth, understanding, discovery, rebuilding resiliency and a renewal of joy about what the future holds. It has been my pleasure to work with you and Chris! Thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication to helping us redefine retirement as a wonderful, productive, joyful stage of our development.” – DB
“I personally am at a major turning point in my life. I just retired and moved from Chicago, where I had lived for 68 years, to Greenville, a place I had never heard of. My past was left behind, and I was skeptical at best about my future. I was unsure about signing up for the class, but now I am so glad I did. No matter how I try to describe it in words, nothing will come remotely close to how I actually feel. As Dudley says “you don’t know what you don’t know”, and his insights has given my life a new direction, meaning and purpose.” – WK
“As DAP comes to a close, I have to say that I learned a great deal. At first it seemed too technical, as though we were intellectualizing, reducing to bloodless academic jargon, what should be visceral, physical, emotional, at best handled by lovers or poets. But as it progressed my personal involvement in the material grew. The last class nearly knocked me over. I saw the accuracy of what the material presented. Saw myself splayed out on the graph like a patient etherized upon a table. In academic words, it enhanced my self-awareness. Now I’d like to go back to the beginning and start all over again.” – CG
“Since taking your class I have taken a much deeper look at myself. I always considered myself a life-long learner because I love research, self- growth, etc. but I guess I only went so deep and scratched the surface. Now, I can delve a little deeper. What is out there that I’d like to spend my time doing when I retire? Thank you for such a great class and the opportunities to examine my life and figure out what stays, what goes, what I can change or do differently, what I will do when I retire and how to better navigate through my later years.” – SH
“The three DAP classes I took provided me with interesting and challenging concepts of aging and growing old. Understanding these concepts and putting them to use has already had a significant impact on how I think and act. Thanks for guiding us through the maze of conflicting and confusing notions of aging, and for giving us the tools to make our third third of life gratifying and fulfilling.” – ES
“GAME CHANGER – Retirement was never on my radar – I was always busy with the usual day-to-day challenges of work and home life. When retirement arrived unexpectedly, I was totally out of my element. With Dudley’s program, I created a fantastic plan for the last one-third of my life! Thank you Dudley!” – KK
“The DAP was here at a time when I needed it. It is a presentation of research and scientific based approaches to life and is exceptionally important for those retiring. The course offers individuals an opportunity to gain a new perspective on life as they navigate the opportunities that are possible for retirees. The course offers these opportunities and participants are free to pick and choose the specific approach to personal growth that fits the individual. The course is not a “how to,” but, rather presents routes to finding ways of knowing yourself. An opportunity to reclaim yourself.” – AD
“Dudley and Chris Tower’s Dynamic Aging Program offers the opportunity for a different and healthier perspective on how to age in a better way. Our society generally has no accepted model of how to remain constructive and engaged in the last third of life. As a result, most aging Americans find themselves without focus, marginalized and slowly deteriorating in mind and body. DAP gave me the information and insight to step back, take a look at how things can be more positive as I grow older, and evaluate my priorities for a healthier and more satisfying life.” – TM
Some of the comments received from prior years:
“DAP has provided me additional insight, hope & fortitude. I’d already applied mindfulness & awareness to my existence, but DAP strengthened my resolve if you will… Foremost, I savored concepts like Neurogenesis and Neuroplasticity… How I relish the idea of growing NEW brain cells & neural pathways/synapses!!! This prospect alone offers incredulous incentive to seek “more edges and growth opportunities”.” – KH
“I’ve heard for years that once you hit retirement, you either must use it or lose it. Now I’ve found so many new ways to use it. Mindfulness, being in the moment, fully aware has changed my daily outlook. I’ve lessened the baggage and loosened the old reins and am finding much more pleasure in my days.” – CB
“I have always had an interest in what makes people (myself included) tick, so this class has been immensely interesting to me. To list all the things I have learned would take ages. But the most useful thing I have learned and am practicing is examining my underlying emotions and feelings when situations come up that previously caused me stress or anxiety – and then letting them go. This has greatly enhanced my relationships and my own personal sense of peace.” – GW
“The DAP class has been very beneficial to me in several ways. It has helped reinforce the fact that anxiety and worry does no good, and to keep a positive outlook on the future, rather than dreading growing older. I feel challenged to use my remaining years in the most fruitful way possible, to continue learning things that challenge both parts of my brain and at the same time my body.” – GB
“I have had probably 30 years of “training” in awareness and have never gotten past the intellectualization of the concepts, until this class. Even though I knew that “intention” required more than just saying or thinking the word, I really never got there before. Between the great class atmosphere and knowledge building, somehow I have finally discovered that “intention” is just doing. Perhaps it is because I realize that I am running low on remaining years in this life or ??, but I am finally getting it. Thank you Dudley!” – TW
“Wow, the weeks have flown by and I’ve learned so much. I believe I lived on cruise control for many years, not taking time to enjoy the “small stuff” that was part of my everyday life. I have cleared some of the clutter from my mind, becoming more “mindful” of the present and am slowly learning to approach life, my health and relationships with less worry and anxiety. I also think becoming more mindful increases our compassion for others. Also, I’ve learned to listen more intently to other people. “New brain cells”–never thought that was possible as we aged. Letting emotions rise but then dissipate so that I would not be judgmental has become a permanent habit.” – ER
“The concept of letting go during the change process (versus being dragged along) has preserved an abundance of mental and emotional energies as I’ve encountered new challenges to the status quo of my vigorously defended life. The DAP has reminded me about the benefits of openness and curiosity, and what a joy those revelations can be as I move forward.” – DD
“This class has been everything I expected it to be when I took the intro class back in the spring. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at what a difference it makes to the class to have people in it who want to be there and are really putting forth the effort to put new thought and behavior patterns to work. It’s been inspiring to me and I’ve learned a lot from my fellow students.” – JS
“When I began this class, I felt that I had been doing all (or at least most of) the things a healthy, active recently retired woman could/should be doing to age optimally. I learned that there is so much more I can be doing! I quickly discovered the benefits of being more mindful, living in the moment, and identifying stressors in my everyday life and how to reduce them. I find that I am smiling more, being a better listener, and interacting with others more comfortably.” – CE
“Once I stretched myself to my utmost, the brain took over doing what was natural to it, what it was created for: to adapt, recycle, shut down (unused neural connections), refocus with the ebb and flow of pruning, while simultaneously creating new synapses. I moved out of my comfort zone and my brain went to work recreating itself.” – UE
DAP Facts and Requirements
The classes are highly interactive, there are adequate breaks, and the time passes quickly. We continue our class during lunchtime until 1:15pm, so that the subject matter can be thoroughly taught and supportively discussed. Make sure you bring your lunch or adequate snacks to these sessions. Students can also bring seat cushions, blankets, pillows or anything else that will make them more comfortable during classroom activities. Homework readings and assignments will usually be in preparation for the following week’s classroom activities.
Attendance at these lunchtime sessions is mandatory, and absolutely necessary to learning how one might live a more meaningful, positive, and joyful retirement.
I teach this class with my wife, Chris, who is one of the wisest women I know. Chris graduated from UCLA with an MBA and is now an artist, singer, energy healer, and helps teach the DAP by relating to students with examples from her own life and unique perspectives. Chris has also added a large element of humor to the classes, as we have been married for 45 years and have many funny and interesting stories about our own relationship which serve as examples for the teachings.
The DAP is not for passive learners, but for people who want to take charge of their own aging process. True learning requires experiential, reflective, and participative engagement with the subject matter being learned – so we have designed the program in order that students will learn as much from their own and fellow students’ experiences, as they will from the teacher and the scientific knowledge being taught. I have changed my entire style of teaching in order to create an environment where this type of learning can occur and be most effective. Talk to any of the DAP graduates to understand how effective this process has proven to be.
A Final Word
There is very little support in our society for an approach to aging that is different from what I call “conventional retirement” – which usually involves dis-engagement from an active role in society, and the constant “doing” of an endless stream of activities. However, based on our experience with past program enrollment, I know there is a small group of adventurous and self-aware older adults who understand deeply what this program represents – a chance to age optimally: with a higher quality of life, more energy and excitement, a minimum of age-related decline, renewed meaning and purpose, and the chance of discovering their unique potential in life. They understand that passivity and inertia with regard to their own aging process will lead to an increasingly rapid decline. They want to take a more proactive approach to their own aging process, but are unaware of all they can do to help themselves. And finally, these students understand they cannot do it alone – there is a need to find teachers, and a supportive community of fellow learners, for making these types of changes in their lives.
These are the students I want for this program – people who will participate with me in this emerging new field so that we can together discover the keys to optimal aging and change the aging and retirement paradigm for millions of older adults. This is my vision, and for those people who choose to fully participate in the DAP, I promise you the experience of your life – and a lot of fun in the process. Please contact me personally if you have any questions.
Dudley Tower, Ph.D.
Founder: Dynamic Aging Institute
Instructor: DAP at OLLI at Furman
E-Mail: towerdudley@gmail.com