A: I hope there is a change for the better in the way our society talks about aging. The truth is that more and more people are aging. And as my grandmother used to say, “its beats the alternative!” We should lean in and enjoy the benefits of aging and make the most of this time in life.
We are seeing a change in demographics in the world, with life expectancy rising. In fact, life expectancy has risen by more than two decades since 1950. The number of people over the age of 60 is growing faster than any other age group. We should not ignore this segment of our population, but rather, celebrate it and find the best ways for us and others to enjoy this chapter of life.
Ageism, the prejudice and discrimination on the basis of age, has been very prevalent, especially in Western culture. Older adults have been spoken about as not productive members of society. Beauty campaigns are all over stating that the best products are “anti-aging.” There is a sense that if we do things right, we can somehow prevent ourselves from looking or feeling older.
The truth is that there is nothing wrong with aging, and, in fact, there are plenty of positive factors related to aging. The term positive aging refers to the concept that aging well has many characteristics. The National Institute of Health defines it as a compilation of five factors including health, cognition, activity, affect and physical fitness. The overall concept is that there is much we can do to age positively and to increase our life satisfaction.
I think of positive aging as more of a practice in how we view and embrace aging. There is much research to suggest that the way we choose to view the world has an impact on our emotions, our satisfaction and the choices we make. Upholding a positive perspective on aging can help us embrace where we are in our lives and see our own value.
It also helps people see themselves as productive and capable of change and growth at any age. This is integral to life satisfaction. You can still find meaningful things to engage in, foster relationships, care for your physical health and find things that bring you joy.
Aging also brings the ability to grow wisdom, as this is only possible with life experience. It also may mean having the wisdom to know your limits and boundaries. I met with a person today who told me “Everyone likes to tell me what I should do, instead of seeing what I can do.” This man understand that he needed to focus on what was realistic for him in this moment in time. I appreciate the wisdom he brought to the conversation.
I encourage everyone to start to shift their thinking to highlight the positives of aging. Chances are you already know the negative parts, the physical and mental changes that may cause you to slow down. But can you list five positive things?
Older adults are more likely to have grown their resiliency, their patience and sense of themselves. There is a joke about older people not caring what others think of them anymore. I see that as a benefit of age, to be more comfortable with who you are and less worried about what others think. If you have trouble thinking of more benefits just remind yourself of the senior discount programs!
Everyone ages differently, but chances are everyone can find some ways that being older has positives for them. Allow yourself to frame aging in a positive way and make sure you let others know what positive aging is.
Martha Shapiro can be reached at Senior Concerns at 805-497-0189 or by email at mshapiro@seniorconcerns.org.
