One can’t even grow old in peace these days. The current picture of a successful al-be-it aging senior is someone who has lived 60 or more years, but has remained as lively and limber as a 40 year old. The message is clear: shape up and live the good life or you will soon be pushing a walker, which is to be avoided at all cost.
Jane Glenn Haas (Orange County Register: Santa Ana, California, December 14, 1999) wrote an article about this current drive for perfection. Studies being done and papers being written tell us all that the right choices in diet and exercise will transform every senior into a super star.
But what if you don’t want to run a marathon at age 70? Does that make you a failure in the aging arena? Making a big deal of the super athlete or the person that works with super human strength implies that aging is a treatable disease. Does this mean that people with chronic diseases or disabilities are somehow failures?
Successful aging should be more than the ability to compete athletically or work an 80 hour week. Exercise, diet and prescription medicines are important but a combination of good luck, good genes and a lifetime of effort also tie into the picture. Health is of utmost importance but even more important is what you do with whatever state you are in. A walker, a cane or a wheelchair should not define who you are. Studies conclude that the emphasis should be on successful living rather than successful aging.
As long as you can see, talk and hear (and sometimes even if you can’t) you are still “you” on the inside. There are increasing numbers of disabled seniors rolling, crutching, and walking into their senior years. Many of them have adapted by discovering creative ways to strive and survive. Maintaining mental functions and staying connected are also vital aspects for successful living. People who keep on learning, are as active as possible, have good lung function and high self esteem are most likely to maintain keen mental abilities.
Our culture continues to emphasize the physical aspect of aging. It often downplays the enthusiasm and drive needed to remain engaged in both activities of daily living and in contributing to the community at large. It is just as important to do something useful and to have fun as it is to train for an event. Being a productive member of society is a truly magnificent way to keep from thinking and worrying about yourself. You don’t have to be an athlete to grow old successfully. Seniors who volunteer, raise grandchildren, work, go to school, paint pictures, get politically involved in their communities needn’t consider themselves failures even if they won’t qualify for a magazine insert.
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