IS AGING A TRAP
OR
A TREK FOR YOU?
Elana Peters
*from Staying Healthy as We Age,
Jacquie Michels, 1998
I’ve been having a love
affair with the aging population for more than 28 years. That is a lot longer than most affairs
usually last. And why has it lasted so
long? Because I honor age as some people
might honor an Olympic Gold Medal or receiving a Ph.D. I am passionate about my feelings for aging
adults and am continually seeking ways to make their later years more
meaningful. I love everything about
them: their experience, their faults, their wisdom, their frailty, and most of
all because this group comprises an incredibly wide variety of interesting
individuals with differing opinions, backgrounds and cultures.
If aging adults
have so much to off us, then why are they demeaned, discounted, ridiculed and
discouraged as viable individuals? Is it
the fear that most of us have about aging?
I tend to think so. Often the
fear of “getting old” is based on our mis-understanding
of the aging process. Thus we fall into
the Aging Trap, and the normal process of aging becomes a time we want to
avoid.
The Aging Trap is
when we give up learning new things, trying new things and accomplishing new
things because someone (an envious acquaintance) or something (the media)
refers to you as being “too old.” I want to champion aging. Aging individuals are heroes and
pioneers. Those who age
successfully are on the Aging Trek. They
are on life’s journey loving, laboring, learning and laughing . . . enjoying
each moment even when confronted with challenges or limitations.
In today’s
youth-oriented culture, there are many myths about aging. By believing them, we accept them, become
them, and live them. We can dispel these
myths by learning the truth and taking a new approach for living our lives with
more vitality. In the process, our
spirits are lifted, making us smile more and feel vigorous. Those we encounter may ask “what
vitamins do you take?” or “why do you look so healthy?” I always find it exciting to learn, to try a
new approach, or to explore a new path.
If you could
picture yourself 15 or 20 years from today, what would you like to see? If you’re healthy and content, most of you
would probably say “I’d like more of the same,
thank you.” We would want to
continue enjoying our lives, spending time with friends, pursuing our favorite
activities, learning more about a variety of interests, and being curious about
trying new things. And, we fervently
hope to see ourselves in good health, as mentally and physically sharp as we
are today.
The good news is
that we have a lot of control over our health and well-being as we age. Recent discoveries in aging show that our
genes do not predetermine our pattern of aging, even though faulty genes, and bad luck may shorten our lives. In fact, those over 85 years of age are the
fastest-growing population in this country.
Chronic illness is not an inevitable consequence of aging, but quite
often the result of lifestyle choices that can be changed.
TRAP/TREK
Page 2
Studies now show
that lifestyle choices and social factors can play a more significant role in how
successfully we age than our genes.
According to many medical and health professionals, 85% of today’s
illnesses are caused by our lifestyle choices.
Negative lifestyle habits such as smoking, overuse of alcohol, a
high-fat diet, and lack of exercise and adequate rest, contribute to faster
aging and make you a greater health risk.
The good news is
that it’s never too late to adopt healthy habits. Evidence reveals that virtually everyone can
reap health benefits from positive lifestyle changes; even those with chronic
illnesses such as arthritis and diabetes.
To help slow the aging process, exercise a nominal amount (three times a
week for at least 30 minutes each time), eat a well-balanced low-fat diet; take
a vitamin supplement, and stay mentally active.
Staying socially
engaged is another important factor in successful aging. Maintaining important relationships, looking
for ways to meet interesting new people through community service
opportunities, or taking a class will keep you involved in your aging
trek. Challenging your mind also
provides an opportunity for an aging adult to stay mentally active and
emotionally healthy. Without friends
with whom to share life’s sorrows and pleasures, life becomes lonely and
depressing.
Positive lifestyle choices
are credited with declining rates of disability and nursing home placement
(every aging adult’s greatest fear) among older Americans. The rate of older Americans becoming disabled
has declined in the last ten years. The
improvement can be attributed to decreases in smoking and obesity, increases in
exercise levels, and healthier diets, along with improved medications,
rehabilitation services and public health programs.
While these
lifestyle changes may seem like common sense, implementing them can have a
substantial payback. Dr. John Rowe of
the MacArthur Foundation’s Research Network on Successful Aging states, “Until
recently, there was so much preoccupation with disease that little work was
done on the characteristics that permit people to do well. The way we age depends less on who we are
than on how we live - what we eat, how much we exercise, and how much we employ
our minds.”* Personally, after
working with aging adults for over 30 years, I believe the way we age is very
much affected by our attitude about it.
Good lifestyle
habits reap benefits at any age and are an investment in your future. By adopting good lifestyle habits now, before
you develop a chronic illness (high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes, etc),
you will not only avoid taking expensive medications, you will also have more
energy and vitality. Then age becomes a
matter of mind over matter ... if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter!
Elana Peters
*from Staying Healthy as We Age,
Jacquie Michels, 1998