Who you calling old?
Wired Magazine has an intriguing article about aging. For example, what people call old gets older as they age: “If you’re under 30, studies show you’re likely to say old age begins at 60. If you’re in your 40s and 50s, you might say 70. If you are 60 or 70, your definition of ‘old’ might be 74 or above.”
Key point: “Thanks to advancements in science, medicine and technology, we may be living longer – well into our 70s, 80s and even 90s – and accordingly we will need to continue to redefine what it means to be ‘old.’”
Main points:
- Physical:
- “…increased emphasis on health and wellness in our society.”
- “…growing number of medical advances that address physical conditions often associated with old age.”
- Mental:
- “…seniors may prefer to ‘age in place’-at home or in their communities [resulting in an]…explosion of new experimentation with housing options for older adults that will only continue to grow as the population curve swells on the over-60 side.”
- “[Alzheimer’s] is forcing some seniors into living situations like nursing homes for round-the-clock care. But technology can help keep Alzheimer’s patients age in place, too.”
- “While dementia can severely interfere with daily life, these technologies may help us balance independence with safety.”
- Emotional:
- “…a sense of purpose in life may slow some aspects of the aging process.”
- “…because we may be living longer, we may have more time to pursue our purpose.”
- “Rather than focusing on the limiting aspects of aging, seeing possibilities-whether it’s the time to start a new career, pursue a cause, or just spend more time with family-can go a long way toward maintaining emotional health, and physical and mental health in the process.”
Think of it this way: You have unfinished business. If we take Victor Frankl to heart, we can break out of what we perceive as the bonds of old age by finding our purpose and pursuing it.
