“Old people are usually senile. They’re all alike. They’re so set in their ways that they either can’t or don’t want to learn anything new. Most of them are just lonely and all they think about is death. Besides, they all die shortly after they retire. They don’t make any major contributions to society.”
Whoa! Now that I’ve managed to irritate every senior citizen within reading distance, let me qualify the above statements. They are part of a true-false aging quiz given by Linda Woolf at Webster University just outside of St. Louis. Dr. Woolf is a professor of psychology and one of her areas of expertise happens to be gerontology. We spoke several years ago when I was preparing a workshop on ageism, and she was kind enough to share some of her materials with me. Now, as I approach that point where some of my youthful friends have taken to calling me “Old Man” – please note the capital letters – I figure it’s time to dispel some of the myths about aging. To do this, I’m going to draw upon personal experience, Dr. Woolf’s research, and a little bit of Internet ‘digging.’ So sit back, relax, put the feet up, and let’s talk about old age.
Senility or as it’s known more correctly, dementia, is not a normal part of aging, nor is it inevitable. Statistics vary from study to study, but most agree that approximately 2-3 percent of older adults in their seventies experience some form of dementia. This jumps to 5-10 percent of older folks in their eighties and can be between 20-30 percent of those in their nineties. As our elderly population increases and those over 65 now form a majority, these figures will increase. The point is, however, that just because we’re old, it doesn’t mean that we are necessarily suffering from dementia. Studies have found that dementia is often related to diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease and believe it or not, those diseases can strike at almost any age.
Anyone who considers that all older people are pretty much alike – and there are many who express that opinion – better get a new pair of glasses or step out of the fog. The older adult population is the most diverse or heterogeneous age group. We have been molded by our life experiences and each of us has been altered by those experiences. We’ve made choices that have led us down different paths into different areas of learning. We’re an exciting group and about the only time we become homogeneous is in our response to disease. At that point, we’re just like everyone else. Not long ago, I had the opportunity to speak with a few high school classmates about our 50th reunion. It was exciting to learn where life had taken them and to see the different paths each had traveled. Elderly people, not as a group but certainly as individuals, are more excited about learning new things that some of their younger counterparts. From weblogs to I-pods and from yoga to pilates, you’ll find many senior citizens as up-to-date as their youthful counterparts.
The myth that loneliness has an automatic connection to old age and that the elderly think a great deal about death is one of the most widespread…and nothing could be further from the truth. Death is a fact of life. Perhaps we become more matter of fact about death. We lose friends and family members and look at death as just a part of life, accepting if you will, our own mortality. As far as loneliness is concerned, survey after survey has shown that more than two-thirds of older adults report being rarely if ever lonely. According to Dr. Woolf, “It closely parallels the degree of loneliness experienced by young and middle adults.” If there is a fear of loneliness, it’s usually based on the thought of losing one’s spouse and the isolation which follows. That, too, is more myth than fact. The majority of men remarry after the loss of their wives. Women, on the other hand, tend to become more involved in new social relationships and friendships with other widows. Believe me, I know there’s a punch line in there but there are times when discretion is the better part of valor.
Retirement is not a death sentence. If you are still working, think about the number of times you’ve said, “If I only had the time, I’d really like to…” Well, guess what, you now have the time. I always wanted to write and to express my views…no comments please. I wanted to become more active in the community and have found ways to do that thanks to Pat Carty-Larkin, Director of the Council on Aging, Tom Viti, Library Director, Lisa Lehan, Chair of the No Place for Hate committee, and several others. My calendar is full and not every appointment begins with “Dr.” Nor am I alone. Retirement doesn’t kill; inactivity can be the real killer.
The classic myth about senior citizens not making any significant contributions to society is one of my favorites. If you happen to wear bifocals, you can thank Ben Franklin; of course, he didn’t invent them until he was 76, the same age at which Galileo invented the telescope. Picasso was still painting at 92 and Grandma Moses was doing the same at 101. Alexander Graham Bell may have been a youthful 27 when he invented the telephone, but he also solved the problem of stabilizing airplanes when he was 70. The examples can go on and on. Age is not a factor when it comes to making significant and positive contributions. As Somerset Maugham wrote, “Imagination grows by exercise and, contrary to popular belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young.”
There are any numbers of myths concerning aging, just as there are a number of truths. Yes, our five senses tend to decline as well as our overall strength. However, we can be fast, flexible, and focused. Most of us are looking ahead, not in the rear view mirror. Just think of all of the changes we’ve seen in this world. We’re excited and looking forward to seeing what the future will hold and how we can be an integral part of it. Move over world; here come the old folks.
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