Agewell: Time to Explore New Outlets

 Read more from Agewell.   

By Mike Milstein

The average life span in the Western world has increased from about 45 years to about 80 years over the past century. As a result, the number of people who live 20+ years past retirement has increased dramatically and will grow even more as the first baby boomers reach 65 in 2009. How we live these added years has as much to do with the conscious intent to make them meaningful and positive as it does with our health and financial situations?

Until a few decades ago ageing was viewed as a time to separate from society and prepare to die. This image has since been replaced by more positive perspectives, including conscious ageing, which is about being fully present, alive, and engaged as we transition into and live our post-retirement years.

We have few role models to help us figure out how to do this. Not many people in earlier generations even lived into their eighties and beyond. Those who did so from our parents' generation became adults during the depression years and WWII, which left them with limited expectations about the possibilities of life's older years.

There is no one best way to 'do' our ageing years. Each of us must find our own pathways to conscious ageing. But there are some common things to think about if we want to age well. For starters, we can enhance our growth and development by forming positive connections with others. We might choose to participate in opportunities like those provided by the University of the Third Age (U3A), which brings like minded individuals together for socialization and learning experiences. We can also cultivate positive attitudes about our older years. Yes, for many there will be chronic health challenges and financial concerns, but we can let these issues drag us down or we can deal with them positively and move on!

Our post-retirement years can be a great time to pursue our passions. More time is available to explore new outlets for our energy and creativity if we choose to do so. It is also a time when we can leave a legacy, which might come in the form of guiding our children and grandchildren, being positive ageing role models for others, and being of service and contributing to the well being of our communities.

To age consciously we have to be aware of society's ageing myths which promote the false belief that youth is positive and desirable while old age is negative and to be pitied. We need to look critically at myths such as our productive years are behind us, our health is deteriorating, our sexual abilities and interests are over, and we are destined to be lonely as friends and family die or move away. In actuality, a great majority of older people create and maintain lives that are productive, healthy, sexually active, and include a rich network of intergenerational friendships and extended family relationships. We need to recognize that there is beauty in the faces of those in the fullness of life.

We need to examine and expose societal myths for what they are so they don't limit our ability to live our older years fully. These myths are particularly dominant in the Western world where older citizens are often viewed as having used up their value. We need to consider the wisdom of the Eastern world where elders play relevant roles in society and are granted a place of honour because of their life experiences and the guidance they can provide.

We can and should encourage older people to age consciously so they can realize their potential to lead positive and meaningful lives.

print