Authored by Nancy Bowes, CFP®, Vice President, Investment and Financial Planning Officer
“Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life.”
Daniel-Francois-Esprit Auber, French composer 1782-1871
In Rochester, NY, Lifespan and St. John Fisher
College offer a non-credit certificate program
in gerontology with the goal of producing
professionals who truly understand and
respect older adults. As a student in the
program, it is my mission to dispel the myths
of getting old.
Let’s start with physiological aspects of aging.
I’d like to eradicate our notion that getting
“old” is something to be dreaded. First we
need to differentiate between “Disease” and
“Aging” because they are NOT synonymous.
Aging equals change, not frailty. It is a process
that begins at conception and continues
throughout our lives with a series of small
changes that end at death. We should not
view old age as a “big” change, it really isn’t.
You’ve been steadily working toward this
goal since before you were born. Embrace
it! “Successful aging” means to grow old
with no disease. Most of us are not aware
that between the ages of 25 and 75, healthy
humans only lose 5-10% of their strength and
mental capacity. Think of people you know
in their 80’s who are still going strong and
show no interest in slowing down. How so?
That’s where disease comes in. Arthritis,
hypertension, cataracts, and diabetes are common diseases that, left untreated, can
accelerate aging. Practicing wellness in
your 50’s is crucial. It is possible to postpone
disease, pushing off the clinical stage for
years. So, rather than living 40 years with
critical disease, you can shrink the clinical
phase to 10 years starting at the age of 80
or so. It is our ability to bounce back that
makes it possible. Being resilient is a trait
most of us have as a child and carry with us
into adulthood. We are unlikely to develop
resilience in old age.
Another important element is stress. We
need stress. It helps us get things done. We
feel challenged under pressure and it leads
to accomplishment. On the other hand, too
much stress is deadly if it goes unaddressed
and can make you blind to real issues
happening. Be sensitive to that. Proactively
dealing with stress will help you age well.
Loss of memory is a common source of
stress. It’s been proven 80% of memory
issues are due to NOT paying attention.
Paying attention is within your control and
something you can practice to improve
memory.
Keep in mind too, isolation is stressful and
may cause permanent mental illness. Social
media is no substitute for human contact.
Let’s turn to Mental Aerobics for a moment.
Did you know the human brain is 78% water?
Besides drinking lots of water, there are easy
(fun) things we can do to boost our brain
power.
- Read a book upside down
- Brush your teeth with the opposite hand
- Take a different route home
- Use your mouse with your opposite hand
- Learn a new skill, like painting or
woodworking, and master it
Healthy aging is a goal that is achievable.
Mental games are great, but physical activity
like walking every day has more influence
in slowing dementia. Eat right, avoid white
flour, sugar, and salt to reduce inflammation.
Your body will thank you. Don’t forget to
engage all your senses: sight, smell, taste and
touch. They all have a direct connection to
the brain. Finally, treat yourself to one piece
of dark chocolate, savor it slowly and tune
in to how it makes you feel. It will make
you smile!