Did you know?
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According to a report from the Alliance for Lifetime Income, approximately 4.1 million Americans are poised to turn 65 this year and every year through 2027? Dubbed by experts as “peak 65” or the “silver tsunami,” this figure represents the largest surge of retirement-age Americans in history.
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Statistics indicate that 2024 will be a record-breaking year for retirement in the U.S., with an average of 11,000 Americans a day expected to celebrate their 65th birthday from now until December.
How old are you? Louise Aronson, physician, writer and author of Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine and Reimaging Life notes that for more than 5,000 years, “old” has been defined as beginning between the ages of 60 and 70. “That means,” she adds, “most people alive today will spend more years in elderhood than in childhood, and many will be elders for 40 years or more.”
Yet at the very moment that humans are living longer than ever before, we’ve made old age into a disease, a condition to be dreaded, denigrated, neglected and denied.”
If you fall into one of those statistical categories, how does it make you feel? Frankly, I don’t look kindly upon being included as a member of a tsunami, silver or otherwise. The very idea conjures up an image of me marching with a group of cohorts, sword in hand, ready to attack the populace.
I suspect that our response to getting older has to do with how we have witnessed our own grandparents or parents aging. I often ask my workshop participants to write down words that come to mind when they hear the word “old.” You can take the quiz as well. Some of the typical responses include, rigid, wrinkled, too old to learn, grumpy, stubborn, and set in their ways. When asked to do the same upon hearing the word elder, common responses include wise, distinguished, respected, and knowledgeable.
Many people who buy into aging stereotypes may decide that it is time to move away from active participation to being entertained. A friend told me that she was looking for somewhere to play Bingo and cards. “After all,” she said, “what else is an old person to do?” Is she right? Is later life all about playing games or watching TV?
It’s no secret that such ageist messages can interfere with our making changes and developing new interests. It is possible to overcome such thoughts, however. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, sociologist and author of The Third Chapter: Passion, Risk and Adventure in the 25 Years After 50, challenges us to develop a compelling vision of later life that recognizes a time of potential growth and new learning.
If you were to follow her advice, imagine what your day would be like. Would it look the same? Or you would be inspired to learn something new, take a class, or go on a trip?
As Satchel Paige famously asked, “If you didn’t know how old you are, what age would you be?” What’s your answer?
Linda Henry writes regularly on topics related to aging, health care, and communication and is the co-author of several books, including Transformational Eldercare from the Inside Out: Strengths-Based Strategies for Caring. She conducts workshops nationally on aging and creating caring work environments. Her volunteer emphasis is age-friendly communities.
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