- Only 5% of folks over 65 are in
special-care institutions.
- 80% of people between 65 & 80
have no serious limitations in managing daily life.
- While more older people have chronic
illnesses than younger ones, fewer have acute illnesses.
- Olders have fewer accidents at home
AND on the highways.
That just seems wrong. The majority of younger Americans think of older friends & relations as being in sorry decline. The reality is our nation's older population is significantly more fit & capable than any previous generation.
What is wrong is how so many otherwise fit & fab olders seem to be withering on the vine, rather than developing into a robust late harvest.
U.S.A. & the Elderly
Here in the U.S.A., the days of respecting, honoring older people are long gone. Then again, the ancient practice of venerating the aged for their advanced years was never as strong in the U.S.A. as it is in other parts of the world. Maybe it's due to our nation's still-entrenched Protestant work ethic, which ties so much importance & value to a person's ability to work, something that is typically considered to diminish in old age. Maybe it harks back to the reality that our nation's timeline closely parallels the Industrial Revolution's - we have always been more a nation of manufacturers than of craftsman.
It was not always so. In agrarian societies, older people were held in high regard – the wise old heads, the teachers, the masters of techniques & practices. Unlike their youngers, they had the length of days to see what worked, what didn’t, life lessons that were invaluable to younger family members. In today’s non-industrial societies, many elderly continue to serve as custodians of culture, handing down generations of history & traditions.
For millennia, the elders of a clan or family were looked to for wisdom, perspective, understanding. They were the keepers of the stories, the guardians of culture.
For millennia.
Under the Radar
How different things are today. I've had way too much contact with way too many older friends who feel that the greatest use they can be to their family is to stay as little a burden as possible. This shockingly prevalent attitude makes a constant challenge of my quest to engage, energize & empower. Sad, but true ~ studies show that if an older person - especially one edging into their 80s & 90s – is asked if he or she is satisfied with their present life, the most typical response is yes, all is well. It feels like the majority of olders want to fly under the radar as much as possible. It might not be how they act, but all too often it is how they feel.
That was my own Mom's response, was Mom Murphy's response – their #1 goal was to kick up as little fuss & bother as possible. And both of them had children who clearly, openly respected & honored them, as parents, as people more worldly-wise than us, as awesome women!
Today's olders are significantly more physically fit than any previous generation. Yet, as a society, we persist in pegging people as young as 55 as "aged." Seriously?!
Is it any wonder that today's older men & women face the prospect of being physically fit, but mentally under-stimulated & socially lethargic, too many times downright depressed?
Virtually Obsolete
It's easy to point the finger of blame at the Information Age's natural obsession with the newest, most cutting-edge technological edge, which can make newly obsolete yesterday’s gee whiz advancement. To see how the Industrial Age made practically extinct the person who takes decades mastering a craft. To ponder the impact of the printing press on relegating the role of elder as citadel of history, traditions & culture to downright antediluvian.
Whatever the cause or causes, the norm here in today's U.S.A. is for older people to feel virtually obsolete. They are more physically fit & capable than any previous generation, yet too often lack even the mundane outlets of cooking, cleaning, and getting around under their own steam, basic outlets that would typically help keep them lively, literally on their toes. And feeling like they have intrinsic worth.
Arrrgggghhhhhhh!!!
Bring It On!
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