“Aging happy and well, instead of sad and sick, is at least under some personal control. We have considerable control over our weight, exercise, education, and abuse of cigarettes and alcohol. With hard work and/or therapy, our relationships with our spouses and our coping styles can be changed for the better. A successful old age may lie not so much in our stars and genes as in ourselves.” George E. Vaillant
“Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young.” Theodore Roosevelt
The first quote touches on many of the characteristics that define successful aging. I included the second quote by Roosevelt to remind my readers (women in their 50s mainly, but any age could also benefit from this post) that now would be a good time to be proactive in our way to live our best lives. After the popularity drawn by one of my past blog posts, Age Positively, Live Better. Reverting the Process of Aging, I decided to continue my research on this notion when I came across the concept of successful aging.
Both positive and successful aging, although not the same thing, are closely related, and both concepts are powerful. Although we humans are flawed, the cosmos is not; the universe is perfect. I believe that connecting the dots will make everything more transparent in our lives. It’s all about being positive, resilient and mindful. This blog post will explain what successful aging and meaningful life means and what are some strategies for achieving successful aging.
Aging is something that affects all of us. Yet, we don’t think much about what our lives will be like when we are old. What follows are some thoughts to consider when thinking about how to achieve success with older age. Instead of considering aging as all about disease and decline, we should view it as one of growth and wisdom. A quote by Francis Lear will come in handy now: “I believe the second half of one’s life is meant to be better than the first half. The first half is finding out how you do it. And the second half is enjoying it. Take note, ladies!
What does successful aging mean?
The term “successful aging” was made popular in 1987 when scientists John Wallis Rowe and Robert Kahn published the book Successful Aging. According to these two scholars, successful aging involved three main factors:
- Being free of disability or disease.
- Having high cognitive and physical abilities.
- Interacting with others in meaningful ways.
While this definition could be helpful in theory and research, it has also sparked controversy. Aging is a natural process in which we can experience a decline. Achieving all three “requirements” is nearly impossible. Older persons can still live great lives full of meaning despite any health decline or limitation. Successful aging involves much more than the absence of disease. In Western culture, health is viewed as a biological state and good or bad aging as the outcome of our medical or psychological condition. However, people can alter this state and have control over the behavioral aspects of aging -diet, exercise, positive thinking, and healthy interaction with others- behaviors that have proven to have a substantial impact on our physical health.
Successful aging can start in childhood, as people develop habits and work ethics and learn how to take care of themselves. While physical and mental health is connected, there is more to life than simply be in good physical health. An exact definition of successful aging is today an open debate. Despite the discrepancies, most people can easily identify someone who exemplifies successful aging without any medical testing or psychological evaluation.
Jared Diamond, Pulitzer-prize winning author, says successful aging for him is enjoying life, being productive, and continuing to do the things he is good at doing. Successful aging involves focusing on what is important to you and doing whatever it is that you want to do as you age. Real-life examples of successful aging could mean many things. It could be starting a company later in life, or it could mean participating in a mini-marathon or some type of Olympics. What matters is quality of life and being able to live with a sense of purpose, doing things for yourself, and remaining as independent as possible.
Again, success is not defined as remaining free of disability or disease as one gets older. Instead, succeeding means finding ways to cope with impending or existing illnesses, losses, and other challenges, by getting help and by marshaling one’s own internal resilience and internal resources. Adapt to new challenges and stressors that come with age. The primary outcomes are:
- Life satisfaction
- Meaning in life
- Positive mood or emotions
- Valued activities
Patti LaBelle’s quote illustrates it wonderfully “Here’s what I know, I’m a better person at fifty than I was at forty-eight…and better at fifty-two than I was at fifty. I’m calmer, easier to live with. All this stuff is in my soul forever. Just don’t get lazy. Work at your relationships all the time. Take care of friendships, hold people you love close to you, take advantage of birthdays to celebrate fiercely. It’s the worrying-not the years themselves-that will make you less of a woman.” Such a wise, valuable advice from Mrs. LaBelle.
Six Strategies for Successful Aging
- Maintaining a healthy diet. Good nutrition is critical at any age. As we get older, proper nutrition is much more significant when it comes to successful aging.
- Social engagement and social support. Staying active, socially engaged, and living with purpose are all goals that support well-being. Social support involves giving and receiving positive information, trust, care, love, esteem, network membership, and mutual obligation. The impact of productive activity is often overlooked as we age. A supportive network helps people evaluate and overcome stressful events.
- Engaging in physical activity. Whether you do vigorous exercise (aerobic, flexibility, balance, and strength training), take a daily walk, or need to exercise while sitting in a chair, it is important to stay as active as possible and avoid a sedentary lifestyle.
- Access to information about community resources. Having a community to rely on is essential for older adults to age with dignity, autonomy, and independence. Other healthy behaviors and coping strategies can also improve one’s aging experience. It’s important to get adequate sleep and not to drink or smoke in excess. Managing stress is another significant component of a healthy lifestyle.
- Purposeful engagement. Engaging in valuable, satisfying work or voluntary activities (especially complex, challenging, and self-directed work). Taking part in activities you are passionate about, spark your interest, and create meaning in your everyday life.
- Resiliency. Finally, the longer we live, the more losses we encounter-the loss of loved ones, the loss of specific capabilities-. Studies show that the way people adapt to changing circumstances is essential. If we respond to negative situations positively and adjust as much as possible, we will fare much better than those who gave up.
Conclusion
Attitude is everything. Regardless of how old you are, it makes your experience that much worse if you have a negative attitude. Sometimes aging is difficult, but research supports the fact that our attitude reigns supreme in how the negatives impact our lives. Success is in the eye of the beholder; it comes down to aging in your own terms, maintaining autonomy, and quality of life. I will finish this post with a question: How will you plan and prepare for the next decades of your life? Some don’t want to think that far ahead, and others are already headed in that direction. Are there any changes you can make to achieve those goals.? You may want to think about it. Let’s get inspired!