With people living longer these days certainly it is best to be in good physical and mental health during those twilight years. Is it a matter of good genes inherited from past relatives or can you change your life style to aid that process of happiness and health? While no one is seeking the fountain of youth, there are certain things everyone can do to keep active and independent. One of the best ways to find out about successful aging is to ask those who have successfully aged.
One of the first aspects is a positive outlook. The person who is sitting around thinking about what is not working well any more or about minor aches and pains is going to be stopped from aging successfully. Most people in their 80s and older have stayed physically and mentally active by walking to various nearby locations, taken up new skills or are still working at jobs they enjoy. They have a love of life and enjoy the people who are around them.
While no one likes to hear about another's aches or lack of sleep, it is still important to focus on good health including healthy eating, clean air and pure water. Some of the areas of the world where people live well into their 90s are country-side locations with simple food raised and grown nearby. Now that more people are living in cities, it is possible to buy organic food and to purify drinking water.
Another common trait for aging gracefully is flexibility. American psychologist, Mark Frazier, who has worked with thousands of elderly from ages 65 to 105 says, "If you live until you're 95 years old, you're probably not going to be living alone in a beautiful apartment and driving your car to the grocery store and picking up your dry cleaning and walking a mile to the park. But if you know that ahead of time, it's much easier to manage it". It's a matter of preparing for these changes and not holding on rigidly to old patterns. Otherwise the inevitable changes will seem overwhelming or depressing. Click here to read more.
I would like to add my own idea to this mix as well. I come from a family of women who live long into their later years. Even my great grandmother was 98 when she passed on, having outlived 3 husbands. What I noticed with all of them is that they lived much longer than their friends. This meant a lonely time in their last years. Therefore, I've made a point to cultivate some younger friends, even some as young as my children. In this way I will have these companions when I get older; they will still be around, and their activity level will keep me active too.
There are so many meaningful activities to try, both new and ones that you have been doing for years. Can't teach an old dog new tricks? That might be true of dogs but certainly not people. How many senior citizens are now taking up computer studies or yoga? For those how can afford it, cruise ships provide a safe way to travel the world as well as companionship and great meals. There are new social groups and hobbies. For many seniors the joy of learning carries right on. Recently I was introduced to the ease of auditing university courses. Having no need for more degrees than I already have, this has provided endless hours of enjoyment.
Perhaps the last words should come from one of the oldest practicing physicians in the US, Dr. Ephraim Engleman, who still sees patients and drives to work at the Rosalind Russel/Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center at UCSF. He recently renewed his driver's license and said, "So now I'm good till at least 105".
Interestingly enough, recent brain research has found that there is something called "cognitive reserve" that serves as a backup system as the frontal cortex and hippocampus (the headquarters of memory and planning respectively) start to shrink. Keeping your brain active with reading, writing, bridge-playing, puzzles, and especially language learning helps to kick the cognitive reserve into action.
Think hard work is going to shorten your life? Not if you keep in good physical health and avoid long prolonged stress. in fact, Howard S. Friedman in his Longevity Project found that of 1,500 American children followed into their old age the hardest workers had the longest lives. No time to overeat, drink too much or get bored! To read more of Dr. Friedman's report, click here.
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