Today we look at the myths or fears on aging and discover that there are things we can do to offset the aging process as well as discover the purpose, drive and enjoyment in our lives while we age. 

Everyone is different, different life experiences, circumstances, environments, which makes every body and mind different. 

It is an inevitable fact, we will grow old or older (or die), right? 

Most people don’t look at aging until they have to, until they see wrinkles or find they are not moving like they used to.

The word aging, promotes many emotions, both negative and positive. Words like been around the block, silver haired, blue haired, white haired, no spring chicken, on your last leg, fizzlin’ out, slowin’ down, becoming older, declining, fermenting, maturing, stale, getting on, senior, over-the-hill, retired, advancing, evolving. I tried to do it in one Pilates breath.

Aging in America carriers weight.

Let’s start with myths? A myth is a widely held but a false belief. It’s where we get mythology. When it comes to aging, myths have shaped our outlook, as well as our fears.

The Frameworks Institute is an organization that identifies cultural norms that the public used to base an opinion or a fear about. A cultural norm is an attitude learned from family or friends that guide and often determine our behavior. This institute looks at research and a cultural norm and compares it to what is true and what is a myth. They’ve done that with aging. The Frameworks Institute have categorized aging like a Health Swamp. They explain it like a murky, dark, unpredictable, never knowing what’s underneath the mucky waters in America. Their biggest discovery is that our culture has developed ideas about aging that is not necessarily true and these mistruths have guided us into developing fears, and actually laws sometimes. Myths are a powerful thing.

What guides these myths is information from social media, articles and ads in magazines, TV commercials, movies, even the mirror. Remember these not necessarily truth, they are myths.

Today we’re going to talk about the first 3 myths according to the Frameworks Institute.

1. Most older people will end up in nursing homes and will eventually lose their memory.
2. Older people are completely responsible for how they age.
3. There’s nothing to look forward to in aging.

 

I asked my friends about aging who are close to retirement age, threw it out on social media and tried digging deep for everyone’s opinion as to their own aging ideas. Most were brutally honest, most felt that aging was a real trip and they are attempting to embrace it will better attitude, more sex and movement. Everyone spoke of FEAR, as well, in particular, the three mentioned myth-fears.

I’ve had older people around me my whole life. All my grandparents lived to be well in their 90s, highly productive and moving, and I’ve taken an interest in aging. I’m in an age study myself. My interest is aging started in my 30s when a conversation came up about the value of aging with my twelve year old daughter.

We read a book entitled The Giver, by Lois Lowry. A 1994 controversial Newbery Medal book award. It’s an unusual book about community and characters, which you think at first is a utopia, where everything is perfect. You of course later discover that it is a dystopian society, the opposite of utopia, a society that dehumanizes their people, where there is no memory, no color, no choices in who you are or what you’ll be, no climate, no emotions and if you’re different, or not up to the norm that society thinks you should be, you were RELEASESED. They released children who were different, slower developers and the old, the aged. You later discovered that being RELEASED meant you were killed, erased. You did not fit in.

My daughter was disgusted, she had two grandmas that epitomized strength. It put a light on aging for me. We can lose purpose when we age or lose our way briefly and often it’s due to fear. That’s when I decided I was not going to age the way everybody else ages. Wasn’t going to pay attention to fear. So I came up with my HALFTIME plan. That’s where I am today. It’s HALFTIME. What’s halftime? Just think basketball. Where you go to the locker room and discuss the front half of your game and plan for the next half. Well I am at halftime, a time where I can look at the front end of my life and all the life lessons, constrained choices and gifts I was granted. I can look at the next half and can then focus the best on the last half of my life where I had the complete choice or for the most part. I’m there now, at halftime. Aging is not easy, to see yourself change. The amazing part about aging and HALFTIME is you have the CHOICE in being the best you can be. Is there some fear? You bet. We can’t predict the future but we can mold it!

The 1st myth and fear that the Framework Institute mentioned is that you end up in a nursing home. Only about 20% go to nursing homes to finish out their lives. That does not include people who have surgeries and go there for rehab.

Science also tells us that cognitive impairment or memory loss doesn’t decline until age 85? Only 50% experience a decline. The problem is we expect it to decline which pushes the cart before the horse. We see information telling us it should decline as we age. It’s the same rate as most age groups. Think about how many times our child forgot their lunchbox, homework, backpacks, then think about the times you forget something! The really cool part about aging is you get to have selective memory.

We are increasing our existence on earth in age, but not necessarily increasing our health as we age. Falls are still the top problem for older people but as whopping obesity issue is right behind falls. Obesity in ages 65 to 74 is the highest than any other group in America because of seniors eating pre-packaged foods and slowing down movement. The 21stcentury is presenting new challenges for scientists. The US Census Bureau predicts by 2030 that people 65 and over will inhabit 25% of earth’s inhabitants and will edge out children in population. They anticipate a demand for health care.

In America, the general attitude is that we worship youth in our society, we don’t worship aging. Generally we don’t look at it until we have to look at it square in the eyes. Speaking with two experts on aging, they commented on this very same issue quite frankly. One was from America that had live in Africa, and she stated even though with Africa’s health crisis and govt. issues, one thing they did well was celebrate their elders and take care of them. The other, whose parents were from Japan said the same exact thing. They embraced their elderly and honored them. So is it America’s culture? When we get older does our value decrease? Generally speaking.

The 2nd myth spoke of how older people are completely responsible for their aging. Genetics, according to the Centenarian studies, is the primary factor for aging fit and healthy. You don’t really have a choice as to who your patents are. Research says that the more education you have and use, the better health and fulfillment you’ll have as you age. While genetics and education play a part, it’s the functional part that provides independence as we age. It’s also the part we control. Research shows that the changes attributing to aging are actually caused largely by disuse of the body or lack of movement. Movement or exercise is not a fountain of youth, but it’s a good long drink of vitality! We need to move as we age. It’s estimated that in the last thirty years, neuroscientists have discovered that the brain is designed to improve with age. Not only can our bodies move, our brains can further develop too.

Let’s look at the 3rd myth that there is nothing to look forward to as we age. Now, because I’m at halftime, I can take a different attitude about the ending of my life. If I’ve learned anything in the 1sthalf of my life, it’s this – “what you BELIEVE carries you”. Knowing and living by this has offset the mindset of aging. If you ask the 90 to 100 year old’s that still run, ski, hike, and move religiously their optimism and attitude carry them. For me at Halftime, I’ve learned how to be more optimistic, which is good because optimists live seven years longer than pessimists. And guess what? Optimism can be learned.

So at halftime I use what I all a Hi-5, promoting the 5 Cs for the sole purpose of bettering ME and bettering YOU too as we all age. All 5 of these C words are woven into the concept of volunteerism to some degree. To volunteer, to give of yourself. Volunteerism helps you keep your eyes open wide to aging and to the choices you have!

They stand for:

Community– Many move to what is referred to as BLUE ZONES so they can be in communities that are just senior like. Research shows that if you are in a community of any kind, even creating one through volunteerism, makes your health better, increases your movement more, improves your life and offsets the aging process.

Companionship– Having a family, friends to commune with research shows that you establish more wholesome relationships, which offsets aging and loneliness. You create companionship when you volunteer.

Conversing– This is probably the most powerful piece according to science. Having a conversation with someone else is one of the biggest brain developers and remember our brains do continue to develop if we choose it to. Multi-cultural conversations, multi-generational conversations and even talking to yourself is found to increase your brain’s capacity.

Core – I’m talking about the core of your body – your muscles, movement, strength training, the activities that