Skip to content

Is There Any Good News About Getting Older?

happy seniorLast week, I tried to find some good news stories about people who are older. My plan was to post them on Facebook, so I could publicize something positive about seniors.

I didn’t find any. Not one. Instead I found an article on Alzheimer’s, an article on how badly hospitals treat old people after surgery, and an article on poverty among seniors. I didn’t post those on my timeline. Stories like that get enough air.

I’m not brushing off the statistics on Alzheimer’s. They really concern me. Many of us are familiar with these numbers being touted in all the current print and on-line media, but here is a review:

In 2011, 747,000 Canadians were living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. That’s 14.9 per cent of Canadians 65 and older.

An estimated 5.3 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease in 2015. This number includes an estimated 5.1 million people age 65 and older.
One in nine people age 65 and older (11 percent) has Alzheimer’s.

And then we have the alarming and unhelpful speculation by an eminent doctor that:

Every 70 seconds, An American gets Alzheimer’s disease, and by mid-century, a new case will develop every 30 seconds.

I know these stories about health and care issues need to be told. They are good, solid stories, questioning everything, the quality of health care, the sufficiency of social services, the existence of nursing homes. All of those concerns need to be aired and probed.
But what about the rest of us? What about the 80% to 85% of us that are relatively healthy, living independently, and managing our lives very well? I’m uncomfortable about how we seniors are being portrayed—and how the healthy among us are seldom featured in the media.

I’ve been writing about my generation for a year now, I’ve dug into all of the depressing statistics, I’ve read all of the doom and gloom predictions about how we will bankrupt the world. But I refuse to believe the press about us. I know that the majority of us make it to the end of our lives living positively and independently. True, some of us do have chronic conditions. And some of us are living with afflictions that are in remission. But we adapt to our disabilities. We go on. We have a variety of life-affirming interests and relationships. Most of us savour life, and greet each day with joy and anticipation.

Occasionally I find some solace in statistics. Here an important and respected study reports:

“We find that a significant proportion of older Americans is healthy within every age group
beginning at age 51, including among those aged 85+.

For example, 48% of those aged 51–54 and 28% of those aged 85+ have excellent or very good self-reported health status; similarly, 89% of those aged 51–54 and 56% of those aged 85+ report no health-based limitations in work or housework.”

Why does hardly anyone know this? Why do we believe that old age is a rabbit hole of illness and despair? Why do attitudes about us never change?

I think it’s because our culture is so enamored with youth—the love of youth, the beauty and power of youth, the pursuit of youth, that it drowns out the real story of growing old. There are fear mongers among us who breed alarm and distrust of old people, making it harder for everyone, young and old alike, to know what a valuable and worthwhile time of life our older years are.

So it might be up to us, as “olders”, to bring a spotlight to bear on the percentage of us that are living healthy, vital lives, and wake up each day to consider what we might do to contribute to others. And to prove that there is light at the end of the tunnel, here is a recent online ABC News report:

Research: Older adults are happiest Americans

Newsflash for rock stars and teenagers: It turns out everything doesn’t go downhill as we age — the golden years really are golden.”

And that’s the good news story I’ve been looking for!

31 thoughts on “Is There Any Good News About Getting Older?”

  1. Oh, how I enjoyed this post. You spoke eloquently for all of us. Thank you. I, too, am discouraged about how we are portrayed. So I try to be an active, healthy, involved, representative of seniors in my community. I also make it a point to follow and encourage several bloggers who are young; it keeps me current on what they care about, and, when they follow me in return, I hope they are getting awell-rounded picture of what people my age are about. Have you considered submitting this post as a guest column to your local paper? It deserves a wide audience.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Aunt Beaulah, thank you for your support. I’m not optimistic about what the local paper, or any print media, for that matter, thinks about ageist issues…not much, I think! I’ve approached two magazines, and two newspapers already, and I get the cold shoulder every time! Online is a different matter, however. I’m guest writing for one blog, and am looking at joining two more (they are leaders in their field) and am pleased with their reception. No wonder the print media is dying!

  2. Diane,
    It’s true – there is almost nothing but doom and gloom in the mainstream media about senior citizens. The only place where I consistently find good news and positive stories is on the AARP website and in their magazine. Another possible source you might scope out, if you haven’t already, is the blog http://www.timegoesby.net. It’s edited by a savvy older woman who writes two blog posts per week, and publishes the work of other senior writers on two other days each week. Thanks for your post.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Yes, I view “Time Goes By” constantly. It’s fabulous! Will try AARP. Thanks. By the way, I wrote a comment after your article on “We’ve Come a Long Way”. It went on and on—it was more of a rant on all of the terrible things that happened during the 1950s and 60s, while I was trying to accomplish a career and basically, progress in my life. It would have been rich, except I think it was too long, and didn’t make it in your comments! I’ll try again, only I’ll make it shorter this time!

  3. I taught classes in stress management/dealing with difficult people/etc. 10-20 years ago and mentioned that people over 70 were the happiest group. So that newsflash isn’t really new. I figure our main job now is to live happy, fulfilled lives so we can be a good example to our kids. And to blog about it, of course. 🙂 As they say to would-be writers, “Show, don’t tell.”

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Thanks, Jean! Yes, would be writers do need to “show”, and “write”. Years ago, someone told me that I shouldn’t write until I had “lived”. I was 19 at the time. He was right!

  4. You are so right. Yesterday a 58-year-old friend told me how frustrated she gets with her students’ fixed belief that anyone over 70 is decrepit, in a rest home, with Alzheimers. When she insists that a majority are healthy and active, cites friend after friend who is still working after 70 — they say these are exceptions. When she insists that healthy, active 70-year-olds are the norm, her young adult students simply do not believe her. I’ve noticed the same thing — young people treat me as an exception to what they imagine is the rule. This is one result of relentless reporting about the sad minority.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      It’s up to us, and especially people over 70, to start talking about their age, and how they are living, and making it known that vigorously healthy people do exist among the old! I would say that some of this is our fault. I have friends who will never divulge their age, who are in their 70s, but hope to pass as in their 60s. Until people state their ages clearly and discuss how well they are at those ages, this will not be remedied! Thanks, Rachel, for your informed comment.

  5. Look to Rock and Roll. Mick Jagger and the Stones continue to tour and draw sold out crowds, and The Who are currently on tour and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon Friday night. Also here in NY, Billy Joel is on something like his 35th monthly live show at Madison Square Garden, and with summer on the horizon, you can bet any number of 60s and 70s groups (both their age and their era) will be announcing last chance to see them (again this year) reunion tours.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Virginia, the Rock and Roll stars of the 60s and 70s are an inspiration. Consider what physical strain they have experienced throughout the years—long concerts are not easy to do! I think they are enjoying the well-being that comes from expressing their creativity and doing exactly what they wanted to do. My husband is an avid Broadway fan, and is very envious that you are living in New York!

  6. Thanks Dianne, recently working with very young people, it became clear that the kids have their world, so different from ours at that age, but remarkable support and loyalty to each other. We elders may learn from them, we must have a say in our futures to. I fear infirmity and isolation most. Great post, good luck with our tawdry local “paper”.cheers.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Our generation does need to learn to give each other more support, it’s true. Odd thing that’s happening—the internet has opened up more opportunities for communication and support than anyone ever thought possible! I am beginning to feel very much a part of it, aren’t you?

  7. There is plenty of good news about getting older. You will love this book: The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain by Barbara Strauch http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-Grown-up-Brain-Middle-Aged/dp/0143118870
    Also, the reason we see only negativity is that it sells. As you pointed out. There’s no money to be made off of contented, secure, self-satisfied, healthy-as-can-be-expected, don’t-mind-wrinkles, curious, busy, involved, peaceful old people.
    Ashton Applewhite is coming out with a fantastic book in a few days, “This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Aging”. I read an advance reader copy and it is really empowering. It clarifies the good about aging, backed up by research. You can preorder here: amazon.com/This-Chair-Rocks-Manifesto-Against/dp/0996934707. So bottom line, the preponderance of evidence is that the second half of life is a beautiful place to be, but unless we talk about it, the snake-oil con men and women will continue to rule the airwaves and shape conventional wisdom.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      What a relief to read this, Lynne! I do know about Ashton’s book, and will order it. It sounds like just what we need at this juncture of the ageism movement. I’ve been so busy researching and writing my articles, commenting on blogs, working on Facebook, that I haven’t had much time to read books. But that time is coming, so I’ll dust off my credit card and my Amazon password and start enjoying what I love to do best—read!

  8. And what a great good news story! I think that I will carry out some research to see what the situation in India is like though I am unlikely to blog about it as my blog will not be the forum for it. I might however post it on facebook though.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Both blogs and Facebook are good forums for this Ageism movement. I’ll look forward to your ideas!

  9. i must be living in a vacuum!
    i was not aware there is so much BAD press about being older.
    frankly i don’t read things that have negative connotations. perhaps that’s why i’m not familiar with it all.
    i love the line that sidney poitier said to his father in ‘guess who’s coming to dinner’ …
    “dad. you think of yourself as a colored man. i think of myself as a man.”
    i think that line applies to me and how i feel about aging.
    my age is simply a number.
    i don’t think of myself as old. i think of myself as a person.
    i disregard what others think of me as their own unfortunate slant on the whole issue!
    my body has its share of aches and pains now but that is part of growing!
    when i was young i had growing pains too! LOLOL!
    not to throw cold water on a very important topic i’m sure. it’s just that i prefer to think that all is good out there. that line from the movie has held me in good stead!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Sidney Poitier, in saying those words, made an extremely important condemnation of stereotyping, which people do when they lump everyone into the same category, just because they have one common characteristic, like being black. So younger people, (and some older people too) tend to think we are all the same, just because we are getting older. More power to you, for being so strong and vibrant, and going about your life in such a positive way! I just know this issue needs to be addressed on behalf of all older people, and those coming up. It’s the same as racism and sexism. It is damaging to be stereotyped. Thanks, Tammy J!

      1. Still the Lucky Few

        I seem to have a blind spot in the use of that statement. I don’t think I included it in my article about terms that people use to unconsciously express ageism. Guess I’ll have to re-visit that list! Thanks, Lynne. (sharp eye!)

      2. hi lynne!
        i said that in relation to the topic of the post… in the realm of
        “old people” in regards to doom and gloom.
        but i don’t like labels in general. i think they tend to categorize people into little boxes. i prefer to think outside the box i guess!
        and i do call myself old often. simply because by chronological age terms… i am! but when i do… it’s usually in a positive light.
        and when i said i don’t think of myself as old here… i did not say that because i think it’s a bad thing at all. i think you might have missed my point. i simply meant i don’t recognize the negative aspects of it that you read about.
        my goodness! maybe i shouldn’t have said anything at all!
        i’m not very good at semantics i think. i truly didn’t say it very well! 🙂

  10. I think the news media treats old people pretty much like everything else – they want as much attention as they can get so they play on people’s fears to grab it! Sensationalism is their game, so seniors do get attention if they do something extraordinary – for example, those who try unusual activities such as kickboxing, hang-gliding or skydiving. Otherwise, we are just the ageing population and a problem for the Government!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Sensationalism is the game. But I do like the idea of seniors getting attention for doing positive things—being wise and having an active (not dangerous) life is what I would like to see profiled.

  11. I’m not one of the lucky few…but as a baby boomer who has just turned 60 I’ve started making it one of my missions to write about the positive aspects of getting older on my blog. There is good news out there but we do have to seek it out because the obsession with youth in our culture runs long and deep. Until we tune out that obsession and replace it with all the positive good news out there we will likely get sucked into believing otherwise. So nice to find your blog and know there are others out here doing the same! Not sure if you allow links, but here is one post I am escpecially proud of about 10 Big benefits I’ve found: http://smartliving365.com/ten-awesome-benefits-growing-older/

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Thanks, Kathy. I just logged into your site, and am happy to see that you address ageing as well. It’s a topic that needs as many supporters as possible! I’ve subscribed, and hope you do as well!

  12. News is “sold” not on positive but on negative – a “taste” what is bad springs to mind… and aging wouldn’t be far from said spring.

    The problem I have with the age number is that I don’t appear to look old and just about everyone who comes in contact with me relish the thought that it will be years before I even look old. That shouldn’t be a problem when I try to get a discount/other for being over a certain age, I have to really get out my proof.

    When I turned 60 here, the pension had been pushed up to 65 – but there were still discounts for over 60s!

    Now next month in around 33 something days I’m going onto said “(65) pension” and I get to have what is known as the “goldcard” which if I flash it around, I can gets lots of discounts including free public transport @ certain times of the day!

    I should be happy that I don’t look old, and I am “up to a point” 🙂 🙂 🙂

  13. Just happened onto your blog and I am so happy that I did. The few blog posts that I have read here tonight may be just the inspiration kick I need to get on with my life after retirement. I retired five years ago and have felt like a ship without a rudder. I was just thinking about starting up a blog the other day and then as LUCK would have it, I found Still The Lucky Few. I love writing, photography, reading, travel, etc. I have had many life experiences that I know I could share with my fellow senior travelers through life. I will be 70 this year and feel I really need to get out there and make whatever time I have left productive, inspiring and fun. Looking forward to meeting more “sensational seniors.”

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      You seem to like exactly the things you need to set up and maintain a blog. You should pursue it—at least look into what it will entail. Doing something creative will give you such a new outlook on life! All the best!

Comments are closed.

© 2024 Diane Dahli All Rights Reserved | WordPress site by Quadra Street Designs