Summary
- Accept changes and adjust to losses.
- Stay physically active.
- Connect with others.
Entering your 60s and beyond may involve many life changes, choices, and accompanying emotions.
When should I retire? At what age should I take Social Security? Will I have enough money to enjoy my “golden years?” Is downsizing or moving right? What if I get a serious illness? What if I lose my spouse? What is going to happen to my mind?
People at this time of life are at a crossroads that can lead to senior years filled with enjoyment and satisfaction, or sadness and isolation. If you focus on the negative aspects of growing older such as having aches and pains, you can become sour on life. If you focus on enjoying what you can do, like taking a water aerobics class that is easier on the joints, then life seems better.
How you think about your age, your life, your health and the daily choices you make—gives you the ability to create a recipe to “cook up” precious senior years.
While the specific ingredients of aging well in later life are different for everyone, the basic recipe involves reinventing yourself: learning to adapt to all type of changes and losses, staying physically active, connecting with people, staying mentally engaged, laughing and enjoying your life. George Vaillant, MD, Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, says, “It is astonishing how many of the ingredients that predict longevity are within your control.”
Let’s take a look at the main ingredients.
Accept changes and adjust to losses
As we grow older, we go through more major life changes, including retirement, the loss of loved ones and the physical changes of aging. How you handle these changes, as well as day-to-day stresses, is the key to aging well in your senior years.
Think about the number of candles on your cake differently: Growing old is an accomplishment in itself! You have combined some good genes with some good fortune, dodging fatal accidents and premature diseases. Celebrate each day. Expect changes that are bound to happen. And make a positive plan to steer your way through life.
An example of this kind of positive reframe is from an unknown author: “There's always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example, I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt.”
Adjusting to some losses in later life can be challenging, such as outliving a spouse, friends, or even children. Grieving is a process that takes time and energy. Make sure you work through the process. A counselor and/or support group may be helpful.
Stay physically active
Exercise helps you look and feel younger and stay active longer. Regular exercise lowers your chance of getting a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.
You are never too old to work out. If it has been a while, get your doctor’s OK. Start with light walking. Work up to 30 minutes of mild cardiovascular activity at least four days a week. If possible, add strength training and stretching. If you have movement issues, try to stretch and do chair aerobics to increase range of motion, improve muscle tone, and aid cardiovascular health.
Being physically active increases metabolism, helps with weight management, lowers the impact of illness and chronic illness, improves mood and sleep, boosts immune function and self-confidence, and is good for the brain.
Connect with others
Whether your social connections are with a spouse, child, bridge partner, fellow church-goer, or neighbor, they are vital to good health.
At the UCLA School of Medicine’s geriatrics division, Teresa Seeman, PhD, evaluated adults in their 70s and found that those with satisfying social relationships remained more mentally alert with less age-related mental decline than people who were more isolated.
Having people in your life can help you feel loved and cared for. Volunteering is another great way to connect and give to others.
Stay mentally engaged
Significant memory loss is not an inevitable result of aging. Keep your memory sharp by exercising your brain. Read; solve puzzles like crosswords or Sudoku; play dominoes, board or card games; take a new route; try a new restaurant; pursue a new hobby; take a class; learn a foreign language or to play an instrument; enjoy the arts or nature—the list is endless! A curious, creative, mentally-active mind helps change older people into seemingly younger ones.
Enjoy life, laugh, and practice a healthy dose of denial
Cultivating a playful spirit and a sense of humor help you stay balanced, active, joyful, and healthy. Find ways to laugh. It is strong medicine for both the mind and the body. A sense of humor can help you get through tough times, look outside yourself and transcend difficulties.
Lastly, a healthy dose of denial can improve your outlook and your health in later years. People who do best with aging are not the ones thinking that much about getting older. If you sit around and fret about how time is running out, you are not going to age successfully.
Remember: Every day you get to choose the ingredients in your recipe for the best, most enjoyable life possible.
Summary
- Accept changes and adjust to losses.
- Stay physically active.
- Connect with others.
Entering your 60s and beyond may involve many life changes, choices, and accompanying emotions.
When should I retire? At what age should I take Social Security? Will I have enough money to enjoy my “golden years?” Is downsizing or moving right? What if I get a serious illness? What if I lose my spouse? What is going to happen to my mind?
People at this time of life are at a crossroads that can lead to senior years filled with enjoyment and satisfaction, or sadness and isolation. If you focus on the negative aspects of growing older such as having aches and pains, you can become sour on life. If you focus on enjoying what you can do, like taking a water aerobics class that is easier on the joints, then life seems better.
How you think about your age, your life, your health and the daily choices you make—gives you the ability to create a recipe to “cook up” precious senior years.
While the specific ingredients of aging well in later life are different for everyone, the basic recipe involves reinventing yourself: learning to adapt to all type of changes and losses, staying physically active, connecting with people, staying mentally engaged, laughing and enjoying your life. George Vaillant, MD, Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, says, “It is astonishing how many of the ingredients that predict longevity are within your control.”
Let’s take a look at the main ingredients.
Accept changes and adjust to losses
As we grow older, we go through more major life changes, including retirement, the loss of loved ones and the physical changes of aging. How you handle these changes, as well as day-to-day stresses, is the key to aging well in your senior years.
Think about the number of candles on your cake differently: Growing old is an accomplishment in itself! You have combined some good genes with some good fortune, dodging fatal accidents and premature diseases. Celebrate each day. Expect changes that are bound to happen. And make a positive plan to steer your way through life.
An example of this kind of positive reframe is from an unknown author: “There's always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example, I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt.”
Adjusting to some losses in later life can be challenging, such as outliving a spouse, friends, or even children. Grieving is a process that takes time and energy. Make sure you work through the process. A counselor and/or support group may be helpful.
Stay physically active
Exercise helps you look and feel younger and stay active longer. Regular exercise lowers your chance of getting a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.
You are never too old to work out. If it has been a while, get your doctor’s OK. Start with light walking. Work up to 30 minutes of mild cardiovascular activity at least four days a week. If possible, add strength training and stretching. If you have movement issues, try to stretch and do chair aerobics to increase range of motion, improve muscle tone, and aid cardiovascular health.
Being physically active increases metabolism, helps with weight management, lowers the impact of illness and chronic illness, improves mood and sleep, boosts immune function and self-confidence, and is good for the brain.
Connect with others
Whether your social connections are with a spouse, child, bridge partner, fellow church-goer, or neighbor, they are vital to good health.
At the UCLA School of Medicine’s geriatrics division, Teresa Seeman, PhD, evaluated adults in their 70s and found that those with satisfying social relationships remained more mentally alert with less age-related mental decline than people who were more isolated.
Having people in your life can help you feel loved and cared for. Volunteering is another great way to connect and give to others.
Stay mentally engaged
Significant memory loss is not an inevitable result of aging. Keep your memory sharp by exercising your brain. Read; solve puzzles like crosswords or Sudoku; play dominoes, board or card games; take a new route; try a new restaurant; pursue a new hobby; take a class; learn a foreign language or to play an instrument; enjoy the arts or nature—the list is endless! A curious, creative, mentally-active mind helps change older people into seemingly younger ones.
Enjoy life, laugh, and practice a healthy dose of denial
Cultivating a playful spirit and a sense of humor help you stay balanced, active, joyful, and healthy. Find ways to laugh. It is strong medicine for both the mind and the body. A sense of humor can help you get through tough times, look outside yourself and transcend difficulties.
Lastly, a healthy dose of denial can improve your outlook and your health in later years. People who do best with aging are not the ones thinking that much about getting older. If you sit around and fret about how time is running out, you are not going to age successfully.
Remember: Every day you get to choose the ingredients in your recipe for the best, most enjoyable life possible.
Summary
- Accept changes and adjust to losses.
- Stay physically active.
- Connect with others.
Entering your 60s and beyond may involve many life changes, choices, and accompanying emotions.
When should I retire? At what age should I take Social Security? Will I have enough money to enjoy my “golden years?” Is downsizing or moving right? What if I get a serious illness? What if I lose my spouse? What is going to happen to my mind?
People at this time of life are at a crossroads that can lead to senior years filled with enjoyment and satisfaction, or sadness and isolation. If you focus on the negative aspects of growing older such as having aches and pains, you can become sour on life. If you focus on enjoying what you can do, like taking a water aerobics class that is easier on the joints, then life seems better.
How you think about your age, your life, your health and the daily choices you make—gives you the ability to create a recipe to “cook up” precious senior years.
While the specific ingredients of aging well in later life are different for everyone, the basic recipe involves reinventing yourself: learning to adapt to all type of changes and losses, staying physically active, connecting with people, staying mentally engaged, laughing and enjoying your life. George Vaillant, MD, Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, says, “It is astonishing how many of the ingredients that predict longevity are within your control.”
Let’s take a look at the main ingredients.
Accept changes and adjust to losses
As we grow older, we go through more major life changes, including retirement, the loss of loved ones and the physical changes of aging. How you handle these changes, as well as day-to-day stresses, is the key to aging well in your senior years.
Think about the number of candles on your cake differently: Growing old is an accomplishment in itself! You have combined some good genes with some good fortune, dodging fatal accidents and premature diseases. Celebrate each day. Expect changes that are bound to happen. And make a positive plan to steer your way through life.
An example of this kind of positive reframe is from an unknown author: “There's always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example, I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt.”
Adjusting to some losses in later life can be challenging, such as outliving a spouse, friends, or even children. Grieving is a process that takes time and energy. Make sure you work through the process. A counselor and/or support group may be helpful.
Stay physically active
Exercise helps you look and feel younger and stay active longer. Regular exercise lowers your chance of getting a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.
You are never too old to work out. If it has been a while, get your doctor’s OK. Start with light walking. Work up to 30 minutes of mild cardiovascular activity at least four days a week. If possible, add strength training and stretching. If you have movement issues, try to stretch and do chair aerobics to increase range of motion, improve muscle tone, and aid cardiovascular health.
Being physically active increases metabolism, helps with weight management, lowers the impact of illness and chronic illness, improves mood and sleep, boosts immune function and self-confidence, and is good for the brain.
Connect with others
Whether your social connections are with a spouse, child, bridge partner, fellow church-goer, or neighbor, they are vital to good health.
At the UCLA School of Medicine’s geriatrics division, Teresa Seeman, PhD, evaluated adults in their 70s and found that those with satisfying social relationships remained more mentally alert with less age-related mental decline than people who were more isolated.
Having people in your life can help you feel loved and cared for. Volunteering is another great way to connect and give to others.
Stay mentally engaged
Significant memory loss is not an inevitable result of aging. Keep your memory sharp by exercising your brain. Read; solve puzzles like crosswords or Sudoku; play dominoes, board or card games; take a new route; try a new restaurant; pursue a new hobby; take a class; learn a foreign language or to play an instrument; enjoy the arts or nature—the list is endless! A curious, creative, mentally-active mind helps change older people into seemingly younger ones.
Enjoy life, laugh, and practice a healthy dose of denial
Cultivating a playful spirit and a sense of humor help you stay balanced, active, joyful, and healthy. Find ways to laugh. It is strong medicine for both the mind and the body. A sense of humor can help you get through tough times, look outside yourself and transcend difficulties.
Lastly, a healthy dose of denial can improve your outlook and your health in later years. People who do best with aging are not the ones thinking that much about getting older. If you sit around and fret about how time is running out, you are not going to age successfully.
Remember: Every day you get to choose the ingredients in your recipe for the best, most enjoyable life possible.