Chapter 2@@
Todayfs Seniors:
The New Face of Aging
By Bruce Darling
It is vitally important to bring into clear focus
the new face of aging that is all around us but not sufficiently recognized and
understood. The average life expectancy and the percentage of old persons is going to continue to increase in the coming decades. Some
have termed this the coming gage wave,h when todayfs baby boomers begin
reaching their mid-fifties.@ This new
generation of older persons is unlike any previous generation for so many of
these people will live into their eighties and beyond.
And these older citizens are much more healthy, economically secure, educated,
experienced, politically savvy, and eager to continue to participate in society
and life. This generation will make demands and have expectations for a quality
second half of life. The longevity revolution is making an impact and it is on
a worldwide scale. But it has also produced what Ken Dychtwald
terms an gElder Wastelandh for our societies have not
yet figured out what to do with the healthier, more educated and richly
experienced elder generation. Nor do we even have a name for it. Today we are
wasting a tremendous natural resource because of mindless stereotypical
thinking and the outdated social policies that accompany it-- ageism, forced
premature retirement, sexual discrimination, mental and physical disability
discrimination, racial discrimination
Clearly the way a society treats its older citizens
reflects that societyfs humaneness. Furthermore, the way a society thinks about
its elders plays a central role in determining official social welfare policy
with respect to the elderly. Unfortunately, once a policy, no matter how
evaluated, is established it is very difficult to amend, revise, or abolish. In
other words, policies frequently remain in effect after their initial purpose
is no longer being best served. Social welfare policies based on incorrect or
partial understanding and outdated premises hence can do much damage if
mindlessly carried on. One such example—forced
retirement at an age when one still wants to contribute. Otto von Bismark set 65 as the age of
retirement in preparation for Germanyfs pension plan, this when the average age
when people died was 45. Certainly with todayfs different circumstances this
should be reconsidered. Such out of date policies persist due to outdated
mindless negative stereotypes and images of aging and the aged—aging as
decline, unproductiveness, sickness, disability, frailty, dementia; the aged as
helpless, weak, senile, social parasites, financial burdens. If this is all
there is to aging, it certainly is depressing. Such thinking, which Langer
refers to as gnegative premature cognitive commitments,h leads to unhealthy
images of aging, both for society and for the elderly themselves. And often
they become self-fulfilling. These stereotypes must be overturned for these
characterizations are, as a whole, inaccurate and, indeed, harmful. gOld age
and poor health continue to be confused.h@
Indeed, the equation of aging with these various negative attributes is
shown by recent research to be wrong. The power of these metaphors and images
of aging, though, is such that it continues to reinforce the very conditions
that we must overcome.@ We need better
metaphors and images that accurately present the rich and meaningful life ahead
for those reaching what we may term the second half of life. The titles of
recent publications and web sites in the field of aging and health indicate the
recognition of the true state of getting older in todayfs world and the
importance of conveying this with affirmative metaphors and images: Healthy
Aging, Active Aging, Productive Aging, Vital Aging, Successful Aging, Creative
Aging.@ And, as we shall see, the arts
are playing an important role in redefining our societyhs
image of older people.
This affirmation of growing old is spreading
through the media as well. The photographs of the people on the covers of
AARPfs bi-monthly magazine Modern Maturity, as well as those on their
brand new publication My Generation, offering material that appeals more
to the active and usually not yet retired 50-55 year old boomer membership. The
stories and advertisements inside also present lively photos of this new face
of aging. In Japan, too, magazines such as Katei Gaho
and Serai also emphasize the opportunites available to vital older people. News
magazines and newspapers carry stories relating the accomplishments of members
of this older generation; TV specials (such as the PBS documentary gStealing
Timeh) also focus on this remarkable aging phenomenon. A few full-length films
also depict the vitality, challenges and rewards of the older generation: To
live (Ikiru), Driving Miss Daisy, The Straight Story.@ And increasingly we see proof of the
vitality of this new aging generation by looking around us at our friends and
acquaintances, observing their accomplishments, listening to their stories.
The second half of life is being viewed
increasingly as a more vibrant, meaningful, rich, and longer period. Those entering
the second half of life seek new challenges, take new risks, make new friends, discover unknown places.@
For such positive people life continues to be a wonderful opportunity
for exploration, curiosity, rebirth, rejuvenation, sharing, and yes review.@ Sadler, the author of The Third Age,
quotes his 80 year old mentorfs enlightening
comments.@ gYou donft grow old. You get
old when you stop growing.h@@ This
coming of age generation will continue to increase in both numbers and percentages
of total population through their 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond.@ And we will look at this growing older in
new ways that will acknowledge its affirmative tenor.@ We have to rethink and redefine aging. Indeed, traditional ideas
about the stages of life now have to be reconsidered. For example, surveys
indicate that many people in their 60s and 70s now consider themselves to be@ middle aged
rather than elderly. Other typical stages of life also reflect a similar shift
and extension. On the other hand, the process of growing old may not be viewed
as a separate stage, or even as the final stage, of a glinearh development of
life but as continuum in a personfs growth.@
Furthermore, perhaps we will begin to view life as cyclical, with education,
work and leisure repeatedly interspersed throughout the lifespan.@ This means a revamping of education programs
to allow participation by all ages.
This new aging generation, moreover, is not going
quietly home and rest on its accomplishments. The members of this generation
want to make a contribution to society, want to play a
useful role. By so doing they enhance their own sense of life satisfaction and
being.@ Society, far from viewing these
people as a burden, as useless, will depend upon them as an essential
productive component of a new social order, as a most valuable natural
resource, a natural resource that must not be wasted. Yet in Japan, as
elsewhere, society is suffering great losses because outdated social,
political, business, educational policies mindlessly continued are doing just
this. How much richer society would be if groups now excluded from full
participation (and hence from making full contributions) were to be encouraged
wholeheartedly to contribute— immigrants and other foreigners, those
labeled disabled, women, retirees, and of course the older generation as well.
Senior citizens should be recognized as sources of
experience and wisdom, as stores of knowledge, as exemplars of living history,
indeed as positive role models not only for younger people but those who are
moving into their 50s. The positive contributions they are making to society
should be widely recognized and deeply appreciated.@ Some western writers on aging cite the traditional Confucian
attitudes of honoring the elderly as a possible model for their own approaches
to the new rapidly aging social order. It seems to me that the modern Far East
might also reexamine this traditional attitude towards the elderly for one
sometimes wonders where this tradition went with the breakdown of the
traditional family, the move from the countryside to the city, the more
restricted living conditions, the new patterns of work.
The current coming gage waveh generation, unlike
previous generations, is being taught how to grow old better and it is paying
attention.@ The positive images of aging
all around us, as well as the people around us aging vitally, show us what is
possible. But we must observe carefully, and pay attention to the latest
research and discoveries in aging and health.@
Self-empowerment is a large factor in the equation. Making onefs own
choices. Taking charge of onefs health care and gself careh(diet, exercise,
etc) is crucial; managing onefs finances is also important; seeing to onefs
safety plays a role as well. One makes decisions, one
makes choices as best one can.@ Once
satisfied with these, one turns to self-fulfilling (self-actualization)
activities that, in turn, bring vital and fulfilling growth. Langerfs study in
mindfulness and Csikszentmihalyifs research on flow
show that mindful reflection and judicious risk taking
(the premise for risk taking is choice!) are two essential elements of vital
creative aging.
Onefs sense of life satisfaction, then, is greatly
determined by onefs personal feelings of happiness with onefs present
situation.@ Quality of Life is such a
difficult concept to define and measure because in addition to including
objective living conditions of onefs environment, it also concerns onefs
personal and subjective happiness or satisfaction. And it is a higher quality
of life that is being demanded by the new aging generation.@ Older people are telling us what they want
and insisting that a variety of choices be available. After all, aging has not
a single face but rather has many new faces for aging is a diverse as the
people who age and the ways they do this.@
As we have been indicating, today this is ever more successfully,
productively, creatively.@ Surely onefs
surroundings have an important role to play in all this.@ Meredith Budgefs elaboration on the term
gquality of lifeh is most pertinent to the subject of this discussion. gQuality
of life means that every person has the right to exercise active control and
choice over every aspect of their lives. The environment must foster this.h
Gene Cohen agrees. He challenges the United States to gCreate a New Landscape
for Aging in the Twenty-first Century.h
gIf we view our aging adults as a
national resource of talent and creativity, then the challenge for our society
is to cultivate that resource and tap it for the common good. In terms of
public policy and in many other ways on the whole, society has not yet risen to
a sense of challenge or responsibility to maximize the benefits of this
enormous and growing national resource. c.
gDespite the sluggish pace of
change in government and public policy, many local communities and the consumer
driven marketplace are blazing the trail of change into this new landscape for
aging. c@ Residential lifestyle options
are blossoming, reflecting a fundamental diversification and expansion underway
in the settings where older persons reside. These creative options include
innovations in independent living, the rapid growth of very diverse retirement
communities, assisted-living facilities, continuing-care retirement
communities, and naturally occurring retirement communities in neighborhoods or
buildings that simply attract a large number of retirement-age individuals.
ch@
PAGE@ 1
PAGE@ 3
End Notes
@See Ken Dychtwald,
gWake-up Call: The 10 Physical, Social, Spiritual, Economic and Political
Crises the Boomers Will Face as They Age in the 21st Century,h
American Society on Aging Web Site
@Ellen J. Langer, Mindfulness
(Cambridge, Mass: Perseus Books, 1989)
3Langer, Mindfulness, p. 92; nor does old
age necessarily mean dementia.
4 For example, see John W. Rowe and Robert L. Kahn, Successful Aging@ (New York: Dell Publishing, 1999), Chapter
0ne, gBreaking Down the Myths of Aging,h pp. 11-35.
5See Featherstone and Hepworth, gImages of Aging,h Encyclopedia of
Gerontology, Vol. 1; also Gary M. Kenyon, James E. Birren,
Johannes J.F. Schoots, eds.,@ Metaphors of Aging in Sciences and the
Humanities@ (New York: Springer
Publishing Company, 1991)
6Here are some references.
Successful
Aging:@John
W. Rowe and Robert L. Kahn, Successful Aging
(New York: Dell Publishing, 1998.
Healthy
Aging: gHealthy Aging-SUITE101.comh
@Web site:@
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/healthy_aging
Active Aging: Active Aging
Resource Guide
@@@@ @@@@ web
site:@@ HYPERLINK
http://www.mid-eastaaa.org/guide.html#arts http://www.mid-eastaaa.org/guide.html#arts
Productive
Aging: John Alexander Buchanan McLeish)
The Ulyssean Adult : Creativity in the Middle and Later Years
(Toronto: McGraw Hill, 1976)
Vital Aging: gVital Agingh@
web site: www.ncoa.org/)@
Creative Aging:@ Carolyn E. Adams-Price, ed. Creativity@ and
Successful
Aging:
Theoretical and Empirical@
Approaches ,@ (New York: Spring
Publishing Company, 1998).
7 To live (Ikiru), 1960,@ Dir. Akira Kurosawa, Driving Miss
Daisy, 1989. Dir. Bruce Beresford,@ The Straight Story,
1999,@ Dir. David Lynch. Also see,
Robert E. Yahnke, gIntergeneration and Regeneration:
The Meaning of Old Age in Films and Videos,h pp. 293323, In Thomas R. Cole,
Robert Kastenbaum, Ruth E. Ray, editors, Handbook
of the Humanities and Aging, Second Edition. New York: Springer Publishing
Company, 2000.
8William Sadler, The Third Age: 6 Principles of Growth and
Renewal after Forty (Cambridge, Ma: Perseus
Books, 2000),@ p.
19.
9 See Ken Dychtwald, gWake-up Call: The 10
Physical, Social, Spiritual, Economic and Political Crises the Boomers Will
Face as They Age in the 21st Century,h American Society on Aging Web
Site.@ Url:
www.asaging.org/am/cia/dychtwald.html
10See Maslowfs definition of the hierarchy of needs:@ survival, maintenance, enhancement;@ Abraham Maslow, Motivation and personality.@ (New York: Harper, 1954); also
gMaslowfs Hierarchy of Needs
h Web Page
url: @HYPERLINK http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/regsys/maslow.html
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/regsys/maslow.html
(Web Site: Educational Psychology Interactive, Bill Huitt's Home Page );
Also
Schwarz & Brent, AAA, p. 111
11See Langer, Mindfulness @and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal
Experience@ (New York: Harper &
Row, Publishers, 1990).
12Certainly a personfs QOL encompasses physical well-being,
social concerns, psychological well-being and spiritual well-being. See
Web Site: gNotes on eQuality of Life;fh URL:
www.soc.titech.ac.jp/uem/qol-define.html
13Meredith Budge, A Wealth of
Experience: A Guide to Activities for Older People, 2nd Edition (Sydney:
Maclennan + Petty, 1999), p.
5@
14quoted from G Cohen, with bracketed sections added by author; Gene D.
Cohen, The Creative Age: Awakening Human Potential in the Second Half of
Life@ (New York: Avon Books, 2000),
pp. 305-306.