50+ Lifestyles

Aging – We’re all Doing It! Let’s Celebrate.

By Mike Mathews
Milestones Area Agency on Aging

Aging is inevitable, and as a country, more and more of us are older than ever before. In fact, according to the United States Census Bureau, the number of adults 65+ is expected to outnumber children for the first time ever by 2034. Despite this, many Americans still hold a negative opinion on getting older. We hear it every day- the common stereotypes- “old biddies”, “one foot in the grave”, the list goes on. A streak of grey hair shows up and many go to great lengths to restore that previous color to avoid looking “old.”

Old age is often viewed with distaste, as our society tends to associate it with declining abilities and aptitude. This stereotype, however, is not the case in other parts of the world. In India, there is a beautiful tradition where the young touch the feet of the elderly, seeking their blessings and showing their love and respect for them. Hindu culture believes that when you touch the feet of the elderly, you are in turn blessed with knowledge, intellect, strength, and fame.

This is not to suggest that we should begin touching the feet of our older neighbors.  However, the meaning behind this tradition is something we should embrace. We should be learning from our elders. We should be actively seeking them out to pick their brains to receive from them all the knowledge they have acquired and lessons they have learned over a lifetime of “doing”. These experiences lead to wisdom. This experience can be the lens through which younger generations look, to examine their own lives as they are presented with the very same situations and life experiences today.

With improved health care and more years of productivity, older citizens are reinforcing their historical roles as leaders and as links with our patrimony and sense of purpose as individuals and as a Nation. Many older people are embarking on second careers, giving younger Americans a fine example of responsibility, resourcefulness, competence, and determination. And more than 4.5 million senior citizens are serving as volunteers in various programs and projects that benefit every sector of society. Wherever the need exists, older people are making their presence felt — for their own good and that of others.

For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute. We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older — places in which older people can participate to the fullest and can find the encouragement, acceptance, assistance, and services they need to continue to lead lives of independence and dignity.

The bottom line is to remember the elderly have walked in our shoes. They have been there and done that. They have seen things we will never see. They are still growing and evolving too. Their life is nowhere near over, and they have plenty more adventures left in them. And that is something to celebrate.

Milestones is dedicated to being the premier organization for assisting older Iowans, adults with disabilities and their family caregivers to identify and access the services and resources needed to remain independent and self-sufficient.

Want to learn more?  Call Milestones at (855) 410-6222 or visit milestonesaaa.org.

Milestones Iowa Area Agency on Aging promotes a variety of Wellness Programs dedicated to building healthy lifestyles for older adults through education, counseling, and a variety of fitness and wellness classes to help keep you healthy and independent. Want to Learn More?  Call Milestones at (855)-410-6222 or visit milestonesaaa.org.