Aging is defined as the gradual, continuous process of natural change that begins in early adulthood. (MSD Manuals). Traditionally, the beginning of older age starts at the age of  sixty-five, but the reason for this is not based on biology, rather on history.

So When Does a Person Becomes an Older Adult?

According to MSD Manuals, this question can be answered in three ways:

• Chronologic ageis based solely on the passage of time. It is a person’s age in years.
• Biologic agerefers to changes in the body that commonly occur as people age.
• Psychologic ageis based on how people act and feel.

What Are the Drawbacks of Aging?

People often lament about getting old, but according to Cicely Tyson, “Age is just a number. Life and aging are the greatest gifts that we could possibly ever have.” Certainly, there are undesirable life changes that happen when we age. Here are some of them:

1. The body slows down. When people grow old, they become less active and extroverted.
2. More health problems. Getting older means developing chronic health conditions like arthritis, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
3. More visits to the hospital. Having more chronic diseases means more visits to the hospital. The average number is three illnesses for people over sixty-five.
4. Hard lines and wrinkles. As elastin and collagen decreases, there is reduction of skin volume, which causes fine lines and wrinkles.
5. Life becomes meaningless. Older people think they have become obsolete, and they grow unhappy and unmotivated.

What Are the Benefits of Aging?

Although most of the things that we associate with getting old like wrinkles and gray hair are not so pleasant, when we live longer, we realize that our lives that are getting better. Getting old, they say, is a gift. Seniors Blue Book lists all the benefits of living longer:

1. Your brain is getting sharper. The ability to learn, process information, and think critically actually improves with age. Also, with age comes wisdom, and navigating life gets easier.
2. You’re more resilient. When you grow older, you are often more adept in dealing with stress and handling challenges.
3. You’re less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Getting older means having more mature impulse control, thus risky behaviors like drinking too much alcohol, smoking, or driving too fast lessens in occurrence.
4. You become more financially stable. When you get older, your financial situation becomes more stable, allowing you to enjoy your retirement years.
5. You’re more comfortable in your own skin. Getting older means getting comfortable with who you are—the good and the not so good. You feel more confident of who you are and accepting of who you are not. Also, you couldn’t care less about what others think of you.

Is There Such a Thing as Healthy Aging or Successful Aging?

Healthy aging, according to MSN Manuals, is postponement of or reduction in the undesired effects of aging, which means being able to maintain physical and mental health, avoiding disorders, and remaining active and independent. Developing certain healthy habits is essential for successful aging. This means the following:

• • Following a nutritious diet
  • Avoiding cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol use
  • Exercising regularly
  • Staying mentally active

In developing these healthy habits, a person can have some control over what happens to them as they age.

Celebrating another birthday does not have to be a tragedy. Your body may not be the way it used to be, but it should not get in the way of you enjoying your life to the fullest. As Cindy Josephs says, “Aging is just another word for living.”

Sources:

Easy Living. “Five Brutal Truths about Getting Old That Few People Are Willing to Admit.” Last modified August 13, 2009. https://easylivingfl.com/aging-in-place/five-brutal-truths-about-getting-old-that-few-people-are-willing-to-admit/.

Jackson, Draven. “Facts about Getting Older That No One Tells You.” Last modified August 3, 2022. https://www.momschoiceawards.com/blog/facts-about-getting-older-that-no-one-tells-you/.

MSN Manuals. “Overview of Aging.” Accessed July15, 2024. https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/older-people%E2%80%99s-health-issues/the-aging-body/overview-of-aging.

Seniors Blue Book. “Fun Facts about Aging.” Last modified April 13, 2023. https://seniorsbluebook.com/articles/fun-facts-about-aging.