In an age-obsessed culture like we have in the US, it is hard to find a comfort level with the idea of growing older. The beauty industry makes this obvious for women, and more recently for men, but there are more subtle or not so subtle messages we hear from our friends and from many health care professionals. I am in my seventies now, and having practiced focused self-care for many years, it influences the way I regard my health and that of my holistic health clients.
Health care professionals are given the wrong name, in my opinion. They are not health care professionals; they are sick care professionals. The focus is much more on what’s going wrong than what you may be doing right, and the link is often with your age.
On my most recent visit to a primary care physician, she had a new medical assistant. At the beginning of the intake she spoke to me like an adult. She took my blood pressure and weight and asked me what medications I was taking, I told her none, and she asked me again to be sure. She turned to input the data she had collected, and in doing so apparently looked at my age, which was 72. When she next spoke to me, she spoke in a tone one might use when speaking to a five year old. The shift was clear; I was now an old person who needed to be spoken to like a child. Have you had a similar experience as an older person?
Health care professionals convey little hope or provide few suggestions as to how growing older can be a positive, successful experience. Of course, being realistic, we all know there is a beginning and an end to our lives. The big question is how long and how well.
Going out with friends is another situation where if one is not careful, the conversation can devolve into descriptions of aches and pains, medications and surgeries. It’s not that these things don’t occur, but should they take up social headspace and dominate the conversation?
I say the topics might be family news, new interests, favorite books or films, favorite healthy meals, travel plans, home moves or renovations, of favorite websites. Keep your brain active with new ideas and expressing them to others is healthy and stimulating. Tune into positive posts like you find here and on sixtyandme.com and Zestful Aging’s podcast.
What are you doing to keep yourself positive and forward-thinking? Instead of dwelling on the past or dreading the future, consider all the possibilities that lay before you. Time passes quickly. Make it time well spent.
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