How to Age with Grace

Aging is a humbling process. Whether changes occur from the 20s-30s or from the 60s-70s, each year delivers small age-related adjustments. When looking in the magnified vanity mirror, there are more facial lines and more grey hair than before. Stair climbing elicits a little more breathlessness. The yard work no longer gets done in just one day. The road trip requires a few more stops in rest areas. In the blink of an eye, time passes and the changes and challenges with aging compound.  Just like most things in life, graceful aging begins with a positive attitude.

Physical Health: One Foot in Front of the Other

Physical changes with aging are inevitable; however, strength, balance and stretching activities can reduce the effects of aging.  Exercise helps maintain muscle mass and cardiovascular capacity while reducing the risk of falls. The brain also benefits from exercise by preserving blood flow and stimulating the release of neurotransmitters that reduce anxiety and depression. Graceful aging in relation to physical activity can be tricky.  It is not uncommon to think that climbing that ladder to clean the gutters like you’ve always done is totally acceptable. However, often times the risk is not worth the reward. Aging with grace means learning, understanding and accepting certain changes and ensuring your safety and well-being in the process.

Emotional Health: Still a Social Butterfly

Socialization across the lifespan remains imperative to well-being, especially for senior adults who may see social circles change due to relocation, retirement or the passing of spouses and friends. However, socializing with friends is the best way to commiserate about the ups and downs of aging. Laughter really is the best medicine, so laughing with friends over similar age-related mishaps can be therapeutic. A friend may also walk in your same shoes and can be an excellent sounding board about the frustrations of aging. Although some physical effects of aging are visible, other emotional effects are invisible. Aging with grace means adapting your social circles and social activities to meet your emotional needs and maintain a sense of self-esteem and belonging.

Cognitive Health: Sharp as a Tack

Cognitive health is another important avenue for aging with grace. Although aging can create changes in the brain, such as reduced blood flow or inflammation, learning skills and memory skills remain intact with effort and practice. However, the aging brain can sometimes make things more difficult to remember or process in comparison to years past.  Mild and intermittent forgetfulness is a natural part of aging due to physical changes within the brain. Aging with grace from a cognitive standpoint means doing your best but giving yourself a break when mistakes happen.  Day-to-day requirements may need to be adapted to make them easier to remember and complete. Compensatory strategies, such as writing more lists, setting reminders or minimizing multi-tasking by focusing on one thing at a time, can reduce cognitive fatigue and create more success. 

The bottom line is that none of us has been here before.  As each year passes and the candles on the birthday cake multiply, nobody know what it feels like to be a certain age until we get there.  If we are blessed enough to get to the next birthday, we need to make the best of it and remember what’s important: 

• Be kind to ourselves
• Share a lifetime of knowledge
• Maintain a sense of humor
• Do the best we can
• Continue to tackle life challenges with dignity and poise
• Maintain meaning and maximize life satisfaction

Visiting Angels understands that sometimes reinforcements may be needed to tackle challenges that arise with aging. Please contact us today to learn more about how we can assist your senior or disabled love one.