Talking About Aging, Life Lessons, and Legacy
Many seniors are happy to be open and honest about their perspectives on life and growing older, especially when they're talking with someone they trust and who is truly listening.
Cognitive Problems
Mental disorders and cognitive decline are often associated with old age. Aging adults are susceptible to dementia, psychotic depression, personality changes, mood swings, aggression, and other mental health issues.
Many older people live on fixed incomes, making it difficult to cover the costs of housing, transportation, and healthcare. The aging population is also more likely to experience cognitive decline, impacting their ability to live on their own.
Difficulty with everyday tasks and mobility
A person's mobility and dexterity will naturally decline as they age, which makes completing everyday tasks more difficult. This can gradually cause people to care for themselves and prevents them from being social, pursuing interests, or taking part in activities they enjoy.
geriatric (slang) genarian. geezer (US) grayhead (US & Canada) hoarhead (obsolete, poetic)
“Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you've got to start young.” – Theodore Roosevelt. “Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.” – Mark Twain. “Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years.
Focus on abilities.
Older adults who focus on what they can do and find rewarding, rather than any decline in abilities, are happier. According to a study in The Gerontologist, accepting aging and adapting to age-related changes is vital to successful aging and well-being.
Excessive talking, also known as garrulity, can be associated with dementia, or cognitive impairment. It is necessary that you take your father to a doctor who can recommend a neurologist and psychologist who can perform appropriate evaluations to determine if he might be suffering from some form of dementia.
According to one study, four of the top five activities most commonly cited by seniors as being their favorites are, by their nature, very active. They include walking and jogging, gardening and yard work, playing sports, and other physical pursuits.
Official definitions
Most developed Western countries set the retirement age around the age of 65; this is also generally considered to mark the transition from middle to old age. Having one's age within this range is commonly a requirement to become eligible for senior social programs.
In broader terms, aging can be broken down into three distinct and often related categories: biological aging, psychological aging, and social aging.
Disadvantages of an aging population include increased costs to the economy, increased pressure on health services, increased competition for jobs or decreased participation in the workforce, potential less funding for young people, and an increased dependency ratio.
In social circumstances, Miss Manners has always thought it ridiculous to consider one's age an embarrassment. Nevertheless, it is — to many gentlemen, as well as ladies — and therefore, that question should not be asked of anyone except children.
Keep in mind, some physical activity is better than none at all. Your health benefits will also increase with the more physical activity that you do. Adults aged 65 and older need: At least 150 minutes a week (for example, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking.