Aging Experience Has Changed Greatly

Only everything has changed in the last 25 years or so.

According to the chief executive officer of the American Association for Retired Persons, that includes the way we approach growing older.

Senior woman lifting dumbbells“The convergence of longer life expectancy and technological advances is opening new doors to exploration and discovery as well as new expectations and possibilities for how we live and age,” Jo Ann Jenkins wrote in a recent edition of the AARP Bulletin. “People today are challenging stereotypes and attitudes about getting older to create a new reality of aging in the 21st century.”

Not only are people living longer, but also they are also living better, she indicated.

“As we get older, we understand that our experience has value and look for ways to make the most of our added years,” she wrote. “We also understand the rigors of family caregiving and recognize that we may need help in providing care for a loved one. And we wonder who will provide care if and when we need it.

We love the idea of being up on the latest smartphone or tablet, even though we may need help figuring it out. We are aware that as we get older, we will become more of a target for a scam or for identity theft, and we want to know how to protect ourselves. We are realistic. We know our needs are changing, and although we may not like it, we face it head on. We don’t stop and withdraw from society because we become a certain age.”