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Getting older is scary, but is it really as bad as we think it is? There’s a lot of misconception out there about the ageing process and it’s from this that the fear stems. We hear news item after news item about how illness and disease are more common in the older generation, about how […]
Getting older is scary, but is it really as bad as we think it is?
There’s a lot of misconception out there about the ageing process and it’s from this that the fear stems. We hear news item after news item about how illness and disease are more common in the older generation, about how older people become isolated and depressed and about how they become a burden on their families.
Is this true? Well, in some cases it can be, but that doesn’t mean it will be true for you. In fact, very few older people live a stereotypical ‘old person’ lifestyle!
1. Everyone Gets Shipped Off to a Care Home
This could not be any further from the truth! In fact, it’s believed that around 90 percent of older people in the UK live out their later years at home, rather than in a care facility.
Of course, this number was previously much higher, which is where the myth originates, but with newer technologies, adapted homes make it easy for those with mobility problems to remain in their own property. We now have the choice of straight or curved stairlifts, of bath lifts or shower stools, of wheelchairs or mobility scooters… the list goes on!
2. You’re Helpless
Unfortunately, getting older is inevitable, but succumbing to the effects of ageing is not. Sometimes, disease and illness will enter our lives, but we’re not helpless, and by making some sensible lifestyle choices we can not only reduce the risk of contracting these disease, but we can also help to limit the symptoms if we are diagnosed.
Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and natural oils, limiting alcohol, and tobacco, and taking regular exercise regardless of how gentle that exercise is can really help keep both your mind and body sharp.
3. You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
Older people are often the subject of mockery when it comes to understanding new technology, but that doesn’t mean they can’t learn. It’s often thought that it’s difficult to teach older people new things, but, with the right technique, it’s not. People who stay more active physically should actually be able to learn new things quite easily, as physical activity boosts memory and promotes learning. Would you believe that 18 percent of the over 65 population now own smartphones, a massive increase on the 13 percent that owned these devices just one year ago? If that’s not proof enough, then what is?
4. Old Age = Loneliness
This may not be something you wish to think about, but old age does not mean loneliness. At all! In fact, more and more couples are finding partners and getting married later in life, with Ted Parsons and Jean Reed becoming Britain’s oldest newlyweds in 2013, aged 98 and 90 respectively.
Although Ted claimed that he “would have needed help to get up again” had he got down on one knee, he was determined to enjoy a happy and healthy married life with his beautiful bride. It’s never too late to find companionship and it’s becoming more and more acceptable to do so in old age. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!
The important thing is not to believe everything you hear, everything you read, or everything you see in the movies. Looking back hundreds of years when life expectancy was much lower, reaching the age of 60, for example, was pretty much the end. Today, we’re living beyond 100, so getting to retirement age isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning of a brand new chapter.
The guest post is provided by stairlifts.co.uk who offer a wide range of both straight and curved stairlift equipment for those with mobility issues.
