Successful Aging at 20: What readers had to say about getting older

This week, I person the 2nd portion of my 20th-anniversary column wherever I stock what I person learned from our readers during this past year. 

Older workers, employment and entrepreneurship: Experience, cognition and thrust count. A retired pistillate astatine property 65 was blessed to beryllium hired. She noted that her acquisition successful shipping and logistics got her the job. She adjacent got her requested part-time schedule. The hiring manager of a instrumentality steadfast reported hiring a pistillate successful her mid-80s arsenic a record clerk and wrote, “She is arsenic crisp arsenic a tack and comes to enactment prepared…Her beingness successful the bureau has affected different unit successful a affirmative way; they are kinder and much patient.” A pistillate successful her 70s was fto spell from her presumption arsenic enforcement vice president of a ample edifice company. In turn, she launched her ain concern with 2 partners. Her connection is, “Amazing women who are feeling rejected: Know that beingness inactive goes connected and determination is large vigor if you person the fortitude to propulsion done the rejection.” A caller lawsuit indicated she and her squad had much vigor than Millennials helium knows. 

Not each experiences were positive. A frustrated leader was unsuccessful successful uncovering “senior/mature” candidates for absorption and relationship payable positions. A 64-year-old pistillate besides was frustrated. She felt that the millennial and Generation X individuals who interviewed her were aged-biased and ever hired younger radical for the positions.  

Exercise: We received galore inspiring stories. A two-year subsister of lymphoma continued grooming during the pandemic. Having competed successful galore weight-lifting meets successful his 70s, helium went connected to triumph the American Masters Weightlifting contention mounting 2 records for the men’s competition—at property 91. A 73-year-old retired Green Beret antheral bench-pressed 225 pounds. And past determination is the workout authorities of a 76-year-old man: spot grooming 3 times a week consisting of deadlifts, squats and seat press, and a 1.5-mile locomotion with his woman each morning. An 80-year-old antheral plans to locomotion the L.A. marathon. Several readers successful their 70s identified their favourite exercise: pickleball, 1 of the fastest-growing sports successful America, for each ages. Clearly, not each of america tin beryllium truthful accomplished for a big of reasons, but astir of america tin move. 

Emergency responses: Several readers applauded the Apple Watch for its exigency effect system. When the parent of an 84-year-old scholar fell, it was wrong seconds that her Apple Watch called 911 and sent a substance to her children. Another writer suggested I did a large disservice by suggesting location modification, exertion and assistive devices arsenic ways to forestall falls. He indicated that instead, I should person emphasized spot and endurance training. Here’s the reality: Both are important. 

Gratitude and hope: “The upside of aging is sunrises, sunsets, taking a walk, listening to my surroundings, enjoying clip with my woman of 51 years and having a large family,” writes a Vietnam seasoned with wellness issues from Agent Orange. At property 79, helium is grateful to person different time connected world to marque a affirmative difference. A scholar sent her 70-year-old parent the file highlighting Angela Lansbury, Betty White and others. The parent referred to these women arsenic “awesome,” and hopes to unrecorded to beryllium 100. 

Memoirs: This was a fashionable column. A 78-year-old writer of 2 novels decided aft speechmaking the file his adjacent publication would beryllium a memoir. I received announcement of a reader’s existent memoir of his beingness arsenic an undercover quality operative, an planetary trader and a jazz musician. Another reported helium conscionable completed a 400-page memoir portion different scholar was motivated to constitute a memoir of his parents increasing up successful Denmark during World War II. He wanted his children to recognize beingness without indoor plumbing, showers oregon blistery h2o and the acquisition of getting a archetypal tv and refrigerator. He asked maine if this would beryllium boring? My answer: Definitely not.

Bits and pieces: In a file astir the conception of happiness passim history, a scholar pointed retired I omitted the Judeo-Christian influence. Good correction. Another prompted a question I could not answer: Why did someone’s 97-year-old parent successful assistive surviving person a assemblage notice? Another scholar suggested to the pistillate who needed a canine sitter portion she had a aesculapian process to interaction her veterinarian. I person had requests to reprint columns successful assorted newsletters and offers to people different people’s works successful my column. 

So, beloved readers, contempt the pandemic, your questions and suggestions person made this twelvemonth full, affluent and enlightening. Thank you for sharing your challenges, victories and wisdom. I americium honored to beryllium portion of your life. To the champion of my ability, I volition proceed to supply you with the astir caller information, probe and perspectives connected aging. And occasionally a spot of sentiment and idiosyncratic acquisition volition beryllium thrown successful for bully measure. 

To each of you – bully health, joyousness and palmy aging and ever beryllium bully to yourself and others. 

Helen Dennis is simply a nationally recognized person connected issues of aging, employment and the caller status with academic, firm and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments astatine Helendenn@gmail.com. Visit Helen astatine HelenMdennis.com and travel her connected facebook.com/SuccessfulagingCommunity