Age is just a number that signifies how long a person has lived on earth. This series of numbers don’t define who you are, what you have achieved, or what you can still accomplish. One can achieve anything at any age, whether old or young.
In today’s world, the age card often places unnecessary pressure on people to act in a particular way that reflects their age. Usually, it means that individuals become too self-aware and conscious, which may affect their life views, self-esteem, and social opportunities in a negative way.
Several misconceptions about aging put it in a negative light, but why buy into this mindset? The secret to enjoying and embracing life as we grow older is having a positive attitude, which helps us boost our self-esteem.
At Seasons Retirement, we believe in positive aging, encouraging our residents to participate in activities, tasks, and events to ensure they lead happy, healthy, and independent lifestyles.
Positive aging refers to maintaining a positive outlook on life, staying healthy and fit, feeling good about oneself, and engaging fully in life as one grows older. It is a mentality enforcing that age is just a number and that a person can live life to the fullest, regardless of age.
This approach recognizes how our mindset and attitude affect our physical and emotional well-being as we age. Several cultural beliefs and social norms still maintain negative ideas about aging, and adopting these notions could increase the odds of poor health and depression.
Positive aging seeks to oppose this negativity by promoting the positive aspects of ageing, helping people embrace getting older, and reinforcing that age is only a number.
Several studies show a positive link between older adults’ social relationships and health behaviours. People who maintain an active social life are more likely to stay strong and healthy, keeping conditions like anxiety and depression at bay. Hence, it’s advised that older people spend time connecting with like-minded friends.
Also, volunteering can give older people an avenue to give back to the community, meet new people, and have a sense of fulfillment, boosting their self-esteem. It also helps them hone their soft and technical skills while keeping them involved.
Positive aging can be achieved by participating in writing, reading, and solving mental puzzles like Sudoku and crosswords. These fun tasks help engage the mind and keep the brain sharp, improving memory health.
Also, the pursuit of knowledge can help keep the mind engaged. By reading books, learning new hobbies, and taking online courses, older adults can gain more knowledge, feel better about themselves, and improve their cognitive abilities, while reaping all the benefits of lifelong learning.
By participating in physical activities, older adults can maintain excellent physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Exercises are a great way to stay active, reduce stress, maintain strength and balance, and protect brain function.
Studies show an interrelationship between exercising and mental health. Engaging in physical activities triggers the release of feel-good hormones — endorphins and dopamine — fostering relaxation, a sense of calm, and a feeling of joy in older adults.
Older adults with mobility issues and reduced physical strength can practice less-intensive exercises like aerobics, which is excellent for brain function and strengthening the bones and joints. Also, chair exercise routines increase heart rate and work on the upper body. Regular walking is enough to help older people reap the benefits of physical activity to maintain a positive outlook on life.
Older adults can embrace getting older by consuming balanced, healthy, and well-rounded foods to improve their overall well-being. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like fish, zinc and vitamin B, like fruits, can keep depression at bay. Reducing one’s intake of starchy carbs can help too.
While some older people may want to have a few alcoholic drinks and smoke cigarettes, they should realize that they are unsuitable for their health and can contribute to lower moods, especially when consumed too often.
Regardless of our condition or situation, we should learn to think happy thoughts, as this will give us a positive outlook on life. If we regularly practice these positive thought patterns, they’ll become routine soon enough.
Older adults should practice gratitude and only stay around people who will uplift their mood. Maintaining optimism, making exciting plans, keeping a sense of humour, avoiding negative thoughts, and reducing stress will help with positive aging to enjoy life fully as one ages.
When one engages in activities that bring them joy, they’ll realize that age is just a number, as they will maintain a positive attitude toward life. Older adults can travel the world, learn new languages, volunteer in their favourite organizations, and so on — the possibilities are endless!
Also, older people can practice their hobbies more frequently, like cooking, painting, sketching, knitting, etc. When they partake in these activities and produce good outcomes, they’ll feel a sense of purpose and joy, helping them embrace getting older.
Is age just a number? Yes, it is. One’s age doesn’t affect their ability to accomplish tasks and help in the community. Older adults can maintain an active and happy lifestyle by maintaining a positive mindset. Also, the tips mentioned above will help them embrace getting older, so they can live life to the fullest without feeling limited.