Perhaps being old is having lighted rooms
Inside
your head, and people in them, acting.
People
you know yet can’t quite name; each looms
Like
a deep loss restored, from known doors turning,
Setting
down a lamp, smiling from a stair, extracting
A
known book from the shelves; or sometimes only
The
rooms themselves, chairs and a fire burning,
The
blown bush at the window, or the sun’s
Faint
friendliness on the wall some lonely
Rain-ceased
midsummer evening. That is where they live:
Not
here and now, but where all happened once.
Extract
from
The
Old Fools
Philip
Larkin
Although
Larkin in his typically sardonic way, refers contemptuously
to old age as “the
whole hideous inverted
childhood”, one he was yet to experience himself when he was composing his
rather cruel
observations, I am experiencing a much more tolerable rounding off of
a life while acknowledging the
familiarity of the above stanza. It is
true now that I experience flashes of images of childhood, often
remembering more
of the sunlit days than the darker greys of anxiety with a parent. I
remember now, unbidden, snatches of conversations, glimpses of
interactions long forgotten, reactions to domestic events and
almost-submerged earlier
fears and hopes. I
sometimes catch
inner
sight of previously known
neighbours, friends, teachers, people whom I can’t quite name now
but did know once.
 |
My sister and I visiting the wood where
we had played as girls. 2017. |
But
Larkin is wrong to suggest that the old live “
where
all happened once.” I
read that “
memory
consolidation” happens
when memories that are significant, or emotionally charged earlier
in life, tend to be more
strongly consolidated
or reinforced
in the brain so that the
older brain
prefers to recall the older, more strongly delineated images which
may well be more accessible. Simply put, from one aspect, it is
easier and quicker so to do. In almost every conscious way now, I
always choose the easier path in deference to my fading powers. When
I forget a name, it often pops up a few minutes later and one wonders
if a cell in that part of the memory circuit has died and a search
elsewhere in an adjacent circuit has
been
necessary to nail the apposite word! If the sought-after word/name
does not appear quite quickly, I let it go; it is worth no further
effort. But these
half-remembered days or people, through albeit
imperfect memories, do bring
a fleeting joy of familiarity and recognition which is comfortable
and often amusing.
Attitudes
to events, anniversaries, celebrations are often coloured and shaped
by the view the individual has to a particular occurrence before or
after it has occurred. A growing body of research suggests, for
instance, that a person's mindset -- how they feel about growing old --may predict how much longer and how well they live. Several studies over the past 20 years suggest people with more positive viewson ageing, live longer, healthier lives than those with negative perceptions of
the ageing
process. Recently, a large nationwide study of nearly 14,000 adults
over the age
of 50
took an even deeper look into the ways in which positive thinking
about ageing
could impact a person's physical health, health behaviours
and psychological well-being.
 |
| Age 82 |
Published
in J.A.M.A. Network Open, the study found those with the highest
satisfaction with ageing had a 43% lower risk of dying from any cause
during four years of follow-up compared to those with the lowest
satisfaction. People with higher satisfaction also had a reduced risk
for chronic conditions such as diabetes, stroke, cancer and heart
disease, as well as better cognitive functioning. People with a more
positive attitude about growing old also were more likely to engage
in frequent physical activity and less likely to have trouble
sleeping than their less-satisfied peers. They also were less lonely,
less likely to be depressed, more optimistic and had a stronger sense
of purpose. "
There's
a connection
between mindsets and health behaviours,"
says Eric Kim, the study's senior investigator and an assistant
professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in
Vancouver, Canada. "
One
leads to the other."
For instance, as Kim wrote
in the journal
Preventive
Medicine, the more
satisfied people over 50 are with HOW they are ageing, the more
likely they are to have their cholesterol tested or be screened for
breast, cervical or prostate cancer.
But
it cuts both ways. While having a positive attitude can lead to
behaviours that promote good health,
"If people believe poor
health is inevitable with age, this can be a self-fulfilling prophecy
that keeps them from behaviours that will help with
ageing," said Kim, who is also a researcher at
the Center for Health and Happiness at Harvard T. H. Chan School of
Public Health in Boston. "
The good news is, these views we hold about ageing are changeable. We can shift our mindset," says Hannah Giasson, who co-wrote the Preventive Medicine study with Kim. She is an assistant professor at the Arizona State University Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation in Phoenic and specialises in the
relationship between people's views on ageing and their health
and well-being. The same two researchers extrapolate from their studies, to suggest several useful attitudes which enable people to maintain a healthy optimism while ageing.
1. Maintain
a sense of purpose
"Some
people aren't sure what to do with themselves after they retire", said
Kim. He suggests finding projects that align with a person's values.
"If family is a high priority, find things to do that
contribute to the family, such as helping to care for grandchildren.
If conservation is a strong value, find projects that
contribute to
the health of the environment. Volunteer work is a great way to do
this," he said.
2.
Recognize negative messages about ageing. Research
shows negative stereotypes about ageing are internalized over a
person's life span and can harm physical and cognitive health as a
person grows older. "Develop an awareness of these messages,"
suggests Giasson. " Understand how they influence us." For example, a person may believe poor physical health is inevitable for older adults so there is no use in trying to stay active. But according to the National Institute on Ageing, exercise can lower the risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. and can improve sleep and reduce the risk of falls. "Recognise that practising healthy behaviours can
support health at any age," Giasson says.
3.
Stay socially active.
 |
| All, including camera-woman, born in 1934 and celebrating that fact in 2016 |
As people age, they may lose loved ones such as spouses,
family members or friends. If a spouse was responsible for
maintaining social networks and that person dies, the remaining
spouse may grow lonely and more socially isolated. Social isolation
and loneliness are risk factors for poor physical and mentalhealth, increasing the risk for heart attacks and strokes
and contributing to poor life satisfaction,
depression, low
self-esteem and difficulty with daily life activities. But research
shows maintaining social connections can have a positive effect on
health. Kim said it's important to make new connections to replace
those you've lost. "
What typically happens is people stop
making new friends. Re-engage mechanisms for meeting people that were
there earlier in life," he
advises,
such as joining a club or taking part in community organizations.
4.
Try something new
 |
I was introduced to Mah Jong when I was 81. it
continues to provide pleasure, intellectual
activity and regular social contact. |
Sometimes
people lose mobility as they age and may not be able to engage in the
activities that brought them joy when they were younger. Kim suggests
trying to "redeploy that energy in a new way, such as
teaching a skill or craft instead of practising it. Or
learn something new that is less physically demanding." Research suggests that older adults who learn new
skills can improve memory, self-esteem and overall quality of life.
"Don't fall into the mindset that it's too late to try something new" she says. "It's never too late and you're never too old to explore new interests."Although
this blog began with my meandering thoughts on ageing as I near my
90th,
it developed into a mini-manual on research findings to cheer up the
ageing! So, to finish, another quote, but this time from a super
little book given to me by a friend in Bruges; its sub-title is
Lyrics and
Legends of the American Indian and
its title comes
from
the last two lines of the quote below, taken
from the wisdom of a Navajo Benedictory Chant:
Beauty
is before me
And
beauty behind me,
Above
and below me hovers the beautiful,
I
am surrounded by it,
I
am immersed in it.
In
my youth I am aware of it
And
in old age
I
shall walk quietly
The
beautiful trail.
 |
| Walk quietly the beautiful trail |
 |
Navajo American Indian
|
something new," she said.
"It's never too late, and you're never too old to explore new
interests."
