How Old Is Old

Calculating Old

Getting old  is sort of an enigma–nobody can define it.  We take the retirement age and multiply that by how many doctors you see regularly and divide the result by how many people depend on you.  Then there is the logarithm that calculates the actual age and the perceived age combined with how many things you still have to do in your lifetime and you get an exponential result.

There are also the other ages as well–biological, sociological,  phenomenological, and psychological.  Do we really care?  Old people are not really interested in the research or the papers the college students write.  I have read and written a lot about Stage Development.  I really like the concept.  It is sort of a road map to help you understand where you are and how you can enjoy the scenery along the way.

Don’t let the profesional scare you!

The professionals in the field of geriatrics and gerontology are sort of a limited group.  Be kind to them.  They deal with the problems and negative events in the lives of the aging and aged, but they don’t seem to be able to see the benefits and the joys.

Sometimes I get a little silly.  I’m old–forgive me.  But don’t dismiss me or ridicule me or ignore me.  It may be up to me to make sure that doesn’t happen.  Make sure that everyone knows that this, if they are lucky, wll happen to them too some day.

Doctors, nurses, sociologists, nutritionists, etc. see you, well us,  as a problem to be dealt with.  Let them see you as a person to be enjoyed.  We are old, but we still laugh and remember and anticipate.  Make them understand that the person is not the same as the arthritis or the backache; the person is still flying kites and baking bread.  You and I still live a vital and exciting life though some of that lfe is in memory.  Let the memories bless your life and don’t be afraid to share them.