Getting Old or Aging Well?

Understanding the distinction between getting old and aging well is crucial. Getting old often evokes fear, as it’s associated with the image of the ‘frail elderly’-a vision that many find unsettling. This image typically portrays older adults as small, weak individuals who rely on others for daily tasks, shelter, meals, and income.

While aging is inevitable, we can take intentional steps to avoid becoming dependent on others in our later years. We may need to rely on family at some point, but the goal is to keep this period as brief as possible after a long and healthy life.

Aging well does not deny the aging process but works to delay it. After all, it isn’t easy to fulfill the calling on your life if you are not healthy and up to the challenge.

Protect yourself from getting old

You will grow older, but you do not have to settle for getting old. You can make the decision right now to commit to caring for your body and treating it like a temple for the Holy Spirit. By body, we also mean your mind and your spirit. Your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health are equally important. You will also want to be up to date on your financial situation. There may be time to make significant changes if you evaluate it now.

As we discuss each area of your life, consider the changes you need to make now. Start thinking ahead even if you are only in your twenties or thirties. The healthy habits you start now will compound over time and increase the quality of your life well into the future.

Community

God did not create us to live in a vacuum. We thrive in a community of like-minded individuals as well as diverse groups. As an older adult, isolation can become a crutch. You might not feel like getting dressed and making an effort to socialize, yet socializing can beat depression and anxiety, mental disorders that are both common in later years. Socializing will also keep your mind healthy and combat your risk of developing cognitive issues and dementia.

How you choose to socialize is up to you. Some groups you may find in your community:

• Share a common goal or interest.
• Church group.
• Sports game group.
• Play a shared sport group.
• Book club.
• Gardening club.
• Marathon training group.
• Fitness group at the gym.
• Hunting group.
• Arts and crafts group.
• Classes at the local community center.

What is your passion? Identify that, and you can locate a group in no time. Keep in mind that you can always rekindle friendships or turn acquaintances into friends. Who do you know that you would like to know a little better? Ask them over for coffee or out to lunch.

Faith

Faith is the foundation, connecting spiritual health to life’s physical, emotional, and mental areas. Your faith in God can carry you through even when you are ill or anxious. This dependency and hope can help lift your mood. It gives you a brighter perspective on life and makes you live to serve others, an example set by Jesus Christ.

Faith and community are tightly knitted. Do not neglect to gather with other Christians and to serve the community. At times, your faith and hope will get you through the hardest seasons in life; cancer diagnosis, loss of a spouse, and uncertainty of finances can be emotionally managed with strong faith in Jesus.

Cognitive Functioning

Cognitive function declines as we age. We may have trouble remembering important details like names or engaging in multiple tasks at once. Concentrating on work can become an issue. Activities you enjoyed in the past may be harder now, and you might feel as if your thought process has slowed.

Although roughly 60% of this decline is attributed to aging, you can still fight the process by engaging in activities to improve cognitive function. For example, getting out, going places with friends, exercising, and working on puzzles are easy activities like walking. These can boost heart health, supply the brain and other organs with needed oxygen, and help improve your choices for healthier foods.

Strong Body

Exercise may have felt like the bane of your existence when you were younger, but if you want to age well, you must build a strong body, including muscle mass, stronger bones, and a healthy heart and lungs. The best way to accomplish this is through exercise. Exercise is any movement that gets your heart pumping and forces oxygen into the cells. The more you exercise, the stronger your cardiorespiratory system will be.

Exercise also bolsters immunity and forces you to breathe deeply, exercising the tiny bronchial sacs in the lower portions of the lungs. When you combine cardio movements with resistance training, you equip your body with protection to decrease the risk of falls or, at least, the ability to recover quickly from a fall.

Always get your doctor’s clearance before starting any exercise regimen. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly; that equates to five 30-minute sessions. The AHA also recommends resistance training at least two days per week (examples: weight machines, free weights, body-weight resistance, bands, etc.).

Nourishing Food

We have all heard the admonishment to ditch processed and fast foods, but do you understand the danger? Most packaged and processed foods today contain additives, dyes, hormones, and other ingredients that can accumulate and make you sick over a long period. Studies show that certain food ingredients worsen depression and anxiety. Other chemicals, such as monosodium glutamate and propyl gallate, have been linked to cancer in rats.

It is probably impossible to bypass food additives entirely in today’s diet, but you can start by choosing fresh and frozen foods over canned or fast food. Choose fresh meats over processed meats like hot dog wieners and bologna. Shop at farmers’ markets for fresh produce and eggs. Create a dinner menu to shop from each week, making you less inclined to order carry-out on your way home after a long day. Consult with a nutritionist if you need more ideas.

Financial Plans

Speak to a financial advisor if you are uncertain about your financial situation. Although many senior citizens rely on Social Security monthly, the amount rarely covers all expenses. It will require a downgrade in the quality of life you may be accustomed to now. Other income and savings plans could include retirement from a job, savings from self-employment, portfolio investments, rental property, and other income.

A financial advisor can help you create and implement a strategic plan to cover the last third of your life. Even if you do not think you will live to ring in your 100th birthday, plan for it anyway. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 101,000 centenarians in the United States. Your chances of living that long increase yearly with technological and medical advances and if you work to keep your body and mind strong and healthy.

Why Taking Steps Now is Critical

Aging well to age 100 and beyond could be your future. You want your quality of life to be good for as long as possible. You may need help from your family for the last few years of your life, but if you can set yourself up physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and financially, you will keep your independence longer than other senior citizens the same age.

Make changes now and build new habits, seek help from professionals, and stay up-to-date with all screenings and tests.

Are you ready to embrace aging well?

Does the notion of getting old scare you? Are you ready to commit to aging well and see where God can use you? Contact our office today to schedule a session with a Christian counselor. Your counselor can help you create a plan to stay fit and healthy in mind, body, and spirit.