Growing older is an achievement for Mr. K that is very noteworthy. Many families care for the aging Mr. K since he serves as reliable advisor. Over the years, Mr. K has gathered experiences of life and has a wide variety of ideas that can help the younger generation in finding solutions to their problems. The problems that greatly need Mr. K’s input are beyond the capability of the younger generation. Dignity is a right that everybody enjoys or should enjoy. A good example is at a time when Mr. K is suffering from a particular illness, respect and love should be shown to him. He deserves good treatment. In view of Mr. K, aging brings forth an opportunity to accumulate wisdom. This wisdom should be a gift to the younger generation.
Ageing is a process that gradually creates limits to the lifestyles of Mr. K .This is true because there are certain things that Mr. K cannot perform although he used to do them at a younger age. His body condition has been weakened by high blood pressure. Poor health has therefore adversely limited his ability to undertake the usual daily activities. He loves his children with the hope that they will care for him and perform that which he can no longer carry out.
As Mr. K ages, reasoning is shifting in a direction that shows a change in his tastes and preferences. Pleasures of the younger generation such as beauty, fashion and vacation are now out of his court. Other people view his trend of behavior as infantile. They consider it like that one shown by small babies. The physical look of Mr. K has not been spared either. His skin can be characterized by conspicuous wrinkles. Ability to identify and give friends recognition gradually deteriorates and this reveals his poor memory (Bengtson & Schaie, 1999). . For Mr. K retirement does not sound well before his ears. He believes that it is quite a task to stop working. He believes that unemployment is associated to a bad attitude. This is because it puts a person out of the societal productive contribution.
A reflection on biological ageing theories reveals that ageing is a creation of the mind. This means that getting old is dependent on how people describe ageing through thoughts and life perceptions. Some old people prefer to be independent rather than being dependent. Biological theories suggest that ageing is a genetically preprogrammed process (Birren & Schaie, 1977). The theories also suggest that rowing old is an interactive process of environmental and genetic factors.
The continuity theory is relatively recent. This sociological theory posits that ageing people try to maintain an environment that is stable. This can be achieved either by maintaining their participation in social contexts or trying to remain in their previous physical state. Mr. K may decide to maintain attitudes, beliefs and personality traits that he upheld during his youth.
Activity theory is another important theory that can be applied to explain the lived experience of Mr. K. under this theory; the social needs of ageing people remain constant. Greater life satisfaction will be achieved by adults who maintain their previous interactions even as they develop new interactions. Adults who discard their youthful lifestyles get bored in a society full of the younger generation (Birren, Bengtson & Deutchman, 1988). Such old people feel like they have been segregated by the society.
There are many theories that have been hypothesized to explain the aging process of a human being. The theories are subject to experimentation. The theories remain open for modification. Unlike earlier theories, modern theories view aging from a multidimensional perspective. The process of growing old is described either positively or negatively by modern theories. The theories envisage the interaction that exists between, social, biological and physical factors. However, there is no single theory that can perfectly apply in explaining the aging process. The available theories compliment on another. It is therefore important to note that as much as the continuity theories try to explain the aging process, they are still not efficient. Understanding the aging process is still a difficult task for the younger generation. Most people will understand the aging process through experience.
Most people lack the opportunity for interacting with the elderly. Young people consider regular interactions with old people as time wasting and awkward. What such youths lack is nothing other than patience. The old people have accumulated wisdom throughout the years they have lived. Wisdom is an important virtue that the young generation can learn from the elderly. Understanding the elderly is only possible if young people establish close links with them.
A larger population of old people enjoys the company of teenagers. They have great respect for their similarities and differences. Old people enjoy seeing teenage lifestyles such as tattoos, piercing of the body and the youthful attires. It is equally important foe the teenagers to express their love for their grandparents. Teenagers need to find an opportunity to show their appreciation of their grandparents. The connection that exists between grandparents and their grandchildren is purely unconditional. A Mr. K and other old people should be respected and loved by young children. Grandparents share life stories with their grandchildren. This is just a special priceless gift.
A simple action like inviting an old guy for tea can be a good bridge between younger and older generations. Most of the young people lose a special contact with the old people with excuses of time constraints. The aged, give us numerous gifts. This includes their approval, attitudes, and views of life. Older people let us know more about our mortality. The best thing young people can do is just to give the elderly an opportunity to share with them life experiences. a little love and appreciation is also necessary.
It is a fact that aging brings one closer to the end of life. Young people are concerned with their mortality more than the elderly. Young people avoid talking about their death unlike the elderly who are more confident and willing to face the mortality reality. Sometimes the elderly feel that life is difficult for them and expect their death anytime. Such people should be allowed to freely share their plans, funeral arrangements and their heirs.
Good relationships between the youth and the elderly are required in understanding life experiences. Just like children, the elderly like being given gifts of appreciation and also enjoy being loved. Due to aging, people are faced with challenges of diseases, sight and poverty. Young people should help their grandparents overcome some of the challenges in life .it is not good for the elderly to be discriminated on the basis of their physical weakness (Kolker & Ahmed, 1982). Such people should be loved because the serve as good advisors of the present times. The life experiences of the elderly instill moral lessons in the youth. This helps the youth to understand life and increases their ability to solve life problems.
The nature of human beings to ignore others is detrimental. It is not strange to find young people who disregard the elderly. Antisocial habits such as immorality and drug abuse often make it hard for the youths to find time of sharing with the old. Such youths despise and disregard the old.
In conclusion, it is important for young people to care for the elderly and try to understand them. Everybody will get old just as Mr. K and shall require being treated well and shown love. Wisdom is a gift that the elderly will always bless the youth with.
References
Bengtson, V. L., & Schaie, K. W. (1999). Handbook of theories of aging. New York: Springer Pub. Co.
Birren, J. E., & Schaie, K. W. (1977). Handbook of the psychology of aging. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Birren, J. E., Bengtson, V. L., & Deutchman, D. E. (1988). Emergent theories of aging. New York: Springer Pub. Co.
Kolker, A., & Ahmed, P. I. (1982). Aging. New York: Elsevier North Holland.
Warner, H. R., & Mount Sinai Medical Center (New York, N.Y.) (1987). Modern biological theories of aging. New York: Raven Press.
