Myths and Realities of Aging
When a person hits the age 60, they tend to have various reactions as to what they feel about reaching this point in their lives. Some would say they have a long fulfilling life and its time for them to retire, enjoying the free services meant for elderly. Others would slightly fear this time as they do not know what to do with their spare time and fear boredom consistently, but there are a few who are scared of this time of their lives because of the various myths surrounding aging which influences how they accept this period in life. However, it is a question as to what myths currently persist when it comes to aging and how can these myths be debunked to understand the realities of aging. In order to debunk myths about aging, learning about trends of aging and the explanation on why certain aging problems exist through researches done by experts is a must as these lessons and studies would also help people learn more aging and what challenges are faced by the aging population that needs to be stopped.
Myths regarding aging began since the early periods as religious beliefs and folktales were the major source for information for the people in the period. According to Thornton (2002), myths were the answer to the lack of explanation for the people and these myths are difficult to remove from societies as it is deeply embedded in one’s language. While traditional myths have transformed in recent years, modern myths still retain the importance of the natural world or social customs which influences how people think. The modern myths about aging doesn’t have a clear historic background, but the first literature that triggered the myths on aging was William Shakespeare’s works. In his works, mythological or fictional characters tend to gain a realistic image that shows different images of the stages of life. When it comes to old age, old age – according to Shakespeare - is attached to being decrepit as seen in the statement: “sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste and sans everything.” From these literatures which was also used by some scientists in the early period, the wordplay transforms the mindset of people and triggers them to create images that characterizes the old age. Although today’s myths are derived from popular literature and media and sometimes said as jokes or in normal conversations, these myths tend to establish stereotypes as to how aging should be seen by the public which is either a half-truth or a false belief.
There are six prevalent myths regarding aging that remains a concern to some adults today: (1) depression, (2) cognitive decline, (3) less productivity, (4) loneliness (5) reduced creativity, and (6) more exercise improves longevity . However, experts have done several researches to debunk these misconceptions and provided several explanations as to why such myths are false. In terms of solitude or depression, Tergesen (2014) stated that research – as done in 2006 by Heidelberg University scientist Christoph Rott – that adults actually gain better emotional well-being even in their 70s. Studies have indicated that centenarians – or those ages 100 and above – tend to display high levels of well-being as they grow older. According to the studies, as a person ages, their moods tend to improve as they no longer experience negative emotions as often as before. The elderly tend to concentrate on positive emotions rather than negative emotions or memories while younger adults often direct their looks on sad and angry faces depending on their moods that day. Experts indicated that the elderly prefer thinking about satisfaction and emotional sentiments; allowing them to focus on good rather than the bad. While there are still elderly which still feel negative emotions more than positive emotions, statistics – as seen in the US National Institute of mental Health – highlighted that adults become more adaptive and happier in their current conditions.
In terms of cognitive decline, experts stress that as a person ages, the body adapts – including the brain. Certain regions tend to shrink, affecting several neurons that influences message transfers within the brain. These structural changes already exist once a person reaches 30 years old. For the elderly, their brains tend to process and analyze information longer as its memory is now full. However, according to Professor Lynn Hasher of the University of Toronto, recent studies show that the elderly – despite cognitive decline – perform better in real life especially if they do not linger on the negative stereotypes attached to their thinking. Since these adults tend to experience more and gain more knowledge as they age, they tend to retain their awareness on familiar situations and not miss cognitive skills in the process. If the elderly does believe on the negative stereotypes on aging, a 2012 study of the Yale School of Public Health and the National Institute of Aging indicated that these perceptions would affect their performances on cognitive skills. In the study, the participant ages 60 and above who believes in stereotypes have 30% higher chances on cognitive decline. Adults can improve their cognitive actions and slow cognitive decline by learning new skills they have not tried before. These new skills would compensate on brain decline and open new pathways to keep this memory.
When it comes to productivity, experts stated that there is no relationship between one’s age and their productivity because with the knowledge and skills they have honed for years, older people can actually perform better. Some studies indicated that older workers would make less mistakes in comparison to younger workers. Studies also contradicted the myth on loneliness as it is believed older people are very lonely as it is revealed that friendships grow better due to age. Older people tend to become more sociable and develop stronger ties with their love ones and social networks. In one test conducted in 2014, it was discovered that adults have three categories when it comes to their social networks: the inner circle or their close friends, middle circle or the not so close but important friends, and the outer circle. They even add more friends in their social networks, debunking the claim that old people are often lonely.
The lack of creativity of old people myth, according to studies, is false as 19th century studies indicate that some of the world’s most talented artists and scholars became prolific in their middle or adult years. According to Dean Keith Simonton of the university of California-Davis, a person’s creativity when it comes to the mathematics and theoretical fields are often developed early but it is in their 20s which they often reach a breakthrough. However, if the knowledge is accumulated and honed through experience like arts and literature, their creative peaks are in their 60s. These artists tend to experiment with what style they wish to have and perfect their craft for a long period of time, learning more about their trade throughout the years. Finally, experts explain that doing more exercise is detrimental to longevity. Studies indicated that for people who have done more exercise than what is required, they lost the benefits it has for their longevity. Some of today’s endurance exercise, according to experts, can trigger injuries that may affect the heart which is why exercise must be done in moderation .
Learning about aging through these researches published online or broadcasted on various media is not only beneficial in terms of understand the realities of aging, but it can also help prevent the onset of challenges for the aging population. According to Little (2001), the elderly – because of stereotypes and myths about aging – tend to be discriminated in today’s society given the belief that these elderly people are a burden to families and society alike. Families tend to leave their elderly at home or at shelters, reducing their family ties which bolsters depression for some of the older population. Some elderly also find themselves unable to fight back against mistreatment and abuse, which is becoming very common worldwide. Although these cases are not often reported, studies indicate that the abuse is usually done by caregivers because they are not fully aware of the job at hand or the lack of support given to the caregiver as they take care of the elderly. These challenges for the elderly population must be resolved or handled appropriately as these elderly need support from their love ones in order for them to age more productively and gracefully .
People should not be afraid of aging because once one reach this stage in life, it is a new adventure they could consider as a challenge. While it is true that there are certain changes in one’s physical and mental capacity as they grow older, it should not be seen as a deterrent to enjoy life to the fullest. If one believes in stereotypes and myths about aging, it would only foster fear and anxiety to grow to the extent it would plague one’s movements and bring a miserable aging. As research is now debunking these myths about aging, it also gives a clear idea as to how aging can be met positively and what challenges must be tackled that affects today’s aging population. Age is just a number, but it can be more than just a number depending on how one approaches aging.
References
Little, W. (2012). Introduction to Sociology. Houston: Rice University.
Tergesen, A. (2014, November 30). Why Everything You Think About Aging Might Be Wrong.
Retrieved March 10, 2015, from The Wall Street Journal: http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-everything-you-think-about-aging-may-be-wrong-1417408057
Thornton, J. (2002). Myths of aging or ageist stereotypes. Educational Gerontology , 28 (4), 302-
312.
