When we are young we don’t spend much time thinking about life as a senior. We don’t take into consideration the quality of life we’ll have as we grow old. A good quality of life means different things to different people. But most of us have certain things in common that we hope for in life. We want to be satisfied and content. Also, we realize we won’t always feel that way but in general, that’s what we wish for. We would like to have good relationships with others, have something to look forward to each day and interesting goals to set.
However, many of us hit a brick wall as we age because of the misconceptions of others. Many people have a certain idea of what aging should be like and they expect everyone to fall under that umbrella.
Some examples are:
- All seniors should live in retirement homes. While many seniors like to live in retirement communities there are many others who look forward to living an entirely different lifestyle. They may want to go solo and live alone. Or maybe they want to share a home with other seniors. There are as many different ways of retirement living as there are retirees.
- Seniors are losing their memories. As we age our memories might not be as good as they once were but for the most part, seniors are as bright and alert as ever. Many of them have a multitude of interests and they are full of energy. Seniors take college courses, start businesses and teach others.
- Most seniors use canes or walkers. In many cases this may be true but there are also younger people and younger adults who need canes due to disabilities and mobility issues. There are also many seniors who have no need for either but elderly people with canes and walkers are still getting out for their daily walks.
Your quality of life doesn’t have to become worse as you age. Eat well, fit lots of physical activity into your day and try to deal with stress as best you can. Spend time relaxing and spend some time learning. Your years as a senior can have just as much quality if not more than your years as a younger person.
