Debunking the Myths of the Aging Process

People in today's society view old age as automatically resulting in a dependence on others, an inability to take care of oneself, and increasing loneliness and isolation. Older persons are expected to become more feeble, less cognitively aware, and less active in daily life. However, researchers are discovering that these beliefs are simply myths which too often become self-fulfilling prophecies. A new view of aging is emerging which recognizes the abilities and potential of the elderly individual and debunks the misconceptions of the aging process.

A New Definition of Aging

Many definitions exist on the concept of "old age". In industrial societies, individuals traditionally leave the work force at age 65, so many people consider old age to begin at this point. Prejudice against older people, called ageism, is often based on the notion these older persons are no longer valuable and productive members of society. This bias ignores the contributions that old persons continue to make, and the obligations of society to care for and respect those people who made our present comforts possible through their contributions in the past.

"Old age" is the time of life of a person's greatest wisdom, richest experience, deepest insights, and most complete individuality. A study recently presented at the National Association of State Units on Aging indicates that after retirement people serve many more hours as volunteers in a variety of settings or as caregivers for friends and family. In addition, more older citizens than ever are returning to school, taking up new hobbies, and engaging in recreational activities.

Many elders have successfully used this period of their lives to accomplish great things. Irving Berlin extended his vitality into the second century. George Burns and Bob Hope in their eighties and beyond entertained millions of people. Grandma Moses was still painting at 100, and Claude Monet began his "Water Lily" series at age 76. When he was 96 and still playing the cello, musician Pablo Casals commented, "Age is a relative matter. If you continue to work and absorb the beauty of the world around you, you find that age does not necessarily mean getting old."

However, most people continue to deny the aging process and refuse to acknowledge the capabilities and vitality of elderly individuals. But, this conceptualization of aging is gradually changing. "We should recognize and accept the aging process and all that goes with it as a reality, a natural part of the life cycle; it happens to all of us," explains Stephan Rechtshaffen, M.D., director of the Omega Institute. "The goal is to change the prevailing view of aging as something to be feared and the aged as worthless. We need to reverse our societal attitude of aging as an affliction, and instead spend more time to improve the quality of life among the aged. In our denial of death and the aging of the body, we have rejected the wisdom of the aged, and in doing so have robbed old age of its meaning and youth of its direction." Quoting the late psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, he adds, "Lacking a culturally viable ideal of old age, civilization does not really harbor a concept of the whole of life."

Life expectancy in the United States has increased from 47 years at the beginning of the 20th century to 76 years during the 1990's. While medical advances have greatly increased life expectancy, society has lagged in changing its views about the need for improving the quality of aging. Without a change in the attitudes towards growing older, the promise of an extended life span simply adds unnecessary stress to the ability to accept the aging process. "An extended life span without extended awareness of the possibilities of a productive old age means we aren't sure we're living longer. Maybe we're just dying longer," says Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi of Philadelphia's B'nai Or Religious Fellowship.

Myths about Senility and Personality Change

One of the common assumptions of the aging process is that it inevitably leads to senility. Memory loss, intellectual decline, and confusion are not normal parts of aging. Researchers can now demonstrate that while there is some decline in memory and certain intellectual function, the changes are inconsequential for those elderly individuals who remain physically and emotionally healthy. Indeed, the ability to use an accumulated body of information to make judgments and solve problems actually rises throughout life in healthy, active people.

Research studies have shown that the key factors in maintaining or improving mental capacities in later life are social involvement and flexibility. Those elders who remain active participants in family and society and demonstrate a capacity to enjoy new experiences and tolerate situational changes retain the most mental capacity. Other research implies that emotional well-being may be just as influential on the aging mind as mental activity. Subjects who suffer frequently from negative emotions like depression, anxiety, and anger tend to slide downhill more than those who find life satisfying.

One of the strongest beliefs about old age is that it causes dementia. Dementia is the result of disease, not aging. A look inside the living brain provides assurance that the mind's storehouses of knowledge remain intact, though they might be harder to tap into during old age. Neuroscientists who use the latest technology to view young and old brains at work find that it is primarily the brain's "hardware" -- the billions of telephone-linelike connections and relay switches that act as processing equipment -- that is vulnerable to wearing out with age. Meanwhile, the brain's "software" -- the actual information that fills up the mind over a lifetime -- does not deteriorate and continues to grow more sophisticated with each passing year. So, just as running the latest software program on an old computer will take more time and may involve more glitches, one can still possess a first-rate intelligence and still lose some speed and accuracy on cognitive challenges later in life.

Another common misconception about old age is that personality inevitable changes and that individuals become more cantankerous with advanced years. Research studies have proven that the personality remains remarkably stable with aging. In other words, someone who is cheerful and optimistic when young remains so throughout life, while a person who is grouchy and pessimistic in early life keeps the same personality characteristics in later life.

Myths Regarding Functional Decline and Aging

Another misconception about older people is that growing old inevitably results in untreatable health problems. This assumption presumes that there will automatically be substantial deterioration of the aging person's physical capabilities, and that nothing can or should be done to treat, reverse, or retard these "inevitable" problems. Old age is unquestioningly equated with illness and weakness. Research has shown that these misconceptions about aging are held by both health professionals and the elderly themselves.

Many times, persons will simply attribute physical symptoms such as back pain and hearing loss to the "natural consequences of getting old." However, scientists are increasingly realizing that these symptoms are more reflective of treatable diseases, and are not just the inevitable realities of the aging process. More and more progress is being made in treating these symptoms and enabling individuals to lead healthy and independent lives. However, older persons must take the steps necessary to get medical attention and aggressively treat these conditions, rather than succumb to the myths of aging.

Studies suggest that how individuals approach aging can make all the difference in how the years affect them. "People slow down as they grow older because they expect to," says Deepak Chopra, M.D., in his book Ageless Body, Timeless Mind. "We think of older people as wrinkled and plump, with gnarled hands and feeble gait -- and gradually, inexorably, we let ourselves become those people."

A common myth related to functional decline and aging is that older people should stop exercising and rest. Many people believe that it is unwise and unsafe for the elderly to begin an exercise program, and that older persons will gain few benefits from physical activity. Indeed, of all age groups, the elderly have the most to gain by being active. Many studies have shown that the elderly can retain vigor, muscle tone, and a strong immune system in the later years through an exercise regimen. "A lot of the effects of aging are self-inflicted," says Terence Kavanagh, M.D., director of the Toronto Rehabilitation Center in Ontario. "The less you do, the easier you fatigue. And the more you fatigue, the less you are able to do." As stated in one of the "Age Pages" from the National Institute on Aging, if exercise were a pill, it would be the most prescribed pill in the nation.

In addition to exercise, diet makes an enormous difference in how people age. "The right foods can help protect against ailments such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, and high blood pressure," states Tom Monte, an editor with Prevention magazine. "Getting enough of certain vitamins and nutrients can increase the body's resistance to infectious diseases."

Health habits have a strong influence on both life expectancy and quality of life during old age. Dr. Lester Breslow of the UCLA School of Public Health, in his famous study of more than 6,000 people, showed a dramatic difference in the death rate between those who followed seven simple health habits (never smoked, moderate to no alcohol consumption, daily breakfast, no snacking, seven to eight hours of sleep per night, regular exercise, ideal weight) and those who did not. Those following all seven health habits were estimated to live nine years longer and suffer less disability than those who did not practice any of them. In other words, healthful living not only promotes longevity but also increases the chance of having the physical ability to enjoy life to its fullest in later years. Dr. Breslow urges that "establishing healthful habits early in life is particularly beneficial, but that evidence increasingly indicates that it's never too late to change."

Many of today's beliefs regarding old age, cognitive decline, and functional disability are simply myths which prevent elderly individuals from reaching their fullest potential. By recognizing the abilities of the aged and the importance of fostering healthy lifestyle habits, society will add quality to lives of the elderly, instead of simply adding years to their longevity.