Reinventing Older Adulthood

posted on January 08, 2010

By Rob Chamberlin - Dir of Community Outreach

The increased vitality and activity of today’s older adults as compared to earlier generations is something that’s been discussed in this spot within the past few months.  I know, and I apologize for not providing you with more varied reading, but this morning’s New York Times included such a great article that I just had to share it:  “Seeing Old Age as a Never-Ending Adventure.” 

Who can resist this?  “When Charles Smith, 89, a retired engineer from Delray Beach, FL, was heading for the South Pole a few years ago, a woman got off the plane at base camp and started bragging about being 80. She was quickly put in her place.  One of the fellows in the group tapped her on the shoulder and said, ‘I don’t want to prick your balloon, but there are three in our group who are older.’ ”  Or the tale of the 90 year-old woman on a three month hiking trip in South Africa?  Or the 89 year-old man who now needs a bit more of a boost up onto the wing of the plane when wing-walking since suffering a stroke?

When HCR first introduced its Lifelongevity program – “home care so you won’t need home care” – it was designed with people just like those described in this story in mind.  People who wanted to go canyoning with their grandchildren, skiing far into retirement with their friends, or golfing 18 holes as often as they wished without having to worry about whether their bodies would keep up.  Achieving and maintaining this kind of health and fitness at an older age is generally no easy task, and requires a serious commitment to ongoing aerobic and strength exercise, attention to nutrition and maintenance of a healthy BMI, and personal advocacy for one’s own health.

So although I’m a week late in doing so, I’d like to raise a New Year’s toast to the people in today’s article, and to all older adults who are living their lives to the fullest each and every day.