Much attention is paid to certain life stages. Childhood, adolescence, young adulthood and, increasingly, middle age are all times that are seen as transformative in a positive way. This is less true for older adults. Many people think negatively about aging. They see it as a time when people stop growing and changing or even as a time that might be unhappy, as some people may struggle with illness or disability. They may also be losing loved ones. However, this view of aging is not really accurate. This can be a transformative time, as or even more significant as the other stages of life.
The Accumulation of Wisdom
Too often, we forget the relationship between wisdom and age and the value associated with the wisdom of older adults goes unappreciated. By the time a person has been alive for seven or eight or nine decades, they have been through a great deal and have seen a lot within their own circles and in the world. They can bring a weight of experience to situations and people, but this is not just about how they can help others. Older adults are also in a position to understand their own life and experiences in a new way.
Long Term Care Insurance and Its Importance
One of the reasons views of old age is changing is because of the aging of the baby boomers. This generation has defied rules and expectations for as long as it has been around, and it has done so with retirement as well. The size and influence of this generation also means that services have arisen to address issues they may have, including healthcare and long-term care needs. Policies known as long term care insurance have been created to deal with these. You can review a guide on whether long term care insurance is worth it, keeping in mind that purchasing it does not mean that you are preparing for an inevitable decline. Older adults often need long term care when they have a difficult recovery from an injury, surgery or illness even if they do not need that care on a permanent basis. This type of insurance can be important in helping older adults retain at least some autonomy and ensure that they get quality care without having to rely on loved ones to provide it.
Looking Ahead
Getting older is not just about taking precautions and looking back on the past. This process of conscious aging can also be a time of renewal. Trying new things is not just for young people. Older adults are traveling, going back to school, starting businesses, growing spiritually running marathons, writing books, volunteering, and serving in political offices. Ideally, this stage can be a synthesis of all those that came earlier, but that doesn’t mean that it’s necessary to give up the excitement of trying new things. There is a reason that most people, as they age, say that they still feel as though they are in their 20s or that they are surprised by the face that they see in the mirror. Growth, challenges and new experiences can be embraced at every stage, but never with the wisdom and experience that can be brought to the later period of life.
