Are You Embracing Actively Aging?
We live in a culture that places a strong emphasis on holding onto youth and remaining youthful. In North America, we greatly admire young and beautiful people. As we age, society encourages us to spend large amounts of money to slow the aging process. There is also a secondary, more subtle implication under our culture’s urging to stay young as long as possible. Implicitly, we hear the message that aging is undesirable and certainly not a trajectory to be celebrated.
Older adults are a vital and essential part of all communities. When older adults thrive, families flourish and we live in healthy communities.
So, what does it mean to actively age and be engaged in community living?
Actively aging means we accept and embrace the aging process rather than avoiding it. If we embrace growing older, it gives us space for reflection and planning.
Ask yourself:
- What choices do I need to make that will allow me to thrive?
- How can I remain connected to significant relationships?
- Do I need to foster new relationships?
- What resources are available to me that will allow me to remain engaged in a healthy, active life?
Aging is an active process. It’s a process each one needs to embrace by making choices that allow us to succeed. “An Elder is a person who is still growing, still a learner, still with potential, and whose life continues to have within it promise for and connection to the future.” (The Live Oak Project, El Sobrante, California)
Carizon offers an “Actively Aging” workshop on November 9th that explores what it means to actively age physically, emotionally and cognitively. Learn more.
