Music video

Some great fun kudos to the editor they did a wonderful job on this joyful video. Enjoy

Survey on Ageing Part Two

A Place For Mom recently did a survey to see what younger people think about ageing. The results are interesting. Some fear physical frailty while others look forward to having more time for hobbies, but which preconceptions are right, and which are wrong? They surveyed 2,000 people aged 16-34 then checked their beliefs against the evidence to find out. Young people did better on this half of the questions scoring 80%. So their total score was 6/10 which is not bad. How did you do?

#6“After the age of 60, people’s sex lives generally decline.”

52% of young people think this is true, sadly the research agrees.  Coming from the generation that’s less sexually active than their parents and grandparents were when they were young, this one’s a little rich. Although true in essence – we do have less sex as we age – the decline isn’t all that sharp, with 52% of men and 42% of women aged 60-69 reporting having sexual intercourse in the past year in a national study. 57% of adults over 60 claimed to be sexually active in a 2011 study, while a 2018 poll found that 76% of those aged 65 or more believe that sex is an integral part of relationships at any age.

#7“ When people get old, they have less of a sense of adventure and are less inclined to travel.”

27% of young people think this is true, however, seniors are still adventurous and love to travel. As evidenced by AARP studies from recent years, Baby Boomers (aged 50+) were taking 4-5 trips a year, as many as Generation X (35 - 49). Other research suggests that, while perhaps less inclined to travel internationally, 50% of Baby Boomers take leisure trips within in the U.S., more than any other age group. There’s a great misconception that ageing is the same for everyone. There are significant individual differences in how people experience ageing, and this includes our desire to travel to far-flung destinations – something many people may not have possessed in the first place.  Cultivating a sense of adventure is important and something most of us can and do incorporate into our lives in some way, regardless of our age. It doesn't have to mean scaling Everest – the key is curiosity and being open to new experiences. Some might love a safari or camping trip while taking a course or trying a new restaurant is an adventure for others.

#8“ People become an economic burden on society when they reach old age.”

12% of young people think this is true, while the majority agree with the research that says this is false. It appears that young people don’t subscribe to this old stereotype. And rightly so, as an Oxford Economics report found that the “longevity economy” is one of the most vital in the U.S. People over 50 are only 35% of the U.S. population, but contribute 43% of total U.S. GDP with their contribution amounting to $7.4 trillion annually.

#9“Dementia is an inevitable result of old age.”

22% of young people think this is true but only 47% know that this is false. Even though dementia can be very debilitating, a fresh study from the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests it affects only 10.5% of adults aged 65 or over. An even more encouraging finding comes from a pan-European study that concluded the dementia rate in older people has dropped 23% in the past 20 years.

#10“As people grow old, they become less happy.”

55% of young people think this is false and the research agrees with them. Research suggests that old age isn’t associated with unhappiness. A study from Princeton University shows that after a certain decline in middle age, happiness and well-being start increasing again in the 50s and by 70 we are happier than we were in our 20s.

There are plenty of opportunities for social connection and to help others that can keep loneliness at bay. Intergenerational social interactions are particularly valuable, as spending time with people outside of your own age group can be mutually beneficial. You should also examine and challenge your own beliefs about ageing. Advances in medical research are leading to better ways to treat various conditions and enhance the quality of life so you might be surprised to learn that some of your ideas about ageing are outdated or inaccurate.

What do younger adults think about ageing?

A Place For Mom recently did a survey to see what younger people think about ageing. The results are interesting. Some fear physical frailty while others look forward to having more time for hobbies, but which preconceptions are right, and which are wrong? They surveyed 2,000 people aged 16-34 then checked their beliefs against the evidence to find out. So, the first question asked was what is old age. There is a difference between young women and young men on this issue.

WE ASKED: WHAT AGE IS ‘OLD’?

59% of female respondents chose 61 as ‘old,’ whereas those identified as male went with 56.

Here are the questions asked and the answers given along with the research.

#1“ People’s driving skills decline as they age.”

72% of young people think is true. The Research says: this is mostly false. Contrary to popular belief, older drivers aren’t all that more dangerous than their younger counterparts. According to the Federal Highway Safety Administration, drivers aged 65+ make up 19% of crash victims, which is twice as low as drivers aged 16-34 who make up 38%.

In another study by Consumer Reports, seniors were found to have fewer crashes per mile driven than their younger counterparts, while research from the University of Swansea suggests that drivers aged 17 to 21 are four times more likely to crash their car than senior drivers.

#2“As people age, they become lonelier.”

42% of youngsters think this is true. The research says: this is mostly true. Indeed, the time we spend alone increases as we get older. According to an analysis of the American Time Use Survey, by age 60 we spend more than 6 hours a day completely unaccompanied, a number that goes up to 8 when we hit 80. That said, the youngest generation – ‘Generation Z’ – is reported to feel the loneliest of all, according to a study by Cigna.  By all accounts, loneliness is on the rise. In fact, it’s become such an issue that governments have begun getting involved to tackle the problem. On an individual level, people can take the initiative to engage in purposeful activities that build connections. There’s new research exploring how empathy and compassion can prevent loneliness, and helping others – even in seemingly small ways – can have an enormous impact.

#3“ People like their bodies less when they get old.”

54% of young people think this is true while the research says this is false. As we age, so do our bodies. However, contrary to what young people believe, that doesn’t mean we like them less. A Gallup poll of 85,145 American adults found that our perception of our own appearance peaks when we’re in our 70s and 80s.

#4“ As people get older, their physical health and general mobility decline.”

87% of young people think this is true while the research supports this view.  As much as we would like this to be false, there’s little we can do about our ageing bodies. Medical research points to the fact that after reaching 50, we lose 12-14% of our muscular strength with every decade. Unsurprisingly, we’re 30-40% more likely to fall over after the age of 60. It’s not all doom and gloom, however. According to the World Health Organisation, reduced mobility among Americans aged 65 or older is down 25%, while the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine claims over-60s still have a chance to regain the heart health of someone decades younger through exercise.

#5“ When people get older, they lose touch with modern technology.”

55% of young people think this is true, but the research supports the idea that seniors stay in touch with technology. Seniors might not have the same skills when it comes to handling gadgets and technology, but it doesn’t mean they’re not actively using them. Pew Research Center found that 67% of senior Americans use the internet, and 51% have broadband at home. Another study by Pew found 64% of people aged 50-64 and 37% of those aged 65+ use social media, while 70% of older people who use Facebook use it on a daily basis.

How are young people doing so far, out of the 5 questions asked, the youngsters have been right only 2 out of 5 or 40% of the time. Tomorrow we will look at questions 6 to 10 to see if they do any better. By the way, how did you do?

Ways to store memory

I have a friend who fears he is starting to get dementia so I thought I would put some tips together to help him store and retrieve things from his memory. Here are some ideas on ways to store memory. Can you add it to my list?

Choose What to Remember / What to Forget – be selective about what is important to remember and what is not. Being selective will avoid memory overload.

Internal strategies are exercises that you can do mentally:

a.    Read materials out loud, repeat several times – repetition is helpful. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

b.    Visualization Compose mental pictures, visualize images.

                                          i.    This means forming a picture in your mind’s eye of the things you want to remember. Because we remember bizarre images better, incorporate something unusual into your visualizations.

c.    Makeup rhymes (30 days hath September).

d.    Use memories to trigger other memories – reminisce with someone, look at photo albums. Review the information several times and then re-tell it in your own words as if you were explaining it to someone else.

e.    Relax – relaxation will clear your mind of clutter.

f.     Keep your mind active, exercise your brain by reading, playing chess, doing crossword puzzles, etc.

g.    Association You can learn or recall something more easily if you associate it with something you already know or remember. To recall a specific date, associate it with another well-known date. For example, November 25 is a month before Christmas. July 11 is a week after Independence Day.

                                          i.    You might recall an important date by its relationship to your birthday or by making the date into a price ($9.29) or a time (12:15). To help remember names, associate the new name with a famous person or someone you already know.

                                        ii.    Sometimes a person’s name can be associated with their physical characteristics. For example, if Elizabeth is somewhat overweight, imagine her like a queen at an Elizabethan feast. (You don’t have to tell the person how you are remembering)

External strategies use environmental cues to help you remember:

h.    Organize your life. Put keys, glasses in the same designated place, and get rid of clutter.

i.      Reduce noise and background distractions as much as possible.

j.      Keep a datebook or calendar.

k.    Use helpful devices such as cooking timers, alarm clocks, etc.

l.      Compensation Some of the best memory advice comes from Confucius, who said, “The weakest ink is stronger than the best memory.”  In other words, if you want to remember something, write it down.  Keep lists. Having a good system for recording information is critical. This usually includes a calendar for appointments and a memory notebook. The notebook should have at least three sections:

                                          i.    Reference material such as name, phone numbers, medications.

                                        ii.    List of things to do, including a space to mark off when completed.

                                       iii.    A section for notes or things to remember. This section can contain information from the past — Mary’s new grandson is named Sam — or for the future — a question for your doctor.  If reading and writing are difficult, have someone help you record and review the information or use your phone and speak to it. Compensatory techniques can also include writing notes to yourself and posting them in conspicuous places, writing on your hand,

                        iv.    Keep your lists by the door, in your car.

m.  Be physically active. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain which enhances the mind and also helps to reduce stress and anxiety.

n.    Take care of your health and eat nutritious meals