Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2010/January 2011 | Page 72

Life60s - December 2010 A BRAND NEW SECTION FOR THE Island OVER Age-old myths about people over 60 - ageing gracefully Myth: The aged are more forgetful. have spent most of their lives. Research Myth: Aging people become less Reality: The ability to remember names shows that a move is the number one interested in their looks. and places does decline with age, but cause of depression. Reality: Women over the age of 55 not dramatically. By age 60, retrieving account for nearly half the money information is only about 10 percent Myth: People become crankier as spent in beauty shops and a fourth less effective than it was at age 30. they age. of the money spent on cosmetics. We just think it's worse than it really Reality: With aging the personality Not to be outdone, older men are is, partly because we've been told remains remarkably stable. An having face-lifts, dyeing their hair, and all our lives that as people age they individual who is cheerful and stepping into the latest fashions ones become forgetful. The media blitz on optimistic when young usually remains they may not have ever worn during Alzheimer's a disease that actually so throughout life. On the other hand, their working years. affects only about 1.4 percent of people someone who is unusually grouchy between the ages of 60 and 75 adds to and mean in early life keeps the same a 97-year-old friend's recent birthday the myth. personality traits in later life. were amused by her anger at her Mental performance, for the most A group of younger women discussing birthday photo. The photo hadn't part, doesn't begin to decline until Myth: When people retire they shown the new red shoes that matched about age 70, and then under normal become homebound and lethargic. her new red outfit. The women circumstances does so slowly and not Reality: The majority of older people determined that the healthiest of their uniformly. The retrieval process in continue to do nearly as much work much-older friends seemed to be more older people may not be as rapid, but as people who work full-time. A study conscious of their looks than when they they have vast storage networks and recently carried out indicated that were younger. experiences from which to draw. after retirement people serve many more hours as volunteers in a variety Myth: Older people can expect to Myth: A single aging parent is afraid of organizations or as caregivers for gain weight as they age. to live on his or her own and would friends and family who are ill. Reality: The average person past 70 enjoy moving closer to, or in with, In addition to volunteer and caregiving needs approximately 500 fewer calories his or her family. work, more older citizens than ever per day to maintain a healthy body Reality: Many aging parents, especially are returning to school, taking up weight than when younger. Studies women, resent having to give up their new hobbies, and engaging in sports have indicated that although gross independence. Research also shows activities. obesity is clearly unhealthy, minor that these aging women sometimes weight gains on a slim person as they fare better when they continue living age is associated with longevity. New alone in the communities in which they studies show that very thin men live 72 Visit our new website - www.visitislandlife.com