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
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