Aging boomers clinging desperately to their youth should take note: Researchers say old age is actually the happiest time in life for most people.
Despite the inevitable pains and sorrows of aging, the University of Chicago study found that older people are more satisfied — the odds of being happy increase 5 percent with every decade. In part that’s because older people have lowered expectations about life. They’ve found the secret of happiness: being content with what you have.
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Interesting, though, how the segment of the population benefiting most from BOOGA-BOOGA!!! socialism!!! are the happiest Americans.
With Social Security, they have a basic financial safety net. With Medicare, they have basic (and more) health care protection. They get reduced-price movie tickets and public transportation. There are dances and craft classes and group meetings down at the community hall and Meals on Wheels comes by with lunch every day.
If you’ve done your homework and applied a reasonable work ethic in your productive years social security makes up chump-change in your pocket during retirement, or should. It is NOT the reason older Americans “are the happiest Americans”.
If you’ve relied on, “BOOGA-BOOGA!!! socialism!!!”, your whole life you can bet social security will be anything but happy or secure.
Interesting how between the Chicago study and Monkeyhawk’s comment one would think that by getting older one can stop caring about life’s major concerns. And should be back to riding a broom stick around the house playing Cowboys and Indians. Though you may reach a certain age where major issues are settled and no longer a worry. Life does not stop or slow down when you turn sixty, the concerns change and get transferred. I have seen both the elderly woman who wears the mink coat and drives the top of the line leisure car. And the elderly woman whom came in to buy can cat food but does not own a cat. Both were shopping at Wal-Mart and doing the best they could to make a way through life. They settle into their notch in their lives. Both have suffered the same fate in many senses, in world that hands them difficulties and the like to over come.
Life is a road traveled, ups and down and there are days you keep going solely to see what the next day brings. Like in “Second handed Lions”, the adventure continues till the world keeps turning but you do not.
It should be interesting, up to about a year ago I sat in on the Jam session at the local Senior center every other Tuesday night. Mainly we play old Country/ Western from the late fifties and early sixties. The music many there listen to in their younger lives. I wonder how well the Rock music from that same time period in my life will do? LOL how many will be out on that dance floor copping a move to the Stones, Beetles and Arrow Smith. Singing along to Don Mc Clean’s “America Pie”, hopefully by then I will have mastered the guitar enough to play many of those songs!
No life does not get easier or without cares when you get old, it just mean the trips and turns change to a different ride.
“in world that hands them difficulties and the like to over come”.
Should read,
” in “a” world that hands them difficulties and the like to over come”.
Sorry
Good thoughts writerdog…I think the idea of waking up in the morning knowing I don’t have to punch a timeclock or take any resposibility for anyone other than myself would a really good feeling.
There are so many things I want to do that I don’t have time for now…my art, my garden, traveling, even reading a good book.
The trick is to stay healthy so I can enjoy all those things when I finally quit working for a paycheck.
writerdog,
I’ll be more than happy to join you and all the others on the dance floor, moving to the Beatles and the Stones and all the rest when the time comes. But just how many of us do you think will be hanging out in senior centers?
Not that I have anything against senior centers. A few years ago, I was the director (part time) at one.
I may be wrong and, if so, anyone is welcome to correct me, but the boomer generation doesn’t strike me as a group who will be living our “retirement” years as our parents did. Many of us will continue to work well past retirement age–some out of the desire to remain active and others out of financial necessity.
They’ve found the secret of happiness: being content with what you have.
This is big statement and a real key to longevity. Just how true is it for those of us who are looking at entering or have just entered our Golden Years (60+) in the next 5-10 years? Let’s kick this around a little, guys. Where do you see yourself at 60, 65, 70?
Mary, you answered before I finished the question.
But one more question for you. If for any reason you aren’t able to enjoy one or some of the things you’re looking forward to, will that make you less happy?
One more thing. That “secret” mentioned works at any age.
Pre…No, I’ll just find other ways to be fullfilled. I have an old friend in a wheelchair who can’t talk and lives in a nursing home, she lost her only child two years ago in a freak accident…yet she still manages to find joy in her life…we had a brthday bash for her 55th last night and she actually got a little drunk and laughed as hard as any of us as we rehashed the “old” days. She can still enjoy life even though she has plenty of reason to be bitter and depressed.
“It’s not what happens to you in life, it’s how you choose to deal with it.” I try to live with that ideal…not sure I could be as strong as she is though.
Great story, Mary, and hugs of love to your friend.
One more thing. I knew you’d say no to being less happy, but I wanted it in print so others would see it and think on it. I often cringe when I hear, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, only because it sounds so trite, but the message behind it is what counts.
I can’t join AARP for another 4 years.
Am I allowed to comment on this thread?
Sure, Rage. Unless you’re ready to call it quits there is little way out of getting there. I tried getting younger for a number of years, without success.
“But I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.”
At 63 I have a hard act to follow because my mom is 93, still lives alone and takes trips frequently. Her baby sis is 89 and lives in Laughlin, AZ about a 2 hour drive south of Vegas. Sis’s health wasn’t good enough to come to my mom’s house so 2 years ago my sister and I flew out with her so she could visit. She insisted in spending 2 days in Vegas. Loves the casinos. This past winter she took the flu and it turned into double pneumonia. The respritory therapist told us she wouldn’t make it. She was too tough for that. She finds joy in everything she does. Looking forward to a week in Branson with my seven sisters and our husbands.
SS will not let anyone live high on the hog, trust me. I stay busy with business and volunteer organizations. My husband and I take trips as often as possible. Last summer it was Alaska this summer we are planning Australia.
I look at my lifestyle and I don’t see myself as old. Enjoying what we were able to save from lots of years of hard work. I find joy in my grandkids. They are much more fun than kids.
They tell me I am the best grandma ever and my husband says it is because I never tell them no. Could be.
Ah, old age - I never thought I would have lived this long or I would have taken better care of myself.
I will be fifty six in a month or so and other than being certifiably crazy, I am doing well. I enjoy the Hell out of life, more so now than ever before.
It’s funny how your expectations change as you get older - as do your goals.
I still have a four corners road trip on a Harley to do - but right now the biggest stress I have is dealing with my 93 year old father and trying to out do myself on the grill.
Life is good, God is great and today is a beautiful day - get outside and play with your grandchildren!
Well I gotta say my experience is skewed, I get the sickest of the population to deal with. I’d say they are happier because they actually had opportunities that we don’t get today. They actually got to see the fruits of their labor, they could support a family and save on one income. They believed in helping their kids get their footing so that their kids would have something to grow on instead of tossing them out the door. And they also have the depression and the dust bowl days that reminds them that things could be worse.
WS, you’re my dad’s age! LOL.
I also have to say, one of my clients right now, husband and wife, rich…or they were anyway….he’s told me many times he shouldn’t have to live the way he is now. Which sucks to me, because he’s got grandsons who are far worse off than he is physically. I don’t think he ever considered that a health crisis would take his ability to walk…and that’s pretty much it with him. He goes through horrible depressions. His sweet wife has Alzheimers but she just lets everything roll off of her. She’s got it..when they had to sell their dream home to move into something handicapped accessible, the downsize she just acted like oh well…she was so happy to have a house where she and her hubby could share.
Today after I made them lunch, I was doing dishes and the conversation was Wife: Oh darling, I have such trouble with names anymore, someday I might not even remember yours. Husband: That’s ok dear, I’ll tell you what it is.
I teared up at this exchange…such a hard thing for him. She’ll never remember the exchange, she doesn’t even know that she’ll probably be there soon. I really hate Alzheimers.
I do get aggravated with him, he could be so far worse off, and had he not been so wealthy to start with, most of the things available to him aren’t to most other people.
Indeed, pmom. One thing we tend to forget is that health problems can screw up one’s life in old age. . .and before old age.
“WS, you’re my dad’s age! LOL.”
Alright, that was a low blow!
(wink!)
Rage I turned 50 last Augusta, with all due respect STFU! :> hee! You should have heard my wife laughing the day she went out to get the mail and proudly and snidely announced to me “OH RICK…. your AARP invite is here!”.
One gets looks of disdain when they flip out the AARP card at my age from the 75 year olds and above. to them I’m just a whipper snapper.
ksgrm, Posted April 27, 2008 at 1:22 pm |
“At 63 I have a hard act to follow because my mom is 93,…I look at my lifestyle and I don’t see myself as old. Enjoying what we were able to save from lots of years of hard work. I find joy in my grandkids. They are much more fun than kids.”
Girl…you aren’t old, you’re still a kid with the blessing of the genes you likely got from your Mom.
And AMEN on finding joy in your grandkids! Let me suggest that they find much joy in you too.
With your and your husbands hard work, planning and saving, you have earned a very long and joy filled retirement so you two get after it. ?????
Oh, shoot. I pasted in the Greek letters for Grace and it came out wrong in case you are wondering what all the ????? were for. I’ll try again.
?????
Nope, won’t let it come out in Greek
To all you young ones who smoke…QUIT NOW…I have never seen anyone with a life long smoking habit who enjoys their retirement due to smoking related illness. Most die in their 60s and ealy 70s and it’s a pretty miserable death. So if you want to work your butt off only to have no quality of life and probably die right after you retire, then keep on smoking.
I remember what a teacher told me when I was 17, “If you keep smoking and manage to live into your sixties..you’ll wish you hadn’t (lived)”.
Pre, the new slogan for lemons is: If life hands you lemons, find a friend with tequila and make it a party.
As one who will turn 50 in a few months I’m not particularly looking forward to it. I guess it’s the milestone effect and the reflection upon one’s accomplishments that has my attention at the moment. However, I firmly believe that life is what you make it and it beats the alternative. In fact, to assure I’ll have a great time I’m throwing myself a birthday party with a band. Life is Good!
Pre, the new slogan for lemons is: If life hands you lemons, find a friend with tequila and make it a party.
As one who will turn 50 in a few months I’m not particularly looking forward to it. I guess it’s the milestone effect and the reflection upon one’s accomplishments that has my attention at the moment. However, I firmly believe that life is what you make it and it beats the alternative. In fact, to assure I’ll have a great time I’m throwing myself a birthday party with a band. Life is Good!
I think the 50s are the best…less stress because kids are grown up and gone, the grandkids are great fun, you’re still young enough to do the things you love to do, you don’t sweat the small stuff anymore, you have wisdom and your priorities straight, and hopefully some financial security by now. It’s a great time of life. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.
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