Don't worry about old age--it doesn't last long

I think in many societies, that the elders are respected, just not necessarily by the youth. It is those past the 'I know everything' stage that most appreciate the knowledge that is gained from the experience of long lives. One nice thing about old age though, is that it's always something that happens to other people, not ourselves. Especially if we avoid mirrors.

This 77 yr.old senior still works. Not because he needs to, but because he wants to. Many years ago his Mom checked herself in to the local nursing home (because she didn't want to be a burden to her children) She lived there happily for the last 4 years of her life, because there were many amenities available there, that would not have been, had she been living with her kids. Her kids were constant visitors. Mom was always entertained, and she got prompt Professional Attention whenever it was required. This old senior gets upset when reading about the evils of nursing homes, written by those with very little (if any) experience!

I think they see us as irrelevant and unimportant. We seem to embarrass some of them or make them somehow uncomfortable and many treat us with disdain. I'm talking young adults, teens and twenty something-s. Once they reach 30 they have a little wisdom and seem to be at he beginning of an appreciation of what is going on around them. Some at this stage even begin to look kindly upon us. Fortunately the "elderly" are maintaining a youthful outlook well into their sixties and I have met a couple of oldies in their seventies, trying to cling to what can only be a vestige of youth and achieving same. My Mum was old at fifty and my outlook seems vastly different to hers. I'm just beginning to realise at 58 that I'm slowly approaching an "advanced age". That's all I'll call it. Look at our Hatley...she carries on like a lady happy to kick her heels up and be vital and youthful...one would never guess her real age. I'll take a leaf out of her book thanks.

Silly semantics..............there'd be no youth without the elderly. lol But sadly in our Western society, the elderly are often shuffled off to Buffalo as soon as they show signs of forgetfulness. A wasted resource for sure, for sure.

Absolutely the elderly are important. Otherwise, how would the young learn anything?! Many years ago I did some temporary work in UK residential homes for the elderly. I´m sure they are not all the same but the ones I worked in were terrible places where people seemed to be just parked in to die. The TV was the social element, there were very few visitors and very few residents ever went out. There is a residential home close to where I live now. It houses not just the elderly, but anyone who needs a little care. It´s a busy, thriving centre of the community with a public dentist and pharmacy on site. There was a residential centre for the elderly next door to my son´s old school. The kids used to go next door and join the elderly residents for their lunch, and they would get together regularly for celebratory events. There were always people coming and going. I do hope that if I ever end up living in one of these places myself it will be one of the ones in Portugal, not in England!

Yeah, you are right my friend. In Eastern cultures, they look after their aged much better. They live with the family more often than not and play a big role in the development of the younger generations. I do not think that it is an eastern thing only either as I know a lot of Greek and Italians in Australia have similar relationships with the older generations as Asians do. Perhaps it is mainly us who come from a British heritage who have lost this ability to look after and learn from our older family members?

Depends when you start it. I haven't started mine yet but I know a woman a few years younger than me who started her old age at 40. I'm gonna be 70 before mine starts so the saying will apply to me. the elderly aren't respected in this country but I know quite a few Asian families who respect and look after their elderly relatives as they believe that age brings wisdom.

true! everyone ages, why make it a concern? maybe models, actors, entertainers, public figures they need to look good all the time, but they can still look good at old age if they can stay healthy hubby is 10 yrs older than I am and I don't love him any less

Hi P1key, I was always taught to respect my elders and the elderly people which I do as they are our teachers in life with their wisdom, lets face they have all done it and worn the T-shirt, they know a thing a two about life and they should be treasured for who they are, it is so sad that some young people don't give a fig about them, they forget that they will be old one day. Hugs. Tamara xxxx

Hi pIkefIsh,elderly persons are respected in our society. We treat them as the symbol of wisdom. When we meet an elderly we bow to him or her. Generally we take advice from elderly persons. Because he or she is experienced and faced many problems. He/she knows how to tackle problems.

It was like that here few decades ago.Old people were treasured as wise and source of knowledge but it is not the case here nay more.Culture in India is changing fast.

I think in the West we are very disrepectful of the aged. They have the wisdom of living if nothing else and deserve respect. Too many are placed in homes rather than taken care of by family. I think this is a sad thing. There are some who cannot care for themselves at all and don't have the presence of mind to even know where they are - but until then the family should care for them!

What a timely discussion this is for someone here in Mylot is celebrating his birthday. Hello there ,P1kef1sh.:) Old age doesn't really matter or irrelevant, I believe this should be treated as this . However, since old age is giving us both the advantage ( like wisdom and respect) or the disadvantage ( less abled, dependent), we can not still ignore its existence. In some developed countries, old age or older people are being cared less and are 'thrown' into the home for the aged. They are considered 'obsolete' and 'useless' just like some machinery that have aged. Here in the Philippines, they are being looked up to, especially those who gained respect and recognition because of their good deeds.Even if they did not grow old gracefully and did not gain much wisdom as they grew older, they are still given with due respect because they are 'old'. So, the way people, both old and young alike viewed the elders depend upon ones' culture and orientation in life.

After spending much time with the elderly I've found out it's all in the attitude of the person who is elderly. Some are very nice, some think they can say or do anything they want simply because they are elderly, and some are too sick to voice anything. The elderly are vibrant volunteers until they can't anymore. The elderly make our pharmacies thrive. The elderly pave the way to what we will meet up with one day. The number of elderly are overtaking the number of youth in our country with plenty more to come. The baby boomers are starting to retire!

I read your title and could not stop laughing. But absolutely why worry about something we cannot stop and or prevent. My thinking is why not simply grow old gracefully and well then it is over.