"Aging Sideways:" A New Way of Looking at Getting Older" with Jeanette Leardi

Older Women & Friends

Did you know that sometime between 2030 and 2035 it will be the first time in American history that more people will be 65+ than people 18 years and younger?

Crazy!

Today's guest, gerontologist Jeanette Leardi, is one of this podcast's favorite guests. We first talked in June 2003, and since then she has a new book out, Aging Sideways: Changing Our Perspectives on Getting Older.

Jeanette's story is fascinating. She became a gerontologist in her late 50s after taking care of her older parents for ten years. She was blown away at how poorly older people were treated and decided to try to change people's minds about aging. The way we age is not preordained and in many ways, we can be our stewards and enjoy the complex but magical journey as we age.

There is a fear that permeates the cultural view of dementia or any of its categories.

The facts: Only 10% of people 65 + have dementia

For those 90+, the rate jumps to 33.3%, but that means that two-thirds of much older Americans will not have to confront dementia.

And that's good news!

Another topic Jeanette and I discussed is the lack of rituals for older people. Sure, there are birthdays, anniversaries, and other important events, but nothing specifically for older women and men. Rituals help clarify meaning, and they give us a chance to celebrate. Jeanette suggests a multi-generational ritual when we celebrate aging instead of dreading it. Imagine the benefits: younger generations will love celebrating right along and might not have such a negative, jaded view of getting older. And there is the opportunity for older people to welcome newcomers into the fold. I don't know, something akin to ceremonies we've observed: sororities, fraternities, graduations, professional highlights, retirement, and on and on.

Did you know that our brains continue to create new brain cells and that the super highways help us see the what-ifs, the middle ground between good/bad, yes/no . . . ? Our brains may work more slowly because of the wealth of experiences over a lifetime. I like to liken our memory to a card catalog. Remember those? It took us time to find the book( s) we were after but with patience we were rewarded.

Finally, Jeanette and I discuss creativity in older age and how our creativity differs from that of younger people. She details four characteristics of creative folks and reminds listeners that all of us are creative daily as we choose the words we want to use, and the stories we tell to our friends and family. This is a time to pursue whatever gives us pleasure and stokes our creativity. This a time when we are not so dependent upon what others think about us and how we choose to spend our time. It is freedom to be embraced.