Waiting

With the sea change of baby boomer demographics, marketing efforts are underway to seize the day: how to make money in the population bubble of those over 65. Our response to the success of our culture lacks the sensitivity and romanticism found in studies such as Blue Zones. We do look at what our elders will tell us – although they have been for decades – we want to “play elderly”, a version of playing “grown-up”, and then get individuals to change their behavior.

It has been said that our older years represent our greatest time of personal change. We fear the probable altered physical, mental, emotional states that vary randomly. Decisions are made that change our life: where we live, who we live with, where the remains of our monies will reside.

What would happen if on our 45th birthday we each made a statement about where we’d be at 85? What if scholars developed a happy aging index, a test that monitors not just personal financial success but those indicators that have been cited repeatedly as critical to optimum health and mental health over the life span? What if we had in-home units that told us not only our body weight, but stress response status, need for a check-up or education? What if we accepted that we will age earlier in our lives?

How could we change in mid-life for a more successful late-life? What are we waiting for?