Positive aging is a term used to describe the process of maintaining a positive attitude, feeling good about yourself, keeping fit and healthy, and engaging fully in life as you age. The aging process in unique to each individual. Aging doesn’t have to be about deterioration and disability. It can be about remaining active, engaged and involved.
Active aging is the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. It applies to individuals as well as population groups. “Health” refers to physical, mental and social well-being.
Positive aging consolidates the better choices we can make for the later period of our lives, and gives us the opportunity to live our old age happily, productively and delightfully active. It is a positive and constructive view of growing older that accepts aging as the continuous and normal development which occurs in human life. Nowadays, positive aging is viewed as an important goal for health organizations, health care professionals and the older people, themselves. The concept has grown into a multidisciplinary approach which includes social factors that place emphasis on societal opportunities and public responses which invite older adults to experience a better life.
Ten ways to activate positive aging in your life:
Stay physically active.
Engage in at least 30 minutes of movement or exercise every day. Aerobic exercise is fun and aids brain function in older adults while strength training is good for bones, muscles and joints. Physical activities help keep us active and feeling good in general. Exercising outdoors can also provide social interactions and friendships. Everyone’s health is different, so be sure to check with a health professional before engaging in any physical activity.
Exercise your brain.
Engage in mentally challenging activities and never stop learning new things. Embrace what you love and seek opportunities to exercise your mind through reading, writing, conversation and debate. Try to engage in activities that require your brain to do some thinking. Simple activities such as reading a book, doing Sudoku or crosswords puzzles, etc. can help keep our brains alert.
Adopt a healthy lifestyle.
By this time in our lives, we have heard this message many times; healthy eating, moderate sleep, good weight management and no smoking or drinking can help you to feel fresh and energetic to take on the challenges of the day.
Stay connected to other people.
Treasure and nurture the relationships with your spouse or partner, your family, friends and neighbors. Reach out to others in your community, including the young people. Stay involved with news and latest developments, engaging a positive community attitude. Everyone has a world of their own. However, maintaining social interactions and relationships can help you feel more optimistic about life. Other people matter.
Create positive emotions for yourself.
Experiencing positive emotions is good for your body, your mental health, and for how you relate to the world around you. Practice positive emotion exercises and learn to feel good about your age. Being optimistic and feeling good about yourself can help you to cope with its challenges.
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Accept what you cannot do and ask for help. Don’t worry too much — most people enjoy helping. Don’t be too rigid in your ways. Keep flexible and go with the flow.
Set yourself goals and take control.
It is important to have goals in life and to take control to achieve them. Being in control of your actions gives you a sense of mastery and leads to accomplishments that you can be proud of, giving you a sense of purpose and meaning. If you are able to control important aspects of your life, you are one step closer to achieving positive aging.
Minimize life stress.
Stress is a part of everyone’s life, and it’s very natural. Stress can affect our lives negatively, depending on the kind of stress it is. We won’t be able to prevent stress completely, but we can manage it so it doesn’t affect our lives too much. Learning how to cope with stress can promote positive aging. A great way to control or even eliminate stress is to practice mindfulness. Try to minimize your stress. Learn to unwind, relax and “smell the roses.”
Have regular medical check–ups.
Take advantage of health screenings and engage in preventive health behavior. Many symptoms and illnesses are managed successfully by taking charge or your and your partner’s health.
It is never too late to start one of these behaviors.