Aging is not a disease dementia is. Unfortunately, dementia and aging are often used interchangeably.

Dementia is not an inevitable consequence of aging. It is ominous to consider 10 percent of the aging population has dementia.

It looks much different when we acknowledge that vast number of people of the elderly are not demented.

Old people process information more slowly. This can frustrate the older person and cause them and their loved ones to worry about dementia.

But a longer response time decreases impulsivity.

We have more time to think through the problem and give a considered response.

Chronological age is just a number. We have a physical age, a psychological age, and a sexual age. They vary from individual to individual and from time to time.

In many areas, things improve as we age:

Acceptance of self and others

The desire for a deeper connection

Wisdom and empathy

Capacity for forgiveness

Gratitude

Resilience

Less emotional volatility and impulsivity

Don’t measure time; experience it

Disclaimer: The information on this POST is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional advice. The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this article is for general information purposes / educational purposes only, and to ensure discussion or debate.

Thank you ….As we age, our time horizons grow shorter and our goals  change. Older people direct their cognitive resources to positive information more than to negative.

I learned from that 82-year-old man that we can either measure or experience time. I was always busy, and in Canada, being busy is a badge of honor. I rushed from appointment to appointment, meeting to meeting.

Then, I recognized the oppressive power of ambition. I began to think, “Do I want to spend the rest of my life the way I’ve lived the first part?”

My priorities changed as I moved closer to death.

Time still carries a sense of urgency, but the urgency of time has been transformed.

I no longer see time as an endless series of appointments moving from one goal to the next. Now the urgency is to experience every moment and not waste the time that remains.

Perceiving the future

Younger people focus more on goals linked to learning, career planning, and new social relationships that may pay off in the future. As a young person, I felt no constraints on my time.

Every day, things happen to remind me of my mortality, and they seem to come at me with increasing frequency.

As I grew older, I began to focus my attention on the positive aspects of my world. My goals shifted to ones that have emotional meaning.

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I live in the moment and let the future take care of itself.

I focus more on current and emotionally important relationships. I work, but only where and when I choose to.

I decided never to sit through a boring lecture and never to go to cocktail parties to network.

I would never wear a necktie because I refused to do what others expected of me.

I didn’t worry about dying but only how I would die. I wanted to avoid a lingering death, and I discussed that with my family and my doctor.

My social network shrank, but I pursued the most important relationships. I began to savor life, ignore trivial matters, appreciate others more, and found it easier to forgive. The more I did this, the happier I felt.

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I experienced losses, but I became more comfortable with the sadness. Life became more than a series of painful events. I experience more joy, happiness, and satisfaction.

I no longer believe there’s always tomorrow. I have no promise of a tomorrow, so I’m going to make the best I can of today. I will let the future surprise me; it will unfold as it will.

If you feel like your life lacks motivation, start with the basics—going for a mindful walk or engaging in some form of physical activity to release endorphins and boost your mood.

Try writing outlining all the things you love about yourself and the things you have achieved.

It’s normal to feel lonely or sad at times, and this is when listing things you’re thankful for physically, emotionally, and spiritually may be extremely therapeutic.

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