Aging Well - What Does It Mean To You?

How You Think Of It Matters

Photo by Eric Muhr on Unsplash

In my first article three years ago, I defined aging well as being the best I could be every day, given life’s circumstances.

My husband of 63 years had just died, and I was trying to figure out how to move forward. Two goals were important.

1. To age well, whatever that entailed, because I didn’t want to put our family through the hell we had just been through ever again.

2. To share my experiences as a wife, caregiver, and widow as a way of helping others make more informed decisions as they grow older.

There are numerous definitions and similar terms to describe aging well. Here are a few.

Optimal Aging - This is the one that initially grabbed my interest.

Optimal Aging means attaining a higher level of function and a slower rate of decline through life, striving to live longer and sustain functional independence and quality of life into later years, with meaning and joy.

Wellness - The eight dimensions of wellness seemed to describe my goal for a while.

Wellness means practicing healthy daily habits to attain better physical and mental health outcomes so that instead of just surviving, you're thriving.

Well-Being - But wellness focuses on the body, and well-being includes pleasure and enjoyment while aging.

Well-being encompasses quality of life and the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose.

Longevity - Recently, this term captured my interest - it focuses on the quantity and quality of life over the years.

Longevity tells us how to live longer and healthier. Its main goal is to prolong the lifespan and ensure we live active, productive, and healthy lives even as we age.

Today, for me, aging well means living independently, being healthy, and enjoying life through writing, painting, and other hobbies, doing things with family, and traveling.

That definition involves work and specific choices: exercising, eating nutritious foods, getting out, and regularly challenging myself.

But that’s me.

Some people think playing a daily golf game is aging well; others say starting a new business after retirement is; various adults think traveling and spending time with the grandkids is the dream. Still, others have no clue; they drift along until death.

There is no right or wrong answer, but it’s an important question to be asking.

What is my definition of aging well?

Because if you don’t know what it means, you may be taking steps in the wrong direction.

The lyrics of the song Cat In The Cradle by Harry Chapin come to mind because they made such an impression on me as we raised our children. The message is that parents must spend time with their children as youngsters if they want to have relationships with them as adults.

If I want to be active in 10 years, I better exercise daily today to take walks like Grandma Kay does as she approaches her 103rd birthday. If aging well means spending time with my grandkids, I better take the time and energy to foster those relationships now.

P. S. I’d love to have you share the Aging Well Newsletter with others. I want to bring the lessons I’ve learned through my years of life and caregiving to as many people as possible. More than anything, I want to continue to expand our community of readers.

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If you want to contribute to my work, consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association. This link takes you to their website. The choice is yours.