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Finding purpose in later life |
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The job and career are long gone. The kids have grown and flown. The daily whirl has settled into a decided calm — maybe even a rut. So why exactly am I hanging around? many seniors find themselves asking. As more folks live longer and stay healthier, experts are studying an important fundamental of satisfying aging: How do people find purpose in their lives as they grow old? Melanie Chandler, a Ph.D. and faculty member in the Mayo Clinic psychology and psychiatry department, recently wrote online for her institution about aging and purpose: “For many, one of the perks of age is the ability to retire. You worked hard all your life to earn your time to do whatever you want, when you want to do it. Yes, you EARNED it. Or, maybe memory loss, or other circumstance, has forced you to retire. What do you do with your time now? It seems that simply doing nothing is not all it is cracked up to be … watching endless hours of television is not good for your body or your brain. And, this isn’t just about the benefits of being active. I’m talking about having meaning or purpose to your activity. Doing something that makes you feel like your life matters. Don’t worry. This isn’t a post full of inspirational quotes or links to self-help websites. I can’t tell you how to give yourself purpose. I AM going to ask you to pause, and ask yourself, ‘Do I have a sense of purpose in my life?’ and ‘Do I feel like I matter?’ Yes, those are deep questions, and questions that many people find themselves asking when they encounter any life transition.” She also reported: “[T]here is growing evidence that having a sense of purpose is linked to better health and well-being in older adults. The benefits to health are so great, that there is actually reduced risk of death when folks report higher sense of purpose! (Yes, that is during the duration of a study, so maybe it’s fairer to say delay in death …Cognitively, individuals are less likely to develop MCI or Alzheimer’s disease when they report a strong sense of purpose. Further, those same researchers (from the Rush Memory and Aging Project) found that having a sense of purpose actually reduced the association between Alzheimer’s plaques in the brain and cognitive performance. Meaning: having a sense of purpose meant you could do better cognitively despite how much plaque was in your brain!” Meg Selig, a counselor, wrote for Psychology Today that older adults can find purpose in at least nine different ways, with significant benefits in finding a meaningful path forward. As she reported: “[F]eeling that you have a purpose decreases your chance of premature death, according to a study of almost 7,000 adults between the ages of 51 and 61. Amazingly, those without a sense of purpose were almost twice as likely to die in the four years of the study. Other studies show that a sense of purpose promotes healthy behaviors and is associated with better physical and mental health outcomes. For example, a 2019 study by a team of British researchers found that a sense of purpose also promoted happiness and a sense of well-being among adults 50-90. A recent study of seniors in a retirement community suggests that a sense of purpose might even alleviate loneliness.” Selig listed ways that seniors find purpose: They may not retire, instead keeping up their pursuit of their life’s work — and finding renewed meaning in doing so. They may fall in love or deepen existing feelings for partners or loved ones. They may become Good Samaritans, extending compassion and compassionate acts toward others. Some seniors relish the “small joys and pleasures” that each day brings, while others dig in and pursue different ways to stay fit and healthy, Older adults find purpose in many different creative endeavors of their choosing, as others adopt causes and seek to address the ills and inequities of society. Seniors, Selig wrote, can make their guiding goal to leave a financial or other kind of legacy for heirs. Later in life, they may find they can inspire others by handling their physical and mental decline — and the pains that this may bring — with distinctive “grace, courage, and dignity.” Staying mindful of others and perceiving that one has a sustaining role in life certainly can help elders steer clear of self-destructive behaviors. Alcohol and substance abuse continue to pose problems for seniors, the New York Times reported, noting that even moderate drinking increasingly is a cause for health concerns. Marijuana use is spiking among older adults, many of whom seek pain relief and other purported benefits from smoking or using edibles. As the usage of grass grows, however, studies are finding increasing incidences of seniors needing emergency care and hospitalization for cannabis consumption. Experts also are expressing rising concern about marijuana’s effects on seniors’ cognition and cardiorespiratory health. |
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