Many of us complain frequently about the signs of aging, especially our aches and pains. Recently, I heard someone in their 90s say, “Oh, to be 80.” We all wish things were different. But, dear readers, there has never been a better time for older people in every decade of life. I want to remind you of the many ways our lives after 70 are better than those of our parents and our grandparents.
We live longer lives
Today, in the U.S., the average life expectancy is 79 years. This is significantly different from the time of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in the 18th century when the average lifespan was only 37 years. When I was born in 1934, the average lifespan was 65 years. Remarkably, it has increased by 14 years in just my lifetime.
Today 34% of women in the U.S. will live into their 90s, while 16% of U.S. men will do the same. Now that I am 90, my life expectancy is an additional 4.8 years. What a privilege it is to live such a long life.
Most of us do not live in poverty
According to the Senior Citizens League, a non-profit organization that advocates for Social Security, 89% of the 59 million people over age 65 in the U.S. are living above the poverty line. Importantly, this number is slowly rising.
Social Security remains our most vital safety net. Two-thirds of seniors depend on Social Security for more than half of their income, and 27% of people over 65 rely solely on their Social Security checks. As the wealthiest country in the world, we can and should do better for all of us, especially those of us who are poor.
Most over 65 are pain-free or can manage
Thanks to modern medicine, many older adults live pain-free almost all of their lives. This is in stark contrast to many in the past. For example, two of my grandparents each spent the last 10 years of their lives in bed. Over the past 50 years, a wide array of new medications and treatments have been developed for effective pain management in cases of chronic pain.
We also get new knees, hips, and shoulders, and more people are surviving heart disease and various types of cancer. Additionally, nearly 90% of people 65 and older in the U.S. have many of their health care expenses covered by Medicare, though this is now being threatened.
Those 65+ have better mental health than younger peers
A recent study involving 5,000 American adults found that mental health issues are much more common in young people ages 18 to 25 compared with those over 65. Stanford psychology professor Laura Carstensen has found through research that older adults experience less anger, worry, and stress than younger generations. Additionally, she has shown that older people tend to have many more positive emotions than other age groups.
A study by the National Institute on Aging indicates that maintaining a healthy lifestyle, defined as engaging in four of the following five activities — not smoking, exercising, avoiding heavy drinking, following the Mediterranean diet, and participating in mentally stimulating activities — can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 60%.
We can keep developing
Numerous studies have shown that contrary to conventional wisdom, older people can continue to learn throughout their lives. We can learn modern technologies, expand our vocabularies, and even learn new languages. This is true, although it may take us longer to absorb new information and we may struggle with multitasking. We also struggle to maintain our concentration for long periods.
For instance, eight months ago, I started using Duolingo, an online platform, to improve my conversational French. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy the process and how easily I pick up new words. Additionally, writing my blog once a month for the past four years has helped keep my 90-year-old brain in good shape.
We have the gift of time
After 70, many of us have retired from work and have fewer responsibilities. For the first time in decades, we have not only more time, but also more choices available to us. We have time now to enjoy coffee and lunches with friends, prioritize exercise, and explore hobbies or activities that we may have neglected in the past.
Many of us also continue to travel. This year, at 90, I took a trip with my family south to Georgia and Alabama to visit sites significant to the civil rights movement.
We live in the now
As we age, our perspective on time changes. People over 70 tend to spend much less time thinking about the future; anything more than two years away feels too distant to rely on. Similarly, we don’t spend much time stewing about our past, either. We usually make peace with our life experiences.
In my interviews with more than 128 people in their 80s, only a handful said they had any major regrets. After a lifetime of working hard and striving to get ahead, it is now our time to sit back and relax. We focus on the simple pleasures: the view from our window, our morning walks, our naps, and conversations with our grandkids.
Older people are happier
It is a paradox of aging that, despite the inevitable losses and issues that come with age, older people tend to report greater life satisfaction than younger people. One reason for this seems to be that as we come to understand that life is finite, we begin to appreciate the importance of enjoying life in the present.
Research has shown that people in their 60s are happier than those in their 50s, individuals in their 70s are happier than those in their 60s, and people in their 80s are happier than those in their 70s.
I’ll leave you with these wise words from the Dalai Lama: “Every day, think as you wake up, ‘Today I am fortunate to be alive. I have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it.’”
