Ask older people who are not well-acquainted with technology how difficult it is for them to learn to operate a mobile phone in their 70’s. Many people will tell you it is way more difficult to learn something new at that age vis a vis when they were in their 30s and picked up new skills such as typing because of occupational demands.
Many senior citizens also tell us that they cannot even imagine doing the adventurous things they did in the past when they turn 65 or 70.
Cognitive aging is the normal aging process that happens due to the brain functioning less effectively with the advancement of years.
As people get older, we have to understand that certain cognitive abilities like planning, memory, attention, processing speed, abstract thinking etc deteriorate and this is a normal part of aging.
Here are some changes that occur in senior citizens :
Senior citizens often require more time and practice to learn something
By the time one hits 65, they would have more difficulty solving complex problems or making complex decisions.
While certain memories tend to linger longer, forgetfulness about things that happened in the recent past is something that’s common and must be considered absolutely normal.
It is important to understand that senior citizens can get distracted very easily by many activities. As they age they can concentrate only on one activity. Multitasking becomes more difficult.
When it comes to language, the ability to name an object which may be familiar, declines with the advancement of age. Sometimes more time is required to find an appropriate word that can be used in a sentence.
There are a lot of challenges that the elderly face in their old age that have emotional consequences. Life situations such as the demise of a loved one - family and friends , retirement , moving into a senior citizens home assistance service , reduced abilities are some that have emotional impact that they have to deal with in their old age.
Well, what does all this mean ? As senior citizens age, it is imperative that wellness matters. It would be unwise to ignore the well being that exercise and good diet bring. Remember, old habits die hard. So if you are in your 30’s and 40’s reading this article, carry on into your old age, practices and disciplines that will propel you into good physical and mental health in your 60’s and 70’s. If you are in your 60’s and 70’s some great habits that can be inculcated are music, social interaction, serving the community, reading, gardening, enjoying a sport etc.
Gracefully aging bodies do not deserve to be left alone on a couch watching TV all day long. Research also proves that senior citizens have abundant innate capacity to age gracefully as:
Most senior citizens tend to focus on positive news during this season of their life rather than mull on negativity.
Senior citizens find it easier to recover from any negative emotions more easily.
Aging gracefully can thus become the norm rather than the exception. Positive aging should be the direction that psychological and mental health are channelised in. And it is possible with proper elder care management to have a better tomorrow for our senior citizens.
Author: Team 60Plus India
Keywords : Senior citizens home assistance service , elder care management , cognitive aging
Hashtags : #cognitiveaging #positiveaging #emotionalhealth # eldercaremanagement
