It's been so interesting these past few weeks learning about the life course and older adults as they enter a new period of their lives. A period we are all so afraid of entering, but why? Society has made us think that aging is an end to all and that for some reason our lives are over once we reach a certain age. We all have our own internal biases on aging and older adults, and it isn't our fault, but we must choose to recognize them and fight against them. One day, we will become those older adults we all so fear and all of our peers will become one as well. Our life spans are lengthening and community ties are severing, so we must uplift communities of older adults now and hope that generations will follow. It's also been heartwarming to learn about the different perspectives of older adults and how different they process their emotions compared to younger adults. It's been very inspiring and has eased my anxieties about getting older. It makes me happy knowing that older adults report being happier than that at the age of 20. They live the last period of their lives without worrying too much or being upset over small things, instead they only do activities and surround themselves with people that bring them the most joy. We have so much to learn from this age cohort, we just need to reach out. It's made me want to talk to my grandma more often, as I learn something new about life with every conversation we have. So let this be a reminder, reach out to the older adults in your life, learn a thing or two, and most importantly, let them know you appreciate them. Pictured below, is me and my 80 year old Grandma - my inspiration for this class and my life!
1 Comment
Tanmayi
3/4/2022 03:47:19 pm
Hi Hannah,
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Hannah ChoiHannah Choi is a Public Health major with a concentration in Public Policy and Management, she is Archives
March 2022
Categories |