grow older better

Author: Lynn Dorman, Ph.D.

  • Fighting the Stereotypes of Senior Citizenship: 3 ways to do this

     

    older man

       

       

       

      In the United States, and some other countries, senior citizenship comes with some highly negative stereotypes.

      Sadly, we in the USA tend to see seniors as:

      • doddering
      • incompetent
      • weak
      • sick
      Some other countries tend to see seniors – or elders – as:
      • intelligent
      • statesmen
      • encyclopedic
      • worthy of reverence
      How can we change those stereotypes in the first list to those qualities in the second list?
       
      It can be done by seniors actively fighting against those stereotypes!
       
      But – how do we fight?
       
      Here are 3 ways to fight senior stereotypes: 
      • being honest about our age
      • accepting benefits such as senior discounts
      • taking care of our bodies and minds

    • Yearning to Be a Cougar? How to Look Younger Than Your Age

      Cougars!  The latest description of women who like younger men.

      [At least it’s no longer called “robbing the cradle” or “perverse.”]

      Throughout history, there have been older woman-younger man pairings but without the surrounding publicity we now have via celebrity news and instant media.  And because of this, the use of the term cougar has gone from a pejorative term to one that is positive and has hit the popular mainstream of today’s media love of anything sexual.

      Historically men have been involved with younger women [often very much younger women] and that was acceptable.  But women involved with younger men had not been so well received; that is until now.  [And the younger man in the relationship was never belittled as much as the older woman.]

      So – you want to be a cougar?  Yes? Then go for it!

      The 1st step in being or becoming a cougar is to not worry what others might think of you.  If you worry about how those “others” view you – you need to develop some tough skin as there are some, maybe even your friends, who will not approve of your “going cougar.”

      The 2nd step is to look your best.  I’m one who thinks we all “look our age” because we <b>are</b> our age and that’s how we look.  But that said – the more general population has myths about how older woman look.  My article 5 Misconceptions About People Over 65 explores some of those myths.

      Can we look younger?  I’m not sure of that in reality, but we can meet the societal mythology of “you don’t look your age.”   And we can do that by looking the best we can look.

      And how do we look our best?  And especially, how do we do this if we are over 40, 50, 60 or even 70?   

      Not by trying to look “young” in teenage type clothing!  Sorry – but teen clothes are for teens – not grown woman.  Few of us can carry off that skin-tight-belly-hip-showing style without looking like – well woman trying sadly to look like teens. 

      Instead be a great example of who you already are! 

      How? 

      • Lose the belly fat, exercise, and stretch. 
      • Be as lean and lithe as your body will allow and wear clothing that complements your body. 
      • Take care of your skin with water-based products; keep your hair neat and colored if you wish.
      • And do wear some makeup.  

      Ready – set – go!! 

      Get out there and be a cougar!

      And for tips on the "hows" please see:

      http://www.graywolfproductions.com/beinghealthy/

      Please leave your comments below – thank you

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

    • Supplements That Can Help You Immensely As You Age

      Lynn at 70I personally do not believe in the concept of anti-aging because we cannot really go backwards or stop our aging process. 

      But anti-aging has become a popular term most often used to sell all matter of products to those who are called “boomers” or “baby boomers.”

       

      [An aside – I am so glad I am older so I don’t have that label.]

      While we cannot stop the aging process – we can certainly slow it down and in some cases reverse some, but not all, ongoing damage to our bodies.  And – while slowing it down, we can also be doing things to look and feel good as we continue to age. 

      The phrase “you don’t look your age” is, to me, a sign of age bias since I actually do look my age.  We all look our ages – because we ARE those ages. 

      Bias aside, we seem to love being told we don’t look our ages.  So with all that said – yes – there are supplements that can help you immensely as you age. 

      In fact, these same supplements can help persons of all ages to age well.  And – as one with expertise in human development – please believe me when I say it’s never too early or too late to start taking care of your body [including your skin,] as well as your mind and spirit. 

      We live in a toxic world and that toxicity affects our food, water and our bodies.  We do need to take supplements to make up for what is, and is not, there in our food, soil and water.

      We need to learn about supplements that can help us and then we need to choose those supplements intelligently so that we feel and look as good as we can as we progress through life.

      What are these supplements?

      [Hint: the ones I take and I think at 70 – I still look great]

      you can read the rest of this article  at: http://ow.ly/1YxbQ

      Or – you can go to http:/graywolfproductions.com/beinghealthy/

      and read about the supplements / or do both


    • Mother’s Day

      my mother circa 1932[I post this poem every year]

      The Original Mother’s Day Proclamation

      We have gotten so far away from the original thoughts and made this one too into a shopping spree day – like all our holidays!

      Take time this weekend to think about what Julia Ward Howe wrote.

      [my mom, circa 1932]

       

      Mother's Day Proclamation – 1870
      by Julia Ward Howe

      Arise then…women of this day!
      Arise, all women who have hearts!
      Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!

      Say firmly:
      "We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
      Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
      For caresses and applause.
      Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
      All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
      We, the women of one country,
      Will be too tender of those of another country
      To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

      From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
      Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
      The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
      Blood does not wipe our dishonor,
      Nor violence indicate possession.
      As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
      At the summons of war,
      Let women now leave all that may be left of home
      For a great and earnest day of counsel.

      Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
      Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
      Whereby the great human family can live in peace…
      Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
      But of God –

      In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
      That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
      May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
      And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
      To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
      The amicable settlement of international questions,
      The great and general interests of peace.

      Peace,
      Lynn

    • Glasses Or Contacts – The Age Old Debate

      This is my personal experience with both contacts and glasses – I’ll start with the pros and cons of each as I see them.

      Glasses

      Pros

      • easy to put on
      • easy to clean
      • easier upkeep

      Cons

      • annoying
      • result nose dents over the years
      • may need to switch between sets of glasses
      • may need sunglasses over the regular glasses

      Contacts

      Pros

      • vision is often better and clearer
      • freedom from the weight of the glasses frame
      • nice to have fresh air hitting one’s whole face
      • you don’t fog ski goggles

      Cons

      • can be expensive
      • can be time consuming to get them in
      • they can rip easily
      • they can pop out and get lost
      • need to have lots of paraphernalia for their care [lens boxes, cleaners, etc.]
      • you still need a pair of glasses – for those just in case times

      I started wearing reading glasses when I was about 20 and had my driver’s license stamped “corrective lenses required” when I was about 45.  As I am now 70 – that’s 50 years of wearing glasses and 25 years of needing them on all day every day.

      As I am far sighted and astigmatic, contacts were not an option until they made them for eyes like mine!  At every appointment with an eye doctor, I asked if there were contacts that I could wear and wow was I happy to one day hear “Yes!

      Read more about the Glasses Or Contacts debate….. then please leave your comments below