Better than the Alternative !

That's Him..NOT me!

Did you ever hear of Alexander Imich? He is one-hundred and eleven years old, lives in New York and claims the title as the oldest man in the world. (An aside - there are 66 women in the world older!) Alexander says his success is based on three things: good genes, athletics and sparse diet.

Although I still have the right to call myself an octogenarian for a few more years, I will soon be ushered into the fastest growing cohort in the world. This illustrious group will grow by 151% in the next twenty years. And what do they call this now celebrated generation - The Oldest Old!  That sounds better than the appellation I bestowed on them a couple of weeks ago. I erroneously labeled them the Old Farts! Of course I was being facetious. Labelling generations started before the Baby-Boomers hogged the stage and swore they would change the face of America. Those of us born between 1927 and 1945 were sometimes referred to as the Silent Generation or even worse, the Mature/Silents. Perhaps Old Farts wasn't so bad after all!  The Oldest Old are those of us who are now eighty-five and over.  We can look forward to many more four generation families.

So what criteria  should be used to decide whether being a member of this demarcate or distinguished group is a good thing or -  are we just another burden on our health system? I like to think of this generation as those who know how to practice successful aging. In my mind successful aging means the  acceptability of what is happening and the willingness to adapt to the changes it brings.

The winter of 2013-2014 was not only long, dark and cold, but it was the first winter that I did not ski in many, many years. Prior to the decision to finally quit (My GP bluntly suggested it last Fall!) I was beginning to realize that my skiing skills were slowly waning and my level of confidence definitely faltering. I quit playing hockey a few years prior, but it was not a conscious decision.  For some reason I just stopped going, but my skates and stick are still hanging in the closet next to my skis! To decide to quit skiing was a long and bitter mental struggle. 

I am sure many of The Oldest Old have learned to adapt to the physical, social and mental adjustments getting old  demands of them. What do I want? To continue to enjoy a good life and to feel satisfied, recognizing there will be some pain along the way. But most of all  to remember that things have changed, and will continue to do so. No need to get angry or depressed, only happy that life is unfolding as it should. I hope my vision, hearing and  mobility will decide to stick around a little longer and that I will have the courage to quit risk-taking behaviours.

One bit of advice to doctors: Life is not over at eighty-five! Indeed, for me I am just starting out as a novice in The Oldest Old cohort. No matter what chronological age a person is, it is worth treating to the best of your ability. ('Primum non nocere' - First, do no harm.  Hippocratic Oath)

I just peeked into the closet: the skies, skates and sundry equipment are still there! I think I will let them hang around a little longer! Just in case!!!

And that's Dick's View of the World this Week