CONTENTS
➡️ Age is just a number, so let's measure it
➡️ Trusting your gut in the age of information
➡️ Second helpings - good reading from the web
LEAD ARTICLE
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Age is just a number, so let's measure it
One of the greatest achievements of the past century has been the dramatic increase in life expectancy at birth. In India, from a paltry 30 years in 1950, the figure has more than doubled. Funnily, as longevity increases, the number which people consider as the beginning of old age keeps getting pushed further along—not in itself a bad thing.
The medical profession is quick to grab the credit for this bounty, but the truth lies elsewhere. In every society, this spurt in life expectancy occurs when living standards rose to the point where citizens can take three services for granted: a protected, safe water supply; a good drainage system for handling wastes and a daily availability of 2000 plus calories of a balanced diet. In western countries, this happened many decades before the introduction of immunisation against common infections and the use of antibiotics: two innovations that are commonly misperceived as being agents for this change.
Gains in life expectancy are seen even in poor countries, though to a lesser extent. Reaching 60 years of age in reasonable health is now taken for granted. Thanks to the advances of the last half century, reaching 80 is now well within the reach of many. A woman living in a wealthy country, at the age of 60, can confidently expect to live another 25 years in good health.
As our concerns about global population growth lessen with the knowledge that net replacement rates of 2.1 or less, the level at which a population stays stable in size, is now being witnessed even in poorer nations, this secure feeling is being replaced by anxiety about supporting an ageing population with a dwindling number of younger people.
The upside of living longer.
It seems that in their later years, people become more mellow and happy.
1. Mood improvements with age: Research indicates that as people age, they experience an increase in positive mood and, for men, a decrease in negative mood. This is attributed to older individuals reacting less to negative situations and focusing more on positive memories.
2. Personality development in later years: Studies show personality changes with age, including increased agreeableness and conscientiousness and decreased neuroticism. These changes generally contribute to a kinder, calmer, and more mentally stable disposition in older age.
3. Rising self-esteem and reduced envy: Self-esteem tends to increase until around 70 years of age, and people become less envious of others' successes in various fields. Ageing brings a more content and less comparative outlook on life.
4. Cultural perceptions: Cultural attitudes towards ageing vary, with some societies valuing the wisdom of the elderly more than others. Embracing these values can positively influence one's own perception of ageing.
Why does time seem to move faster as you grow older?
The perception that time seems to move faster as we age is a common experience and can be attributed to several psychological and perceptual factors:
1. Proportionality theory: This theory suggests that as we age, each year becomes a smaller fraction of our total life. For example, a year is 1/5th of a 5-year-old's life but only 1/50th of a 50-year-old's life. This makes each year feel shorter in comparison to the whole.
2. Routine and novelty: As we get older, we tend to have more routines and fewer novel experiences. Novelty makes time feel longer because new experiences require more mental processing, which takes longer. In contrast, routine experiences are processed more quickly and tend to be less memorable, making time feel like it's passing more quickly.
3. Memory consolidation: As we age, the rate at which we form new memories can slow down. Younger people tend to have more distinctive and memorable experiences. These vivid memories make it seem like time was more extended. In contrast, fewer new memories in older age can give the impression that time is passing more swiftly.
4. Biological aging: Changes in biological processes and brain function as we age might also affect our perception of time. For example, our internal biological clock, which helps gauge the passage of time, might become less accurate.
5. Reduced attention to time: As people grow older, they might pay less attention to the passage of time, especially if they move away from a structured schedule like regular employment. This can lead to a feeling that time is slipping by unnoticed.
6. Cognitive load: The cognitive load theory suggests that as we age, our brains may slow down, making it more challenging to process information quickly. This slowing can affect our perception of time.
7. Decline in dopamine production: As we age, the production and transmission of dopamine, an important neurochemical, tends to decrease. This reduction can affect various cognitive processes, including those related to the perception and estimation of time.
In summary, a combination of psychological, cognitive, and biological factors contributes to the feeling that time accelerates as we age. This phenomenon highlights the importance of seeking new experiences and mindfulness to enrich our perception of time at any age.
Age is not just a number
Two people can share the same year of birth but can show significant differences in their physical and emotional capabilities. Chronological age is not a good index of how well someone is aging. Biological age, the quantity of decline associated with growing older, is a better functional index and is dependent on genetic and environmental factors. Two people with the same chronological age can be widely separate in the biological measure.
Measuring up
Reliable biological markers or tests have so far been quite elusive. There are, however, a small group of simple benchmarks that can be a good, rough-and-ready measure of ageing.
Age-related physical status can be assessed through several low-tech tests. These benchmarks help evaluate various aspects of physical health commonly affected by ageing, such as strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance. Remember, these tests are general indicators and should not replace a comprehensive evaluation by a healthcare professional.
✅ Chair Stand Test: Assesses lower body strength.
How to: Sit in a chair with arms crossed over the chest. Stand up and sit down as many times as possible in 30 seconds. Count the number of complete chair stands.
Average values for 60-64 years old:
- Men: 14 to 19 stands in 30 seconds
- Women: 12 to 17 stands in 30 seconds
✅ Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test: Tests mobility, balance, walking ability.
How to: Time how long it takes to rise from a chair, walk three meters, turn around, walk back, and sit down again.
Average values:
- Less than 10 seconds is considered normal for older adults.
- More than 14 seconds may indicate mobility problems.
✅ Balance test: Assesses static balance.
How to: Time how long one can stand on one foot without support. Do this for both feet.
Average values for 60-69 years old:
- Men: 27 seconds
- Women: 22 seconds
✅ Walking speed test: Measures walking speed, an indicator of overall health.
How to: Time how long it takes to walk a set distance, such as 10 meters, at a normal pace.
Average values:
- Older adults: Around 0.9 to 1.2 meters/second
- Below 0.6 meters/second may indicate mobility limitations.
✅ Sit-and-reach test: Tests lower body flexibility.
How to: Sit on the floor with legs stretched out. Reach forward along the floor as far as possible. Measure the distance reached.
Average values for adults:
- Men: 16 to 17 inches
- Women: 19 to 20 inches
✅ Arm curl test: Evaluates upper body strength.
How to: Count how many bicep curls can be done in 30 seconds with a suitable weight (5 pounds for women, 8 pounds for men).
Average values for 60-64 years old:
- Men: 14 to 19 curls in 30 seconds
- Women: 12 to 17 curls in 30 seconds
✅ 6-minute walk test: Assesses aerobic endurance.
How to: Walk as fast as possible for 6 minutes and measure the distance covered.
Average values
- Healthy older adults: Typically walk about 400 to 700 meters
- Less than 350 meters may suggest limited mobility or endurance.
These tests are helpful for a general assessment and tracking changes over time.
The normal values for these age-related physical status tests can vary widely based on age, gender, and individual fitness levels. However, it's important to note that these are just averages, and individual results can vary.
We are living in an extraordinary period of human history. We have been granted the gift of longevity with good health, all to be savoured and enjoyed at a time when humankind has been better off than at any other era. For this, we need to be deeply grateful.
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“Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” - Margaret Atwood
SECOND HELPINGS
Good reading from all over
How to navigate a chronic illness
Great unknowns: nine top scientists on the one mystery on Earth they’d like to solve
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Niksen: The Dutch Art of purposefully doing nothing
75, but I only feel like I am 70.