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Feeling Good while Getting Older

Feeling Good while Getting Older

Aging in a society where 70 is the new 50 and 60 the new 40 often leads seniors to believe they aren’t keeping up mentally, physically, or emotionally. As baby boomers age, commerce, e-commerce, and media are setting the standards, making the rules, targeting, pursuing, and marketing everything from prescription drugs, skin care products, and non-surgical cosmetic procedures to wellness programs, fitness programs, yoga, and more. Exceeded only by Gen-X, seniors are a disproportionate share of internet users and online shoppers and they make up more than 45% of todays self-employed. Today, seniors are energetic enough to take on a second career, find a new love, and complete a lengthy bucket list. Yet, looking in the mirror and wondering “who is this person” is a reality.

Aging leads to changes in appearance, fitness, mental health, and emotional balance. Hating what you see in the mirror or how you feel at the end of the day is normal. Not recognizing thought patterns, confronting changes in behavior, being more aggressive, less cooperative, and losing control of emotions is also normal. That group of 70s who look 50 and 60s who look 40 are experiencing the same thing. Improving Lives Counseling Services can help.

Losing a loved one, spouse, or longtime partner can be especially hard on seniors. As friends and family pass, they tend to think more about their own mortality. Losing height, gaining weight, changes in metabolism and graying hair affect the Gen-X and senior population. For many, volunteering, eating healthy, staying active, and having friends fails to stem feelings of loneliness, emptiness, or the depression that often comes with aging; “have I done enough”, “how will I be remembered”, “have I served my purpose”, “what will my legacy be?”

More seniors than ever are seeking psychological help late in life. As the stigma decreases, and seniors realize they will live longer; they want these years to be some of their best. Turning over finances, losing a driver’s license, downsizing, or moving out of the family home affects loved ones. A loss of independence is extremely hard to take. The trained counselors and therapists of Improving Lives Counseling Services are here to support you, your family, and the seniors in your life. Just having someone to talk to can make a world of difference. Call us.

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