Our views on aging have changed considerably over the past two centuries. In some books written in the 1800's, you can see references to men in their forties as "dear old men". Aging was not usually considered a problem because people died young. The average life expectancy in the U.S. didn't reach 65 until about 50 years ago. The average life expectancy is now well over 70 for both men and women. The fastest growing group in the U.S. is people over the age of 80. Experts estimate that by the year 2040, we will have over a million people in the U.S. over the age of 100.

What does this mean for older adults? It means that they are part of a powerful group, in terms of numbers and also in financial and political influence. It may mean that we will have to make thoughtful changes in the Social Security and Medicare systems. Overall, it means that people will have to start planning more for their older years, financially, emotionally, and physically.

Good health care is important throughout life. A look at athletes who are still competing in their sixties and above show how healthy you can be, no matter what your age. Articles were written in 1996 about an U.S. athlete who was in the 1920 Olympics. At over age 90, she is still competing in swimming matches on a regular basis!

What if you haven't lived a very healthy life up until now? Remember that it is never too late to change, and never too late to benefit from those changes. Even if you've smoked for 50 years, you can still breathe easier if you quit now. If you've been overweight all your life, you can still reduce your risk of heart disease by losing weight now. You may already have wrinkles, but using sunscreen now will help minimize future wrinkles and will help protect you from skin cancer. Never decide that it's too late to change!

The bright side of longer lives is that people can have second chances. People who retire from work in their 50's or 60's can think twice now about retraining and second careers. In classrooms across the country, including medical and law schools, you see older adults.

As our lifespans increase, we all need to plan more for our older years. Financial planning is important, but don't forget that health planning may be even more important. See your health care provider for regular checkups. Take good care of yourself with a good diet and enough exercise. Make small changes in the way you live. Keep changing, keep growing, and you're likely to find out just why they call the older years the golden years.

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