Healthy Aging Series
Six (6) presentations in June on Healthy Aging. Target audience are people sixty years and older who benefit from Meals on Wheels.
The speaking engagements can take from 30 minutes to an hour on weekdays between 10am to 1:00pm, exact time TBD by speaker. Powerpoint presentation developed by Bryce Yeazell with support from advisers. Locations:
Chair: Bryce Yeazell Please contact [email protected] to participate |
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Project advisers:
UT Professor Karen Fingerman Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences [email protected] Phone: 512-471-0618 Office: SEA 2.326 |
Brett Farrow
Meals on Wheels Central Texas Congregate Wellness and Activities Coordinator 3227 East 5th Street, Austin, Texas 78702 p. 512.628.8185 [email protected] |
What Kids Want to Know About Aging
By: Bryce Yeazell in collaboration with University of Texas Professor Dr. Karen Fingerman
What are old people like?
That is a tough question.
We know what many 10 year olds are like. Many 10-year-olds can ride a bike, and read books with chapters (probably Harry Potter), and add up numbers with lots of digits.
Old age last a long time – from age 65 to over 100. And people change a lot in that amount of time!
Even if we pick one age—age 75-- it is hard to say what a 75-year-old is like. By old age, people have lived a long time. Their life experiences set them on different paths.
Some 75-year-olds are retired and spend their time traveling to new places.
Some 75-year-olds still work full time or take care of their grandchildren.
And some 75-year-olds are sick and unwell.
Is it scary to grow old?
No. The great thing about growing old is that you are already a grown up.
And most of the time grownups aren’t scared.
When you are old, you are a really grown up grown up. You’ve lived through a lot. As a result, you know how to deal with many problems without getting scared.
How do people get to look and be so old?
You probably notice that you are changing all the time- As you get older, you get bigger, smarter, better able to stay calm and wait your turn, and better at making friends.
Adults change a lot, too. It might not be as easy to notice because they change slowly, but they are changing all the time, too.
What kinds of changes happen when people get old?
As adults grow older, they change physically. You already know that old people are more likely to have wrinkles and grey hair. Some people don’t like the way that looks. But if you think about it- it takes your entire life to “earn” your wrinkles. So it is really a privilege!
Older people sometimes complain about their memories. It can be harder to learn new things or remember things like names and faces and even where you left your keys. But old people also have a lot more knowledge than young people do. And old people often seem wise.
What are some of the best things that happen when you get old?
You get to really focus on the people you love the most. You don’t have to spend time with teachers or classmates who annoy you. You can just enjoy your friends and family, especially your grandchildren.
If you retire, you get to choose what you do with your time all day. You might travel a lot or volunteer at a school or with people who need your help or take classes to learn new things.
And most old people are pretty happy. They don’t get angry as easily as they did when they were younger.
Are older people sick all the time?
No. Many older adults are healthy and active.
But little children and older adults are more likely to be sick than are teenagers and younger adults.
Little children usually get “acute” diseases—diseases like colds and the flu that you get well from quickly.
Old people often get “chronic” disease like arthritis (pain in their joints) or high blood pressure that last a long time, or even the rest of their lives
Will I get the same diseases my grandparents have?
It depends on the disease.
Some diseases have a “genetic” risk. That is, biologically your body carries a risk of that disease from your parents. And your parents inherited that risk biologically from your grandparents.
Heart disease and some types of cancer (that is tumors) have genetic risks. That doesn’t mean you will get cancer or heart disease if your parents or grandparents have it.
But it is good to know if your parents or grandparents have these diseases. Doctors can be on the lookout to help prevent those diseases or get treatment for the diseases early if you know your family history.
Other diseases depend more on your behavior or lifestyle. For example, smoking increases the chances that you will develop lung diseases or lung cancer more than anything you were born with.
Some diseases, like diabetes (high blood sugar) have a mix of causes. The risk for Type 2 diabetes is inherited from your parents and grandparents. But developing diabetes also comes from the diet you eat. So family members may share a risk of diabetes due to their genes (genetic risk) and because they may all overeat or eat the same types of food that are bad for you.
My grandparent can’t remember things and seems confused all the time- what’s wrong?
Most old people have little moments where they can’t remember things as well as when they were younger. But a small proportion of old people develop very bad problems with their memory and thinking. That is called “dementia” (dee- men-sha; it sounds a lot like the dementors in Harry Potter and can be just as bad).
The most common causes of dementia are Alzheimer’s Disease (pronounced sort of like Al’s hammer disease) or strokes (burst blood vessels in the brain). Alzheimer’s Disease usually starts slowly with the person not remembering recent events, but then it gets worse over time. And after a while, the old person may not remember the names or faces of the people they love, or even be able to talk anymore.
Even though your grandparent or another old person you love has dementia - they can still enjoy being with you. You can show you love them in different ways. You can hold their hand, or sing for them, or if your parents say it is OK, you can eat ice cream together.
Things you know will make your old age better
Even though you are still a kid, you can already do things that make the rest of your life- and your old age- fantastic.
Do things you know make you healthy
Run around and exercise instead of using videogames all day.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables (even the yucky ones).
Turn off your phone at bedtime so you can get enough sleep.
Avoid things that are unhealthy like smoking and alcohol.
Things you may not know that will make your old age better:
Create strong relationships with your family and make friends
People who have a lot of good strong relationships do better in old age.
That is a tough question.
We know what many 10 year olds are like. Many 10-year-olds can ride a bike, and read books with chapters (probably Harry Potter), and add up numbers with lots of digits.
Old age last a long time – from age 65 to over 100. And people change a lot in that amount of time!
Even if we pick one age—age 75-- it is hard to say what a 75-year-old is like. By old age, people have lived a long time. Their life experiences set them on different paths.
Some 75-year-olds are retired and spend their time traveling to new places.
Some 75-year-olds still work full time or take care of their grandchildren.
And some 75-year-olds are sick and unwell.
Is it scary to grow old?
No. The great thing about growing old is that you are already a grown up.
And most of the time grownups aren’t scared.
When you are old, you are a really grown up grown up. You’ve lived through a lot. As a result, you know how to deal with many problems without getting scared.
How do people get to look and be so old?
You probably notice that you are changing all the time- As you get older, you get bigger, smarter, better able to stay calm and wait your turn, and better at making friends.
Adults change a lot, too. It might not be as easy to notice because they change slowly, but they are changing all the time, too.
What kinds of changes happen when people get old?
As adults grow older, they change physically. You already know that old people are more likely to have wrinkles and grey hair. Some people don’t like the way that looks. But if you think about it- it takes your entire life to “earn” your wrinkles. So it is really a privilege!
Older people sometimes complain about their memories. It can be harder to learn new things or remember things like names and faces and even where you left your keys. But old people also have a lot more knowledge than young people do. And old people often seem wise.
What are some of the best things that happen when you get old?
You get to really focus on the people you love the most. You don’t have to spend time with teachers or classmates who annoy you. You can just enjoy your friends and family, especially your grandchildren.
If you retire, you get to choose what you do with your time all day. You might travel a lot or volunteer at a school or with people who need your help or take classes to learn new things.
And most old people are pretty happy. They don’t get angry as easily as they did when they were younger.
Are older people sick all the time?
No. Many older adults are healthy and active.
But little children and older adults are more likely to be sick than are teenagers and younger adults.
Little children usually get “acute” diseases—diseases like colds and the flu that you get well from quickly.
Old people often get “chronic” disease like arthritis (pain in their joints) or high blood pressure that last a long time, or even the rest of their lives
Will I get the same diseases my grandparents have?
It depends on the disease.
Some diseases have a “genetic” risk. That is, biologically your body carries a risk of that disease from your parents. And your parents inherited that risk biologically from your grandparents.
Heart disease and some types of cancer (that is tumors) have genetic risks. That doesn’t mean you will get cancer or heart disease if your parents or grandparents have it.
But it is good to know if your parents or grandparents have these diseases. Doctors can be on the lookout to help prevent those diseases or get treatment for the diseases early if you know your family history.
Other diseases depend more on your behavior or lifestyle. For example, smoking increases the chances that you will develop lung diseases or lung cancer more than anything you were born with.
Some diseases, like diabetes (high blood sugar) have a mix of causes. The risk for Type 2 diabetes is inherited from your parents and grandparents. But developing diabetes also comes from the diet you eat. So family members may share a risk of diabetes due to their genes (genetic risk) and because they may all overeat or eat the same types of food that are bad for you.
My grandparent can’t remember things and seems confused all the time- what’s wrong?
Most old people have little moments where they can’t remember things as well as when they were younger. But a small proportion of old people develop very bad problems with their memory and thinking. That is called “dementia” (dee- men-sha; it sounds a lot like the dementors in Harry Potter and can be just as bad).
The most common causes of dementia are Alzheimer’s Disease (pronounced sort of like Al’s hammer disease) or strokes (burst blood vessels in the brain). Alzheimer’s Disease usually starts slowly with the person not remembering recent events, but then it gets worse over time. And after a while, the old person may not remember the names or faces of the people they love, or even be able to talk anymore.
Even though your grandparent or another old person you love has dementia - they can still enjoy being with you. You can show you love them in different ways. You can hold their hand, or sing for them, or if your parents say it is OK, you can eat ice cream together.
Things you know will make your old age better
Even though you are still a kid, you can already do things that make the rest of your life- and your old age- fantastic.
Do things you know make you healthy
Run around and exercise instead of using videogames all day.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables (even the yucky ones).
Turn off your phone at bedtime so you can get enough sleep.
Avoid things that are unhealthy like smoking and alcohol.
Things you may not know that will make your old age better:
- Believe that old age will be good.
- Get an education.
Create strong relationships with your family and make friends
People who have a lot of good strong relationships do better in old age.