A few words about ageing

Ageing is a process when the body becomes less biologically active. The body of an elderly person stops renewing its cells and tissues. The process eventually ends in death. It affects the social and mental life as well. Social factors are influenced by the attitude of an elderly person towards their age. In some people the attitude is rather negative. Senior citizens cannot accept the present, they live in the past and that causes sadness, frustration and loneliness.  

Other senior citizens are well aware of their age and they try to lead as active life as possible. These people add age to life, not life to age. 

Psychological factors are influenced by personality, emotional and spiritual changes. These changes are closely connected with the changes that happen in their bodies, especially in their brains – meaning all the diseases of an old age.

You should remember that “one of the last abilities a human being develops is the skill to appreciate passing time”.

What to do not to make the elderly feel abandoned and lonely

Ronald Blythe (a historian) says that “in the past the elderly were sacrosanct, because they were rare. […] Nowadays old age means they are a part of a profound and common problem”. In order not to make an elderly person feel lonely, useless and abandoned you should remember:

- to respect an elderly person

- to show them a lot of patience and warmth

- to make them feel needed

- to try and make them feel independent

- to make them feel safe

- to help them solve problems

As a younger generation we ought to remember that from older people we can learn to look on life from a wider perspective, respecting their experiences.

Changes in old age

- worsening sense of sight, hearing, taste and smell

- difficulties walking

- greater vulnerability to bone fractures

- lower immunity to infections

- a decrease in intellectual possibilities caused by a disease

- a fear of isolation and loneliness

Expectations of the elderly from the surrounding environment

1. Recognizing them as a valuable part of community

2. Providing suitable health care, prevention of illnesses and health promotion

3. Building sympathy between generations

4. Encouraging to spending time actively, discovering and satisfying their intellectual needs and developing different interests

5. Resistance to myths and stereotypes about ageing and old age.