Five ‘Unexpected Truths about Getting Older

Katharine Esty, PhD, wrote the source article that made me want to write this post. She’s 90, and she interviewed 150 people ages 70-90 from her retirement community and her hometown. Katharine discovered aging is better than it used to be. You don’t have to dread it. Most people in their 80s were happier than 70-year-olds. The same was true for people in their 70s. They were happier than 60-year-olds. 

                                                                   
                                                                    The link to Katharine’s original article:
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/16/i-just-turned-90-this-year-unexpected-joys-about-old-age-i-want-young-people-today-to-know.html?msockid=1eb2843b6b3b664b014e93696a956751
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1. You realize that modern medicine has transformed old age.

Today most seniors live longer and have a better quality of life than our parents or grandparents. Katharine’s parents were 65 and 72 when they died, but she was 90 when she wrote her article. Katharine is still active—in one week she took three exercise classes and walked over 1.5 miles.

We can live longer and better because we get new parts, like knees, hips, and shoulders. Our hearing aids work, and we don’t have to live with cataracts. I’ll probably get my eyes done in the next couple of years.

We see our family doctor, dentist, and eye doctor, but specialists are easy to schedule and pay for. We can get the right medication for our pain, so seniors like Katharine can stay active.


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                                                         2.  You continue to learn and develop.  ​

​​Some people say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I don’t believe them. I’m retired, and I’m still learning new things. Sometimes I write about them, like I did for this post.
 
In the last 50 years, we’ve learned more about the brain and how it works. We’ve also discovered what happens to its neuroplasticity as it ages. That’s my new vocabulary word. It’s about how the brain grows and reorganizes its network of nerves. That means our brains can grow and repair themselves over time.
 
That’s great news for you and me, for senior citizens, and for anyone with a head injury! We can still learn…it might take longer than it once did. Using our brains and trying new things, they sharpen our neurons. Remember the author from my source article? Katharine’s 90, and she’s taking Zumba classes and learning French. WOW!


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                     3.  You become more grateful and content. 

​Do you see a glass as half full, or half empty? Many seniors see it as half full, and they choose to stay positive. I’d never heard of the paradox of aging. It says that as we age; our health and abilities get worse. We lose people around us, yet our mental health gets better. Maybe it’s because we feel happier with what we have, instead of disappointed with what’s missing.
 
As I look at my own life, that’s how I feel. The grandmother I’m named after died at age 40. Katharine said “less than 2% of Americans make it to age 90.” That makes them blessed. If you’re a senior, why complain when there’s still time to enjoy whatever time we have left.
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     Tomorrow: living in the present, finding joy in relationships, and a final thought from Katharine.
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                                                                          4. You live in the present moment.

Katharine said it’s especially true for seniors in their late 70s and 80s. They stay focused in the present and rarely think beyond the next 18 months. Her reasoning, life is uncertain, so why bother. I hadn’t thought about it, but I tend to plan for the next week or two, and not much farther.

Another surprise, many seniors don’t dwell on the past. Katharine said they’ve left most of their regrets behind. I feel the same way. There are things I’d have done differently, but if I had the chance I wouldn’t go back and change them. It might change something that I’m happy with.
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Katharine also noted that seniors talk more about sports and TV shows than the past. They focus on little things like taking a walk, looking up at the night sky, or hanging out with friends. I wish I had spent more time doing those simple things, but back then, I was teaching and raising my family. THAT took all my time. 


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                5. What really brings you joy are your relationships.

When I was younger, my life revolved around my job and my family. When the school year ended, I was lucky. I could slow down and focus entirely on my family.
 
Seniors like me are retired. We’re downsizing possessions and responsibilities. We finally have time to enjoy family and friends, especially the young ones.
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When I retired, I lost so many friends, but when I went back to visit, it was different. They’d moved on without me. As I’ve aged, I’ve started to build a new network of friends. Some online; some from volunteer work, and I look forward to the ones I'll make in the future. 


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I’ll end the way I began, with Katharine Esty.
This time her advice is for our young friends who are still working.
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​Katharine said, “Friends, there is much to look forward to as you age,
​ and the research suggests you will be happier, too.”