The art of proactive aging is crucial to a long, happy life.
Gertrude Stein, the celebrated Jewish writer, art collector and iconoclast who rubbed shoulders with the likes of Picasso, Hemingway and Matisse, once said of the aging process, “We are always the same age inside.”
Stein, who lived for a while in Charm City around the turn of the 20th century, might’ve had a good point. In our minds we tend to remain the same individuals, chronologically speaking. But no one ever mentioned that to our physical shells, which become increasingly vulnerable as the years pass by.
Nonetheless, we know that the old adage “Your attitude determines your latitude” is true in the course of the aging process, as confirmed by study after study.
People with positive attitudes about growing older tend to live longer and lead healthier lives, according to a 2022 study of more than 14,000 adults over the age of 50 by Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“There’s a connection between mindsets and health behaviors,” said Dr. Eric S. Kim, an affiliate researcher at the Chan School, in a 2022 article in American Heart Association News. “One leads to the other.”
For our annual “Aging Gratefully” cover package, Jmore offers perspectives from a pair of local Jewish seniors and a geriatric specialist to glean their insights into how best to enjoy one’s twilight years.
Rhythm of Getting Older
Finding purpose is crucial to aging gratefully, says dance therapist and holistic counselor Joyce Wolpert. [Read the full story.]
‘Aging is About Evolution, Not Deterioration’
Jewish Community Services’ Beth Land Hecht shares some thoughts on the aging process and advice for aging gratefully. [Read the full story.]
Risk and Reward
Grappling with the aging process means adopting the right attitude, suggests writer (and senior citizen) Peter Arnold. [Read the full story.]
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