Is 70 Really the New 50?
More and more, I’m hearing that 70 is the new 50. Since I’m currently 70, I’m just delighted to learn of this. Of course, there always will be detractors when good news comes calling. A friend disagreed, telling me that, in reality, 70 is the new 69. Oh well, I’m going to run with this idea and see where it takes me.
There’s even a book recently published carrying just that title -Â 70: The New 50 - authored by a gentleman named William C. Byham; Ph.D. I’m not excited enough to buy it, since it deals with the employment landscape for older workers and how employers might be well advised to retain or hire seasoned talent.
I’m not interested, and please don’t offer me a job. On the other hand, I roundly applaud any shift in the mindset of employers and human resources departments toward honoring older employees by continuing to value their contributions. Far too much age discrimination continues to pervade the employment sector.
Let’s get back to the “New 50″. Not too long ago I went to a new dentist, a younger fellow, and filled out the obligatory medical history for new patients. After I’d settled back in the chair, he mentioned, very gently, that I had neglected to fill in the medications I was taking. I told him I had left it blank because I’m not taking medications. He seemed a little embarrassed and said he just (ahem) thought that given my age, it simply goes with the territory, and he had to know in case he needed to prescribe something for me.
Now, plenty of people who are 50 are taking medications. I just happen to have been fortunate to have had good enough health not to require anything other than short term palliatives from time to time.
I can’t say that I take any extraordinary measures when it comes to my health. About the only really good thing I’ve done is give up smoking, alcohol and some highly questionable substances many years ago. Some may think that’s not such a good thing. Nevertheless, it may give me a license to claim that I’m a good ambassador, so far, for the 70 being the new 50 set.
For me, aging is not the struggle I thought it would be when I was younger. I know I could be in for a rude awakening. I have a lot of friends who have not been so fortunate. But, if 70 is the new 50, I’ll take it.
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Tags: age, Age Discrimination, aging population, Aging Process, Anti Aging, Baby Boomers, senior citizens, seniors
