First, the whole concept of living a very long time is a comparatively new one. Back in 1900, if you lived to be 45, you truly were an elder. Thanks to the eradication of childhood diseases, and the development of wonder drugs the current chronological age that’s considered to be old is 85.
     I think old age is really a state of mind. Its defined by the way we feel and that in turn is largely determined by the state of our physical health. Studies have shown that most reasonably healthy Americans feel 17 years younger than their actual age.  
     A marker of old age can also be an inactive life style. It is my belief,  that in the not too distant future, we may be defined not by our chronological age, but by the stage we’re in in our life cycle. I also think a brand new model will replace the traditional pattern of human development: education, work, than leisure/retirement. Education, work and leisure will be interspersed repeatedly throughout one’s life. It will become normal for 50 year-olds to go back to school and 70 year-olds to start new careers.   
       The present reality, however, is that the goal of an ageless culture is something that still needs to be achieved.  We are still categorized and stereotyped according to our age. In fact, our society continues to perpetuate all kinds of myths about aging. I’d like to set the record straight about a few of them.
        One prevalent myth that Douglas K. Powell talks about in his book, The Nine Myths of Aging, is that older Americans tend to be pretty much alike. The truth is our country is experiencing a rapid increase in the both ethnic and racial diversity of its seasoned citizens.  There is also a greater spread in physical and mental abilities among older Americans than there is in the rest of the population. While some older Americans are in declining health, a significant number of them are able to function physically and mentally as well as their younger counterparts. The proof of how well America’s new breed of seasoned citizens is functioning shows up in the numbers who are residing in nursing homes. It’s just four percent.
      What about the myth that most older Americans live far away from their
children?  While its true that most children live away from their parents, the average distance is 10 miles. When it comes to moving to a warmer climate when people retire, the latest trend finds older Americans downsizing their home, and remaining fairly close to the community in which they’ve spent their adult years. 
     There is also the myth that equates being older with being poor.
The facts show that only a little over ten percent of this country’s elders live in poverty. Here are a few amazing statistics from The Council on the Aging about the wealth of senior households. In total, they control half the nation’s discretionary income and own three-quarters of all the financial assets. They will leave their children and grandchildren an astonishing inheritance of ten trillion dollars in cash and assets.
     Another common myth is the older you get, the more set you become in your ways. The truth is people’s vocabulary, conceptual and creative skills often grow after age 60. The fastest growing segment of our population to take up the computer - with relish, I might add - is seniors. Speaking of creativity Pablo Casals was doing concerts at 88, Michelangelo was carving masterpieces at 89, and Winston Churchill wrote a book, History of the English-Speaking Peoples, when he was 83.
     What about the often-quoted saying, when you get older memory is the first to go? We now know that other mental capacities such as spatial skills, processing speed, and multitasking decline before memory. Many of these skills can be easily compensated for.
      What about the myth that older people become grouchy as they age? The only truth to that is if you were grouchy when you were young you will most likely be grouchy when you’re older.
     Finally, I’m delighted to dispel the myth that people’s sex drives decline dramatically as they age. A recent study by the National Council on the Aging found that half of all seniors surveyed are still sexually active and forty percent would like sex more often. There is no biological clock that signals an end to sexual feelings, desires, and abilities.         
        In conclusion, old simply isn’t what it used to be. I believe old age is not a number, not a condition or disease but a choice. One you don’t have to make. Instead take responsibility for your physical and mental health and live an ageless lifestyle.