Hello, and welcome to Late Life Insights: A series of short, informational pieces on all things aging. I’m Dr. Lisa Rill, your friendly social gerontologist and Executive Director of Senior Life Source. Today’s topic is misconceptions about aging.

1. Older adults in good health is the result of good genetics.
   • While healthy aging starts at birth with our genetic inheritance, only approximately 25% of the diversity in longevity is explained by genetic factors. The other 75% is largely the result of the cumulative impact of our interactions with our physical and social environments, which shape behaviors and exposures across the life course.

2. The only predictor of good health as an older adult is the absence of disease.
   • Although older adults are likely to experience multiple health conditions at the same time, many are still able to continue doing the things that are important to them. The combination of a person’s physical and mental capacities (known as intrinsic capacity) is another predictor of their health and wellbeing in addition to the presence or absence of disease.

3. All older adults are the same.
   • The older adult population is characterized by great diversity. Experts in aging often emphasize this by saying, “If you’ve seen one 85-year-old, you’ve seen one 85-year-old.” The members of the Baby Boom generation span nearly 20 years and represent a diverse group of people whose experiences, values, and life stages vary not only from preceding generations, but also from each other.

4. Most older adults will end up in a nursing home.
   • Although an estimated 70% of people 65 and older will require some kind of assistance in a long-term care community, their stay will likely be short term. Roughly 5% live in a nursing home for their remaining years.

5. Depression is common among older adults.
   • Depression is not a normal part of aging. On the contrary, many studies have found that older adults are among the happiest age group. Happiness levels by age tend to follow a U-shaped curve, with self-reported levels of happiness at their lowest at age 40, but then growing thereafter.

6. Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease are the same thing.
   • Dementia is a general term used to describe memory loss and other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common type of dementia, but there are many others, such as Parkinson’s Disease, Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Down Syndrome, and Huntington’s Disease. The Alzheimer’s Association provides detailed descriptions of the various types of dementias.

7. Most older adults will experience some form of Dementia, such as Alzheimer’s Disease.
   • Dementia is not a normal part of aging. The truth is that verbal/math abilities and abstract reasoning can actually increase with age. Although the risk of dementia grows as people get older, it is not inevitable, and many people live into their 90s and beyond without the significant declines in thinking and behavior that characterize dementia. Occasionally forgetting an appointment or losing your keys are typical signs of mild forgetfulness, which is common at any age. The key to strengthening one’s mind is to engage the brain. Physical exercise and social interaction are also important factors that can contribute to keeping the brain active and sharp.

8. An individual’s Chronological Age (age in terms of years, months, and days since birth) is the best indicator to determine when someone is considered to be old.
   • When determining old age there is more to it than just a number. Functional age takes into consideration multiple factors, other than the day you were born, such as how an individual looks and what they can do. Within this context, a person becomes old when they experience physical changes in the body and are no longer able to perform the major roles of adulthood in their society.
   • Have you ever met someone in their late 60’s who exercises regularly and has the physical conditioning of someone in their 30’s, while someone of the same age requires extensive care and support for basic activities like dressing and eating? Or have you ever heard that some 80-year-olds have levels of mental capacity that compare favorably with 20-year-olds, while others experience severe memory loss, such as Alzheimer’s Disease. These are examples of determining functional age among older adults.          

9. Older adults contribute little to society.
   • Older workers have a strong work ethic with years of personal skills and professional expertise. They can be great mentors and role models for younger generations. They also contribute to their communities through volunteering, providing companionship, philanthropy, assisting small businesses, and even have been known to start second or third careers.

10.  Older adults have a decreasing libido and lack sexual desires.
    • This myth has persisted largely due to the infrequent discourse on sexual activity and sexual health among older adults. Research has found 1) that sexual activity and enjoyment tends not to decrease with age, and 2) there is an association between positive sexual activity and overall well-being, in that sexual activity and feeling emotionally close to one’s partner were associated with greater enjoyment of life in both men and women age 50 and older.

Thank you for joining me for Late Life Insights from Senior Life Source, where we provide education on aging for all ages.

Lisa Rill, PhD

Executive Director, Senior Life Source