By Peggy Sue McRae, Journal contributor
As the author of “Island Senior” and a senior citizen myself I keep my antenna out for news about aging. In the past week the name Becca Levy came to my attention twice. First in an article by San Juan Island’s own Susan Grout, “Small Town Therapist on Aging Well,” Susan’s article, now posted on the Mullis Center’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mulliscenter), references Levy’s research on how our positive or negative perceptions about aging impact how we age.
Then in an article by Judith Graham on the Blue Zones webpage, (The Blue Zones: https://www.bluezones.com/2024/04/can-your-beliefs-about-aging-impact-health-and-longevity) “Can Your Beliefs About Aging Impact Health and Longevity?” Graham shares excerpts from her interview with Becca Levy. In the interview, Levy states, “Compared with other factors that contribute to longevity, age beliefs had a greater impact than high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and smoking.” This striking statement grabbed my attention by the lapels. Levy has research to back this up. I now have the audio version of Levy’s book, Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live on hold through Libby library service.
Examining my own beliefs about aging I look first to my own grandparents. They were resourceful, creative people. Granddad created magically whimsical artifacts in his woodshop. He made us stilts and taught us how to walk on them. Grandma made braided rugs out of old stockings and Christmas stars out of tin cans. She made us button bracelets on crocheted elastic thread. I only wish I still had one of those! They both eventually suffered long slow cognitive decline.
Obviously, our physical health has a lot to do with how well we age but it isn’t the entire picture. Our bodies are finite and eventually, one way or another, will fail. I think it may behoove us to take the words of Charles Darwin to heart when he said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
I think of Georgia O’Keeffe who at 87 and with failing eyesight took up ceramics following her legendary career as a painter. O’Keefe had the courage and determination to adapt her artistic expression to a new medium plus she had the devoted support and assistance of her friend, sculptor Juan Hamilton. The importance of support cannot be overlooked.
According to Levy, our internalized beliefs about aging are mostly unconscious and formed in childhood. While we may have unconsciously absorbed plenty of negative messaging regarding aging the good news is we can change our beliefs. One tactic Levy recommends is to create a portfolio of positive role models for aging well. Starting my positive elder role model portfolio with Georgia O’Keefe, Queen Elizabeth II, Willie Nelson, and The Golden Girls comes to mind. Who would you choose to be in your positive elder role model portfolio?
