1. Creating your game plan
Optimal Aging
Creating your game plan
Good Morning!
So, this is what a room full of Baby Boomers looks like!? Simply Gorgeous!
Allison Wilder, MS, CTRS
School of Education
Virginia Commonwealth University

2. Our journey this morning…
Spending your most valuable asset-Time
Exposing myths and facts about aging
What is “Optimal Aging?”
Exploring leisure in your life

3. Welcome to the Third Age!
How old is old?
Age is just a number…
Old is a matter of perspective…
The third age is that magical time, It is generally heralded by the arrival of retirement from full-time employment and lasts until the forth age which is marked by increased frailty and dependence. The presence of poverty, debility and isolation can dramatically hinder the attainment of optimal aging.
The expression ‘third age’ appears to originate in France with the development of ‘univerities due troisieme age’. In 1973, the University of Toulouse founded a program of learning for retired people in an effort to encourage healthy functioning in elders through continued learning and physical activity (Glendenning, 2000).
The Third age is marked by: relative health, vigor and engagement on the part of the retired person - The Third Age is the time we’ve been toiling for most of our adult lives- a time to explore, rediscover, and take control of our lives. This is a time to be celebrated!
So, how old is old? At any given time in our lives, we move that number up (remember being 6 and a half?), we proudly embrace that number (remember saying with conviction ‘I am 21’), we move that number down (how many times have you celebrated your 29th birthday?) and eventually we start all over again ( my grandmother boasts, “you know, I’ll be 93 in just two months!)
So, perhaps age is just a number and old is matter of perspective (yours or mine or theirs)- If you ask my grandniece who is 5, anyone over 4 feet tall is old, if you ask my students (most are 18-22) 35 to 40 is when BINGO becomes the most interesting thing to do on Saturday night. If you ask my mother, who is 70, what is old? she smiles and points at my grandmother who is 92- excuse me, 93 in 2 months- She has no trouble accepting herself as old, by the way, she wears her age like a badge of honor. If you ask a gerontologist what is old- they’ll respond “that depends, are you refering to the young-old, the middle-old, the old-old or the oldest-old?”
So old, really is a matter of perspective.
How we age is more a matter of resources. I must emphasize that optimal aging is predicated on some basic assumptions: 1- that one has financial stability 2) one has relatively good health 3)that you had the foresight to pick your parents wisely! You must maintain a balance between your resources (like good genes) and your liabilities (bad habits, environmental pollutants)
How we age is matter of resources…

4. Myths and Facts about Aging
The majority of older people are unable to adapt to change. (False)
In general, older people are pretty much alike. (False)
Over 20% of the US population is currently 65 and older. (False)
The majority of older people are working or would like to have some kind of work to do. (True)
(adapted from “The Facts on Aging Quiz” by E. Palmore, 1998)
Before we go too much further and I lose you to waning effects of your morning coffee- I want you to play along in exploring and exposing some myths and facts about aging. Ready- True or False?
The majority… FALSE- older people have more experience with change, and have experience with significant issues, such as retirement!
IN general…-FALSE- recent studies strongly suggest that as we age we tend to become LESS alike- consider that the more life experiences one has the more unique we become
Over 20%- FALSE- right now persons age 65 and older represent approx. 13% of the US population (~35 million)- by and older age group will comprise approximately 20-21% (70 million+)
Working- TRUE- currently, over 75% of older are either working, (be it paid or volunteer or home-based work) or have a desire to work

5. Myths and Facts about Aging
Approximately 25 % of older people live in a nursing home. (False)
Most older people are no longer able to learn new things. (False)
Over three-fourths of older persons are healthy enough to do their normal activities without help. (True)
Economic Status- FALSE- things are getting better, health income occupation and education measures in older adults, relative to younger adults, is increasing- As time goes on, there will be less and less difference between younger and older adults on these indicators.
Learning- FALSE- we remain capable of learning throughout the lifespan- as we age the speed at which we learn may diminish- So, yes, you can teach an “old dog new tricks”
¾ help- TRUE- In fact over 85% of older persons are quite capable of independently carrying out activities of daily living.

6. Myths and Facts about Aging
Only a very few older people still have life goals. (False)
The majority of older people say they are seldom bored. (True)
The majority of older persons have no interest in, or capacity for, sexual relations. (False)
50 is the new 30. (you decide!)
Goals- FALSE- 94% of the participants in the Berlin Study on Aging had a future orientation and a wide range of goals and in a variety of life domains.
Bored- TRUE- studies show that % of older persons report remaining occupied and engaged
Sex-This is my “get everyone back and tuned in question” it rarely fails! False- while the aging of our bodies may force us to reconsider the physical aspects of sexuality, the power of the mind can more than make up for any physical limitations- remember that sexual intimacy takes many forms and as long we remain desirous we can remain sexually active. And stock in Pfizer probably wouldn’t hurt…
50/30 – So the media has begun to tell us! You can decide for yourself if this even matters…

7. In sum, older people are…
Adaptable
Diverse
A growing demographic
Productive
Healthier, wealthier, and better educated than previous generations
Goal-directed
Active & Engaged

8. Components of Optimal Aging
Stay as healthy as you can
Stay as active as you can
Stay as engaged as you can
Nurture and share your wisdom
My goal is not to enthrall you with multiple theories of how one ages optimally, successfully, productively or well- My goal is encourage you to see that aging well requires conscious, mindful effort AND it is NEVER too late to make adjustments.
Avoid disease- eat well, be proactive in your health care, avoid excess and embrace moderation
Stay physically and mentally active- exercise routinely and challenge your mind (each is a use or lose proposition), try something new, recreate
Stay connected- foster a circle of friends, work, volunteer, be present in your community
Wisdom is difficult to define- Having many years of life experience appears to be a requisite but not sufficient, condition for possessing wisdom
Wisdom is more than a keen intellect, wisdom involves a well developed sense of empathy, tolerance, receptivity, openness, otherness, awareness and perspective
Wisdom is also a willingness to affect and be affected by others-it is an appreciation for interconnectedness
You have much to teach us…

9. Leisure and Optimal Aging
Leisure has historically been defined in terms of :
Time
Activity
Freedom
Do exercise- write down what you think it is- what do your neighbors to your left and your right say it is?
Have audience share
Time= that time which is “left over” after all obligations have been met- we can quickly see the problem here- When was the last time you felt like all your obligations had been met? If the answer is “never” or rarely or fleetingly- your hopes for experiencing leisure look pretty dim…The opposite may also be true- if most of your time is “unobligated” as you might experience in retirement- there is no guarantee that your days are now filled with leisure
As Activity- Perhaps you have spouse or friend who loves to run long distances or hike tall mountains, or sit quietly and “work” on intricate hobbies- if the only you time you’d contemplate running is if a large scary animal was bearing down on you, you would not be likely to call jogging or running a pleasurable or “leisurely activity”. Since so many activities could serve the function of leisure, defining Leisure in terms of specific activities is too helpful- Leisure is not an activity but rather a process which involves some specific act.
As freedom- in this context -freedom – leisure can be conceptualized as the “absence of the necessity of being occupied” this gives rise to thinking of leisure as meaning being unhurried, tranquil, or not concerned with time- it the condition of perceived freedom- carrying out any activity without constraint or compulsion.

10. “Leisure is in the eye of the beholder”
A consensus definition of leisure is impractical if not impossible…
If leisure is in the eye of the beholder, the door is opened to the pursuit of many activities for the purpose of experiencing leisure-
To experience leisure is not to simply experience distraction or diversion (though it may be for some)- to experience leisure is to experience the freedom to choose your actions, to feel a sense of challenge and mastery, to experience a motivation that comes from the sheer joy and fulfillment of participation, and to have the power to exercise control and influence within the experience, or to simply feel free to engage in the pursuits of your choosing- with the anticipation that the experience will bring you the emotions, and fulfillment you were seeking.
Let’s try something- make a list of all the recreational activities that you’ve done in the past month (if that’s a short list, go back one year!)
Now, place a check mark next to those recreational activities that allowed or enabled you to feel free, in control, challenged, motivated, “in the zone”
As you think about your upcoming retirement, you may have some anxiety about how you will “spend your time”
Look at your check marks, are there many or are there few?
If there are many- you are going to have a blast in your retirement
If there are few- you are going to have the opportunity to explore what the people who have a lot of checks already know- the experience of leisure allows us to experience , exhilaration, competency, mastery, catharsis, connectedness and joy.

11. Rethinking the role of leisure in your life
What does your work “do” for you?
What does your leisure “do” for you?
What will “replace” your work?

12. What are the benefits of Leisure?
It impacts your health
It is a gateway to meaningful engagement
It is mechanism for maintaining connectedness
It can be a means for financial gain
It is a way to meet a host of psychological needs
Health- Health is not simply the absence of disease, but is best understood as also including elements of physical, mental and social well-being- As we age, we must challenge the notion that all we have to look forward to is decline in health- as we age we must turn our attention to using, nourishing and maximizing our capacities- Retirement offers the opportunity to turn our attention to our own health and well-being, perhaps for the first time in our lives…
In the physical realm, Leisure offers many opportunities to get moving, to get stronger, more flexible and more agile-
In the social realm it offers the chance to reconnect with friends and family, or to discover and cultivate new friends and relationships
In the mental realm, leisure offers us unlimited ways to challenge our minds, develop our intellect, expand our knowing
In the spiritual realm, leisure offers a pathway to nourish our sole and recharge our sense of place and meaning in the world- recall your last mindful walk through and with nature- or the joy of fellowship with neighbors, friends or family…
Research conducted by the Center for the Advancement of Health, concluded that “ lifestyle choices are crucial to successful aging. Exercising, making friends, and engaging in activities are the 3 most powerful determinants of health and functioning in seniors”
DAYS WITHOUT PURPOSE ARE ENDLESS
Involvement in leisure offers an excellent bridge between the world of work and the world of retirement. Entering retirement will not automatically shut off your need to be productive. However, many of you will experience some anxieties as you contemplate who are when you no longer define yourself by your work. There is no need to fear endless, mindless days of meaningless diversions and boredom. Engaging in Mindful or Serious Leisure, which is the instrumental use of leisure to reach personal goals, to enhance personal identity and self-esteem, to self-actualize, is an immediately available option as you plan your retirement.
Leisure is an excellent tool for you to explore the limits of your potential, to expand your sense of self physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally.
Take a moment to think about your own social circle… If you remove the social opportunities related to work, what does your social circle look like? Leisure opens many doors to creating or developing new or more in-depth social relationships, built around the things that interest and fulfill you- sound like fertile ground for fostering valued relationships
Yes, hobbies can become a source of income, so can an interest in coaching, or natural interpretation, or master gardening. Looking at your passions within leisure can actually reveal new career paths- believe me, there’s nothing better than being completely jazzed by your work. I can recall my mom really scratching her head when I informed her that I would be pursuing a career in recreation and leisure services. After many years of singing the virtues of leisure, I think she’s finally decided that maybe I made the right choice!
Ask yourself if you anticipate having any of the follow needs once your retire: Self-expression? Companionship? Power? Compensation? Security? Service to others? Solitude?
Now, think about how you intend to address meeting these needs once you retire- if have historically used work to fulfill these needs, it’s now time to consider some alternatives. To be sure, many of you plan to retire from VCU, but do not intend to stop working altogether. Now is the time to think about the ways you will spend your most valuable asset- your time…

13. Re-conceptualize Leisure
Leisure as freedom from …. TO
Leisure as freedom to…
Retire to something, rather than
from something

14. Becoming a “Leisurite”
Be prepared to invest some effort
Learn new leisure skills or advance your capabilities within existing leisure activities
Learn about opportunities
Commit to “Just do it”
I am going to go out on limb and assume that I have you at least contemplating how you will use your leisure to make your life all you imagined it would be once you were free from necessity of full time employment.
So, how does a person who has worked 40, 50, 60+ hours a week for the vast majority of their life suddenly become “good” at leisure?
Invest some effort in understanding your own needs related to leisure? We spend our whole lives figuring out who we want to be in our work lives, we seldom receive the same kind of encouragement to understand who we are within leisure.
Explore what kind of activities interest you, excite you, bore you, scare you, fulfill you
Explore who your preferred social dynamic- in what social situations are you happiest?- family, friends, strangers, large groups, small groups, one or two other people, teams, alone?
Explore what makes you happy? Is it facing new challenges (variety is the spice of life) is it sticking with something until you have mastered it (anything worth doing is worth doing right), is it less the activity and more the people? In short, what makes you “tick” when it comes to leisure?
What about your finances- can you afford to travel abroad, take up skiing, golf?
Take a leisure inventory or motivation test to get a better sense of yourself and your attitudes toward leisure- It will be impossible to find the right experiences if you don’t have some basic awareness of your needs related to leisure.
Learning, hopefully, never stops- it may sound foreign to prioritize your learning to include leisure experiences- but most of us have had little time to invest in such learning, now that you will have the time- invest in leisure skill building.
What’s available in your community? If your community will be Richmond, your in great shape- the opportunities are abundant. Begin your exploration with the familiar – what’s going on at VCU that you can take advantage of? What’s happening in your local parks and recreation program? What about Edlerhostel or other learning and travel organizations? How about the community college? YMYWCA? Your church, synagogue, mosque or temple? Consult a leisure counselor- this can be great way to get started developing your leisure lifestyle.
Lastly, you’ve got to get and do it! You’ve worked your entire life to get to this precious, exciting, exhilarating point in your life. You’ve earned the opportunity to work for yourself- I am not suggesting your eschew all responsibility and become a pleasure-seeking, flip-flop wearing hedonist (though I think that might be fun for a little while)- What I do recommend is that you exploit this opportunity to shape your own well-being and that you mindfully and purposefully explore how leisure can help get you there, wherever “there” is for you.
Leisure is an integral and key component to optimal aging and feelings of life satisfaction - how well you do relative to experiencing a well-being is a measure of how well prepared you are to assume and maintain responsibility for your own enjoyment, health, satisfaction, and engagement.
Begin cultivating your leisure lifestyle today!

15. Closing thoughts on work
“Your mental health will be better if you have lots of fun outside the office.”
Dr. William Menninger

16. Closing thought on growing older…
“Vitality, creativity, significant contribution, and social distinction are not the exclusive province of the young and middle aged.”
George Maddox

17. Closing thoughts on Leisure
“Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good plays, good company, good conversation- what are they?
They are the happiest people in the world.” William Lyon Phelps

18. Closing thoughts on Leisure
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, We grow old because we stop playing” Anonymous

19. Creating your game plan
Optimal Aging
Creating your game plan
Good Morning!
So, this is what a room full of Baby Boomers looks like!? Simply Gorgeous!
Allison Wilder, MS, CTRS
School of Education
Virginia Commonwealth University