Strategies for successful and active aging in the future.

Strategies for successful and active aging in the future..

INTRODUCTION. "Ageing" is commonly used to refer to the process by which people become older with age, but it has wider use in the social sciences, where it is often used to refer to the process of getting older and the effect of that process on a person’s identity, sense of well-being, and sense of purpose (Jayanthi et al., 2010)..

Major concerns about aging.. Aging occurs over time and causes the physical and mental changes that make us humans unique..

The biopsychosocial model.

Biological, psychological and social concerns regarding seniors in the Caribbean according to Rawlins (2010). Biological Psychological Social Health Issues-Serious & Chronic Illness (alzheimer's , dementias) Long-term hospitalisation. Negative stereotypes. End of life decisions. Feelings of loneliness & unhappiness. Intergenerational Cooperation. Financial Security Issues. Pension. Family Interactions Health Care Costs Safety and security. Efficient Care Givers. Homelessness Poverty Caregiving issues..

The phrase “Successful aging” has grown in popularity over the past few decades. At some point in life, people become concerned about aging and want to know what to expect, what to avoid, and ways to adapt..

Active aging is a term used to describe the maintenance of positive subjective well-being, good physical, social, and mental health, and continued involvement in one’s family, peer group, and community throughout the aging process. It is defined by the (World Health Organization [WHO] 2002) as “the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance the quality of life as people age.” Fonda (2011) also stresses that though everything follows the process of entropy (lack of order or predictability), eventually declining, an exception exists, and it is the human spirit, which is always ascending, growing in wisdom and enlightenment..

Active Ageing Cont.. Fonda (2011) highlighted a few points in active aging which include : Muscle weakening, but writing becoming stronger. Losing speech, however, gaining a voice through writing or other means. Although everything follows the process of entropy (lack of order or predictability), eventually declining, an exception exists, and it is the human spirit, which is always ascending, growing in wisdom and enlightenment. Therefore, with age, older individuals become more self-aware and reflexive as time passes, where they gain the ability to reflect on their prior experiences and alter their emotions according to their mood Fonda (2011) ..

Life Review. Life review encourages senior citizens to examine how their lives have been affected by the following aspects: (NallN, 2018). The influence of parents, teachers, and peers; The relations their family members have had; Their relations with themselves and with others, both in their family and in the larger society; The impact of their experiences on their sense of self today; The contribution their experiences have made to their life..

Life Review Cont. “Life review is not confined to tying up loose ends and putting one’s psychological house in order Garland & Garland (2001). "It begins by examining your early childhood years and moves into old age according to Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development (Mcleod, 2007). It involves thinking about your parents, siblings, teachers, and peers as they have shaped your life. It helps people reflect on what they have learned from past experiences and on how those experiences have or have not shaped the way they live today. This type of therapy is very helpful for building a sense of peace and empowerment. It is used to help people review their lives and difficult memories..

Strategies for life reviews.. NARRATIVE OR STORY TELLING STRATEGY Narrative therapy is a therapeutic technique that uses narratives to encourage reflection on the past, present, and future (Abels & Abels, 2001) Narrative therapy is also used to address challenges in relationships, the workplace, and the family, in addition to psychiatric ones. A social worker can assists the individual in telling his or her life story by teaching the client to use his or her own words to describe his or her their experience. The purpose of therapy is to assist the patient develop insight and equip him or her with skills to improve their capacity to deal with life (LeBlanc, 2006)..

Strategies for life reviews.. MEMOIR STRATEGY A memoir is a book or other piece of writing about a person's life experiences (Cambridge Dictionary, 2022). Hemstra (2001) posited that memoirs are vital in enabling individuals to do self-assessment and reflection. Social workers can encourage seniors to write memoirs to help them reflect on life experiences. Memoirs provide emotional benefits to seniors and restores their gratitude for their abilities and accomplishments. Memoirs aid in self analysis and goal settings. Through self-reflections on past experiences, seniors will recognize what they have not accomplished and set goals to move forward..

Strategies for life reviews.. MEDITATION AND REFLECTIVE JOURNALING STRATEGY According to Mayo Clinic (2020), meditation has many benefits for individuals which includes enabling them to focus on the present, increase imagination, creativity, patience and tolerance, lower resting heart rate and blood pressure and improve the quality of sleep. Reflective journaling helps seniors record life experiences, improve cognition and manage stress (Seniors Guide Staff, 2019). The Gibbs Model of Reflection, developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988, will be used during therapy sessions to encourage seniors to engage in methodical reflection on their experiences during a particular situation, event, or activity. The elderly will be encouraged to practice reflective journaling during meditation sessions as they reflect on their life experiences. Both meditation and reflective journaling will help seniors gain perspective on any circumstances..

Strategies for life reviews.. REMINISCING STRATEGY According to Klever (2013), reminiscence is a common and naturally occurring mental process in which previous events, especially unresolved conflicts, are reintegrated into life. Butler contends that reminiscence frequently has therapeutic effects. It provides the person with the chance to discuss their past and previous issues (as cited by Klever, 2013). The reminiscing process allows older people to examine their history and modify their life objectives and plans, which has been demonstrated to improve their health and quality of life. It enables older people to recognise prior achievements and retain a balanced viewpoint that incorporates the whole range of life experience. This approach enables the social worker to support the client in assessing their present situation and planning for future goals and achievements, which often improves life quality and well-being..

Strategies for life reviews.. PSYCHOANALYSIS STRATEGY The primary aim of psychoanalysis is to explore a person's unconscious thoughts, feelings, desires, and memories(Mcleod, 2019). Through this process, the therapist aims to uncover past memories that are causing current symptoms and emotions that are causing individual issues in their life Freud believed it to be the final stage of development and argued that it allowed the individual to come to terms with the end of life or to resolve problems that had been building up since childhood and adolescence (Mcleod, 2019). Therefore, social workers help clients understand the purpose and meaning of their lives, fulfill their potential, and move on to the next chapter. The primary goal of psychoanalytic therapy is to improve the client’s ability to process information and express themselves in healthy, functional ways..

Life reviews are essential for seniors to let go of transgressions, heal and transition into their third act. Social workers can facilitate this process through narrative or story-telling, memoirs, meditation, and reflective journaling strategies. With the help of these strategies, seniors will concentrate on their strengths and resources within their system so they can make critical decisions/plans on how to move forward into their ‘third act’ of successful ageing..

Let us examine how social workers can assist elderlies to make critical decisions/plans on how to move forward into their ‘third act’ of successful aging..

The Third Act. According to Walsh (2018), the third act is about living life to the fullest when you are 65 years of age or older. It is about spending time with oneself, not living up to the expectations of others, but rather living for oneself and achieving satisfaction. The third act consists of being entirely pleased with where you are in life right now as opposed to where you were before. The social worker through the various strategies identified can assist clients in living joyful lives in the present rather than dwelling on the past..

The Third Act Cont.. The third act of life is about the pursuit of wisdom, self-actualization, and leaving some kind of legacy. It is about accepting our flaws and use that self-knowledge constructively to better ourselves. As we continue to learn and grow, discovering new passions and new ways of living that enrich our lives. This is also about ways in which we connect with our loved ones throughout the course of our lives and learn to be more ourselves. Seniors continue to learn and grow, discovering new passions and new ways of living that enrich our lives. The third act consists of being entirely pleased with where you are in life right now as opposed to where you were before. The social worker can assist clients in living joyful lives in the present rather than dwelling on the past and accept the beauty of ageing as a source of opportunity and fortitude..

Plans on how to move forward into their ‘third act’ of successful aging.

Plans on how to move forward into their ‘third act’ of successful aging.

Plans on how to move forward into their ‘third act’ of successful aging.

Plans on how to move forward into their ‘third act’ of successful aging.

Plans on how to move forward into their ‘third act’ of successful aging.

CONCLUSION. Aging is an inevitable process and with it comes various biological, psychological and social challenges such as health issues, loneliness and family dysfunctions. Social workers should collaborate with senior citizens to formulate strategies that would enable them to do life reviews. Life reviews provide a framework to examine one’s life and the manner in which it has shaped and been shaped by the experiences of the past. These strategies include narrative or story telling, memoir, meditating and reflective journaling, reminiscing and psychoanalysis. Additionally, the strategies are vital in decision making and the formulation of plans to enable seniors to move forward into their third act. Moreover, these plans will be inclusive of several aspects of life like mobility, medical, socialization, happiness and fulfilling their bucket list..

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