By Katy Read/Star Tribune/MCT


We’d all love to age gracefully, but it might be easier if we knew what the heck that meant.
Does ageing gracefully mean cheerfully accepting gray hair and other physical changes, the way Barbara Bush (age 87) seemingly does?
Or, on the other hand, does it require staying eternally gorgeous as the years slide by, like Sophia Loren (77)?
Is it keeping a busy schedule of work or public service, like Jimmy Carter (87) or Betty White (90)?
Or being super fit, like 68-year-old champion long jumper Carl Etter? Or maybe it’s gradually slowing down, relaxing, spending time in the garden, enjoying the grandchildren...
Depends on your perspective.
A few years ago, an American company compiled a list of graceful ageing suggestions from customers and staff. They included such time-honoured pieces of wisdom as “get enough sleep”, “exercise”, “get a yearly checkup”, “eat in moderation”, “treat others with respect”.
Those tips, of course, are sound advice for people of any age. Others were a little more specific to older people:
lRealise that although your body deteriorates, your spirit grows stronger if you allow it.
lDress in current styles. By adding a trendy piece to a classic outfit, you will look and feel good.
lMaintain muscle mass, which will protect you from falling.
lCreate milestones and work toward them. No matter how big or small, the journey is a growing experience.
Want more? We decided to ask a few with ties to organisations for older people what “ageing gracefully” means to them.
“Coping with the vicissitudes of ageing with spirit, dignity and humour,” is the succinct summary provided by one.
Another person’s tip is: “Practise acceptance. Know that there’s a very good chance that your mobility will lessen as you age. Think about how you will deal with that so that when that time comes, you can still live fully.”
Graceful ageing, like so many other things, can depend on financial security, notes a third person.
To yet another person, “ageing gracefully” sounds too safe and passive, too much about riding quietly off into the sunset.
Don’t settle for graceful ageing, he says. He encourages people to “age passionately,” pursuing their interests and dreams with the help of loved ones and community resources.
“Think, what are my passions, what are my priorities, how do I get what I want?” he urges. “I understand I’ve got some physical limitations, but I’ve got to find a way to live the way I envision myself living.”