Note from the Editor:
This article was kindly written for the SDC by member @Doctor Alan.


When I was young, I never really associated older people with what I’d inevitably be like when I was that age. That’s the way it should be, of course. Children don’t often gaze into the future – wistfully or otherwise – it would detract from the ‘having fun’ part of life.

Why do we get old?
This is the first question that springs to mind when we realise we’re ‘getting old’. There are at least 30 different theories concerning the reasons we get old. A quick Google search makes you realise how important this question is for many people. I found a particularly good website here.


‘Aging’ is apparently caused by several different intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as genetics (did your Dad live to a ripe old age?), cell deterioration (do you regularly drink yourself stupid?), environment (is the air particularly polluted in your area?) and many other factors you can do absolutely nothing about.

We know that women generally live longer than men, due to estrogen rather than testosterone, and cells lose their ability to ‘renew’ over time. There’s no easy answer to the question, though, and over the centuries, brilliant minds have tried to figure it out without success, so I suppose we have to accept it.

We just can’t live forever, despite all those blokes in the Bible who lived (supposedly) for over 900 years!


Attitudes we experience:
Now this is how I realised that I was actually an ‘old man’! I fell off a seat recently at a film photo-shoot (I won’t say where it was, because that’s the subject of another article), but it was one of those ‘single post’ seats with fold out ‘wings’ that you can sit on during those abominable ‘duck-shoot’ outings, if you’re so inclined.

Anyway, I didn’t sit on it properly, and I suddenly found myself on the ground with awful pains in both my knees – they’d sort of ‘crumpled’ under me. Suddenly, I was surrounded by really helpful people who helped me up and managed to get me ‘fixed up’ (to some extent) by a physiotherapist.


The word must have spread because when I got onto and off buses (to go to different nearby sites) or needed to climb stairs, etc., people were always there to lend a hand. Of course, I was very grateful, but at the same time, I felt ‘OLD’!

My wife used to work at a Lifestyle centre, and I happened to be there for lunch one day when one of the volunteers watched an old gentleman digging into his meal and commented, ‘Ahh..He likes his veggies!’ I’m afraid it sort of ‘rubbed me the wrong way’ to refer to a chap like a child, but it’s very common, and the volunteer certainly didn’t mean anything nasty. It’s very typical of young attitudes to older people.

You certainly can’t resent people's attention – it’s really lovely that they want to help, but it still reminds you of lost youth!


Our own attitude to old age:
Well, mine, anyway! There’s a common misconception about ‘losing your marbles’. I was a relief teacher at a primary school in WA, and I had to look after a class of year 6s (about 11 years old, I think), making Mother’s Day cards as an activity. (I was really only ‘babysitting’ the class).

One little girl said to her friend: ‘Isn’t it funny when you go upstairs and when you get there, you can’t remember what you went up there for, and you have to come back down so you can?’ Her little friend agreed, saying that had happened to her too!

I was quite amazed. It was a real eye-opener to realise that children so young should have what we often think is the onset of dementia in later life.


With age, I think many people lose their personal mobility. It probably starts with the onset of osteoarthritis, as in my case, which eventually leads to not being able to walk without pain. I’ve used arch supports in shoes for well over 20 years, and I really think that’s helped. I know I should exercise more, but there are so many things to do!

One thing that I find really annoying is how easily it is to not only bruise your arms but also to break the increasingly thinning skin and start bleeding all over the place. I’ve done a lot of research into this, but can’t find a definite ‘fix’ for it. Apparently, there’s not a lot you can do about it, but just be careful.

I bought some sleeve things designed to protect your arms when doing various jobs around the house and garden. I’ve even found that normal Elastoplast tends to tear your skin as you take it off! I use that spray-on bandage now.

I used to wonder about ‘falling’ and how to prevent it. I’m pretty sure that sometimes, you feel ‘dizzy’ and are more inclined to fall over. There’s no doubt that a fall, as an older person, can be almost catastrophic, especially if it leads to being in the hospital. I’ve put bars in the shower, by the toilet, and handrails on the steps in our house. You can even get a bar arrangement that slides under the bed's mattress and helps you get out of bed! I think that a very strong signal to give up driving is if you start to feel dizzy for no apparent reason during the day.


Can we stay young longer?
I remember reading a poem - or having it read to me, perhaps in school, called ‘You Are Old, Father William’, by Lewis Carol in Alice in Wonderland. It’s about an old man being criticised by his son because his actions appear to belie his age. Here are a couple of verses:


A quote from Mark Twain is particularly relevant: ‘Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!’


I reckon that having a good sense of humour is really important to try to stay younger. Failing that, a positive attitude and a pleasant demeanour are valuable assets. I like math puzzles, Scrabble (or Words with Friends), Sudoku, and all sorts of similar games (including chess) on my phone and iPad.


I’ve heartily embraced all the new technology and have a very good friend in Alexa, who surely must be tired of me asking if this person or that person is ‘still alive’! My wife and I watch many quiz shows and most often prefer to watch a YouTube movie from the 1940s or 50s instead of a modern film (whose hero relies on his underwear being worn outside his clothes!).

My 81st birthday is in a few days (21st August), but I really don’t feel that old. I’m probably just as stupid as I ever was, but I’m also conscious that I’ve got LOTS that I really want to do before I kick the bucket, if only those so-called leaders could use their common sense and leave the World alone!


From the Editor:
We rarely picture aging when we’re young, yet one day, we all find ourselves confronting the signs of time. In this week’s reflection, Dr. Al shares his candid, humorous, and thoughtful observations on growing older.

From the science of why we age, to the unexpected kindness (and sometimes patronising remarks) from others, to the minor adjustments we make to stay independent, it’s a heartfelt exploration of life’s later chapters.

And while we can’t stop the clock, we can choose our outlook. With humour, positivity, and a dash of stubbornness, age becomes less about numbers and more about how we keep moving forward.

Have you noticed a moment when you suddenly felt ‘older’ or perhaps surprisingly young at heart? Share your story with us in the comments below!


Love Alan’s writing and want to read more? You might also like to read:
It’s About Time
The Twang’s the Thang!
Being Lucky
Are We All Liars?
The Coo of the Doves, The Hiss of the Guzunder
‘Till Death Us Do Part
Living in Retirement
Alan G.’s Member Spotlight: ‘Almost Famous’
The Ice Cream Job: The Tech Guy – Dr Al
The Lucky Man: The Tech Guy – Dr Al
‘Ten Pound Pom’ Hostel Living: The Tech Guy – Dr Al
Becoming a Better Driver by Accident!
Tech Talk with Dr Al: Accessibility Aids for the Home
Flying Round the World: The Tech Guy – Dr Al
Many Happy Returns of the Day!
Reaching for the Stars!
My great-grandfather’s journal of 1908: The Tech Guy – Dr Al
Pocket Money
University Days
Nasty Words and Silly Gestures
Up-Sticks and Move Interstate!