Aging With Dignity...

Aging with dignity is really about self respect...

From the day we come into this world 'till the day we die we are aging. How we age is the important thing. Do we do so with dignity?

When we think of aging with dignity we seem to think of dying with dignity. We have thoughts of dementia, nursing homes, palliative care.

In other words our main concern is with dying.

What about aging positively and living with dignity?

The very old are not the only ones who would like to have some dignity in their lives. What about the person who has been in middle management and is now redundant? maybe he or she are in their fifties. What kind of a wallop has their dignity taken?

What about the person whose life's partner has died or been put into a "home for the bewildered", or someone who has just retired and found that it was not as easy as they thought to make the transition from being a very important cog in the wheel of industry to being just another retiree, with a pension and a gold watch.

The latter is still a very common part of the retirement process.
Is there a touch of symbolism there?

It's a well documented fact that people who have just retired are very often at the lowest point in their lives, esteem wise.

People who have aspirations for aging with dignity vary from individuals in their middle age to old age. Deep down inside most of them want to continue to live with dignity throughout our lives... whatever our age.

Self respect, self esteem and morale are some of the most important ingredients involved in dignity. There is no age limit at either end of the spectrum where these qualities are not needed. Because of the way society views the process of aging, we cannot expect to be treated as we would like to be. That does not mean that we are forgotten, or that we are seen as lesser citizens.

I think that we have to change the way we see ourselves and the way we want to be seen as a very important part of society with something really worthwhile to offer.

As the great Mark Twain said... "Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."

Read More About Aging With Dignity And Self Esteem!