I recently read about disaster relief efforts during the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, and the important role that the Japanese elders played by taking a leadership role. They built a local shelter, grew vegetables, and provided food for young and old alike. This story reminded me of a truth that we often forget: we are never too old to do hard things.
There is no shortage of stories about seniors who have accomplished hard things. Gladys Burrill started marathon training at age 86 and finished the Honolulu Marathon at age 92. Laura Ingalls Wilder published Little House in the Big Woods at age 65 and her final book at age 76. Peter Mark Roget was a successful doctor and inventor, but he is best known for Roget’s Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, published when he was 73.
"Hard" Is a Relative Term
These stories inspire us but they can also be daunting. Personally, I can't imagine training for a marathon at my age. Even publishing a book seems like a reach. Yet I just graduated from USC with an MS in Gerontology--45 years after completing my BS. (Yes, I was the only kid in my class on Medicare.) "Hard" is a relative term because what seems insurmountable to one person is easy for another. The common denominator in all these stories is a keen interest in something, combined with the right mindset: "yes I can" vs. "I can't because."
Our Own Ageist Beliefs Limit Us
While ageism is rampant in our society, it is not just external feedback but also our internal self-talk which limits what we can do. Dr. Becca Levy, author of Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long & Well You Live, cites the following:
“More than 20 years of research show that people with more positive perceptions of aging remember better, walk better, and even live longer, with an average increased life expectancy of 7.5 years.”
Below are examples of older adults doing hard things within our own Zing community.
Joan (San Francisco, CA). At the start of the pandemic, Joan, a retired executive in her 70s, joined forces with three other business leaders to organize Bay Area volunteers to sew and distribute face masks for the most vulnerable populations. Their initiative, called "It Takes a Village," delivered 245,000+ face masks and 52,000+ face shields to 100 safety net hospitals, community health centers, and food banks in underserved areas with the support of 500+ intergenerational volunteers.
Lily (Palo Alto, CA). Lily, now in her 80s, has been teaching yoga for decades, but in the midst of the pandemic she learned how to use Zoom to teach her classes. She not only helped seniors stay flexible but also helped them connect to one another via her sessions.
Pam (Oak Park, IL). Pam, a successful non-profit leader in adult education, became an environmental activist after retiring in her 70s. She is now a certified Climate Reality Leader in Chicago and is leading the initiative in Illinois to electrify public transit.