By Nicholas
Click on the pictures or diagrams to enlarge them.
Are older people wiser people? As I have researched this topic, I have become so fascinated that I will produce a few more blogs.
In an earlier blog entitled “Seniors are adaptable” I commended seniors, or if you like “older people” for their ability to cope. I produced an acronym KOPE for Knowledge, Organisation skills, Planning skills and Experience.
Yes, seniors are adaptable because they can KOPE. However, what about wisdom? Wisdom might be defined as knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action (from www.Dictionary.com). I like this definition.
The owl, the wise old scholar of the animal world.
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In many cultures, the owl represents wisdom. These include an association with Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, and appearances in Aesop’s fables.
Here are some more gems, gleaned from http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/aging/aging-process/healthy-aging-pictures.htm#page=2 and well worth a comment.
a) Social engagement helps keep you active and promotes good mental health. It is good to engage with others, and this engagement can be very stimulating.
b) Having a pet can lead to a longer and happier life.
c) Learning a new skill keeps your mind active and can help delay dementia. But don’t forget about your physical health.
d) Diet and exercise are important, but laughter can also help you and your heart feel better.
e) Wisdom is an important gift to younger generations. Memories can become clouded as you age, but there are things you can do to preserve your brain capacity. The older person who has acquired a lot of knowledge and experience in their life journey has a lot to offer the younger generation in a mentoring or teaching role.
Is age a prerequisite for wisdom? We all know elderly people who lack wisdom, while we may know few young people that seem to have lots of wisdom. The simple answer is no it isn’t. However, older people who can K.O.P.E. have more advantages than most younger people.
People certainly aren’t always at peak brainpower in old age; after all, when wrinkles begin appearing on the face, it usually means that wrinkles have started disappearing on the brain. The brain shrinks slightly with age, and aging can lead to a decline in cognitive function.
While philosophers and religious traditions have provided readings on the nature of wisdom for centuries, the concept didn’t become a subject of scientific study until 1950. That’s when psychoanalyst Erik Erikson created an eight-stage theory of the human life cycle.
Erikson’s chart is interesting, and gives us food for thought. I don’t agree with his analysis, but he does outline some interesting stages that do indeed happen.
The area Erikson and myself are most at loggerheads is age of 65 and over. This is not a time of life where ego integrity versus despair, although today’s society can mould life this way. Sixty five and over is a time of life to:
a) Become socially engaged.
b) Enjoy our pets.
c) Learn new skills
d) Have a good diet, exercise well and laugh.
e) Become wise mentors for the younger generation.
During each stage, a person faces an internal struggle that develops different aspects of their personality. For example, an infant’s struggle is the battle between trust and mistrust; when infants feel they can trust those around them, they develop a sense of hope [source.
In Erikson’s last stage, old age, people grapple with the balance between their personal sense of integrity and defeat in the face of death and physical disintegration. It doesn’t need to be a struggle.
If integrity wins out, then the result, according to Erikson, is wisdom.