Front Porch: The ‘truly aged’ aren’t taking life sitting down

Not long ago we were watching a program dealing with some kind of medical thing having to do with people as they age. I don’t even remember what it was about.

The speaker said words about what happens regarding whatever-it-was when you’re in your 50s and then in your 70s, followed by “… and for the truly aged, those 80 and older … blah blah blah.”

“Wait a minute,” said my lovely husband, sitting up abruptly from his cozy reclining position in his La-Z-Boy, and whose 80th birthday is in his rear-view mirror, “what do you mean ‘truly aged?’ ”

He was a little insulted by the tone of the commentary. He’s old, yes. Aged seems a little harsh, but OK. But “truly aged” has an air of unappreciated condescension hanging over it.

We’re not kidding ourselves. Living has more obstacles the older you get. Older machinery breaks down more often. Things are harder and we are frailer as time marches on.

But let’s not wash the octogenarian body out with the tide just yet.

Bruce is a realist whose hearing is subpar and whose back hurts and who can’t do all the physical things with the energy and enthusiasm he did even 10 years ago – in his 70s. But he still works outside the home and continues to do stuff around the house, even if he says, “What did you say?” all day long.

It does not, for him, and for many, look or feel truly aged.

Not to be too sensitive about this, but we’ve seen a certain shift in recent years. We have caring doctors, who take good care of us, but one of them mentioned to Bruce that statistics are no longer being kept for people 80 and above for a particular issue. And certain routine tests aren’t given to those over 80, as well.

Maybe there’s good reason for these things, but there’s a whiff of “no longer significant any more” that accompanies it, not to mention a rather arbitrary classification of what truly aged is.

Thirty-three percent of octogenarians have some difficulty walking, but they still get to where they’re going. And 25% have difficulty getting up out of chairs with ease, but up they get up and off they go.

Many, many, many in their 80s are people who are working for pay or doing volunteer work, are civic-minded and vote, babysit or raising their grandchildren, travel, are members of book clubs and other groups, and share what they’ve learned (should anyone care to listen).

And not to be dismissed, thank you.

Because this is now a brand new year with its own new hopes and opportunities, I’d like to present 80-plus with a cheerful eye and a more positive attitude.

The Society of Actuaries notes that a 65-year-old man of average health today has a 55% probability of living to age 85. A 65-year-old woman, the probability is 65% . Age 90 isn’t just a wild outlier, and 80 is just a marker along the flight path, not the end of the runway.

And good news all around, for reasons I don’t understand, it is said that you are more likely to live longer if you have type O blood (good news for Bruce, not such good news for me).

Getting to and past 80 requires more than luck, so increase your odds by maintaining some physical activity, eating healthy and managing stress. Don’t smoke, be sure you’re getting enough calcium and vitamin D and get a good night’s sleep.

So, all you youngsters out there in your 60s and 70s, chin up. Eighty isn’t necessarily truly aged. Not any more.

And remember, too, what Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “The best tunes are played on the oldest fiddles.”

Voices correspondent Stefanie Pettit can be reached by email at upwindsailor@comcast.net