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Aging brings on a lot of change, not all of it positive. While older people in general report increased happiness as they age, that positive attitude may often come from a place of loss and struggle. Aging can mean lost friends, declining health, loneliness, and dealing with struggles that others don’t see.
We’re encouraged by culture and media to “age gracefully” or “age well,” often in the context of exercise and diet. But dealing with the emotional impact of those changes often isn’t talked about as much, and it can be difficult for men to find the space to acknowledge and process those feelings.
Physical Changes
Of all the changes brought on by aging, the physical consequences are likely the most well-known. Aging in men brings on a drop in testosterone, probable hair loss, weight gain, and changes in sexuality.
Many of these symptoms, though natural and inevitable, are often treated like jokes in popular culture, which can be discouraging. Although men tend to worry less about aging than women, it can still be challenging to deal with the emotional fallout of getting older.
Emotional Changes
Contrary to popular belief, men don’t automatically achieve a sense of tranquility as they age. Anxiety over health, mental faculty, mobility, and finances are all normal. Men may experience frustration if they find they haven’t achieved the happiness that supposedly comes with getting older.
Much of the time, the “happiness” that comes with getting older comes from having increased emotional coping skills, brought on by experience. But just because you’ve learned to focus more on the positive and navigate your emotions more steadily doesn’t mean it’s easy, or that life events won’t hit you hard when they come. It’s important to keep working on your emotional intelligence as time goes on, instead of expecting it to happen naturally.
Financial Changes
Of all the changes brought on by the march of time, the financial ones may be among the easiest to bear. Whether through inheritance or the rewards of a successful career, the later years are often more financially stable than the uncertainties of youth. Assets gain value. Your insurance rates are likely to drop steadily until you reach the age of 65.
But that doesn’t mean that aging is all sunshine and roses, financially speaking. As with many effects of aging, a decline in financial skills is often treated as a source of humor by our culture — making fun of the elderly for falling for common internet scams being a common theme.
But a decline in financial skills as one ages is a very real thing, and is often a sign of greater cognitive issues. A decline in financial skills has been linked to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
But a decline in money skills isn’t the only financial consequence of aging. Being on a fixed income, health care and nursing home costs, financial abuse from family or friends are all very real and can present significant challenges to aging men.
Even retirement can bring on its own challenges, as it means a change in routine and having to maintain a sense of purpose without the focus of a career.
Social Changes
Changes in your social life are also an inevitable side effect of aging. These changes can include:
- Increased loneliness as one loses friends and social opportunity due to mobility issues, death of loved ones, and other factors.
- A decrease in perceived social standing. As one ages out of the most marketable demographics, it can be easy to start to feel invisible to the culture at large. This can lead to feelings of isolation and make connecting with others more difficult.
- Health and cognitive issues can be isolating and debilitating, making social interactions more difficult to find and maintain.
Loneliness is a very real problem in men over 55. That loneliness is often stigmatized, and men are expected to remain silent about it. But that doesn’t do much to address the issue.
What You Can Do
Aging can bring on an overwhelming array of challenges, especially if there aren’t strong support systems in place to help combat those challenges. But that doesn’t mean all is lost. There are very real things you can do to address these problems, which are less about “aging gracefully” than turning to meet your obstacles head-on.
- Take care of your health. Even if you’ve gone your whole life without paying much attention to diet and exercise, it’s not too late. Even small changes in nutrition and activity level can make a big difference in your appearance, happiness, and health.
- Cultivate relationships where you can. Finding activities outside of work can be challenging, but not impossible. Staying connected with family, friends, and colleagues will become more important than ever. Do what you can to keep those relationships strong.
- Have a plan. One of the most powerful tools in combating financial insecurity is getting organized. If you don’t have a retirement plan, now’s the time to start. Don’t be afraid to get help from your financial institution or adviser.
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This content is sponsored by Ryan Kh.
Photo: iStockPhoto.