Embrace Age with a Longevity Mindset | Helen Hirsh Spence | TEDxKanata

TEDx Talks
2 Jul 202412:36

Summary

TLDRThis inspiring talk explores the concept of aging in today's world, challenging the traditional 'learn, earn, retire' model. The speaker, nearing 75, shares their personal journey of embracing a 'longevity mindset', advocating for age diversity, and combating ageism. They highlight the benefits of aging, such as improved judgment and emotional regulation, and encourage viewers to view aging as a time of opportunity and strength.

Takeaways

  • 📈 Aging Population: 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day, and globally, two people turn 65 every second, indicating a rapidly aging population.
  • 🗣️ Redefining Old Age: The concept of 'old' is evolving, with the speaker questioning their own age as they approach 75 and plan for many more active years ahead.
  • 🏔️ Personal Growth: The speaker's personal experience of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at an older age symbolizes overcoming age-related limitations and achieving personal goals.
  • 🔄 Lifelong Learning: The speaker emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adapting to new roles, such as stepping back from educational leadership to engage in volunteer work.
  • 🌟 Longevity Mindset: The idea of a 'longevity mindset' is introduced, which is about embracing the additional years of life made possible by advances in technology and medicine.
  • 📉 Changing Social Norms: The traditional life stages of 'learn, earn, retire' are no longer applicable due to increased life expectancy, necessitating a reevaluation of societal structures.
  • 🌱 Volunteering and Impact: The speaker's post-retirement activities include volunteering in various countries, demonstrating the value of giving back and making an impact.
  • 💡 Epiphany and Change: A pivotal moment during a descent from a mountain led to a decision to redefine the speaker's life and embrace a new role with a focus on age diversity and combating agism.
  • 🚫 Agism Awareness: The script highlights the issue of agism, the discrimination based on age, and its negative impact on self-perception and societal participation.
  • 💡 Self-Directed Agism: The realization of internalized agism, where negative societal messages about aging are internalized, leading to a loss of self-esteem and a sense of invisibility.
  • 🌐 Global Impact: The World Health Organization's report on widespread bias against older adults underscores the urgency to address agism on a global scale.
  • 💼 Social Entrepreneurship: The speaker's reinvention includes starting a social venture to promote age diversity and educate about agism, reflecting a commitment to social change.
  • 🧠 Cognitive Benefits: As people age, they experience improvements in judgment, perspective, and problem-solving skills, highlighting the cognitive advantages of an aging brain.
  • 🌈 Emotional Growth: Aging is associated with a decrease in ego and an increase in empathy, contributing to better emotional regulation and a desire to leave a positive legacy.
  • 🎨 Creativity and Productivity: The script argues that there is no expiry date on creativity or productivity, and that life experience can enhance performance in these areas.
  • 📈 Optimistic Aging: Research by Becca Levy suggests that an optimistic mindset about aging can lead to a longer, healthier life with reduced cognitive decline.
  • 🚀 Longevity Mindset: The final call to action is to adopt a longevity mindset, which sees aging as a time of opportunity, strength, and self-discovery rather than decline.

Q & A

  • How many Americans turn 65 every day according to the transcript?

    -10,000 Americans turn 65 every day.

  • What is the expected aging trend for Canada's population in the coming years?

    -A quarter of Canada's population will be over 65 in the next few years.

  • At what age is the speaker turning and what is their perspective on being 'old'?

    -The speaker is turning 75 in two months and they consider themselves not old, with a plan to live actively for at least another 25 years.

  • What significant physical achievement did the speaker accomplish?

    -The speaker climbed to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, reaching 20,000 ft above sea level, to see the sunrise.

  • What was the purpose of the volunteer trip to Tanzania?

    -The purpose was to build a much-needed school in rural Tanzania and to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro for acclimatization.

  • What epiphany did the speaker have on the descent of Mount Kilimanjaro?

    -The speaker decided to step back from their role as an educational leader and take advantage of the 'longevity bonus' of additional years of life.

  • What is the 'longevity mindset' as described by the speaker?

    -The 'longevity mindset' refers to embracing the extra years of life that people now have as the new norm, focusing on a positive impact on how we act, think, and live.

  • How does the speaker describe their experience with agism?

    -The speaker felt invisible, irrelevant, and confused due to agism, which is the bias or stereotype based on age, and realized they had internalized these negative messages.

  • What social venture did the speaker start at age 67 to combat agism?

    -The speaker started a social venture that promoted age diversity and educated about agism.

  • According to Becca Levy, what are the benefits of an optimistic mindset about aging?

    -An optimistic mindset about aging can add 7.5 years to one's life, reduce cognitive decline, and promote faster healing.

  • What does the speaker suggest as the best approach to aging?

    -The speaker suggests adopting a longevity mindset, being positive, open-minded, and curious about new experiences, and disregarding chronological age.

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Keywords

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Highlights

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Transcripts

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Ähnliche Tags
Aging EmpowermentLongevity MindsetLife ExperienceSocial EntrepreneurshipAge DiversityAnti-Aging IndustryHealth BenefitsEmotional RegulationProductivity EdgeIntergenerational Learning
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