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

Summary

This 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• 📉 Changing Social Norms: The traditional life stages of 'learn, earn, retire' are no longer applicable due to increased life expectancy, necessitating a reevaluation of societal structures.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.