Dr. Bill Thomas wrote about aging’s effects on tattoos as Scaring the Grandkids, commenting that “time changes everything.” Skin art in your twenties doesn’t look the same as skin art in your sixties. This was clear to me even as a child, seeing my friend’s father’s forearms as one green blob of old ink. I’m not sure what the original tattoos were, or original tattoo was, but it wasn’t anything by the time he was in his fifties.

For the daring, racy, edgy elder looking to make a statement, however; there are temporary tattoos available for that special night out. Here are some examples as found on Trend Hunter:

I view helping others as a way to help myself, meaning I personally benefit from the reward of helping others. I have always tried to choose jobs that allowed me this benefit, thus getting paid twice, once in the form of a paycheck, and another in the form of personal satisfaction. Others, particularly retired people, fill the latter with volunteer time. Helping seniors can be one of the most rewarding ways to give your time. Why? Because, based on my experience, seniors 1) need the help due to the physical and mental limitations that come with age, 2) deserve the help, having worked hard for many years, serving their country, others, etc., and 3) appreciate the help. I’ve worked with other population groups, and seniors, without question, appreciate your efforts more than others (except maybe their family and caregivers).

If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to care for an elder. This is the method of thinking we must adopt if we’re to meet the demands of our aging population. The demographics just are not there to support our present, expensive system of care when there will be roughly 2 workers for every 1 person receiving Social Security. We, as a society, must do our best to help delay or avoid long-term institutional care for as long as possible. I’ve met and worked with many elders that were either able to stay at home much longer thanks to the care of family, neighbors, and church members, or could have stayed at home much longer if a volunteer support system was in place.

I understand that at-risk children need help, as do animal shelters, soup kitchens, and others. There are so many opportunities for volunteers that agencies are competing with each other to attract them, to the point where some offer stipends. You can select your interest, but recognize the unique reward that comes with helping elders. Many have never asked for help before; many won’t ask for help now. By coming into their lives in a helpful manner you can gain a friend, you will hear their unique past, their experiences with historical events we’ve only read about in books, and you will see them smile. These things can’t be measured in time or dollars. What’s more, you’ll be helping to create a culture that supports our elders, and if you’re not an elder, you will be.

The greatest benefit I’ve had helping elders, particularly with those in their final days, is the realization of our own mortality, that life does in fact come to an end, that my youth is temporary. Some have told me this thinking is morbid, but I think it’s just the opposite. Without the realization that my existence is limited, how can I truly experience and enjoy the days at hand? I don’t want to be the elder in my final days that thinks, “Gee, I should have smelled more flowers.” Helping the aged helps remind me that I need to live life – today, that I need to stop, breathe, and smell the flowers. Where else can I get that benefit?

Photo by Diacritical – some rights reserved

Wow, back when I was working as the social service manager for an Area Agency on Aging, my staff (with the help of volunteers) administered a variety of “active aging” programs, programs like Matter of Balance, Chronic Disease Self-Management, etc. I thought people attending those classes were active, but this takes the cake!

Three U.S. seniors summit Mount Everest!

Californian Bill Burke became the oldest American ever to reach the world’s highest peak at the age of 67! This marked his 3rd attempt. Sixty-seven . . . wow, that’s all I can say. I once climbed to Camp Muir on Mount Ranier in January at the age of 24 and thought that was an accomplishment, but this 67 year old has put me to shame.

“Snow, freezing, freezing cold, high winds, it was quite a wild ride. It was really difficult, a very hard mountain. There is nothing about it that is easy. But, thank God, we made it and we made it back safely” is what Burke had to say about the climb.

Two days before Burke’s acheivement, 66 year old Dawes Eddy of Washington made it to the summit, and another Washington resident, Kay LeClaire, became the second oldest American woman to reach the summit at the age of 60.

I tip my hiking hat to all three of you, and can only hope to just still be climbing mountains in Maine at that age. You would have made John Muir very proud.

Each of us enters old age, and with that comes a philosophical, spiritual reflection on what life has brought us thus far and how we’ll spend our remaining days. The response to that is as different as the individuals pondering it. Some will do their best to ignore the thought, to seek mental distractions from thinking about the inevitable end; and others embrace that end-of-life reflection, and seek to leave some positive influence in their final years.

The Way We Get By is a newly produced, independent movie that at the outset may appear like a simple documentary on three elders that greet American soldiers flying home with a layover at the airport in Bangor, Maine. Why Bangor? Bangor is the first major American airport encountered by airliners approaching the United States from the east. Many overseas flights land in Bangor first. It’s where thousands of U.S. soldiers first plant their feet after returning home. Away from the airport handshakes and smiles, however, the three main characters wrestle deeply with debt, failing health, depression and contending with their mortality. The director states:

This is a rare film, encompassing important social issues and controversial topics, while remaining a story that every American can support. While troop greeting may not be an option for many of the nation’s seniors, it demonstrates how community involvement can significantly improve the lives of the elderly in America.

The film has not yet been released, but you can watch the trailer below, and/or order a copy of the film by visiting the site, The Way We Get By Movie. Let this film serve as motivation to not go idly into the night. Every action has a reaction. The question becomes:

What will your final actions be, and consequently, what reactions will you produce?

I know I can’t speak first hand about letting hair gray naturally. I’m still in my 30s, more concerned with shampoo chemicals linked to Alzheimer’s than I am with what color my hair is – but I ask:

Why do we fight gray hair? It’s a baby boomer/senior hair war out there! Oh the the anger at the silver; the hatred of the shine!

Peace, love – let the gray hairs live!

Why do I think we fight the war?
We’re hiding our age, denying it on a subconscious level.

Scientists’ recent discovery of how hair turns gray (results published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) got me thinking. Hair, it seems, turns gray, because our bodies naturally produce hydrogen peroxide that interferes with melanin, the pigment that colors hair and skin. There is more:

The body also produces the enzyme catalase, which breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Or at least it does for a while. As we age, catalase production tails off, leaving nothing to transform the hydrogen peroxide into chemicals the body can release. So, as hydrogen peroxide builds up, we go gray.

In addition to lacking catalase, the follicles of gray-haired people also had far fewer hair-repair enzymes, which in turn drove down production of melanin, the scientists found. (quote source here).

People are partying, because the discovery might lead to ways of attacking poor, innocent gray hair. Predictions have been made, based on this discovery, that the hair care industry will soon launch new products that remove hydrogen peroxide from hair.

But who cares!?

What about gray hair rights!? Gray hair should be celebrated! We’re denying our communal aging process by trying to hide it. We’re reinforcing society’s obsession with youth. Think about it. Peace, love – let the gray hairs live!

But hey, maybe my mind will change when grays start sproutin’ . . . . .

Thanks to flash.pro for use of the image – some rights reserved.