For the first time in human history, we have entered an era in which reaching old age is taken for granted. Unlike in ages past, when living to an older age was a luxury afforded mainly to the privileged, globally around 79% of women and 70% of men can expect to reach the age of 65 and beyond.
Despite longer life expectancy, many people in the contemporary west see growing old as undesirable and even scary. Research shows, however, that anxiety about ageing may in fact be fear of the unknown.
Society’s focus on youthfulness and capability can cause anxiety about becoming weak and unwanted. Adverts for anti-ageing products are everywhere, reinforcing the idea that growing older is inherently unattractive.
Some people fear ageing so much that it becomes a pathological condition called gerascophobia, leading to irrational thoughts and behaviour, for example, a fixation on health, illness and mortality and a preoccupation with hiding the signs of ageing.
We frequently hear about attempts to reverse ageing, often by the super rich. For example, Bryan Johnson, a 45-year-old American entrepreneur, is spending millions of dollars a year to obtain the physical age of 18.
While the desire to reverse ageing is not a new phenomenon, advancements in biomedicine have brought it closer.
Work published by genetics professor David Sinclair at Harvard University in 2019 suggests that it may be possible to challenge the limits of cell reproduction to extend our lifespan, for example. His information theory of ageing argues that reprogramming DNA can improve damaged and old tissues, and delay or even reverse ageing. However, these new possibilities can also heighten our fear of ageing.
From the unproductive to undervalued
People haven’t always dreaded growing older. In many societies, older people used to be widely regarded as wise and important – and in some they still are.
In ancient China, there was a culture of respecting and seeking advice from older family members. There is still an ethos of filial piety (showing reverence and care for elders and ancestors) today, even if it’s not as pronounced as it used to be. The same went for medieval Europe, where older people’s experiences and wisdom were highly valued.
However, the industrial revolution in the west from the 18th century led to a cultural shift where older people became excluded from society and were considered unproductive. People who had surpassed the age to work, alongside those with incurable diseases, were regarded by society as “evils” in need of assistance.
The treatment of older people has taken a different form since the early 20th century. The introduction of universal pension systems made ageing a central concern in welfare systems. But as the demands for social and health care have increased, journalists increasingly portray ageing as a burden on society.
Consequently, growing older is often associated with managing the risk of ill health and alleviating the onus of care from younger relatives. This can result in the institutionalisation of older people in residential facilities that keep them hidden, sequestered from the awareness of younger generations.
Research analysing the responses of 1,200 US adults from the American Association of Retired Persons’ Images of Ageing survey shows that much of the perceived fear of ageing is closely aligned with the fear of the unknown, rather than the ageing process itself. This fear is only exacerbated by the largely separate lives lived by older and younger generations.
The prevalence of nuclear families and the decline of traditional mixed-generational communities have deprived younger people of the opportunity to more fully understand the experiences of older people. Plus, the rapid increase in house prices means many young people cannot afford to live near their older relatives.
The separation of older people from children and young people has sparked generational conflicts that seemingly continue to grow wider than ever. Older people are frequently portrayed in the media as conservative and privileged, making it difficult for younger generations to comprehend why older people act and think the way they do.
Academics suggest that creating a system for older and younger generations to interact in everyday settings is vital.
A set of three UK-based studies in 2016 analysed and compared the effects of direct contact, extended contact and interactions between younger (aged 17 to 30) and older people (65 and over). The findings indicated that good quality direct intergenerational contact can improve young people’s attitudes towards older adults (especially when sustained over time).
Intergenerational programmes have been adopted globally, including mixed and intergenerational housing, community choirs and senior volunteers reading to young children in nurseries.
Studies show that these activities can not only enhance the wellbeing of older people but also help younger people gain an appreciation of ageing as a valuable and fulfilling life stage.
Getting worried about growing older is normal, just as we experience anxieties in other stages of life, such as adolescence and marriage. But here’s the thing – instead of seeing ageing as a looming figure, it is important to realise it is just a part of life.
Once we understand ageing as a regular experience, we can let go of these worries and approach the journey through different life stages with a positive attitude and a fortified will to enrich our lives and the lives of those around us.
Kwa mara ya kwanza katika historia ya wanadamu, tumeingia katika enzi ambayo kufikia uzee huonwa kuwa jambo la kawaida. Tofauti na nyakati za zamani, wakati kuishi hadi umri wa miaka mingi ilikuwa anasa iliyotolewa hasa kwa upendeleo, ulimwenguni kote karibu 79% ya wanawake na 70% ya wanaume wanaweza kutarajia kufikia umri wa miaka 65 na zaidi. Licha ya kuwa na umri mrefu zaidi, watu wengi katika nchi za Magharibi wanaona kuzeeka kuwa jambo lisilofaa na lenye kuogopesha. Hata hivyo, utafiti unaonyesha kwamba huenda wasiwasi kuhusu kuzeeka kwa kweli uwe hofu ya mambo yasiyojulikana. Mtazamo wa jamii juu ya ujana na uwezo waweza kusababisha wasiwasi juu ya kuwa dhaifu na asiyetakiwa. Matangazo ya bidhaa za kupambana na kuzeeka yanapatikana kila mahali, na kuimarisha wazo la kwamba kuzeeka si jambo lenye kuvutia. Watu wengi wanaogopa kuzeeka sana hivi kwamba inakuwa hali ya ugonjwa inayoitwa gerascophobia, inayoongoza kwa mawazo na tabia isiyo ya busara, kwa mfano, kuamua juu ya afya, ugonjwa na vifo na wasiwasi wa kuficha ishara za kuzeeka. Mara nyingi tunasikia juu ya majaribio ya kugeuza kuzeeka, mara nyingi na matajiri sana. Bryan Johnson, mjasiriamali wa Marekani mwenye umri wa miaka 45, anatumia mamilioni ya dola kila mwaka ili kufikia umri wa miaka 18. Ingawa tamaa ya kugeuza umri si jambo jipya, maendeleo katika sayansi ya dawa za kibiolojia yamefanya iwe rahisi zaidi. Utafiti uliochapishwa na profesa wa maumbile David Sinclair katika Chuo Kikuu cha Harvard mnamo 2019 unaonyesha kuwa inaweza kuwa na uwezekano wa kupinga mipaka ya uzazi wa seli ili kupanua maisha yetu, kwa mfano. Nadharia yake ya habari ya kuzeeka inadai kwamba programu mpya ya DNA inaweza kuboresha tishu zilizoharibiwa na za zamani, na kuchelewesha au hata kugeuza kuzeeka. Hata hivyo, uwezekano huo mpya waweza pia kuongeza hofu yetu ya kuzeeka. Kutoka kwa wasiozalisha hadi waliopunguzwa thamani Watu hawajaogopa daima kuzeeka. Katika jamii nyingi, watu wazee-wazee walichukuliwa kuwa wenye hekima na muhimu <unk> na katika baadhi bado ni hivyo. Katika China ya kale, kulikuwa na utamaduni wa kuheshimu na kutafuta ushauri kutoka kwa washiriki wa familia wakubwa. Bado kuna maadili ya uaminifu wa watoto (kuonyesha heshima na utunzaji kwa wazee na mababu) leo, hata kama si kama ilivyoelezwa kama ilivyokuwa. Jambo hilohilo lilitukia katika Ulaya ya enzi za kati, ambako mambo yaliyokuwa yametukia na hekima ya watu wazee-wazee yaliheshimiwa sana. Hata hivyo, mapinduzi ya viwanda katika magharibi kutoka karne ya 18 yalisababisha mabadiliko ya kitamaduni ambapo watu wazima waliwekwa nje ya jamii na walionwa kuwa wasio na uzalishaji. Watu ambao walikuwa wamepita umri wa kufanya kazi, pamoja na wale walio na magonjwa yasiyoweza kutibiwa, walionwa na jamii kama "maovu" yanayohitaji msaada. Matibabu ya wazee-wazee yamebadilika tangu karne ya 20. Uanzishwaji wa mifumo ya pensheni ya ulimwengu ulifanya kuzeeka kuwa wasiwasi kuu katika mifumo ya ustawi. Lakini kwa kuwa mahitaji ya huduma za kijamii na za afya yameongezeka, waandishi wa habari wanaonyesha uzee kama mzigo kwa jamii. Kwa hiyo, kukua kwa umri mara nyingi huhusianishwa na kudhibiti hatari ya afya mbaya na kupunguza mzigo wa utunzaji kutoka kwa jamaa wadogo. Hii inaweza kusababisha taasisi ya watu wazima katika vifaa vya makazi ambayo huwaweka siri, kutengwa kutoka kwa ufahamu wa vizazi vya vijana. Uchunguzi wa majibu ya watu wazima 1,200 kutoka kwa American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) na Images of Ageing Survey unaonyesha kuwa hofu ya kuzeeka inahusiana sana na hofu ya kutokujulikana, badala ya mchakato wa kuzeeka yenyewe. Hofu hiyo inaongezeka tu kwa sababu ya maisha tofauti ya vizazi vya zamani na vya vijana. Kuenea kwa familia za nyuklia na kupungua kwa jamii za jadi za kizazi mchanganyiko kumenyimwa vijana fursa ya kuelewa zaidi uzoefu wa watu wazima. Kwa kuongezea, ongezeko la haraka la bei za nyumba linamaanisha kwamba vijana wengi hawawezi kuishi karibu na jamaa zao wazee. Kutenganishwa kwa wazee na watoto na vijana kumesababisha migogoro ya kizazi ambayo inaonekana inaendelea kukua zaidi kuliko hapo awali. Mara nyingi watu wazima huonyeshwa katika vyombo vya habari kama watu wa kihafidhina na wenye mapendeleo, na hivyo kuwafanya vijana waelewe kwa nini watu wazima hufanya na kufikiri kwa njia wanayofanya. Wataalamu wanasema kuwa kuunda mfumo wa vizazi vya zamani na vya vijana kuingiliana katika mazingira ya kila siku ni muhimu. Katika utafiti uliofanywa nchini Uingereza mwaka 2016, watu wazima 65 na zaidi walishirikiana na watu wazima 17 na 30 na kujadili athari za mawasiliano ya moja kwa moja, mawasiliano ya muda mrefu na mwingiliano kati ya vijana na wazee. Matokeo yalionyesha kwamba mawasiliano ya moja kwa moja ya kizazi cha ubora wa juu yanaweza kuboresha mitazamo ya vijana kuelekea watu wazima wazee (haswa wakati unaendelea kwa muda). Programu za kati ya vizazi zimekubaliwa ulimwenguni kote, ikiwa ni pamoja na makazi ya mchanganyiko na kati ya vizazi, kwaya za jamii na wajitoleaji wakubwa kusoma kwa watoto wadogo katika vyumba vya watoto wachanga. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba shughuli hizi zinaweza sio tu kuongeza ustawi wa wazee, lakini pia kusaidia vijana kupata uthamini wa kuzeeka kama hatua muhimu na ya kuridhisha ya maisha. Kuogopa kuhusu uzee ni jambo la kawaida, kama vile tunavyofadhaika katika hatua nyingine za maisha, kama vile ujana na ndoa. Lakini hapa ni jambo badala ya kuona kuzeeka kama takwimu inayoonekana, ni muhimu kutambua ni sehemu tu ya maisha. Mara tu tunapoelewa kuzeeka kama uzoefu wa kawaida, tunaweza kuacha wasiwasi huu na kukaribia safari kupitia hatua tofauti za maisha na mtazamo mzuri na mapenzi ya kuimarisha maisha yetu na maisha ya wale wanaotuzunguka.