"The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected."
— Robert Frost
At a recent dinner party, a friend asked, "How old do you feel you are when you think of yourself?" To my amazement, everyone at the table answered that they felt at least 25 years younger than they actually were. Were my friends in denial? Were they yearning for the fountain of youth? The conversation then turned to senior citizen discounts. Surprisingly, none of us had ever requested a discount because of our age, even though we were all eligible. Why was that? Were we ashamed of our seniority? In our culture, youth is celebrated and old age dreaded, especially if a person has a disability. We began to question whether we were a marginalized group.
The 2010 U.S. Census reported that 13 percent of Americans, or 40.3 million people, were over 65. When broken down into 10-year cohorts, the fastest growing segment of older adults is those ages 85 to 94. As psychologists, we strive to promote successful aging, both physically and mentally. As the older population becomes more racially and ethnically diverse and experiences greater longevity, we have to ask, "How can psychology and psychologists contribute to the health and well-being of older adults in our society? How can we facilitate successful aging?"
Sadly, 38 percent of people over 65 report having some level of disability, with older women spending a greater proportion of their lives with disabilities than men. Older adults from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, members of sexual minority groups, people who live in rural areas and those who are economically disadvantaged often suffer stigma, health disparities, abuse and neglect, and economic insecurity. That is marginalization.
This year's White House Conference on Aging is an important venue for national policy recommendations. The conference promotes the dignity, health, independence and economic security of older people. The 2005 conference recognized the importance of mental health services for older adults and encouraged greater awareness of disparities facing older adults. These challenges often include accessing health care, limited numbers of culturally competent health-care professionals with appropriate training in aging, and reduced funding for empirical research.
Progress is being made. Postdoctal training opportunities in geropsychology are increasing. The American Board of Professional Psychology recently recognized geropsychology as a specialty. Within APA, our Office and Committee on Aging initiatives encourage the application of psychological science and practice to promote productive aging.
The White House conference can showcase psychological research on the greatest concerns of aging Americans. For example, to achieve financial security in retirement, we must break down the ageist barriers to employment for older adults. In our country of plenty, 34 percent of older adults live below 200 percent of the poverty threshold. Psychological science clearly demonstrates that employment for many older workers enhances self-esteem, increases feelings of competence, and sustains autonomy, self-direction and intellectual engagement. Employment can also provide social and emotional support.
One of former APA President Carol Goodheart's initiatives created a "Family Caregiver Briefcase." Did you know that 65 million Americans identify themselves as family caregivers, including 43 million adults who are caring for a relative age 50 or older? Did you know that 15 million people are caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia? This caregiving amounts to the equivalent of $450 billion in uncompensated care annually. Evidence suggests that integrating psychologists within non-mental-health settings, such as primary care, senior service centers and faith-based organizations can enhance older adults' access to services and improve their health, while lowering overall health-care expenditures.
Psychological research has also found that staying physically, cognitively and socially active prolongs vitality and provides a host of physical and psychological benefits. APA's Committee and Office on Aging are very active in ensuring that policymakers consider these findings, which could lead us to a healthier, happier and more prosperous society.
Next time I go to the movies, I'll ask for the senior discount.
