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Question:
What happens when you get Over the Hill?
Answer:
You pick up Speed!
In 1957 my 60 year old dad and I hiked all the way up Mt. Lassen. I was 20 at the time and thought 60 was fatally ancient. Yet I couldn’t help marveling that he seemed
so free of struggle. Coming off the mountain, neither of us was any
worse for wear. “Really remarkable”, I thought!
Now I’m a tad older than he was, but I don’t doubt I can get up Lassen. Can’t do it right
now though. I’m still plugging away with this website work, getting
it up and running right and so on and so forth. That’s a mountain
of a different sort. When the time comes, I’ll go up Lassen, and
maybe some others. You’re all welcome to come along.
I suppose it all depends
on your point of reference. In his seventies, and still hiking mountains,
my dad recalled that his father had passed on at 56. I remember him
saying, “I never expected to live beyond my fifties. I’m astonished
I’m here and I feel just fine”. He died three weeks shy of 87.
This leads me to ask, "What’s
my
point of reference early in the 21st century"? Is it 87,
what with genetics and all? And why am I mentioning all this?.
I won't hesitate to say that I expect to be kicking dirt on this planet
a good while longer. If you want to have a little fun with this,
take the Life
Expectancy Test. Me? It says I’ve got another 22 years
to get my life together. Plenty of time!
By
the way, let me formally introduce myself. My name is Robert Knechtel,
and I'm 69 years old. I'm not ready to succumb to any of the myths surrounding
getting older. On the contrary, I'm dedicating Go60.Com to helping a burgeoning population of seniors, like myself, to flourish and improve with age.
The U. S., indeed the world,
is undergoing an exciting transformation in age distribution. According to the 2000
Census, 12.4% of us, around 33 million, were over age 65. Experts predict
that by 2030 seniors will grow to 25% of the US population, or roughly
75 million. Our life span will continue to increase.
So, while the clock runs,
I figure we over 60s are going to have to acclimate ourselves to the new
opportunities and adventure all these added years are opening up.
Where are we heading in this cosmic soup? Perhaps, we could use a
roadmap and a travel guide. And, will the gas stations, restaurants
and resorts still be open when we get there?
Here you'll find timely,
leading edge information about research in aging, and how society is adjusting,
or not adjusting, to the explosion of an aging population. You're
invited to take a look at the Myths About Age
to discover some stark untruths about older citizens.
A good website will provide a Mission Statement, so here's Go60's:
Go60 MISSION STATEMENT
To harness the power of the internet:
- To advocate reversal of prevailing attitudes toward seniors in a cultural climate unforgiving toward aging,
- To enrich the quality of life for older adults,
- To bring to older adults and their friends and loved ones, vital information, services and products to help strengthen and prolong productive and good quality independent living, and
- Where extended care is unavoidable, to help manage it in ways that maintain humanity and dignity.
Here's to an interesting,
productive and vital life as you live, learn and grow after 60. Lets go
tame this beast called maturity!
Kind regards,
Bob Knechtel
(Yes, I pronounce the "K")
Seniors Aging Well, Wisely and Successfully
Copyright © 1999-2007 [Go60.Com]
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