In examining the oldest population in the western world it becomes evident that our society's definition for "old age" is in need of a serious update. Traditional retirement and seniors benefits usually begin at the age of 65, and yet it is not uncommon for a person to live an additional 20, or even 30 years, beyond that age. And the difference in health and vitality between a 65-year old and an 80-year old is often enormous (Government of Canada, 2010). According to Baltes & Smith (2003), there are two ways of defining the oldest old population. The first is to draw the line at the age where 50% of the birth cohort are no longer alive; this approximately around 75-80 years of age (Baltes & Smith, 2003). The second way is to recognize that each person, by virtue of their genetics, history and lifestyle, ages differently: a person at the age of 80 can be in better health and contain more inner vitality than another person at the age o...
Over the past year, in wrestling over the idea whether I would do a major research paper or a thesis for my graduate level degree, I have been delving into the idea of what the lived experience of growing old looks like from a mental health perspective. I was drawn to the topic through the observation of my 90-year old grandma's sense of despair that she articulated to me in reflection of her past and future. Was this a common experience, I wondered. How prevalent is depression in old age? I explored my questions a little further by interviewing my 85-year old nana for a school assignment that invited her to tell me stories of how she found meaning in life. The themes she gave me resembled that of my other grandmother and yet the tone was radically different. My nana found hope in her daily living, even with the loss of a husband and physical and cognitive decline threatening her independence. This stood in stark contrast to the lament...