WhatisitliketobeoldintheUnitedStates?Whatwillourownlivesbelikewhenweareold?AmericansfinditdifficultNetworkSecuritytothinkaboutoldageuntiltheyarepropelledintothemidstofitbytheirownagingandthatofrelativesandfriends.Agingistheneglectedstepchildofthehumanlifecycle.Thoughwehavebeguntoexaminethesociallytaboosubjectsofdyinganddeath,wehaveleapedoverthatlongperiodoftimeprecedingdeathknownasoldage.Intruth,itiseasiertomanagetheproblemsofdeaththantheproblemoflivingasanoldperson.Deathisadramatic,one-timecrisiswhileoldageisaday-by-dayandyear-by-yearconfrontationwithpowerfulexternalforces,abittersweetcomingtotermswithone&39;sownpersonalityandone&39;slife. Oldageisneitherinherentlymiserablenorinherentlysublime-likeeverystageoflifeithasproblems,joys,fearsandpotentials.Theprocessofagingandeventualdeathmustultimatelybeacceptedasthenaturalprogressionofthelifecycle,theoldcompletingtheirprescribedlifespansandmakingwayfortheyoung.Muchthatisuniqueinoldageinfactderivesgiftforherfromtherealityofagingandtheimminenceofdeath.Theoldmustclarifyandfinduseforwhattheyhaveattainedinalifetimeoflearningandadaptingtheymustconservestrengthandresourceswherenecessaryandadjustcreativelytothosechangesandlossesthatoccuraspartoftheagingexperience.Theelderlyhavethepotentialforqualitiesofhumanreflectionandobservationwhichcanonlycomefromhavinglivedanentirelifespan.Thereisalifetimeaccumulationofpersonalityandexperiencewhichisavailabletobeusedandenjoyed. Butwhatareanindividual&39;schancesfora"good"oldageinAmerica,withsatisfyingfinalyearsandadignifieddeath?Unfortunately,nonetoogood.FormanyelderlyAmericansoldageisatragedy,aperiodofquietdespair,deprivation,desolationandmutedrage.Thiscanbeaconsequenceofthekindoflifeapersonhasledinyoungeryearsandtheproblemsinhisorherrelationshipswithothers.Therearealsoinevitablepersonalhongkonghotellistandphysicallossestobesustained,someofwhichcanbecomeoverwhelmingandunbearable.Allofthisistheindividualfactor,theexistentialelement.Butoldageisfrequentlyatragedyevenwhentheearlyyearshavebeenfulfillingandpeopleseeminglyhaveeverythinggoingforthem.HereinlieswhatIconsidertobethegenuinetragedyofoldageinAmerica--wehaveshapedasocietywhichisextremelyharshtoliveinwhenoneisold.Thetragedyofoldageisnotthefactthateachofusmustgrowoldanddiebutthattheprocessofdoingsohasbeenmadeunnecessarilyandattimesexcruciatinglypainful,humiliating,debilitatingandisolatingthroughinsensitivity,ignoranceandpoverty.Thepotentialsforsatisfactionsandeventriumphsinlatelifearerealandvastlyunderexplored.Forthemostparttheelderlystruggletoexistinaninhospitableworld.
