Lyndsay Green’s new book You Could Live a Long Time: Are You Ready? features the insights that she gleaned from interviewing 40 seniors who were identified as “role models for aging” by the people who know them.
The 40 seniors interviewed in the book were Canadians ranging in age from 75 to 100. They were living in Victoria, Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston and Halifax. We’re pretty positive at Engage As You Age that her findings in Canada would be found south of the border in the United States and certainly throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Green’s main message in the book is that the key to happiness for elders lies not in the amount of money they have in their bank accounts but in the friendships that they cultivate and nurture. She adds that getting old shouldn’t be avoided but rather it should be embraced. Friendships are key for seniors that are widows, living alone or even those living with a partner.
Age is seen by Green to be not just a loss of youth but a new stage; a new opportunity.
A great quote by Green in an interview in The Globe and Mail says that “You can sit in a very nice, well-financed retirement home and be completely miserable because you don’t take the time to develop friendships and interests and engagements beyond yourself.”
At Engage As You Age we wholeheartedly agree with Green and believe that our social programs for homebound seniors that may reside at assisted living facilities or their own homes (wanting to age in place) help seniors connect with new friends that share their interests. Go to www.engageasyouage.com to learn more about Engage As You Age and feel free to contact us if you have any questions about Lyndsay Green’s book or any other books that address ways to age positively or programs for retirees.
