As you get older ageing can become less and less appealing, but if 95-year-old Olga Kotelko is anything to go by perhaps we should all look at getting older through her eyes.
A BBC item about Olga caught my eye this week. Headlined ‘The ageing game: Could we all be 95-year-old athletes?’ it takes a look at the ageing population and considers whether we can influence the rate at which we age.
“At 95 years old, Olga Kotelko could be forgiven for sitting on the sidelines as people 60 years her junior jump over poles and hurl javelins into the distance,” it says.
“But this sprightly 5ft-tall Canadian joins in – in a big way.
“This year she became the oldest recorded female indoor sprinter, high jumper, long jumper and triple jumper at the World Masters Athletics Championships.
“Olga now has more than 30 world records to her name and has won more than 750 gold medals.
“But she says she sees herself as nothing special, describing herself “as just a plain Jane”.”
It tells us how Olga took to the athletics track at 77.
Olga makes the comment: “”I think your age is just a number. It’s not your birthday, it’s how you age which makes the difference.
“It’s your attitude to all the things that happen in your life that plays the biggest part.””
You’ve got to love Olga, who says: “There’s no limit. Who says you are supposed to stop at a certain point?
“I just want to keep on going until I drop. I guess that’s when I’ll have to stop.”
Well said that lady and what an inspiration you are.
The BBC item goes on to look at the ageing process and there is some good news – for people living in wealthy countries.
“Data from Newcastle University suggests that as every 24 hours pass, on average we add an extra five hours to our lives – that’s over 2 months each year and at least two years more per decade – due partly to improving living conditions and medical advances.”
It also tells us that in the UK the number of people living into their 100th year has almost quadrupled since the 1980s, which means that nearly one in five people will now live to see their 100th birthday.
Our genes play a part in how long we live, but research suggests that these may account for just a quarter of what determines the age we live to. So, 75% of our later lives could be down to the type of lifestyle we lead.
While some things decline as we get older, there are some things that actually improve. Apparently many older people retain or improve some types of memory: such as for vocabulary or general knowledge. Wounds heal more slowly, but with better-looking scars.
While getting older chronologically is inevitable, declining as we age doesn’t have to be – according to Dr Lynne Corner of Newcastle University.
“The truth is there is no simple way or single answer to ageing well. It really is a complex combination of lifestyle factors and of course good diet and exercise.”
The advice is that the younger you are when you begin a healthy life the better your odds are in your later years.
Research shows that time spent with friends has a massive impact on ageing well. Nurture friendships during your mid-life and you may offer protection against old age frailty.
How you think also has a big impact: research has found that older people with positive views of the ageing process tend to live longer than those individuals with negative views.
As Olga readily attests, just thinking differently could also have a big impact.
“Data from 9,000 people in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing suggests that those who reported the most enjoyment of life live longer – even after accounting for health and wealth.”
And, England’s official statisticians indicate we are happiest between the ages of 65 and 80.
So, the message seems to be enjoying life and a positive mental attitude can go a long way towards ensuring a long, happy and fulfilled life. It’s certainly worked for Olga.