By Laura BennettFriday 28 Jul 2023UNDISTRACTEDLifeReading Time: 2 minutes
Do you think much about how you’d like to grow old? And what the later years of your life will look like? Are you afraid of ageing, or do you see it as a mark of wisdom and maturity?
We often don’t like to think about ageing and what’s beyond retirement, but clinical psychologist Melissa Levi said leaving ageing as an unknown makes it far scarier than it needs to be.
Specialising in older people’s mental health and dementia for over a decade, Melissa wrote her book We Need to Talk About Ageing to dispel some of the myths about older age and help us prepare for the unknowns as well as redefine how we view “growing old”.
“The losses that come with age (loss of health, memory, friends, roles, independence) are not the loss of joy, the loss of quality of life or the loss of one’s inextinguishable will to live,” Melissa said.
Contrary to popular belief, our sense of intention can expand as we get older especially if we’re able to plan for ageing in a way that aligns with our values.
“It makes me think of that quote that was attributed to Viktor Frankl where he says, ‘a man that knows his why can bear with almost any how’,” Melissa told Hope 103.2’s UNDISTRACTED podcast.
“Whatever twists and turns come on our journey through life, if we have a strong sense of purpose and meaning – whether it’s your family, whether it’s your faith, whether it’s volunteering or contributing – is an enormously protective factor as you age and as you live.”
Listen to the full episode of UNDISTRACTED with guest Melisa Levi in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.