From an aging person to an elegant senior: a humanistic approach to viewing older adults

Fung-Kei Cheng*

Hong Kong, China

Abstract: The continuing growth in the number of adults aged 60-plus has raised global alertness of population restructuring. This demographic change, on the one hand, reduces productivity and increases public expenditure due to aging, resulting in prejudice, bias,misrepresentation, and discrimination against them. On the other hand, it develops a speci fic consumer market segment and extends the availability and accessibility of the elderly through employment, volunteering, or grandparenting. This study argues against the stigmatization of this age group from a functional perspective that damages social cohesion. It advocates a humanistic view toward seniors to eradicate marginalization and promotes the manageability of the senior population. With the aid of advanced technology and health equity, senior adults can retain everyday competence for self-care with dignity, as well as gracefully attain physical and psychological health, autonomy, and well-being in their later life. All these considerations give medical and nursing professionals insight into how to take care of the elderly.

Keywords: demographic revolution · elegant senior · gerontology · optimal aging · productive aging · silver economy

1. The myth of the demographic tsunami

Research reports the global presence of a structural population change, metaphorically depicting it as a demographic tsunami, “silver tsunami”,1or “gray tsunami”.2This analogy speci fies the impacts of an unceasing rise of people who are aged ≥60 years.3The aging of the baby-boom generation (1945-1965),low fertility, increased life expectancy, and reduced old-age mortality have caused population aging,4,5with the result that 12% of the world population is now aged 60-plus and this segment is growing at a rate of 3.26% annually.6Such a faster growth of the proportion of older adults compared to other age groups creates a “demographic revolution”7that affects economical, political, and social dimensions. In particular,22% of the aging population is in high-income countries, such as Japan (33% of its local population),Germany (28%), Italy (28%), and Finland (27%).8Many scholars are alarmed by the negative effects on human capital9and overall economic growth10due to a contraction of the younger age groups and total population size.11

In addition, misrepresentations of aging in the mass media12,13result in a phobia concerning aging, or gerontophobia, i.e., “the unreasonable fear and/or irrational hatred of old people by the society and by themselves”.14The media magnify pessimistic perceptions,negative images,15and stigmatized attitudes toward the elderly16regarding their vulnerabilities in personal (e.g.,stereotypic assumptions), institutional (such as compulsory retirement), intentional (for instance, elder abuse),and unintentional (such as insuf ficient aged care facilities) de ficiencies.17They also belittle this group as being an inactive labor force.18Worse, they allude to genderbiased social representations19stemming from the loss of beauty and reproductive value in older women.20

These contentious social perceptions21hinder social cohesion. Many older adults suffer from unfavorable housing conditions, income sources, social support,and civic participation.22Younger generations may be unwilling to involve themselves with this disadvantaged group. This not only engenders an insuf ficient healthcare workforce serving the elderly,23which hampers the medical system, but also causes negligence. Moreover,social exclusion worsens their physical and psychological health24: for instance, it can lead to disability,25cognitive underperformance,26anxiety,27and depression,28resulting in social disengagement.29

Such a problem-directed discourse30toward the aged is controversial. Aging is an inevitable part of the life process, resulting from accumulated physiological changes31associated with illnesses and the natural deterioration of bodily systems32; for instance,sensory (auditory, gustatory, olfactory, and visual) and kinesthetic dysfunctions lessen the quality of life among elderly people. Conversely, reframing the discourse on the aging population will enrich inclusiveness and social justice.33,34

This study (1) analyzes the challenges and the opportunities in the context of population aging; and(2) subsequently highlights the paradigm shift from a biomedical to a humanistic perspective. It also suggests various measures to achieve a senior-respecting context.

2. Challenges of population aging

The fear of getting old35originates from the rejection of the natural life span leading up to death, which emphasizes the losses while neglecting the gains acquired in late life. These losses relate to health, economic capacity, status, and power, implying impotence and helplessness.

2.1. Increasing medical costs

Aging erodes physical fitness and health,36with a high prevalence (25%-30%) of neurodegenerative diseases,37such as dementia38and Parkinsonian syndromes,39together with chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular diseases,40hypertension,41osteoporosis,42constipation,43memory loss,44vision and hearing impairments,45and poor oral health.46Additionally,malnutrition and obesity are not rare among this population.47These produce limitations, e.g., gait abnormality,48recurrent falls,49and swallowing dif ficulties.50Such age-related disabilities51not only weaken everyday competence,52but more importantly, they increase the risks of psychiatric problems,53including depression54and sleep disorders,55along with weaker emotion regulation due to an aging brain.56These factors restrict their social life. Therefore, heavy long-term care costs are incurred.57-60

Reinhardt61argued that age-speci fic health-care spending is not necessarily the sole factor of public medical expenditure. Life-threatening illnesses occur in younger age groups as well, e.g., heart attack62and stroke.63Early-onset dementia64and Parkinson’s disease affect the middle-aged. Medical expenses cover all ages. Medical specialists recommend health promotion in early life,65such as a good diet and a nonsmoking,nonalcoholic lifestyle. Such health-care planning and preventive measures66maintain good health fundamentally, especially for diminishing medical costs in lowincome or underdeveloped countries.67

2.2. Reducing economic growth

Scholarly studies elucidate a negative correlation between the growth of population aging and the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, pointing to a decrease of 5.5% in the GDP due to a 10% increase in 60-plus-year-old citizens.68This decrease is caused by a shrinking labor volume69and lower productivity, with a 0.2% yearly reduction over the following 2 decades,70directly mitigating national competitiveness.71

Apart from demographic restructuring, age discrimination in the workplace72limits the employment and career promotion opportunities available to older people. Prejudices against the elderly stem from misunderstandings regarding them, e.g., poor job performance,low retraining ability, in flexibility, less adaptability, resistance to change, higher medical leave rates, and higher wages,73which result in excessive operational expenses and push them to retire involuntarily,74especially in the process of escalating economic development during urbanization.75

2.3. Augmenting retirement expenses

Despite the fact that social pensions and retirement schemes can improve the financial conditions,76health,77and well-being78of the elderly, the monetary amount provided by social security occupies a signi ficant proportion of public expenditure.79However, the effects of wealth redistribution are debatable,80,81and the poverty rate among the elderly increases with age,82urging pension reforms.83,84Turner85refuted that age-driven economic burdens are probably overestimated or overstated.

Gerontologists warn that weak health, fiscal incapacity, and discrimination press the elderly to experience social withdrawal,86and vice versa,87which are connected to higher risks of suicide88and mortality.89

3. Opportunities of population aging

The elderly deserve a graceful life, for which a holistic range of health (“a state of complete physical, mental,and social well-being”)90is crucial to substantiate their abilities in developing a silver economy. This makes them capable of active aging, successful aging, productive aging, optimal aging, and vitality aging.

3.1. Energy maintenance

The postponement of functional declines91is a key strategy for aging care, which ameliorates self-ef ficacy for cognition performance and physical capability,92in addition to achieving a balanced emotional state.93This cultivates active aging among those who are ardent in personal, social, cultural, physical, mental, behavioral,financial, and civic affairs,7,94thus accomplishing social engagement and contribution by the elderly.95

Active aging elicits successful aging for those who bene fit from the dynamics related to “low probability of disease and disease-related disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity, and active engagement with life”.96This group of “third age”97pursues both individual and societal care,98including physical,mental, occupational, environmental, and social activities.99For instance, dancing100and physical exercise101improve their motor, sensory, and cognitive performance, health,102and social development,103enriching intra- and interpersonal relationships.104Their enthusiasm in personal growth105and social connection106reinforces their subjective self-satisfaction107and life ful fillment.108

3.2. Silver economy

The misperception regarding the economic burdens induced by population aging has been disputed.The elderly are eager to advance contributory opportunities to society,109which is known as productive aging.110,111Hence, a silver economy of older entrepreneurs and a white economy for medical services for the elderly population112have been developing. Silver economy refers broadly to “all types of goods and services for older adults and an aging population, including extending the working life, volunteerism, and active citizenship of older people”.113

With the aid of advanced technology,114the dimensions of elderly employability115and silver entrepreneurship116increase the involvement and potentiality of old adults in business ventures, gaining financial rewards, autonomy, self-attainment, and recognition in their later lives. This sets them forward as social assets and resources for expediting the use of social capital.117

Meanwhile, the silver consumer market118,119is growing rapidly and pro fitably,120and attracts tremendous investment.121It expands product development and marketing expenses.122Aside from private medical services for the elderly,123community-based programs124and leisure products125- for instance, recreation centers,126spas127and senior tourism128- are also some of the major components in the silver industry.

Productive aging enhances their accessibility and availability in the family and society,129including in grandparenting130and volunteering.131,132Social engagement enhances subjective and objective health.133Simultaneously, their contributions push society in a positive direction toward this group of people.134

In summary, the notion of optimal aging brings about a distinct domain pertaining to the wisdom and expertise of the elderly to assist other people, optimize capabilities, attain a meaningful life, and deal with death anxiety,135with an emphasis of vitality aging on independence, resilience, and an energetic quality of life.136

4. From aging person to senior

This demographic trend is not necessarily a tsunami137when it is perceived under a proper lens. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights138af firms that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”,which values all age groups. In order to comply with this belief, the United Nations should take forward-looking leadership to advocate a humanistic approach toward the elderly and pioneer innovative methods.

4.1. Reframing the concept of the elderly

In accordance with the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries,139as a noun, “aging” refers to “the process of growing old”, while as an adjective, it means to become “older and usually less useful, safe, and healthy”, implying deterioration. Similarly, population aging is socially constructed as a group of feeble, lonely, unproductive,dependent people140who are poor of health and considered as “social other[s]”.141In fact, age is not necessarily associated with negative consequences when such a functional-instrumental-biomedical model is reviewed.

Instead, the term senior represents adults or people either at a more advanced level or higher in rank or status.142Life exhibits a course of maturity within the continuum of a person’s life span,143which is perceived differently in the light of cultural variations.144People affected by Asian cultures comparatively emphasize how they value the elderly.145For example, the Chinese respect senior members with filial piety.146They recognize the promising experiences, contributions, expertise,knowledge, wisdom, and autonomy147of these “golden years”148with dignity.

Elderly subjecti fication149views the senior as subjects,150increases awareness of this group, and promotes their values.151This empowerment152eliminates the dichotomous connotation between junior and senior,dismantling an age divide, and entitles the elegant senior to secure a social identity.153Without this divide,the elegant seniors are accepted by themselves and society, which increases self-actualization, self-achievement, and self-ful fillment, as well as facilitating better life enjoyment154and social integration.155This study suggests the development of a senior-respecting community built on an age-friendly society,156,157nourishing the well-being158of the senior.

4.2. Managing senior competence

Although aging is unavoidable, it is manageable, thereby boosting “age management”159effectively to nurture the smart senior through technology and flexibility.

Cyber technology positively affects the health and longevity of the elderly.160Extensive utilization of an e-medical system for physical health161and emotional care162is able to improve their physical and cognitive functions and, hence, increase social connections.163Recent bioengineering equipments164and three-dimensional printing have revolutionized medical applications.165These investments in health equity for seniors166,167enable their longevity while minimizing severe disabilities,168in spite of having functional physical limitations. Meanwhile, lowering health risks can strengthen psychological resilience,169forming “the life span diamond”170that interacts among relational resources, physical well-being, positive mental states,and engaging activity.

With the assistance of advanced technology, a smart home171provides automated convenience services,172senior-friendly furniture, and tailor-made facilities,173accommodating the speci fic needs of seniors while enhancing their quality of life.

Chronic stress escalates the senescence process among adults174physiologically and psychologically.175Thus, a flexible employment pattern and retirement behavior,176when prevalent among seniors, results in not only a reduction in stress but also in the retention of their knowledge and skills.177The use of their professionalism in the silver market,178in collaboration with available technology, elevates silver productivity.179Amazingly, senior entrepreneurship180fosters a novel work culture.

Studies signify an inverse relationship between education level and cognitive decline.181Cognitive performance in late life helps retain social connection,182as well as prevent disability and social isolation,183resulting in better life satisfaction.184Continuing education for seniors re fines their sociopsychological adaptability185,186and personal development,187building stronger self-con fidence, self-esteem, self-worth, and self-ef ficacy.188

5. Conclusion

This study investigates the challenges and opportunities in the context of the growing senior population in order to de-stereotype the negative images regarding the elderly. Destigmatizing this group is critical for the demarginalization and sustainability of the elegant senior, who can then proceed toward a graceful ending with dignity in his/her life. A decent discourse concerning them is essential to providing the support of health equity and an age-barrier-free environment, to ensure the ful fillment of their psychological needs, a meaningful life, and wellness. This research reframes, with humanistic concerns, a population in which the number of seniors is continuously rising. Additionally, these shed insightful light on geriatric care for helping professionals,including medical and nursing teams.

Ethical approval

Ethical issues are not involved in this paper.

Conflicts of interest

There are no con flicts of interest.