Ringo Starr celebrated his 70th birthday last week by playing at Radio City Music Hall with his hero, BB King, age 84. Other people turning 70 this year include Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, and Mick Jagger.

 

As much as we cheer an aging Beatle on stage, we are cautioned by gerontologists against embracing the idea that aging successfully in this age means you need to be banging drums in front of thousands of people, or acting like you did when you were 40. Ironically this is the opposite of a concept that grew from Dr. Robert Butler who in 1968 coined the term "ageism" to describe the way society discriminates against the old. Dr. Butler died a few days before Ringo's big bash but probably would have also been concerned about this opposite stereotype.

 

Gerontologists are concerned that either we are hearing the stories on the extremes: the sad stories of young onset Alzheimer's or sky-diving grandmothers. They are concerned about the huge and vast majority of folks that are in the middle.

 

Since life expectancy is 78 years old, for most people the 70's represent the end, not the beginning. But it's hard when looking at Betty White in a new sitcom at 88 to not feel that 70 year old seniors should not face mortality but kick up their arthritic heels even higher.

 

For many people active at this time of life, others are frail, but while many are healthy, others are not. "This will be an increasing frailty and disability because people are living longer" said J. Olshansky at the University of Illinois who studies aging. For many Alzheimer's is the price we pay for this longevity.

 

Those who are celebrating their remarkable stories make those of us who are not playing in Radio City Music Hall feel inadequate.

 

Gerontologists tend to think of successful aging as taking advantage of what potential there is, staying as socially and intellectually engaged as possible. Prior to his death, Dr. Butler said: "I think we ought to have a realistic portrait of all different kinds of life and not try to romanticize old age as the most wonderful, all these great old wise people." He said: "I think that goes too far." 

 

The goal in our firm is to have our clients live as independently as long as possible, to protect and stretch their assets for long-term care needs, and to leave a legacy for their family. I think Dr. Hasting would be proud.