Essay Sample on Aging: Blessing or Curse?

Introduction

Aging can be traumatizing or enjoyable, depending on one's life experiences. In most cases, it is the time where a person becomes physically and mentally weak as health deteriorates. Knowing about the challenges that people go through, Lilian Rubin, in "60 On Up: The Truth About Aging in the Twenty-First Century," analyzes some of the burning issues that need to be addressed as far as aging is concerned. At a glance, it seems that aging can be a blessing or a curse, but everything depends on how one has prepared to face it. In the same case, other factors, such as the care that one receives, health stability, and ties that one develops affect the process to a significant extent.

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Overall, the issues that Lilian Rubin addresses deserve a lot of attention when discussing aging. If better understood, it will be easier to help people prepare for aging and enjoy it too. The book is in-depth since Dr. Rubin uses information from different sources such as research, self-life experience, and highly provoking interviews. Doing so allows the reader to understand what lies ahead in America as time advances. Indeed, it is a country where a substantial population segment is heading to the sixties and will have profound impacts on crucial aspects of American life, including the economy and Social Security bank.

60 and Up as a Worrying Period

To a significant extent, Dr. Rubin analyzes the various issues that make life after sixty years a worrying period. As baby boomers continue reaching this age, Dr. Rubin discusses how graying as a nation affects the social and emotional lives of the aged as well as those close to them. Among the leading questions asked is whether the past sixty years represent an age of fulfillment or another twenty or more years of living without an identity or usefulness.

As a highly detailed issue in chapter three of the book, Dr. Rubin highlights what it means to stay younger as a person gets older. As one sifts through this issue, Americans should be knowledgeable about being more useful as they advance in age. Here, Dr. Rubin helps the aging population to understand the benefits of looking and feeling better than before. This point implies that different from the common belief, it is possible to live a more satisfying life compared to how a person was in his or her middle adulthood. However, issues such as physical pain and illnesses are inevitable, and a balance is necessary.

The other worrying issue is sex life. As age increases, questions such as what happens to sex can be disturbing. As highlighted, aged people usually see recognized individuals getting adequate and satisfying sex, which they rarely get (Rubin, 2008). As a highly detailed issue in chapter seven of the book, sex life is an issue of concern as people advance in age. There are worries about what to do to continue enjoying it as their bodies and mind resist.

As outlined and happens in everyday life, worrying about sex life can be mentally disturbing. As aged people continue to worry about their physical weakness, they get emotional and psychological problems, which make them unable to have a satisfying life in this critical period. As a result, Americans should be prepared not only to deal with physical problems that they are likely to face when they reach sixty years but also the possible mental issues. Also, the media should be sensitive about what they give as far as longevity and aging problems are concerned. The primary objective of doing so is ensuring that the aged are free from mental health issues.

Besides the issues of living young as one gets older and sex life, the other worry that the aging population faces is the fate of their well-established ties. As broadly discussed in chapter eight, there is a possibility of the binding relations shrinking. This point implies that as people age, there is a possibility of losing valuable friendships as people concentrate on personal problems. One of the main reasons for broken ties is the need for private life. Therefore, there are many issues to handle if the government will be in a position to make the life of the aging population better than today.

The other thing that can make aging a worrying period is the fact that it also affects other people. For instance, as discussed in chapter ten, children worry about taking care of their parents as they age. In this case, instead of people living their dream life, they find themselves in situations where their parents become their children. Life becomes stressing and financially draining. In the end, aging equates to a period of economic drains and can deter the progress of the nation too.

Conclusion

Overall, the issues that Dr. Rubin discusses illustrate why aging is a subject that is broader than usually represented. It cuts across all races, gender, and ages while the person's physical and cognitive ability continues to decline. From what Dr. Rubin highlights, aging affects all people in America- directly or indirectly. As a result, it is imperative to understand the implications of longevity and prepare adequately as a society. Doing so will enable people to deal with challenges that emerge after reaching sixty years. As highlighted above, the majority of the worries are personal and inevitable. It is, therefore, crucial to pay more attention to aging and do everything necessary to ensure that it is enjoyable instead of making people suffer without getting the necessary help.

References

Rubin, L. B. (2008). 60 On Up : The Truth About Aging in the Twenty-First Century. Beacon Press.