Q. People often remark that age is just a number. We assume anyone who exercises, has a healthy diet and stays actively engaged in professional and other pursuits will live forever.
I have done all of these and put in thousands of miles of running (with scars to prove it) and believe and certainly feel age is more than just a number. Am I missing something? B.J.
From my perspective, that phrase is in response to ageism, a cultural norm in our society. It suggests that what we are doing, thinking or believing is different from what society expects from us based solely on our age. So we say, “Age is just a number,” implying age will not hold us back.
Here are some examples. The workplace: Many older workers are defying cultural norms that expect them to retire at age 62 or 65. Older workers comprise over one-third of the labor force; the fastest-growing segment is the age 70-plus group .
They are working for income, but also for social connections, the work itself and a sense of purpose. Entrepreneurship: According to the Kauffman Foundation , the second-largest growth of entrepreneurs is among those ages 55 to 65. Additionally, this older cohort is more successful than their younger counterparts, per a Forbes report .
Their chronological age is not deterring them from their vision and ambition. The artists: Many great masters created some of their greatest works in their later years such as Matisse and Picasso. AARP documents instances of lawyers, teachers and marketers wh.