Successful Aging Essay

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Successful aging is a common term used mostly in the study of gerontology and aging. The term successful aging, suggests that "key ideas such as life satisfaction, longevity, freedom from disability, mastery and growth, active engagement with life and independence" (Martin, et al., 2014) makes an individual age either successfully or not. For some individuals, successful aging is a belief that good living in old age consists of maintaining activity and involvement, as in middle age (Havighurst R. J., 1963), while others believe that it is the absence of disease and disease related disabilities (Rowe & Kahn, 1997). The term successful aging has several meanings to different people; be it racial/ethnical, personal or based on life experiences, successful aging is based on the views of the individual explaining it. Aging is a natural process for all living beings, but for …show more content…

The media promotes what the definition of "true beauty " is, by portraying woman has having very long legs, very thin body shape, light eyes, clear skin, and no wrinkles" (Haboush, Warren, & Benuto, 2012). This has not only affected women, men are beginning to fall victims of anti-aging schemes, where they are told to dye their hairs or stop the process of balding. The media is one of the most powerful means of expressing values and ideals of appearance in our modern society. Wrinkles, sagging face and arms are clearly the normal aging process for humans, but people today are leaning towards Botox and anti-aging creams. Younger adults are working hard to reverse the normal aging process by using cosmetic surgery to prevent wrinkles, enhance body parts that makes them look younger. The fear and negative views on aging is an issue that needs to be

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