Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Norma Roth, Aging Activist and author of Aging Gracefully with Dignity, Integrity & Spunk Intact: Aging Defiantly, see an amazingly bright future for those in the Silver Generation or getting close to that threshold. Calling it the Age of Biology, Roth anticipates a landslide of medical advances in brain function and the ability of science to fashion new body parts and extend healthy life far beyond are imagining.

"Old age" ...with the strengths of wisdom and integrity..."demands that one garner and lean on all previous experience, maintaining awareness and creativity with a new grace. There is often something one might call indomitable about many old people...that is an integration of past, present and future." Erik H. Erikson & Joan M. Erikson



Many of you will remember the famous trains "The Champion" and "The Silver Meteor" that sped over the whole East Coast bringing rapid and comfortable and elegant travel for many decades. Some still consider it the best that ever was. Today, there is a new train appearing: it doesn`t run on tracks but it runs on its own steam, and the more steam it gets, the faster it will go—as science and medicine team up with technology for advancement of brain power and increasing health of the body. Norma Roth, author of Aging Gracefully with Dignity, Integrity & Spunk Intact: Aging Defiantly calls these momentous advances the newest and most exciting events unfolding in the 21st Century for members of the Silver Generation.

As the forces of science, medicine and technology join forces, the bright new Age of Biology has a special glitter for those of the Silver Generation. Promising longevity (long, long life—try 100!), and health unknown to past generations (try new parts for the body), there appears, on the horizon, the opportunity for the older generation to become the most dynamic and dramatic generation of all time. As Ralph Waldo Emerson opined truly: the only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. Roth sees the Silver Generation at the vanguard of an incredible age never before seen in the history of the world and stands to benefit greatly from the coalescence of the sciences . For this new and dynamic generation marching into the twenty-first century, a new world awaits.

So what do we really have going for us? asks Roth, an interested member of the Silver Generation, lawyer, educator and writer?

Brain power, memory: Science is at the forefront of opening up pathways to memory that have not been understood before, suggesting that pathways to long-term memory—the sum total of all your life- long learning, experience and more—may well be available throughout your lifetime, while medicine and technology support a host of wonderful life-enhancing possibilities, including new body parts (that just may work better than your old!)

Collectors of Wisdom, Maturity & Integrity: While science is giving us a new way to look at the older person, whom I call the Silver Generation, along with the prospect of good health and longevity, psychology has already set the groundwork for the advancement and advantages that the Silver Generation is capable of bringing to the twenty-first century through Erik Erickson's groundbreaking works: The Life Cycle Completed, Extended Version with New Chapters on the Ninth Stage by his wife Joan Erikson, and Vital Involvement in Old Age, written earlier by Erik Erikson and his wife Joan , along with Helen Kivnick. Together the Eriksons works set the foundation and underpinnings for what they saw as potential and very productive lives for those they termed "elite elders," whom the author calls, The Silver Generation.

Roth describes these books as seminal works for the Silver Generation. In Roth's book on Aging Gracefully-Aging Defiantly, the author finds the Eriksons works inspiring as she introduces a new model for today's dynamic generation in her chapter: "Introducing A New Paradigm," subtitled "Unfolding The Renaissance Person Of The Twenty-First Century."

The Eriksons foresaw immense gifts that the elder members of society could and would bring as they continued to participate in life. Briefly, the life cycle defines major stages in psychosocial development -- stages people go through to reach maturity and the changes that take place in each cycle. A most respected work! The extended version with chapters on "The Ninth Stage" and "Old Age and Community" concentrates on the "last life cycle phases." Ours! This is newest and best focus for our time.

The Unknown Quantity: The relevant and sage wisdom of the Eriksons resonate sharply with the Silver Generation. Let me reiterate some of their thoughts on the aging process, the aging person, and the society in which they live. The Eriksons began to see the older years as simply another stage: the next phase of carving out a life: new goals, new plans, new ambitions … but, nonetheless, mostly a full life! Long overdue are the applications of these prescient views from the last part of the twentieth century to ours. The Eriksons also saw early the necessity for a "radical change in our concept of the human life cycle," specifying and respecting the "qualities of experience, 'wisdom,' 'maturity,' and 'integrity' endemic to the later stages."

Next Cycle of Life: So, what will the next cycle of life look like? Roth predicts, it can, already is for some, and will be an especially exciting adventure for members of the Silver Generation. Definitely not a "losing it," scenario as Ms. Roth discusses fully in her book: Aging Gracefully With Dignity, Integrity and Spunk Intact: Aging Defiantly. As we age, those with healthy bodies and minds, (which this generation has far more reason to expect than probably any group in the recorded history of the world) will not go out to pasture, but rather partake in a "continued lifelong developing processes." Yes!—and also the potential will be realized for substantive contributions will be made by members of the Silver Generation that might come as a surprise to society from this newly emerging group, but not for those members of the Silver Generation who know their high level of stored and usable knowledge and experience base—and intend to use it!

Where does this all get us?: The author sees this dynamic generation on a Silver train speeding to unknown destinations without limits and with great opportunities for the Silver Generation. Emerson credo, worth repeating (and remembering perhaps): the only life you need to live is the life you set out for yourself, never was this truer, says the author of Aging Gracefully - Aging Defiantly. Never has a group with such potential, have predictive lives to record breaking ages (other than, perhaps some Biblical people). Roth, a lawyer recently read in the Harvard Law Journal class notes of '34 and '35 that two lawyers, ages 101, 100 are still practicing law! More and more, we see the members of the Silver Generation continue to contribute their wisdom, maturity, integrity, experience and perspective to the world around us, says Roth.

Roth suggests that more and more members get "On Board The Silver Generation" where an immensely satisfying life awaits. Roth postulates the Eriksons view of "healthy, vital old people [who will] look forward with anticipation and pleasure to a long life and purposeful involvement as a matter of course."

Roth suggests, too, this is the time for members of the Silver Generation to move ahead with confidence and self-esteem (disregarding obstacles and hurdles that may be put in their way) as they seek to carve a life. Quoting Emerson once more, she suggests members of the Silver Generation: "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail." We must realize that science, medicine and technology are merely validating the changes for a constructive and purposeful life seen, forecast, and predicted (and lived by many) a quarter century ago. The time is now to make new plans, and to set new goals. The foundation for continued growth, development of the self, and participation in the life of the community is here. The author adds one further piece of advice from "Vital Involvement in Old Age": "Set your course...you are challenged and tested: this tension, when it is focused and controlled is the very root of success." A great world awaits you, believes Roth. Time to "Get On Board The Silver Generation!"

Material from Norma Roth "Aging Gracefully With Dignity, Integrity and Spunk Intact: Aging Defiantly;); & "Vital Involvement in Old Age, Erik Erikson, Joan Erikson & Helen Kivnick: &"The Life Cycle Completed," Erik H. Erikson," Extended Version, with new Chapters on the Ninth Stage of development by Joan M. Erikson.

For media interviews contact Promotion in Motion at 323-461-3921 or brad@promotioninmotion.net