THINK POSITIVE
Why are beliefs and attitudes important?
Beliefs and attitudes are important because they influence decisions and actions.
Of particular importance is that in society there is a set of negative beliefs that are very common and these lead to a set of pessimistic attitudes. Examples of negative beliefs include
Examples of pessimistic attitudes include
What can you do?
The most important thing for people as we live longer is to have a clear understanding of the fact that most of the problems that occur are not caused by ageing but by loss of fitness and disease. It is also important to understand that many of the beliefs about what happens to people as they get older are not based on scientific evidence. What you need to believe is that
Examples of positive and optimistic attitudes are
Why are beliefs and attitudes important?
Beliefs and attitudes are important because they influence decisions and actions.
Of particular importance is that in society there is a set of negative beliefs that are very common and these lead to a set of pessimistic attitudes. Examples of negative beliefs include
- There’s no point in doing anything for people aged 70
- Ageing is responsible for disability and dependence
- There is no difference between ageing and dementia
- There is no point in arguing with someone who is over 85
- Fitness and training are relevant for only young people
Examples of pessimistic attitudes include
- I will start doing more things for my mother, now that she is ageing that is the kind thing to do
- There is no point in disagreeing with someone with a diagnosis of dementia it is bound to be dementia that is making them confused
- All we need to do for older people is provide more 'care' namely do more things for them because they cannot do things for themselves and cannot recover their ability to do things for themselves?
- I have no expectations that older people could take responsibility for organising services or being involved in the organisation of services; we have to do it for them?
What can you do?
The most important thing for people as we live longer is to have a clear understanding of the fact that most of the problems that occur are not caused by ageing but by loss of fitness and disease. It is also important to understand that many of the beliefs about what happens to people as they get older are not based on scientific evidence. What you need to believe is that
- Ageing is not a major cause of problems until the nineties
- For most people what they regard as a change due to ageing from the early twenties is in fact a change primarily due to loss of fitness
- The accurate diagnosis and treatment of disease is essential but equally important, if not more important, is to maintain and indeed increase activity after the onset of disease. Activity needs to be maintained to maintain the level of fitness of an individual with a long term condition, or more than one long term condition, but because most people who reach their forties, fifties, sixties and beyond have already lost a lot of fitness the aim should always be to increase fitness, even after diagnosis of one or more than one long term conditions.
- Negative beliefs are one of the major causes of problems that people have as they grow older.
- Positive ageing is of vital importance in maintaining intellectual ability as well as physical activity
- Physical, social and mental activity are all of vital importance in maintaining and increasing both ability and reserve
Examples of positive and optimistic attitudes are
- Whatever your age you can get fitter and increase both your ability and reserve
- As people grow older they should increase the amount of activity they take
- Experience gives people a good basis for decision making and decision taking
- Many of the problems that we see are due to negative beliefs and therefore being positive is a very important contribution we make to our own progress through life and to the progress of life of others