Senior citizen:
A Senior Citizen is a resident Indian who is of the age of 60 years and above and a Super Senior Citizen is a resident Indian who is of the age of 80 years and above at any time during the respective financial year.
In the USA it is generally considered that a senior citizen is anyone of retirement age, or a person that has reached age 62 or older.
In 2022, there were 771 million people aged 65 years globally, accounting for almost 10% of the world's population.In 2022, population aged 65 years and above for India was 6.9 %.
According to 2021 data, more than 55.8 million adults ages 65 and older live in the U.S., accounting for about 16.8% of the nation's population.
Long lives are rare these days and hence senior citizens are gems after having been lived long and expecting to live more
Senior citizens are those who bring out best in you and not stress in you.
Don't regret growing an older it is previlage denied to many.
The purpose of the senior citizens day – proclaimed by former President Ronald Reagan in 1988 – is to increase awareness of the issues that affect older adults, such as deteriorating health. It is also a day to acknowledge the accomplishments - and show our appreciation - of our senior citizens.
The World Senior Citizen's Day is celebrated on 21 August each year.
World Senior Citizen's Day is an opportunity to celebrate and appreciate senior citizens for their services, accomplishments, and dedication they have given in their lives.
The celebration took place for the first time in 1991. The day is intended to increase awareness of the factors and issues that affect older adults, such as health deterioration and elder abuse. It is also a day to recognize and acknowledge the contributions of older people to society.
The theme of the 2023 commemoration of International Older Persons Day is “Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World”.
The meaning of resilient in English: characterized or marked by resilience: such as
(a) : capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture.
( b) : tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.
Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.
Some common synonyms of resilient are elastic, flexible, springy, and supple. While all these words mean "able to endure strain without being permanently injured," resilient implies the ability to recover shape quickly when the deforming force or pressure is removed. A resilient innersole.
RESILIENCE = प्रतिरोधक्षमता , लचीलापन, बदलाव
Examples of Resilience:
•Trying to take a positive perspective on situations. •Viewing challenges as learning opportunities. •Regulating emotions and expressing feelings in appropriate ways.
•Focusing on the things you can control instead of dwelling on what you cannot change.
•Viewing setbacks as impermanent.
•Reframing setbacks as opportunities for growth.
•Recognizing cognitive distortions as false beliefs.
•Managing strong emotions and impulses.
•Focusing on events you can control.
•Not seeing yourself as a victim.
•Committing to all aspects of your life.
Resilient people are quick to look for ways to resolve or at least improve the situation. They do not expend their energy in reciting why the problem is difficult or unfair. They channel that time, mental, and emotional energy to find solutions.
Resilience is often referred to as the ability to 'bounce back' in the face of adversity. Without adversity, we are not challenged, and therefore not required to adapt. Critically, the 'bounce back' is positive, often leading to the establishment or reinforcement of our inner strengths.
Resilience in older adults:
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines resilience as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress.” The association further notes that “As much as resilience involves 'bouncing back' from these difficult experiences.
Resilience has an important role in recovery from adversity and better physical and mental health in later life. With increased age, physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning may decrease; in addition, there are an increasing number of older adults suffering from chronic illness.
Interventions to strengthen resilience include processes such as strengthening general self-efficacy and self-esteem, engaging in social activities and interactions, using humor and maintaining an optimistic attitude, accepting change and looking for ways in which to make the change a growth experience.
Research results suggest that older adults have the capacity for high resilience despite age-related changes (role changes, illnesses, loneliness, and grief).
Resilient people do experience stress, setbacks, and difficult emotions, but they tap into their strengths and seek help from support systems to overcome challenges and work through problems. Resilience empowers them to accept and adapt to a situation and move forward.
Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences,especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands. The data revealed that both men and women grow more resilient as they age.
Resilience is not simply the ability to survive a difficult experience, but the ability to adapt and cope with circumstances in a way that enables one to emerge stronger, to thrive in the aftermath, and to integrate the lessons learned.
Resilience has an important role in recovery from adversity and better physical and mental health in later life. With increased age, physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning may decrease;3 in addition, there are an increasing number of older adults suffering from chronic illness.Resilience can help protect you from various mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Resilience can also help offset factors that increase the risk of mental health conditions, such as being bullied or previous trauma.
The positive factors of resilience.
Six contributing factors to resilience are as follows:
•Making realistic and attainable action plans.
•Carrying out plans effectively.
•Having strong communication skills.
•Managing our feelings and prioritizing our well-being.
•Developing strong self-efficacy, self-worth, and self-confidence.
•Problem-solving with a clear, focused mind.
“In your life, your years are not counted but what is counted is the life that you have added to your years."
“After working hard for so many years, senior citizens must retire with dignity and smile on their faces.”
Let us join celebration of World senior citizens day and appreciate their services, accomplishments and dedication to the society.
Indian Government Schemes for Betterment of the Senior Citizens
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Scheme.
Varishta Mediclaim Policy.
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS).
Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana.
National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE).
Varishta Pension Bima Yojana.
Youth is a gift of nature but age is an art.
Grey hairs are proof that you have earned most valuable thing in life and that is called experience which comes with age.
We are lucky to have such experienced, thoughtful and motivating generation with us who is always there to guide us.
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा।
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति।।श्रीमद् भगवद्गीता 2.13।।
जैसे इस देह में देही जीवात्मा की कुमार, युवा और वृद्धावस्था होती है, वैसे ही उसको अन्य शरीर की प्राप्ति होती है; धीर पुरुष इसमें मोहित नहीं होता है।।
Information compiled by.
Dr. Bhairavsinh Raol
