Aging Backwards Tuesday Tips #7: Changing with the Times

Get into the 2000s

One of the standard jokes about aging pokes fun at people who've never heard of the bands 'the kids' listen to, like The Fray. If you said "The who?" you might want to get with the times. The Who is an English band from the 60s and 70s, albeit one of the greatest bands of all time (in my humble opinion.) The Fray is a Colorado-based rock band whose song, How to Save a Life, won them a 2007 Grammy nomination and has been downloaded more than 2,000,000 times. I don't necessarily listen to the music teenagers listen to, but I at least recognize some of the names and that makes me seem more "hip" or approachable than some almost-50 moms.

I also watch the news and/or read the newspaper every day. People who are oblivious to current events can seem out of touch or self absorbed. More than that, living in the present moment, knowing what's going on around you and not obsessing about the past contribute to a sense of youthfulness.

Staying in tune with the times may even help people live to 100, according to the results of a poll of 100 people, aged 99 and older, who were questioned about the secrets of longevity. Spirituality, a healthy diet, no smoking and being happy were also high on the list of what's important to living a long life, according to Dr. John Mach, the head of Evercare, which conducted the poll. Evercare provides care coordination programs for the elderly and disabled. "They very much paid attention to both technology and current events," he said about the elderly respondents.

Tips For Keeping Up With the Times

1) Get high tech. Mp3 players like iPods may seem complicated, but they're actually simple to use and can help you keep current with the world around you. You can download podcasts to your mp3 player and take it with you wherever you go. Any place you have to wait is a good place to put on your iPod headphones and listen to some interesting podcasts, newscasts ... or even the latest song by The Fray.

2) Listen to kids. Sometimes kids and teenagers can sound as if they're speaking a foreign language full of shortcut words and phrases. Listening to that language is a great way to stay current. I may have to Google a word or phrase I hear a kid say, but once I find out what it means, I can throw it into my conversation and sound like I know (and care) what's going on in their world. It can also open the channels of communication with your own teenager for a closer relationship.

3) Bookmark news Web sites. We're all on our computers these days so why not bookmark some of the news organizations and check their home pages for a quick scan of today's headlines? Sometimes all I have time for are the headlines and maybe the first few lines of the story, but at least I'm not completely oblivious to what's going on in the world. Here are some links: MSNBC; Fox News; BBC News; and the wire service Reuters.

4) Keep up with fashion. Even if you don't plan on embracing the latest fashion craze, you can check out the current fashions in magazines, online or even just by watching television. Adjusting your wardrobe even slightly can make you look current and it doesn't always involve shopping or even spending money. You may have some cute skirts or tops in your closet that you can adapt to the latest "look" by simply adding a new belt. Changing the way you button a top or hemming a skirt you already own can freshen up an outfit and keep it current.

5) Keep an open mind. Be open to new ways of doing things and challenge your "old" way of thinking to come up with fresh ideas and new ways to look at the world.

So, the next time you hear your kids or your neighbor's kids or your grandkids say, "TISNF," you'll know that it means "That is so not fair," and you'll be able to offer a response that shows you're no "old-timer."