Aging is a natural process that happens to any living organism. It has its own challenges, such as the struggle to be emotionally stable, identify, and be in relationships.
The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60+ will double (to approximately 2.1 billion). And not just your backs and legs will be giving out. Here are 15 of the biggest emotional challenges you’ll likely experience as old age creeps on.
Loneliness and Social Isolation
The National Institutes of Health study found that about 24 percent of community-living adults aged 65 or older in the United States are considered socially isolated—about 7.7 million people in all.
This can be the result of shrinkage in their social circles due to friends, spouses, and relatives dying.
Fear of Becoming a Burden
Many seniors are fearful of a caretaker taking over their life. This can make people very anxious about the day-to-day care they might rely on others now and the financial dependence it would bring.
Many times, this fear will result in an inability to get help even when help is needed, which then makes these health issues worsen.
Coping with Physical Decline
Aging people have reduced mobility, chronic pain, or the onset of illnesses that make it difficult to do normal daily tasks. Independently walking or needing assistive devices can be extremely frustrating and utterly demoralizing.
According to the National Council on Aging, 95 percent of adults over 65 have at least one chronic health condition; three in four older adults have two or more chronic conditions; and three in four older adults have a chronic health condition that substantially decreases their quality of life.
Loss of Identity
Many seniors experience a loss of identity when they retire and depart from the social roles of working and raising a family. Retiring from a structured work life requires a lot of redefining of who you are, what you are worth, and what you were there for.
This can be a real struggle for people who are quite committed to their professional roles.
Grief from Loss of Loved Ones
For older adults who have lost friends, spouses, and family members, grieving is a frequent experience. The more people age, the more likely they are to lose many peers and loved ones, and the more frequently they have to cycle through grief.
This can have a heavy toll on mental health, and when combined with social isolation or physical limitations that prevent elderly people from seeking out emotional support, this can take its toll. Prolonged grief can result in depression, anxiety, and physical health problems in older adults, the National Institutes of Health says.
Memory and Cognitive Decline
Older adults often suffer from fear and frustration associated with memory loss and cognitive decline, and their condition dramatically increases. We know that conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease affect memory, but they also contribute to anxiety about one’s mental capacity.
Wiley estimated 6.9 million Americans 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease. If no medical breakthroughs prevent or cure the disease, this number will grow to 13.8 million by 2060.
Facing Mortality
Time running out can bring many emotions, especially fear, sadness, and existential angst. Often, it’s not until after the friends and spouses we love die that we become very aware of the fact that we are going to die, which can make the concept a little bit more tangible.
The question of what comes after death is an issue for many older people. Some may concentrate on whatever legacy they leave behind. It is very hard to cope with this emotional weight, and the fear of death also can sometimes push into heightened anxiety or depression.
Regret and Unresolved Issues
Sometimes, thinking about a long life may be a time to regret the opportunities that were never made or a conflict that was never resolved. For seniors, these feelings may be an emotional struggle.
Fear of Irrelevance
Most often, seniors feel fear of irrelevance because of a feeling of being dismissed or ignored by younger generations. As I grew older, I saw that society places value on youth and innovation, and it seems that the older the adult, the more being sidelined or dismissed happens.
Anxiety about Financial Security
In a survey by Investopedia, only a small percentage of baby boomers feel confident they have enough saved for retirement. Researchers estimate that up to 20 percent of boomers are ‘very confident of reaching their retirement goals.’
The rest remained unconvinced about their savings.
Loss of Autonomy
One of the most annoying parts of aging is losing control over your ability to make decisions and act independently. It can be demoralizing not to be able to do things you normally do.
A National Council on Aging study showed that 88 percent of people 50 to 80 want to age in place.
Adult Children’s Relationship Struggles
Seniors can feel emotionally torn apart by conflict or tension in adult-child relationships. Role reversals — when adult children become caregivers — can generate conflict and resentment in either direction.
It can also make older adults feel like they’re being patronized or infantilized or make it difficult for adult children to take on a caregiving role. These emotionally draining, strained relationships lead to feelings of loneliness or isolation.
Mental Health and Depression
The World Health Organization reports that around 14% of adults aged 60 and over have a mental disorder, and depression is among the most common conditions for people in this age group.
The feelings of sadness and hopelessness that are elements of depression in older adults can often be caused by a combination of things — physical health issues, being lonely, and feeling that your life has no meaning.
Quality of Life versus Longevity Dilemma
Although advances in healthcare continually increase life expectancy, this doesn’t mean longer life must have a better quality of life. Profound emotional conflict exists between wanting to live longer and fear of a decline in the quality of those extra years.
Most seniors are afraid to live in pain, see themselves progressively lose cognitive abilities, or be completely dependent on others. This often forces difficult conversations, for example, around decisions about whether to prolong life with life-prolonging treatments or where to live out the last days beyond an assisted living arrangement.
Gripping with Rapid Technological Change
As the world becomes more digital, older adults often feel left behind by fast technological changes. Because smartphones, computers, and the internet are the daily tools for all kinds of things like banking, communication, and going to see your doctor, it can be overwhelming for someone who has not grown up with such high tech.
Adults aged 65 and older account for 75% of internet users (compared with 48% among all adults), and many are abandoned by the pace of technological change, according to the Pew Research Center. It can also be frustrating, make us helpless, and leave us socially excluded; once you cannot learn and adapt to new devices and platforms, you will be left behind.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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