"One of the nice things about the Senior Tour is that we can take a cart and cooler. If your game is not going well, you can always have a picnic." --Lee Trevino, professional golfer
Men experience aging in their own unique and special way. Just ask Paul Newman, Colin Powell, Robert Redford, Philip Roth, and Warren Buffett ? all lauded by Time Magazine as American men over 60 who are making the most of their age. While not everyone is "Paul" or "Robert," studies indicate that both health and retirement contribute to quality of life for the aging male in significant and complex ways.
Let's take health. While men continue to have a lower life expectancy than women by some 5 years, many opportunities exist for older men to improve their health outcomes by staying alert to body symptoms and changes. Educating oneself on prostate health, heart disease, hormone changes (decrease in testosterone levels), and sexual issues, for example, is a must. So too is developing a positive relationship with a trusted health professional to help guide men through this chapter of life.
There is evidence to suggest that men visit their family physician less frequently than do women. And when they do visit a doctor, it tends to be when symptoms are more severe. What's important to remember is that being on the offensive--being pro active about health issues--may serve to prevent problems, such as prostate cancer. If and when a health problem does arise, being aware of treatment options, as well as their pros and cons, is another important strategy for older men to improve their health.
For men (and women), growing older is far more than a handful of physical changes, however. Emotional health also plays an important role in a man's ability to live a full and enriched life as he ages. A host of responses are often triggered when a man nears or reaches retirement, for example. These responses may run the gamut from feelings of anxiety over the future, to re-ordering personal priorities, to a deep soul-searching about life's meaning, to facing one's own mortality, and to a change in values. Again, a trusted health care professional can help sort through these issues to help men fully realize that retirement can be an exciting time filled with new opportunity.
Below you will find a variety of resources available to help men live rewarding lives as they age.
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