Old Age

Many people mistakenly believe that old age is a time of increased illness and loneliness. / In fact, people do not suddenly change/ when they reach the age of 60 or 65. / Consequently, we should not expect more mental illness/ among the 60 to 70 age group than among the 50 to 60. / Furthermore, although more parents and their married children live in separate households than ever before, / this is usually by choice. / It is not because children now tend to neglect their parents/ when they become old. /

It is also wrong to believe that old age seriously affects a person’s mental abilities. / There is clear proof that people who were eager to learn and who welcomed new experiences in their middle ages, / continue to do so in old age. / It is true that older people tend to take longer to learn something new than young people. / Nevertheless, if they are given sufficient time, / they learn as well as young people do.