Senior Living: Get Your Aging Groove on with Help from ’70s hits

By BETH DOW, Home Helpers of GA & AL

Aging is a lot like a 1970s mixtape: it has high notes, low notes, and occasionally something weird you forgot you liked – looking at you, disco.

But guess what? If you’re over 65, you’re not “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” you’re just getting to the good part of the song. So crank up the volume, pull on your bell bottoms (figuratively or literally), and let’s groove our way through aging…with a little help from the hits of the ‘70s.

• “You’re So Vain”… But in a good way

Let’s get one thing straight: confidence is sexy at every age. Maybe your hair isn’t what it used to be,  but you’ve got wisdom, humor, and the ability to tell someone under 30 how to use a rotary phone. Own it. Walk into a room like you’re still hearing the opening riff to “Play That Funky Music.”

• “Go Your Own Way”… Especially at 4 pm

Aging comes with freedom. You’ve earned the right to eat dinner at 4 p.m., wear socks with sandals, and tell people what you really think of pineapple on pizza. Want to take up watercolor painting or finally write that mystery novel? Do it. Want to sit on your porch and watch the birds? Also, fine. This is your time and you can “go your own way” without asking for anyone’s permission.

• “I Will Survive”… and then some

You’ve survived trends, recessions, questionable fashion choices, and disco. You are resilient. If you can survive polyester leisure suits, you can definitely handle a few extra birthday candles. Life might look a little different now, but like Gloria Gaynor said — you will survive and you’ll do it with flair.

• “Listen to the Music”… Even if it’s coming from your knees

Sure, sometimes your joints play their own soundtrack of snap, crackle and pop, but that’s just percussion! Dance anyway. Whether it’s in your kitchen, at a wedding, or in your chair, never stop moving to the rhythm of your life. After all, as the Doobie Brothers said: “Listen to the Music.”

• “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”… Except maybe the stairs

Let’s be honest: stairs used to be just stairs. Now they’re Mt. Everest. But that doesn’t mean you can’t climb them. It just means you might need to pause halfway up and pretend you’re admiring the crown molding. Life’s about pacing now, not racing. And hey, escalators exist for a reason.

• “Lean on Me”… and your reading glasses

Friendship gets sweeter with age. Whether it’s coffee with your oldest friend or laughing at your high school’s friends get togethers (Shout out to my MD Collins High School classes who are still meeting for lunches and dinners on a regular basis), those connections matter more than ever. So don’t hesitate to call someone up just to say, “Remember when we danced to ‘Brick House’ at your cousin’s wedding in ‘78?”

• “Don’t Stop”… Believin’, Laughin’, Dreamin’

You don’t stop being you just because the calendar says you’re a “senior.” You’re still growing, changing, and discovering. Maybe you’ve swapped out platform shoes for orthopedic ones, but your spirit still knows how to party. Aging isn’t an ending – it’s an encore.

So throw on some Earth, Wind & Fire, twirl around the kitchen, and know that you are and always will be, a “Dancing Queen”— young and sweet, only 65 (and up!).

• One Last Thing: “Let’s Stay Together”

Aging isn’t a solo act. Stay connected. Laugh with friends. Call your kids (even if they only text). Take the trip, eat the dessert, sing the song — even if it’s off-key.

With the heart of James Taylor, the groove of Carole King, and the swagger of Mick Jagger, why wouldn’t you strut into your seventies and beyond!?

Beth Dow is a Dementia and Alzheimer’s Educator, CAEd and Geriatric Care Manager. She is also the owner of Home Helpers of GA & AL in Newnan. Readers can contact her by email at [email protected].