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 Aging is a lifelong process. Today we are learning that how we age is up to us. What you eat, how physically and mentally active you are and even your attitudes toward aging can affect how successfully your own individual aging process develops.
So what is aging?
Most people who study aging (called gerontologists) feel that aging is the sum of many lifelong influences. The aging process is affected by your genes, diet, exercise and cultural influences, along with other factors such as smoking, where you live and your outlook on life. Unlike the changes of adolescence, which are predictable to within a few years, each person ages at a unique rate. Currently, there is no known reliable way to predict how you will age.
However, there are certain things you can do that will enhance the quality of your life as you grow older. There are three sections in this exhibition: Mind, Body, and Community. Each section will introduce you to some of the challenges you may face as you grow older and some strategies you should consider for a healthier future regardless of your age.
BODY
Your body is made up of cells, the building blocks of all of your tissues, which make up all the different parts of your body. All cells experience changes as you age. These changes affect the functioning of all body systems. But as you will see, there are things you can do that will help your cells (and your body) age and work better!
In the exhibition you will discover:
- You are what you eat.
- How to keep your heart healthy.
- What makes strong bones.
- Why you can have too much sun.
- What smoking can do to your appearance.
MIND
Just as physical activity keeps your body strong, mental activity keeps your mind sharp and agile. That's why it's important to continue to learn and challenge yourself.
In the exhibition you can explore:
- Ways to keep your brain in peak performance.
- What your reaction time is and how to improve it.
- What is Alzheimer’s?
COMMUNITY
With the right combination of genetics and lifestyle choices, along with advances in medical care and public health to control and prevent disease today, we have a very good chance of living a long life. In fact by 2030, fully 19 percent of the San Diego region’s population will be 65 or older. However, there is more to aging well! A strong indicator of a person’s success at aging well is their level of social and community involvement.
In the exhibition you can learn:
- Some of the interesting stories about life in San Diego.
- How life expectancy has changed over the years.
The exhibition AGING FOR ALL AGES is funded by a grant from the MetLife Foundation Partnership for Lifelong Learning. Additional support provided by Aging & Independence Services, a division of the County of San Diego’s Health and Human Services Agency.
All of the hands-on exhibits in AGING FOR ALL AGES have operating instructions in Spanish and English.
A companion brochure in Spanish is available.
Check out these related web sites for more information:
http://www.sandiego.networkofcare.org
http://www.alz.org
http://www.servingseniors.org/
http://www.salk.edu/ |
