Unlocking Elder Wisdom: How Valuing Older Adults Can Transform Our Lives

Spoiler alert: this 🌿Message from Nature contains true confessions …and redemption. 

Last week’s 🌿Message from Nature seemed to strike a chord with readers. It was all about how we become invisible (and unappreciated) in our culture as we age, and what a loss that presents to all of us. 

One reader shared that she was prematurely grey in her thirties and noticed a huge difference between how she was treated as grey until she decided to dye her hair its previous color again. 

As elders, we can feel unseen, and yet, because we are never truly separate, we help sustain the world by holding the steady energy of lived experience and wisdom. 

Hearing your sincere reflections confirmed that this is a vital (no pun intended!) subject and made me want to take a deeper dive. 

True confession #1: I also was ignoring elders. 

I see my clients at Hidden Springs in the morning and leave through the dining room at lunchtime. One day, I realized I was nodding and smiling at the (younger) staff and not acknowledging the really important people: the residents. 

That was an eye-opening moment - I was being ageist! – and allowed me to begin to connect with the residents in a more heartfelt way. Still a work in progress, but I’m aware now in a way I wasn’t before. 

True confession #2: I didn’t count myself as an elder. 

When I wrote last week’s 🌿Message, I talked about elders as though I wasn’t one! I woke up with that insight early last Sunday, pulled up the email and turned all the “they” into “we” minutes before it was due to send. 

This ageism thing is very insidious!

And it’s not our fault. It’s an attitude that is taught to us from the time we’re learning to crawl. 

This all got started by a client who wanted to explore issues of aging as she approaches a new decade of life. She was reading Breaking the Age Code by Becca Levy, PhD, and was excited about what she was reading. 

I checked it out from our library this week, and it is a revelation! I’m just a few chapters in, but it turns out that both cultural and personal attitudes towards aging significantly impact how we age. 

In cultures where age is seen as an advantage, elders have less (sometimes zero) Alzheimer’s and enjoy much better health and vitality than we do in the United States. Shockingly better!!! 

Here’s a 3-minute, tiny but mighty practice to help you tap into the invisible wisdom and value of elders that sustains us all:

1. Step outside and find a quiet spot — a patch of grass, a favorite tree, a chair on your porch. Relax and connect by taking a deep breath in and a slow breath out, noticing the support of the ancient earth beneath you.

2. Invite the wisdom of nature. Look at something that has weathered time - a tree trunk, a rock, or even the sky’s expanse. Feel its strength and steadiness reflected in you.

3. Call in an elder presence. Picture a beloved elder or ancestor standing nearby. Imagine their wisdom flowing through your body like sunlight warming your skin. Whisper “thank you” for all you’ve lived and all you carry. Let gratitude flow for the generations before you and for yourself as a link in that chain.

4. Take this grounded presence with you. As you return inside or into your day, carry this sense of connection and dignity like a gentle cloak of strength. 

   
   

I’m always learning from my readers and clients, and your stories have reminded me how deeply these conversations matter. Every time we pause to honor ourselves and one another as elders (and elders-in-the-making), we help heal the cultural narrative and create a more compassionate world.

Elder Wisdom in the Blue Zones: Secrets to Longevity and Well-being

The Blue Zones are five regions around the world where people live longer, healthier lives, with an unusually high percentage of centenarians. And they’re not just living longer, but they’re thriving. In the Blue Zones, centenarians are cognitively outperforming those 20+ years younger than them, and they are physically superior as well. In Sardinia, the centenarians walk all day long in a highly hilly area and in Nicoya, there are centenarians doing physical labour daily. 

The Blue Zones are Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; and Loma Linda, California (specifically the Seventh-day Adventist community). By studying the lifestyle habits and characteristics of people living in these zones, we can gain valuable insights into the secrets of longevity and well-being.

Common Characteristics and Habits

People living in the Blue Zones share certain characteristics and habits that contribute to their longevity and well-being. Researchers, such as Dan Beuttner, have spent most of their lives living in and studying these regions to discover the longevity secrets for the world's longest living people.

Some of these include:

• Plant-based diets: The traditional diets of Blue Zones populations are largely plant-based, with a focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. While in recent years, this has shifted a little bit, most of the oldest residents historically ate mostly plant-based and most still do.

• Physical activity: People in the Blue Zones engage in regular physical activity, often as part of their daily routine, such as walking or gardening. The key here is that their physical activity is just part of their daily life. In the Mediterranean regions, they had jobs (such as shepherding) that caused them to walk for most of their days, and in Nicoya and Okinawa, they perform a lot of physical labour, such as gardening and cutting grass with a blade.

• Strong social connections: Blue Zones residents tend to have strong social connections and a sense of community, which helps to reduce stress and promote a sense of belonging. This was the most important aspect in every blue zone. They had a strong sense of belonging either with their friend groups, living with their families, or they had an external community, such as a religious group. Research shows that the happiest people have a strong sense of belonging. The happiest people are the ones who live the longest.

• Sense of purpose: Many people in the Blue Zones have a clear sense of purpose and meaning in life, which can help to promote motivation and direction. In Okinawa, they have something called Ikigai. Ikigai is a motivating force or “the meaning of living.” When you have a strong sense of purpose and big dreams and goals, you have a continued reason for getting out of bed each morning. You don’t just sit around; you get up and work towards something you love.

• Stress reduction: Blue Zones residents often engage in stress-reducing activities, such as meditation or spending time in nature. They all find a way to live slower and stress-free lives. They make time to connect with themselves, a higher being, the universe, or Nature. Nature is important in every Blue Zone, as they spend a lot of their time outside.

Elder Wisdom in the Blue Zones

In the Blue Zones, older adults are often revered for their wisdom, experience and contributions to the community. They play an important role in passing down cultural traditions, teaching essential life skills and providing guidance and support to younger generations.

Communities often revolve around the elders, and many families have multiple generations living in the same home.

• Respect for elders: In many Blue Zones cultures, older adults are shown great respect and deference, and are often sought out for their wisdom and advice.

• Intergenerational connections: Blue Zones residents often live in close proximity (or in the same home) to their families and engage in regular intergenerational activities, which helps to promote a sense of connection and community. The grandchildren learn from their elders, and the elders are actively involved in the lives of their grandchildren, including getting on the ground and playing with them (keeping them active).

• Life-long learning: Many people in the Blue Zones continue to learn and engage in new activities throughout their lives, which helps to keep their minds active and promote a sense of purpose.

By studying the lifestyle habits and characteristics of people living in the Blue Zones, we can gain valuable insights into the secrets of longevity and well-being, and learn from the wisdom and experience of older adults in these communities. Longevity is possible and leads to a wonderful life.

The Gift of Elder Wisdom: How Older Adults Can Guide and Inspire Us

Older adults have a wealth of knowledge, experience, and wisdom to share with others. By valuing and learning from older adults, we can gain valuable insights and perspectives that can help us navigate life's challenges and opportunities.

They have lived through a number of tough events, and their wisdom and resilience can teach us a number of important life lessons. All we have to do is be open to listening to what they have to say.

The Importance of Valuing Older Adults

Valuing older adults means recognizing the importance of their contributions, experiences, and wisdom. We often end up patronizing older adults, infantilizing them, dismissing what they have to say, or even ignoring them.  This is often because we are uncomfortable with them or aren’t patient enough with them.

Valuing older adults involves creating opportunities for intergenerational connection and knowledge sharing, as well as providing support and care for older adults in our communities.

• Intergenerational learning: Older adults can share their knowledge, skills, and experience with younger generations, helping to promote a sense of connection and community. There are many “adopt a grandparent” programs that provide a wonderful sense of connection for the youngster and the “grandparent.” 

• Mentorship: Older adults can serve as mentors and role models, providing guidance and support to younger people as they navigate life's challenges. This is a great way to keep the older adults engaged and living with a sense of purpose, and the younger generation solid life advice from people who have been through it.

• Storytelling: Older adults can share their stories and experiences, providing valuable insights and perspectives on life. There are many cultures worldwide that depend on storytelling to keep their culture and history alive. Check out last week's blog post to learn more!

Examples of Elder Wisdom

There are many examples of elder wisdom in action, where older adults share their knowledge, experience, and skills with others. Some families allow this to happen naturally, such as families from Greece. But there are examples worldwide.

• Grandfamily caregiving: In some families, grandparents take on a caregiving role for their grandchildren, providing love, support and guidance. In some places, the grandparents live with their grandchildren, and in other areas, the grandparents provide daycare services. 

• Community leadership: Older adults often play leadership roles in their communities, using their experience and wisdom to guide and inspire others. In many Indigenous communities, Elders hold leadership roles and are responsible for ensuring they pass their knowledge, culture, language, and histories on to their younger generations. In many Indigenous communities, the Elders act as governments and are consulted for community matters.

• Preserving traditional crafts: Many older adults are skilled in traditional crafts, such as woodworking, weaving, or pottery. By sharing their skills with others, they can help preserve cultural heritage and promote intergenerational connection. It’s also a great way to keep physically and cognitively active. Older adults who keep up their skills typically retain their minds and physical dexterity for longer.

By valuing and learning from older adults, we can tap into the gift of elder wisdom and gain valuable insights and perspectives that can help us live more fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Reflection Questions

1. How do I currently view and value older adults in my life and community, and what are some ways I can work to deepen my appreciation and connection with them?

2. What are some ways that I can learn from the wisdom and experience of older adults, and how can I create opportunities for intergenerational connection and knowledge sharing?

3. How can I incorporate some of the lifestyle habits and characteristics of people living in the Blue Zones into my own life, such as prioritizing plant-based eating, physical activity, and stress reduction?