Importance of Having a Philosophy of Aging

The Pod Cast Link: The Creativity Effect in Healthy Aging: Lifelong Artistic Practice and Beauty by At Home With Growing Older – At Home, On AirThe pdf handout: THE ART OF POSSIBILITY AGING

By Patrick Roden PhD
Importance of having a Philosophy of Aging
Why: Your biography becomes your biology; how you live determines how you age.
Your view of aging will influence your behavior.

HISTORIC GERONTOLOGY vs. CRITICAL GERONTOLOGY
Historic Gerontology -Early 19th to 20th Century.

-Controlled by the Medical Model “Biomedicalization of aging.”

-Aging as a problem, disease that requires medical interventions, focus on pathology or
what goes wrong with aging.

-Peak and Decline Model.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there was a growing scientific interest in
understanding the physical processes of aging, largely framed through the medical lens.
At this time, the medical model of aging dominated the discourse, focusing on the
biological aspects of aging, such as the degeneration of cells, diseases associated with
old age, and the need for medical interventions to extend life.

The medical model’s influence grew as life expectancy increased, particularly in the
20th century, with the development of better healthcare, sanitation, and the rise of
geriatrics as a specialized field of medicine. Aging was seen primarily as a set of
medical problems to be addressed by healthcare professionals, with an emphasis on
disease prevention, treatment of age-related ailments, and managing the physical
decline of older adults. This approach often viewed aging as a “problem” that required
medical solutions.

Sub-Theory: Disengagement Theory
For the good of society older adults were supposed to fade away to Suncity Age
Ghettos (Betty Friedan’s term) and live out what was left of life in pursuit of leisure.

Critical Gerontology

-1980 Employed Critical Theory to question cultural assumptions about aging.
-Emphasis on what goes right with aging and lifespan human development.

Critical gerontology began to take shape in the 1980s as a response to the traditional,
often pathologizing views of aging. It emerged as a theoretical framework within the
broader field of gerontology, which studies aging and the experiences of older adults.
The main goal of critical gerontology was to shift the focus away from merely aging as a
medical condition or decline and toward a more nuanced understanding of how aging
intersects with issues of power, social structures, and ageism. Critical gerontologists
argue that aging is a social construct and that the experiences of older adults are
shaped by societal expectations, economic conditions, cultural norms, and historical
context.

“We are aged more by culture than by chromosomes.”

– Margaret Morganroth Gullette

2 Sub-Theories:
Life Course Perspective
The theory that human development occurs throughout the entire lifespan.
Continuity of Self
The theory that individuals maintain a consistent sense of identity and self-concept over
time, despite the physical, social, or emotional changes that may occur as they age, by
employing certain strategies. For example, “I’m an Artist,” for lifetime artists.

Theories Applied to Creativity and Aging
Key Point: Creativity is not measured as productivity; they are not the equivalent. One
is process, the other is outcome, very different measurements.
“Age-related limitations” become their SUPERPOWER aka “Divergent Thinking”

Example #1 Painter with essential tremor using masking tape to paint straight lines led
him to a new area of creativity and exploration. Historical gerontology perspective would
have viewed it as pathology and decline, leading to disengagement and pathology.

Example #2 Blind Artist and broken China teacup that became a beautiful mosaic.
Divergent thinking led to e’chec – e’chelle or “success through failure.
Physiological Benefits of Critical Gerontological Paradigm / Creativity and Aging
The Creative Process = Ego Dissolving (less emphasis on the self), lower focus on
pathology and declines associated with aging. More positive source of meaning making
beyond “sick-careers.”

The Creative Process Creates FLOW states = Feel Good Chemicals, Dopamine,
Norepinephrine, Endorphins, Serotonin, Anandamide (increases creativity).
Studies show that positive views of aging (viewed as a time of growth, wisdom, and
purpose) have shown to increase life on average by 7.5 years.
(Levy, B. R. (2020). Breaking the age code: How your beliefs about aging determine
how long and well you live. HarperCollins.)

“DELIGHT”
Delight is NOT a lightweight trivial nicety in relation to environmental aesthetics. It has
serious physiological implications for aging and longevity.
Neurogenesis is the process by which new neurons (brain cells) are formed in the brain.
It was once believed (Historic Gerontology) that neurogenesis only occurred during
early development, but recent research has shown that neurogenesis can continue
throughout adulthood (Critical Gerontology), particularly in the hippocampus, a region of
the brain associated with memory, learning, and emotion.

Dr. Marion Diamond UCB Rat Studies
Non-Stimulating Environments = Brain cell and dendritic shrinkage
Stimulating Environments = Neurogenesis especially hippocampus
Human studies have proven Novelty and Complexity in daily behavior stimulates
neurogenesis at any age.

Diamond, M. C. (1988). Enriched environments and brain development: The effects of
early experience on the brain of the rat. University of California, Berkeley.
Kentner AC, Lambert KG, Hannan AJ, Donaldson ST. Editorial: Environmental
Enrichment: Enhancing Neural Plasticity, Resilience, and Repair. Front Behav Neurosci.
2019 Apr 16;13:75. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00075. PMID: 31057374; PMCID:
PMC6477072.
85% of people who live past the age of 65 have two things in common: they do not
smoke, and they engage in complexity and novelty in daily behavior.

Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (1998). Successful aging. Pantheon Books
Environmental Delight is another word for Novelty and Complexity and is a well
established longevity advantage.

Takeaway: These lifelong artists, unaware of gerontological theories, naturally
demonstrated behaviors aligned with the Life Course Perspective and Continuity Theory
by using Divergent Thinking to transform perceived “limitations” into strengths.

Application: Older adults can engage in creative pursuits at any stage of life and adopt
similar strategies to navigate age-related changes in a positive, empowering way. The
key is developing AWARENESS of the unconscious influences from the “OVER-culture”
on how aging is perceived. By understanding HISTORIC and CRITICAL gerontological
paradigms and their impact, you are better equipped to make empowered, optimal
decisions about how you experience the (your) aging process.

Patrick spent the first years of his life crawling around the floors of a nursing home where his grandmother
was the head nurse. He feels this experience imprinted him and influenced his life’s work. It was his
“chance meeting” with 85-year-old marathon participant, Mavis Lindgren in 1992 that set Patrick on his
current path. Acting as Mrs. Lindgren’s med escort for 5 marathons changed his view of what is possible
in old age.

Patrick’s nursing career spanned almost 4 decades and included ICU, CCU, Trauma, Inner-city Public
Health, YMCA Cardiac Therapy Volunteer, and post-surgical recovery.
Professional Activities
2025 The DAISY Foundation Award recipient for Excellence in Nursing, The Lloydena Grimes Award for
Excellence in Nursing from Linfield College School of Nursing (1st male ever to be awarded), Ph.D.
Gerontology, MS Gerontology, MS Adult Education, BSN Nursing, Fielding Creativity Longevity & Wisdom
Fellow, Kappa Delta Pi: International Honor Society in Education, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor
Society of Nurses Beta Psi chapter (2015), Human and Organization Development Scholarship recipient
in recognition of scholarly contribution; Fielding University. Author of multiple books, and the creative
force behind aginginplace.com.