Gerontology

gerontology n. The scientific study of the biological, psychological, and sociological phenomena associated with old age and aging.

Once upon a time I took some courses in gerontology. These courses were concerned with the quality of life in the last quarter, about health and activity and abilities. There were studies on absorption of nutrients, and physical changes in hearing and eyesight and dexterity. At that time, several papers discussed the difference between natural aging and ill health. Many of the factors attributed to old age were actually the result of poor health. There were studies on how to make homes safe to avoid falls and keep people out of institutions. There were oodles of studies on dementia in its many forms. There were studies on other mental illnesses that increase with aging, particularly the increasing incidence of low key depression. A few people even researched sexuality in people over sixty. Many papers were written on the transition from an active life of work to a more sedentary life with advice on how to make the change successful.

I don’t remember anything that spoke implicitly or explictly to the amount of time an older person spends with their own thoughts. With the elimination of a nine-to-five job (which while sometimes boring, did keep your mind occupied) and a diminishing number of people with whom one can interact on an intellectual level, you increasingly find yourself alone with your thoughts.

I don’t look for people to talk about philosophy or anything like that, just for people who still read the papers, a few magazines and an odd book who can speak about events and ideas rather than just the weather, the high cost of living, and other people - maybe this why I have taken up blogging.