year before he retired from the University of Tennessee as a professor of plant and soil science, Dr. Max Springer took a physical fitness class that changed his life.
He and other UT employees were tested then put in a training program. "After we got fit, Richard, our instructor, suggested we run in Expo," said Springer, 84. He has run every Expo race since then, except for last year, when he went to the Senior Games in Arizona and captured two third places, a fourth, and several ribbons.
Springer also ran to glory at the USA track and field competition in San Jose, Calif. He was master's champion in the 400-, 800-, and 1500-meter races.
All this from a man who had never run until he closed in on retirement.
True to his name, Springer bounds our of his house in Hollywood Hills every other day and works out on a nearby bicycle trail. "You can feel pretty groggy and get up and run three miles and feel better," he said.
"If you exercise, you'll feel better and do more things because you're in good health."
Along the way, he adds, you meet a lot of nice people.
Springer illustrates a new attitude toward aging that Americans are seeing more and more. As Dr. Odgie Oliveira, clinical director of the Covenant Senior Health Center, says, those 55 and older enjoy greater health and a world of new possibilities.
"It's an upbeat outlook toward being older in our society. Baby boomers are coming of age, and we're seeing new outlooks evolve in aging," Oliveira said.
He will preview what's in store in a free class, "New Attitudes Toward Aging: We've Only Just Begun to Live at 50," from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21. The session is part of a monthly series called "Aging Well: Improving Care for Seniors and Yourself," presented by Covenant Health and Church Street United Methodist Church Kay Senior Care Center.
For instance, Oliveira predicts that the "new" older adults will prefer communal living -- whether with friends, family, or in a retirement center -- to living alone. "The current generation has been brainwashed to be home alone," he said. These elders grew up in the Depression, and having a home gave them a sense of stability.
He continued, "I think there's a tremendous societal imposition on older folks to remain at home. Let's face it. Living at home alone or independently is a myth. Nobody lives independently.
Often the golden years at home translate to boredom, loneliness, and malnutrition. Why bother fixing more than a sandwich for just one person?
Worse yet, 2 million of the 9 million Americans over age 65 who live alone say they have no one to turn to if they need help, according to the national Administration on Aging.
Oliveira sees the new way of growing older as healthier physically, mentally, and emotionally. Those who never lived through the Depression don't have the same fixation about home. They opt for assisted-living and retirement centers, where they can eat communally and leave the upkeep chores to someone else.
he says with consistent nutrition and activities they enjoy a better quality of life, as opposed to isolation in their own little castles.
Those 55 and older are healthier in every sense than previous generations, he believes. Spiritually, Oliveira sees the new generation of elders as more self-assured. They have a stronger sense of identity, a more positive view about themselves and a more acceptable role as older people than those who came before them. They are valued for their leading, teaching, and technical abilities.
As he notes, Oak Ridge has a generation of older scientists who remain on the cutting edge of research. "When one job ends they start a new one. There's a tremendous respect for that. There's no limit to their abilities."
Oliveira will hold his class at Church Street United Methodist Church in downtown Knoxville. Participants may bring their own lunch or reserve a box lunch for $5.
To pre-register for "New Attitudes Toward Aging," call 673-FORT
