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“a beginner’s view : the intent of this blog is to incrementally build a body of thought that works toward integrating various topics, yoga, fitness, and the arts – it’s a process…”

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do older people decide things more slowly?

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Intro

i came across this article, “Who are you calling slow? 70-year-olds can be trained to make accurate decisions as quickly as younger generations” –

and thought, this is another piece of a growing puzzle-image that says, aging doesn’t have to be as bad as most of us have been taught it has to be…

yes, we are aging –

from the moment we’re born –

though, of course, the growth curve when we’re young, certainly out-weighs most sense of aging, at least in the typical sense 😉

but i think, that’s part of my point, in so many of my articles and posts and free ebook, aging is simply the natural process of changing, almost morphing, into maturation

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“Who are you calling slow? 70-year-olds can be trained to make accurate decisions as quickly as younger generations”

Slow Deciding Not Inherent

the basic premise in the article, i believe, is, older folk are not necessarily slower in making decisions, but have learned to weigh more variable before making a decision…

makes sense 😉

the article also says, “They [ seniors ] can have reactions as fast as 25-year-olds, a study reveals”

this, then, is a great article pointing out an extremely important piece of information, not only for people already seniors, but anyone planning on aging 😉

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Fear of Making a Mistake

embedded in this idea, of weigh the variables in a decision more deliberately, i think, is also a learned fear of making a mistake, especially a big mistake

a harmful mistake –

experience does teach us many things, usually 😉

so, it seems, on my part, that this caution, and weighing of factors to make a decision, may be warranted at times…

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Caution

but what is interesting is, because this well-honored caution may be being applied “too” broadly in our daily activities, we older folk may be taking longer than we “need” to decide “some” things

so, while it is wonderful, and terribly important, to realize, recognize, and accept, that we, as seniors, can and must make some decisions more quickly –

i do believe the factor not mentioned or addressed in the article is: some things maybe should be given more time and attention before deciding

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Deciding Too Quickly Isn’t Always a Virtue

there are many instances where quick action, quick decisions, are not only useful, but also practical – some vital and some mundane : helping someone in dire need, or what type of drink to have with lunch –

yet, the notion, that some things should be given the time needed to be decided, but not given, is not addressed in the article –

and in all fairness, isn’t addressed, in most discussions about slow decision-making, especially by us seniors ourselves

what about being honked by the car behind us when the light is red, we can turn right, but we’re making sure another car isn’t turning in our path? –

and we know that happens once a day at least!  we start to go out into the intersection, and someone darts out and crosses the path we would’ve taken…

what about being pushed by someone behind us in the grocery store when we’re looking for an item, and the person behind us thinks they know where they are heading and also thinks we’re going too slow down the aisle?

and why is it the judgement of what is too fast or too slow, is usually against the person whose speed is different from one’s own?

and going back to the quick decision about what drink to have at lunch, what about  the initial rushing itself, to gobble up food that’s convenient, and quick, but not good for us?

i certainly recall making some decisions rather quickly when i was younger (even last week!) that cost me…

and maybe there’s an embedded-ness in our culture, where we are subconsciously mimicking machines and technology that are really pre-set to operate at full speed and efficiency, without thinking, and shouldn’t even be emulated by the decision-making process?

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Balance

ultimately, i believe, a balance, and a juggling of judgment calls about what needs hurrying, and what doesn’t, is what’s needed, by all of us, young and old(er)

what this article, and the study it refers to does do though, is help remove the idea, especially among older people themselves, people like me, that my decisions will necessarily be slower now, as a factor of simply being physically older

that’s extremely encouraging to me 😉

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More Reading

it was interesting, in seeing what other articles like this i might find, i found so many!

at the end of this post i’ve placed a number that seem worth seeing and reviewing

many seem to review the same material as this first article i’d found

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Nice Thing ‘Bout Getting Old(er)

“nice thing ’bout getting old(er)” is an ebook, of over a dozen postings from my blog here, organized into information i’ve been learning about aging, fitness, yoga, and creativity…

it’s meant to be referred to, and read here and there, nibbled at –

although the poems can be read straight through 😉

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Final Thoughts

keeping active is one of the best ways to keep oneself happy and fit

my activity of choice is yoga, but i also jazzercise with my wife, write poetry, do photography, and paint

i would only encourage you to explore and find those things that are fun for you 😉

namaste´ – con dios – god be with you

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Other Yoga-Adan Links You Might Like

Poetry Series

eBook Page – All Available Titles

Press Release for “Nice Thing ‘Bout Getting Old(er)”

“Nice Thing ‘Bout Getting Old(er)” eBook Listing on Amazon Books

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