In the United States, many Hispanic people between the ages of 35 and 55 don’t view getting older as a bad thing. Research from AARP found that 70% of Spanish-speaking and bilingual Hispanic Americans feel life gets better at 50. People in the same age range but from different races and ethnicities are a lot less likely to feel happy about turning 50 or describe it as a meaningful milestone.
Reasons to Be Cheerful?
The same research found that 57% of Spanish-speaking and bilingual Hispanic people still feel young at 50. In fact, they tend to associate the idea of getting older with life accomplishments rather than with chronological age. Compared with people from other races and ethnicities, Hispanics are also much more likely to believe it’s important to enjoy all the stages of life. They still feel young and attractive at 50.
In another study looking at happiness and satisfaction among older adults in the United States, researchers were surprised to find that Hispanic people, particularly immigrants, were more satisfied with their lives than other groups of older Americans. The researchers didn’t expect to see these results because the Hispanic people who were part of the study had worse health and socioeconomic status than people from the other racial and ethnic groups.
Unexpected Findings
In the United States, the Hispanic community is diverse and made up of people from various different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Although the Hispanic community is not homogenous, many Hispanic individuals are affected by a long history of poor social determinants of health. These social determinants include:
- Low incomes
- Language barriers
- Poor access to health care
Hispanic people in the United States also have a very high risk of certain preventable chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
When you also consider that aging is usually associated with wrinkles, gray hair, memory issues, feeling tired, and reacting slower to things, it’s easy to see why it might seem odd for Hispanic people to feel so optimistic about turning 50.
For the researchers, the unlikely optimism reported by the Hispanic participants helped to show two things. First, being satisfied with life can be used as a measure of success in later life, like wealth. This means if people are happy with their lives, it can be considered a sign of success in later life. Second, the things that make people happy are different and can be based on their cultural backgrounds and personal values. This means that someone might feel happy spending time with family, while someone else might feel happy traveling. In fact, Hispanic immigrants who lived with their adult children were happier. In contrast, White people who lived with their children became less happy and satisfied with their lives.
Channeling That Optimism
By 2060, Hispanic Americans are expected to make up 21% of the entire older adult population. This growing older Hispanic community will be facing the same language barriers and poor access to good health care. Given the high rate of chronic diseases among Hispanic people, it's important for them to find culturally competent health care providers who understand the need to break down those barriers.
Culturally competent care providers take the time to get to know their patients and work to earn their trust. They don’t make assumptions about them based on race, ethnicity, or culture. But they also understand and respect the unique cultural differences that many Hispanic people have in common. Care providers can recognize the shared optimism many Hispanic people have about getting older. It’s an opportunity for a care provider to tap into that optimism to motivate Hispanic patients into taking better care of their health. For example, care providers can explain the importance of preventive care and remind their patients that they shouldn’t only make doctor’s appointments when they are sick or have injured themselves. Routine annual visits can catch any problems early.
Care providers can also offer virtual visits to Hispanic patients who find it difficult to get to appointments, be it because of busy schedules or transportation difficulties. It’s important to recognize that sometimes between long work hours and family obligations, schedules can really be inflexible.
Give Yourself a Reason to Be Glad About Turning 50
Other ways you can stay healthy after turning the big 5-0 are by:
Getting as much sleep as possible. Experts recommend at least 7 hours every night. But this can be tricky if you have irregular shifts at work or simply work long hours. The important thing is to get as much sleep as you can. If you’re still struggling, ask your doctor to recommend a sleep specialist. A sleep specialist can make recommendations that make sense for you and that take into account your preferred sleep schedule, your work schedule, and your family and social obligations.
Being as active as possible. If you don’t have time for the gym or to do 30 minutes of exercise at home, that’s OK. The important thing is to not stay seated for hours at a time. Get up and stretch. Take the stairs whenever possible. Get some walking in during your commute to and from work if you can. A brisk walk can also help you manage stress.
Eating healthy foods. Talk to your doctor about finding a nutritionist who can help you prepare healthier versions of your favorite foods. A diet doesn’t have to be made up of small salads and bland food you don’t enjoy.
If you smoke, stop. Ask your doctor to recommend a smoking cessation program. It’s not only good for your heart, but also for every cell in your body.
Show Sources
Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images
SOURCES:
News release, American Heart Association.
AARP: “Hispanic Attitudes on Aging.”
Boston University School of Public Health: Public Health Post: “Rethinking Successful Aging: The Happiness of Older Hispanics.”
CDC: “Hispanic or Latino People and Type 2 Diabetes,” “6 Tips for Healthy Aging,” “Are You Up to Date on Your Preventive Care?”
Diverse Elders Coalition: “Hispanic Elders/Hispanic and Latinx Elders.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “It’s Never Too Late: Five Healthy Steps at Any Age.”
Mayo Clinic: “Aging: What to expect.”
MHP Salud: “Four Ways Community Health Workers Help Older Hispanic Adults Age in Place.”
SleepFoundation.org: “The Best Sleep Schedule for Night Shift Workers.”
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: “2018 Profile of Hispanic Americans Age 65 and Over.”
