Movie Activity - Last Vegas: Aging

Three friends take a break from their day-to-day lives

to throw a bachelor party in Las Vegas for their last

remaining single pal.

It is an art to age well. It is very important that we

prepare ourselves for our future and that we know

how to deal with the new perspectives of an aging

life.

I. Divide the class into two groups. One group will come up with 3 pros of aging and the other

group will come up with 3 cons of aging. They must justify their answers.

II. The groups share their ideas.

The Pros of Aging

1. Aging gives each person unique experiences that

they can use for the greater good.

Ever hear the expression “Those who don’t learn from

history are doomed to repeat it” ever? Aging allows

us the opportunity to learn from our mistakes so that

we don’t continue with them. This is knowledge that

can then be passed down from generation to

generation, eventually benefiting all of humanity in

some cases. In others, it just means you learn not to

touch a hot stove.

2. Aging provides certain rights and privileges.

In many cultures, those with gray hair are often

revered because of the wisdom that they can

provide other. On a more basic level, aging

provides people with choices that allow them to

consume alcohol, smoke, or even vote in

elections. As we each get older, there are certain

rights and privileges we pick up along the way

that younger population demographics just don’t

get to enjoy.

3. There’s a chance to make a lot more money.

Think that college degree is going to pay you a six

figure salary right away? For most people, they’ll

need to think again. Aging provides experience that

can be turned into dollars and cents. If someone has

run three successful tech start ups and is getting

ready to start a fourth while someone else is fresh out

of college with a degree and starting up their first

idea, who is more likely to get 100% funded? The

person with a track record for success.

4. It offers the chance to experience new things.

Aging definitely comes with some specific

stages. There’s our childhood. We’ve got the

teen years. Then there’s the long stage of being

a working adult. We might reach retirement.

Then some folks wind up being in a place where

others must care for them. In each stage of life,

we have the opportunity to experience new

things. Good or bad, it’s a dynamic part of the

human experience.

The Cons of Aging

1. Health care costs skyrocket.

As people get older, their health needs become

more profound. Age extending medications may be

required. Surgeries to correct a lifetime of potentially

poor choices may be necessary. Parts of the body

begin to wear out, requiring therapies, replacement,

or adaptive technologies. Older folks might be able

to make a lot more extra money, but they’ll need it

to take care of their ailing bodies in the future.

2. Everything just seems to ache at some point.

Just about everyone has gone to the doctor for a

new ache or pain and been told that it’s just a

consequence of the aging process. When we were

young, growing pains could sometimes be so bad

that we’d never want to get out of bed. As we

age, those same pains come back because of

how we’ve used our bodies so that we never want

to get out of bed once again.

3. It can become difficult to compete in a changing

world.

Technology has radically evolved over the last two

decades and looks to continue doing so into the

future. Those changes required adaptation that the

aging population doesn’t always embrace.

Tomorrow’s innovations are going to do the same

thing to us as email and social networking has done

for this generation of the senior population.

4. There’s no getting around the aging process.

As much as we all might like to be immortal, it

just isn’t going to happen with current

technology. Average life spans have crossed

the 80 year mark in a number of countries and is

continuing to grow. We’re living longer than

ever before, but the one simple fact remains: if

we’re alive today, the aging process is

happening right now and one day we are going

to wind up dying.

IV. The same groups must come up with 3 tips to age well. Then share your lists with the class.

Give Yourself Reasons to Smile

Establish Healthy Eating Habits

Find Fun Activities that Make You Move

Spend Time with Positive People

Learn to Meditate - Ten minutes of meditation per

day can help you to feel calmer and more centered.

V. Watch the movie segment and talk about the questions.

1. Where are this group of elderly?

2. Which of the tips of Ex IV are they following?

3. Do you think this kind of activity is positive for them?

4. Do you think you would like it if you were older?

5. What are your feelings about aging? Are you scared of it? What do you do to postpone your aging

process?