The Daily Alaska Empire

SPAN OF LIFE INCREASES
Much of the news released by insurance companies to newspapers is statistical but once in a
while a new thought is conveyed. One of these latter
releases is by the New York Life Insurance Company.
The increase in the average span of life in America
today has led the company to devote a special section
of its 104th annual report to a discussion of "The
Problem of Growing Older," which is highly informative and has suggestions. This section of the report
is to men and women past 40 who would grow old
successfully and six suggestions are offered as follows:
1. HAVE A REGULAR AUDIT AND FOLLOW
YOUR DOCTOR'S ADVICE. Good health should be
thought of in positive terms, not merely as the absence
of disease. Everyone's goal should be to maintain
OPTIMUM good health. For that purpose, a periodic
check-up of physical assets and liabilities is important.
2. EXPECT TO CHANGE AS YOU GROW OLDER.
In maturity, just as in infancy and childhood,
to age is to change—physically, mentally, emotionally.
Accept this fact and adjust your habits accordingly.
3. PLAN TO SLOW DOWN, BUT NOT TO STOP.
As the years roll by, learn to do less strenuous things
and to do things less strenuously. Quit before you get
tired. Learn to hand over responsibility to others.
But plan to keep active. The phrase "bored to death"
has more than an element of truth for older people
4. TAKE STEPS TOWARD ASSURING FINANCIAL
SECURITY IN OLD AGE. People enjoying
guaranteed retirement incomes are apt to live longer
than those who have no assured income for their
retirement. No doubt this is because they are free
of money worries and have more chance to rest and do
as they like.
5. INTEREST YOURSELF IN OTHERS. People
often tend to turn inward as they grow older, to begin
living largely in their own past. Don't allow yourself
to become self-centered. Take part in community activities. Live for the future. This makes for real
contentment.
6. PREPARE TO RETIRE TO ... NOT FROM.
Every period of life has its own beauty, its own usefulness and happiness. All of us can think of things
we have very much wanted to do but never had time
for. Approaching old age is an opportunity, not a
calamity.
Look forward to winning its potential
rewards.