We all have needs.  American psychologist Abraham Maslow created his Hierarchy of Needs" theory - physical and safety needs have to be taken care of before we worry about social and self-esteem concerns.  So what part does technology play in this post-Maslow world?

Maslow died in 1970, long before the internet and cell phones ever existed, let alone were part of our "needs".

Two things this week have illustrated to me how important modern technology has become.

My wife and I traveled the I10 highway last week in a 40' motorhome.  Just west of Quartzsite, Arizona, we had a frontwheel blowout.  Scary, but we made it safely to the side of the road.  The cell phone said "No service available."  Maslow was right; at that point the hierarchy of needs kicked in, and we were now 100% focused on our personal safety.

We unhooked the toad and my wife drove off into the sunset - literally - looking for help via bars on her cellphone!  All's well that ends well, thanks to T-Mobile and Mike's Tires.  (What about Mike's hierarchy of needs?  He replaced a 37 inch tire with 65 mph traffic only inches from his back!  Thank you Mike.)

So we need cellphones.  What about the internet?  This week I read that hurricane-ravaged New Orleans - where only about 10% of the pre-storm population has so far returned - has begun operating a free, municipally-run, WiFi system in the French Quarter and business district.  This "should cover the entire city within a year."  So said Mayor Ray Nagin.  Strange priorities for this post-deluge city?  Maybe not.  "It's especially important to the recovery of our city" the mayor said.  Communication is essential to safety. Free internet is not only free, it's freely available and, increasingly, being seen as a necessity.

Maybe these things do tie in with Maslow's theory.  We have to satisfy our basic needs and, somewhere in that mix, the safety and security aspects benefit from modern technology - bars on the cellphone and free WiFi.

Maslow said that when - and only when - our basic and safety needs are taken care of, we start to feel a need for friends, family and community.  And so it was for us.  With our scary experiences behind us, and a feeling of safety and security, we went on to needfully meet with friends and family.

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We live better lives and - possibly - eat better food than our predecessors.  There is evidence that, on average, we are living longer.  This is the information age and we have an enormous amount of information on healthy lifestyle choices.

It seems to me that the main thing is NOT to extend our lifespan to 120 or whatever, and then die after an extended period of frailty and senility.  The main thing should be to extend the period of our lives that we are healthy, in both body and mind, and then die - as we all must - after no more than a short period of illness.  It's not about life and death - it's more important than that - it's about being healthy for as long as we can.

The information we have about health was largely not available to our ancestors; most of it has come only in the last 20 or 30 years.  It seems to me that there are 4 things that can make our lives longer - and more importantly perhaps, more healthy for a bigger proportion of our lives:

1. We can make sure we're informed about healthy lifestyle choices and put into practice the key information we've learned.  Diet is a major part of this of course
2. We should exercise.  We don't need to run marathons - and probably shouldn't - but we do need to exercise enough to kick up our metabolism on  a regular basis.  This is important at any age, but particularly as we get older.  I know from my own experience that if I do the exercise routine I've developed, I feel good;  if I don't I start to develop arthritis and aches and pains in general
3. We do better physically and mentally if we interact socially
4. We need to keep a positive mental attitude

Personally, I positively believe in these 4 things.  I gave an example in an earlier article - "Don't forget to remember" - of a man who lived to be a centenarian.  He said that he had learned throughout his life what worked for him.  Generally he was healthy, but on occasions, he forgot these lessons and his health then tended to breakdown.  I know this is true from personal experience also.  I know what's right but, sometimes, for long periods often, I forget.

I don't believe it's about living a long life.  Perhaps that's good ( but often it isn't); generally speaking, living a life that is healthy almost to the very end sounds more desirable to me.

It isn't about life and death - it's more important than that.

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Imagine being able to harness the experience of an older and healthier population.

In general, people are living longer, healthier lives.  A main contributor to this situation is information.  Not only is our knowledge increasing, but we are also able to pass this information on to people better than ever before.

There is however, for many people, a disconnect between information and acting upon the information.  For example, a smoker is a person who has chosen not to act upon the negative information available about smoking; an alcoholic doesn't act upon the knowledge he has about the harmful effects of over-consumption; a fat person, perhaps, can't stick to dietary advice ... etc.

Perhaps this is an unsympathetic way of looking at life's constant problems and temptations.  But, perhaps, longevity - and being part of an older and healthier population - is not only about genes, avoiding disease, recovering from disease, avoiding accidents and the "thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to"; perhaps, more than ever before, it is about acting upon the information that is becoming readily available to us all.  Perhaps, more than ever before, longevity is about self-control.

So what is self-control?  Self-control is like a muscle; use it regularly and it becomes stronger and more efficient.  Neglect it and it becomes weaker and less able to lift the heavy weights that life burdens us with.

But muscles need rest; you can't be constantly weight training.  Maybe this is why we need sleep, relaxation, recreation, and fun.  These things not only reduce the risk of straining the muscle, they also take our minds off the things we're trying to control.

But taking a rest shouldn't go on too long.  A man called Andrew Sage lived to be a centenarian, but only with a few breakdowns along the way.  He was fit and healthy, living a good lifestyle until he was about 40 years old.  At the age of 50 he was diagnosed with cancer.  He said that he realized he had "forgotten" his healthy lifestyle for a few years and the result was a weakening of his immune system.  He survived the cancer and resumed his self-controlled lifestyle of exercise and diet.  

At around 70 he had a heart attack.  Once again, he said it was because he had "forgotten" his healthy lifestyle for a few years.  Once again he survived and resumed the lifestyle that he knew was good for him.  He had cancer again at around 90 - you've guessed it - once again, he said he'd neglected the knowledge that he had about how to be healthy.  Before he died - at 103 - he wrote that the main advice he could give was to not forget self-control.

More than ever before, our future is in our own hands.  We have the support of better and more accessible information, people with new or more skillful techniques, and more avenues of recreation than ever before.  All we need to do is to exercise our self-control muscles.  Longevity, and enjoying a longer life is, more than ever before, directly proportional to acting upon the information available - and having fun along the way. 

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Two of the key items involved in the current dramatic rise in oil prices - apart from will it cause a recession? - are the renewed interest in energy conservation, and energy efficiency.

Energy conservation and energy efficiency are different of course.  Energy conservation means doing less by using less.  Energy efficiency means doing more with less.

Traveling less and staying longer in an RV park is energy conservation.  This is an increasing trend - so Roaming Times' readers tell us.

But doing more with less is probably where it is all leading, in the long term.

Hybrid vehicles are an interesting part of this.  Ford says:  "The Ford Escape - the first hybrid SUV - is rated at between 35-40 mpg on the EPA city cycle - an improvement of at least 75 percent over the conventional V6-powered Ford Escape on the EPA city cycle". Ford also say that the hybrid does 400-500 miles on one tank of gas and produces 81% less smog-forming emissions.  Ford have now introduced two hybrids and 3 more are on the way.

A hybrid RV?  I've read two articles this week saying it will not happen.  My guess - it will happen.

In the 1980s, oil reached $90 per barrel (at today's prices).  This was an all-time high.  The price shocks of 1973-74, the late 1970s/early 1980s, and early 1990s were all followed by recessions, which were then followed by a rebound in economic growth.

The results of all of this was temporary reduced consumption in each case, followed overall by an eventual doubling of energy efficiency, according to the EIA (Energy Information Administration.

The lasting legacy in each case was the search for energy efficiency that followed.  It will be the same this time but, perhaps, even more so.  Political, social, and economic forces are all pointing in this direction.  And we have - or will have - the technology to make it possible.  The search for efficiency is on, again.

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The brain of a younger person looks like a complicated mass of wrinkled fat tissue.  As the brain ages the surface becomes smoother.  Ironically, we start to lose the wrinkles in our brains at around the age we start to notice the wrinkles in our skin.

What does this mean?  Nobody really knows yet - bear in mind, ninety five percent of what we know about the human brain has been learned in the last twenty five years.

You, possibly, view your own intelligence based upon IQ tests and educational results all done more than 25 years ago - at a time when we knew very little about the human brain and, possibly, even less about intelligence.

Intelligence used to be viewed as a single quantifiable quality on a Binet IQ scale dating from 1904.  Binet's scale had a fundamental impact upon educational development; the perception that "you can't teach old dogs new tricks" had a fundamental impact upon adult further education. 

An assumption was, and maybe often still is, that we were born with a certain level of intelligence and that brain cells die as we get older.  Modern research shows that more than 50% of "intelligence" is a function of education.  Your education, to a greater or lesser extent, was a function of your intelligence.  Ironically, to a greater or lesser extent, your intelligence is a function of your education.  More importantly, no matter how you view your intelligence, you can reasonably expect it to increase with increased education.

But what about education as we age, and creativity as we age?  In 2001 a study was set up involving 300 elderly subjects (median age 80)¹.  150 were given a structured creative arts educational program and the other 150 merely followed as a control group.  The results showed significantly better overall health, diminished use of medications, diminished vision problems and a general increase in "intelligence" for the ones receiving the additional education.  Modern studies are teaching us that there is no doubt that education can be regenerative.

And what about wisdom?  A German study² considered qualities such as insight, sound judgment, and problem solving.  Their findings were that older people consistently out-perform younger people on these values, values that could be considered as "wisdom".

We live in a culture that pays homage to youth.  But, as long as it is not debilitated by illness, there is no reason to believe that brain function decreases significantly with age, if properly used.  It has been found that the brain loses about 10% of its weight as we age, but that the average brain contains more neurons - much greater than 10% - than we can ever use. 

We're gaining facial wrinkles as we age, but we're also losing brain wrinkles.  Who knows, maybe this is a good thing.  Certainly aging studies are teaching us that, if we use our brains correctly, we can become not only older but wiser, more creative, and - yes - even more intelligent.  I need to finish this article now, it's time for my creative arts class.

(References:  1. “Creativity and Aging Study: The Impact of Professionally Conducted Cultural Programs on Older Adults” by Gene Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Center on Aging Health and Humanities, George Washington University  2.  Max Planck Institute, Berlin, Dr. Paul Baltes, "Psychological Aspects of Growing Old".

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What is a couch potato? Can a couch potato be ambitious?

In the Roaming Times latest retirement poll (see the poll here), people are surprisingly industrious. Sorting through the many replies, people tell of work, work, and more work. At least 80% of the respondents seem to positively welcome work; few seem like couch potatoes. Perhaps this is largely because these are people who like to travel: many are RVers, or wannnabee RVers, people who want to see this wonderful country of ours. And for many, it is possible to work and travel.

Some, no doubt, have mixed ambitions: they want to be industrious and couch potatoes at the same time. Is this possible?

This week on ABC TV, a man called Suresh Joachim sat in the lobby of the ABC TV building watching TV, and setting a new Guinness world record for - what else? - watching TV.

Culminating on the Regis and Kelly program, the record-breaker sat for 55 minutes of every hour - in full gaze of the public - for almost 70 hours, proving no doubt that it can be hard work doing nothing.

Joachim is used to hard work.  He has done it before: he has world records for not only bowling non-stop (100 hours), but also, balancing on one foot (77 hours).  Wow, can you imagine standing on one foot for 77 hours?

 He says his ambition is break more records. I'm loathe to quote Shakespeare's Mark Anthony, but, then again, why not?:  "Ambition should be made of sterner stuff".

Or, perhaps, Disney's seven dwarfs - "Busy doing nothing, working the whole day through".

One man's ambition is another man's busy doing nothing.

Perhaps, retirement, like standing on one foot, is all a question of balance.

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I commented in an earlier article that sudden complete retirement can be called “jumping off the cliff” retirement. This has been the traditional notion of retirement for the last 50 years or so.

A more gradual form of retirement – “building a bridge” – is becoming more popular. This is usually part-time employment and is often in a different occupation. For many, “bridge jobs” are an economic necessity, but others see them as a smoother option or an opportunity to start a new career.

I put out a poll this week, via Roaming Times (see the poll here), which asked which of the two (jump off the cliff or build a bridge) is best suited to you, bearing in mind your financial situation?

So far - around 500 have done the poll to date - about 75% want to build a bridge.  Only about 25% feel jumping of the cliff is right for them.  At first glance the ratio seems to speak about the personal finances of the people concerned.  But then I asked:

"What if money was not a consideration - now which would you prefer?"

Around 40% said they would choose the bridge.  They would choose to work after retirement even if money was not a consideration.

Of course, they're not saying they would do the same work.  Mainly what they're saying is: "When I come to the end of my present work situation, and if I had all the money and all the time in the world, what would I do?"  And perhaps they're realizing that this could be the beginning of a wonderful change in their lives.  And maybe, just maybe, it's not entirely about money, or even time.  You might like the idea of playing golf full-time or traveling the globe, but to be pragmatic, maybe you  need not only to put food on the table, you also need fulfillment and a sense of involvement.

Maybe it's not a question of "do I want to jump off the cliff or build a bridge?"; the thinking process may lead to "what is at the end of the cliff or bridge?"

And then, perhaps, the thinking process may lead to ... it's not the destination but the journey ... ? ... and being involved and having fun along the way, while that's still possible.

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An interesting study¹ shows that seniors who use a computer show fewer symptoms of depression than non-users. Email, chat rooms and gathering information in general, are beneficial to an individual’s mental health.

And yet, the information age brings all of us a constant stream of background noise. We have countless articles, documents, and books, shouting for our attention, so why do we need more stimulation?

Only 200 years ago, people knew that the world they grew up in would be more or less the same as the world in which they would die. In any case, people usually died at a relatively early age. In every nation where longevity has increased, so has the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Depression too can be a problem with aging: losing loved ones as well as the loss of jobs, status in the community, health problems etc., can all lead to depression. Another possible problem is the feeling of falling behind: that change is overtaking everything.

The unchanging world of yesteryear is no longer true: everything is constantly changing. To deal with this, lifelong learning is necessary – for a new job (and we may have many in our long lives), or even for a new hobby (and despite the hustle and bustle we have more opportunities for hobbies now than ever before).

Mental fitness – like physical fitness – needs exercise. In this busy world we need to be able to move from relaxation to activity, from relaxation to concentration and from control to letting go. Flexing the mind, like flexing a muscle, brings mental strength.

Scientists now believe there is also a connection between physical exercise and mental fitness. Exercise strengthens the heart and keeps blood vessels open which ensures the brain cells get the nutrients they need for better performance. In particular, it feeds them glucose and oxygen.

Another study² shows that although neurons make up only 2% of total body weight, they use one quarter of all the glucose and oxygen the body takes in. Physical exercise also triggers parts of the brain related to movement and balance, which can keep neuron connections strong. 

We all know it makes sense of course: physical exercise and mental exercise are important at any time, but particularly as we get older. 

But these things can be fun. My wife has recently arranged for us to take ballroom dancing lessons. She read about it on the computer. Perhaps the Fred Astaire Dance Studio is nothing more than applied mental and physical fitness classes?  I guess I'll go along happily; in a changing world we need to be fit.

(References: 1. Village Care of New York  2. Institute of Gerontology at the University of Texas at Austin)

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Sudden complete retirement can be called “jumping off the cliff” retirement. This has been the traditional notion of retirement for the last 50 years or so.

A more gradual form of retirement – “building a bridge” – is becoming more popular. This is usually part-time employment and is often in a different occupation. For many, “bridge jobs” are an economic necessity, but others see them as a smoother option or an opportunity to start a new career.

Most people reaching 65 nowadays consider themselves physically able to work. Health problems do increase with age, but usually these are gradual increases. As long ago as 1983, researchers concluded that people in the 65 to 74 group have - health-wise - more in common with the 55 to 64 group than the 75+ group (University of Southern California study). 

In addition, continuing work - in whatever form you choose, and we’ll discuss many of these in these articles - can have wonderful personal growth and development benefits.

So, build a bridge – don’t jump off the cliff.

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Every day, over 5,000 Americans reach the age of 65; many Americans are retiring at an earlier age than this.  The American economy could be affected dramatically by aging and retirement.

Over the next 20 years:

• About 80 million baby boomers will be eligible for retirement - and many of these will retire earlier

• The number of new workers entering the job market will decline significantly - and to numbers far less than the workers leaving the job market.  This shift in demographics is unprecedented

• Many millions of additional new jobs will be created

As a result, America will need millions of new workers!

These new workers can only come from the following five sources:

1. Improved productivity. Get more output from the existing workers by improving systems and improving automation

2. Outsourcing abroad

3. Encouraging more immigration

4. Encourage non-working spouses to work

5. Encouraging older Americans to stay in, or return to, the workforce

The first four sources mentioned have limitations.  

Employers will continue to adapt to changes in the labor market, and there seems no doubt that they will quickly adapt to the need to encourage older Americans to stay in, or return to, the labor market.

In addition, more older Americans in the labor market increases both economic growth and the income tax base.

Conclusion:  There will be a trend to encouraging older Americans to stay in, or return to, the labor market.

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We can say that the first stage is growing up, going to school and early development; perhaps this lasts for 20 years.  The next stage - the second stage - lasts for perhaps 40 years and covers our careers and, maybe, bringing up children etc.  The third stage - from about the age of 60 onwards - can also last for 40 years.  On average, people are living longer and healthier lives. The third stage can be the golden years.

Today we're introducing examples of great third-stagers - people who have had interesting (or not) first and second stages, but after the age of 60 or thereabouts have had great third stages.

The first example is Grace Frederick.  She was a broadcasting pioneer, but at the age of 68 moved to Arizona and created the "Grace Museum of America".  At almost 100 years of age she is still taking visitors around her museum.  She made "retirement" sustainable and fun.  You can read about her here.

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