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No Cutoff Date for Active Pursuits
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We thought the Commentary "William Osler and The Fixed
Period"1 presents a fascinating look
at "our ideas about old age" and the "usefulness" and contributions by seniors.
We too disagree with Osler's view that men older than 40 years are "useless"!
As internists we take care of a significant elderly population, and we always
promote ongoing "educational" exercises for mental fitness and physical exercise
for healthy function. We offer our patients some historical examples of the
valuable contributions and exploits of seniors beyond Osler's suggested retirement
age of 60, such as astronaut John Glenn, who at age 78 was a crew member aboard
the Space shuttle Discovery in 1998.
The Ancient World valued older men for their wisdom and experience.
"Among the earliest Romans, as a rule, neither birth nor wealth was more highly
honored than age."2
The generals of nearly forgotten military endeavors provide us with
outstanding examples . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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