CAREGIVER SUPPORT Aging with Purpose: Redefining the Later Years By Brenda Mayorquin, Aging & Caregiving Specialist
Here are guiding questions that can help shape this chapter: • What energizes me now? What do I find exciting or interesting? • How can I use my experience to contribute to others? • What relationships do I want to strengthen or cultivate? • Which activities have I longed to try? When we redefine aging as a time of possibility, the later years become a chapter rich with insight, creativity, and personal growth. Aging with purpose isn’t about resisting time; it’s about using time wisely and living the years ahead with clarity and meaning. ◆
and even increased longevity. Purpose acts as an internal compass. It gives structure to everyday life, strengthens personal identity, and helps people navigate transitions such as retirement, empty-nesting, or changes in health. Aging with purpose means embracing change rather than resisting it. Many find fulfillment in mentoring, volunteering, or pursuing interests that once had to wait. With outdated stereotypes fading, older adults are claiming new roles as leaders, influencers, and active participants in society. Humans are wired for connection, and social engagement becomes especially vital as we age. Community involvement, whether through clubs, programs, or online networks, strengthens belonging and supports resilience. Our purpose is not only about what we do, but who we share it with. One’s purpose can be quiet or bold, personal or communal. What matters is that it feels meaningful to you.
Aging is often framed through a narrow lens including decline, loss, and limitations. But for millions of people today, the later years are becoming a vibrant chapter defined not by what ends, but by what begins. Aging with purpose is emerging as a powerful model for living well. In past generations, reaching an older age was an endpoint. Today, people in their sixties, seventies, and beyond are starting new careers, exploring creative passions, and contributing to their communities in new ways. Research consistently shows that a sense of purpose is linked to better physical health, emotional resilience, and cognitive vitality. Older adults who feel connected to meaningful goals experience lower rates of depression, have improved mobility,
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My grandpa is in the early stages of dementia... It’s a lot to manage with my school, work, and other responsibilities, but I have to make sure he’s getting the care and medication he needs…
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Page 8 | January & February 2026, Never Too Late
Pima Council on Aging
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