Older adults’ advice to the young: Prioritize health and money

Not too long ago, I had a short series on Minnesota Public Radio called Connect the Dots.

The idea was to invite community elders to share what they’d learned through the years. The journeys were fascinating, and the lessons thoughtful.

Take Sister Mary Bernadette Newton, 93 years old at the time. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet back in 1953 and became a teacher. She belongs to a tight-knit community.

“Life isn’t a bowl of cherries. You get knocked down, and then you say, you either give up, or you say, ‘I can deal with this,’” she said. “‘I can go for help. I could go talk to somebody.’”

Then there’s Philip Brunelle, the internationally acclaimed choral leader who has spent decades bringing people together through music at VocalEssence. Then 80, he offered a practical life lesson. Call it his “you’ll-never-know-if-you-don’t-ask” mantra.

“Because all people can say is yes or no,” he said. “The chance of yes — 50 percent.”

Elder Atum Azzahir, founder of the Cultural Wellness Center in Minneapolis, spoke with wisdom.

The insights about purpose that emerged during the series have stuck with me. A recent Pew Research Center survey reports on how Americans experience aging adds a practical element to the Connect the Dots conversation. One survey question for those 65 years and older: “Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give to younger people to help them prepare for getting older?”

The older Pew respondents gave practical advice. Nearly half emphasized health: Follow a nutritious diet. Engage in regular exercise. Keep up with medical appointments. Next came money: About 37% of respondents talked about the importance of financial security — the discipline to save, the wisdom to spend wisely and the foresight to plan.

The advice from the older adults aligns with the worries those under 65 expressed about aging. Health and finances topped the list of concerns for younger adults thinking ahead to their elder years.

Personal finance is about developing habits that support our life ambitions and values. The sound health and financial habits that help sustain our curiosity, generosity and purpose when younger are the same ones that carry us into our 70s, 80s, and beyond — still curious, still generous, still living with purpose.