In times past, those in late adulthood were looked upon as sages and a source of valuable knowledge. Many of us may live to see that day come again.
Some in late adulthood today lived at the dawn of the fossil fuel age. You don't have to "trust" that one can live without oil, indoor plumbing or electricity; you know it, because you've done it.
Maybe you went 'back to the land' at some point in your life and then returned to the city. You are confident you can do it again. Keep in mind, however, the age difference between "then" and "now" and that in the past, you had access to the fossil fuel age, whether you used it or not.
You may know how to entertain yourself without TV or videos, because you've done so for years.
You may know a lot about how things "used to be done" and finally, someone is asking you about it, instead of telling you how it's done now.
To some extent, accepting the possibility of Peak Oil requires a certain capacity to detach from the values of one's culture and refuse to accept the status quo. Those in this last stage of life might have already 'grown into' this capacity.
You are 'too old to care what people think' of you.
You've learned to live on less and do without.
You may have already given up a large house in the suburbs in favor of a smaller condo in a tight-knit community.
On the other hand, aging brings with it a host of infirmities like arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.
Living without your timely delivery of essential medication is tantamount to a death sentence, and you know it. Living without a ride to the doctor may mean the same.
You wonder how you'll (maybe once again) chop wood, wash clothes manually, walk long distances, or use hand pumping water when you are suffering from ailments common in old age, such as arthritis, weak backs or heart problems.
You see nothing "glamorous" in raising chickens or pigs because your parents did and you still remember the smell.
Coping strategies may include the belief that "it doesn't concern me because I won't be alive to see it." Others may begin to pressure skeptical adult children to "make preparations" or may themselves begin to alter retirement plans to "make room for escapee family members."
Their adult children may view these parental changes with a fearful eye. They may be concerned that their parents have "joined a cult" or are showing signs of "dementia" by "hording food." The adult children may be fearful of losing their inheritance to "foolish purchases" such as country homes, hand tools and dry goods. They may fear having their aging parents moving out of the city and away from the ease of city resources such as hospitals and public transportation-and away from their care. They may view a more rural lifestyle as imposing dangers such as the need to drive more and remain more isolated.
This stage brings the reality of death-of friends, family members, and spouses. Managing the reality and inevitability of death is a necessary life stage. You may cope with it by focusing on the past. This past-focus can be of a personal nature, when life was better, or it may be a focus on failures and bad decisions that, if they were corrected, would have dramatically alter one's present life situation.
Eric Ericson refers to the struggle in this period as Ego Integrity verses Despair. Having ego integrity is the ability to come to terms with your life head on-the good, the bad, and the ugly- and accept this life experience as what happened and how you lived it.
An Antioch College President once said "Be ashamed to die unless you've done something for mankind." At this stage, the capacity to seriously consider one's past contributions to our planet and what still can be accomplished, will make the difference between a hopeless, depressed, and bitter person or one who is still emotionally available to help those around them. Ultimately, the contempt seen by some at this stage is as much a commentary on their own feelings of inferiority, worthlessness and feelings of being undeserving of respect as it is contempt for others.
What they lack in physical strength and stamina, however, can be replaced by something much more powerful: wisdom. While accumulated learning and good sense are important elements of wisdom, by themselves it is not enough. Those in their last years of life, when surrounded by others who are fearful of losing a life that has become familiar and are full of despair, here our wise elders can be most instructive. For, ultimately, they can reassure us that when 'all is lost,' that life energy and simple pleasures are still available to us. When the money has gone, we don't have to be poor. Poverty, like age, is a state of mind. And all is not lost, even when chronic pain, death and destruction is upon us. Every day we wake up is a good day. Basic values such as patience, kindness and a willingness to offer comfort are timeless qualities that don't require fossil fuels.
Maybe ultimately, true ego integrity is the process of holding fast to one's feelings of completeness, wholeness, and soundness even in the face of physical, financial, and environmental loss.
