I am amazed at what older adults can accomplish with their physical limitations. There is such a difference between those who succumb to their physical limitations and say, “I just can’t,” and those who embrace the challenge and strive to find ways to continue doing the activities that bring them pleasure. This is possibly the most meaningful lesson we can learn from studying the physiology of aging—how do we bring those opportunities which continue to allow us to “age in place” to this enthusiastic demographic?

As the motto of orienteering suggests: “Finding your way through an unknown terrain,” is a sport where you have to combine both your physical and mental skills. It is a sport where you have to navigate in terrain as fast as you can with your only navigational tools being a map and compass. Isn’t this a lot like aging? How do we chart the terrain, how do we map the territory how do we know which direction to go? What tools do we need to develop, refine or create?