Aging is a continuous, complex, and dynamic process that begins at birth and ends with death. And unless we die in our early years, we will all grow old and experience the effects of the aging process.

Aging is an Individual Experience.

Thus, for each of us, aging remains:

universal—everyone ages
inevitable—we cannot stop the process
irreversible—we cannot get younger

The population of older adults is an extremely diverse group with wide differences that defy characterization. And while each individual follows a similar aging path, it is a very wide path containing an infinite number of combinations.

Even our bodily systems age at varying rates. At any particular age, no two of us experience the same physical or sensory changes. Thus, an "old" person could have "aged" lungs and a "young" heart. A "young" person might have "young" lungs and an "old" heart.

Young People's View of Aging

Most young people hold the belief that our functional capacity climbs rapidly and steadily from birth until we reach our peak at age 25-30. From then on, they believe their functional capacity declines, they eventually become old, and die.

Old People's View of Aging

Most old people hold an equally erroneous view of aging. They believe that their functional capacity climbs slowly and steadily from birth until they finally reach their peak at age 65. At that time they believe their functional capacity declines, they become old, retire, and then die.

The Four-Phase View of Aging

A third and more accurate pattern of our life span portrays life proceeding in four phases:

Phase 1. A period of measured growth, rapid skill development, socialization, and structured learning.

Phase 2. A period of adult productivity, responsibility, and accomplishment, characterized by freedom of choice, independence, and self-sufficiency.

Phase 3. A period of functional decline with a corresponding loss in our ability to perform our activities of daily living.

Phase 4. As our vital functions decline rapidly, our activity level drops, our bodily systems begin to atrophy, and our biological processes continue to deteriorate until death occurs.

The Critical Support Point

As we age, we depend more and more on our products and environments to compensate for our progressive functional decline. Such assistance at the critical support point (CSP) enables us to remain independent and perform our normal activities of daily living.

Transgenerational design extends this critical support point, prolonging independence and reducing our need for external assistance.

We can help you design transgenerational products and environments that are useable by the young, the old, the able and disabled—without penalty to any group.

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