Steven Petrow is a longtime journalist and author who reflects on aging through the lens of personal experience and family lessons. In a recent essay, he describes how, starting in his 50s, he created a list of “mistakes” he saw in his parents’ aging—initially humorous but ultimately serious—to guide himself toward a more intentional, healthy later life; now nearing 70, he admits he hasn’t always lived up to his own rules but emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, accountability, staying physically and mentally active, embracing change (including technology), and maintaining humor and gratitude, while also developing a more compassionate understanding of the complexities and inevitabilities of aging. You can read the full article at https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/03/22/aging-mistakes/, and his tips are below…
1. Hold yourself accountable: Find an “accountability partner,” suggests Chip Conley, author of “Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better With Age,” or make public certain promises to yourself. An accountability partner is someone in your life who can help you stick with your plan, and hopefully help get you back on track (in a non-judgmental way) if they catch you lying about your age, for example.
2. Don’t become hostage to denial: Stubborn denial of aging can be helpful sometimes, so that we don’t give up too soon and begin to narrow our world. But we also need to be realistic about how things are changing. Unless you’re really unlucky (by dying young), no one escapes aging. Period. About half of adults 60 or older have hearing loss and nearly all people 90 or older do, but only 15 to 30 percent of people who need hearing aids get them. Just as standing on your roof probably isn’t a great idea as you get older, pretending that your hearing is fine can have real-world impact. Untreated hearing loss can interfere with your ability to socialize and increase the risk of dementia. (Hearing aids can cut your risk of cognitive decline nearly in half.)
3. Think about how you want to do things differently as you age: Denise Austin, 69, insists that we keep moving, rather than become sedentary. It’s not always easy to stay mobile as you age, but you can try walking and stretching for starters. Austin also reminds people of the importance of keeping a positive attitude as we age, which many studies also support.
4. Keep current with new technologies: From hearing devices to new communication methods, staying up to date can not only help you keep in touch with people, but it could benefit your brain health. A 2025 meta analysis published in Nature reported that the greater use of everyday technologies, like smartphones and laptops, was associated with reduced odds of cognitive decline among those over 50, including mild cognitive decline and dementia diagnoses. So figure out how those buttons work on the remote and don’t be embarrassed to ask for help sorting out the new features on your iPhone. Yes, it takes effort; yes, it’s worth it.
5. Be grateful, avoid hubris and keep a sense of humor (especially about yourself). If I were to rewrite my book on aging, I’d have included this advice front and center. I’d also be less harsh in my judgments of my parents.