When
industrialization put workers firmly on the never-ending treadmill that
produced the consumer goods of the Victorian world, the ability to play was, in
a large part, lost to the working man. Play had been barred to his female
partner many years before. Her life had been filled with the need to make do
and feed her family when her mate was an ag lab, when industrialization came
in, she had the same role and/or became a factory hand herself.
With the
growth of leisure and the expansion of the sporting world, men of all stripes
were gradually included in the fun. As they agitated for more power, and
attitudes toward them changed, women were able to join in more activities that
showcased their abilities rather than their helpless beauty. Children, of
course, naturally gravitated to play. But there was one other group that rarely
figured in play or the sporting world, a group that included members of both
sexes, those who were labelled “the elderly”.
It seems to
be a relatively recent phenomenon that age is becoming less of a barrier to an
active life. Even in professional sports the retirement ages for some players
are becoming later and later. For the hoi polloi, activity is encouraged at
older ages with stories of successful elders being cited as inspiration to the
rest. One of these inspiration heroes was Olga Kotelko, who competed in track
and field well into her 90s.
While most
people can’t aspire to record breaking sports stats in their later years, it is
possible to remain active as long as mobility remains. Take a fitness class,
join a gym or activity group no matter what your age. Your body will thank you
for it.
Sources
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