Allison - people "age" and grow old from conditioning. People have been conditioned since birth to grow old. Listen to conversations - how old are you? You're too old to do that. I can't do that because I'm too old. Wait until you get old, everything goes wrong. People continuously talk about their illnesses and how these diseases are making people old.
Hearing this negative conditioning about aging over and over makes people old.

Rather than consider aging a dirty word, approach the situation by considering how to remain young by healthy nutrition, eight hours of sleep, one hour of daily exercise, meditation, being grateful, positive social interaction, having meaning in life, and self-healing.

Gary

I do not think aging is a dirty word. You are as old as you feel. If you eat chemical free nutritious foods, drink one half of your body weight in ounces per day of water, stay away from proceed foods, watch your weight and exercise almost daily, you should lead a long and healthy life. Getting old is really bad if your health deteriorates with age. By following the above it will greatly increase your chances of a healthy long life.

I share a few thoughts as a journal editor, Christian, and as a mere observer. The journal I edit, the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, encourages use of the term "older adult" or "older individual" rather than "elderly" or "aged." Our thought is that it describes without stigmatizing. The Bible upholds age as a good thing. For example, Proverbs 20:29 notes that "The glory of young men is their strength , but the splendor of old men is their gray hair." Similarly. Job 12:12 indicates that "Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days." My observation relates to older women who are gray-haired and beautiful- Helen Mirren and Maye Musk are but two. My sister is another. It is possible to age gracefully.