Our reactions to decision-making capability are not good. Learn what is a normal result of aging. Talk it out. Often, people know well in advance that they will end up being the caregiver for an aging parent or spouse, and they are comfortable with it when it eventually happens. The majority of seniors report that they're happy despite health problems that may be present.
People adjust their goals and adapt to circumstances as they age.
Seniors' accumulated wisdom allows them to accept that there are things you just can't change. The only thing that separates people like Rick Hansen or Terry Fox from the rest of us is their attitude toward life. If you have a good, positive attitude, it can more than compensate for a number of other things that may be lacking. Yes, and it's incredibly insidious. You can tell society's valuation of a population by the amount of resources that are allocated to its members.