The World Ages Differently: How Culture Shapes Our View of Growing Older

Maria Nicholson
Oct 19
5 min read

Recently, I came across an article about former supermodel Paulina Porizkova, who spoke candidly about how aging feels different in France than in the United States.

In France, she observed, women over 50 are seen as elegant, sensual, and wise—not invisible. Aging there is celebrated as a natural evolution of confidence and authenticity. But in America, she noted, the cultural obsession with youth often makes women feel as if their worth diminishes with every passing year, no matter how much wisdom or success they’ve gained.

Her words struck me.

Because beneath that comparison lies a deeper truth: how we experience aging depends as much on our culture as on our biology. The way a society defines beauty, purpose, and worth determines whether growing older feels like a privilege or a punishment.

That reflection led me to wonder — how do different parts of the world see aging?

What can we, in midlife and beyond, learn from their wisdom?

Let’s take a look at how Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe each shape the experience of growing older — and what those differences reveal about how we might redefine it.

Asia: Aging as Honor and Interdependence

In most Asian societies — from China and Japan to the Philippines and India — aging has traditionally been associated with honor, wisdom, and family duty.

Cultural Roots

Influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, many Asian cultures teach filial piety — a moral duty to care for one’s elders.

Family-Centered Aging

Elders often live in multigenerational households, guiding family decisions and helping raise grandchildren. They are seen as keepers of history and moral anchors of the home.

A Filipino Perspective

As a Filipina, I grew up in a culture where respect for elders is not just expected — it’s a way of life. From a young age, we are taught to say “po” and “opo” as signs of deference, to bless the hands of our grandparents, and to prioritize their comfort and care before our own.

Elders in Filipino families are deeply woven into daily life, not placed at the margins of it. They are decision-makers, storytellers, and the emotional glue that binds generations. Even when families are separated by oceans, as so many are, that bond remains sacred.

Those values shaped who I am today — and they are the foundation of why I’ve devoted my career to aging in place, accessibility, and preserving independence with dignity. Our elders deserve homes and communities that allow them to live safely, surrounded by love and respect — just as our culture taught me.

The Modern Shift

Urban migration and Western lifestyles have weakened these traditions. Japan, South Korea, and China now face growing elder loneliness. Yet, these same nations are pioneering “Active Aging” policies and building age-friendly cities to preserve dignity and connection.

Aging in Asia = Honor, Duty, and Collective Wisdom.

B. The Americas: Aging as Reinvention and Independence

Across the United States, Canada, and much of Latin America, aging is often viewed through a lens of individualism and renewal.

Cultural Roots

In the U.S. and Canada, cultural values emphasize self-reliance and productivity, leading to a society that often idolizes youth and equates aging with decline.

Reinvention Over Retirement

Many midlifers and seniors now challenge that view, redefining this stage as a time for reinvention — starting new businesses, traveling, or pursuing creative passions.

Cultural Contrasts

While mainstream media may glorify youth, Latino and Indigenous communities across the Americas still hold elders as spiritual and cultural leaders, preserving the wisdom of ancestry.

Aging in the Americas = Autonomy, Reinvention, and Youthful Resistance.

C. Africa: Aging as Ancestral Legacy and Community

In Africa, aging holds a sacred dimension — elders are often viewed as living ancestors, keepers of moral order and community wisdom.

Cultural Roots

Traditional African societies honor elders as mediators and guides. The philosophy of Ubuntu — “I am because we are” — reinforces a deep sense of interconnection across generations.

Communal Aging

Elders are rarely isolated; their value is measured not by productivity but by their spiritual presence and life experience.

Modern Shifts

Rapid urbanization and migration are testing these traditions, leaving some elders behind in rural areas. Yet, social pensions and community programs across nations like South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya aim to protect their wellbeing.

Aging in Africa = Ancestry, Community, and Spiritual Continuity.

D. Europe: Aging as Dignity and Social Responsibility

Europe has woven respect for elders into a fabric of social welfare, human dignity, and policy.

Cultural Roots

Rooted in both Christian and humanist traditions, European societies view elder care as a collective duty, not an individual problem.

Aging Systems that Work

Scandinavian countries, France, Germany, and the Netherlands lead the world in healthcare access, pensions, and active-aging programs that prioritize quality of life and autonomy.

North–South Differences

In Southern Europe — Italy, Spain, and Greece — family bonds remain central, with elders deeply integrated into daily life. Northern Europe focuses more on independence, social services, and dignified retirement living.

Aging in Europe = Dignity, Social Care, and Quality of Life.

Global Lessons on Growing Older

Asia reminds us that wisdom deserves reverence.
The Americas remind us that reinvention is always possible.
Africa reminds us that community is the antidote to loneliness.
Europe reminds us that aging well requires collective care.

No matter where we live, we all want the same thing — to be valued, purposeful, and connected

“In the East, they honor wisdom.In the West, they chase vitality.In Africa, they live Ubuntu.In Europe, they plan for longevity.Maybe the sageful way is to embrace them all — to age with purpose, connection, and grace.”

At The Sageful Life, we believe aging isn’t something to fear — it’s something to design with intention.

Visit TheSagefulLife.com for stories, guides, and digital tools to help you redefine aging on your own terms.

For Aging in Place Consultations or to explore Accessibility Remodeling, visit www.pbcgroupinc.com schedule a Virtual Consultation with Maria.

Together, let’s build homes — and lives — that grow with us.

About the Author

Maria Nicholson is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist, Designer Remodeler, Advocate, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and Fellow Midlifer. She is the President and CEO of Project Build Construction & Interiors, a California-based design-build company specializing in accessibility and aging-in-place remodeling. She is also the founder and host of The Sageful Life, a global media platform inspiring midlifers and seniors to live boldly, age wisely, and redefine what it means to grow older.