There seems be a negative stigma attached to aging and being old. For the most part while everyone agrees that it’s a part of life that can’t be avoided nobody tends to look forward to it. Perhaps it’s because of how society tends to look at growing old. Ageism has developed over many years as our society as a whole has put a greater value on youth than on aging. Television, movies and the printed media tend to strengthen the idea that young is “good” and old is “bad.”(Myths and Stereotypes of Aging, 2012 p2). Working in a nursing home as a Recreation Leader, I see this ageism all the time. A common comment I hear is how they dread the thought getting old and fear ending up in a nursing home some day. Even many of the residents will tell me they never thought they would end up in a home and that getting old isn’t any fun. I found it very eye opening that even though the six people I interviewed varied greatly in their chronological age they all shared the same negative viewpoint about aging and being old. Interviewee number one is “Jane”. She’s 63 and works part-time with me in recreation. She defines aging as getting “up there in years and old as you are “there” and ready for a nursing home. It was obvious by how she defined “old” that she succumbs to the negative stereotypes our society has placed on the elderly. While this appeared to be a common viewpoint for all my interviewees I believe this to be more of a myth. There are many elderly men and women who even in their 80’s or older live very productive lives. My own grandmother was a volunteer driver at the age of 89 and helped take others grocery shopping. “Jane” saw herself as pretty equal compared to her cohorts but felt considerably older than people who were younger and a lot younger compared to older people. She felt that she physically aged more than many because of her love for the outdoors and sun tanning which gave her more wrinkles. I would have to agree that she does look a lot older than some women I know who are in their 70’s. I also asked her if her concept of “old” had changed since she was in her 20’s. She said that it definitely had because back then she felt 45 was old but now she thinks that’s still very young adding she doesn’t even think of herself as being old. I think her life experience has helped form her ideas about aging especially given how her views have changed as she herself has aged. Biologically she seems to be a lot younger than 63. She is still healthy and does not seem to have any physical limitations. Psychologically and socially she is active with friends and co-workers, has all of her cognitive abilities, an excellent memory and has adapted really well to the changes that our facility has recently implemented. Working with her on a regular basis I am amazed at the ease she moves around heavy tables and transports residents which in my opinion makes her functional age more of a woman at least 10 years younger despite her looking older physically. She is a great example of how Cavanaugh, J. C., & Blanchard-Fields, F. note that it’s possible for a person to be young for her chronological age especially in her physical abilities. (2006). Interviewee number two is “Paul”. Paul is 83 years old, happily married and still drives. Even though biologically he had a heart attack that left him with only partial function of his heart he exercises regularly fishes and hunts, and has not really displayed any signs of slowing down. “Paul defined aging as slowing down and having a lack of stamina and old to him meant someone in their 90’s who was unable to do anything productive anymore. Compared to his cohorts he saw himself as much younger and felt more like 70. He even remarked how many of his cohorts had