Grugger’s Way

There are so many “parts” of us that “wear out” as we get older:  our backs, our feet, our hearing and vision, balance and sense of smell.
And this “wearing out” process seems to accelerate. I think my biggest task or challenge is to SLOW down the aging process.  I do this partly by paying more attention to details and thus avoiding those accidents that put might put me flat on my back in the hospital.

I do have a couple of suggestions:

• Be careful when we lift or carry something, when we step up or step down, when we twist or turn.
• Remember to ask for help sometimes.  Especially for the heavy lifting.
• Don’t try to do everything around the house in one day.  I’m retired now.  I can wait and do some tomorrow.

How many of us have seen our older friends or parents take a fall or otherwise have an accident that puts them into a hospital bed?  That is the WORST place to be if you are trying to slow down the aging process.  Many older people express great fear of going into the hospital because they are afraid they will never get out.  Certainly that is a risk.  In the hospital patients have no control any more.  And a long term patient just wastes away.  No sunlight, no exercise, little contact with relatives and friends. The lack of normal activities and routine is disruptive to any person’s life, but is especially so for older folks.

The solution, at least in part, is to avoid the accidents and the diseases that put us in the hospital. 

Keep active, physically and mentally.  Be aware of our surroundings and watch for things that are out of place.  Don’t try to go up and down stairs without a handrail and without turning on the light.  Watch out for those pets that can be underfoot.  Always know exactly where that little kitty or puppy or grandchild is before you step or turn.
Yup.  Getting old is no easy task.  It is a challenge, just like the other challenges we have faced during our lives.

This one is the most important of all.

BALANCE means more to me now that I am older (62 years old today, by the way).

Balance has always been important in my life, and probably in yours too:  keeping some separation between the workplace and the home, between work time and personal time, between working relationships and personal relationships, between work-week and week-end.

Balance also symbolizes my ability to keep perspective in life.  Not too much work, alcohol, drugs, food, sex.  Not too much sleep or television.  Not too much rowdy playing with dogs and grandchildren either.

Balance is also equilibrium in our orientation toward good ol’ gravity!  This is an area we don’t want to neglect either.   I have heard so many horror stories of older people falling down in their garage or bathroom and being on the floor for a couple of days before someone checked in on them.  There are a couple of safeguards that we should at least be aware of for “older” friends and family, if not for ourselves–yet.

There is the lifeline bracelet and emergency alert buttons.  There is the daily phone call to check up on a friend or relative, or a daily visit to someone who lives alone.  For those who qualify, there are social service agencies that will pay daily visits to help with daily needs.  My own Father was discovered unconscious by the Meals on Wheels delivery person.  It pays to plan ahead, rather than have later regrets.

Balance personal freedom against personal safety.  We all have to decide.  Sometimes we have to decide for others.

Keeping Secure refers to personal safety.  There are many dangers and hazards out in the world, and as we age we have to adapt our lifestyles in order to protect ourselves.  I now feel more vulnerable to certain threats than when I was younger.     I always ensure that I have safety equipment and first aid kit available when traveling or camping.  Having the right tools to deal with a breakdown, having jumper cables and a tow line in the car are practices that I have always subscribed to. 

Accidental falls in the home or parking lot can be fatal, and are particularly dangerous for older folks who may be alone. Having a Lifeline Medical Alert bracelet to summon help can be a lifesaver for someone who has a serious medical condition, or who lives alone. Physical fitness is important to maintaining our balance, but it is no guarantee against accidents. Forgetfulness can also be very serious if we are on required medications. It is important to have someone check up on us, at least every day. Continue Reading »

Keeping Useful is an important Retirement Challenge that affects both our emotional and physical health. I believe it is impossible for us to understand the pain of feeling “useless” or “worthless” until we experience it.  But I have seen the effects and can imagine what it must feel like: I heard it spoken by a man I cared about; an elderly man who had lost his spouse and felt he had nothing left to live for.  He often told me how “useless” and “worthless” he was. He slept most of the day in a big rocker-recliner.  When he was awake he turned on his television and then fell asleep again.

After his spouse died, his physical condition deteriorated quickly.  He lost physical mobility, he lost appetite, he lost touch. Most of his conversation concerned his personal health problems.  He had no remaining hopes or ambitions for the future.  The future was a concept that did not extend beyond the end of the current day for him, each and every day, until his end finally came in the middle of the night. He died alone.
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