Smart Senior

Senior Living: Longevity (Keeping Busy as You Grow Older)

   

What will you do if you find yourself alive and well at 90 or even 100 years of age?   This idea isn’t as far fetched as you might think.  Advances in science and medicine are making health and longevity a very likely prospect.   The biggest concern is how you are going to afford to keep yourself in the manner you have become accustomed.  

Work is a good thing. A job not only provides intellectual stimulation but often makes up the bulk of your social network.   Many people can’t wait for retirement, but others find the idea frightening and socially unacceptable.  If you want to work longer but find your job too physically or emotionally challenging you could be caught in the middle.  For your own mental health you might need to consider working part time or looking into a second career.  Delaying retirement is certainly something many have thought about.

Is working in your first career field even an option?   Pilots, military personal, police officers and others have mandatory retirement laws.   High stress careers such as nursing, teaching, or corporate leadership roles are difficult to sustain.   It isn’t unusual for people to want more sanity in their lives as they grow older.

Some businesses are good about adapting the work environment to meet the needs of older employees, but others just want to have them gone.   However, recent articles in business journals are reporting that there is a growing demand for temporary and contract work.  This type of work might be perfect for the mature worker who would love to be able to take breaks between assignments.  Hopefully, by the time the baby boomers reach their 80s mandatory retirement laws will be changed so that older workers will have more options. 

If you retire at 65 what are you going to be doing in your 80s, 90s and possibly longer?  Some will delay retirement, plan for a second career, do volunteer work, or just quite working altogether.  Some will return to school, turn a hobby into a career, work at something mindless but socially fulfilling, or end up being a caregiver for a spouse or grandchildren.

 Those who are able to stop working altogether will have time to enjoy sports, hobbies, and travel as well as spending quality time with their families.   Some people are eager to pursuit advanced degrees or take life long learning classes for the sheer joy of learning.  The increasing availability of college courses provides wonderful opportunities for the senior student.

Hopefully you will have a ready answer when someone asks you what you are going to do with all of your extra time.  It would be nice if you could be enthusiastic when you near 100 as you were when you were 50. 

Senior Living: Digital Scrapbooking for Seniors

Scrapbooking is a popular art form and from all indications it is here to stay.   Kids love to make scrapbooks.   I can remember my first scrapbook.  It was just a book of blank pages, but I couldn’t wait to get started. I filled the pages with dozens of pictures of animals and flowers.     Scrapbooking today is more than pretty pictures cut from a magazine.  Scrapbooking has become a really big deal.

My mother kept a big box of what she called keepsakes.  This mystery box was filled to the brim with photographs, newspaper clippings, dried flowers and other mementos that had meaning to her.  I felt privileged to be included when the family would gather around to go through the box.  Each picture held a story, and we were eager to hear about the people and events that inspired them.  I didn’t know it then, but this collection of memorabilia was actually a frontrunner to what we now know as Scrapbooking. 

Most of the pictures had names and dates penciled on the backs but they never made it out of the box. The plan, of course, was to put them in a photo album someday, but I don’t believe that every happened.  Unless someone in the family decides to sort, mount and recreate these stories they will be lost forever.

Scrapbooks are more than photo albums.  They have become more like a visual diary or a journal.   A Scrapbook might chronicle a year in a person’s life, a special event like a christening or a wedding, a family vacation or even a hobby.  A friend of mine honors the lives of her family members by creating scrapbooks to give them on special occasions.   A scrapbook reflects our need to tell stories and share our lives.  Scrapbooks have been around in one form or another as long as paper and photographs have been in existence. 

Seniors have more time to Scrapbook than most but the work can be tedious.  Decreased manual dexterity often makes it difficult to cut and paste. Researching, cataloging, narrating, and decorating pages make scrapbooking quite a project.  The good news is that modern technology is available to help us out.  If you have a computer at your disposal you can enter the world of digital scrapbooking.  Would you be willing to spend time making something truly memorable if you could by-pass the repetitive tasks that make it so hard and so time consuming?

Dozens of web addresses and books like “Digital Scrapbooking for Dummies” by Jeanne Wines-Reed are available to tell you how to get started.  If you need a more hands-on approach you can find classes at your local recreation or senior centers.   You can by-pass the cutting and pasting and sitting hunched over a work table for hours on end.  No muss and no fuss because everything is on your computer.

Come on, I am willing to bet you have boxes of memento’s of your own, just waiting to be turned into something truly memorable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Travel: Why Not an RV for Seniors?

 

 My seventy-five year old cousin and her husband have a rather nice RV. They have and hope to continue taking a number of mini-vacations each summer.  They love attending Engine Shows, reunions, and shopping/touristy attractions around the state.  The outings are pleasant and the campground camaraderie is always good.  They are perfectly happy with their present camper, but like everyone else they can’t resist going to RV shows every year.  The last RV show was fun to attend but they didn’t see anything that they couldn’t live without.  One thing they did notice, and commented on, was that none of the new and improved RVs had assist bars to make entering and exiting the vehicles safer for older campers.  They mentioned this to the sales representative and he said that he heard that a lot.

If they hear that a lot, why is it that the manufacturers are not responding to the question?  Perhaps they are. It could be that the people in my crowd have just missed hearing about it.   I would love to hear comments and news about universally designed but affordable RVs.   Retired people make up a sizable percentage of the RV customer base.  I am sure that many older people and/or handicapped individuals would like to upgrade their rigs, and would do so if the means were readily available.

Older people like to travel and many would do more of it if they didn’t have to deal with finding motels and restaurants equipped to meet their needs.  Wouldn’t it be nice if you had your own universally designed quarters with you?  Major modifications are possible but the cost is often $10-20,000 more than the original price.  Surely some mini-modifications should or could become standard for people of all ages?  At the very least an assist bar attached to the outside of the vehicle would be nice, and would wider doors and center aisles, lift rails, easy access shower facilities and a accessible galley be asking too much?

An article by Tom Spisak in Trailer Life magazine (Jul 2003) about modifications to make recreational vehicles more accessible is a good place to start.    This magazine is still in publication (www.trailerlife.com) and good reading for anyone loving the RV way of life.

 

 

Senior Living: Vacation Time

 

Older people need vacations too.  Retirement doesn’t automatically free you up from the pressures and responsibilities of everyday living.   Senior’s get tired too.   Everyone needs “time off” to regroup, refresh, and regain a sense of order in their lives.   Vacations are supposed to be fun, but they are also symbolic of something more than that.   You may be past your “party time” years, but you still need an opportunity to “get away from it all.”  Do not allow yourself to feel guilty when someone implies that retirement is one long vacation.   Many seniors have active care giving duties, housework; a day job or active community responsibilities.  It is hard to say “no” when others ask for help, but seniors need vacations as much as the next guy.

Researchers will tell you that vacations are good for your physical and your mental health.  Everyone knows that relaxation reduces stress levels and reduced stress contributes to health and happiness.  Statistics show that people who skip vacations year after year are more prone to heart attacks and feelings of depression, and we certainly don’t need that.

Perhaps you have learned how to de-stress by this time, but I am not betting on it.  The hardest part is figuring out how to make a vacation a revitalizing experience.  Adventure vacations and educational vacations are great fun, but just once you might like to try something else.  Think peace, quiet, and mental restoration.   Think slow, quiet and peaceful.

  What do the words slow, quiet and peaceful bring to mind?  You don’t have to go to the ends of the earth to find a place to indulge such fantasies.  You can actually give your body a virtual vacation without going far afield or spending too much money.  I read a beautiful article by Cheryl Hodde in an old issue of (www.magazineline.com) Vibrant Life: July/August 1998) that has stayed with me all of these years.  She talked about looking for natural beauty and putting together a slow vacation (no rushing around trying to visit every tourist trap for miles around).  Play tourist and visit places closer to home, go fishing, visit a nearby artist’s haven and try to capture the sense of creativity that will surround you.   Visit a forest, go for a hike, rent a cabin in the woods (mountain or at the beach) and give yourself a chance to relish some alone time.  Take time to think; keep a journal, try your hand at writing poetry, or catch up on letter writing.

 

How long has it been since you had a vacation that left you truly revitalized?

Senior Living: Genealogy and the Senior

History was my favorite subject in school, and I can still remember dressing up in costumes and playing cowboys and Indians by the hour when we were kids.   Learning how people lived and loved and communicated in a different time was pretty exciting stuff.  History isn’t all about hunting and war parties and building cathedrals.  History is about people; people like us. I went to school in a one room school house and I met a lady once who had traveled in a covered wagon.   Now that is history!   If you look at your own family tree you can make your historical heritage come alive.   Genealogy is very popular with seniors.   It takes an appreciation of history, time, and perseverance to research your own roots.  It is worth it though, because finding out who you are and where you came from is important.

When people were born, lived, died, and were buried in the same communities, it was pretty easy to track the family tree.   Marriages, births and deaths were logged carefully in the family bible and in church registrars.    It is a little more challenging now that families are spread out across the country.  On top of that we don’t keep anything.  Everything is thrown away or torn down these days.  We have become a disposable society.   Genealogy was born so that people could reconnect with their past again.

So many people are actively researching their heritage that genealogy is thought to be the third largest hobby group in the country.    Obviously you won’t be alone if you decide to reconstruct your own family tree.   If you curious, but don’t know where to start, you will find tons of information on-line or at your local library.  Start with a good preview book like “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Genealogy” by Christine Rose, CG, CGL, FASG and Kay Germain Ingalis, CG.  One of many books written on the subject but it breaks the whole process down step by step.  It gives detailed instructions from starting with mom and dad to continuing on as far back as you cares to go.

We loved hearing stories about what it was like when our parents were little, or even better our grandparents or great grandparents.  Remember the books written by Laura Ingles Wilder?  It was exciting to read about the lives of people in the “olden days.”  I read every historical novel that I could lay my hands on.  Your heritage is important to you, and researching your family tree will answer many questions.   Perhaps you want to track down your ethnic origin, find out if you were really descended from some famous historical figure, love anything historical, or just want to know if certain congenital health problems have been passed down from one generation to another.  Maybe you just want to discover or feel the sense of being a part of something bigger than yourself.

 

Senior Transportation: What About a Motorized Scooter or Bike?

 An 80 year old crashed her car into an office building the other day.  News of an automobile accident is always disturbing, but even more so when it involves a senior.  I worry that it makes us all look bad, but I also worry about what is ahead for me.  What am I going to do when it is time for me to hang up my keys?     Scooters and bicycles have always appealed to my sense of adventure.  I read everything I can find about them, and when one pulls up beside me at a stoplight, the wheels in my head start turning.   

Oprah, always on top of things, had a little blurb in her latest magazine (December 2012) about an e-bike.  It was included in the section on Christmas present suggestions.  I might not have noticed except the picture was of a pink e-bike and it seemed to call my name.  There are thousands of models on the market these days but this one (Jetsonbike.com) was quoted as getting 40 miles to one battery charge. 

Bicycles are everywhere and a few people are even using them for transportation.  There are dun buggies, three-wheelers, mountain bikes, standard models and even foldable bikes.  America has been way behind other countries in adopting energy efficient modes of transportation, but I think the day is coming.    Electric bicycles are not motorcycles.  They have pedals and they are designed to assist your efforts.  I suppose you can tool along relying on battery power alone, but you don’t really want to nix the idea of getting exercise while you are at it, do you?  Some electric bike users can’t drive for medical or other reasons and are thrilled to have increased mobility.  Others are just pleased with the ease and economy, and the thought that they are doing something good for the environment.

Electric bikes are perfect for seniors who thought they were past their bike riding days.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we all used electric bicycles for short trips?  We would be using less gas, reducing pollution, whittling traffic congestion and actually making the streets safer.  You might think that 15-30 miles an hour is too slow, but most residential streets and roadways don’t allow you to go faster than that anyway.   We American’s are funny.  We will use our car to drive 4 blocks to the store.  We will drive around the parking lot at the fitness center six times in order to find a parking space at the front door.  It’s time for a change, don’t you think?  If you are going somewhere less than 5 miles away, doesn’t it make good sense to ride a bike?

 

 

Senior Living: Safe Driving Made Easy

Every time I back up my car or change lanes, I whisper a silent “thank you” to my yoga instructor.  Her mission in life seems to revolve around making sure that we (her older students) have flexible spines and open shoulder joints.   I don’t think any of us would dare develop a dowager’s hump or a stiff neck.  We are indeed lucky to have her in our lives.

Knowing that you have a full range of motion will make you feel more confident when you drive.   Confidence and comfort are very important if you are going to drive safely.    I know you don’t like to hear it, but not everyone should be driving.  The good news is that modern technology has been kind to us, and as a result most of us will be driving for years to come.   Determination is not enough though.  It is up to you to determine, in advance, whether you should be behind the wheel.

Safer driving practices are not something to be scoffed at.  Rules of the road remain the same, but like it or not, it has become a real jungle out there.      Safe driving courses will review current rules of the road, teach you defensive driving techniques, and suggest ways to operate your vehicle safely.   When it is time to renew your license consider a medical examination, an eye examination, and a class to update your driving skills.   These recommendations do not mean that someone is out to get you; it just means that you care enough to want to do your very best.

An article in the September/October Arthritis Today magazine (www.ARTHRITISTODAY.ORG) by Sharon Anne Waldrop discusses inexpensive changes that you can make to take the pain out of driving.  In addition to a yoga routine to increase flexibility, she suggested adaptive mirrors to help you see better without swiveling your neck.  She also mentions large key handles and thick steering wheel covers, but I thought her idea to consult a driver rehabilitation specialist (www.driver-ed.org) was the best advice offered.  Specialists can recommend ways to maneuver vehicles if joint and/or pain issues are making driving difficult for you.

Be open to change.  Just because you have been driving for 60 years or more does not mean that you can’t learn new techniques.    If you are proud of your sterling driving record, take the class anyway.   Show off if you must, but be open to having a professional evaluate your driving skills.   Check with your local senior center.  The classes offered by AARP (www.aarp.org) are excellent, and are offered frequently in locations near you.  Your insurance company will be so impressed that they will even give you a discount on your insurance rates.   Taking a class does not mean that you are admitting defeat; it means that you are smart enough to do the right thing.  

 

 

Senior Living: Publications for Seniors

 

Except for the AARP magazines and bulletins (www.aarp.org/bulletin) there are precious few publications for seniors.  I’ve picked up a few mainstream magazines over the years, but most were discontinued before I could get my hands on a second issue.     I guess it could be that no one wants to be seen buying magazines for older people.  I’ll admit that I used to be one of them.  I was highly incensed when the first copy of Modern Maturity arrived in my mailbox.  “Not ready for that yet,” I said.   Still, there is much to be said and much to be learned from articles written by and about seniors.   There are publications out there, but you won’t find them in the magazine section of the supermarket.  You might have missed them because they are free.  Senior publications are often hidden as newspaper inserts, in the lobby of the library, in a corner of the senior center, or in a stack at the local coffee shop.

I like the AARP publications but they are more polished and sophisticated than the ones found in your local papers.   Senior Focus (www.srfocusnews.org) and Northwest Prime Time (www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com) are good examples. I enjoy them both but Northwest Prime Time tickles my fancy.  This little newspaper comes out monthly and is a wealth of information.  The best part is that many of the articles are written by seniors and are about topics that older people are interested in.  This month (October 2012) I found an article by Doris J. Niemann about the “The Move-In Mother-in-Law.” The article is different because it is written from the mother-in-laws point of view.  The author reflects on how she feels as she searches for new ways to get on with her own life.

I loved the article by Laurie Barnoski as she mused about why it was that her body had turned on her.  After years of taking reasonably good care of herself she was perplexed that she has the bones of a seventy-year old, when she is only sixty.  No solutions were given but it was good to know that these things can happen, despite our best efforts, and to know that we aren’t alone. 

The Health Matters segment is written by a professional (Gloria May, M.S., R.N. CHES) but that is okay because we all need a little professional nagging.  This month she wrote about why it is a good idea to take a first aid class.

Some of the articles are about health, some about nutrition, and some about safety proofing your home, but others are just plain old reminiscing.  Key topics might include downsizing, changing residences, and exploring social and recreational options.  One of my favorite columns is the Writing Corner by Arlene M. Huff who encourages self expression and relaxation through writing.

There is something for everyone over 60 in these publications and I think you will have as much fun reading them as I do.

 

Senior Living: Seniors Vote

 

Elections are coming up soon.  Dear Abby made room in her column yesterday to remind readers to vote on November 6^th.  Your vote is important and remembering to vote could be the most important thing that you do this year.

We all studied Civics in grade school; it was kind of boring at the time, but was probably the most important class in the curriculum.  It is no surprise that sentiments printed in the Junior Scholastics (Lisa Hill: January 2, 2012) were the same that we were taught all of those years ago.     Voting isn’t just a right, it is a duty.  If you want to enjoy the benefits of a democracy, including the right to complain, it is up to you to participate.  Just showing up at the polls isn’t enough.  Many people are less informed than they should be about both domestic and foreign policies.   You owe it yourself, and to others, to be interested in the issues and the candidates who represent you.  Be informed and be active in both local and national politics.  Do your homework.  Don’t believe everything you hear.  Today’s politics are not your grandfather’s politics. You owe it to yourself to make up your own mind, and to give your vote to the candidate that represent how you feel.  American’s like to complain about their leaders, but often neglect to do anything about them.  Too many people neglect to vote.

Seniors make up a large segment of the voting population.   Perhaps it is because they have the time and the interest to follow what is going on.  Exit polls show that seniors vote because they care, and because they want to make the world a better place.  Concerns about Medicare, Social Security and other quality of life issues drive us all, but it isn’t just “senior issues” that drive the voting population.  Polls show that older people distribute their votes in roughly the same proportions as the rest of the voting population.  One thing we do know is that seniors care enough to make voting a priority.

Limited Mobility: You Can Still Travel

A friend of mine happened to mentioned that her husband wanted to plan a vacation trip to Europe.   She would love to go, but is reluctant because he has both health and mobility issues.  She is naturally concerned that he wouldn’t be able to keep up with the rest of the group.   Well, perhaps all is not lost.  I told her about an article that I read in The Herald (September 22, 2012) by travel expert Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com).  This particular article was about traveling with limited mobility.  It may take a little more thought and a lot more planning but it shouldn’t mean that you have to stay at home.

My daughter did a tour with a “Steves” group a few years ago and enjoyed it very much, but it was quite physical.    I think we all associate budget travel with doing a lot of walking and stair climbing, but sometimes worrying about a budget just won’t do.  Perhaps this is the time to really think about why you want to go.  You may be tired of being an arm chair traveler and want to see the historical landmarks for the first time.  On the other hand, you may just want to revisit special places for what you feel may be the last time.  Regardless, it is worth the effort.   I was pleased that this travel expert had given some thought to people with mobility issues.   I enjoyed the article and am looking forward to reading his book:  Easy Access Europe: A Guide for Travelers with Limited Mobility, written with Dr. Ken Plattner.   The book was review by Christ Lombard in (Inside MS: June/July 2005) magazine and he was quite impressed.   The authors have rated museums, cathedrals and restaurants for all levels of accessibility and also talked about tours, taxis and public transportation.

If you have trouble getting around or find that you tire easily, keep some of his basic recommendations in mind:

• Packing lightly
• Travel with a friend who can lend a hand and help with emergency and make excuses if you are too shy to speak up.
• Chose a modern hotel versus a picturesque pension if you need assistance or use of an elevator.  
• Ask about public transportation.  Some cities have excellent public transportation systems, but you may have to opt for a taxi.
• Museums often have wheelchairs and public elevators available, and tours are always good.  Most tour guides are very patient and allot plenty of time.  What’s the hurry anyway; the museums have been there for a very long time.
• Know what you can and cannot do.  Sitting at a sidewalk café and visiting with the locals is an education it itself.  You don’t have to climb every step or visit every monastery to feel culturally enriched.  The chances are pretty good that you may enjoy this slower more thoughtful travel experience more than the people madly rushing around.