Senior to Senior: Living With A Disability

Having a disability is not a given, but as you age, the chances of arthritis, diabetes, stroke, a broken hip, a knee replacement or a dozen other afflictions are waiting in the wings. As you age your body ages too; your feet hurt, your back is sore, you have less strength in your hands, your balance is a little off, and vision and hearing are declining just a little (or a lot). Disabilities happen. Statistics reveal that 34% of people over 65 have at least one physical disability. As I move forward, I find that number remarkably low. I mean, look around you. How many people your age have remained unscathed? How are the disabilities associated with aging going to affect your life? Even short-term disabilities such as recovering after a knee or hip replacement will be challenging, but the rest of nature’s little surprises will be equally puzzling. It’s not fair, but it is what it is. Whether you have endured a stroke, a cardiovascular incident, chronic respiratory problems, diabetes, arthritis or the like, you will need to persevere. You may never be as good as new but you can be good, maybe even better, than before. Adjusting to a disability is difficult and you will likely need help. Instead of stumbling around in the dark, you will need to ask questions…lots of questions. Start by asking your doctor to introduce you to an Occupational and a Physical Therapist. These are the people who can make you better, stronger, more adaptable, and safer. You may have to learn a whole new way of doing things; temporarily or permanently, but you are not alone. It is time to link up with a support group. Your Senior Center, Division on Aging, or your doctor can help you with this. You can learn to adjust to a new normal, but it won’t be easy. Take the time to learn everything you can about your hip replacement, your diabetes, your arthritis, your vision loss or whatever, and act accordingly. You can do this!