Painting by Belynda Wilson Thomas
Today is the oldest you’ve ever been and the youngest you’ll ever be again. Unknown
Aging in place is getting thrown around like it’s a new thing. Most people have lived at home or with relatives until they died and nursing homes are relatively new.
If we are lucky we will get old, and if we are really lucky we won’t live past the time we can take care of ourselves. Living in our own home is now called aging in place. A huge segment of the population is getting to the years where health decline can put them in a nursing home. We may not be able to eliminate the possibility of needing nursing care but we can make it less likely if we keep ourselves healthy, active, and engaged in life.
Frailty is one of the big problems we will need to combat if we want to age well. We need to eat well and be active most days of the week, and not become too thin as we age. If we unintentionally lose ten pounds or more in a year this can be a sign of increasing frailty. Exercise like walking and weight training will help keep our muscles strong even if we can only do a small amount. If we do as much as we can for as long as we can, we will be able to do more, longer.
We got Mom a walker and it is giving her increased mobility as it stabilizes her more than a cane, it has a seat so she can rest, which enables her to walk a little farther to build up her stamina. Some people don’t like using the aids we can take advantage of, but it is better to use the aids and stay active than to not use the aids and become inactive.
As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well-used brings happy death. Leonardi de Vinci
A positive attitude, keeping our mind active and engaging with other people, hobbies, reading, and staying in touch with family and friends will help to stave off the ravages of age. The more we do, the more we can continue to do.
Diet and exercise are important throughout our lives and remain important as we age. Aging well is in fact living well, which in turn may impact dying well.
If we want to stay in our homes longer we may need to think about what our needs will be as we age. Will we be able to create a barrier-free environment if it is needed?
When Mom bought the home she is in she looked for one that is barrier-free. It is not a senior’s complex but it has a level entry and everything she needs is on one floor. The basement is finished and she can still go up and down the stairs unaided but she doesn’t need to go downstairs for anything if it gets difficult. She is close to stores, banks, and other services.
Sometimes we would like to pretend we don’t have to prepare for old age, but unless we die young we will have to prepare for it, and the better we prepare for it the more choices we will have.
We will have to accept what life has in store for us, but we also have choices to make that will impact how we age.
The art of living well and the art of dying well are one. Epicurus
Aging is just another word for living. Cindy Joseph
Getting old is like climbing a mountain; you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better. Ingrid Bergman
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