Image courtesy of http://publicdomainarchive.com/old-books-wood-shelf-birds-nest-warm-tones/ Believe decline and disease are inevitable? Your fears could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.(1) Believe age is just a number? Want to add years to your life? Be social. (2) Our lifestyles consist of the choices we make. No one suddenly decides, “I want to be miserable the rest of my life.” We have a choice. Even when life deals us lemons. One person chooses healthy habits, engages in activities with friends. The other neglects healthy habits, avoids relationships. One has a support system. The other deals with problems alone. For every effect, there is a corresponding cause. Want to avoid bad consequences? Choose your actions, and your thoughts, carefully! Brains are flexible. We form habits---both good and bad---easily. With each new habit, you write a new chapter in your life. What will the next chapter of your life look like? Words. Create. Ideas. © Davis 2016 References: (1) Applewhite, Ashton. (2017) Let’s end ageism. TED. Ideas Worth Spreading. (2) Pinker, Susan. (2017) The secret to living longer may be your social life. TED. Ideas Worth Spreading.
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Image © Microsoft Corporation 2008 An individual’s worth has been devalued. "Social death' runs rampant. When the downward spiral started is open to debate. Children used to be taught to respect elders. They were (and still are) a source of wisdom.
My grandmothers’ generation lived through World War II. They were fearless. Resilient. Setbacks did not phase them. I lived in a three-generation household, where my grandmother had raised three children alone, after my grandfather died. She never complained about her hardships. I often saw her kneel beside her bed. Memories of her praying remain strong. Faith. Hope. God’s Word. They guided her. Like a lighthouse. All around us are people without direction. Without hope. Many are alone. Some will be victims of human trafficking. These ‘elder orphans’ are “…community-dwelling individuals who are socially and/or physically isolated, without an available known family member or designated surrogate or caregiver.”1 Tragically, many older adults are abused. They are subjects of ridicule. Victims of ageist attitudes. Only a culture change will solve a problem of this magnitude. When we were born, there was hope. 'Start well' is a good mantra. "End well' is another one. No one should say, “I am afraid to grow old.” We need age-friendly communities, where resources and opportunities are provided for all ages. And a person's worth is recognized, regardless of age. People together can accomplish what no one of them can accomplish alone. I recently read about a woman, age 103, who has done volunteer work for three decades. She greets people at a hospital information desk, uses a computer and an iPad. I met another woman who started an encore career at the age of 70. Today, at 90, she continues in the same job. If you know people aging well, like these women, tell me about them!. Words. Create. Ideas. © Davis 2016 References:
As I write, a member of Purdue University's Online Admissions Team is reviewing my application to grad school! While I explore my options for an encore career, I decided to take the next step in my lifelong learning journey. It will require 30 credits of graduate work, to complete my Master of Science in Communication. I am excited to see what happens next! Photo courtesy of photos-public-domain.com How old are you? Do you feel old? If you answered, "Yes," to the second question, watch this AARP video (see link below). See if your answer changes. Don't let your age determine how you feel, or what you can do. People in their 90s have gotten college degrees.
Don't let people define who you are, by your age. Resist stereotypes, because "labels" are harmful at any age. Do make wise choices. Your later life depends on your choices today. Words. Create. Ideas. © Davis 2016 Choices. Freedom to choose. We want the freedom to make our own choices. People who take away our freedom are called dominating. Oppressive. Abusive. Dominating behavior may be hard to recognize, if it involves people with a serious illness, or disability. Or people in their later years. You don’t think it could happen to you, but how would you prevent it? Who knows your wishes for later in life? Do you have an advance directive, if you could not communicate? Abuse takes many forms. Dominating behavior can be physically or emotionally abusive. If you felt fearful, how would anyone know? Do you have a plan? Make one today. Begin with a support system. Choose people you can trust, to be emergency contacts. Keep their phone numbers with you. Put a copy in a safe place. Next, ask a friend to call you very day, even if you do not live alone. Give that person a code word that means, “I need help.” Finally, write down or record everything about your wishes for the future. Include things that mean the most to you. (Without this record, who will know?) List your likes and dislikes. Having trouble with your list? Try this. Imagine a perfect day. Describe it. Ask yourself:
Now, describe where you want to live in the future. In your current home? A maintenance-free, independent living community? A continuing care community? Someplace else? And if you want to live at home, suppose you need assistance with everyday activities? Who would you want to be your partner-in-care? A relative? A friend? A hired carer? Is your plan finished? Talk to your loved ones and a close friend about it, and give them a copy. Change anything that does not make sense to you. Review it regularly. The time to plan is now. You have a choice. © Davis 2016 Image Courtesy of: http://lindagalindo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Good-Life-Choices-Quotes14-1.jpg Look at what "age smart" employers have discovered! https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/research/age-smart-employer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epgNREpy4OQ What has your employer done to retain/retrain older workers? Look at what York City has done, to prepare for the coming "age wave." http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/eight-things-your-city-should-be-doing-to-help-you-age-well/ What has your community done to prepare? You might be surprised to learn some communities have done nothing. If yours is one of them, educate community leaders and demand them to get involved. Public Domain Image Courtesy of http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/holyrover/files/2016/07/hands-578917-1024x685.jpg
A few weeks have passed, since I posted the first videos of my antiques. This is not a simple project, so I expect to make mistakes, but this was a humdinger---I forgot to mark the videos "public" on the video hosting site! Thankfully, I realized my mistake, after I found another set of pictures and created a new video. Some of these pictures also appear in earlier videos (see 2/10/16 post). To view "Part 2" go to this link: http://www.screencast.com/t/tk5ZdzSo Dilemmas don't go away, until you take action. It may not be the best solution, but at least you tried. This is a new venture for me, and it's a long shot. But I am tired of dealing with this dilemma, so here goes... The following links (below) will take you to two short videos that show dozens of antiques of all kinds. Some items are no longer available. If you see something you like or have questions, please email me at the address in the videos. If you don't collect antiques, enjoy the trip down memory lane! Do you enjoy being independent? Coming and going whenever you choose? Spending time outdoors? Congratulations, if you can keep up your lifestyle through the winter. Winter can mean isolation and loneliness---for some, to a greater degree than others. I could not move to a warmer climate for an entire season, but even one month in the South sounds appealing. I found numerous, furnished vacation rentals that three, or more people can share. And the shared cost may be less than $30 per day! I'm planning now, for next winter. How about you? Two months since my last post and plenty of time to think...
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