Surviving the Senior Citizen Years

  I know you’ve heard folks talk about being young at heart for what seems to be forever. But things can get in the way of feeling young at heart, especially if you are a senior citizen. It’s never too late to change the way you’re feeling. Obstacles In my case, the main obstacle is health or lack of it. Being healthy is a lifetime job and eating right and exercising have much to do with it. Easier said than done, right? You need to keep your body in shape , but your mind and attitude are just as important. Things to change Change can be difficult after years of being down about life. Many times, the first best step is talking to your doctor and finding out where you stand health-wise, physically , and mentally . I know no one wants to take medication, but if it helps, why not? It can save you a lot of grief in the long run. Now, it might suggest that you seek counseling or a psychiatrist. Don’t be ashamed to do this. There has been a stigma about mental health for w...

  As you age, you may slow your pace and even drive slower. While these are issues, they don’t mean you can’t get around.   My walking is much slower and more deliberate than it used to be. My Meniere’s and Parkinson’s disease have much to do with it. I walk with a cane primarily for balance, especially if I’m out of the house and going somewhere. Even when I’m walking with my wife, I use a cane. I wouldn’t say I liked it initially, but I got used to mobility aids. Sometimes, you must do what you must do.   Going up and down steps can be tricky as well. We don’t have many steps in the house. We live on a split level, and it's only seven steps to get upstairs. I had fallen those seven steps and got bruised, but luckily, I didn’t break anything. The key is always to be alert and keep one hand on the railing. Not everyone gets as immobile as I do. My sister and her husband are regular Blue Ridge Mountain hikers older than me. I don’t think I’ll be hitching on any ...

    Ageism in society has been around forever, although it seems to be worse now. Most folks used to equate age with wisdom. Of course, that’s not always the case. Just because someone is retired doesn’t mean they know everything. But it also doesn’t mean their brains are shrunk and useless. Well, let’s think about this. Ageism in the workplace exists, but companies don't admit it. Why don’t they like folks over sixty? It could be that they are making more money than someone who was just recently hired. Ageism in healthcare  Another myth is that older folks have more health problems than younger people. I don’t think there is any evidence to back that up. Now, some companies cherish older workers because of the knowledge they have acquired over the years. Those are the companies you want to stick with. It isn’t just a problem at work; being in public can also have its challenges for senior citizens. Being slower can make some folks roll their eyes while waiting for ...

  Your body is older and certainly isn’t as strong as when you were young. Things sag and sometimes ache. You get out the salve and lay it on the muscles thick, knowing that you’ll have to continue to care for your body more and more through the years. You knew this time was coming, but what can you do? Do you dream of the old days? Most do, but it doesn’t help, does it? Life is a process of stages, and if you are older, you are in a stage that takes a lot out of you.   “I used to be able to run faster, lift more weights, and do activities where I didn’t strain myself, requiring days of recovery.” It's true but remember that things are different. Life can still be enjoyable even though you can’t go full out anymore. And everyone fortunate enough to get older is in the same boat. While it's okay to enjoy memories of days gone by, the life you lead now can be just as sweet. It’s a matter of having the right mindset and knowing that limitations affect us all. Diet and e...

    Everyone gets sad and melancholy at some point in their lives. Maybe it’s a parent who has passed away. Or perhaps a relationship ending happens to everybody. Most folks usually move on and recover. Depression is a little different. It’s a feeling that can come out of nowhere and stay with you. This often happens to older folks who find it challenging to deal with the senior citizen years, isolation, and then deal with depression.   Depression is a disorder that isn’t always accepted by people who don’t understand what it means to be depressed. Today, the public is more understanding than in years past. They considered that depression was just a bad attitude or a weakness.   In years past, some tried to self-medicate by drinking, which made it worse. Alcohol is a depressant.   In my own case, I felt something was not quite right in high school. I came from a typical family. I had friends, and most of the time, things appeared all right...

  Eye problems and cataract surgery I’ve worn glasses since I was in the third grade. I had to go to a specialist in Pittsburgh every year for a checkup with an eye doctor. I grew up in a small town on the border of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, so it was about an hour’s ride to Pittsburgh, and I didn’t mind that I got to miss a day of school. What I did mind was having my eye dilated. But I still missed a day of school, and that was nice. It seems my pupils were not shaped right, so I have vision problems. There wasn’t much to do about it except to have them annually checked out. I let my vision exams go for quite a while when I became an adult. Of course, when I went back, the doctor told me about a procedure I needed to do to prevent having cataract surgery. A laser was used on my eyes to release pressure. Well, this lasted a few years until the doctor told me I was going to have to have cataract surgery—one eye at a time, which makes sense. I was hesitant and worried...

  I can remember a time when I didn’t take any pills daily. It was quite a while ago. I felt physically fit; I ran a few miles daily and lifted weights. That was a long time ago.   Fast forward forty years, and I’m now on a bucket of pills every day—pills for this and pills for that. The last few years of my father’s life, he took what seemed like quite a bit of medication. He had heart disease and died in 1977 at the age of 61. I guess without the meds, he would have died sooner. Of course, in 1977, there weren’t many options for someone who had severe artery blockage.   My problems aren’t heart problems. I still take blood pressure and cholesterol medicine, just the same. The thing that always bothers me when a doctor suggests a new drug is the interaction with the numerous pills that I already take. Even though they assure me there shouldn’t be a problem, sometimes there is. With the advent of the internet age and Google, you can check up on any medication. It’...