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| My Mom 2015--Aging Well |
Have you
ever noticed that some people seem old before their time? The reason some
appear to be elderly could be due to physical appearance—they have wrinkles,
shuffle when they walk—or more obviously they have turned into a grumpy old
person.
Then, there is my mom. She will be 89 next month but has apparently been dipping her toes in the fountain of youth. She is healthy, active, and beautiful.
Attitude
is a key factor in whether your twilight years are enjoyable and fruitful or
just an excuse to check out from life early. You see people struggle with the
concept of retirement. It takes less effort and risk to keep on working. It
isn’t always people who need the money either—they are afraid of not having
enough to do or tie their self-worth to their career.
I took
early retirement. I loved my job and had worked hard to succeed, but deep
inside, I knew it was “time.” I was ready to turn the page on a new chapter—or perhaps
open a new book. I faced retirement with excitement and without any regrets.
Recently,
after exchanging pleasantries, a Walmart checker said she was glad her day was
almost over and she could go home. “I have to work another five years before I
can retire. That is if my health holds out.”
I swiped my credit card and said, “My
doctor said she was glad I retired while I was in good health and could enjoy
it. She sees so many people wait until they can’t work anymore.”
Retirement
has been kind to me. I love waking up when I want to—at least most of the time.
I choose the path to walk most days, or the comfy chair to sit in and read a
book, or the TV show to watch, or the social event to attend. Oh, sometimes
living with a farmer means getting dragged into all kinds of projects. Guess that
counts as physical exercise and saves on a gym membership.
In order
to live, you must embrace life. If you live everyday letting other people bring
you down, you find yourself marking time, instead of making the most of it.
Each day is a blessing. We never know what tomorrow or the next hour might
bring. We choose to live, or we choose to endure a living death.
As we
age, we are prone to developing medical conditions. Some of these can be
brought on by lifestyle, genetics, environment, or a combination of all three.
Alzheimer’s is one of the most dreaded conditions for the elderly. It is not a
normal part of aging, but aging is the number one risk factor.
Researchers
found a link between being negative about old age and developing Alzheimer’s
disease. The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging conducted a thirty-year
study on aging. Later in the study, they used scans to track the size of the
participants’ hippocampus which is primarily associated with memory and spatial
navigation. The people who began the study with a negative outlook on aging had
greater size reduction of the hippocampus than their more positive counterparts.
Autopsies found negative people had significantly more plaques and tangles, the
hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.
That’s good
news for those of us who see the up-side of aging. We look forward to doing our
own thing and taking advantage of those senior discounts. Who would have ever
thought attitude could be so darned healthy?
It helps
to put setbacks and failures in perspective. One thing is sure in life—even
during the darkest hours, a lot of people in this world are facing greater
hardships than I have ever known.
Hey, life
is hard. It can be a lot harder for some than others, but giving up is not an
option. It is heartening to see people who rise above adversity and take
control of their own destiny.
It’s all
about attitude. You’re only as old as your attitude lets you be. If you don't believe me, talk to my mom!
Copyright
© December 2015 by L.S. Fisher
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