• Positive Aging
• Sociologic Changes
• Physical Changes
• Metabolic Changes
• Physiological Changes in Sedentary Adults
• A Positive Attitude
• Remaining Socially Active
• Education for Senior Citizens
• National Health Care Support Organizations
• Resource Links

Positively Getting Older

We hear much about the negatives of aging - the pull of gravity and wearing down of systems. What are the positives?

• Creativity learned early, does not diminish with age.
• Stimulating living causes brain cells to grow more branches.
• We are sexually more relaxed.
• Our ability to cope increases and stress levels decrease.
• We take more responsibility for our health.
• We understand ourselves with better perspective.
• We are more confident and care less what other people think.
• We know better what it takes to satisfy ourselves.
• Our capacity to love increases, as does curiosity and altruism.
• Levels of anxiety diminish.
• Gratitude deepens.
• Sense of humor is heightened so keep your Aging Funny Bone tuned.

Sociologic Changes

With age, sociologic changes occur between aging individuals and family and friends due to the loss of peers and contemporaries -- a spouse, siblings, other relatives, old friends and neighbors. This can lead to isolation unless a concerted effort is made to stay socially active. Getting out and being involved presents opportunities to meet new people. New friends may never replace the lost closeness shared with someone who knew you before your hair turned grey, or before your first child was born. But the support network that comes with sharing life with peers can counter loneliness and goes a long way toward dispelling feelings of isolation. The more people you interact with daily, the more chance there is to form new bonds. The more people there will be to bond, with in years to come.

Being involved and busy, focuses on the present and future.

If we lose close contemporaries we have less opportunity to touch others. As babies thrive when cuddled and touched, so do adults. Opportunities to hug and be hugged diminish with losses. It's important to create new ones. A handshake, or pat on the back helps. Go out of your way to practice these, making it okay for others to touch you. Grandchildren can provide opportunities for physical closeness. If you don't see them often create opportunities through surrogate grandparenting. Retirement can be a beginning not and end.

 

Physical Changes of Aging

Physical changes of aging are the easiest to recognize. Diseases that effect the elderly are not the same thing as changes which occur as part of the aging process.

• Vision
• Hearing
• Temperature Sensitivity
• Touch
• Taste

Want to better understand some of the changes that accompany aging?

• Look through a pair of glasses sprayed with hairspray.
• Put un-popped popcorn kernels in your shoes.
• Wear a blindfold and a nose-clip and try to tell the difference between a barbecue potato chip and a plain one.
• Turn the pages of a book wearing cloth gardening gloves.
• Look through the wrong end of binoculars and try to follow a right turn line on the ground.

Metabolic Slowdown with Age

The slowdown and changes in metabolism that occur with age can result in more than needing to eat less and exercise more to keep the pounds from piling on.

As we age we may process drugs more slowly, or become more prone to drug reactions and interactions, than the younger population.

Add to this the fact that many of the elderly are seen by a variety of specialists, each who prescribe drugs that treat their field of expertise. But some of these drugs interact with other drugs. Each physician, or one physician needs to accept responsibility for reviewing the regime of drugs taken, and reviewing it against possible drug ­drug interactions.

Drug­Drug, Drug­Food and Drug­Laboratory Test Interactions information is available at www.gerrygraf.com

Physiological Changes in Sedentary Adults

from American Fitness, Sept/Oct 1997
• Aerobic capacity decreases 10% per decade.
• Pulmonary function decreases.
• Maximal cardiac output decreases.
• Muscular strength is reduced.
• Substantial loss of muscle mass.
• Number of muscle fibers decrease 10% per decade.
• Size of muscle fibers decrease.
• Movement time and reaction time decrease.
• Bone mass decreases.
• Body fat increases.
Physically active people are able to reduce the course of the physiological effect of aging.

I enjoyed surfing around your site, very interesting.
Sid Ewing
VitalityMedical.com

A Positive Attitude

New stimuli and a positive attitude are attributed to "successful" aging. (It's not enough to just tick off the birthdays.) Specifics to think about to achieve this are:
• Take risks in life.
• Respect your own opinion.
• Be flexible and adaptable.
• Take on new challenges and learn new things.
• Treat retirement as a beginning
• Deal with pain and losses, but don't hold on to the suffering they bring.
• See the half full glass.
• Take care of yourself with healthy eating and regular exercise.
• Don't accept societies myths as true about you.



New Attitude on Successful Aging Researchers have defined successful aging as an absence of or low level of disease and disability. Now, a fascinating new study of more than 500 elders aged 60 to 98 challenges that notion. It turns out that people who think they are aging well are not necessarily the healthiest individuals. Optimism and effective coping styles (or attitude) were found to be the keys to aging successfully rather than traditional measures of health and wellness. The study used subjective reports by the participants, all of whom lived independently, and the sample of individuals matched the national averages of medical and mental health conditions. Also, those who regularly engaged in such activities as reading and writing and community socializing gave themselves higher scores than those who did not. And in contradiction to longtime received wisdom, volunteer activities were not found to exert the same influence on participants. Thus, those things leading to successful aging are well within an individual's control. The key is adopting personal coping mechanisms as difficulties come along, and remaining as physically, socially, and mentally active as possible in one's circumstances. (Released at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology's (ACNP) Annual Meeting, the research was conducted at and funded by the Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging at the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine.) 806

For you females, the Red Hat Society™ offers an excellent venue to stay socially active. This society has evolved into the largest women's movement worldwide changing the perception of aging women. This organization uses the iconic Red Hat to have fun and bond as sisters as they travel through life together.
Red Hatters are focused on women over 50. This worldwide sisterhood has nearly 40,000 chapters across the US in all 50 states and in more than 30 foreign countries. Each chapter averages about 20-25 members. Their full regalia for outings include red hats and purple clothing. Membership includes a diverse network of women including working women and retirees, grandmothers, golfers, attorneys, teachers, Olympians and entertainers.

Seniorresource.com provides a convenient adjunct to its Senior Bazaar to buy Red Hat items for yourself our as a gift. See Seniorresource.com Red Hat Items


For more information contact:

Red Hat Society "Hatquarters":
431 S. Acacia Ave., Fullerton, CA 92831
Phone: 714-738-0001 or 866-FUN-AT50 (toll-free)
Fax: 714-738-0005

Did you know that taking a class in just about any subject can improve your cognitive abilities, rejuvenate your memory, and have fun all at the same time? Recent scientific studies clearly show that senior citizens who stay mentally active enjoy all of these rewards. Get more information including links to low cost classes here.

National Health Care and Resource Organizations.

• Communities, housing options and help resources in your state
• Aging Medical conditions, videos and medicine info
• Alzheimer's Association
• American Heart Assocation or call 800.242.8721
• Arthritis Foundation
• The Braille Institute
• American Cancer Society
• American Diabetes Association or call 800.342.2383
• American Parkinson Disease Information & Referral Center
• Diabetes Patient information
• Eldercare Locator for local resource number 800.677.1116
• National Osteoporosis Foundation 202.222.2226
• National Cancer Institute CancerNet website
• The American Urological Association for Prostate Cancer Awareness
  
  
  

Is your medical information available to your caregiver?? A Personal Health Record for Caregivers Keep track of all your medications and allergies Have with you legal directives such as DNR and living will! Attach your x-rays, test results and more! Keep track of all your insurance claims in one place Here is how you can make it happen!

 





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Resources Links

• Age Of Reason with over 5,000 links to sites of interest to those 50+.
• www.Aging-Parents-and-Elder-Care.com Advice, comprehensive checklists, and links to key resources ... designed to make it easier for caregivers to quickly find the information they need ... and avoid missing things that are important in the care for their loved one.
• Fit For Life provides all the knowledge, epuipment and motivation needed to get "Fit for Life"
• Glucosamine-arthritis.org Offers articles on arthritis and it's treatment with a leaning toward the use of glucosamine for coping with the disease.
• Oh My Aging Funny Bone, A hugh collection of seniorresource.com visitor submitted jokes.
• MedicAlert Foundation International has more than 4 million members around the globe for whom they provide secure and seamless transfer of identification and medical information to health and safety professionals 24/7 worldwide. Headquartered in the United States, MedicAlert has affiliates in nine countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand that help serve more than 4 million members around the globe.
• Options At 50 Plus Your Essential Online Resource at Age 50 & Better. Articles on Health, Fitness, Finance, Travel and More.
• Senior Job Bank a non-profit referral site, creating opportunities for those 50+ seeking work, busineses and homeowners to link up.
• Third Age A web community of active adults, 50+ and seniors, featuring chat, free stuff, discounts, health care, computers, retirement, investing, caregiving, travel, news and more! and selector of "701 Special Sites", of which seniorresource.com is one of the chosen.
• 99 Travel Tips for Mature Travelers free from Vantage Deluxe World Travel 1.800.784.0935.