I know we’ve all heard the sayings as we grew up, “wait until you hit 35, then you won’t be able to do that”, “after 40 it’ll take days for you to recover from that kind of stuff”, “at 50 you know things have really changed”. Personally, I like to think about aging like it is an extended road trip, sometimes you’re on the expressway, sometimes you get to enjoy scenic back roads and every now and then a flat. I’ve also learned that most people head into the lifelong journey without a map and won’t ever ask for directions. Planning for aging requires an honest look at where you’re coming from and have you taken care of yourself over the years? Factors like what’s in your family history, what medical conditions you’re managing currently and understanding the long-term prognosis of those conditions all play a vital part of aging.
Some of the most amazing athletes I knew long ago are now paying the price for not dealing with injuries properly. Those athletes quit doing anything because they could no longer perform at the levels they once could, so they didn't do anything. They simply refuse to accept the fact that they are getting older and modifying activities to accommodate physical and mental changes.
Knowing where you want to live long term, understanding and anticipating your needs in the future, and being honest about your medical conditions is a great start of getting your “road map” together. Remember everyone’s road trip is going to look a little different so your path may not look like the aging Hollywood hero’s or the internet aging guru or even your 98-year-old neighbor who still drives and does yard work, Pilates and walks her dog all before 7:30 am every morning. Most of us will deal with some medical challenges, a body that suffered from TMB (too many birthdays), and a few too many comfort foods. You’ll have to know your limitations, falls are a real thing and 1 out of every 5 falls at home, on average, result in injury. I know that many older folks fall and don’t tell anyone about it until well after the fact and often don’t change anything to reduce the chances of the next fall. The only changes they are willing to make are when they are required to because they were injured and can’t do what they used to do any longer.
We often do things a certain way because that’s the way we’ve always done them. Don’t believe me ask yourself, should you be on that step ladder, on up on your tip toes grabbing those paper towels on the top shelf in the pantry? Or should you move the paper towels to the laundry room countertop now that you don’t need the counter space for the 8 loads of laundry a week you used to do when your children were at home. Should you be the one trying to get up in the attic to get Christmas decorations every year or could you move them to the spare bedroom closet that isn’t used by anyone anymore? These are just a few examples; you know you have a few things just like this in your own life! We shouldn’t let fear of changes or even our own pride mitigates our ability to plan rationally.
Aging is a journey, and it doesn’t have to be all bad, there’s wisdom and insight gained with the experiences we have throughout those years. Using the knowledge, we have to plan for ourselves is key. Sometimes it’s simply enough to know that you don’t know what to do and then getting support from an expert to help you develop that road map. Love yourself, God created you and wants you to experience joy in all seasons of your life. We know our final destination point, but we never know what the journey getting there will bring. Plan accordingly.
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