Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.

 -Buddha

One of my favorite songs is James Taylor’s The Secret O’ Life is Enjoying the Passage of Time; and the holidays remind me that another year will soon be past. As I hung the paper-star lanterns in the front window, it seemed like I had just put them away…and now it was time to ponder gift-giving once again. 

Something You Want

I read a post about an older adult named “Bob” whose step-son asked him what he wanted for a gift this year. His response…”I really don’t need anything.”  The step-son replied “Bob, I am going to get you something, it might as well be something you want.”  What I read next simply delighted me with its practicality and possibilities.

Bob:

I thought for a while and finally said: “Give me three light bulbs and the promise that you will install them as needed.” The beauty of the gift is that I have not been on a ladder in over a year and thus have avoided the risk of falling. 

The Gift of Aging in Place

Each year getting older adults gifts (or yourself for that matter) can actually be counter-productive; see hoarding and clutter. How many times have we heard the “I don’t need anything” line, and a desire to give gets even more clouded by feelings of obligation or tradition. And in today’s climate resources are tight for many, so here are some thoughts on capitalizing on two trends affecting all of us; the aging population and the economic downturn. Give the gift of aging in place, because according to AARP this is what 89 percent of boomers/seniors want.

Get creative and make a coupon book, or single coupons for the following aging in place gift ideas:

10 Aging in Place Gifts that cost only your time

1. One home safety inspection: Then on the coupon date, go over the CDC/MetLife foundation Check List for Fall Prevention and Home Safety with the home owner and identify possible needed home modifications.

2. To put up/take down Christmas lights

3. Be their chauffeur for a day (you will drive them in their car anywhere they desire)

4. Walk the dog each week for a year

5. Cut the grass every two weeks/or shovel snow

6. Give a caregiver the weekend off and you do the caring

7. Cook dinner in-home one night for the senior

8. A deep-cleaning of the home

9. Tech-session (computer tutoring) help them set up a Facebook page or email

10. Wash/wax/change oil/vacuum the car  

10 Aging in Place Gifts under $30

1. Home Smoke Alarm battery changes every 6 months

2. Change out lower watt bulbs with 3 higher/brighter energy-saving ones

3. Replace 3 toggle light switches with 3 rocker-style ones

4. Put in a Lever handle door opener to replace an old round doorknob    

5. Install a toilet seat raiser

6. Put non-skid strips in the tub/shower

7. Paint the steps a brighter color (or paint the ends of the steps a bright contrasting color)

8. Place 2 Sensor LED Lights; one at the top and bottom of the stairs

9. Install a Duro-Med Expandable Door Hinge

10. Add a Wide Angle Peephole Viewer in the front door

10 Aging in Place Gifts $100

1. Rubber Threshold Ramp with Beveled Edges

2. The MemoryPlus amplified BIG button phone

3. Replace old worn bedroom slippers with new with nonSlip sole ones

4. Clamp-on tub rail

5. DRILL-FREE Slide Bar with Handheld Shower and Showerhead

6. Snapfon “ez ONE” Cell phone for seniors w/ big buttons

7. Switch Sticks Walking Cane

8. Outdoor Motion Sensor Solar Security Light

9. Toro Electric Power Shovel

10. JitterBug (GreatCall) Phone

Marjorie Holmes said; “At Christmas, all roads lead home.”  This year make aging in place the gift; because home is the most important place on earth to enjoy the passage of time…

See

Tip: The Goodwill often has aging-in-place items like walkers, shower chairs, canes and wheelchairs (look there first to save)

Aging in Place Gifts

Laurie Orlov’s: Tech Gifts for Seniors

The Secret O’ Life by James Taylor

My Safe Home

NAHB Aging in Place Checklist

Hire an AIP CAPS Professional  

(photo angel-lifestyle.com)

*Note these items and actions do not guarantee successful aging in place-but they can increase the odds

“Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.”

 — Albert von Szent-Gyorgy

Louis Tenenbaum is the father of the aging in place movement in this country; when he speaks/writes, I for one, pay attention. Here is a guest post by Louis on being inspired in Beantown. Within these words is some gem lying in waiting; enjoy.   

I am an innovation immigrant. 

I don’t often feel inspired. But I am inspired by the incredible third annual Aging Means Business Conference held Friday in Boston associated with the Gerontological Society of America annual meeting.  This was my second time at this conference organized by Greg O’Neill and his team of Sarah Wilson and Dani Kaiserman from the National Academy on an Aging Society working with Mary Furlong and this time with the always provocative and fun (and of course, natty!) Joe Coughlin from MIT AgeLab.

I have been involved with Mary’s events for a few years…having been a semifinalist in the first year of her Boomer Venture $10,000 Business Plan Competition and on the winning team a few years ago. This time the results Mary has been working toward really came together. There was a healthy mix of long dedicated and newly interested business thinkers. The energy was palpable. Just being in this crowd was fun.

The air of excitement started at a Friday night reception hosted by First Republic….a bank that is doing things differently. As we learned in one of the next day’s presentations, they are paying attention to their customers! What a novel idea! The innovation I heard that sounds great?…NO music! (Turns out I am not alone unable to hear and concentrate with music playing in the air around me. I avoid retail and restaurant experiences for this problem. This bank listened.)

Curiously (or NOT- maybe expectably) that issue rose again later in the day. Gretchen Addie and Jose´ Colucci  from IDEO, the quintessential design and innovation consulting firm, engaged us in a process throughout the day rather than just giving a presentation. Innovation worksheets were on the tables when we came in. We were encouraged to state ideas, note the participants, explain the idea, make a sketch and then hang them on a board. Gretchen and Jose´ reviewed them, then shared their take on a few, putting our new ideas in a context of some of their previous projects. We saw how they help ideas grow.

One of these ideas related to the bank practice- Cones of Silence for restaurant tables – allowing diners to dial the background ambiance/noise up or down to balance their desire and threshold for atmosphere and conversation. BOY would I love that!

Matthias Hollwich, the keynoter was a real hit. Matthias is a co-founder of HWKN and the design leader of the BOOM senior communities. Those of us in the senior community design field for many years might say there is really nothing new here, other than wild looking/futuristic house forms. That misses the point. The point is a young, excited and out of the box designer came to this field cold, with no prior knowledge or assumptions and came to the same conceptual conclusions about lifestyle and community we have been promoting for years. That is totally validating! Second, his work is evidence of fresh and growing interest in these opportunities. Third, he brings fresh ideas for reaching the solutions. This young and really pleasant architect and…. just  plain….leader,  pulled together an extraordinary team, bringing real excitement to housing older folks in community.

True to form, Matthias would not be satisfied with the same old survey data. He engaged Hunter Tura of Bruce Mau Design, also new to this field, to develop a tool (looks like an app, folks) to gain customer insight. They hit the nail on the head.

I was excited, but not inspired, when I went to bed. I woke up ready to work, and, reviewing some materials, the inspiration hit.  What turned up the volume? Two more stories.  Do you have the patience?

1. I was so happy to see Jan Hively when I walked into the room Friday morning. Jan Hively, human extraordinaire, is lively, engaged, committed and she gets things done! Jan showed me a brochure from the European Union AAL program (Ambient Assisted Living- the EU term for aging in place or community). The EU has declared 2012 as the European Year on Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations.  Saturday morning I downloaded the ‘brochure’, a catalogue really, of projects- and started looking for individual project pdf’s to download for reading on the plane home. I was bowled over by the sheer number of ideas they are pursuing in the EU effort.
2. That reminded me of a conversation I had at the conference with Marcus Wilhelm, Research Director from Redstar. Marcus, like Matthias, is an innovation native.  He explained the way his company building company works. They generate eight ideas a month, winnow them down through research with the goal of supporting a few startups per quarter. I had heard this sort of thing before but never got much of a handle on it.

I have been trying to get a handle on innovation for a few weeks. I thought I had it recently- thinking it was about leaving assumptions behind. That is part of it. Now I think it is about the process of rapid idea generation. That fits the pace of the digital/internet world, where I am also an immigrant.

This is exactly what Gretchen and Jose´ did with us.  It clicked for me as I paged through the plethora of ideas being pursued in the EU.  The process of innovation is to generate lots of ideas and consider them. For we immigrants it is a new way to think.

I feel inspired to generate lots of new ideas for the problems I am trying to solve, many of which are identified in Aging in Place 2.0: Rethinking Solutions to the Home Care Challenge

Trust me there was much more to think about and many other exciting, even inspiring, people at this conference. I may get another post or two out of it.

Congratulations and THANKS to those who worked so hard to pull this together. Inspiration is a gift. I appreciate it. I hope I see all of you at next year’s conference November 14-18, 2012 in San Diego.    Why miss a chance for inspiration?

See

Aging in Place Ideas

(photo cupboardsonline.com)

We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.

-Kenji Miyazawa

This past week I took care of a younger woman who had a long list of co-morbidities ranging from depression and morbid obesity to cervical cancer. But it was her 51 year old mother who I felt needed most of the attention during the patient’s stay.

Betty’s Story 

In 1899 the Commissioner of the U.S. Patent Office, Charles H. Duell, was reported to have said: “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” I almost feel this way about the topic of caregiving; what more can anyone say that hasn’t been covered? But as the limited vision of Mr. Duell‘s statement has shown there are always going to be new developments.

The patient’s mother, lets call her “Betty,” was taking care of her daughter (and there were multiple issues), as well as caring of an 82 year old mother with newly diagnosed Alzheimer’s. Further, Betty had a heart attack five weeks earlier and continues to smoke (her only release). Her sister is not contributing to her care, and an additional source of stress; so the duties have fallen solely on the shoulders of Betty–alone. 

I’ve learned in the clinical setting at times the “patient” is the family, and the most therapeutic thing you can do is just listen. Betty was willing, almost anxious, to share her situation (while her daughter was sleeping); not complaining—only reporting. 

The Cost of Informal Care

The value of unpaid family caregiving services in the U.S. is estimated at $375 billion a year, more than twice what is spent nationwide on nursing homes and paid home care combined. At present, 29 percent of the U.S. population, or approximately 65 million Americans, provide care to an adult relative or friend, according to Caregiving in the United States, National Alliance for Caregiving. And nearly 10 million adult children over the age of 50 care for aging parents.

These family caregivers are themselves aging and providing the bulk of unpaid care (hence the term “informal care”) at a time when they also need to be planning and saving for their own retirement. The effect of informal care on work, wages, and wealth has been well documented and studied. The toll on the human experience is what’s endless in scope…

“Most eldely males have informal care; most elderly females do not.”

-Cynthia M. Taeuber

Aging in Place Often Requires Informal Care

The majority of seniors prefer aging in place, and Betty’s mom is no different. For now, at 82 and in the early stages of a brain-ravaging disease, her time at home is coming to and end. Soon challenging decisions will have to be made and despite the best of intentions, caregivers like Betty also need to balance the demands of their own families and professional lives together with the needs of their aging parents. Sometimes aging in place isn’t possible—or even desirable.

The numbers are titanic, the challenges systemic, and yet it takes just one human encounter to bring it home—make it real. I haven’t been able to shake Betty’s visit from my mind. She and I are similar in age and most everyone I know has there own story; or they will have. Rosalyn Carter said it best: “There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers.”

Another Caregiver Story

One night I was taking care of a woman admitted to the ICU after an extensive surgery for cancer. She was a lovely optimistic soul who wrote a weekly column for a senior newspaper and was a gerontologist. We had professional interests in aging and much in common. She had written several books on gerontology; including one on caring for the caregiver. She sent her husband Tom out to the car for a copy of her latest to give to me.

The next day Tom relayed a story. Taking a break from his bedside vigil, he strolled over to the Starbucks across the street from the hospital for a cup of joe. He sat down to drink his coffee consumed with thoughts of his wife; noticing a newspaper lying on the table next to him, Tom asked the man if he could borrow it. They struck up a conversation and Tom told the man about his sick wife. The generous man offered not only the paper, but kind words suggesting he be sure to take care of himself. He then mentioned a book that helped him get through caring for a sick family member. The book as the very one Tom’s wife had written…

See

The Intentional Care Giver  

Leeza’s Place

Aging in Place and Care Giving

Gail Sheehy on Care Giving

National Care Givers Library 

The Far Shore of Aging 

Behind The Old Face

Women and Health Care Under the ACA

(photo dailyhealthsquare.com) 

Life’s most rewarding challenge lies in defeating the temptation to merely exist.

- Laurie Harper,  A Taste for Life (1983)

I called my friend Frances the other day; she’s in her 90’s and residing in a traditional nursing home. Our conversation always gets around to her anguish over being “stuck in this “godforsaken place.” Her home defined her in a very real sense; it was her life’s purpose.

She now depends on a wheelchair for mobility and her mind has atrophied from the lack of stimulation. I miss our challenging conversations in her home office and watching the squirrels together, under the tree in her yard.

When Aging in Place Doesn’t Work

Howard Gleckman wrote a thought provoking piece on the challenges with aging in place. His premise was thatfactors having to do with social issues, more so than medical concerns, are often the barriers to aging in place:

-Lack of qualified caregivers

-Lack of services such as basic transportation

-Lack of housing or funds for repairs

-Lack of social networks and isolation

His solutions include more flexible Medicaid programs (they pay for NH, but limited benefits for home care) and anemphasis on long term care insurance which will provide financial resources to care for loved ones.

Gleckman concludes that we can’t keep everyone home (i.e. those with severe dementia), but postponing institutionalization of the elderly, by even months or years, is a goal worthy of our best efforts.

I agree keeping the dream of aging in place alive is not easy, and neither is telling a loved one they must leave their home…

Listen to: Convincing an Aging Mother to Take a Hard Step

See

Aging in Place is not so Easy

The Death of Nursing Homes

Can Aging in Place Reduce the Cost, Increase Quality of Healthcare?

Swedish “Night Patrols” Help Elderly Stay out of Nursing Homes

(photo photonet.com)

The home should be the treasure chest of living.

-Le Corbusier

Once in a while I’m delighted by someone else’s thoughts; so much so, I’d wish I had written them. This is such a case…A guest post by Ronny Wiskin: 

Home, a place with familiar surroundings having provided years of memorable events. Staying in your home might still be your best option.

Why are so many mature adults moving after investing a considerable amount of time and resources into their properties? Before making that decision, why not investigate options that are available to remain in the home you love. The thought of relocation begins when routines like personal hygiene, cleaning, preparing meals and social activities becomes too difficult to manage. It can feel like moving is the only option to retain dignity and independence. But does moving from a 2000 sq/ft home into a 500 sq/ft nice facility or dorm room make sense? Many people will store, sell or give away belongings and downsize to a smaller home that seems easier to maintain when home becomes an obstacle course filled with challenges at every turn. The plan is referred to as retirement or independent community living.

When moving into retirement living, people want a more manageable lifestyle. A common belief is that moving into a retirement community means that help will be available whenever it’s needed. It’s also believed that moving into an independent living building means that the environment will meet long term accessibility needs for varying levels of ability. Unfortunately, this is not possible in either scenario because barrier free design features are not a current requirement under local municipal building codes and assistance with homemaking or personal care is too costly to include in monthly maintenance or rental fees for most of these facilities. Yes there is a social appeal (people like to make new friends.) Certainly, many amenities and services are offered outside your designated living space. But community centers and other social environments and programs for senior adults are available in most neighborhoods.

Retirement living communities offer another option. However they can also present many of the same challenges as staying in the existing home. If an injury or illness occurs, performing activities of daily living can be difficult to manage independently no matter where you live. Help should be brought into the home when individual attention is needed. Moving into a nursing home is a common solution for people that require full time assistance, although this personal help will cost over and above the standard living expenses. This is why many of today’s senior adults are choosing to adapt their current homes in order to meet their long term accessibility and care needs. Bringing a mix of independent and government provided care services into the family home is a consideration that avoids having to move while natural changes in lifestyle occur.

In Ontario, housing built before and during the 1900’s was not designed with barrier free living or wheel friendly access in mind. This is largely because local municipal building codes do not specify accessibility as a mandatory requirement for residential construction. Today there is a greater demand for accessibility being recognized. The standards are beginning to improve. What can be done in order to remain in the home you love? Modifications can be made to houses, condominiums, retirement homes and long term care facilities. These adaptations are made so that residents are able to live, work and play to the best of their abilities with reduced need for assistance. Examples of how these changes can be made are listed as a resource for some of the most practical home modifications made for independent living and fall prevention to ensure long term accessibility.

Entrances and Pathways
• Upgrading lighting that surround pathways and entrances for increased visibility.
• Leveling pathways and entrances eliminates trip hazards.
• Security upgrades can keep unwanted visitors away.
• Handrails, ramps and porch lifts increase safety and accessibility for mobility devices such as walkers, canes, wheelchairs and scooters.
• Widening of doorways allows for clear passage of mobility aides and devices throughout the home.

Stairwells and Living areas
• Lighting upgrades inside the home increases visibility of trip hazards such as belongings left on the floor or even a small pet.
• Removal or securing throw rugs will minimize risks associated with falls.
• Handrails on both sides of the staircase and adding a “No-Skidding” floor surface to stair treads makes climbing stairs safer.
• Installation of stair glides makes getting up and down levels safer for those having difficulties with mobility or balance.
• Elevators or vertical platform lifts are installed between two levels or multiple levels to achieve complete wheel friendly access for multi level dwellings.

Kitchens and Bathrooms
• Installation of full extension glides in existing lower cabinets including under sinks and pantries will allow for easy access to pots, pans, dishes, glasses etc. without the need of bending and crouching or the dangerous use of step stools.
• Installation of shower rails, increases bathroom safety and ease of use.
• “No-skidding” floor treatments reduce slip and fall hazards on wet floors.
• “Safety Bath” tubs make bathing safer and easier for people with mobility challenges.
• Barrier free showers provide independent access to showering for people of all abilities.
Contacting a trained professional to perform a safety and comfort assessment can help identify risks and prevent major injuries at home. You will begin to realize that by making the appropriate changes it will allow you to live more comfortably and remain independent in your own home for as long as you want!

See
Ronny Wiskin, Aging at Home Consultant Founder of Reliable Independent Living Services® www.reliableliving.com

Email or phone for a free special report 416-502-9200 info@reliableliving.com

© 2011 the above can not be copied or published without the written consent of the author. Reliable Independent Living Services® design and install barrier-free living spaces. They have the experience and resources needed in order to transform any work or living place into a comfortable, barrier-free environment.

(photo daytoninteriordesingers.com)

To a father growing old nothing is dearer than a daughter.

-Euripides

I recently posted a “best-of” (retread) blog titled: The Meaning of Things to make a point that meaningful objects from home lose meaning in institutions like nursing homes. When bloggers share ideas/concepts/stories on the net, we can only hope—like sending children off to school, they will do good in the world or have some positive influence. This post evoked a response I will always remember—and made my point more eloquently and personally than any of my efforts may have engendered. Sometimes replies trump the blog-post; and this was one of those times.

Please read “Roberta’s” contribution, and imagine what she must have felt—I know you’ll be moved:

August 12th, 2011 on 12:18 pm

What a beautiful and powerful article. I have had experience with cherished things belonging to cherished people (my parents) in nursing homes. The loss of my Dad’s glasses still haunts me. How could someone have taken his glasses, how could we have prevented their loss?

In his final days he could not clearly see faces of the people he loved. His mind was totally sharp it was his body that was sick. After the morning that we discovered that they had disappeared over night he never mentioned them again. We could not get a new prescription fast enough. He never again saw us or the smile of his beloved grandchildren.

Cherished objects become cherished because they connect us to the world and to ourselves. We cannot dismiss them as unimportant – they are part of what helps us to live and eventually to let go at peace.

 See

(photo rreyes.corbitecso.com)

The Meaning of Things

I often hear people say that a person suffering from Alzheimer’s is not the person they knew. I wonder to myself – Who are they then?

–Bob DeMarco

The Present-absence and the long-good-bye of Alzheimer’s disease is heart-breaking. I sat with my once brilliant friend, Frances Gabe, holding her hand and longing for the excursions into the deep end of ideas that we once shared. But that is in the past; to quote Chuck Heston quoting Shakespeare in his statement, they bade farewell and “melted into air, into thin air.”

The unraveling of a life in the mind of a person with Alzheimer’s disease has been described as “the great unlearning,” the “demise of consciousness.” Just what does the disease uncover about the nature of being human? What’s left when memory dissolves “into thin air?” What role does the disease play in our fears of growing older and ageism?

To hear a engrossing and enlightened discussion on these issues listen to Krista Tippett, host of on Being for National Public Radio (click to listen): Alzheimer’s Memory and Being.

See also “Intimations of the Great Unlearning: Inter-religious Spirituality and the Demise of Consciousness which is Alzheimer’s” by Gisela Webb.

The Myth of the Unending Frontier

”The underlying basis of ageism is the dread and fear of
growing older, becoming ill and dependent, and approaching death. 
People are afraid, and that leads to profound ambivalence.  The
young dread aging, and the old envy youth.  Behind ageism is
corrosive narcissism, the inability to accept our fate, for indeed
we are all in love with our youthful selves, as is reflected in
the yearning behind the expression ‘salad days.’  Although
undoubtedly universal, ageism in the United States is probably
fueled by the worship of youth in a still-young country dominated
by the myth of the unending frontier…”

             -Robert Butler, THE LONGEVITY REVOLUTION

See

NIA Home Safety for People with Alzheimer’s Disease

I remember better when I paint

The Soul of BioEthics HR Moody

Aging in Place Technology Watch: Alzheimer’s and Caregivers

“The Aging of America: Triumph or Tragedy?”

Video:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX-zU9svReI

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nskLQBow7JI

 (Image Anton Christian)

Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young. 

-Fred Astaire

I returned from Europe last week, which always gives me a fresh perspective on my own country. Yesterday doing pre-holiday tasks I got caught up in the bustle of shopping and completing my to-do list. I was in an old school hardware store watching customers buy plastic American flags, charcoal briquettes, portable grills, and soft drinks—the usual stuff. I began to notice a trend with the folks around me that I didn’t notice overseas—while waiting in line to check out, it struck me how heavy our citizens are. This really isn’t a revelation, but I was somehow acutely aware; obesity was everywhere…

I stopped in to get a sandwich at a local shop and the three employees behind the counter were all obese—two were morbidly obese. The lady ahead of me in line was over-weight (asking for extra toppings on her sub) as was the couple behind me…I then made my way to the car and noticed more overweight kids waiting at the bus stop.

The ironic thing to me was this is a civil holiday for the celebration of the anniversary of the beginnings of national independence. July 4 is the commemoration of the adoption of the declaration of the Congress of the Thirteen United States of America, on the 4th of July, 1776, by which they formally declared that these colonies were free and independent States, not subject to the government of Great Britain.

Yet I wondered just what does Independence mean to me and the average American? Can being in a state where your body isn’t fully available to you—be considered freeing? Or a state of independence?  So I turned to the internet for a definition:

1. (noun) independence

the state or quality of being independent; freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by, others; self-subsistence or maintenance; direction of one’s own affairs without interference.

-Princeton’s Wordnet

Free to Make Choices Affecting Aging in Place 

With this definition it’s clear we are “free” to make choices that may not serve to further our independence down the road. In 2007-2008, the prevalence of obesity was 32.2% among adult men and 35.5% among adult women (for specific breakdown of data see JAMA: Obesity Trends link). Essentially, one third of us are obese, which is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or higher.

Despite all the information concerning the health effects of being over-weight, many continue down that path. The issues are complex and call for systems thinking when designing interventions—it’s even difficult to write about here for fear of offending or alienating readers. But if I truly believe in others having the best chance at successful aging in place, then I’m compelled to discuss obesity as it relates to living independently.

Obesity among young Americans is a serious problem that can have serious ramifications in the long run.

-Virginia Foxx

Each day we are faced with countless “choice points” about our lives; to take the stairs, order the light lunch, or stop at one dessert. These choice points have an accumulative effect—if we make the hard choices now, life can get easier later. If we make the easy choices now, life will get harder later on—and with each decision our future independence hangs in the balance.

Aging in Place with Bowling Balls

Consider this as you ponder Independence Day; at 42lbs “over-weight,” you’re negotiating stairs, bathtubs, kitchens, and chores like yard work (*ADLs)—carrying the equivalent of 3 average size bowling balls!   

Think what that does to:

1. Your energy level

2. Your cardiovascular system (extra vessels to feed all that adipose tissue = extra work load your heart)

3. Your skeletal system (knees, hips, back)

Just to mention a few systems affected…

So many of the things we blame on aging have nothing to do with getting older. What’s misuse or disuse, and what’s normal aging? Loosing 42lbs means not being burdened by 3 bowling balls! How might that improve your odds of aging in place successfully? 

There are all kinds of home modifications,  high tech gadgets, and wonderful universal design products available on the market which can facilitate aging in place—some are reasonably priced, some expensive, and some even priceless–but none as effective as mindful living and making choices that will honor your future independence.

How we live determines how we age.

See

Accomodating Morbid Obesity in the Work Place by Design

Many Don’t Believe Their Obesity Poses Health Risks

UK has Its own problems with Obesity

‘F as in FAT as in America: LA Times Report

BMI Calculator

JAMA: Obesity Trends

Battling Obesity in America (video) Nothing New Here

Time to Remodel that House

Overweight Older Women Have Less Leg Strength

Learn more about the Declaration of Independence (video)

Ray Charles America The Beautiful

(photo freshhealthyvending.com)

  A Chinese proverb says that we naturally see the beauty of youth, but must learn to see the beauty of age.

I read an article recently by Susan Jacoby titled The Myth of Aging Gracefully. It is a thought provoking piece about the over exuberance with which our culture embraces anti-aging—or the triumph of hope over experience.

Since January 1, 2011, the demographic transition became real for baby boomers…the oldest turned 65. This frequently stated fact is almost tired now, but the reality is still settling in (however uneasy it makes us all feel). For the next 19 years 10,000 boomers a day will reach this milestone—a fact not lost on those of us in the field of gerontology.

Happy Gerontology

H. R. Moody, one of the country’s leading gerontologist, once mentioned the term “happy gerontology” —then went on to describe it as an un-realistic view of aging; ageless-aging, if you will. He noted that if we deny aging it can be soul eroding, in that you will miss the lessons each period of life has to offer. My own experience tells me he’s right.

We all love seeing those who seem to defy aging; a Betty White, or a Warren Buffett—and my dear friend, 90 year old marathoner Mavis Lindgren. I still recall the negative feedback I got when giving a talk about Mrs. Lindgren’s amazing physical abilities to a group of seniors in a care facility…the message wasn’t well received by some who weren’t aging as successfully.

The fact is, as Jacoby describes in her article, that physical and financial hardships mount as people move beyond the relative hardy 60s and 70s (“young-old”) and the territory gets harsher into 80s and 90s (old-old). The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is 50% for those over the age of 85; and two thirds of Americans older than 85 are women, who usually become poorer with age.

Defying Age Comes at a Cost

Jacoby notes that age-defying hope and hype do nothing to address the over-whelming political issue of how to pay for Medicare and Social Security, or the many personal decisions about aging in place, retirement, or end-of-life issues that are just off shore brewing for many of us.  She also warns that many of us must prepare for the possibility that not the best, but some of the worst years of our lives may lie ahead if we live to the oldest-old age group.

Geriatrician Muriel R. Gillick, in her book The Denial of Aging, emphasizes the social consequences of faith in an ageless old age: “If we assume that Alzheimer’s disease will be cured and disability abolished in the near term,” she writes, “we will have no incentive to develop long-term-care facilities that focus on enabling residents to lead satisfying lives despite their disabilities.” More important, blind faith in medical solutions prevents discussion about the urgent nonmedical needs of the old. Americans need not only better long-term-care facilities for the sickest old but community-based services to foster independence for the healthier old.

The article ends by stating that only when we abandon the fantasy that age can be defied, will we begin a conversation based on reason and not on yearning for a fountain of youth, about how to make 90 a better 90. George Bernard Shaw once said: Do not try to live forever; you will not succeed…Good advice. 

See

The Myth of Aging Gracefully

Glen Campbell Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease

Wichita Lineman  is still on the line  Recent version

The Beautiful works of Anton Christian

Green Home Modifications for Elder Comfort and Safety

I told my grandmother about our plans and asked her to walk through the house with me to share any problems she might currently have or could envision in the future. Her first suggestion was to move everything upstairs, including her bed, to a lower floor, but this seemed impractical. Instead, we’re going to look at reconditioned stair lifts. Most have been used for only a short time, and we like the idea of being able to extend the life of a pre-owned model, both to save Grandma some money and to be greener.

With that problem solved, Grandma indicated that there were several dark areas around the house where she could use more lighting. We told her we would be happy to replace her current bulbs with brighter fluorescent lights that would give her much longer between changes, and save energy. Then, she would not have to call us to change them as often. This made her happy because she loves to feel independent and hates to ask us for help, and it would save us time too.

Accessible and Universal Design Adaptations

Even though Grandma can still get in and out of the shower, she does feel a bit unsteady on the slippery surfaces. We put handrails and a shower seat on the list of adaptations for the bathroom. These will not only assist her to bend and sit, but they will make us feel that we have done something to keep her safe. I plan to get these items second-hand from a friend who is renovating his bathroom.

While we were working on the house, we also decided to remove the smaller floor rugs which could cause Grandma to trip. I plan to give these away on FreeCycle to a younger couple who can use them. My husband also plans to widen all of the doorways and remove the hallway doors just in case Grandma needs to use a wheelchair in the future. Again, we will offer the doors on Freecycle rather than sending them to landfill.

One issue my husband raised is that Grandma spends most of her day sitting down and therefore tends to feel the cold. Like many elderly people, she keeps her heating on all day. We looked at the various options to find a greener solution. Grandma’s heating comes from electric storage heaters. We decided it would be very disruptive and impractical to put in a completely new green heating system. However, we have compromised by switching Grandma over to a green energy company, which supplies electricity generated by wind turbines.

We are currently researching what financial help is available to seniors who want to put new insulation in their homes. Grandma already has cavity wall insulation, but by adding thicker insulation to the attic space, she could reduce her energy bills and help the planet. I’ve read about eco-friendly insulation made from sheep’s wool, so this is something I plan to look into.

Grandma has double-glazed windows, but her curtains are unlined. To help keep the heat in, I’m in the process of sewing linings into the curtains and adding pulls to make them easier to open and close. Grandma has always had a “make do and mend” philosophy, so she’s pleased that I’m reusing her old curtain fabric.

Another thing that became apparent as we went from room to room is that Grandma is struggling with housework. I try to do a bit of cleaning whenever I visit, but I’ve decided a better solution is for Grandma to get a cleaner. I saw an ad for a local cleaner who uses only eco-friendly cleaning products, and have employed her to clean Grandma’s house once a week. This arrangement is working well. Not only is the house kept clean in a way that minimizes the impact on the environment, Grandma enjoys having a chat with the cleaner!

The cleaner is also very good about putting Grandma’s newspapers, bottles and cans in the recycling box outside. We’ve bought Grandma a new container for her kitchen that has separate compartments for trash and recyclable items, so it is much easier for her to recycle her waste.

We’ve made some other changes in the kitchen too, to make life easier and safer for Grandma. First of all we had a good clear out and donated any items that never got used to the local charity shop. Once we had identified the crockery, cutlery, pots and pans that Grandma uses regularly, I’ve made sure these are now stored at a lower level and within easy reach, to avoid Grandma having to bend or reach up. My husband has adapted the larder by making some pull-out shelves and drawers so that items are easily accessible.

We feel good about all of the changes we’ve made and those we still plan to make. We’ve tried to keep them as green as we can with as little waste as possible. At the very least, we hope we’ve managed to make my grandmother’s house comfortable enough for her to live happily and safely in her own home for several more years.

 See

A guest post from Claire Bradshaw, who is part of the solution, and believes in aging in place–as well as saving the environment. Claire does her best to apply her green principles to every aspect of her life. She writes for a site that offers tips about buying stair lifts and believes home adaptations can greatly improve the quality of life for the older generation.

(photo Neeta Lind)