An issue of The Spokesman Review published a letter from “Louise A,” an 81-year-old woman seeking advice from columnist Annie Lane. She was doing everything possible to age “successfully”: she exercised five times a week, pursued hobbies, kept up with friends and belonged to a supportive church community. Yet she was frustrated by the many
Even though you may be perfectly content with the status quo, transitioning from one life passage to another is inevitable. Be it graduating from college, getting married, or retiring from a career, all transitions require a certain amount of reflection and planning to design. Use these 12 simple strategies to transition into a productive and
In the quest for better health or when dealing with an illness, there is usually a medicine to manage or cure what ails us. Pills are easy, but a healthy diet is the better long-term solution to prevent illness in the first place. The challenge is developing and keeping healthy eating habits that are a
Providing ongoing care for a loved one with chronic health conditions can be challenging. Despite the best intentions, caregivers are often called upon to perform uncomfortable tasks and make critical decisions for their loved ones on a daily basis. Assuming the role of caregiver can strain one’s own mental and physical well-being. It frequently takes
From age 50 on, it’s not unusual to have occasional trouble finding the right word or remembering where you put things. But persistent difficulty with memory, cognition and ability to perform everyday tasks might be signs that something more serious is happening to a loved one’s brain. Dementia isn’t actually a disease, according to the
If someone said to you, may I share with you the secret of healthy aging? Hardly any of us would walk away from an offer like that. The secret that makes you healthy throughout life is simply this: become physically active or become more physically active than you already are. The sooner we add more
Many seniors today say that they would prefer to stay in their homes, or “age in place,” for as long as possible. But as people get older, a number of age-related conditions can make living at home increasingly difficult. Challenges like cognitive decline and decreased mobility can make living at home without assistance difficult and
As we grow older, chances are good that we’ll be asked to write an obituary for a friend or loved one. In fact, some of us take the bull by the horns and decide to write our OWN obituary, before it’s needed! This task can sound daunting, but think about this: Writing your obituary is
“Hello. My name is Yoda. I am an eleven year old Shih Tzu dog that my person adopted from the Humane Society when I was six years old. My person agreed to help me put together this article and promised to write everything exactly as I said it, otherwise I wouldn’t talk to him. If
Healthy aging could be defined as having the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual capacity to live life on your terms. Maintaining adequate health is a combination of physical strength, cardiovascular endurance, joint motion, and balance in order to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). This includes any or all desired tasks, such as picking