Every one of us desire to live, long, healthy lives. To be happy knowing that we lived life on our terms, chased our passions, and made the most of every opportunity. At least that's what I want but as I've learned not everything goes to plan, but there's hope that with a little foresight and planning, we can prepare ourselves for life's transitions when they present themselves.
What is harmless in life, yet ultimately will kill you?
Recently, I lost my father to pancreatic cancer. Cancer wasn't something any of us expected or planned for, and when the ‘terminal' diagnosis came down from his doctors, it rocked all who knew him. At 72 years young, he was just getting started. My stepmother was there to be the rock and help navigate the maze of end of life planning. Both a rock to which we found ourselves tethered, as well, she's a living champion helping us remember the greatness that my father bestowed on us with his life. I'll always be grateful for everything she provided my dad in his life. It was going through this process – this life transition – that really opened my eyes to some stark realities that none of us can escape.
Time.
The past few days have been filled with time in the presence of my father and our close family. I feel grateful for the…
由 Dai Manuel 发布于 2017年3月2日
That little pesky reality that seems to go by unnoticed for much of our lives until one day we find ourselves waking up and realizing that life isn't the same anymore. Age has become our new reality. Acceptance that our physicality has started to decline and things we used to do in our 20's, 30's, and 40's aren't as easy in our 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond. Our ability to do the things we come to take for granted like carrying groceries in from the car – or driving the car! – lifting ourselves from our chairs, preparing our meals, navigating stairs, or simply ‘taking care of business'. All seemingly normal everyday tasks, but for many are daily activities that become increasingly difficult with age. This begs the question, what do we do about it?
What's autonomy got to do with it?
Everything.
Age is nothing new, we deal with it on our terms, but as the aging population grows (5,000,000+ Canadians over the age of 65 alone), we see an increasing need for in-home support. As a result of this growing demographic of seniors, the Assisted Living Home industry is booming. I am the first to acknowledge that this conversation is difficult to have both to one's self as well as with those that matter most to us in our lives. Admitting that one's life is not as independent as it once was, is like conversations surrounding life insurance, painfully and fearfully honest. After all, getting older, death and taxes are 3 very distinct certainties in life and none of which and fun to admit to.
My mother has dedicated her life to the care of others. After spending her entire adult life working within Ontario's Healthcare sector, she's readying herself to retire as an associate director of care for an assisted living facility. This topic of interest couldn't have come at a better time as I've been fortunate to witness some of the steps she and my step-father are personally taking for the life transitions she foresees in the coming 20 years of their lives. From reinforcing the stair railings to simplifying her ability to continue gardening comfortably and confidently as she ages, but not everyone share's her foresight.
“One in four of us will die while residing in a nursing home“, along with other findings, caught my attention in a study published in JAGS by Kelly and Colleagues. They looked at the length of stay in nursing homes at the end of life and here are a few of the findings:
- the median length of stay in a nursing home before death was 5 months
- the average length of stay was longer at 14 months due to a small number of study participants who had very long lengths of stay
- 65% died within 1 year of nursing home admission
- 53% died within 6 months of nursing home admission
- men died sooner after admission than women (men had a median length of stay of around 3 months versus 8 for women)
- married nursing home residents died sooner after admission than unmarried participants (an average of 4 months sooner)
- nursing home residents in the highest quartile of net worth died six months sooner than those in the lowest quartile.
‘Just remember, when you’re over the hill, you begin to pick up speed’ – Charles M. Schulz
Click to tweetHow can we remain independent and living our lives on our terms as we age?
One thing is for sure, if given the opportunity to remain independent and continue living in our own homes as we age, there would be no debate.
We all desire the highest quality of life along with all the comforts we've come to love and expect. To better understand how and what is needed to make this a reality for the aging population, I interviewed head RN, Dana Huggett of Live Your Life Home Care. With over 15 years experience both in and out of hospital settings, Dana has seen first-hand the deteriorating effects our tapped healthcare system can have on a mounting aging population. With a shortage of hospital beds and big wait lists for long-term care facilities, for the 16 per cent of Canadians currently over the age of 65, home-care is becoming a necessary option.
Ontario Retirement Communities Association forecasts that by 2036, nearly one quarter of Canada's population will be 65+ (and I'm one of them!)… so if you aren't planning to grow old, then I guess this interview won't matter, but for the rest of us, take note, you want to watch this.
In the ‘Living Through Life's Transitions' interview, Dana shares:
- Why aging shouldn't stop us from getting the most out of life
- Quantification vs. qualification of age (and life) – we're more than just a number, right?
- Surprising statistics to be aware of regarding the aging populations in North America
- Warning signs that someone may be avoiding admitting their need for help
- Physical Activity: the minimums!
- Improving quality of life: What can be done now by those who are aging? What should the younger generations know?
Click below to watch the full interview.
Getting Older doesn't have to be hard (but you have to work at it)! What's your life plan?
Age is a reality we all have to face at some point in our lives.
We expect everything to be as it is tomorrow as it is today, but there comes a time we have to except the inescapable – getting older happens to everyone!
But how we age isn't a ‘preset' or a predetermined path. As the Science of longevity is showing, lifestyle choices influence our body's DNA, along with outside stimulus, toxins and a variety of other variables like the foods we eat and how we deal with stress in our lives, all can impact how quickly we age. And yet, we can make choices that will improve our opportunities to slow this process. Here are 5 simple choices you can start making immediately…
5 Simple Daily Lifestyle Choices You Can Make Today to Improve Your Health of Tomorrow
#1. Daily purposeful movement.
And I'm not talking about just going to the gym – I'm talking about going for a brisk walk at the local park, playing a game of pick-up sports with your friends, taking up a new sport like yoga or paddle boarding. Age doesn't play into what you can and can't do – you decide that one.
#2. Practice mindful meditation every day.
Mindfulness is paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and without judgement. Through the practice of meditation, we see reductions in grey matter density in areas of the brain related with anxiety and stress; as well as decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Along with regulating blood pressure, reducing inflammation in the body, and decreasing feelings of loneliness… the list is long for this one daily practice!
#3. Take up a creative hobby.
As they say, the mind is a beautiful thing to waste. More and more science supports the idea of constantly challenging our minds to learn new skills. Stimulating various parts of our brains keep us mentally sharp especially as we age. Taking up painting, paddle boarding or yoga are a few great practices that can help with keeping the body-mind connection healthy, strong and intact as we age.
#4. Eat more vegetables and fruits.
Smart eating starts with adding more green leafy and colorful fruits and veggies to your dietary mix. For starters, these foods contain trace elements, micronutrients, minerals and vitamins with anti-oxidant properties that help with keeping the body functioning optimally and reducing some of the harmful oxidizing effects caused by our environments. PS – those are the nasty things that age us!
#5. Find a community aka a Tribe.
If you haven't heard about the Blue Zones by Dan Beuttner, you really need to check out his incredible findings about a unique group of Centenarians (people living to be 100+ years of age). One of nine commonalities shared by these special populations is their incredible sense of purpose and belonging. There's something to be said about being a part of a tribe.
Creating a Life Plan while Living the Best Life Possible
I realized in speaking with Dana of Live Your Life Homecare, that there are some fairly clear indicators of the different phases of our lives. We can try to navigate these changes on our own when we find ourselves or our loved ones knee-deep in a stark reality that things have changed – or we can create a plan to deal with these milestones when they eventually happen. Transitional support means we can navigate these lifestyle changes with confidence, knowing as we plan, and lead a lifestyle that supports aging well, there comes a time when we transition into ‘new phases’ of life.
But with this in mind, how do we best prepare ourselves for transitioning and living well through these lifestyle changes?
For starters, there's no specific age that determines what a ‘phase' is in our life. No two people are the same and no two lives are lived the same way. That's why there's no cookie cutter answer to give you. Whether the need is for a ‘helping hand', ‘nurturing care', or ‘vital care', there are options available, no matter our age. There's a peace of mind and comfort knowing that when the day comes and some support is needed, there's someone there to help. Allowing us to remain in our homes as long as we can, feeling confident that we got this thing called ‘age' in the bag!
I know that being proactive in our life planning is fantastic in theory, but following through on a plan is not as simple as black or white. That's life, isn't it? It's unpredictable and ‘things' happen which throw our plans out the proverbial window at times. I know my father didn't plan to get sick at the age of 72, but because of the customized support, he was able to spend much of his time with my stepmom, our family and close friends while in the comfort of his own home.
Aging shouldn’t stop you from getting the most out of your life.
Age is a reality we all have to face at some point in our lives. We may not be able to expect everything to be as it is tomorrow as it is today, but that shouldn't limit us from living our life like it will be. There's certainly value in taking actionable steps each day that will improve our odds of living the best life possible as we age. These seemingly small, daily choices and actions compounded over time will not necessarily improve our quantity of life, but for damn sure it will positively influence our quality of life today, tomorrow and potentially for years to come.
If you know someone who's going through similar life transitions right now, I hope you've found some of the resources in this article useful. Be sure to watch the interview and reach out to Live Your Life Homecare with any questions. Remember, at times you may feel alone in this process, but you never have to be alone. “Together, we've got this!”
Do you know anyone who's in the process of making some transitions in life?
Dana and the team at Live Your Life Homecare can be of help. They have a ton of resources, tools and support to help you with this process and offer up customized services to help you support you, or your loved ones, through this process.
You can connect with them directly via their website at http://ift.tt/2vkOm78, or on social by Twitter (@LYLHomecare) and Facebook (LiveYourLifeHomecare).
Aging shouldn’t stop you from getting the most out of your life. That’s the foundation that holistic care company, Live Your Life Homecare is built on.
By the way, do you have a story that relates to aging? Have you helped someone through a significant life transition? I'd love to hear about it. Either comment below or send me a message.
And to be absolutely clear, this is my disclaimer: “Just so you know, I have been compensated to share my ideas on this topic. Sometimes it is in the form of products, or services or even money… But here’s the thing; I won’t share anything with you that I don’t fully support. It doesn't matter what it is, or how much they are willing to give me if I don’t believe in it, It won’t be on my site. Seriously. You’ll just have to trust me on this.” ~ Coach Moose
from Dai Manuel: Your Lifestyle Mentor http://ift.tt/2vkGqm4
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