15 Sep Coming to Terms with Advanced Age and Elderly Problems
Thriving in Spite of Elderly Problems
Getting older can be a real pain – literally! As we creak toward advanced old age, we display all kinds of aches and ailments that just weren’t there yesterday, before our bodies began to give in to all those annoying elderly problems we once ascribed exclusively to elderly grandmothers.
Suddenly, the elderly grandmother or grandfather is us! One day we are happily doing all the things we have always done like Action Man and the next we resent being babied into old age by relatives whose only concern is our welfare.
The trick is not to be overwhelmed by the onset of the years and the elderly problems that ride shotgun with them. Serenity comes with accepting one’s limitations and making the most of the faculties still in working order! Paradoxically, one’s patience wears thin with the arrival of old age, just when one needs it most to deal with the elderly problems that are a pesky part of getting on in life.
Old age is a cranky friend you need to humour a little. This scratchy old pal can certainly make life miserable but if you find something to dilute old age it can be as fulfilling as early youth. (Okay, perhaps not but we are trying to cheer you up here…!) Physical limitations need not inhibit a natural and human desire to enjoy life, despite achy joints, blurred vision and the need to take several naps throughout the afternoon. So what if elderly problems limit your movements? There is nothing to prevent your taking part in just about anything that is not painful or dangerous or both. You might surprise yourself and find an exciting hobby or interest that you had not previously considered because as a younger person you preferred more active pastimes.
Elderly problems need not mean the end of fun, sociability or dignity. There is no need to disguise the disabilities that come with advancing years. Be proud of your walking stick; you’ve earned it! Don’t be reluctant to tell someone you cannot manage the steps or reach the top shelf at the supermarket because one day soon it will be their turn to cope with elderly problems. Ask for help with a smile and you will find people respond with willing hands. Much better than grumbling about your elderly problems and then wondering why younger friends fade away in search of more cheerful company.
Advanced age can be a turning point for people faced with the challenge of elderly problems. The fork in this particular road offers a limited choice only: taking your elderly problems to heart and surviving, or taking them in your stride and living life to the full!
The Psychological Article on Coming to Terms with Advanced Age and Elderly Problems is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of coaching suggestions to alleviate problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.
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