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Hi. Am 63 and work for Social Services. My expertise is with older folk. Note that I said older folk . Disabled, homebound, CA has programs to keep said people from ending up in nursing homes. I do quality assurance for said programs and have seen much. From 10 years of real life observations I have some tips.
So...you want to get old fast? Here is how you do it. If you smoke, don't stop. Sit at home and just watch TV. Avoid socialization and eat poorly. Avoid getting outside. Walks are to be avoided. That's a good start. And for good measure, visualize yourself as old and this is it and it is only downhill from here.
Now then...here is the tough part if you want to maximize what you've got and maybe even improve. I am not talking to the fit seniors. You know who you are. Yea, we've know this stuff all of our lives and it comes natural.
So guys and gals-my professional opinion. Rule number one: don't surrender to your limitations. That is the ticket to going downhill. OK it hurts to walk. True, but studies have shown that doing physical stuff lessens the effects of arthritis. Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain and body and lessons the chances of dementia and general decline. So if you can't walk a mile, then start with a 100 feet and build up. Gosh, just being outside has a 1000 benefits. So fight for better physical health!
#2 Hang out with friends. Socialization is huge, from a mental standpoint. Be it with friends, family, volunteer work or the senior center, do it. Hey you may or may not necessarily live longer, but your quality of life will be so much better. Gads, I'd rather be hit by a car or die of a heart attack happy than be depressed couped up my house. Oh, yea. Keep them shades open to the outside world. I can't tell the number of times I do a home visit to a place where the shades are down. The person is self isolating, smokes, doesn't want human contact and the house is dark at noon.
#3 Eat right. Good nutrition is good for the brain and the body. Do it!. Don't buy the cheap frozen dinners. Go for the good ones or go fresh. One of the worst areas of life to cut back on is nutrition. Is your health more important than rent, gas or cigarettes? Quitting smoking is, well good.
For what it is worth...
To sum it up: don't surrender to your limitations. Make the most of what you have!
I appreciate your excellent post and I agree with you 100%.
I would add just one more thing: continue having sex ... whatever form you find convenient and/or pleasurable. The late great actor Ernest Borgnine, when asked what he attributed his longevity to (he lived to 95) mentioned this. Not having a spouse or a lover is not an excuse.
I appreciate your excellent post and I agree with you 100%.
I would add just one more thing: continue having sex ... whatever form you find convenient and/or pleasurable. The late great actor Ernest Borgnine, when asked what he attributed his longevity to (he lived to 95) mentioned this. Not having a spouse or a lover is not an excuse.
I agree with you except for the last sentence - that I do not agree with. A little self control will help you live longer too.
The OP is observing on a personal level what numerous scientific studies have "observed" on a more formal level, namely that certain practices favor the retention of vitality and good quality of life. To sum up, these are:
1. Eat a healthy diet.
2. Continue (or start) exercise/physical activity.
3. Get some sort of mental stimulation/challenges.
4. Maintain meaningful relations with other human beings.
I left out not smoking just because I think that is so obvious by now that no one would argue that particular point. When I was a child in the 1950's it was still argued, but the weight of scientific evidence concerning tobacco use has become so overwhelming that there is no longer the slightest doubt.
Dr. George E. Vaillant (Harvard med school faculty) has written an excellent book called "Aging Well" that elaborates many of these points as well as several others related. He is/was principal investigator on the three longest-running studies of aging. Well worth reading and easy to read.
Excellent advice, especially considering the source.
For those who don't kow it, in CA 5150 is the section of the Welfare and Institutions Code pertaining to involuntary treatment and evaluation for those deemed to be a danger to themselves and/or others due to a mental disorder.
No offense intended, Mr. 5150. As one whose legislative policy area concentration was forensic mental health issues I've just always gotten a chuckle from your choice of IDs. But your advice is absolutely sound.
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. Disabled, homebound, CA has programs to keep said people from ending up in nursing homes. I do quality assurance for said programs and have seen much. From 10 years of real life observations I have some tips.
