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Old 02-17-2015, 07:51 AM
 
Location: Ft. Myers
19,719 posts, read 16,708,058 times
Reputation: 41861

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That has been one one downside of my going back to work.......colds. When I was retired I rarely had a cold because I wasn't in contact too much with other people all day long. But now that I am working I have customers sneezing and coughing all over me, and I seem to have the sniffles fairly often.

That article posted about the study was spot on, IMO. I can feel such an improvement in my health, energy, and sharpness since going back to work. I read somewhere that seniors should do things like crossword puzzles to keep their mental edge, but I get to solve problems for my customers all day long, and that keeps me very stimulated.

Working also gives me some goals and rewards. For example, I really look forward to my days off now and plan my activities around those. It was just like when I worked for a living, and how much weekends meant.........same thing now. One more plus is that it is nice to be appreciated by the people and company you work for.....it makes you feel still valuable.

Don
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Old 02-17-2015, 07:55 AM
 
Location: it depends
6,369 posts, read 6,380,798 times
Reputation: 6388
I understand that statistics do not matter when you get down to individual cases, and anything can happen to anybody.

But still, there is a massive amount of research on the value of moderate exercise in reducing one's odds of getting heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. And there is a lot of research on the benefits of eating well. And there is a lot of research on the link between eating well and exercising and good sleep habits and Alzheimers. New areas of research show that we actually change the action of our DNA with diet and exercise. Mindfulness is another area of promise for improved health. All these things correlate to vitality and longevity.

If you are aware of these things and don't do anything about them, you have come to different conclusions than I have.

My health is not perfect, I have a genetic condition that could be crippling--but is not, because a particular regimen of diet and exercise reduces the symptoms to barely noticeable levels.
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Old 02-17-2015, 07:59 AM
 
Location: Central Maine
4,697 posts, read 6,423,061 times
Reputation: 5046
People develop health problems at various times throughout their lives. Other than hereditary factors (which none of us can control) and past working/living environmental factors (and they're in the past - can't do much about that now), our current and future health is up to us. Weigh too much? Eat less, or eat less of the bad stuff and more of the good stuff, and get off the damn sofa. Smoke/drink too much? If you can at this point in your life, quit. If you can't quit, don't agonize over it, but also acknowledge that your life won't be as long or as problem-free as you would like.

None of us knows how long we'll live, and that's a good thing, right? So, we just do the best we can while we're here. Do fun stuff, whatever "fun" is to you. I love driving to places I have never been, enjoying the drive every bit as much as the destination. I love walking, and I recently bought a book identifying and describing all the hiking trails in this area. Once we get rid of some of this snow, my wife and I will be checking out those trails.

The Golden Years? I don't know about that. Putting a label like that on your retirement may just be setting you up for disappointment. Personally, I'm delighted that I'm retired; I'm delighted that my wife was able to retire on the same day; I'm delighted that we have good pensions, that we have good health insurance, and that we were finally able to move from northern Virginia to Maine last year ... just in time for the snowiest winter Maine has seen in a while. I am *loving* it here.

Is my health in retirement the same as it was when I was in my 20s or 30s? No. I wouldn't expect it to be. On the other hand, I will turn 63 in another couple of months. My health at this point in my life is way better than my father's health was at this point in his life. I get way more exercise than he did, I eat healthier, I don't drink or smoke ... he died at age 69, and I'll be really pissed if I don't live longer (and better) than that.

That said, I'd be crazy not to acknowledge - and deal with - medical problems as they come up. A week from Friday I go in for a consultation with a retina specialist, and he'll confirm the cataract(s) in my right eye, and we'll schedule the surgery. My right elbow has been hurting, and the doctor I saw about it diagnosed it as tennis elbow. He gave me a bunch of exercises to do, and I've been doing them. It doesn't seem to me that it's getting any better, so I'll be calling his office later today.

This is life. Things happen, and how we react to them is up to us.
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Old 02-17-2015, 08:10 AM
 
Location: Verde Valley AZ
8,775 posts, read 11,854,495 times
Reputation: 11485
Quote:
Originally Posted by don1945 View Post
That has been one one downside of my going back to work.......colds. When I was retired I rarely had a cold because I wasn't in contact too much with other people all day long. But now that I am working I have customers sneezing and coughing all over me, and I seem to have the sniffles fairly often.

That article posted about the study was spot on, IMO. I can feel such an improvement in my health, energy, and sharpness since going back to work. I read somewhere that seniors should do things like crossword puzzles to keep their mental edge, but I get to solve problems for my customers all day long, and that keeps me very stimulated.

Working also gives me some goals and rewards. For example, I really look forward to my days off now and plan my activities around those. It was just like when I worked for a living, and how much weekends meant.........same thing now. One more plus is that it is nice to be appreciated by the people and company you work for.....it makes you feel still valuable.

Don
Since I've never quit working I don't know how I'd feel if I never had to again. But I'm a lot like you in that my job does keep me mentally alert, solving problems and making some snap judgments.

I also look forward to my days off, although I've had too many days off lately. My hours got cut but hopefully that will change SOON. They always cut hours in Jan. but by then I'm more than ready for it after the hectic crazy time of the holidays. This year it's lasting longer than I want it to though. I love having three days a week off but I still need my hours so four 8 hour days would be "perfect".

I also feel appreciated...by my company and my customers. It's good to feel "still valuable".
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Old 02-17-2015, 08:29 AM
 
Location: UpstateNY
8,612 posts, read 10,701,707 times
Reputation: 7595
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nor'Eastah View Post
>snip<For those who complain of arthritic fingers and white beards, I can show you youngsters of 10 and 20 who live with far worse, so quitcher complainin'.

I have a friend who, healthy on his 65th birthday, celebrated Medicare by visiting not one, but three (!!!) doctors, and came home with a large bag of presriptions. A year later, he was but a shadow of his former self - old and feeble. People: think twice before taking just anything they prescribe for you!
!
^^^THIS

Far too many people we know become the patient upon which the doctor 'practices.' Medicaid is just as bad, my neighbor and another old friend, when they became 'wards of the state', became medical experiments and miraculously, 'everything' was wrong with them. Milk that cow.....

You have to become your own advocate and make careful considerations regarding treatments.

To the poster who mentioned Nexium every day, please look into daily probiotics and a low carb diet. My dad spent his life on Rolaids and a few years back was diagnoes with IBD, which can turn into Crohns or leaky gut syndrome. He started the probiotics and doesn't need the Prilosec anymore.

Arthritis? Try alfalfa tabs.

Make friends with your pharmacist. Some are smarter than the docs.

JM2c.
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Old 02-17-2015, 09:09 AM
 
Location: SW Corner of CT
2,694 posts, read 3,320,470 times
Reputation: 3609
I know as I age, my body is going to have some issues, and I'm accepting that fact, but I'm not gonna let it get me down and just keep chuggin' along. I've had my share of surgeries (Meniscus in both Knees....both Elbows) but it's not stopping me from living. I've got a couple sayings I believe in.....one already mentioned..."A body in motion, stays in motion".....and my favorite, and something to live by...."*Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - "WOW, What a ride!"
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Old 02-17-2015, 10:18 AM
 
4,522 posts, read 3,716,678 times
Reputation: 17386
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvmyhoss View Post
I've followed all the 'rules'. Eating right exercising. Keeping busy, socializing. Who knew!

I was the one who would live forever.
Sounds like you got news you didn't expect and are going through the first phase of accepting. That means accepting the news, but not giving up and accepting all aspects. You did all the right things and should be in better shape to handle this physically, keep that in mind. You took a blow and are reeling. You of all people know you need to get back up on that horse and the sooner the better.
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Old 02-17-2015, 10:52 AM
Status: "Octopi tastes like snake" (set 18 days ago)
 
Location: in the miseries
3,573 posts, read 4,486,678 times
Reputation: 4400
Quote:
Originally Posted by CCc girl View Post
^^^THIS

Far too many people we know become the patient upon which the doctor 'practices.' Medicaid is just as bad, my neighbor and another old friend, when they became 'wards of the state', became medical experiments and miraculously, 'everything' was wrong with them. Milk that cow.....

You have to become your own advocate and make careful considerations regarding treatments.

To the poster who mentioned Nexium every day, please look into daily probiotics and a low carb diet. My dad spent his life on Rolaids and a few years back was diagnoes with IBD, which can turn into Crohns or leaky gut syndrome. He started the probiotics and doesn't need the Prilosec anymore.

Arthritis? Try alfalfa tabs.

Make friends with your pharmacist. Some are smarter than the docs.

JM2c.
Getting off acid reflux meds is awful. For those people who are osteoporosis diagnosed,
Acid reflux meds make your bones worse.
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Old 02-17-2015, 11:09 AM
 
Location: State of Superior
8,733 posts, read 15,881,532 times
Reputation: 2869
Quote:
Originally Posted by wit-nit View Post
Our golden years lasted a short time, then they turned into silver years and now we're in the pot-metal years.
I can ID that , had to sell all mi gold and silver in order to finance an early retirement, I lost on both fronts.
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Old 02-17-2015, 11:50 AM
 
Location: San Antonio
7,629 posts, read 16,386,295 times
Reputation: 18770
I am wondering what age people retired at that find themselves unable to enjoy life a very short time later??? Also, would be interested in seeing how "involved" they are with others/things???

I retired at 60, and feel wonderful! Exercising, walking, just spent the past 4 hours doing the laundry, cleaning the house to include mopping the floors good, and changing bedding, folding, putting away, assembling tonites dinner to marinate in the fridge, and still had time to make 3 apts by phone and watch a good deal of TV before I jump in the shower (why do that before you are done cleaning???) to run to the dry cleaners, grocery store and get the oil changed.

While I am grateful for good health, I honestly believe that a LOT of the "attitude" we have is because we live in an active adult community with LOTS to do both daily and nightly. While we don't feel the need to attend every evening event anymore (after 6 yrs they can get a bit redundant) we have the gym, pool, walking trails and best of all DEAR, DEAR friends we are in daily contact with.

I can tell you, if we were in our old home (where we raised the kiddos) I would be in the house all day feeling lost, but here, there is not enough hours in the day to do everything on my list. I HONESTLY believe that a LOT of issues with aging are connected to feeling socially connected, especially when retired. Hubby still working, but I have lunch with the girls, water aerobics class, daily walks, matinee movies with the girls, all kinds of things that keep me moving and content.

While I miss some of the people I use to work with, I have NO sense of loss or feeling I need to lay around and lament how bad my "Golden Years" are.

I hurt for those that have health issues arise that makes them feel sad vs happy about retirement. There by the grace of God go each of us.

Grateful for my health, my friends, and the time to finally ENJOY life a little vs running like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get everything done!
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