Successful Aging

“I have fallen, and I can’t get up”. That is the call an insurance executive received from his mother. Not having options, he cancelled his meetings, called 911, and drove over. Upon everyone’s arrival, his mother was sitting in her chair.   She had recovered, crawled to a chair and pulled herself up.
None of us want to be lying on a tile floor, or dealing with caregiver emergencies.

We want to live an active life in our own home for our final years. We see seniors staring alone in their wheelchair in the lobby of a nursing home. Friends share stories of homecare challenges and managing an alarming number of medications. Seniors lament a loss of dignity, and joke about their helicopter kids. They refuse to use a walker or accept help fearing loss of independence.

So what are the keys to successful aging? We need to remain active, have a purpose, eat real food, and enjoy meaningful relationships.  These basic truths can be harder during later retirement. The allure of finally being able to put our feet up turns into the loss of function from being sedentary.   Research shows that excessive sitting and inactivity are serious health risks.

Our first instinct when loved ones lose some of their function is to help them do less. We worry about falls, and limit outings. When dressing, bathing or cooking become more difficult, we hire care to take over so they are safe and clean. Unfortunately, the easiest way for caregivers to keep someone safe and clean is watching television. The answer is to also leverage rehabilitation to extend our capabilities, find new ways to do what we want to do, and find relevant activities to replace old activities.

Key Principles for Successful Aging:

Start Moving and Eating Well Today:

• Maintaining muscle strength, balance and flexibility and eating real food will always improve your aging.   If you are starting to be active after a long period of inactivity, consult your doctor and use a personal trainer or a physiotherapist. Be active within your daily routine.

Stay Busy and Social:

• Having activities that provide you stimulation and enjoyment is critical. This could be spending time with the grandkids, golfing, volunteering, or debating with friends the faults of our politicians. For those who love their vocation, working part time can be a part of successful aging. Activities need to be both enjoyable and meaningful and evolve as you age.

Create Regular Routines:

• Eating well, staying active and being social may seem basic but many of us struggle. Creating a regular routine around good habits and activities increases your odds of success. Joining a club or group with similar interests can be a great way to start a regular routine.

Have a Plan and Discuss with your Family:

• Don’t wait until a crisis occurs. Many people end up in an undesirable situation or create a burden for their loved ones due to a lack of communication and planning. Have open conversations with your family about housing options, finances, power of attorney and what to do in case of a medical event or loss of function. By sharing information and your wishes you can minimize the stress of an age related crisis.  Your plan should also include positive goals such as significant travel, new hobbies or philanthropy and create a roadmap for transitions on your own terms (e.g. moving to a seniors friendly condo when you have the energy to manage it and can still enjoy the resulting freedoms).

Advocate and Coordinate

• The world of healthcare and homecare is complex, especially across both public and private options.   It is critical to ask questions and advocate for yourself. Whether you do it yourself, leverage your network, or hire a professional it is important to understand your options, your rights, and the best path for your needs. When serious obstacles arise like dementia, cancer or Parkinsons, special caregiving resources and supports should be leveraged.

Maintaining Independence by Accepting Help

• Most of us want to live at home, and yet remaining independent eventually means accepting help.   Making modifications and adding equipment to your home could prevent a serious fall. Accepting paid care, as long as you maintain an active routine, may extend your ability to remain at home. Leveraging experts to help you find new ways to do what you want to do allows you remain active and engaged.

My Healthcare Concierge (MHC) helps seniors and their families improve health, solve care challenges and enhance quality of life. We ensure our clients get the right care, at the right time, and in the right place by providing homecare coordination, healthcare navigation, advocacy and restorative health treatment services.

Alex Kroon

CEO, My Healthcare Concierge