What does a day in the life of a senior look like?

I consider each day when I wake up a blessing. An opportunity to live another day. As a senior, I’ve discovered that my life need not be like a speeding train. Instead, it’s like the gentle flow of a river, giving me another chance to notice how lovely the world around me is.

My Life as a Senior

There was a time when I woke up each day, taking it just like the many days in the past. At my age, I take them with a definite purpose. While my senses may be slower than they used to be, my appreciation for the coming of a new day is nothing short of jubilation.

Growing older has taught me that happiness lies not in going places or achieving monumental goals, but in ordinary days, shared conversations with friends, and lonely reflections.

Have you, in your quiet moments, ever wondered what a day in your life as a senior looks like Read on as I share with you mine. You will discover dramatic twists and excitement and the simple pleasures to make your day meaningful.

Start the Day with a Sense of Gratitude

I start my day at 4:30 in the morning. I know it’s too early for most. But I find the early morning hours magical. And it allows me to do all the things I need to do without being stressed.

I like opening my windows and letting in the cool morning breeze to caress my drowsy body. And it is a reminder that every new day is a gift.

Then I spend a few quiet moments reflecting, and a short prayer of gratitude for the gift of a new day. Just a short prayer to help me set a positive tone for everything that follows.

After that, I take a short and simple breakfast consisting of hot chocolate and a loaf of bread coupled with either egg, sausage, or sweet ham. Then I finish it off with a slice of papaya and banana.

Exercise

I exercised when I was young for fun. Now it is a must. At my age, movement is and exercise are a form of medicine.

They may not be vigorous other than a walk around the neighborhood. or gentle stretching. I walk around the parking lot of a grocery store near my home, then do yoga chair exercises and dumb bells when I get home. On Saturdays, I do four laps in a swimming pool.

Sometimes I strike short conversations with my fellow exercisers. These small interactions. can brighten your day more than you can ever realize.

You can have your own exercise routine. and do it consistently. That is the cheapest way to good health.

Enjoying the Freedom of Retirement 

I am 78 years old, retired. One of the best things of my stature is the freedom and control of my time.

Gone are the days of busy schedules and constant deadlines have been replaced with freedom and flexibility.

Of course, I still plan my days to the last minute, but I have the freedom to choose what activities to spend my time on, depending on my mood.

Some days, I spend my time in a coffee shop with my laptop while on others I may choose to watch a good movie through my laptop or do nothing at all.

Learning new things on YouTube is a great help. I love learning new development on content creation or e-commerce. On other days I watch history or stories of great people.

Age may add candles to my cake, but it should not diminish the spark of learning something new and interesting.

Connect with Family and Friends

This is one of the highlights of my day as a senior. I admit it is difficult. The people I grew up with are either dead, sickly, or happy to be with grandkids.

I have two grown up kids. But one is in New Zealand and the other one lives nearby. But as a doctor, she’s also busy with her profession.

I visit her clinic regularly and I have an online weekly conversation with my son and his family in New Zealand.

These conversations, short they may be, remind me of the treasures of getting connected with the people I love so much. The temporarily make me forget my lonely plight as a live-alone senior.

Find Happiness in Everyday Moments

Research shows that older people are happier and have greater life satisfaction that younger people.

No, it is not because they have exciting experiences, expensive vacations, elaborate plans.

They just find happiness in little things in their everyday lives. They relish the sound of birds singing outside their windows, enjoy favorite meal, read an inspiring story, of watch the vibrant colors of a setting sun.

Happiness often hides in plain sight.

As a senior, I’ve become more mindful of these moments. I’ve realized that life is less about racing towards tomorrow, and more about embracing today. If you are mindful, you will realize that every day carries extraordinary blessings.

Even ordinary household chores hold the opportunity to reflect on what life has been and what will be. Folding laundry or preparing dinners gives me time to think, appreciate, and sometimes smile at memories popping up from nowhere.

Keeping Good Health and Well-being

My day as a senior is my way of keeping good health and well-being.

I never miss my regular exercise, eat balanced meals, stay hydrated, and get enough rest.et enough rest.

Equally important is caring for my mental health and well-being. I do this by being consistent is writing blog posts and contribute articles to LinkedIn. I read online articles about content generation and other relation items. I also watch funny FB videos to lift my spirits up.

elish watching funny FB vides to lift my spirits u

art

Early to Rise

I wake up at 4:30 in the morning.

Rising early allows me to do everything scheduled for the day free from stress. It also allows me to have rest periods in between. Gone are the days when I did them all in one go. Now I need some pit stops to prevent overheating.

When the cobwebs of sleep are swept away, I do a quick toilet stop, wash my face, then set myself for the following program.

Diet Plan

I am a Filipino, hence my diet is essentially Asian, i.e., rice, fish, vegetables and meat.  I am also a live-alone senior and don’t know how to cook so meals, except breakfast, are bought from neighborhood food shops. 

I also eat five times a day, breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks in between. So here’s how it goes:

Breakfast

Asian.i.e., ricelipino, hence my diet I wake up at 4:30 in the morning.

prepare breakfast.

Flex my old muscles and bones

Life at mid-morning

Cook or buy?

~oOo~

The post A Day in My Life as a Senior first appeared on Age With Charm.

To live a full life in old age isn’t exactly a walk in the park. It’s more like doing an obstacle course in wobbly legs, dimmed eyesight, and creaking joints.

On top of those physical difficulties are psychological and mental issues that can affect our decision and sense of direction.

But must we just stay on the sidelines as plain spectators in the drama of life Can we no longer jam it up with the rest of humanity Or give life one last “GO”?

No way, as far as I am concerned. And you should feel the same way, too. No matter how old you may be, you are never completely out of juice; you can still live life as fully as you want to.

And this is what this article is about – show you some of the secrets in living a full life.

But before diving deep into it, let’s have agree on what “full life” means.

What is a full life?

One time, my younger sister remarked how lucky I was to have children who are taking good care of me

On the surface, she was right. But things are not always rosy between me and my kids. Just like any family, there are bumps I need to steer clear from.

Just like any other live alone senior, I have bouts of bouts of self-[pity, depression, loneliness, and feelings of living a meaningless life. There was a time whe I had meals with my wife and two kids. Now I eae alone and wash the dishes right after – a thing I many never get used to.

These negative thoughts, often get into my nerves and make me want to give up and give in. were I to disregard their potential catastrophic results. But I can’t. So I make lemonade from the sour lemons life has dealt me with. I chose to live a full life.

And this brings us back to what it is…

A “full life” means “being in the moment, awake and alive and enjoying things now, right this minute. It is not worrying about the past, or postponing happines for the future.”

It is the joyful acceptance of one’s lot – regardless of the abundance or scarcity of the material resources at one’s disposal.

It is to cherish each moment of each day, free of the guilts of yesterday or the anxieties of tomorrow. It is having someone or something to love, do things you love doing, and having something to hope for.

Having a full life is not to be free of imperfections but to ride out each one with a grateful and brave heart. It is to have a perfect balance of one’s spiritual, physical, and mental aspects of one’s existence.

And this article willshow you to do that.

DIY Tips in Living Fully

We all want to live a full life, to enjoy enjoy each moment of our remaining days  We want to be free of any worries, cares or apprehensions all too common in our younger days.

We want to try something new and different spices things up. We want to explore we’ve never been to before, lounge on a beach in some tropical island, or go on a safari.

For most, however, these are just wishful thinking. Old-age related issues and illness hamper our desires of stop us all together. .

Most of us are hobbled with issues such as insufficient funds, failing health, estrangement with children or separation from spouse. All these can dampen or desire to live life to the fullest.

But not hopeless. With these DIY tips, you can still a joyful and meaningful life. A life that sweeps all your cares and worries under the rug.

And under these trying situations, these DIY tips are very handy. They are easy to do an don’t cost much or anything.

1. Keep busy

Being busy can help you live your life to the fullest. Puttering around the house, doing some repaires of gardening gives you the satisfaction of having done something insead of moping or wallowing is self-pity

I know it too well as a live-alone senior. I strictly follow a daily routing to survive. Though with trepidation, I do household chores, prepare my own food, wash the dishes, and buy my housefold necessitaties. I don’t like to do them but I must. They keep me busy and productive.

After lunch, I take a short break, then get on with my online writing business well until early evening.

You need not  have as hectic a schedule as mine, but keep moving. Activity keeps your mind off your age-related issues and gives you a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.

Being busy is good for the body and mind. It is fulfilling to know that you have spent your day doing something worthwhile, interesting, and useful.

2. Eat Well:

Eat well to make you funtion normall every single day. ingle day. Eating well means eating a well-balanced diet so you can maintain a healthy weight, and be energized. Get the right nutrients you need to lower your risk of developing chronic healthconditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

Get an expert advise from your physician so you can be guided accordingly.

Go easy on food that can exacerbate arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure if you are suffering from any or all of them.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has a very informative article about elderly nutrition. Read it instead of getting tips from your friends or barber.

Stay hydrated always. Dehydration is one of the major causes of elderly hospitalization.

3. OBSERVE HOME SAFETY:

In the U.S., an elderly is admitted into emergency rooms every 11 seconds due to falls, and every 19 minutes, one dies from the accident, according to National Council on Aging (NCOA).

Ironically, falls are not age-related but are caused by unsafe conditions at home. When you walk on wobbly legs or dimmed vision, a frayed rug or a loose floor mat is an accident-in-waiting.

To accident-proof your home, have a family member or home-safety engineer go over it to eliminate all potential hazards. Staying in a hospital due to a home accident is hardly living your life fully.

4. have enough sleep

Nothing can ruin your day more than lack of sleep the previous night. It makes you irritable, dizzy, and lazy.

Don’t hang on to the common belief that elderly people need fewer hours of sleep each night. You must have at least 7-8 hours of sleep at night to make you feel energetic and refresh the following morning.

I go by 6-7 hours but I take mid-day naps.

5. Don’t Isolate yourself

Don’t shy away from the world. Get out and mingle. Keep in touch with family and close friends. With the Internet, it can still be done even with the prevailing lockdown due to the Covid19 pandemic.

But do keep a circle of “healthy” friends – those that can help you boost your self-esteem. This kind of friends reduces stress and anxiety. They can improve your overall well-being and may increase your longevity.

6. Mind your physical and mental health

The majority of seniors 65 and above have, at least. one chronic medical condition. But modern science has treatments and interventions to all these that can help you live a happy and productive life.

Do follow your doctor’s instructions and always stay on the safe side. Don’t take unnecessary risks that may result in undesirable consequences.

Exercise your body as well as your mind.

Some studies show that a healthy lifestyle can slow down mental decline. Stimulate your mind by reading, doing crossword puzzles, or watch educational videos. There are tons of it on YouTube.

7. Be grateful

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

It is important because it helps generate more positive emotions and relish good experiences which, in turn, improve your health. It allows you to better deal with adversities and helps nurture strong relationships.

Gratefulness creates happiness – the trademark of a full life. Amy Collette sums it beautifully when she said, “…It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.”

I am now on Cloud 9. But getting here wasn’t easy for a worrier like me; one who tends to over-think. I got here after taking a long and serious look inwards and resolutely deciding to get rid of those things that stopped me from enjoying life more fully.

You can do the same, though maybe in a different route. But you must. You owe it to yourself after years of slaving to build a career and supporting a family. Now it is time to soar, to reach for the clouds, and live your life as fully as you can – while you still can.

Note: If you like this post, please subscribe so you will get, oven-fresh, subsequent articles about this subject.

Image: One More Cup of Coffee

~oOo~

The post How to Live a Full Life in the Face of Difficulties first appeared on Age With Charm.

“Have you been enjoying Coron so far#8221; I asked a German national in the same island-hopping tour I was in.

He is 71 years old, like me, and traveling with his wife and sister-in-law. Though he’s been to the Philippines several times, it was also his first time in Coron.

In typical German frankness, he said wryly, “so far, I have not seen anything that impressed me.”

“Amen to that,” I said to myself.

Our negative impression of Coron may be taken as an act of sacrilege by those who have been there and enjoyed it.

If you haven’t and are contemplating going there, this article is a primer so you will know what to expect when you get there.

So read on.

Welcome to Coron

Do you know that there are two Corons Yes, Coron Town and Coron Island.

To get to both, you have to fly into Busuanga Island – one of the three largest islands in the Calamian Group of islands (the others are Culion and Coron).

Busuanga Airport is small but clean and orderly. It is dainty. And for an airport its size, it is busy. Several flights fly in and out on a daily basis. All of them are either from or bound for Cebu, Manila or Pampanga – all local destinations.

Outside is hot and sparse, with hardly any shade. But you won’t miss the endless line of tourist vans discharging or picking up tourists. If your reservation is in order, a driver will be there to greet you.

From the airport, it is a short 30 min drive along a well-concreted hi-way, devoid of traffic, to Coron town 22 kms away.

Town of Coron

Town church – the epicenter of any Philippine town

Coron is a first-class, seaside municipality on the northwestern tip of Palawan. It is built on a hillside and all roads, except those following its contour, go up or go down – depending on your destination.

Most roads are concreted but are small and narrow. Some even look nothing more than alleys. And they are often clogged with traffic – from private cars, delivery and tourist vans and the ubiquitous tricycles, the only mode of public transportation in town.

There is no evidence of any urban planning or a traffic management blueprint.  And all its facilities and utilities, i.e., hotels, restaurants, convenience stores, etc., are like Lego blocks dumped haphazardly on a hillside. They are everywhere and nowhere.

So make sure your hotel is a walking distance away from a decent restaurant. Otherwise, dining will be a problem since most hotels only serve breakfast.

Coron Island

Across a narrow strait and 17 kms away is Coron Island.

Coron island from a distance

It is a forbidding limestone mass of 71 sq km of mountains and craggy hills that was pushed skyward from the bowels of the earth millions of years ago – as shown by the series of perpendicular and parallel shear lines – bottom to top – along its entire inhospitable surface.

Up close

Nothing thrives in Coron Island but the hardiest of vegetation and the Tagbanwas.

Tagbanwa young men – haircut on the rocks

The Tagbanwas is one of the oldest ethnic groups in the Philippines found in central and northern Palawan and is thought to be the earliest settlers of the island. By official edict, they, and only they, are settled on the island.

They oversee the tourist spots in the entire Calamian Islands. On the side, they gather birds’ nests like that in El Nido.

State of tourism in Coron

There are more tourists than residents in Coron. In fact, in 2018, when there were 51,000 natives of Coron, the ratio between residents to tourists was 1/4. And there are no signs of abating since then.

Coron thrives on tourism, nothing else. The fishermen of yore no longer catch fish but tourists who hunger for island-hopping tours.

And the group that is orchestrating, and raking in windfall profits in the process, are the tourist agencies. There are almost a dozen of them and they share one thing in common – maximize profits to the detriment of the paying tourists.

Consider these:

• More often than not, tours have no tourist guides. If there is, he or she falls short of what a guide is supposed to do. He/she is more of a passenger than a source of useful and important information about a destination.
• Food served during island-hopping tours is horrible even for the palate of local tourists.
• Boat dispatching – where tourists are assigned boats – is crude and primitive. The dispatcher, with a list of tourists for the day, sits on a small stool under the shade of a banyan tree while tourists, under the heat of the sun, jostle to check what boat they are assigned to.

To aggravate things, Coron travel people don’t take to criticisms lightly. They are defensive, always hiding behind the argument that “they are just starting in the business.” 

Maybe that’s true. But there is no shortage of noteworthy tourist destinations in the Philippines to learn from. For example, Puerto Princesa is just a few kilometers to the south.

What to expect in Coron

Don’t expect anything breath-taking or something spectacular or awesome in Coron.

There is none. It is over-rated; pure hype. It’s a product of word-of-mouth and social media advertising embellished by heavily-edited images.

But expect to have the town tour and island-hopping tours.

Town tour:

This is a short road trip that makes stops on interesting points in town. Foremost among theme are:

• Mt. Tapyas: It’s drawing power is the observation deck 210 meters up. The top offers an unobstructed panoramic view of the entire environs of Coron and Coron Island – a few kilometers to the south.

Getting up there is a challenge for people with weak knees (like me) because it requires scaling a series of 900 or so steps uphill. So I passed.

• Maquinit Spring is one of the very few hot saltwater springs in the world. With traces of sulfur and temperatures ranging from 30 to 40 degrees C, it is a perfect place to relax after coming down from Mt. Tapyas.

Exercise caution, though. By any measure, it is a public pool. And just like any public pool, hidden health risks abound. It may be therapeutic – if you are alone. But if you are with a platoon of people, think twice before taking a dip.

Island-hopping tours:

There are almost 50 islands that make up the Calamian Group. Therefore, there is no shortage of islands to hop around.

For example, there are the islands of Bulog Dos, Malcapuya, Banana Island, Banul Beach, etc. They come and go like a blur; their names are soon forgotten after the boat lifts anchor to go to the next.

But they offer the same thing – a thin stretch of whitish/light brown sand surrounded by clear and clean waters. There is nothing much of value other than a short dip or taking selfies or group pictures. After a while, it becomes a drudgery.

Francis Bacon once said,

“Nothing is pleasant that is not spiced with variety.“

Perhaps recognizing this fact, tour groups put in some non-beach destinations in their package. But, except for one, Kayangan Lake, they all are frustrating than pleasing.

So don’t expect to see any “Wow” factor in these:

Coral Garden is, of course, submerged and can only be appreciated by using a snorkel. The catch is you have to be a pretty good swimmer because the boat drops anchor a few meters away.

Skeleton Ship is on old Japanese naval vessel that was sunk by the Americans during the last war. But it may as well be called Phantom Ship because you cannot see it unless you scuba or free-dive 6 meters down.

Twin Lagoons is a pair of lagoons – the small and the big – adjacent to each other. The small lagoon is not really a lagoon as lagoons are defined and it can only be reached by wading through chest-deep water (short people not included).

The big lagoon in a real bummer because it is off-limits to tourists for safety reasons.

Yikes!!

Kayangan Lake

Kayangan Lake is a good place to de-stress after the big let-down from the previous three. Not for the lake itself but the sense of adventure the destination provides.

It is one in seven lakes in Coron Island. Getting there is a challenge – scaling more than a hundred steps up and two hundred or so down along a narrow mountain trail.

At the crest is a ledge to take pictures of the amazing bay beneath your feet.

Though dubbed as one of the cleanest lakes in Asia, it lacks the charm and the bewildering beauty of either Sugba Lagoon, or Bucas Grande in Siargao.

Coron could easily spruce it up by putting in things to engage tourists who labored long and hard to get there. A diving platform in the middle, or kayaks or foot-pedaled boats could go a long way to make a tourist’s visit memorable.

Or put up a small shop selling Tagbanwa artifacts or souvenir items.

There are currently a few tourist destination sites in the Philippines that are equal to or better than Coron. And there is no doubt that many more will come into the picture in the near future.

When that happens Coron’s fishermen may go back to fishing for a drought of tourists to take island-hopping tours. I’ve traveled to quite a few places in the country. While some are worth re-visiting, Coron is not one of them.

~oOo~

s.

The post Things You Need to Know about Coron first appeared on Age With Charm.

We all have a retirement bucket list (dreams). They can be small, or gigantic, sensible to wild, achievable or otherwise.

And in my frequent interaction with other seniors, and reading FB threads from members of elderly groups, one of them stands 10 feet taller above the rest. Yes, some dream to travel, to fall in love again,  start a hobby or a business, a new career, or re-establish a better relationship with God.

But rising above all the noise is to be physically healthy or fit.

How many times have you heard people say, “I don’t mind having no money as long as I am healthy,” or something similar?

And for a good reason – all dreams are possible if you are healthy if not, nothing is.

Good physical health is a game-changer for people of all ages. For the elderly, it is essential. Everything revolves around it.

But what is to be physically healthy?

What is physical health?

Physical health is defined as the condition of your body, taking into consideration everything from the absence of disease to fitness level.

It is a critical factor in determining your overall well-being; of how you live your life.

And at our age, it’s kind of pretty tight. A person at 60 or beyond without any chronic condition of one form or another is as rare as a four-leaf clover. In fact, according to the National Council on Aging, 92 percent of people aged 65 and above have, at least, one chronic condition, and 77 percent have two.

As grim as the figures may show, it’s pointless to get so hang-up on definitions or cling to it like a barnacle on a ship’s hull. If those who are bed-ridden, or terminally ill still hope to get well and get on with life again, shouldn’t you?

Regardless of your health condition, never stop dreaming. Besides, modern science has come up with a lot of tips to help you cope with them.

BUT…

(Capitalization is done purposely for emphasis).

You have to make some changes in your lifestyle to be able to pursue and follow your dreams.

Here are some of them.

6 ways to maintain your physical fitness

I belong to the 77 percent of seniors with two chronic conditions: osteoarthritis and hypertension. While I am taking a maintenance drug for the latter, I take my osteoarthritis in a stride – by playing tennis three days a week and brisk walking in two.

And religiously adhere to these:

1.  Eating well

That you have survived this far means you have not been remiss in your eating. But you have to temper it down a little bit and put in healthy foods instead of junk.

While in your younger days, you shoved anything down your gullet, your stomach is not as strong now so treat it gently.

Don’t eat when you’re famished or over-glut when you do. Eat sparingly, just enough to take you to the next meal. And do take three square meals a day with light snacks in between.

Keep away from foods that can exacerbate whatever medical condition you may have like arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol problems. Some people eat indiscriminately for the reason that they are already taking medications for their medical conditions. This is a stupid fool’s argument. No drug is more potent than abstinence.

2.  Regular exercise

Exercise is important to keep your strength, mobility and other physical health outcomes you can think of. For diabetics, for example, it lowers blood glucose levels and boosts your body’s sensitivity to insulin.

Are you arthritic Then exercise to increase strength and flexibility, reduce joint pain and increase your stamina.

The benefits of exercise in the pursuit of your dreams are unlimited – provided you don’t overdo it or do something that can result in injury.

Exercise need not be expensive. In fact, it is the cheapest way to be physically healthy. You don’t need to go to the gym or buy expensive work-out outfits. Doing it at home is good enough.

Think of this – by keeping busy with household chores you can cover about 2 kms of walking per day.

3.  Get enough sleep

It’s not true that elderly people need fewer hours of sleep at night. Studies show that you still need at least 7 – 8 hours to feel rested and alert the following day.

Some seniors, however, have sleep problems. If you are one of them, consult your doctor or read some of those “how to sleep well” tips found on the Internet.

Remember, however, that except for taking pills, sleeping tips require constant practice until you get the hang of it. So don’t lose hope. Keep doing it  Pretty soon, you will be able to sleep like turning off a light bulb.

Chronic lack of sleep can have serious consequences. Aside from causing irritability, a bad mood and undue fatigue, it can also affect your immune system or result in cardiovascular disease.

4.  Avoid chronic stress

Stress is sometimes good. It rings alarm bells that warn you of potential harm or danger. It is bad for your health if it comes more often than necessary.

Here’s why…

Stress causes an adrenalin rush, raising your blood pressure and heart rate. It can result in physical health problems like cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and decreased immune system function.

People who can’t effectively handle stress often resort to overeating, alcoholism or substance abuse.

5.  Keep a healthy weight

Check your BMI (Body Mass Index). If it is within 18.5 to 24.9, you have a healthy weight. Anything higher puts you in the overweight range. At 30 and above, you are obese and time to shed off those extra pounds if you want to accomplish your retirement dreams.

And why is a healthy weight important?

Because being overweight or obese opens you up to health issues common to the elderly, i.e., diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, decreased immunity among others. It can even affect your mental health.

6.  Socialize

Socializing provides a host of health benefits like a better immune system,  a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Plus it makes you feel happier and healthier.

But you must do it the right way. Socialize with the right kinds of people. People you can easily get along with, supportive, not argumentative. People you can share personal matters with and keep them confidential.

And put it some variety to keep things interesting. For example, if you are a gym person, establish close friendships with a few people of similar interest. And do the same in your other activities. Having a variety of close friends in various fields of interest is a lot more interesting and widens your horizon compared to having only one or two.

To be physically fit is essential to everybody. Aging, however, causes some physiological changes that are uncontrollable. And these changes often pose unexpected threats to your overall fitness. Nevertheless, barring genetic forces, you can avoid or slow down the effects of these threats by simply modifying your lifestyle.

And this article shows you how -with no expense on your part at all except your time.

~oOo~

The post How to Be Physically Fit in Six Ways first appeared on Age With Charm.

Congratulations if you are reading this. It means you are still mentally healthy.  Your mind is still functional despite your age. You can understand and make clear and sensible decisions; it doesn’t flit between fantasy and reality.

You still discern colors, sights and sounds around you; feel the warmth of your children’s hands and the smooth skin of their faces as you trace a finger over them. You heart still overflows with joy each time they say, “I love you Dad,” or “I love you, Mom.”

They don’t call you senile or be constantly reminded to take your medicines on time can feed yourself. Nobody is hovering over so you won’t fall or get lost around the neighborhood.

And of course, you want to stay that way for as long as you want – to be able to make choices, go places, play your favorite sport or fly a drone or assemble a remote-controlled car.

You can.

There is no limit to what you can do – even in your latter years.

How?

Read through until the end and be put up to speed about the following:

• What is “mental health”
• Mental health risk factors
• Mental health symptoms

What is Mental Health

Mental health is a person’s level of emotional, pasychological, and social well-being.

It shows on the way you think, feel, and act. Your mental health can be discerned by the way you handle stress, relate with others and make choices, among others.

Contrary to popular belief, mental health, per se, is not age-related.  But aging brings about changes that may affect you physically, emotionally and psychologically. Failure to cope with these changes will impacts your mental health negatively.

These days mental problems have become too common. You hear about mental health issues among, students, celebrities, sports superstars or, at home. Sadly when people talk about “health,” what they mean physical health – forgetting the fact that anything that affects the body, affects the mind as well. And vice versa.

Mental Health Risk Factors

For most, retirement is a time to celebrate. After working for the better part of their lives, they can now relax, stay home with family and friends, travel, or engage in a hobby or sport.

It is the time to enjoy and quench your thirst for a stress-free and enjoyable life.

However, life does not follow this script for some. More too often, the things you did in  your younger days will come to roost – like karma. Even if they don’t, your current circumstances such as loneliness and financial problems will wrankle your mind, affecting your mental health.

Aside from that, the following age-related issues brings about the same effect:

• Health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease.
• Chronic pains in the joints, neck, back, shoulders, and nerves
• Side-effects of medication.
• Loss of income, relationship, independence, self-worth, or mobility, etc.
• Change in living arrangement, i.e., independent living to a nursing facility.
• Social isolation
• Hospitalization.
• Anniversaries of traumatic or sorrowful events and experiences.

Nearly 95% of adults 60 years old and above have at least one chronic condition. And as previously mentioned, all these will affect mental health in varying degrees. And if not properly handled or managed, they can drive one to self-destruction

Mental Health Symptoms

Mental health disorders are treatable if detected early. However, these symptoms are often taken as a result of old age – which, most often, they are. But they should not be brushed aside as one of those things.

For example, if you feel any of these things, consult your doctor:

• Eating or sleeping too much or too little
• Shying away from people and usual activities
• Lethargic or feeling lazy
• Loss of purpose
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Smoking or drinking more than usual
• Crave for harmful drugs
• Being confused, forgetful, edgy, angry, or scared
• Showing episodes of emotional outbursts against family or friends
• Frequent mood swings that affect relationships
• Negative thoughts or recalling old memories
• Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
• Having suicidal thoughts
• Inability to do daily routine tasks

Don’t take them lightly, especially if they start affecting your daily routine.

How to Stay Mentally Healthy in Old Age

Depression, anxiety. and dementia are the common mental health conditions among people. They affect about 7% of people aged 60 and above. Though not many, they should not be taken for granted.

Here are a few things you can do to prepare for its onset – if ever.

Be ready for the changes that come with aging

Being old and retired is a different ball game and you must be to embrace it with grace.

While it may be great to be spared of your daily rush-to-work routing each morining, but you must have a plan to take up the slack so you won’t fine yourself looking up at the ceiling wondering what you will  do rest of the day. God said, “Idleness is the handmaided of temptation.”

For live-along seniors, prepare for bouts of loneliness and isolation, chronic illnesses, and living off a meager pension. While being old age may be liberating, it also imposes limitations that may need assitance from within of without.

Have someone to talk to

Each time I feel like being pressed from all side, I go out to a coffee shop near me. Or I get in touch with my daughter of sister who lives nearby. These may not help in getting rid of the demons of lonliness but they can surely provide relief. It’s always good to have someone to talk to.

Don’t be a hamster of a wheel. Go out and talk to someone – anyone. If you do, don’t unburden your problems to them. That is the surest way of driving them away. Talk about the weather, about politics, religion, of anything under the sun, except your worries.

Talk to a:

• close family members or friends
• a specialist, someone who can help you in a professional way
• someone who shares your concerns
• trustworthy and won’t make your mental problems go viral.

Make it conversational. For God’s sake, don’t cry a bucket of tears in front of other people – if you can help it. Keep it simple. Skip the drama and don’t come out as a cry baby.

Listen, too.

A good conversation is a two-way street. Doing a monologue will defeat the purpose. Besides, nobody really wants to know about your problems, but being lent a sympathetic ear is blessing enough.

Seek help

Follow this formula, “If you need anything, just holler.”

There is nothing wrong with asking for help. It is not a sign of weakness, but acceptance that things are going as well as expected. Acceptance is the first path in untangling the knots on your

Seek help from:

• family and friends
• health professionals
• support groups
• online sources or social networks.

Make a  plan

If my daughter and her hubby (both doctors) go out of town for several days, they make arrangements with a nearby hospital and a fellow doctor to attend to me should I need medical attention.

Though I have never availed of such a plan so far, it is reassuring to know that help is available if needed.

Life is uncertain at best. At our age, each day is a blessing. While the life of an elderly is a toss of the dice, you can improve your odds by having a  plan.

For example:

• Plan whether you will spend the rest of your days at home or in a care center
• What measures to take in case of health and mobility problems
• Are your finances in order
• Do you have quick access to medical facilities and transport
• Who will take care of you when you no longer can’t?
• Have you made your will or funeral arrangements in case of death?

Never leave these things to chance to prevent chaos for those you leave behind. Having them in place is mentally reassuring.

Exercise and have enough sleep

Exercise is important to people regardless of age. It is a must when they hit the 60s and beyond. Not only is it physically good, but mentally as well.

Here’s how exercise keeps you mentally healthy:

• Boosts self-esteem, raise self-worth and self-confidence
• Helps lower blood pressure, strengthens the immune system and many others
• Promotes better sleep
• Provides a good opportunity to meet other people.

And sleep?

Don’t fall for the fallacy that elderly need fewer hours of sleep each day. Sleep is as important as food and you should get the full serving of 7 to 8 hours a day. Anything less will result in:

• poor concentration
• bad mood and irritability
• feelings of lethargy
• a weak immune system

Eat well, drink moderately and stay hydrated

Eating well is not going on a diet – as the word is commonly defined. It is getting the right kinds of nutrients in your meals.

Eating well helps you maintain a healthy weight, blood pressure and the energy to stay active. It is a hedge against arthritis, diabetes, and various heart conditions.

Old age affects a body’s ability to absore alcohol – too much of it. But it is healthy if taken moderately like one or two drinks in a day. However, consult your doctor regarding this as it doesn’t sit well with certain medications and may exacerbate some forms of medical issues.

And don’t substitute it for water. Stay hydrated. Dehydration can result from some pysiological changes due to aging. Several studies have shown that dehydration has a negative impact on cognitive functions such as memory, focus, and critical thinking.

Relax and enjoy life

If there is a time in your life to relax and enjoy life, it is now. The kids are done through college, mortgage payments are done with (presumably), and you have all the time in your life to do whatever you wish to do – travel, write a book, engage in a hobby or your favorite sport.

Reach out to old friends or establish new ones. Don’t withdraw into your shell, but be in the hub of activity, of action and adventure, of laughter and merrymaking. Your brain’s synapses never stop growing and these things are the nutrients for their perpetual growth.

Make your life as stress-free as possible.  Stress makes your thinking murky, as a drop of ink does to a cup of water.

Be grateful

No matter how down on your luck you may be, there is always a reason to be grateful. The grass on your neighbor’s yard may not be green but parched arid and overgrown with weeds.

You don’t have enough money Be grateful you are not in a shelter for the homeless.

Suffering from chronic illnesses Bear in mind that a lot of people your age are on life support or have but a few hours or days to live.

Be grateful that you are walking above the ground while many of your relatives, associates or friends are six feet beneath.

Things are never worse than you think they are. The Dalai Lama said,

“Gratitude is the healthiest of human emotions.”

Other than emotional health, gratitude:

• improves relationships
• is good for physical and emotional health
• enhances empathy and reduces aggressive behavior
• can help you sleep better
• increases self-esteem
• increases mental strength

Being mentally healthy doesn’t mean you won’t suffer the pangs of loneliness or the wretchedness of depression. You may hurt others due to occasional mood swings. But a healthy mind can recognize these as nothing but momentary episodes of emotions stoked by stressful events or circumstances.

Worldwide, avout 16% adults aged 60 and above suffer from a mental disorder. Not a shattering figure but still of serious concern as the population ages.  That leaves you with a choice whether to live among the ranks of elderly people living in the darkness of their thoughts or bask in the sunshine of a healthy mind.

And do help others by sharing this modest piece.

~oOo~

The post How to Stay Mentally Healthy in Old Age first appeared on Age With Charm.

Do you feel angsty when you wake up some mornings?

You feel something is amiss, or about to go wrong. But you don’t know what it is.

It burdens your heart but you can’t express it. What’s worse is you don’t have anybody to express it to,

I do. And my first time got me really scared.

Thoughts of a heart attack danced before my mind.

I felt a slight pressure pushing against my chest, breathing was difficult and painful, and my heart was going boom, boom, boom.

With haste, I immediately drove to the nearest hospital. The results came in after almost an hour of the usual tests. And the verdict was…

My heart was good but my mind was running wild. It was nothing but a severe case of anxiety.

Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. While anxiety is a normal reaction to stressful events, the elderly are more prone to it because of the various issues that come with aging.

Here are six of the most common:

1.  Mental Health

Mental health is the level of psychological well-being or an absence of mental illness. It is the state of someone who is “functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment”. – Wikipedia

With old age comes a change in lifestyles. While most seniors handle this transition with ease, a few (about 15% of adults aged 60) struggle with it, consequently affecting their mental health.

Among the stressors that can cause mental deterioration among the elderly are:

• Retirement
• Depression
• Dementia
• Change in environment
• Effects of medications
• Loneliness and isolation
• Loss of a loved one
• Physical disability
• Chronic illnesses
• Alcohol or substance abuse

2.  Physical health

If there is a scorecard on physical health, most seniors will fail. According to the National Council on Aging, 92 percent have at least one chronic condition, and 77 percent have at least two.

Physical health issues greatly impair your ability to perform daily tasks and other activities like sports. People with physical health issues can’t get by without taking several medications a day to keep them going. Often, they need someone to help them with ordinary activities like eating or personal hygiene..

A myriad of physical health issues can befall to  people in this age range, including you and me. The most common are:

• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Respiratory diseases

Most of these can be managed to allow you live happy and productive life.

3.  Health care costs

Politicians and medical practitioners define “health care costs” differently but this article is not going to give you a giant headache. So to cut through the chaff, it’s going to make it simpler.

“Health care costs are out-of-the-pocket expenses or the amount of money you regularly spend to maintain your health and overall well-being.”

For example, I am taking multi-vitamins and an anti-hypertension drug on a daily basis. They represent a portion of my health care costs, not counting tennis club membership and other things to keep me physically fit.

This amount can be huge even if you are covered by Medicare. A study done by the Center for Retirement at Boston College shows that an average retiree spends around $ 4,300.00 on out-of-the-pocket health care costs per year.

4.  Financial security

Financial security refers to the peace of mind you feel when you aren’t worried about money matters; that you have enough money to cover your daily needs and emergencies well into the near future.

As in physical health, a lot of seniors will fail in the financial health category. Over 25 million Americans aged 60 + are living below the Federal Poverty Level ($ 29,425 per year per person).

They have issues on housing and health care bills, inadequate nutrition, access to transportation and diminished savings. And things due to normal rise in cost of living, their difficulties are expected to go from bad to worse.

5.  Elder abuse

Elder abuse is the single or repetitive lack of action in a relationship or trust, and which causes harm or distress to an older person.

It includes physical, emotional, sexual, financial exploitation or neglect of their welfare by people who are directly responsible for the care of the elderly. This is a growing menace as most of the victims would rather suffer than report them. In fact, more than half a million reports of elder abuse reach authorities every year.

6.  Loneliness and social isolation

Loneliness is a negative feeling resulting from unmet social needs in terms of quantity and quality, while social isolation is total or very limited social contact; to be cut off from your normal social network.

Social isolation and loneliness are often taken as the same. They are not. On one hand, loneliness is temporary and is often a choice, but social isolation is caused by factors like mobility, health issues, no access to services or community activities, or a total lack of communication with friends, family, and acquaintances.

Both are bad for the elderly. Isolation can result in serious chronic diseases such as lung disease, arthritis, and mobility problems, and loneliness can make some seniors engage in unhealthy habits like overeating, drug abuse, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking.

Everybody wants to finish well – whatever we are doing. Retirement is no less. We all want to retire in good fashion – healthy, financially independent and with a vibrant social circle.

Things, however, don’t always turn out the way we want them to. No matter how good your plans are, these old-age issues can derail them any time. The above are just a few of them.

If not handled or managed well, your life will be a string of stressful events. It will be like battling one of those Australian brush fires. Instead of enjoying old age, you will wallow in a deep mire of suffering and regret.

Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be. The Internet is full of resources you can use to achieve your retirement dreams. This blog is one of them.

You can spend precious time searching them out or have them delivered to your email on a regular basis if you subscribe to this blog. The choice is yours.

But remember this – you need not walk the lonely path alone.

Image: Lovin’LIfe after 50

~oOo~

The post Six Old-age Issues You Need to Know first appeared on Age With Charm.

Right now, roughly 25% of Americans aged 65 and above suffer from knee pain. For them, squatting is near to impossible. If they do succeed, they need support to get back up and not without a jabbing pain in the knees.

Standing for long periods of time is an ordeal and moving about can painfully twist a ligament. A handrail is a must in going up and down staircases – one painful step after another.

Are you one of them Then you know how it feels. I know (I am not American) because I have osteoarthritis in both knees – the most common form of arthritis and the major cause of knee pain.

So let’s strip down osteoarthritis naked to know what it is and how to cope with this health issue that has caused so much misery among elderly people like us.

What is Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a joint disorder caused by the wear and tear of the cartilage that cushions the  knee joint. It can affect any joint of the body like the hips, hands, and spine. But it is more common in the knees because they support the full weight of the body.

This knee disorder comes in two forms: primary and secondary.

Primary osteoarthritis is due to aging. Aging causes the water content of the cartilage to increase and the degeneration of its protein make-up. In effect, repetitive flexing of the knee joint can cause pain and swelling.

Secondary osteoarthritis is caused by diseases or other conditions such as obesity, repeated trauma, or surgery on the joints and abnormal joints at birth. Obesity is the most common because it induces more mechanical stress on the knees.

Health conditions like gout, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and other hormone imbalance can also cause secondary osteoarthritis.

How to cope with Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease and worsens over time. It causes chronic knee pain that may affect your daily tasks. In severe cases, it can result to sleep deprivation or depression.

Despite the ads you regularly see on FB and other social media outlets, there is no known cure for the disorder other than surgical implants. If there is any out there, the best it can do is to alleviate your suffering.

So if you are suffering from knee pain, see your doctor or rheumatologist. I just did – after five long years of suffering

Other than confirming that my knee pain is due to osteoarthritis, she also gave me some tips in coping with it.

Here are some of them:

1.  Have a knee x-ray

A knee x-ray may seem redundant but it is the only way your doctor can assess  the degree of degeneration of your knee cartilage.

2.  Pain-alleviation strategies

Osteoarthritis can greatly affect your mobility. It slows you down and forces you to take extra care in your movements. A misstep can send a bolt of searing pain in your knees. So here’s a short list of things to be careful about to avoid that:

• Avoid squatting;
• Avoid standing for long periods of time;
• As much as possible, use the elevator, not the stairs;
• While walking, take care not to make sudden twists or turns, or sudden change in direction which can stretch your knee ligaments;
• Watch out for abrupt changes on surface elevation. An unexpected step on a low-level surface can give your knees a jolt;
• Avoid carrying heavy loads.

3.  Be active

Ironically, one of the best ways of coping with osteoarthritis is to keep active to prevent joint and ligament stiffening. However, you must avoid high-impact exercises and use a pair of sneakers with soft soles to cushion your weight.

Knee and leg-strengthening exercises like hiking, stationary biking, and water sports are good activities in coping with osteoarthritis. For a more comprehensive list of activities visit the Arthritis Foundation site.

4.  Use hot or cold compress:

Hot or cold compress is a good way to relieve sore on inflamed knees. Hot compress increases blood flow while cold compress reduces inflammation of the joints.

When to use either is your call. I find cold compress easier to prepare and bring along when I am doing outdoor sports like tennis.

5.  Use canes, braces, supports:

Walking canes are cheap and convenient to take some of the weight off your knees. But prolonged use can alter the way you walk. If you don’t want to develop a limp, keep away from them.

Splints, braces, and supports won’t affect your gait but you have to consult your doctor so you can get the right one. I am using a knee brace – after consulting with my doctor. It works fine.

6.  Lose weight:

This is a no-brainer. Excess weight is a lot to carry for old knees which have seen better days.  However, obesity as a cause of knees pain may not hold true in all cases. For example, I have an ideal BMI (body mass index), yet both my knees have osteoarthritis. But it does pay to lose weight to avoid other obesity health-related issues.

7.  Eat well:

Eating well means having the right amount of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet. It must also have low-fat or fat-free dairy, lean meat, poultry, beans, eggs, nuts, and fish. Omega 3 fatty acids from fish may relieve pain.

Minimize or keep from food full of saturated fats and trans fats like butter, whole milk, baked goods. Also, minimize your consumption of sugar and salt.,

8.  Use pain relievers::

If all of the above fails, use drugs – as a last resort.

It should be the last resort to avoid dependency or, worse, develop other health issues from prolonged use.

Over-the-the counter drugs like acetaminophen (Tylenol),  ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve),etc., may provide short and temporary relief from pain but should not be taken for long periods of time. In fact, they should not be taken for more than 10 days without running the risk of developing complications stomach irritation, bleeding, and possible liver problems.

When I started having knee pains, I consulted our company doctor. As if on cue, she said that my cartilage is starting to wear out. “But can’t my body rejuvenate them,” I asked. Her answer was as curt and direct as a slap on the face. “At your age, that’s as impossible as growing another tooth,” she said.

If you spend a little time on FB each evening, you can’t fail to notice a lot of ads to cope with knee pains – from simple to hi-tech braces, to ointments, tablets, or liquids that promise to get rid of your osteoarthritis. Don’t fall for any of them unless you want to throw good money away. Consult your doctor to be on the safe side.

Image: dreamstime.com

~oOo~

The post Are You Suffering from Knee Pain Then This is For You first appeared on Age With Charm.

Do you know that 92% of all seniors have, at least, one chronic health issue while 77% have two?

If you are skeptical about this, stand beside or behind an elderly in drugstore counter and observe the wads of prescription pads he wants to be filled.

I once stood beside a guy behind such a guy who was well into his 70s. And he had prescription pads thick enough to fill a folder. When I asked what were those for, he calmly said, “You name it, I have it.”

Yes, by age 60 and beyond, people’s hair gets thin and gray, the midsection has gone sideways, and their diet includes lots of pills – from blood-thinning aspirin to Zytiga, for cancer.

It’s quite ironic that at a time when you are supposed to enjoy life, do all the things you never had time to do before, i.e., travel, re-invent yourself, engage in a hobby, etc., you are also beset with aging-related health issues that need a full day to discuss with your doctor.

For example, here are the most common of them…

Most Common Health Issues of the Elderly

On a scale of 1 to 10, I may be at 8, health-wise. That’s because I am taking Norten, and both my knees have osteoarthritis. But for a guy at 71, that’s relatively healthy. If your situation is similar to mine, don’t blow your trumpet too soon. Someday you can come face to face with one or a couple of these:

1.  Arthritis:

In simplest terms, arthritis is “painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints.” However, arthritis is anything but simple. An episode can be moderate to painful and can last for weeks or months.

There are more than 100 types of arthritis, but the most common are osteoarthritis,  rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gout.

On a day-to-day encounter, when people say they have arthritis, in most cases, what they mean is gout.

Says Marie Bernard, MD, deputy director of the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Maryland,  “Arthritis is probably the number one condition that people aged 65 or older contend with.” 

2.  Heart Disease:

Heart disease is a collective term to describe a range of conditions that affect the heart, These conditions include blood vessel disease (coronary artery disease), heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias), and congenital heart defects.

It is often used interchangeably with “cardiovascular disease,” which refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, angina (chest pains), or stroke.

The most common among the elderly are heart failure, coronary artery disease, and atrial fibrillation.  And it is serious because it kills, and kills silently. In 2014, almost half a million people aged 65 and above died of heart disease, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

3.  Cancer:

Cancer is a collective term given to a group of related diseases characterized by an uncontrolled division of some of the body’s cells and spreading into surrounding tissues.

There are more than a hundred types of cancers but the most common among elderly people are breast, prostate, lung and bowel cancers.

The greatest risk factor of cancer is age. In fact, 60% of new cancer cases in the U.S. are among people aged 65 and above. The silver lining, if there is such where cancer is concerned, is that the disease is treatable if detected early.

4.  Respiratory Disease:

Respirator disease is a disease that affects the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system, i.e., respiratory tract, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleura, and pleural cavity, etc., causing health issues like asthma,   COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), fibrosis, pneumonia, and lung cancer.

The most common among the elderly are respiratory tract infection, tuberculosis, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and bronchial asthma)

In2014, 124,693 people aged 65 and above, died of respiratory diseases – making it the third most common cause of deaths among the elderly.

5.  Alzheimer’s Disease:

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most cases, the first symptoms appear in the mid-60s.

One in three cases of Alzheimer’s disease is preventable, and the risk factors are lack of exercise, smoking, depression and lack of education.

6.  Osteoporosis:

Osteoporosis (porous bone) is a disease that reduces bone density making it porous and fragile.

This is a serious health issue among the elderly because of the risk of bone breakage due to falls. Between 2006 and 2016, falls were the leading cause of traumatic brain injury-related deaths among people aged 65 and above.

And what is alarming is that records from the National  Osteoporosis Foundation, show that 54 million Americans over the age of 50 have osteoporosis.

7.  Diabetes:

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose (blood sugar), is too high.

There are several types of diabetes but most common are Type1 and Type 2. Of the two, the latter is more common.

Type 2 diabetes develops when your body does not make enough insulin or does not make efficient use of it. This type of diabetes can occur at any age but is more common among middle-aged and older people.

Aside from age, the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes are family history, obesity, and lack of physical activity. Other factors also come into play in the development of Type 2 diabetes like high blood pressure and gestational diabetes among women.

Diabetes is an incurable wasting disease. If not properly managed, it can damage a host of body parts like the heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves, and teeth. It can make your feet rot and eat your nerves.

The horrifying part is that roughly 25% of people aged 65 and above have diabetes.

8.  Influenza and Pneumonia:

These respiratory diseases are worth occupying a slot of their own because elderly people are particularly susceptible to them, and they are contagious and deadly.

Influenza, or flu, is common among seniors with chronic diseases. Their symptoms are easy to spot and are easily curable. But if not properly managed, it can lead to long hospital stays and possible more serious complications like pneumonia.

Pneumonia, on the other hand,  is an infection of the tiny air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs making it difficult to breathe. Aside from that it also affects the efficiency of the lungs to provide oxygen to the blood.

In most cases, the flu is seasonal but there is no significant determining factor for pneumonia except that age is one of the risk factors.

9.  Substance abuse:

Substance abuse is a pattern of harmful use of any substance like alcohol and drugs (legal or illegal), to alter the mood and the problem is growing, and this problem is growing.

It is particularly harmful to the elderly because they are more susceptible to the deteriorating effects of these substances; they have a decreased ability to metabolize drugs or alcohol. Other than addiction, this health issue can lead to frailty, cognitive impairment and other potential adverse effects between the misused substance and the brain.

These days, due to advances in science and medicine, people live longer. And the proliferation of the Internet has provided countless opportunities to make life easier, convenient, enjoyable and memorable.  With our without these health issues, people have more options on how to live their lives.

Provided you do your share by keeping a regular visit to your doctor.

Image: https://goo.gl/AfmQ6L

~oOo~

The post What Are the Most Common Health Issues of the Elderly first appeared on Age With Charm.

In 2018, more than seven million tourists visited Siargao.

Those who have not been to Siargao or heard of it may go for a mad scramble to Google it and wonder why such a huge horde of people will visit this dot of an island in the southeast extremities of the Philippines.

Well for one, it is a surfers’ haven. Surfers and surfing enthusiasts from all over the world converge on the island from the months of April to October. And, for non-surfers like me, the island is a treasure trove of natural wonders difficult to find anywhere else.

But before I go into that. let me get you up to speed about this island that merits about 3 million searches a day.

What and Where is Siargao

Siargao is a teardrop-shaped island in Southern Philippines. It belongs to the CARAGA region. Caraga, in early chronicles, means the Land of Brave People and Fierce People.  But there is nothing fierce about the region comprising of Agusan del Norte and del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte,  and del Sur. Its capital, Surigao City, is 62 kms to the west of the island. Connecting the two is a ferry boat ride that can take an hour-and-a-half.

Surigao City – Siargao Ferry Boat Service

On the contrary, the Surigaonons are friendly and nice people. Communicating with them is no problem. Depending on who they are talking to, they can manage English, Pilipino (the country’s national language), or Cebuano – the dialect heavily used in Central Philippines.

On average, 10 flights (PAL and Cebu Pacific) land in Siargao each day. They come from any of the country’s three international airports, namely Clark, Manila, and Cebu, and they land at Sayak Domestic Airport in Del Carmen, Siargao.

Flying time from Manila, the country’s capital, is about 2 hrs and 40 mins, while that from Cebu is an hour. Each flight carries a sprinkling of residents and a horde of tourists, both local and foreign. From there, hired vans or tricycles (motor-driven cab) can take them anywhere on the island.

By “anywhere,” I mean Gen. Luna – the ultimate destination of all visitors. In fact, when people talk of Siargao, what is really meant is this small town at the southern tip of the island.

Gen. Luna, Siargao

Siargao has jurisdiction over 48 islands and nine towns. Gen. Luna is one of these towns, and responsible for its placement on the map.

Gen. Luna is a 45-min to an hour’s drive from the airport. Along the way, you will be afforded a glimpse of some Siargao towns. They all have different names but share one thing in common – they are rural and under-developed. Sans the modern-day vehicles and ubiquitous telecommunications towers, they could very well be the Sleepy Hollow of the Philippines.

Except for Gen. Luna.

What makes it stand out over the rest is the long stretch of a two-lane concrete road running parallel to the coast –  the Surfers’ Row (I coined this because the town has no street names or house numbers).

Surfers’ Row, Gen. Luna

Surfers’ Row is like a modern-day version of an old and dusty mining town in the Wild, Wild West era –  a one-street affair with cheap-looking restaurants, bars, and hotels on both sides of the road. Except that nothing is cheap in Gen. Luna, especially food. Compared to Puerto Princesa in Palawan with much better tourism infrastructure, the cost-of-stay in Siargao is nothing short of hi-way robbery.

Typical street scene, Surfers’ Row

And that’s because of Cloud 9.

Siargao’s Cloud 9

Cloud 9 is at the northeast corner of Gen. Luna. It is almost at the end of Surfers’ row and the place where beach-bummers from all over the world converge to show their mettle.

As an adjective, it is defined “a feeling of well-being or elation.”

Cloud 9 Observation Deck

To a surfer, Cloud 9 is that kind of wave that gives the highest feeling of well-being or elation. It is a surfer’s quest – the wave to ride, to conquer.

They come, majestically, one after the other from the wombs of the great Pacific Ocean. From a distance, they look like nothing more than a swell, building in size and force as they near the shore. Then they start to break, forming a froth at its crest before they rumble towards the shore where they break with a roar.

A Cloud 9 surfer looking for his perfect wave

Watching this endless cycle of wave forming, growing and breaking are mesmerizing to a non-surfer. To surfers Tony Arruza and Steve Jones who came in 1980 looking for the “perfect wave,” it was a Eureka moment. They have found their Holy Grail of waves. They called it the Jacking Horse (how it got its present-day name is a mystery).

But it did not hit the big time until 1992 when John Callahan, a famous surfing photographer took pictures of famous surfers John Slater, Taylor Knox, and Kevin Davidson riding huge waves of Cloud 9 and published them in a well-subscribed magazine.

Since then, an international surfing event is held in Gen. Luna each year. This year was held last Oct. 9 and was won by Philmar Alipayo, a local surfer (see video).

For a surfer, the tale and stories of Cloud 9, and Siargao will never end. For those who don’t, the story ends there. And in a sense, the story is a dud; Siargao is overrated.

Fortunately, Siargao has a lot more to offer than surfing. But you have to venture out of Gen. Luna by taking a tour offered by any tour agency near you.

How to enjoy Siargao if you are not a surfer

Siargao was on my bucket list. For a while, I thought it shall remain there. Lately, it became a wish-come-true. My initial impression, however, was very disappointing. After an impressive stay in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Siargao is a rut. It is backward, dirty and expensive.

Until I joined two tours that covered the following places. They put me on Cloud 9.

Sugba Lagoon

Sugba Lagoon is in Caub Island, 4.5 kms from Poneas Island (see map). Going there takes about 35 mins by motorized outrigger boats from Del Carmen. The route is dotted with numerous islands, lushly covered with mangroves, and is so scenic to keep your senses alive.

Then before you know it, and through a small inlet impossible to see from a distance, you are there.

And behold. To say the place is mesmerizing is an understatement. It’s kind of being transported into another world – a world, a world fantasy, and fairy tales.

Sugba Lagoon scenes

Sugba Lagoon is unbelievably breathtaking. It’s placed emerald green waters make a soothing contrast against the thick vegetation that surrounds the place. The water is so clear you can see the bottom and is free of that scourge of humankind – trash.

I am a sea-lover and the waters of Sugba Lagoon stirred in a deep desire for a reunion. So I took a short swim.

Bukas Grande

Equally enchanting, albeit more stunning, is Sohoton Cove. It is a National Park and is located at Bukas Grande – a group of small islands within the jurisdiction of Socorro.

Getting there is not for people with a severe case of sea-sickness. But if you brave it, the two-hour boat ride is worth the ordeal.

It was for me – upon seeing it I was transfixed like a statue and was gripped with a sudden rush of emotion I was not able to say anything but, “Wow.”

Bukas Grande reception cottage

On its own, Bukas Grande can stand toe-to-toe against the world’s best natural wonders. But its magic is not of itself alone, but of these two breathtaking sites within its bosom:

Sohoton Cove

Sohoton Cove is a challenge. It is inaccessible during high tide and getting inside is a touch-and-go when the tide is low.

The entrance is through an inlet wide enough for the boat to squeeze through and the ceiling is so low you have to bend to avoid getting an ugly bump on the head.

Entrance, Sohoton Cove

But inside is a totally different world – a world of stunning beauty.

Seven small islets, all covered in lush vegetation, placidly sitting on clear, clean and tranquil waters. It’s so peaceful and quiet, except for the merrymaking of outsiders like me.

Inside Sohoton Cove

To cater to tourists’ adrenaline rush, a diving platform is built about 20 feet up a cliff. The challenge is in getting there – it is through a small inlet to get to the footpath that perilously winds up to the platform. Once there, you only have one choice – to jump – because going back is more difficult than going up.

Jellyfish Sanctuary

Inclose proximity to the Sohoton Cove is the Tojomon Lagoon – the jellyfish sanctuary.

The locals can’t explain why this species of jellyfish  (Mastigias Papua) congregate in that area of Bukas Grande, but the tourism authority knows how to turn them into a tourist attraction.

It is so fascinating to see so many small brown critters undulating beneath the surface unmindful of the so many pairs of eyes looking curiously at them.

Contrary to other scary types, the jellyfish in Bukas Grande are harmless. You can swim with them, and touch them. But taking them out of the water is tantamount to murder – you may be fined if you caused the death of one.

The 3-Islands Tour

When the Earth’s crust was undergoing violent upheavals eons ago, strings of magma escaped to the surface. The sea nymphs must have been in a jovial mood at that time, they shaped some into things to suit their playful mood when these escapees colled down and formed islands.

This playfulness can be seen on these islands:

Naked Island

Naked Island is, well, naked. It is nothing but a white sand bar jutting out of the Philippine Sea. Nothing grows on it. Even hardy coconut trees will grow no more than a foot-high sapling then die.

On dark stormy nights, with thunder and lightning making a good light-and-sound background, Naked Island is where sea nymphs build sandcastles or sculpt sand figures of sea gods.

On the more serious side, Naken Island is not typical to Siargao. A similar island can be found in Camiguin Island. But that in Camiguin is not reported to move and change shape as Naked Island do, depending on tidal and wind conditions – so said our boatman.

Daku (Big) Island

Not far from this “sandlot of the gods,” is Daku Island.

Big and flat like a huge dining table, the sea nymphs must have intended Daku to be banquet venue of the sea gods.

It has an elementary school for the locals and a resort for tourists. It also has a long and wide sandy beach for sand games like volleyball or tug-o-war.

Guyam Island

Roughly 10 mins away by boat, is Guyam Island.

From afar, Guyam looks like a giant cupcake – a fitting dessert for the kingly banquet at Daku.

Guyam is small, and a quarter of its periphery is rocky and constantly battered by huge waves from the Philippines. There is no resort on Guyam but on its southwest side, there’s a cute little beach that attracts small crowds like honeymooners and lovers seeking a more quiet place to enjoy the sea, sand and lots of togetherness.

The group started winding its way back to the main island of Siargao when the sun was beginning to cast longer shadows and darkness started creeping on the eastern skies. We were all silent, rapt in our thoughts.

While fatigue was taking over my entire body, my mind was held in disbelief for having just seen and experienced some stunning sites that will soon become pleasant parts of our memories.

You will feel the same way after having gone through these Edenic parts of the country.

~oOo~

The post How to Enjoy Siargao if You are not a Surfer first appeared on Age With Charm.

How do you enjoy life?

If you surf this question, Google will show you ten articles about the subject on the first page, alone.  It will also show you that no less than 3 billion people are as interested to know the answer.

And you should, too, because, at this point in your life, your primordial concern should be to enjoy life – the more the better.

Here’s why…

Old age is the high time to enjoy life – the more, the better. You have had a fruitful career, you may be grayer, but wiser. You are happy and confident with yourself and the things you’ve accomplished, and the time and freedom to do all you want to do.

Evil Knievel said,

“I decided to fly through the air, and live in the sunlight and enjoy life as much as I could.”

Sadly, enjoying life is not bestowed upon retirement. To bask in the rejuvenating rays of sunlight, you must get out from under a shade – no easy task for seniors with chronic diseases and money problems. Others are so rapt up in the trivialities of life forgetting that a lot of things we worry about are nothing but mists that will disappear at the break of dawn.

I learned this the hard way.

A lot of seniors are in a worse situation than you.

While confiding with my daughter about being depressed over something, she immediately snapped back saying, “You have no reason to be depressed. There are a lot of old people out there in a lot worse situation than you.?

She was right. We could never enjoy life if we are so self-focused; if we think that the world revolves around us.

That experience made me recall all the life lessons I learned through the years the hard way. To enjoy life…

1.  Don’t overthink

Don’t overthink, especially about your problems.

Problems are necessary components of living. We all have them. But people who are enjoying life realize that problems are either real or imagined, serious or light and act on them accordingly.

Overthinking is bad because you are unnecessarily taxing your brain over things without basis, or may never happen at all.

Instead of fussing over an issue, analyze it carefully, act accordingly then move on.

As the saying goes, “Don’t worry, be happy.”

2.  Minimize stress

Stress is the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. This response could be physical, mental, emotional in nature. Most of the time it is a combination of all.

It is a normal part of life and could be positive or negative.

Stress is positive if it alerts you to a threat or danger by motivating you to move or avoid it.

But when it becomes constant, even chronic without relief or relaxation, it will overtax your stress response mechanism resulting in the emotional wear and tear of the body.

It becomes harmful if it results in the compulsive use of stress-relieving substances.

When you feel stressed out, remember this – “…There’s going to be stress in life, but it’s your choice whether you let it affect you or not,” – Valerie Bertinelli.

3.  Keep busy

If you want to live long, keep busy – that’s what Andre Maurois meant when he said,

“Growing old is no more than a bad habit which is a busy person has no time to form.”

Busy people are happy. They are never bored and their brains are always working. They are productive and, in a much greater sense, they are enjoying life.

4.  Love

Love is a feeling that nurtures positive energy to a tired and lonely soul. Loving someone else or yourself is kind of a well-spring that nourishes your body and mind each day of your life.

It makes you care and share and, if necessary, bear the brunt of the vicissitudes of old age with a smile.

It makes you cherish and enjoy each passing moment of your life. And gives you a ton of health benefits.

5.  Socialize

Having a close-knit of friends is one of the best ways to enjoy life.  Good, supportive friends increase your self-confidence and self-worth. They make you feel secure.

Good friends can boost your physical, mental and emotional health. They are a good hedge against loneliness and isolation. They help reduce stress and can contribute to longevity.

Socializing these days is a lot easier than decades ago when you had to walk a mile to see an old friend. Now, you can reach them any time of the day, wherever they may be. They are just a click away.

6.  Be grateful

Nothing sets your day right better than to say a prayer of gratitude for living another day, of seeing another sunrise, of being with your loved ones.

Being grateful in all things – big and small – gives you more positive emotions, enjoy a good experience, improves your health, builds strong relationships and allows you to deal with adversity.

Expressing gratitude, to give lasting happiness, is not simply saying “Thank you,” but by having a cheerful and grateful disposition.

7.  Have faith

Faith is complete trust or confidence in a person, thing, or concept.

The life of an elderly is not a leisurely drive along the freeway but a roller coaster ride. In some days, you are up, in others, you are down. There are many unexpected twists and turns that can make you lose traction, direction, or purpose.

What evens them out, the equalizer is faith.

You can lose everything or everyone in your life but never lose faith. With faith,  you can withstand the worst storms in life. Without it, a soft breeze will topple you down.

At 71, I am enjoying life to the fullest. But it was not like this a couple of years ago. Arriving at this level of enlightenment can be likened to that of Gautama’s.

A couple or so years back, I used to overthink. That habit usually led to anxiety or bouts of depression. Until one day, my daughter socked it to me straight (mentioned above).

That episode made me sit under my own Bodhi tree and recalled all the life lessons I learned from the past and put them to good use.

You, too, can.

Please share.

~oOo~

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The post Seven Life Lessons to Help You Enjoy Life More first appeared on Age With Charm.