"Gronwing in Grace"

Aging is a part of living. Growing old gracefully is choice, a choice that includes planning for the future and embracing what life has in store. With more and more people getting older and living longer, it makes sense for all of us to give careful consideration to the lives we want to live 10, 20, or 30 years from now. So how do we get started? We start by being honest about our current situation and making decisions now about our futures.

Last week’s Health Watch guest Dr. Eva Mor, epidemiologist, gerontologist and author of the book, Making the Golden Years Golden, gave us food for thought about aging. The explosion of aging Baby Boomers is forcing the entire nation to reconsider what it means to grow older. With more disposable income, accumulated wealth, technological savvy, and education the elderly are demanding more and better options. Take for instance housing and long-term care.

Most people want to be as independent as long as they possibly can. The ability to remain in ones’ home is a big part of this. A generation ago, when aging loved ones could no longer care for themselves, their choices were limited. Either move in with relatives or into nursing homes. This is not the case today. Although living with relatives and nursing homes are what some elders choose, others are opting for other arrangements. Some of these choices include hiring part-time or round the clock sitters for care and support at home. Others are selling their homes and moving into assisted living facilities and retirement communities. Some are opting to rent space in their homes to non-relatives or become boarders in others’ homes. Still others are choosing new living concepts like the Green House Project, small communities of elders and support staff living together. (www.thegreenhouseproject.org)These choices are making the prospect of growing older less troubling and more engaging. That is a wonderful thing.

If you are someone you love needs to think about long-term care and housing, start by taking a look around where you currently live. Are the main rooms of the house all on one level? If you or your loved one were confined to a wheelchair, would mobility around the house be affected? Are the bathrooms designed for easier access by someone who is frail? Are front stairs easy to climb or is a ramp available? If not, then perhaps it is time to make upgrades to ensure you can remain in your home for as long as possible. Thinking about things like this on the front end can make decisions that much easier later on.

For more information about how to make the golden years golden, you might want to check out Dr. Mor’s website, www.goldenyearsgolden.com. Aging does not have to be burdensome if we embrace it with thoughtfulness and care. That’s what Health Watch intends to do and we hope you do the same. Until next time remember, “When we know better. We should do better. So pass it on.”