This blog presents the ideas and creative thinking of some of Utah's talented older adult writers. Their submissions are to inform and entertain, not to present policy or opinion positions of the Utah Commission on Aging. Enjoy.
As the heat of summer fades away, so might our awareness of how important it is for us and our older family members to stay hydrated. Because I’m coping with hip pain until I can have a hip replacement, today I watched a video of two doctors talking about nonsurgical methods for how to deal with hip pain. Surprise! One was to stay hydrated because dehydration can be a cause of joint pain.
How old do you feel in your head? Odds are it’s “a lot younger” than you feel when you look in the mirror or see a photo of yourself that someone else has taken from your “bad side.” If you have good genes, have been careful about not getting too much sun on your face, die your hair (that can also work against you), eat well, and exercise, other people might think you look a little younger than you are, but not that much younger!
Like every other person old enough to give it any thought, I want to live in my own home for as long as I can. I also don’t want to be a burden on my children who will have to help make that possible. The trouble is, by the time we get that old we often don’t realize how difficult it is for our children to keep us at home safely. Even when they’re not here helping us, they worry about us.
No! Not that “Good Word.” This blog post is not about religion. But I am writing it with a sense of missionary zeal for spreading the many compelling topics, helpful strategies and resources I learned about recently while attending the Symposium hosted by Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox, Aging with WISE Purpose: Improving Wealth, Independence, Security and Engagement. I left with a head and a notebook full of ideas for future blogs, but I just couldn’t wait to give you a taste of some of what were the highlights for me.