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.
Bone density, an indicator of one’s predisposition to bone fractures, can be measured by a DEXA Scan. I had my latest DEXA scan on 12/11/23. In the first call from my doctor’s nurse, he simply stated that there had been an increase in my bone density since my last test two years ago, so I should keep taking every-6-month Prolia shots. Unlike my usual “do-what-the-doctor-says” self, I replied that I refused to continue the shots and explained my reasons.
Intermittent Fasting (IF) is a popular eating strategy that involves restricting when and how often you eat, and it has less of an emphasis on what or how much you eat. Until I started IF, the only thing that worked for me was to go cold turkey on sugary treats like cookies (my weakness), chocolate, candy in any form, and all desserts. It takes me 3-4 days to get over the intense craving of my sugar addiction and then I feel great…until the next social event, or sleepless night, or the need to reward myself overtakes my willpower.
I’m old. Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as people in their 20s, but many elderly people get much less sleep than they need. Do you have trouble getting enough sleep? Is it because you’re old, or have you always had issues with sleep deprivation? Maybe being old has just added to the reasons you can’t sleep.
My journey on the road of life has been quite the adventure. I'm a 73-year-old outdoor junkie, who, at the ripe age of 22 had his life take a detour. I sustained a C-6 spinal cord injury from a diving accident, paralyzing my body from the neck down.
Parkinson’s Disease awareness has been raised by Emmy Award winning actor Michael J. Fox’s 32-year battle with the disease and his successful Michael J. Fox Foundation that has raised over a $1 billion for Parkinson’s research. But his age—30—when the symptoms began and all he has been able to accomplish and continues to do during that time is not typical of what many others with the disease experience. Like several neurological disorders, the initial symptoms and the progression can vary greatly from person to person.