Have you done everything you can to promote your own health and well being and encourage those around you to do the same? Can you improve upon what you have now? Are there opportunities you have not yet discovered? You are never too young or too old to visit or re-visit these questions!
“The key to aging successfully involves reaching for a level of physical, social, and psychological well-being that is pleasing for both ourselves and others. We may also strive to age productively by remaining as active as possible in all three spheres.”
— Jeanne Wei and Sue Levkoff, leading experts on aging at Harvard Medical School
How should I approach getting older? The APA guide on aging has a few suggestions:
- Continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including regular physical activity, and make accommodations for any changes in your function, e.g. hearing, vision, flexibility, or strength.
- Continue to engage in routine preventive health behaviors (e.g., get immunizations for flu and pneumonia and booster shots as recommended, participate in cancer screenings, and stay physically and mentally active).
- Continue to advocate for yourself and your family in health care settings or bring a knowledgeable representative with you. Do not be afraid to ask questions or get a second opinion.
- Keep an accurate record of all medications with dosing instructions to review with all of your health care providers and pharmacist. Clarify anything that does not make sense to you.
- Maintain good stress management and emotional health. As you experience age-related losses, seek the support of others to help you cope with those losses.
- Live in a community that will provide you with needed support as you age. Socialization, activity, and access to quality health care and transportation will all help you remain healthy, happy, and engaged as you age.
Sukham addresses these ideas and topics below and provides some resources to help you take that next step.
Don’t let getting older stand in your way!
Take a look:
