Aging and Geriatric Issues

Gen Xers know that they’re the best generation. If you don’t think so, just ask one. With waterfall bangs that stood higher than any generation before or after and music they claim to be the best, there is compelling evidence that the coolest crew to ever rock flannel was born roughly between the mid-1960s and mid-1980s. Gen X has always held a unique place in cultural history. The films that shaped the generation were adventurous with rebellious anthems as soundtracks. The stories were arguably a little bizarre, at least by the standards set by the generation’s predecessors, but who can compete with a DeLorean time machine and an extraterrestrial who just really wanted to phone home? It’s Hip to Age If you’re a card-carrying member of Generation X, keep reading. With everything about Gen X that there is to celebrate, there are plenty of reasons to Rock the Casbah. One thing you’re probably not celebrating is your aging body and saying goodbye to your youth. If you’re like the millions of other people in Gen X, you’re probably feeling your age. Your Moonwalk is long gone, and these days, you count it a blessing to stay awake long enough to see what happens to Ferris. Your eyesight is fuzzier than a pirated VHS copy of The Lost Boys, and you can’t even imagine eating pizza after six like you used to. Back in the day, you were the kid who figured out life over a bowl of Cap’n Crunch and a Choose Your Own Adventure book. You survived Y2K, mullets, and all that hairspray. It was once said that aging is better than the alternative. Just because you’ve outlived the Cabbage Patch Kid craze doesn’t mean that you’re celebrating the fact that you are now older than those actors [...]

When you think about getting older, your first thoughts may be based on fear and dread. For example, you may have concerns regarding rising healthcare costs, physical ailments, slowing down, losing loved ones, or getting left behind from the metaphorical rivers of life. However, while those concerns are real and important, elderly people often develop full, meaningful, and fun lives. Richardson Christian Counseling offers support for those navigating the challenges of aging, helping individuals find purpose and peace in this season of life. One of the key strategies to creating an abundant and fulfilling life as we age is to navigate isolation and, therefore, loneliness. While we can’t skip the natural ebb and flow of life’s highs and lows, we can safeguard ourselves from loneliness by making intentional choices. Ways to Guard Against Loneliness as You Approach Aging First, the most important way to prevent loneliness involves surrounding yourself with meaningful relationships. This may mean looking at your current relationships to see if they are serving you well, or even considering moving closer to family and friends. It may also mean moving to a community where there are many others in your age range. To form friendships and relationships that are meaningful and that can stand the test of time, it’s important to make sure you know how to build new ones. So, before you make any sweeping changes in your geography, ask yourself these questions: Am I around enough people I enjoy and with whom I could begin new friendships? Do I like the people I’ve surrounded myself with? Are the people in my everyday life leading a lifestyle that allows for hobbies and time with friends or are they too busy? If my top two friends right now were to move away or, sadly, pass away, would [...]

When we’re in our twenties, life seems long and we feel invincible. As we start to approach middle age, the realization starts to dawn that we are no longer on the right side of youth – our skin starts to sag and wrinkles appear seemingly out of nowhere. How did it happen so quickly, we might ask? What is the secret to successful aging? As Christians, we know that beauty is fleeting (Proverbs 31:30a) and that it is our inner appearance that counts before God, but it can take some time to truly accept the fact that no amount of money or effort can win back our younger selves. We need to preach to ourselves the truth of Paul to Timothy, that “godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8, NIV) Our focus should be on something deeper: “inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16, NIV This does not mean we should not look after our bodies well, but that we need to truly embrace what it means to age gracefully. Here are five tips for successful aging: Get the basics of successful aging right. We all know what we need to do to be healthy – get the right nutrition for our bodies, and exercise regularly. While we might have been able to coast through our earlier years without paying heed to this advice, successful aging depends on getting these core lifestyle pillars in place. The good news is that it’s never too late to start. Begin by incorporating small healthy habits into your lifestyle. Try less sugar in your tea, or a walk around the block daily, for instance, and then work on growing these successes. Challenge yourself. The people [...]