Archive for the ‘Life Enrichment’ Category
September 17, 2010
Ben Franklin said that there are two sure things in life: death and taxes which are now so prominent in the news media. Get ready for a third sure thing, especially for many Americans i.e. downsizing. A 1970 collegiate dictionary says downsizing means “to produce smaller models or styles.” An early 21st century version includes reducing the size and operating costs of a company and of a residence for those approaching retirement.
For many the work in downsizing seems to resemble an earthly Hell which may force them to give more attention to end-of-life matters.
The reader may expect a weighty hint on how to facilitate a home downsizing. There is none other than the techniques used in other areas of life when a decrease or a change is called for. Get help from family or friends, and remember three short words “Just do it.” Everyone learns most just be doing.
Other than business and residence following are a few additional downsizing suggestions:
- Ego
- Criticisms of family and friends
- Wasteful work
- Hours watching television
- Alcohol consumption
- Suggestions from the reader
The reader will notice that this list calls for reductions—not eliminations.
Tags:CHANGE OF ADDRESS, DOWNSIZING, TIPS FOR A GOOD LIFE
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February 18, 2009
“When you are starting a new career and you’re over 60, you ‘d better blow your own horn.”
Thus spoke Mary Sue Koontz Nelson December 7, 2002 a the the meeting of the North Texas National Speakers Association in Dallas. On display was a natural entertainer reminiscent of the great Phyllis Diller. She gave a hilarious and captivating account of the life she and her husband(s) led in the cattle and oil business in South Texas.
This blog has more modest objectives. Considerably past 60, it am blowing my horn hoping that its dulcet tones will attract readers interested in securing a program resource for senior citizens. I have two presentations of about 30 minutes each designed to encourage seniors to make maximum use of the opportunities and benefits that surround them.
I started the speaking career in November, 1998, even then somewhat past 60, with the Golden Age Glow presentation to residents of Chambrel Club Hill in Garland, TX. Since then, I’ve made presentations to similar residences as well as to meetings of AARP, churches, and city senior centers.
One of the two is “Polishing the Gold of the Senior Years” or “Golden Age Glow” for short. It implies that their sense of humor has helped seniors reach their golden years. It takes a wry look at the vicissitudes of mature life. After giving humorous attention to seniors’ major nuisisances, it suggests attitudes and activities that can contribute to both their physical and emotional health. A
popular candy can help them remember these aids to their well-being.
The other is “Golden Age Glee” which affirms that laughter is the lubricant of life. As it reduces everyday frictions, it brings both emotional and physical benefits. Using humor, this speech takes
up a few of the common physical vexations of senior citizens; it describes the benefits of frequent laughter, and it encourages seniors to use simple techniques to promote laughter.
I invite anyone interested to call or write for more information or for just a general discussion of the importance of these topics for survivors of youth and middle age.
Tags:El arte de vender con éxito, El envejecer con garbo, El humorismo, La alegría de la tercera edad, La mente.El músculo, La mezcla (asociarse con gente), La tercera edad, laugh for health, laughter, Nunca lució o pareció mejor, senior laughter, Virgil y el humorismo
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February 17, 2009
Part I
Recently, it seems that whenever I see someone after an absence of a year or two they often say “Virgil, you never looked better.” Probably they are referring to the three stages of life i.e. youth, middle age, and ‘you never looked better.’ That made me feel good for a time until the day my sister and I were rummaging through a box of photos that our mother collected, and there was my high school graduation picture, the kind that is sent to the relatives whether they want it or not. Reluctantly, I admit that I looked better then than now. Probably when people comment favorably on your appearance, they are being polite and in effect are saying “You don’t look so bad for somebody your age.”
Time affects everything on earth. The purpose of this modest composition is to mention the vexations of the senior years and the ways of making them yield contentment and satisfactions.
People look on age differently. Ask a little boy how old he is, and he is likely to reply “Oh, I’m eight and going on nine.”This enthusiasm implies that he is eager to age and grow up fast. Ask a mature man how old he is, and if he replies, you are not likely to hear “Oh, I’m forty-nine and going on fifty. HOORAY!”
There is another strange thing about the passage of time: the closer we get to a certain age the younger it becomes. For example, a ten-year old thinks twenty-five is ancient, but a person of sixty does not consider seventy old. Time also causes some seniors to change their opinions of advanced age. Women, primarily, but not always, are coy about age revelation until the eighth or ninth decade. Then, many seem to delight in boasting “Oh, I’m 87″ or a similarly advanced age.
A wit suggested that for men there are four stages in senior progression. He overlooked women probably because discretion is the better part of valor. A man knows he is a senior in the first stage when he forgets names. In the second stage he forgets faces. In the third stage he forgets to zip up, and in the fourth stage he forgets to unzip.
Tags:aging gracefully, El arte de vender con éxito, El envejecer con garbo, El humorismo, humor, joyful aging, La alegría de la tercera edad, La mente.El músculo, La mezcla (asociarse con gente), Life Enrichment, senior humor, three stages of life, Virgil y el humorismo
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February 13, 2009
Part II
There are less calamitous ways of recognizing the passage of time. A man knows he’s a senior when he comes home late at night, and his wife is no longer suspicious. Or, he is with a group of various ages, and younger ones are debating about undertaking a project. One moans “I don’t know if I should do it.” Another says “Go ahead, you’re young only once.” The senior blurts out “When was that?”
The most alarming indication of age, however, is the day he opens the little black book and discovers that all of the telephone numbers in it belong to doctors. Doctors and seniors have a symbiotic relationship. They need each other. It’s like the bee and the flower. The bee lives on the nectar from the flower, and the flower needs the bee to scatter pollen so it can reproduce. It resembles the song of two generations ago: “Love and Marriage, Love and Marriage, They Go Together Like a Horse and Carriage. Dad Was Told by Mother You Can’t Have One Without the Other.”
Almost everyone agrees that modern medicine has done much for seniors. The increased longevity of today is due mainly to the work of medical science. I have had contact with all kinds of doctors and with generally satisfactory results. Recently, I was counting the various kinds of specialists I’ve seen over the years and believe the number would be eligible for the Guinness Book of Records. And then a the widow of a cousin in Arizona told me that in his illness they had 35 doctors. Well, at least they received bills from 35 doctors!
I’m so used to regular doctors’ appointments that the first day of a month upon turning the appointments page to see what is written in those little boxes and not seeing an appointment with some kind of doctor or dentist, I begin to feel odd, a little woozy and then rush headlong to the telephone yellow pages to the section titled “Physicians.” Do you realize that there are 72 such pages in the Dallas directory? A few of them are devoted to just one specialty, the kind that will modernize your face and restore its high school look. I then follow the advice of the telephone company commercial of years ago to “let your fingers do the walking.” Mine trample over those pages in search of a suitable doctor and often develop finger fatigue, even a sprain!
Tags:aging gracefully, El arte de vender con éxito, El envejecer con garbo, El humorismo, humor, La alegría de la tercera edad, La mente.El músculo, La mezcla (asociarse con gente), La tercera edad, laugh for health, Los Placeres de la Tercera Edad, Nunca lució o pareció mejor, seniors and doctors, three stages of life
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February 12, 2009
Part III
I went to see a doctor recently and told him “I have a pain in this leg.” He looked at me for a few seconds and said “Virgil, you have to realize that you are getting a little bit old.” ” But doctor,” I replied “the other leg is the same age, and it doesn’t bother me at all.”
Still not feeling well I went to another physician who apparently was quite perceptive. After listening to the dreary recital of my ailments, he said “You are going to have to realize that I can’t make you young again.” “But, doctor,” I replied “I don’t want to be young again. I just want to keep on getting older.”
Another doctor wanted to be supportive. After listening to my tale of woe, he tried to encourage me by saying “I’m sure that medicine has made so much progress in the last fifty years.” I retorted ” If that is so, how come I felt so much better fifty years ago?”
I began to realize that it is possible to dwell too much on my aches and pains, and it is good therapy to think about the problems of others once in while. I then decided to visit senior citizens’ centers and to talk with others or at least to exchange symptoms with them.
One afternoon I walked into a center and saw a man standing and staring into space with a morose and downcast expression on his face. Wanting to cheer him up a bit, I approached and said “Here is a card table and a deck of cards. How about a game of gin rummy?” He replied “No, I did it once and didn’t like it.” Although rebuffed, I tried again. “On the wall is a dart board and some darts. I can’t hit the broad side of a barn, but how about a game?” “No,” he said “I did it once and didn’t like it.” I had only one strike left so I said “There is a pool table in the next room Do you want to play a game of eightball?” In a softer tone he replied, “No, but my son is coming soon, and he will be glad to play a game with you.” After staring at him for a couple of seconds, I remarked “Your only son, I presume.”
Tags:El arte de vender con éxito, El envejecer con garbo, El humorismo, humor, joyful aging, La alegría de la tercera edad, La mente.El músculo, La mezcla (asociarse con gente), La tercera edad, Life, Life Enrichment, Los Placeres de la Tercera Edad, Nunca lució o pareció mejor, senior laughter, Virgil y el humorismo
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February 11, 2009
Part IV
During a visit at another senior center I saw a man who was slyly close to an attractive young employee. He seemed to whisper something in her ear. She turned and pushed to the side and angrily shouted “Oh, you’re interested in only one thing.” And then she had to tell him what it was.
One afternoon I visited an elderly gentleman in his home, and on walking in I noticed something in his ear. Getting closer I remarked “Why, you have a suppository in your ear.” In a sign of recognition he put his hand to his forehead and gasped “Now I know where I put my hearing aid.”
In managing our senior years we can use the word cope, popular several years ago, but still useful. Obviously most seniors cope fairly well. After all, we’ve had years to learn how. As an aid to coping in our daily routines, let’s keep in mind the well-worn slogan “Attitude is everything.” It affirms that thinking can make it so, a principle advocated in cognitive therapy,
We can all lament the disappointments in our lives. We may not have achieved our youthful ambitions. But we can be certain of one thing! We have reached a certain age! We have a birth certificate (or driver’s license to prove it). Recently, I had a disquieting thought. Maybe they made a mistake on my birth certificate. Maybe, I’m really ten years younger. The initial ecstasy vanished on thinking about the consequences. I would have to return social security and company pension payments as well as discounts received from McDonalds, the airlines, movie theaters etc. Even more troubling would be a mistake made in addting ten years to the actual birth date. It’s better to stay where I am and think about Mark Twain’s comment: “I’m an old man. and I’ve known many troubles, but most of them never happened.” Here are two troubles that probably never happen to anyone.
Tags:aging gracefully, El arte de vender con éxito, El envejecer con garbo, El humorismo, humor, La alegría de la tercera edad, La mente.El músculo, La mezcla (asociarse con gente), La tercera edad, Los Placeres de la Tercera Edad, Nunca lució o pareció mejor, senior humor, senior socialabilty, Virgil y el humorismo
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February 10, 2009
Part V
This successful challenge of the calendar merits a large measure of gratitude. Life is a gift. The appropriate response is to feel appreciation
In 44 BC Cicero, the famous Roman statesman and philosopher, said that gratitude is the greatest of the virtues. In fact, he believed it to be the parent of all of the other virtues. Many years ago in a Bib le class the pastor of my church observed that thankful people are happy people. This coincides with the Biblical injunction: “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!” Happily, gratitude also bestows other benefits. A study of a large group of thankful people revealed that they were more joyful, healthier, less stresed, more optimistic and more likely to help others.
One way of capturing these benefits is to write down the things that we are thankful for. We can do that either daily or weekly. Every morning a senior lady jots down on the daily desk calendar one pleasing event, person or life feature. The day we visited she had written “sunshine.” All thinking humanity rejoices in the beneficial glow of the sun. Others write five items of gratitude just once a week Later they occasionally review the list. By systematically listing our blessings we make ourselves aware of them and thus augment our well-being.
Tags:appreciation, El arte de vender con éxito, El envejecer con garbo, El humorismo, Gratitude, La alegría de la tercera edad, La mente.El músculo, La mezcla (asociarse con gente), La tercera edad, Life, Los Placeres de la Tercera Edad, Nunca lució o pareció mejor, Virgil y el humorismo
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February 9, 2009
PART VI
With appropriate gratitude we can plan the management of our future by employing a famous candy, “M&Ms”, as a mnemonic device. To achieve an exact fit, however, I’m suggesting an additional “M” which brings 3 “Ms” to represent words that call every senior to action. One”M” is for muscle, one stands for mind, and the third symbolizes mixing (socializing).
A few years ago a university medical bulletin carried the headline, “Stop Looking for the Fountain of Youth. You already have it.” Yes, exercise can help build a more youthful body. The print and electronic media remind us of that almost daily. The evidence for the benefits of exercise continues to accumulate.
A Yale University School of Medicine professor remarked that, of course, it is important that senior citizens follow good health rules and get adequate medical care, but their primary aim should be to avoid frailty. The weakness that accompanies old age can restrict normal daily activities with possible devastating results i.e. a fall from which the patient is too weak to undergo appropriate physical therapy. Younger people often have the same ailments as seniors, but they usually have the strength to carry out normal activities, and their lives are not greatly altered.
A friend attended a lecture by an exercise specialist who cited a study of a group of both men and women over the age of 70. They were asked to lift a weight of ten pounds. Seventy-five percent of the men did it, but only twenty-five percent of the women managed to do it. Further details are not available especially the ideal lifting weight for the septuagenarians. It would seem, however, that strength training for the women and for some of the men is in order. We know that everyone should consult a physician before embarking on an exercise program.
Sports provide opportunity for exercise. I used to play golf, and one day went out to the course. A man of 85 approached asking for the job of caddy. I replied “This bag of clubs is too heavy for you, but you can be the ‘fore’ caddy who yells ‘fore’ if it seems the ball I hit will strike another golfer either in front of us or at the side.” “How’s your eyesight?” “It’s 20-20″ he said. I hired him and stepped up to tee off. I gave the ball a hard smack and turned to the elderly caddy and asked “Did you see it?” “I sure did,” he replied. “Well, where did it go?” I asked. Perplexed, he put a hand to his head and murmured “I forget.”
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February 8, 2009
Part VII
The hapless senior caddy in the last paragraph of Part VI should not be downcast. He gets a lot of exercise walking and carrying the bulky bag, and this benefits both body and mind; but, in addition, he should stimulate his brain, not to build gray matter, but to promote cognitive acuity. Recently it was determined that mental acrobatics do not actually build brain tissue.
Several years ago a neurologist recommended three activities for mental stimulation and alertness, i.e., playing the game of bridge, studying and speaking a foreign language, and studying and playing a musical instrument. All require concentration and memorizing. Later, other authorities suggested working crossword puzzles, attending lectures, and reading somewhat complex books. They do not recommend first grade reading books such as “My Dog, Spot” where the young scholar reads “I have a dog. His name is Spot. He is a good dog etc.” Every reader of this blog with childhood memories could finish writing the book in high style.
In making this presentation to senior groups in the past I, along with perhaps everyone else, suggested that the computer can stimulate thought processes, and this recently was confirmed by a published opinion that working with a computer is probably the best way to preserve an active mind. No one has confirmed my opinion that writing whether with paper and pencil, word processing or email is also an excellent way to augment the thought process, but I believe it is.
Seniors interested in preserving both mind and body should remember the old axiom “Use it, or lose it. “Only seniors who maintain an ample schedule of intellectual pursuits have a reasonable chance of warding off or delaying mental and emotional stagnation that often attacks in the later decades.
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Tags:aging gracefully, El humorismo, humor, joyful aging, La alegría de la tercera edad, laugh for health, laughter, Life Enrichment, senior humor, senior laughter, three stages of life, Virgil y el humorismo
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February 7, 2009
Part VIII
So far we’ve considered two Ms as guides for seniors: movement or motion and mind or mental activity. Some health advisors believe the third M, mixing or socializing, may be even more important.
In a study of seniors several years ago to determine the incidence of colds and flu during the fall and winter months researchers came to a surprising conclusion. People who lived alone or isolated lives were more likely to suffer from contagious diseases than those who mingled with others or moved in crowds. It seemed that staying away from carriers did not protect them and, and the isolated were even more vulnerable to a few germs than the active people exposed to multiple coughs, sneezes. The theory was that their immune systems were weakened by feelings of loneliness and depression. In 2008 this theory was confirmed which buttresses the importance for socializing.
Reading that prompted, me to visit an isolated gentleman, not to catch a cold or the flu, but to provide some mixing for him, and for me, too. Upon entering his house I noticed something protruding from his ear and said “You have a suppository in your ear.” “Oh,” he exclaimed, ” Now I know where I put my hearing aid.”
The people on the Japanese island of Okinawa are famous for their health and longevity. Their diet of fruits, vegetables and seafood may play a part, but their social cohesion may be even more decisive. Their proverb “One cannot live without the support of others,” can be adopted by all humanity, but according to social scientists there is a bonding in Okinawan society that is not found in the West or elsewhere. Social groups called “connecting circles” hints at this cohesion. Another activity is ” meeting for a common purpose.” While Americans may claim that their meetings have a common purpose, different participants often offer diverse agendas.
Notwithstanding the Okinawans, Americans are basically sociable. Mingling with others lifts our spirits, and as an added bonus, strengthens our immune systems.
As the parting paragraph to this lengthy treatise, I will mention the positive attitude of the man whose 99th birthday party I attended. While leaving I grasped his hand and said “I sure hope I can come back next year and help you celebrate your 100th birthday.” He gazed at me for a few seconds and remarked “I don’t know why you can’t. You look healthy enough to me.”
Tags:aging gracefully, El arte de vender con éxito, El humorismo, humor, joyful aging, La alegría de la tercera edad, La mente.El músculo, La mezcla (asociarse con gente), La tercera edad, laugh for health, laughter, Life Enrichment, Los Placeres de la Tercera Edad, senior humor, senior laughter, three stages of life, Virgil y el humorismo
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