Age is just a number

The holidays are a time for family’s to rejoice in togetherness. Being with multi-generational family members gives everyone an opportunity to see firsthand how much the grandchildren have grown, how your crazy Uncle has gotten crazier, and the kind of stress placed on wives and daughters caring for Grandma. Coping with the stress of Caregiving can be challenging. Caregivers must choose between caring for their elderly loved ones and their own children. Over 50% of caregivers are forced to make their choice weekly, but one in 5 must choose daily. Women aged 35-54 have the highest stress of any age group. Burn out damages the caregiver and the loved one needing care. Respite care helps both overcome the stress that can cause physical and mental health to decline in the caregiver. Think about giving your family caregiver a break this holiday season. It’s the best gift you can give.

The holidays are rapidly approaching.

For most of us, the holidays are a wonderful time to share the joys of family life and friendship. But for many older adults the holidays can be highly stressful, confusing, or even depressing if their mental, physical and emotional needs are not taken into account. Older, frail family members can get lost in the shuffle and chaos of happy family gatherings. Additionally, there are particular influences that contribute to seniors being at risk for the “holiday blues.”

Many seniors face loneliness. Even if family members live in the same city, adult children often become so busy with their own lives and social obligations that they fail to recognize how much their parents or grandparents look forward to spending time with them during the holidays.

Another contributing factor is that many seniors have outlived cherished friends and family members and these losses feel even more painful during the holidays. For many, the memories of holidays past so outshine present day celebrations they feel unable to experience joy in the here-and-now.

The holidays bring special challenges. Be sensitive to the needs and emotions of your loved ones.

We used to be known as the Baby Boomer Generation. It’s a bit difficult to call ourselves anything with the word Baby, as the oldest of us approach retirement age.

Today we’re just called Boomers but that is changing.

We have our own children and grandchildren below us and we have our parents above us. That’s 3 generations and we have become the Sandwich Generation.

People are living longer thanks to better and healthier practices, and they are more active than ever before. Not unexpectedly, younger people tend to have the perception that getting older happens at a younger age than seniors tend to believe.

A national survey completed by the Pew Research Center to gauge Americans views on aging:

People over the age of 50 tended to answer the survey that they felt as if they were 10 years younger;

• 50 is the new 40.
• one third of people 65 to 74 said they felt 10-19 years younger,  at 74 they feel like 55
• and one sixth of people over 75 felt 20 years younger. Pick an age- at 80 they feel like 60.
• Interestingly, people under 30 typically said 60 marks the time when old age starts.
• On average, people believed that old age begins around 68, but surprisingly few people over 65 agreed – they believed old age began at 75.

Age is just a number, right?