Aging and Medicating

When Covid hit, I started to fill my space with plants. It has turned out to be a great hobby. I especially like the Maranta plants and have a couple of different species. What I like about them is that, in the evening, they fold their leaves as if praying. I found their presence in my home to be particularly calming.

Today, I have a couple of plants in my “Zen” space. I have found it very helpful to my mental well being to surround myself with things that keep me calm. My quiet space is “sacred” to me and these beautiful plants add to feel of the room.

Marantas are very easy to care for. They need indirect light and moist soil.

I have found many wonderful pots for my plants in thrift stores as well.

Marantas are easy to propagate and make great gifts. When a plant becomes too full, I will pull out some plants, let them sit in a small glass of water until the roots sprout. Then, I will transplant them into a smaller pot. They make great gifts, especially at Christmas.

Celebrating milestones is important to many of us as we age. Birthdays and anniversaries take on more meaning as we age. As many of our friends and family start to pass away, we often think of our own mortality.

Many of us can accept the death of our peers as we get older. Accepting the illness and death of a person in their twenties is much tougher to handle.

As a parent, I was at a loss for words when my friend told me that her adult child had cancer. There isn’t a play book to follow at times like this. I didn’t know what to say without the words sounding like the “thoughts and prayers” of so many politicians…anything that I said sounded like empty words.

I welled up after hearing my friend’s news. The tears said far more than any of my words could.

When young and seemingly healthy people develop cancer, things seem grossly unfair.

For many of us, turning to faith is helpful. Hoping to find clear direction and bring some light into a dark situation is not an easy thing to do.

Watching a friend grieve the loss of child is painful. Listening and being as supportive as I can be is something that I have cleaved to in the last few weeks. I can’t shake this feeling of a life being snatched away very cruelly.

Having friends and family to speak to during times of grief is important. The bonds and tough conversations weave a thread of humanity and bind us together. Mental health professionals and primary health care providers are excellent resources when you feel that you need to speak with a trained professional.

Aging brings about many life changes. Many of us see declines in our physical health. Children may move away to start their lives. Retirement often results in a loss of social networks that defined us in our younger years.

Isolation and physical limitations often cause us to ruminate about the past. Did we do everything we could have or should have for our children? Were we honest with our loved ones? Did we give our life partner the respect that he or she deserved? What about lost friendships? Betrayals?

Unresolved issues from our past can lead to anxiety and/or depression.

Many of us are from a generation where we don’t talk about our emotional pain. And, this way of managing our struggles can lead to more isolation and depression.

If you are struggling mentally, please speak to your family doctor about what is going on. There are many treatments available today which were not available 50 or 60 years ago.

Turning 60 is big milestone. When I turned sixty. I took a long look at my fitness and quality of life.

I started training for a marathon this past year and that was probably one of the best decisions that I could have made for my health and overall sense of well being.

From a psychological stand point, it has been very healthy for my overall sense of well being. Like many other health care providers, I was feeling stress and burnout after the pandemic. Focusing on something for me was key to improving my health.

If you are thinking of starting an exercise program, speak to your doctor first for an assessment. Find a program that is going to work for you and ease into it.

Depending on the type of exercise program that you start out with, getting a good pair of shoes is important. I found the Brooks shoe to be an excellent running shoe. It feels very comfortable and accommodates orthotics.