• Home
  • Articles
  • S Central PA
  • About
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Blog

Advice from an Elder Transitioning

by Margie Yohn | June 2023
I'm now an elder transitioning through life and change is inevitable and necessary.
I lived with my elderly grandmother in her home while I attended college in the early 80's. She was the proud owner of 1/2 a house; Aunt Helen, her oldest sister, lived in the other half. I remember my great Aunt Helen, who was in her 80's, tell me, "Time speeds up the older you get. If I was you, I'd be swinging those legs from a barstool." Advice that Gram and my mother did NOT appreciate. Aunt Helen had a lot of great stories about the Roaring 20's, prohibition and jumping out of the windows of speakeasies to run from the cops. She was a bona fide 'flapper.' All I know is my Gram thought she was a bad influence and I was banned from visiting her for 2 weeks after that barstool comment. Turns out, the first part of that advice is very true. Time does seem to be going by faster the older I get.
Over the weekend, I was reminded of how much 'aging well' has a huge impact on quality of life. Like many people 50+, we have a lot of aunts, uncles and parents who are getting up there in years and dealing with a number of health issues. A lot of my friends have similar experiences. That made me think. With time going so fast, I need to made some decisions NOW if I want to improve my quality of life in the long-term. So, what can folks in the 50+ age group do now that will have lasting health benefits as they age?

1. Exercise.

I hate it! I do not find joy in any of it: yoga, exercise classes, cycling, treadmill, the list goes on. If I feel like it's something I must do, it becomes a chore and I eventually will not do it. I can't help it - I'm simply not disciplined enough. Then two things happened. First, we got a dog, Zeke, a labradoodle, and he loves 'walkies'. I simply can't resist the dilating pupils that fill his eyes with warm, adoring love. He sniffs at the leash and looks at me, back and forth, until I give in. After a couple of months of walking, my knees weren't as sore and my ankle felt so good the tiny limp went away. Second, my husband always wanted a pool since he had one growing up. So, we put in a pool. Suddenly I'm doing pool yoga, running in place, push ups, laps, stretches and all kinds of resistence exercises. Other aches and pains started going away. I actually lost a couple of pounds and got stronger overall. Ok, there might be something to the exercise thing.
Key Takeaway: Pick something you like doing.

2. Make quality choices.

Every other day, I pick Jake up and he home-schools in the afternoon. On those days, we grab lunch on the way home, watch 'Mythical Morning' [I think Rhett is funny], and chat during the ads. After trying all the variety of fast food, I've concluded that it's just not good and I feel terrible after eating it = Not quality. Most television shows, news, election coverage and politics = Not quality. Over the weekend, I reconnected with a cousin I hadn't talked to for a long time. We laughed, we cried, we reminisced - it was awesome. Quality. Playing with the dog, laughing with the neighbors, feeding chickens, studying the bible, picking veggies from the garden...Quality. I'm over eating bad food, keeping draining relationships and sitting through poor movies. I'm committed to feeding my body and mind well.
Key Takeaway: Start making better choices.

3. Stay Connected.

I used to collect rents occasionally for a guy I worked for. One of his renters was Mr. Backinstow. He was in his 80's, funny in a cantankerous way, never married, no kids, hated animals and bragged that he found people annoying and loved his solitary life. He died alone in his apartment and the guy I worked for and myself were the only ones who went to his funeral. Now, I'm sure Mr. Backinstow could have cared less, but I've never forgotten that. As I get older, I'm finding that it's easier to reach out to friends and family I haven't spoken with in a while and we're all feeling the same way - it's good to connect and catch up. Social media makes it easier to stay up to date in between conversations.
Key Takeaway: Get socially active.
There's so much more that could be added to this list like drink more water, slow down and smell the flowers, avoid stress, get more sleep, etc. All good stuff. One thing that's not on my list - swinging my legs from a barstool. Sorry, Aunt Helen, but I've come to realize that not all your advice was good. Possibly fun, but not good.
Related Articles: 3 Strategies For Aging In Place Case For Merging Households
You can count on Margie Yohn, Realtor® & Seniors Real Estate Specialist®, to guide you through seniors issues --either yours or on behalf of an elderly loved one -- with the goal to inform, educate and advocate for transitions that are less stressful and more successful. For Seniors On The Move!
717.644.3812
margie@margieyohn.com
Real Estate Concierge Downsizing Stuff Consultant Stress Free Transitions
Margie Yohn, Realtor SRES Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Copyright 2023© All rights reserved.
Brokerage services provided by: Bering Real Estate 1038 E Main St, Palmyra PA
for all your real estate needs IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA! including LEBANON COUNTY, DAUPHIN COUNTY AND LANCASTER COUNTY, HERSHEY, LEBANON, LANCASTER, MANHEIM, LITITZ, ANNVILLE, PALMYRA, LINGLESTOWN, GRANTVILLE, FT INDIANTOWN GAP, FREDERICKSBURG, JONESTOWN, Elizabethtown, HARRISBURG, CLEONA, MT GRETNA & ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL PA

We use cookies to enable essential functionality on our website, and analyze website traffic. By clicking Accept you consent to our use of cookies. Read about how we use cookies.

Your Cookie Settings

We use cookies to enable essential functionality on our website, and analyze website traffic. Read about how we use cookies.

Cookie Categories
Essential

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our websites. You cannot refuse these cookies without impacting how our websites function. You can block or delete them by changing your browser settings, as described under the heading "Managing cookies" in the Privacy and Cookies Policy.

Analytics

These cookies collect information that is used in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are.