Ageism

As life goes on we all continue to age, but aging shouldn't be something that defines who we are.  They always say "age is just a number" and in a sense that is true, we shouldn't hinder ourselves because we're "getting old" but we should also be aware that our limits are changing.  That we should enjoy life as much as possible but don't go overboard and hurt yourself.  Our society, and many societies for that matter, view aging as growing weak and frail, waiting for the inevitable.  Ageism has even grown to the point where it affects our choices in the medical field; for example: if someone has a stroke in their 40s, the family will fight tooth and nail, getting as much medical care as possible to return them back to their highest function as possible.  Now, if someone in their 70s has a stroke, the family tends to focus on getting care to help them cope with their new conditions, rather than treat them.  Ageism also affects how a family will interact as well, as someone gets older, families feel that they need to help out more and a couple case studies showed that some elderly lost their independence because of their family over assisting around the house.  Rather than absorbing all responsibility, caregivers need to learn to share responsibility with their loved ones, helping out where they are truly needed, and promoting independence where possible because as we get older we gradually become less able to do things, but that doesn't mean we need to lose our independence all at once.  Don't let ageism define you, but don't let pride keep you from receiving the help you need.  There is no shame in admitting you need help in something you could do before, in fact it takes a strong person to admit they need help.

In other news! We are still doing our Evening Support Groups.  This coming tuesday will be the First Tuesday of February, so call us at 251-445-4204 to RSVP.  We hold our Support Groups every 1st and 3rd Tuesday from 6pm to 7pm over at Volunteers of America Southeast! 1204 Hillcrest Rd, Mobile, AL 36609