I had the good fortune to attend a wonderful symposium on health care for seniors hosted by Assisted Living Transition owners David and Angela Wilkins. This is the third symposium they have put on for seniors, the children of seniors and those in the senior serving industry. Assisted Living Transition specializes in Senior Living Placement, Referral and Advisory Services at no cost to the client. They are Certified Senior Advisors. Information can be found on their website at www.AssistedTransition.com
There were so many excellent speakers at this symposium that I am going to spend a few weeks sharing with you some of what I heard. Topics ranged from Eastern Medicine; Medicaid and Nursing Homes; Medicare Changes; Rehabilitative Therapies; Prosthetics and Orthotics; and the Dwight Max Cearley Scholarship Fund.
An inspirational presentation was made by Jim Concotelli, MSW, PH.D and Senior Director of Optimum Life with Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. You may be familiar with Brookdale as they are the owners of Freedom Pointe in The Villages, which offers a range of independent, assisted, memory and skilled nursing care, and they are currently building a new assisted living and memory care on their property.
What is the Optimum Life for a senior? It is a balance of a holistic approach to personal well-being. A purposeful life will give you the chance to give back to your community, to feel your personal value and self-worth. This can be achieved by volunteering with an organization or hospital or charity of your choice; or by helping a neighbor or family in need; or sitting on a committee or a board of directors of an organization which has meaning and importance to you. The intellectual means staying involved, being current on what is going on in the world, staying involved in your community and being aware of the issues and concerns and goodness that surround you. On the emotional, giving and receiving support to others; sharing your feelings and being open to allowing others to care about you, and not isolating yourself so you do not become withdrawn and feeling alone. Keeping a moderate level of activity-the physical movement of your body needs to be maintained to keep your heart rhythm strong, to keep muscles and joints in motion, and to give you that feeling of vitality that a proper dose of exercise will produce. No need to over exert yourself, but doing something every day which provides you with some movement, even if it is chair exercise if you are limited in your mobility, will help your body feel better maintained. Socially, be in touch with your family and friends. Visiting with people, having them over, going to socials or joining a club, sitting out by the pool, hosting a tea, learning how to Skype or do Facebook to staying in touch with your children and grandchildren will keep you connecting. If you are not able to get around, put a chair out on your front lawn and visit with neighbors as they stroll by-put yourself out there to be sure you have some human contact and conversation. Often forgotten but so critical to feeling complete is your spiritual side, which is something important to build in to your daily routine to focus on your inner peace and the reflection of all that is good in your life and the lives of your loved ones-be it prayer, meditation, attending a place of worship, a bible study, or whatever speaks to you in a meaningful way. All of these areas-the intellectual, the purposeful, the spiritual, the emotional, the social and the physical combined, when nurtured and considered, create an optimum life to provide you the balance, activity, stimulation, outlets, companionship, and inner fulfillment that will make you feel whole and complete in your senior years.
Spiritual Wellness provides strength, hope and inner peace. It is your personal belief system which can be unique to you and provide you with a deep understanding of the non-tangible. It provides an appreciation of nature and depth of life as you continue your search for the journey we embark on from the beginning- what is the meaning of life?
The characteristics of Spiritual Wellness outlined by Dr.Concotelli highlighted key characteristics. Religion is the traditions and sets of beliefs and practices which one has embraced. Your religion is personal to you, how it is practiced and followed by you should be precious and unchallenged by others. It should bring you comfort and solace, and also give you insight into your inner person. Wisdom is another aspect of spiritual wellness which you have gained over your years of living and is a part of who you are-it is the insight and experiences that can be shared with other generations and also diarized to pass on as a legacy to your extended and future family. Service to others will provide you with that inner feeling of goodness-volunteering, giving back, supporting organizations, joining a service club such as Rotary.
Spirituality was defined in the presentation as the innate desire to find meaning in life. It is what we search for and want to be able to define as we age. Dr. Concotelli discussed the health benefits of practicing religion. From his research, he found that older adults who attend a place of worship have better health-they sing, they have a social support network, and they have a community which they are a part of. It has been found that people hospitalized have a 3 times shorter stay when they attend church, possibly because there are people to visit and also pray for you, which gives you a feeling of hope. It is also documented that there are lower death rates from heart disease and fewer complications and better survival after surgery for those who are associated with practicing formal religion with a congregation. With these findings, it is certainly time to get out our Sunday best and head to services this weekend!
We see that higher levels of spirituality are correlated with better health, positive attitudes and increased happiness. It is suggested that life satisfaction increases as one shifts from a less materialistic focus to more of a transcendental point of view. Most of us do not feel old on the inside; our age only defines us by when we were born. As the physical body ages, the spirit increases, and that deeper meaning of life begins to become more evident.
By following three spiritual practices, Dr.Concotelli believes we can all have a more meaningful and fulfilling life as we age. First, do a life review and journal-it is a wonderful exercise in sharing the stories of your life, completing grief processes of loss, and reliving your favorite memories. Second, keep a gratitude journal. Every day, write down three things you are grateful for and see what a difference it will make in your happiness level-sometimes you have to remember all the goodness in your life and what and who there is to count your blessings for. Last, in whatever way you define it, use the power of prayer-it will make you and those around you feel that much better!
Jane Elise Bloom Please write with your questions or call The Other Daughter [email protected] website: www.theotherdaughter.org phone: 425 299 6020