Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate: Dr. Cynthia Speaks!
Topic: Watching Seniors at the Park While on Vacation
Parks are a nice place for seniors to hang out and explore their beauty. Not only does nature call, but it’s also a great place to experience nature while exercising.
While people watching(seniors/elders) at the park yesterday morning, I paid special attention to the number of older adults enjoying the park. It made me smile. There were many levels of aging and disabilities noted. There were feisty elders, skating, walking, and running. The bicycle trails were loaded with seniors bike riders. It indeed was a pleasant sight to see. I say all the time exercise beats therapy.
The elders and seniors observed during my people-watching experience were encouraging as I took self-inventory of my own aging journey. You could tell the seniors were embracing their aging process while doing all they could to stay active and healthy. Despite obvious and obscure ailments (physical/mental and otherwise), enjoying the park while exercising was the common theme. The limitations of getting older were not something that appeared to get in the way of physical exercise. There were many kinds of adaptive aids observed, single-point canes, quad canes, and funny-looking sticks. There were wheelchairs in use, both manual and motorized. Elders were walking their dogs, and some were pushing their dogs in baby strollers… that was funny to see!
So, if you are wondering what this conversation has to do with caregiving, here it is! Seniors out and about exercising and enjoying themselves understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Those who use medical equipment to get around realize that even with restrictions, their ability should be used. It may come a time when all the abilities currently appreciated will one day require the assistance of others. I was grateful to see the proactive activities of seniors at the park. Many are taking their health and wellness into their own hands. There may come a time when care will be provided by a loving caregiver.
As Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate, it warmed my heart to see many older adults being proactive. Let me encourage you to become active if you have not done so. Let me commend others who are taking their health and wellness into their hands! Be safe! Be well!
