You're ready to explore new passions.

As you retire, you may want to pursue hobbies and interests you didn’t have time for while working or raising a family. However, your current obligations may hinder your ability to pursue such interests.

An independent living retirement allows you to pursue interests you may not have had time for previously. Inclusive activities like painting, music, and gardening allow you to rediscover old passions or find new ones.

Continued learning increases psychological well-being and reduces the likelihood of dementia in aging adults. To help us expand their skills and knowledge, independent living communities often host guest lectures from local professors, have weekly language lessons, or promote book clubs.

Regular exercise can help older adults stay independent, prevent health problems that come with age, and have a better quality of life. It’s recommended that we get 30 minutes of light physical activity at least five times a week.

Getting enough exercise can be tough for those of us who aren’t motivated to join a gym or attend classes at a senior center. Independent living communities often offer on-site gyms and classes designed for older adults.

It’s common to worry about the future. You may think ahead to when independent living may not be able to meet your needs. We can use technology such as medical alert systems, security cameras, and fall detection devices to stay safe in their homes.

Many of us have established strong support networks within our communities, including neighbours, friends, and local services. These connections provide valuable assistance and companionship, contributing to overall well-being and quality of life.

Ageing in place allows us to tailor their care plans to meet their specific needs and preferences. We can hire caregivers, modify their homes for accessibility, and access healthcare services without having to rely solely on what the institution thinks is best for us

If you’d rather not move to a new community again, you have options with continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and senior living communities that offer multiple levels of care. These communities offer multiple levels of care on one campus — which may include independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing — allowing seniors to move with minimal stress because staff help residents move from one unit to another.

Ultimately, the decision to age in place or move to an independent living community should be left to our own personal preferences and needs. It's essential to acknowledge that ageing in place can be a viable option for those of us who prefer to remain in their homes. Independent living communities can also be a great option for those of us who want to enjoy community living, socialization, and convenience. The decision ultimately depends on the individual's needs, preferences, and circumstances. If you decide you’re ready for independent living after assessing your needs, you may be unsure how to begin the process of choosing an independent living community to call home. Living Advisors can help you find options near you based on your budget, preferences, and needs. They can also help you compare options and answer questions you have, at no cost to your family.

 

Happy July 4th

 Today is when my American friends celebrate the founding of their country and here is a brief history of the day.

 The Fourth of July has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favour of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.

When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical.

By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favour independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in the bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine in early 1776.

On June 7, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colony's independence.

Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution but appointed a five-man committee—including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York—to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain.

Did you know? John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest. Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826—the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favour of Lee’s resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include a “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.”

On July 4th, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.

In the pre-Revolutionary years, colonists had held annual celebrations of the king’s birthday, which traditionally included the ringing of bells, bonfires, processions and speechmaking. By contrast, during the summer of 1776, some colonists celebrated the birth of independence by holding mock funerals for King George III as a way of symbolizing the end of the monarchy’s hold on America and the triumph of liberty.

Festivities including concerts, bonfires, parades and the firing of cannons and muskets usually accompanied the first public readings of the Declaration of Independence, beginning immediately after its adoption. Philadelphia held the first annual commemoration of independence on July 4, 1777, while Congress was still occupied with the ongoing war.

After the Revolutionary War, Americans continued to commemorate Independence Day every year, in celebrations that allowed the new nation’s emerging political leaders to address citizens and create a feeling of unity. By the last decade of the 18th century, the two major political parties—the Federalist Party and Democratic-Republicans—that had arisen began holding separate Fourth of July celebrations in many large cities.

The first fireworks were used as early as 200 BC. The tradition of setting off fireworks on the 4 of July began in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, during the first organized celebration of Independence Day. The ship’s cannon fired a 13-gun salute in honour of the 13 colonies. The Pennsylvania Evening Post reported: “at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks (which began and concluded with thirteen rockets) on the Commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated.” That same night, the Sons of Liberty set off fireworks over Boston Common.

Obstacles to Independence

There are a number of obstacles that can interfere with a persons desire to remain independent autonomous and to have self-determination
1. Money

Money tops the list in terms of obstacles to staying independent. If you don’t have enough then you could become dependent on others. If you have enough then you can get all sorts of personalized help which helps you retain your autonomy.

In the absence of sufficient money, many of my friends worry that they would have to move to a less favoured town or less desirable location and that they would be less able to participate in social events that might cost money. And that without adequate funds they would not be able to access sufficient help to "stay independent".

2. Physical Health

Physical Health is clearly one of the primary causes of loss of independence. Becoming dependent could be from a number of reasons, the first is falling.

·       Falling

My friends and I are not afraid of falling. It is not the fall itself that matters so much, but rather the consequences. A fall could result in a broken hip, which often leads directly to greatly reduced mobility if not worse outcomes. Or hitting one's head, which also can lead to grave consequences.

Falling is prevalent among my age group so an industry has arisen to warn people of the consequences and try to help prevent them, from falling. Our workshop on Preventing falling is one of the most popular.

·       Mobility

Lack of mobility, whether after a hip fracture or as a consequence of various other conditions, can be a significant barrier to independence. If you can't get where you want to go when you want to go there, that can be a major lifestyle limitation.

·       Hearing and Vision

Poor vision and poor hearing could be major impediments to independence. When people have trouble seeing, they restrict their movements and their interactions with others. If they cannot hear and do not wear corrective devices, people will avoid conversations with them and over time will isolate them from social activity. This isolation may lead to a loss of autonomy and independence.

3. Mental Health (Dementia)

One of the most asked for workshops that COSCO Health and Wellness Institute gives is on memory. For many of my generations loss of cognitive ability and dementia came up frequently. Very few seniors under the age of 85 will have major problems with mental ability, it is still a very scary condition.

Independence and seniors

In many cases, the word independence for seniors is not even what matters most. But rather the words autonomy and self-determination are more important.

To have a discussion of independence for senior, we really need to talk about what it means to be independent because independence means quite different things to different people.

There is a clinical approach to thinking about independence, which involves two measurements. The first is a set of specific “Activities of Daily Living” such as activities related to personal care such as bathing, getting in and out of bed, walking, using the toilet, and eating. The second measurement is the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living which includes activities related to independent living, such as preparing meals, managing money, shopping for groceries and personal items, performing housework, and using the telephone.

According to this way of thinking, if you can handle all Activities of Daily Living” and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living yourself without help, you are definitely independent. As you need more and more help with these you reach a threshold after which you are no longer classified as "Independent".

In other words, for the practitioners and clinicians, it is about how much help you need with the basic activities of life

So if you might need quite a bit of help with some of the activities of daily living and your life is organized so that the help (person or machine) is available as and when needed, and you can pretty much get done whatever you want to get done when you want to do it, then you have a high level of autonomy.

In contrast, if you need to wait until a helper is available, and you have to adapt to their schedule, then that is going to feel quite a lot less "independent"

One of the most interesting aspects is the interplay between safety and autonomy. A friend of mine said to me, "some people are so focused on safety that it can get in the way of living". He then talked about the idea that some care homes have cameras. This might increase safety, for example, early fall detection, but is a life worth living if you are under constant surveillance? He thought not.