Do you create memories with your loved ones?

What about our memories as we age? Memory is a complex and not fully understood the cognitive process, and many areas of the brain are involved. As we age our short term memory begins to decline before our longer term memory.

It takes longer to ingrain new learning in the ageing brain, so concentration must be increased on the three stages of memory formation and maintenance: Acquire the information, Consolidate the information so you can Retrieve what you want when you want.

One way to do this is to practice, remember practice makes perfect. Try repetition, repetition, repetition until you have “hard-wired your brain and understood your newly acquired information.

Life had a way of getting in the way of your dreams, so many of us use life as an excuse not to do what we loved. While you had a life before you embarked on this new adventure (retirement) and this life is going to continue.

But, when we start a new venture, it takes us time to become comfortable in what we are doing and this always seems to take much more time than anticipated. Your challenge will be to stay focused on your new role, so as you change your routines to accommodate your new venture, you become more comfortable with your new role. It is time to dedicate time to your venture that previously would have been used in other pursuits. Focus will prevent you from being distracted.

Time is precious – you do not get it back, so, my advice, use your time wisely.

Remember the phrase “It is Time or Money” that was your old Life. You are now working towards “It is Time to live”. To achieve your dreams at the outset, you will have to devote a significant amount of time, putting systems into place to enable you to enjoy the fruits of your venture. Now is the time to create the type of memories with the ones you love so they will remember you when you are gone.

Some quotes for American Thanksgiving

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. ~Theodore Roosevelt

...all which we behold

Is full of blessings...

~William Wordsworth, lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey, on revisiting the banks of the Wye during a tour, 1798 July 13th

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder

Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way. ~Native American Saying

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
~Grandpa Jones

Nothing is more honourable than a grateful heart. ~Seneca

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue but the parent of all the other virtues. ~Cicero

Take care of your body

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends. This is a day to think about all of the wonderful people you have in your life and it is a time to reflect on what is important to you and to yours. As you celebrate this special day, make sure that you take care of yourself.

"If you don’t take care of your body, where will you live?" My friend Jim asked that question after our weekly golf game. We were sitting on the patio, watching the other golfers finishing the 18th and waiting for our lunch to be served.

We had been talking about our game as well as some of the health problems others we knew were having. The question is interesting to me because I do a number of workshops for COSCO Health and Wellness Institute, to seniors on healthy ageing, and the next day I was giving two workshops one on Healthy Eating and one on Medication misuse among seniors. I had been looking for a hook for my workshop on Healthy Eating and I decided to use Jim’s question to get the audience involved and thinking about the topic. It worked and the audience became more involved in the discussion faster, thanks, Jim.

As we age, we know that there are some normal stress and strain the comes with ageing, but our generation is one of the least informed about what is normal ageing.  I have had two friends die as a result of complications arising from Alzheimer’s, but I know that Alzheimer’s and Dementia are not part of normal aging or all of us would get Dementia and Alzheimer’s but we don’t. Yet at the workshop we give on Dementia, the fear raised is that as I age will I get Dementia. The quick answer is no, but individual and family circumstances can affect your potential to get the disease.

Another issue we face as we age is the fear of falling, with good reason, each year in Canada 1/3 of seniors fall at least once and are then 3 times more likely to fall again. Why – because of decreased strength, stability and confidence. But falls can be prevented by taking care of your surroundings and by taking care of your body. Not everyone falls, but many do because they don’t consider the risks and take steps to alleviate them.

As we age, arthritis attacks us Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis and a leading cause of long-term disability. It Affects 1 in 10 Canadians and by age 65, almost everyone will have symptoms in at least one joint.

There is no cure for OA but you can take an active role in managing this chronic disease. As a result, you can be healthier, happier and better able to live more independently. 

The secret is to take care of your body as my friend Jim suggest or you will have nowhere to live.

Family get togethers need not be expensive

Wondering how to get everyone together for the holidays, Marty knows how this can be done without huge expenses. (an oldie but still funny)

A man named Marty called his son. "Harry I have news to tell you, I know it's going to upset you but I have made up my mind and their is nothing you can do about it. I have decided to divorce your mother." 

"But dad how can that be "the son asked "you have been married for 40 years, and you always seemed to get along? What happened suddenly?" 

"Son, I have made up my mind, and I don't want you to try to convince me out of it." 

"OK" the son responded "but promise me you won't do anything until I come and talk to you in person, and I am going to ask all of the siblings to fly in also. 

"Alright" said the father hanging up "you have my word." 

"Well" said Marty, turning to his wife "I got them all to come in and I didn't even have to pay for the tickets."