Don't wait to tell your story

As we move into the final stage of our life, we all want our story to be told. We all want to be remembered. In the last few months. Many of us have different faces to present to the world. (The song Two Faces Have I by Lou Christie springs to mind) and many of our friends may only know one or two aspects of who we really are. As we look back over our life, we also struggle to get our story told, in a way that holds meaning for us. Story telling is part of human nature, we all love stories and we all would love to be able to tell stories well

I have been to a number of celebrations of life. Each one honored the person who had died. The friends and relatives, told stories about how the person who had died, had made an impact on their lives. There were many happy, poignant and heartfelt stories. People learned new aspects of the friend they had lost. Yet some people struggled to tell their story about the loved one meaningful for the audience.

I am always amazed by how we all tell stories naturally, yet so many people struggle to tell stories that really work. When I say really work, I mean that they do what stories do best --‐ engage your audience, create connections.

So here are some ideas on how to make your story meaningful.

First, Tell Your Own Story Don’t make it up. Don’t borrow someone else’s story that inspired you. Don’t think that you don’t have any interesting stories—everyone does. Everyday stories are what you should be sharing, because we can all relate these stories are the real thing. The trick is to make sure that you include something that MOVES you. If it moves you it will resonate with the audience, it’s that simple. You see, when it’s true, it’s easy to tell. No stress, no pressure,

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you think about or write down the story:

1.    Where were you? When you recall the moment, what do you see? Describe the moment with all your senses. Set the scene

2.    When did you notice something that made you feel different to how you felt before?

3.    Why was this event special? Why does it move you?

4.    What is it’s meaning in relation those around you?

Acknowledge yourself. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt, we’re too quick to judge ourselves (and others) negatively. Be proud of your story, it’s more powerful than you can imagine. The importance of acknowledgment is vastly underestimated. The practice of acknowledgement is often sorely lacking.

1.    How often do you acknowledge the people around you; partner, family, friends, colleagues?

2.    How do you feel when your efforts are not acknowledged?

3.    How can you create a practice of acknowledgement?

4.    What self--‐acknowledgement have you been lacking?

To start your story, list 10 achievements that you want to congratulate yourself for.

As we live longer, Agism can be a problem for society

As we progress into the twenty-first century, ageing has become increasingly recognised as an important issue facing individuals, families, communities and nations. Increasing age is related to long-term health conditions, higher rates of disability and poorer reported health status.

In 1960 the UN estimated that there were just 225 million people aged 60 years and over worldwide, while 30 years later in 1990 that figure had doubled to 450 million. Globally, the proportion of the population aged 65 years and over is projected to reach 25 percent in the more developed regions, 14 percent in the less developed regions and 8 percent in the least developed countries of the world by the year 2051. The worldwide population aged 80 years and over is also expected to experience a more than fivefold increase by 2020 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004).

The ageing of the world’s population is primarily a result of the high fertility levels reached after World War II combined with reduced death rates at all ages. Along with the significant increase in the proportion of the world’s population that is elderly will come a need for further understanding of older populations and their specific requirements around the world, with an aim to anticipating and meeting the changing needs of an ageing international community

Ageism does not discriminate. It comes in many forms and from

many different sources. In Canada:

•      Age discrimination towards seniors 66 and older comes primarily from younger people (56%).

•      More than one-in-four (27%) seniors say they’ve experienced age discrimination from government

•      More than one-third (34%) comes from healthcare professionals and the healthcare system

•      Nearly nine-in-ten seniors 66 and older who encountered ageism from the government, attribute it to programs and policies that do not take into account the needs of older people

•      Nearly eight-in-ten seniors 66 and older who reported age discrimination in healthcare, said a healthcare professional had dismissed their complaints as an inevitable sign of aging

•      The three most common forms of age discrimination faced by Canadian seniors include:

o  being ignored or treated as though they are invisible (41%)

o  being treated like they have nothing to contribute (38%)

o  The assumption that they are incompetent (27%)

o  Two Unique Views on Aging Older Canadians are much more positive about aging than younger generations, underscoring the need to challenge ageist attitudes.

Canadians overall have a negative perception of aging:

•      89 per cent of Canadians associate aging with something negative like not being able to get around easily, losing independence or being alone

•      Gen Y and Gen X are the most likely to hold a negative perception of aging; they are the least likely to think people 75 and older are pleasant, independent or healthy, yet the most likely to describe them as grumpy. A further one-in-three describe them as dependent, sick or frail

We are living longer and as we learn more about aging, this trend will continue. We know that there are very specific risks to avoid if we want to age in good health. A report from Australia on the study of Aging, shows some of the things we need to do to live longer are:

•      Eat well and eat healthy

•      Exercise: people who did not exercise were found to be at high risk of mortality over the first 2 years of the study. Those who reported exercising more, survived longer, were more likely to be male and have better self reported health.

•      Stay involved in Social networks; Social Networks comprising discretionary relationships were protective against mortality

•      in a ten year follow up. This was found for participants living in both the community and residential care facilities.

•      Psychological factors including intact cognitive functioning, higher expectancy of control over life, and for women, better morale, were linked to better survival odds over 8 years, independent of health and physical functioning.

•      Try not to get depressed. Depressive symptoms present a greater risk of mortality for men than women, with incident depression in old age representing a greater risk for m

Society around the world is aging and it is clear that if we don’t address ageism as a societal issue now, it will compound and become more entrenched as our population ages. Change however, won’t happen overnight, and it is not the exclusive responsibility of any one group. In collaboration and consultation with older people, individuals, organizations and policy makers all have a role to play in building an age-inclusive society.

As individuals and as a society, we must shine a light on the issue of ageism. We need to recognize, call out and challenge the negative stereotypes and assumptions about aging and older people. Rather than make assumptions about an individual’s abilities or quality of life based on their age, we need to be open-minded, view aging with optimism and reach out to older adults as vibrant, important and valued contributors to society.

Organizations need to raise awareness of ageism and be active contributors to ending it. As employers, the value and significant contributions older workers can and do make should not be overlooked. We also need to better understand and meet the diverse needs of older consumers – after all, they encompass a broad age range, and the needs of a 65-year-old may be quite different to those of an 85-year-old.

Policy makers, both government and non-governmental agencies, need to collaborate and plan for an age-inclusive Canada. Building on the work that governments are already doing, there needs to be continued focus on developing policies that enable people of all ages to have the choices they need to live their lives to the fullest.

Our Future: Seniors, Socialization and Health

A report  called, Our Future: Seniors, Socialization and Health, spotlights how municipalities are the frontline in seniors health by offering a wide variety of programs that help keep seniors healthy and independent and delay/prevent seniors from requiring more costly health care services. With input from eight seniors centres in Metro Vancouver, the Columbia Institute report has the following Key Messages

1. Municipalities are the frontline step in maintaining seniors’ health.
2. Seniors centres offer a wide variety of programs to fulfill the needs of seniors living in their communities.
3. By providing seniors with opportunities for socializing, healthy meals, and physical activity, senior centre programs play a key role in keeping seniors healthy and independent. This can delay/prevent seniors from requiring more costly health care services.
4. Both provincial and municipal services have a vital role to play in senior’s care, and seniors programs should be recognized as an important part of the health care continuum.
5. To continue to meet the needs of the expanding senior population, health authorities and municipalities need improved communication and understanding. Secure funding, adequate space, and the support of organizational/ associational partners is required.

The executive summary of the report is below, for the full report go here

MUNICIPAL SERVICES TO SENIORS ARE, and will become increasingly important in providing the support they need to live in the community. They are usually the first line of defense in maintaining good health. And, they should be seen as the first link in the continuum of health care. Our Future: Seniors, Socialization, and Health focuses on surveying and reviewing how effectively municipal seniors’ centre programs are meeting the holistic needs of older adults living in the community. Concerns about the rising costs of health care for an aging population frame much of the discussion in the media about the future sustainability of our public health services. There is also a growing consensus that “aging in place” is the most cost-effective and appropriate way of supporting the needs of this population. Seniors and their families have a strong preference for services that support older adults in their own homes as long as it is practical and in the best interests of all family members.

There is a substantial amount of evidence that describes the correlation between degrees of health and social isolation. Socially isolated seniors are more at risk for falls, not eating well, and sedentary behaviour. Isolation is even a predictor of mortality from coronary disease and stroke, and isolated seniors have a four to five times greater risk of hospitalization. Social isolation also affects the psychological and cognitive health of seniors, such as depression and suicide. Ironically, the cause of death of socially isolated seniors is often stated as “failure to thrive.” Although most health services are the responsibility of the provincial government, the need to provide social support systems falls under the aegis of municipalities. Central to the success of a centre is the diversity and breadth of the range of programs being offered. The centres try to answer the basic human needs of physical well-being and include wellness programs such as fitness, nutritional supports, and health promotion. They offer activities that enhance creativity, whether it is painting, writing, quilting or gardening. They stimulate intellectual development through lectures, book clubs, concerts, and travel, and answer the need for a sense of purpose by providing broad opportunities for volunteering.

Pharmacology

My thanks to my brother for this one:

In Pharmacology, all drugs have two names, a trade name and generic name. For example, the trade name of Tylenol also has a generic name of Acetaminophen. Aleve is also called Naproxen. Amoxil is also called Amoxicillin and Advil is also called Ibuprofen. The FDA has been looking for a generic name for Viagra. After careful consideration by a team of government experts, it recently announced that it has settled on the generic name of Mycoxafloppin. Also considered were Mycoxafailin, Mydixadrupin, Mydixarizin, Dixafix, and of course, Ibepokin. Pfizer Corp. announced today that Viagra will soon be available in liquid form, and will be marketed by Pepsi Cola as a power beverage suitable for use as a mixer.   It will now be possible for a man to literally pour himself a stiff one. Obviously we can no longer call this a soft drink, and it gives new meaning to the names of "cocktails", "highballs" and just a good old-fashioned "stiff drink". Pepsi will market the new concoction by the name of: MOUNT & DO. Thought for the day: There is more money spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research.  This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs, huge erections, and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.