I'll say it after....

 I did not write this - but WOW does it speak to me!!! Worth the read.

Barely the day started and... it's already six in the evening.

Barely arrived on Monday and it's already Friday.

... and the month is already over.

... and the year is almost over.

... and already 40, 50 or 60 years of our lives have passed.

... and we realize that we lost our parents and friends.

and we realize it's too late to go back...

So... Let's try, despite everything, to enjoy the remaining time...

Let's keep looking for activities that we like...

Let's put some colour in our grey...

Let's smile at the little things in life that put balm in our hearts.

And despite everything, we must continue to enjoy with serenity this time we have left. Let's try to eliminate the afters...

I'm doing it after...

I'll say after...

I'll think about it after...

We leave everything for later like ′′ after ′′ is ours.

Because what we don't understand is that:

Afterwards, the coffee gets cold...

afterwards, priorities change...

Afterwards, the charm is broken...

afterwards, health passes...

Afterwards, the kids grow up...

Afterwards, parents get old...

Afterwards, promises are forgotten...

afterwards, the day becomes the night...

afterwards, life ends...

And then it's often too late...

So... Let's leave nothing for later...

Because still waiting to see you later, we can lose the best moments,

the best experiences,

best friends,

the best family...

The day is today... The moment is now...

We are no longer at the age where we can afford to postpone what needs to be done right away.

Difference between Canadian Boomers and American Boomerss

Americans and Canadians may share a common language, but we are different, and this may be because of our historical differences and what we believe are the most notable historical events that shaped us.

In the United States, many of the historical experiences cited by Baby Boomers were related to war and violent acts. For instance, Boomers in the United States identified two assassinations on their list—John F. Kennedy’s in 1963, and Martin Luther King’s in 1968. 

In Canada we named assassinations but they were lower on our list. In Canada, Sept 11 was not one of our top ten, nor was the tech revolution, the Fall of the Berlin wall, or the Iraq/Afghanistan war. The Americans did not include in their top ten, the Cuban missile crisis, the cold war, Woodstock and free love, Television and not surprisingly the Quebec Crisis and Bill 101.

Most Impactful Historic Events, Boomers (US Boomers) in order of importance

·        Sept. 11

·        JFK Assassination *

·        Vietnam War *

·        Obama election

·        Moon landing *

·        The tech revolution

·        Civil rights movement *

·        Fall of Berlin Wall/end of Cold War

·        MLK assassination *

·        Iraq/Afghanistan war

Most Impactful Historic Events Boomers (Canada Boomers) in order of importance

·        Civil Rights Movement  *

·        Cuban Missile Crisis

·        Assassination of JFK & Martin Luther King *

·        Vietnam War *

·        The Cold War

·        Neil Armstrong's moon landing *

·        Woodstock – Free Love

·        Television

·        Quebec Crisis and Bill 101

Based on the experience of life-defining events, each country developed attitudes and values that influence its identity and mindset. These attitudes and values impact workplace performance by influencing motivation, loyalty and teamwork. “Coming of age during key socio-historical event still influences how each country reacts and responds in the workplace – and subsequently, why they sometimes why we don’t understand one another”

Do you wanna dance?

Our senior group is exploring ideas on how to bring more seniors into our center. One of the ideas that came up is the idea of a dance club once a month. Dancing has been a part of human history for thousands of years. Today, people in every culture can reap the health benefits of dancing, here are some:

A group of Australian researchers found that men and women with mood disorders who participated in a two-week tango instruction program felt less depressed and experienced significant reductions in their levels of stress, anxiety and insomnia.

A few weeks of salsa dance classes can seriously increase an older adult’s strength and balance, according to a study published in the journal Gerontology. “Salsa proved to be a safe and feasible exercise program for older adults,” said the study authors. They also noted the high adherence rate of the program—over 92 percent of participants ended up completing the full eight-week salsa dancing regimen.

Older adults with knee and hip discomfort may be able to swap their pain medications for dancing shoes, a Saint Louis University (SLU) study concluded. After engaging in a 12-week, low-impact dance program, participants with an average age of 80 years old were able to decrease the amount of pain medication they were taking by 39 percent.

People with stable chronic heart failure may derive the same aerobic health advantages from learning how to waltz as they would from more traditional forms of cardiovascular exercise, such as cycling or walking, says a study published in the journal Circulation. Unlike other types of cardiovascular exercise, dancing doesn’t necessarily require specialized equipment or workout settings, making it a much more accessible option for those looking to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol and maintain healthy body weight.

When compared to other leisure activities like playing golf, doing crosswords, reading and cycling, dancing appears to offer the best chance of helping stave off dementia. According to a 21-year study led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, aging adults who danced regularly had a 76 percent reduced risk of developing dementia. Experts theorize that dancing is beneficial for our brains because it combines cardiovascular exercise with split-second decision-making that taxes our neural network, forcing it to create new pathways.

Dance is a gentle and painless way to exercise because it engages the mind and body in an enjoyable way that does not feel like exercise. And it causes fewer injuries because its varied movements are less repetitive in nature. Dancing happens to be a universal form of recreation as well. Seniors with conditions like Parkinson’s disease, dementia, cancer, arthritis, asthma and heart disease can all participate. Research into using dance as a therapy for each of these ailments has unearthed a host of advantages and very few risks. However, it’s always important to clear any exercises with a doctor before beginning a new regime, especially for those with pre-existing health conditions.

Dance with your loved one like no one’s watching! The best part is that dancing doesn’t have to include formal classes or training. Simply play some favourite tunes at home and let the music inspire your movement

This is because dance lifts the spirit while benefiting the body, and anyone can learn basic dance moves with some practice. And because it is not dependent upon the season, you can enjoy dancing all year round.

Working past retirement may be good for you?

I saw a headline in a newsletter that intrigued me, it said, “Working past the age of retirement linked to improved physical and mental health” Wow, I thought that is interesting, so I clicked on the link and read the entire headline:” Working past the age of retirement linked to improved physical and mental health depending on the Job”. What an insight.

In a new study published in BMC Public Health, researchers have found that working later in life may be beneficial for some but have adverse effects on individuals in high-demand or low-reward jobs.

Research shows that working, compared to involuntary unemployment, is good for mental health; however, there is little work regarding mental and physical health outcomes for individuals who work past the age of retirement.

Some studies showed that working part-time at an older age is correlated with positive health outcomes. For instance, one study showed that older individuals who worked beyond the age of 62 were less likely to be depressed or experience sleep disturbances, but these results were not significant. After fully adjusting the results, one study found that older women in the UK who worked manual jobs were more likely to have higher depression scores, whereas women who worked professional occupations were not as negatively affected.

The researchers also found that older men who worked were less likely to require long-term care but experienced a decline in daily activities. Older women who worked were less likely to require long-term care and less likely to experience a decline in daily activities.

Overall, both retired and working older women had increased physical functioning difficulties than men. The reviewed study from the United States found increased positive physical outcomes for older individuals who worked average reward jobs, compared to low reward jobs. One study found a positive quality of life as an outcome for older individuals who worked for the purpose of staying active and for enjoyment, but not for those who worked for financial reasons.

The evaluation of an intervention intended to enable a desired work/life balance showed that individuals who had low workability benefitted from the intervention and had increased perceptions of being able to do their job.

The researchers note there were limitations of their work one was that they did not include retired individuals younger than age 64. They also, only studies written in English were used, which may have excluded other relevant work. Finally, they did not include studies focused on the effects of retirement.

The study, “Is working in later life good for your health? A systematic review of health outcomes resulting from extended working lives“, was authored by Susan Baxter, Lindsay Blank, Anna Cantrell, and Elizabeth Goyder.