Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 1 - Number 3
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Growing older offers new challenges
ffij| row old along with me.
VI The best is yet to be.”
What wonderful words these are,
people growing old together.
Thirty, 40, 50 years ago, a man
got a job, married and helped to rear
children. He longed for the time he
could sit back and enjoy the fruits
of his labor. He would sleep late,
fish all he wanted, nap on the porch
and watch the Braves play ball.
His wife of 50 years remained at
home, washed the clothes, prepared
the meals and reared the children.
Dad was the disciplinarian. Forty
years ago, the woman was looking
at few opportunities to work outside
the home. Society was not ready for
a mother to leave her children in the
care of someone else.
The wife of 30 years ago was a
college graduate, bent on making
more of her life than her mother had
done. She wanted freedom to drive
her own car to her job which paid
better than what her mother receiv
ed.
Retirement time is here. Each
person clears out his or her office
desk as co-workers shake their
heads and declare no one will do
the job as capably. Retirees are
treated to lunch and appropriate
gifts are offered: a fishing pole, a
collection of books, maybe a few
good cigars, watches which now
A MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR YOUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Exclusive To The Robins Rev-Up, The Daily Sun, The Extra and The Houston Home Journal
have batteries and no winding
stems.
Then what happens the first
Monday when the retirees face real
ity? The clock does not go off, but
the man still gets up early. The
woman slips into houseshoes and
bathrobe and goes to the kitchen.
Coffee is soon ready and together
the couple scans the paper. There is
time now to read every' word, even
the want ads!
After breakfast, the couple
dresses for the day. To do what?
Now that there is time to do the
planned activities, what comes
first?
Maybe the first week or two is
full. Projects which were put on the
back burner for so long are still
there, so the man gets his toolbox
and heads outside.
The woman, on the other hand,
begins her day as usual. She washes
the dishes and sets the table for the
next meal. Clothes are put in the
washer and maybe she turns on the
morning television talk show. She
goes about her duties as before.
Retirement means little to her.
This is the good life, each con
siders. They contemplate what they
have saved for retirement.
How long will this last? How
long will it be before each realizes
the hectic life is over. No one calls
Sunday, May 16,1993
for advice on how to do the job per
formed for so long. The office ac
quaintances have no reason to carry
on conversations over the phone.
The retirees are no longer needed.
How sad. To have worked so
long for this time to sit back and
“smell the roses,” to savor the
sweet rewards of retirement, and to
suddenly feel unneeded, unwanted,
unnecessary.
Life does go on after that long
anticipated retirement day. Why
feel pushed aside, when so much in
life remains to be completed?
Take stock of the present and
plan for the future to be active and
productive. Look around at what
can be done.
Economic forecasters paint a
bleak picture.
Social security was once some
thing taken out of pay checks. Now
the retirees listen to Donna Shalala,
Health and Human Services secre
tary, as she says that estimates in
the Congressional report to Presi
dent Clinton area a “demonstration
of the need for system-wide
change” in the nation’s healthcare
system. A study showed that in
1992 Medicare paid SBS billion in
medical costs for 35 million older
Americans.
Many retirees have found that
what they thought would support
Matters
Many Seniors
Are Taking
Advantage
Of Health Fairs
Offered Locally
them is slowly fading away. Hospi
tal costs continue to escalate. Many
doctors are refusing to accept
Medicare or Medicaid patients. Yet,
the body is getting worn and parts
begin to show signs of needing
repairs.
While not a quick cure, preven
tive medicine is a top priority. Tak
ing care of one’s health has become
more important as society moves
into the 21st century.
Just because a person has retired
does not mean take a back seat and
let the world go by. More and more
seniors are participating in aerobics
and other exercises. Walking clubs
are forming in malls where the sur
face is level and environment-con
trolled.
New options are being provided
for those who need assistance in
housing. Adult care homes provide^
living with minimal
assistance meals and
housekeeping are pro-
OlderJmksnsl
vidcd but the resident must T f|Tj yM ‘
self caring.
Warner Robins, Georgia
INSIDE
2
Immunization
time
Childhood immuniza
tion chart and story explain
how vaccinations have
changed life in the United
States.
11
Gardening
for seniors
Tips from author
Kathleen Yoemans on how
olds’ Americans can use
gardening for physical
therapy.
14
Vitiligo
Hus disease causes un
usual white blemishes on
the skin of its victims. Doc
tors treat the illness with a
special skin treatment and
ultraviolet light.
15
Home
testing
Kits allow Americans to
play doctor athome by test
ing for many health con
cerns, not just pregnancy
or blood pressure.
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