An old age problem--any insights?

[larknm]

awakened soul--I too am shocked by the changes--why didn't we know? Didn't know enough old people well enough?

[awakenedsoul]

awakened soul--I too am shocked by the changes--why didn't we know? Didn't know enough old people well enough?

I just wasn't aware. I think I also had a lack of empathy. I feel so badly now that I didn't realize how much pain my grandma, (who had arthritis,) was in...her legs were bent like spoons. I wish I'd been kinder to her, and more helpful.

It's made me see why so many of the elderly get cranky, too. When you're in pain, your patience thins. The bike and new exercises are getting my endorphins pumping again, though. It makes a huge difference. I see a lot of seniors at the gym now. Maybe it's the wave of the future. They do the aqua classes, use the jacuzzi and sauna, and swim. I'm going to do all I can to stay strong and positive as I age!

[Miss Cellane]

awakened soul--I too am shocked by the changes--why didn't we know? Didn't know enough old people well enough?

Or the older people we knew were from a generation where you didn't complain. You just kept on doing as much as you could, while presenting a cheerful facade to the world around you.

My grandmother made a joke out of getting a cane--she threatened to "bop" misbehaving children over the head with it. (She never did; she spoiled us all rotten.) My grandfather had all sorts of reasons why he stopped gardening--only years later did my dad learn that Grandpa had fallen over in the tomato patch one day and couldn't get up. Grandpa crawled across the back yard to the porch steps and hauled himself up that way.

There was a lot of "don't want to worry the children" going on in those generations.

[awakenedsoul]

Miss Cellane, That's so true. My grandmother would have tears in her eyes from the pain. We just thought she was weepy and depressed. Now that I've done some research, I realize that she was eating and drinking a lot of foods that make arthritis worse: milk, grapefruit, bacon, white bread, etc...she never complained. She did have both knees replaced in her old age. She said that the only thing that helped the pain was her aqua classes for seniors...