Pathways for Aging

This article: http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=35872&cn=117 discusses the practices of Rick Hanson in his new book Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom. In it, Hanson links the body’s responses to focusing on the present and consciously dwelling on positive experiences and aspects of our lives to a make us happier. Specifically, he recommends:

1. “Turn positive facts into positive experiences - Pleasant events happen all the time, but we may not notice them because we’re living in the past or future. Maybe someone smiled at you, let you into a car lane, or you noticed the flower blooming or a rainbow. Take some time to actively look for pleasant experiences. These can be found in the laugh of a baby, the taste of a piece of juicy fruit, or maybe the feeling of a warm shower.”
2. “Savor the experience - Here is the opportunity to bring mindfulness to this experience. Bring awareness to your senses. Notice how this experience feels for you physically and emotionally. Be aware of what thoughts arise, perhaps how much you like this experience. Focus on the rewards of this experience. Hanson tells us that this releases dopamine in our brains which strengthens your ability to remember these experiences. To deepen this experience you might even recall another memory where you felt like this before and actively think of it or perhaps thank yourself for taking the time to be present with this pleasant experience.”
3. “Use imagery to deepen the experience - Imagine the pleasant feelings being absorbed like your skin absorbs the rays of the sun, just drinking them in, allowing your mind and body to relax. The idea behind this is that with a consistent practice we can actually change the neural pathways in our brain to make this easier. If for any reason you do this and the pleasant experience turns unpleasant, that may be natural as the brain tends to tip to the unpleasant at times. So just note that you had some time with pleasant experience at all.”

In essence, purposefully focusing on the good aspects of life in the present will reduce our stress because we are not worrying about the future, regretting the past, or dismissing all of the good. This takes practice because our society has often dismissed mindfulness as a Pollyannish attitude that ignores reality. Instead, mindfulness does not overlook the very real challenges we face, but it helps us to acknowledge and enjoy the beauty and joy that is there in both minor and major life-experiences.

On Thursday, March 4, Tom Brokaw’s latest generational investigation gets its television debut on CNBC called “Boomers: History’s Wealthiest and Most Influential Generation.” The Baby Boomers, those born following World War II between 1946 & 1964, count just under 80 million Americans in their cohort with 8,000 of them turning 65 each day. The Boomers represent over 26% of the US population and have had huge influence on American policy, business and life.  They came of age during the Vietnam Conflict, Civil Right’s Movement, the Woman’s Movement, and were the generation that made Woodstock legendary. Now, they are the moving force behind most of our country’s politics, policies and financial institutions. Yet they are starting to retire, receive Medicare benefits and will become our oldest generation over the next 20 years.

Is the Baby Boomer generation doing enough to prepare for their older adulthood? Is our society addressing the future care-giving needs of this large generation? How will their aging be different from Tom Brokaw’s “Greatest Generation?” How are their attitudes toward aging, retirement, long-term care, mental health, medical care and other issues different from the older adults of today?

For more information about CNBC’s report on the Boomers, visit: http://www.cnbc.com/id/34840866/

A British study, published in the Lancet, found that psychotherapy that addressed behavioral and emotional health is a cost-effective way to reduce low back pack pain as reported in an article by the St. Louis Post Dispatch: http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/fit-bits/uncategorized/2010/02/talk-therapy-decreases-low-back-pain/

Mental health and emotional issues often effect the whole body. Physical pain can be caused by or exacerbated by depression, anxiety, stress, or other mental health issues. Discussing issues and problem solving in psychotherapy often increases motivation for activity that may improve health. Psychotherapy can also reduce physical pain through learning pain management, deep breathing and meditation exercises, or other anxiety reduction techniques.

Psychiatrist, Dr. Charles Raison, regularly answers questions about mental health on cnn.com. A recent article discusses the connection of stress and depression:

“We toss the word ‘depression’ around a lot, as if we all know what it feels like to be depressed. But in fact, depression has a number of emotional faces. Sometimes it feels like the kind of sadness that makes you cry. More often it feels like a type of dull dread of the world. Often it mostly manifests as a feeling that one is really unworthy to be taking up space on the planet. And very frequently it presents itself as a feeling of overwhelming stress, a feeling that one’s problems are beyond dealing with. The fact that this last feeling is so common in depression explains why being ’stressed out’ is such a good marker for major depression.” You can read the complete article at: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/expert.q.a/01/26/stressed.out.raison/index.html

The therapists at Pathways for Aging commonly work with older adults and caregivers who experience high levels of stress that lead to depression. Those feelings of being overwhelmed are not uncommon, especially by those trying to make life-changing decisions for themselves or their older loved ones. As Dr. Raison advises in this article, it is best to seek help to determine if depression is adding to your burdens, and both Pathways for Aging and a physician or psychiatrist would like to help. So reach out, and do not try to do everything on your own. You will likely get more stressed and possibly more depressed if you do.

 Today, 8,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65, and the number of older adults in the U.S. will continue to rise steadily for the next twenty years. Not only do families need to plan for their own needs and the needs of their aging loved ones, but entire cities and towns need to address our aging society as well. The sprawling suburbs, where most baby boomers grew up and where most baby boomers want to age, are currently at the center of efforts to ensure that people can age in place. In the St. Louis area, a focused effort has already occurred in Creve Ceour where a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) exists. See this article from the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging for more information about creating Aging-Friendly Communities: http://www.aahsa.org/section.aspx?id=10963

KSDK news recently ran a story about a local man who has won hundreds of medals in the Senior Olympics: “Dahl gives new meaning to the term, ’senior moment.’ To him, it’s a workout everyday at the Jewish Community Center in Creve Coeur.” Read about his experiences and why he is an example of Positive Aging at: http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=196409

The Senior Olympics’ registration is coming soon on March 1. Should you or someone you know compete?

Often we hear from adult children concerned about paying for the care of the aging parents.  Some families are concerned about their financial responsibity for their parents.  The weekend edition of  USA Today has a mini-article by Sharon Epperson, with a few tips and resources. You can access the article: Cut Elder-care Costs online.  One of her recommendations is to contact a geriatric care manager.  We focus on evaluating the whole person, physically, emotionally, financially, support system, environment, and lifestyle.

Tags: Elderly Care, Elderly Caregiving, Elderly Estate Planning

Pet therapy - what is the benefit to older adults?  As I sit in my office, my 2 cats are contentedly sleeping away the morning.   It reminds me of the value and importance that some of our older adults place on their relationship with their pet.  Some of our clients share their small senior apartments with a cat, who is often sleeping in their lap or nearby as we have our therapy session.  We joke about the value of their daily dose of “cat therapy”, but I believe that this is not something to be discounted.  My clients readily admit to their pet’s impact on their mood.  Research has shown that pet therapy in nursing homes can help in decreasing depression.  What do you think about pet therapy and its impact on older adults?

In today’s online edition of US News & World Report - columnist, Bill Moehler wrote about the impact of the economy on baby boomers and their aging parents.

The economic downturn the past year has certainly impacted every area of our lives.  Usually we hear of the financial impact, but how this  affects the lives of families can be signifcant.  It is also having an impact on the senior housing industry as some housing developments have been stalled as loans are more difficult to obtain and seniors and their families have difficulty selling the family home or are reluctant to take a loss. 

 How has the downturn in the economy affected the older adults and caregivers in your life?

Every day we hear and see messages which lead us to believe that “getting old” in America is someting to be avoided and feared. We live in a youth-oriented culture.  The media bombards us with products and information on anti-aging products.

Yet the medical field is continually researching ways we can prolong our lives.  We want to live longer and healthier, yet we don’t want to get “old”.  It is an interesting paradox. 

 I often see older adults who have been referred for counseling for depression and who have low self-esteem—they tell me they feel worthless or a burden. 

Which has led me to my interest in Positive Aging — seeking ways to help adults feel good about themselves, to try and prevent some of the mental health issues our therapists see daily.  It is going to take a change in the way our Society views aging, to change our youth-oriented culture, to one of respect for the wisdom and value of the older members of our society. 

I have been giving presentations on this topic the past few years, but it will take a change in the attitude and values of Americans.  I invite your ideas and ask — what can you do to help change the culture of aging in America?