Self-Confidence and the Elderly (Part 1)
As we age, our bodies change in significant ways. We can’t do all that we used to, and do some things we’d never imagined. This is especially difficult for generations with the can-do attitude that brought them through major struggles, like the Great Depression.
That doesn’t change the negative ways people feel about their bodies, but it does give them options to help change their thinking.
Focus on the Possibilities
How can we expect the elderly to accept their changes with a smile? Or to expect them to live happily not only as their friends disappear one by one, but their hobbies too? We need to push our older family members, and ourselves, to look for alternatives and not accept that if the method we’re used to isn’t possible, they can’t take part in their hobbies anymore.
We need to look for possibilities. Right away, some people might say, “No way. Not me. I’m too old to learn something new.” Hogwash. A good friend of mine earned her doctorate degree at age 82. You can learn and master new ways of doing things, and enjoy life for many years to come.
Other people might immediately say, “That new technology is too expensive. Why should I buy this gadget or that gadget? I’d rather save my money so my children can use it.” More hogwash. Sometimes a solution to a problem is so simple it costs nothing at all but your time in thinking it up!
As she was getting older, my grandmother’s arms grew especially weak. She’d been an avid reader all her life, but suddenly couldn’t turn the pages of a book. This was before audio books had a presence in libraries, and the ones you could buy were adaptations or too expensive for her budget. Her grandchildren got together and spent more time with her, and improved their reading skills, by reading books to her an hour a night.