Aging

Aging still scares me a little but it is GOING to happen so I might as well get over it! I did get to tour the Senior Center in Durham which made me a little bit more excited to get older. It was so nice, with all kinds of art classes, exercise classes, social gatherings and a really nice gym!

I think that there are a lot of factors that contribute to how one ages.
For example:

My grandma at our flamingo party!

      
*Environment- My dad is a golf instructor who has worked outside most of his life. He never wore sunscreen or a hat. He LOOKS much older than he is, but since he stays so active, he feels younger than he is. (happy father’s day!)

*Health problems- My patient at Rose Manor has Lupus- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs (PubMed Health). She is 80 years old and fatigues SO quickly. I think about my grandparents who are older than this and can still do a lot of activites! Her medical condition definitely seems to have worsened the aging process. More info about Lupus

*Psychology- My grandma has agoraphobia- Panic disorder with agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder in which a person has attacks of intense fear and anxiety. There is also a fear of being in places where it is hard to escape, or where help might not be available. Agoraphobia usually involves fear of crowds, bridges, or of being outside alone (PubMed Health). For years and years my grandma did not go out of the house. I think that the reason she was not diagnosed with anything until later in life was because 1) she rarely went to the doctor 2) the symptoms started many years ago before people were openly talking about these kinds of problems 3) it was a small town with few doctors and EVERYONE knew your business. This was so severe that she did not go to my parents wedding, her husband’s funeral, my brother’s graduation… This disorder led her to spending most of the day sitting around not staying active. More recently she was diagnosed and is doing great now, she goes out wherever and whenever! I think that if this would have gone undiagnosed, she would have “withered away” from inactivity. She is looks much stronger now and has a lot more energy. More info about agoraphobia


To sum up, I think that there are many different ways/rates people age…some are controllable (not wearing sunscreen, smoking) and some are not (diseases). For the people who GET to age normally: you should feel LUCKY!