Richard’s Almanac: Taking care and making plans

A topic that has come to my attention recently is the daily worries that we seniors have. Those concerns that slowly eat way at the quality of life that we should be enjoying in these golden years.

As I did research around the Internet there seems to be agreement on the top concerns that seniors have. If you’re over 65 and retired you’ll probably identify with some of these concerns.

After all, we are in the last quartile of our existence on this planet and I might add that we are lucky to be here. There are many of our contemporaries who are not.

Most researchers seem to agree that health care costs worry many seniors. As we age, the chances of getting and treating a serious disease are higher. While we all have Medicare, it doesn’t cover everything.

That’s why the TV is filled with ads urging seniors to get supplemental coverage. And it’s a good idea if you don’t have enough cash set aside to self-insure for fees not covered by Medicare.

We’re also becoming more fearful of disease. Alzheimer’s is right up there with cancer and heart disease as ailments become more common because of age. This is why it’s a good idea to watch our diet and get enough exercise to keep us in good shape.

I seem to meet so many individuals who are going the vegan and gluten-free route in hopes of warding off debilitating diseases. A news brief in this month’s “Harvard Health Letter” reported that “replacing eggs and red meat with plant proteins appeared to reduce death risk by as much as 24% in men and 21% in women — especially in people with high intake of eggs and red meat.”

So maybe they’re on to something.

Then there’s just the fear of physical aging. We just can’t do those things we used to do. I used to mow my own lawn until about five years ago. I just became too fatigued hauling the mower around.

I would also get tired trying to start it. I must enlist the help of my teenage grandchildren for heavy lifting tasks like stacking wood and removing trash.

Just last week all my muscles ached after an hour of using my clam rake. And I was not even that successful. So we must become aware of and accept our physical limitations.

One of those limitations has to do with driving. We have to face the fact that we cannot drive as well at age 75 as we could at age 40. Our reflexes are not as good as they were. So save the driving for necessary trips around town and low-pressure tours down country lanes.

Otherwise take public transportation. And there’s much to be said about limiting driving to daylight hours and avoiding foul weather driving.

If you don’t have to get to work and the roads are slick, stay home.

Seniors are just like the rest of the population in that we don’t want to be alone. Loneliness can bring about depression and that’s not good for anyone. Take advantage of the socialization available at the Senior Center.

In the pre-pandemic days, the Senior Center was a fine focus for adult activity with meals, speakers, arts and crafts and exercises. These activities are still going on but they’re outside. Not quite the same. Senior Center Director Laurie Fanelli is conscious of the current limitations, but moves forward with trips and virtual programs.

To help seniors keep up with technology, a computer literacy program is scheduled for the new year. Technology is a key area that some seniors feel has passed them by. This program aims to change that.

Call the Center at 631-749-1059 if you want to enroll.